A/N Still another short one. Well shorter than usual. But more of another transition chapter. Let me know what you think. Or if you want to guess what's going to go down in the next chapter you can totally do that also! Enjoy and thanks for sticking it out this long with me! (:
"Beca, I told Alex we would be there at two and we haven't even left yet! Come on." Chloe was frantically running around the kitchen trying to round everything up. I sat on the arm of the couch and watched in silence, irritation building under my skin. I took a big drink from my beer before I walked up to my fiancé. Twisting my arms around her waist, clamping my hands down on the counter's edge so she couldn't move. "Beca." She warned, I placed tender kisses on her neck and her shoulders. "Come on please. This is our first thanksgiving with them together since Barden." The anxiety in Chloe's voice made me step back.
"I know," I dropped my head in defeat. "I just really don't know if I want to see them." The confession was real but it was still a little embarrassing.
"It's been eight months. Give them a chance. If at any point you want to leave, then we'll come back here and have a bottle of wine. Watch a scary movie and cuddle. I promise." Chloe lifted my chin as she spoke, looking me in the eyes to remind me that I wasn't alone.
"I'd rather do that." I couldn't help but chuckle. "Okay, let me change and then I'll take all this stuff down to the car and we can head out there." I shuffled off to our room, twisting the ring on my finger absently. I tossed my now removed shirt on the bed, slipping on a black tank top with a nice blue button down shirt over it, leaving my black skinny jeans on. Staring down at the options for shoes I had, I sat back trying to contain the anxiety building. Chloe's red hair peeking through the doorway caught my attention.
"Wear the blue and white vans." She pointed to the corner of the room where a pile of shoes sat. I grinned as the feelings in my stomach began to subside. "Hey, I love you." She assured even thought I knew deep down that it would never be a question in my mind again. We'd been battling to keep my walls down these last few months. Ever since LA, we'd been fighting at least every other day. Not that they lasted long, Chloe had perfected this sad puppy pout that made me bust up laughing no matter how mad I was. But the frustrations and anxiety was always hovering it seemed.
"I love you Chloe." I slipped one shoe on easily, nearly tripping backwards trying to pull the other on. "Jesus." I groaned. I carried the boxes of pies and food Chloe had prepared down to the car and secured them in the backseat. "Why did you make so much food babe?" I raised a curious eyebrow.
"You do realize how big your family is right? You have three siblings who all have partners, plus us, Aubrey and Jesse might go and Stacie and CR are going." I frowned as I added up the amount of people in my head and realized that although that was a large amount of people it wouldn't be half as amazing as the one year all the Bella's stayed on campus and had thanksgiving together because Chloe couldn't go home and no one wanted her there alone.
"Wait, why are the girl's going to be there?" Worry replacing all emotions abruptly when Chloe's statement about Stacie and CR registered. Chloe shrugged as I drove, I watched her carefully out of the corner of my eye.
"Can we stop so I can get a couple bottles of wine or something?" Her voice was small and her eyes looked far away. I just nodded and pulled into the parking lot, waiting for her return. Silently giving myself a pat on the back when I watched her walk back from the store. I stepped around the car quickly to open her door. "Well thank you ma'am." She teased with Chloe Beale charm.
"Anything for you dear." I retorted. An uncomfortable silence fell over us as I drove slowly to my brother's house. Chloe kept sneaking glances that I tried to ignore.
"Becs, it's okay. It's going to be okay, remember if you want to leave just say the word. Any point. Anytime. We're in this together." Chloe's hand rested on my thigh causing waves of relief to wash over me.
"Forever?" My voice squeaked, causing me to internally flinch.
"And always." She beamed. "Oh god, we've turned into THAT couple." She added before falling into uncontrollable laughter. "Okay, listen up." Chloe jerked my face towards her as soon as the car was in park. She didn't say anything, just stared at me longingly before attaching our lips hungrily. My hands instinctively reaching out for her hips, she pulled back and swatted them away. "If you can survive this without getting TOO wasted. You'll get rewarded tonight." Her eyes narrowed as desire swam in the light blue pools. "Let's good stud." Chloe slid out of the car and handed me a box after I walked around the back, stacking another box on top of that. I stumbled with all the weight of the food right behind her as she casually walked through the door, sulking off towards the kitchen. I rolled my eyes as my older sister's shrieked and cried out how beautiful Chloe is and about how glad they are that we made it out.
"Here champ, I got you." My brother's sad eyes briefly met mine before he took the box of pies off the top of the stack. I placed the other box on the counter and sighed a thank you to the younger man. "You look beautiful as always." Jared smiled at my partner. Amber wrapping an arm around his waist. I kissed her cheek as a greeting, hugging Ryan and Brad afterwards. Chloe was chatting easily with my sisters. "Want one?" Jared asked, lifting a bottle of whiskey up. I debated for a moment and then agreed. "So we heard about your foundation." He approached casually but by his facial expression I could tell that he was weighing his words heavily. I just nodded not sure if my words would fail me or not. Chloe was keeping a careful eye on me from across the kitchen and I grinned coolly in her direction.
"Want some wine?" Alex asked the ladies in the room. All agreeing that it sounded like a great idea. After watching Alex pour a glass for her, Chloe rested her hand on her glass as she used the other one to speak. Megan spat her wine all over the counter.
"IS THAT AN ENGAGEMENT RING?!" Megan's eyes bulged as she tried not to choke on the white alcohol she was consuming. Chloe's face flashed from shock to amusement as she stared at the older woman. Megan then turned to me and threw a spoon, missing by a mile. "You purposed? And didn't tell anyone?!" A smirk twisted onto my lips.
"Oh I told people. Stacie, Cynthia, Jesse, Aubrey, the rest of the Bellas and probably half of LA. But you know sorry it must have slipped my mind." My words came out bitter and I grimaced as soon as they left my mouth. Alex's eyes began to pool with tears, I didn't want to make my family cry on thanksgiving so I swallowed my pride. "I'm sorry, that was harsh. We haven't exactly spoken in the last almost year. Yeah that's been on my account. But I don't want to fight." Alex nodded slowly showing that she understood.
"Well," Chloe giggled. "Now that that's out of the way? What now?" Her eyes sparkled as Megan checked the turkey. I chugged my drink and handed the empty cup to Jared. Who poured another. Megan mumbled something about the turkey being finished in a few minutes when the front door opened. Stacie popped around the corner, screeching and throwing her hands up when she saw Chloe.
"It's my favorite bride to be!" She shouted squeezing Chloe and spinning her around. She stopped abruptly and mumbled some profanities. Shooting me an apologetic look before Chloe whispered a reassurance in her ear. "Oh god, I thought I totally ruined it." She whined. Cynthia gave me a fist bump before grinning and shaking her head.
"My life would be so boring without her." I laughed knowing exactly what she meant. I felt the same way about Chloe. Cynthia was pouring herself a drink as everyone fell back into quiet banter.
"Hey, will you come talk to me?" Alex whispered in my ear. Causing me to nearly spill my drink everywhere from jumping so high. After glaring at her, I softened my expression and nodded solemnly. As I walked towards the back patio Chloe gave me a small smile that reminded me of her agreement earlier. We stood leaning into the railing. Alex's brown eyes bouncing nervously over the landscape before finally falling to her hands. "I had all these things I wanted to say to you. Here I am speechless. Just know that I know there isn't anything I can say or do to make up for the horrible decisions I made for you. I swear I was just trying to protect you." She stopped and inhaled and knowing my sister and her long winded speeches I waited patiently for her to continue. Really listening to her despite the fact that I told myself I didn't want to. "I'm sorry. More than anything I'm sorry about keeping Chloe away from you. I never hated her, I just knew she was going to get in the way of this life we had painted for you in your mind. We were right but I'm glad she did because now Beca is back. I love you no matter what. Whether you are Skylar or Beca or whoever you want to be. But I missed Beca Mitchell. Part time DJ full time badass." She paused as a small smile twisted on my lips. "Just know, I'll do whatever you need for me to earn your trust back." Tears threatened my eyes as she stood staring out into the nature in front of us. I placed my hand on the back of my sister's before debating on my response.
"I don't hate you. I understand why you did what you did. You have Chloe to thank for that, long nights and her defending all of you. I don't agree with what you did. I still don't think it was a decision you had the right to make for me. Especially running Chloe off." I locked my eyes on my sister's caramel colored orbs, narrowing them with seriousness. "Give me time." Anger was still just below the surfaces but I couldn't let my sister live with the pain of me being outwardly angry anymore. She sniffed before wiping her tears with the sleeve of her sweater. A mischievous grin on her face, she turns slowly and laughs.
"Shots?" Her eyebrows raising as she asked the question. I glanced over my shoulder into the kitchen just in time to see Chloe pull her gaze from me into the kitchen where Stacie was talking excitedly with her hands, holding a butcher knife. I laughed at the adopted family members I'd gained over the years and decided a few shots couldn't hurt.
"First one is for Buba." I stated slowly, Alex nodded quickly before we clinked our glasses and threw back the shots.
"Second one is to my baby sister's engagement." A smirk faded into a happy smile on my sister's face. We threw the second one back, I lifted a hand in surrender. Signaling that I needed a moment before I took anymore. Memories of the last few weeks flooded my mind.
Chloe was irate in the kitchen for the third night this week. I dropped my head in defeat before lifting my drunken body off the couch. "Chlo, come on what's wrong?" I slurred my words a little and watched as the red head laughed with venom in her vocals. She had both arms locked in front of her to support her weight against the counter, her eyes shut with her head hanging down. She lifted her head slowly, the look in her eyes made my blood run cold.
"Beca Mitchell, why do you do this? It was okay when we first got together, I understood. You were broken, lost, confused and you were angry. Are you not happy? Like do I make your life that fucking miserable?" My mind was spinning as her voice cracked. Her jaw was clinched in an attempt to fight back crying, I knew Chloe Beale and I knew she was on the verge of a complete freak out. She stood up straighter now and pointed at me. "You don't get to do this. Not now. Not after all the shit we've gone through. You've made too much progress to go back to this Beca Skylar Mitchell." I flinched at how sharp her words sounded as she said my name. "You deserve a better life than that. I deserve a better life than that." Her words tore through my fogged mind like a chainsaw. "I WILL NOT MARRY A DRUNK!" Her voice betrays her as she tried to get the point across.
"Fuck you Chloe." My own voice came out as a hiss. A new expression took place on the taller woman's face as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Excuse me?" Her question caused me to flinch again, knowing I just threw gasoline on the fire. "What gives YOU the right to talk to ME like that? Huh?" I stood in complete shock as her eyes blazed with a new emotion I'd never seen. "That's my point exactly, you would never talk to me like that if you weren't trashed right now." She threw her hands up in exasperation when I stood silently, swaying unsteadily a little. "You know what? I can't do this Beca." Her eyes were empty now as the words hung in the air.
"Wh-wh-what?" I stuttered but not from the alcohol. Panic rising in my throat as the fog suddenly felt even heavier in my head. I couldn't process what she was saying. Tears began streaming down my face as Chloe stood emotionless on the other side of the counter. A sob escaping the depths of my chest as she dropped her gaze down to the ring on her hand, her eyes traveling to the picture frame on the wall beside her. It was a picture of us in our sweats and old Barden tshirts. We had gone out to get coffee and were sitting on a blanket in the quad when Chloe shouted about taking a selfie. Both our hair was tied up in a messy bun, still wearing makeup from the night before but Chloe's smile was so brilliant that when she went to take the picture, the edge of my mouth was twisted up in a half smile, my teeth partially showing behind my lips, my eyes locked on the perfect woman next to me. Chloe sighed, obviously lost down memory lane. I kissed her quickly after the picture was taken, awkwardly pulling away just as quick. It was our first kiss which we didn't talk about until after I confessed my love for her on a drunken night. I couldn't breathe as I thought about all this.
"Beca." Chloe's face was suddenly in front of me, both hands on my face. "Beca, Beca, Beca look at me." My eyes struggled to focus but I did as I was told. Chloe spent the next five minutes calming me down. She put me to bed and I lied away in bed staring at the wall, listening to her sobs for three hours. "I can't do this. I can't watch her destroy herself. Destroy us. But I can't walk away." Chloe's broken voice sounded between sobs, I hated that she was sitting in the living room all alone but I knew there was nothing I could do to help. Neither one of us slept that night.
"Beca?" Alex's voice pulled me back from my thoughts, I smiled automatically throwing walls up. I took the shot glass from her hand and hesitated before throwing it down the back of my throat. My thoughts still on Chloe, thinking about kissing her or maybe trying to find a reason to disappear for awhile so I could get her alone. And naked. Yes, very naked.
"Let's go inside." I mumbled before using my hand to motion towards the house. Smiling softly at my sister before we fell in step. I stepped through the door to find Stacie wrestling with Cynthia over something and Chloe standing completely amused with a wine glass pressed to her chest. "Hey sexy." I whispered in her ear, stepping up behind her to press into her back. A grin pulled at the edges of her lips. She tried to turn and face me but I held her hips in place. "Close your eyes." I muttered even quieter. She sighed and did as told. I glanced around the room to be sure that no one was looking at us. "Don't move. Don't make a sound." I commanded a little more urgently this time. I pulled her hips back so her body was pressed completely into mine. Slipping one hand under her shirt onto her warm stomach. Chloe stood perfectly motionless, I pushed her two steps forward so we were shielded better by the counter. Looking around again I slipped my other hand down the front of her pants and grinned as Chloe choked back a gasp. She wiggled a little. "Open your eyes, but don't move. You're gonna give us away." My voice was a little on the seductive side causing Chloe's breath to hitch. I watched cautiously as she bit her lip hard as I went about my business. Only jerking my hand away when a tall brunette man walked into the room.
"Shit." Chloe growled pushing me away in a panic. I just stood there mouth agape, not even sure I was physically capable of moving right now. Chloe straightened out her clothes before shooting a glance to the now frozen room. Stacie grabbed Cynthia's hand, sinking back against a wall. Jared's eyes narrowed with anger as Amber cocked her head in confusion. Brad and Ryan who were sitting at the table just awkwardly kept shifting their eyes around the faces in the room. Megan leaned into Alex for support as she clutched her chest. Alex stood there extremely still before turning her head to me. You could hear a pin drop in the earth shattering silence of the Mitchell residence. I was the first to move, reaching slowly for the whiskey on the counter, everyone's eyes jerked to me. I moved the mouth of the bottle to my mouth and tipped it up, counting to six as I chugged down the angry liquid. Avoiding eye contact with anyone as Chloe slipped her hand in mine. Her promise flashed through my mind again, I shook my head too stubbornly to let this man of all people chase me from a family event. The alcohol clearly fueling my thoughts and anger. I wasn't going to leave because of him. Even if things were a little tense at the moment. Chloe moved towards me like a frightened child. I looked down at her face, her blue eyes focused on reading my expression. She looked scared but like she was scared for me. I stared lovingly at the woman.
"Beca." The single word snagged everyone's focus, including mine to the man standing in the opening that led to the front door. I swallowed my anger down, knowing that this wasn't going to go well but too pissed to walk away. I focused all the anger I had been feeling this last year on him. My blood practically boiling as an awkward half, open lipped smile found its way to my face.
"Dad." The word made my ears hurt.