Hey, guys! I'm sorry this took so long; I've just not been able to settle on an idea (my two other ideas were Scrabble Nights and Las Vegas, which I may still write if there's enough prodding) and then when I did pick something, I couldn't write it at all. But I did it and here we are.
A few things first!
1) I realize that one theme got repeated - specifically both Beca and Chloe losing the grandparent they were really close to - and I would like kinda apologize for that; I didn't mean for angst to overtake this series. My own grandfather passed away a year ago this past February, and while we weren't as close as either Beca and Chloe were with their grandparents, I still have my moments of crippling sadness when I think of him. I guess it all seeped into the writing without my intending for it to. I hope the new chapter makes up for the previously angsty ones.
2) I also realize that I haven't taken the time to thank all who review personally, and that's kinda shitty of me, so I'm truly sorry. I'm still relatively new to this publishing stuff so I'm still fuzzy on the proper protocol. But I swear I take note of all of your reviews and cherish them, so keep 'em coming!
3) This will definitely be the chapter before the last one unless someone leaves me a prompt or request in the comments.
And just to be clear, this series was never following any kind of chronological order so don't get confused because this chapter falls in Beca's sophomore year, and Chloe's second attempt at senior year.
Special shoutout to my wonderful beta for putting up with me the way she does - you're an absolute "diamond"!
Thank you for your constant support with the reviews, follows/favorites, and kudos! You are amazeballs!
End of really long A/N! Read on and enjoy!
The Proclaimers own and perform "500 Miles (I Gonna Be)" while David Guetta ft. Sia own Chloe's lady jam.
There are many things in this world that Beca Mitchell hates.
Sand, for example, makes her really uncomfortable and itchy. She cringes at the thought of finding it covering everything she touches as she shifts around in her seat, intent on getting it in as few places as possible. She also vaguely wonders how she spent her whole life in her body without realizing how many crevices the human anatomy had that sand could get stuck in.
Mass quantities of people are a huge turn off too. Humans have vocal chords and they use them, much to Beca's annoyance, to talk to her. Even worse, they have opinions about things – like Beca's appearance and style – that they offer the brunette with no regards as to whether she wants them or not. Thankfully though, the Bellas' captain has mastered the art of the snark, and perfected her "you are all peasants" condescending eyebrow quirk which she firmly attaches to a deviously sarcastic smile, and the combination of all her aforementioned talents successfully keep nosy people away (she's not even sorry about biting that one woman that actually commented and touched her earspike. Beca's actually very proud of herself for that one.)
(Don't even get her started on children because she firmly believes that kids possess a more concentrated amount of peopleness in them due to their minimal surface area. It's all very scientific.)
(She will also never admit out loud that Chloe's managed to convince her that babies are precious and must be protected at all costs. The redhead somehow made babies sound exactly like the One Ring of Power and that made Beca okay – and mildly curious – about babies.)
Sun and sporting events are also things she actively tries to avoid because she will never understand why people will willingly put themselves through such laborious activities that result in heat and sweat and bad odor when they can enjoy the great indoors with its artificial air and synthetic light.
Yet here she is, on a beach in Tampa, Florida, surrounded by sand, sun, sporting events, and people.
Thanks to a pair of sparkling eyes that shine bluer than the water and waves that roll lazily along the sand, Beca finds herself at a high school reunion that isn't even her own and trying to stay under the shade of umbrella Chloe stuck in the sand to claim the spot as theirs, rotating every hour or so to follow the movement of the sun.
She's grumbling to herself because who has their high school reunion at the damn beach and I've only known Chloe for a year how am I so wrapped around her finger like this when the volleyball game catches her eyes. More importantly, someone at the volleyball game catches her eyes.
Beca forgets all about the notes she's making on her phone for mixes and set lists as she watches Chloe, donning aviator glasses and a lime green bikini that leaves Beca's brain in puddles, take a big gulp from her beer before handing her red Solo cup over to someone before jumping in and joining the new game.
The brunette can't help the soft, small smile that develops on her face because Chloe's throwing her head back to laugh every so often, the few red beach waves that were left out of Chloe's messy ponytail blowing in the breeze and bouncing around her face like living flames. Beca's even pleasantly surprised to find out that Chloe's actually really good at volleyball. She always pegged the redhead as the cheerleader type.
Beca's starting to slowly inch out from under her umbrella so she can get closer to watch (cheer on) Chloe when she catches the redhead's name in the conversation from the umbrella next to hers.
She remembers Chloe leaning in close (like, really close. Beca's still wondering how it looked to others if anyone was watching) and informing her that the girls that were setting up next to them weren't Chloe's biggest fans in high school and were probably sitting this close so they it'd be easier to gossip. Beca had wanted to give the two girls – who were already blatantly watching them and whispering not so subtly – a piece of her mind but Chloe had held her back, casually dismissing the whole thing and telling the brunette to ignore it before moving away to grab them some "jiggle juice."
So the captain tries to be subtle and pretend that she's readjusting herself as casually as possible while trying to hear what the two girls next to her were saying.
"… Ohmigod did you hear that she's totally repeating her senior year in college? Honestly, I'm surprised she even got as far as she did."
Beca feels her blood boil. How dare these two? They don't know Chloe. They don't know all that she went through as a senior. With the Bellas and the competition and especially with Aubrey, not to mention her nodes – she had surgery for God's sake! Senior year wasn't kind to Chloe and Beca was going to smack down anyone that had something to say about her best friend. The captain's mentally lining up her insults in the correct order they need to fire out of her mouth when the two idiots speak again, so she pauses and listens, hoping for more ammo to fuel her hate fire.
"And did you see the alt girl she brought with her? All those tattoos and that earspike? And who wears such dark eye make-up during the day? I told you she was absolutely into screwing girls back in high school. I bet that rumor about her and those three girls on the swim team from junior year is totally true."
She's really seething now and has completely moved from her spot and is rising to all of her 5 feet 2 inches height and starting to turn because nobody messes with her Bellas when someone crashes into her side, Chloe's breathy giggle filling her ear and seeping into her bones like a painkiller that instantly fixes everything as she stumbles to keep them both upright.
(She reluctantly admits to herself that she's feeling extra protective over Chloe and her reputation for reasons beyond the Bella sisterhood.)
They barely have their balance when Chloe yanks Beca away, slightly lifting Beca off the ground as the redhead spins them towards a group of people standing by the volleyball net, ignoring Beca's indignant squeak, and speaking in a rapid fire succession Beca associates with excitement.
"Come on, Becs! You need to meet some of my friends. And get a tan! You know the sun won't actually set you on fire, right?"
Beca simply rolls her eyes and lets herself be dragged across the sand before crashing into the redhead's back because Chloe's suddenly stopped in front of her and has turned around to pull Beca close. As she stumbles, Beca's vaguely reminded of Aca-Initiation Night when this same redhead pulled her this close then too before whispering, much like she does now.
"I saw you get up and turn to them so I came over to calm you down before violence broke out. Blood's really hard to clean, Becs."
The brunette smirks a little before sobering up and telling Chloe what she'd heard. Much to Beca's annoyance, Chloe just rolled her eyes and told Beca to forget it because nothing they say matters.
"But it does matter, Chlo! They can't go around saying shit like that about you-"
"Drop it, Beca. Please."
Beca's never seen this look in Chloe's eyes before. The redhead's bright baby blues look clouded and guarded, and Beca swears she sees walls she usually only sees in her own reflection. So she's desperate to see the smile back and needs the clouds to clear from the ginger's eyes because the sun that shines from those crystal orbs is the only sun that Beca needs in her life.
So obviously the only thing Beca can think up to do is ask what the rumor about the girls on the swim team was in the most awkward way her tiny frame can muster. She's thankful for her social ineptness because she's rewarded with a cheeky smirk and a lewd wink from Chloe.
"Wouldn't you like to know, Becs."
Oh boy, does she ever. Especially since the group Chloe's turned and is dragging her towards consists of three girls that look like they swim quite often and – to Beca's mild annoyance (read: jealousy) – more than a few guys. It doesn't help when Chloe slips her hand out of Beca's and sidles alongside a tall, dark, and (Beca grudgingly admits) handsome guy with a ridiculous boyishly charming smile that reminds Beca of Jesse.
She's scowling without really realizing it as she watches the young man bring Chloe closer against his side with an arm lazily dropping onto her shoulder, the ginger not helping any by wrapping her arms around the dude's waist. The brunette is distracted enough to totally miss the rapid introduction Chloe performs and finds herself staring blankly at everyone, smirking a little when her eyes land on Chloe's exasperated expression.
"Honestly, Beca, can't you get out of your own head for two seconds? Geez, you've got the attention span of a toddler-"
"I swear to God, Beale, if you take a crack at my height right now, we're going to have a serious smack down on this nice blood-free beach."
The ginger just rolls her eyes as the other people they're standing with chuckle lightly, Tall, Dark, and Handsome speaking up before Chloe can.
"Looks like you really are as intimidating as you look from afar, Earspike. I'm Scott, I was the jock dating the hottest girl in school-"
Beca can't help it, she smirks and snarks. It's just her default setting.
"Let me guess, she was a cheerleader too?"
She's not even surprised when Chloe smirks back at her.
"Excuse you, I was the head cheerleader, thank you."
"I knew it. Sick volleyball moves, by the way, Red."
All Beca gets for her trouble is another smirk and a wink that makes her stomach jump. She decides to look at Scott again because that's the safest option right now.
"That's Jackson – he was the guitarist in a band that was dating his rocking lead singer-"
The brunette raises a brow when Chloe giggles a little and shines a flirty smile at Jackson who just smiles goofily back.
"Seriously, Chlo?"
"I like music and bad boys, Becs. Are you really surprised?"
Beca rolls her eyes again and motions for Scott to continue.
"This is Cam, but feel free to call him Cameron if he bothers you. Ron if he's being super annoying."
Beca raises an expectant brow at Chloe, smirking a little.
"We met on the yearbook committee."
"Uh-huh. Go on, Scott."
"These two are Seth and Sebastian – the twins."
Beca raises both eyebrows this time as Chloe shrugs.
"I was adventurous."
The group laughs, Scott pointing at the girls next with a cheeky smirk.
"They're living proof of that- meet Natalie, Paige, and Finley, cheerleaders, misfits, and Warrior Princesses."
Beca smirks, liking these girls by description alone.
"Where you on the swim team by any chance?"
Beca's curiosity is practically eating her up because the group just chuckles and exchanges mysterious smirks.
"Well, I'm Beca. Obviously."
"She's my college, musically-inclined badass."
Beca's sure the blush spreading on her face isn't helping convince anyone that she's a badass.
Jackson, thankfully, bails her out with a smile.
"Oh, yeah. Chloe can't stop gushing about your genius mixes. Maybe you can save us from this crap they're playing?"
Beca hasn't even formed an answer when she feels two strong arms grab her and start gently ushering her towards the DJ's booth, her eyes widening in alarm as she searches for Chloe.
The beaming ginger nodding her head exuberantly does not help her panic.
"Guys, no- wait, please stop. I don't even have any of my mixes-"
"Oh, that's not a problem, Becs, I've got them all on my iPod. You're totes going to bring down the house."
The brunette goes limp in Seth and Sebastian's arms hoping to slow them down a little as she silently plots Chloe's murder in her mind.
Before she knows it, an announcement is being broadcasted and "DJ Earspike" is being introduced to a roar of clapping and hollering drunk young adults, while the current DJ is being pushed off the stage unceremoniously and she's slotted into his place. She tries to convey her apology to the dude but he just stumbles and gets to his feet, joining the loud wave of screaming people, his inebriated state a clear explanation as to why the music has sucked so far.
So Beca makes an awkward introduction herself as her hands shakily set up what she needs, sparing a glare at Chloe as the ginger bounces up next to her to hand her iPod over. The redhead has the audacity to just grin wider at Beca, unfazed by the brunette's death glare.
"Come on, Becs. Loosen up, you'll be great. Be fearless."
Soon enough, Beca finds herself calming down as her fingers work their magic and the music is flowing effortlessly over the dancing crowd.
Her navy blue eyes stay on Chloe the entire time, watching her co-captain seemingly have the time of her life as she sways and jumps and rocks out to all of her favorite mixes.
(Beca may or may not move on too soon from certain songs when she catches Chloe dancing too closely with Scott or Jackson or Cam. She definitely starts another track whenever Chloe's sandwiched between the twins because no.)
It's been a little over an hour and Beca's sipping on the beer one of Chloe's friends brought her when said redhead makes her way up and dances her way towards the amused brunette.
"Hey, Red. Having a good time?"
"The best! Well, it will be the best as soon as you come dance with me!"
There's nothing quite like dancing with Chloe Beale. Whether it's up on stage during a legit Bellas performance; a silly night in with their other friends as they dance to Cyndi Lauper and early 2000s boy bands; or a wild night on the town as they all but have sex in the middle of a club's dance floor – dancing with Chloe gives Beca a heady rush that sets her bones aflame and has her losing track of time and her surroundings and especially let go of her inhibitions.
The redhead's like a drug that Beca craves every second because it makes her feel invincible.
Of course, that doesn't mean she ever agrees to dance without giving Chloe a hard time first. But the redhead's cutting her off before she can even fully open her mouth.
"No, don't resist, Mitchell. We are dancing and you are going to love it. I'm not even going to pull you away from this stuff; we'll dance up here."
This gives Beca pause because she's more than aware of how Chloe likes to dance, especially to the mixes she's choosing to play here today; she's not sure it would be appropriate and her eyes unwittingly travel to two women she's also kept a close eye on for a while now. Chloe's notices the distraction and frowns fiercely.
The ginger sways forward, stepping into Beca's personal space and causing the brunette to squeak out in surprise as Beca anchors her hands low on Chloe's hips, the older woman's arms resting on the shorter girl's shoulders, one hand slipping up to release Beca's hair from her messy bun before brushing her fingers through it and eventually leaving it at the base of the brunette's skull.
Chloe relishes in the way Beca swallows thickly at the touch, then again as Chloe's other hand lifts up to idly run her finger along "the amazingly scary earspike" that just earned Beca a stage name before slowly easing into swaying to the rhythm Chloe's setting for them. Beca's falling into the familiar feeling of moving in sync with Chloe when the redhead leans in further, her soft voice carrying over the music to Beca's ears.
"Beca, I don't care what they say; I never have. I wouldn't be here if it bothered me. And I don't mean be here at the reunion; they used to say a lot of other more hurtful things in high school. But I didn't let it get to me then and I sure as hell won't now."
Beca pulls back with a jolt, fury marring her features as her head whips around to look at the two women ogling her and Chloe even now. It takes her a moment to even register Chloe's gentle touch at her neck, her co-captain's thumb idly brushing against Beca's thundering pulse as she tries to calm her down. Chloe makes sure to keep their soft swaying going as well as she lowers her voice some more.
"Hey, look at me, Becs. Look at me, I'm fine- better than fine. I could have let them dictate how I lived my life, but I didn't. You met my friends; you know I did whatever pleased me and had no regrets. You know I still live like that – grabbing the bull by the horns and never holding back from getting what I want. I'm happy, I'm healthy, and I'm here with you. Those two can go screw a cactus for all I care. All that matters to me right now is that I get to dance with you to the best music ever created.
So what do you say, Beca Mitchell? Will you be fearless with me?"
Beca looks deep into Chloe's eyes, the furrow of her brows easing and her angry, thumping pulse slowing as she watches the walls and clouds from earlier leave Chloe's baby blues, the sun back in her eyes and practically blinding Beca with its radiance.
Her mind wanders to the night after this past year's semi-finals when she gave Chloe a foot rub after their performance, her fingers curiously finding a small tattoo on the ginger's ankle, only looking up from it when Chloe's soft and sleepy voice informed her that it was the Sanskrit word for fearless, not offering any other kind of information about it and so Beca didn't push. Instead she sat, content to rub Chloe's sore feet until the redhead fell asleep.
It takes no time at all for Beca to make a decision as she steps out of Chloe's arms for a minute, turning to tweak the equipment. It takes even less time for Chloe's frown to turn into a delighted grin that lights up her whole face as she hears the notes to the mash up of Titanium and I Would Walk 500 Miles filter through the speakers – Beca smirking as she returns to her.
As the pair re-tangle their limbs together and start dancing and grinding against each other without a care as to who's watching, the last thing Beca registers before Chloe's soft lips drop a seductive kiss against the corner of her mouth are the ginger's words as they flow up into Beca's ears as she whispers,
"Let's give them something to gossip about, Becs."