Chapter 7: Everything Has Changed (song by Taylor Swift ft. Ed Sheeran)

Chloe Beale X Beca Mitchell

Prompt: Maybe it happened after too many hanging out and getting shots. Maybe it happened after too many nights of drunken confessions. Or maybe it happened after too many nights of snuggling together in the same bed. But once it happened they both knew nothing would ever be the same again. Because they realized everything has changed.

Beca wasn't sure how it happened. Or when it happened. It just simply did. That adorable creature called Chloe Beale had managed to worm her way into her heart, ever since day one. Maybe that's when it all changed. But she could never be really sure. One day they were just friends. The next, the redhead had managed to trick her into letting her into every part of her that she closed off. And then after that? Well, she didn't really know what happened. All she knew was that whenever the redhead was near her she felt happier. She felt lighter. She felt. And all she knew was that she was developing feelings for Chloe. And when she finally realized she was falling in love with her best friend, she freaked. Those movie nights, bed snuggling, music listening, and stolen glances between the two were never the same again. Her heart would always jump when the redhead accidently brushed past her. Her stomach would flutter whenever the redhead causally flirted with her. She found herself yearning for those times when she would finally see the bubbly ginger after a day of classes without Bellas rehearsals. She found herself snuggling deeper into their cuddles after a long day of college things.

Chloe wasn't sure how it happened either. She just knew that she had to make that shut-off girl an open door to her. That she had to worm her way into the other girl's life. She knew that it would probably take years to do, and that it may or may not turn out the way she wanted it to, but she did it anyways. She just wanted to see that darn girl smile. So she set out to make the girl open to her. It started with tiny things, smiles and homework question asking. And then Chloe kept going. She managed to make the closed-offed girl let her into every part that she wanted to hide. And then after that? Well, Chloe didn't really know what was happening. All she knew was that when she finally got the younger girl to open to her, everything in her life was better. She felt happy whenever the smaller girl was near her. She felt things that nobody had ever made her feel whenever Beca managed to do something nice to her. And when she realized that she was falling for her best friend, she tried to see if she felt the same. Chloe would 'accidently' brush past her. She would 'pretend' to flirt with her. Because when she saw Beca flush deep red, it made her proud knowing that she did that to her.

But they both didn't know those weren't when it all actually changed. Nobody would ever know. But it happened something like this…

The front door slams shut and Beca jolts up. What the hell? Rubbing her tired eyes Beca barely has any time to jump up and yell at someone before a familiar perfume blows past her room. Chloe! But it was also followed by the sound of someone softly sniffling. Beca frowns, throwing her door open in time to see the door that led to the roof slam shut. Her mouth drops open. Damn. Something bad must've happened. The roof was somewhere they only went once in a while to celebrate something. They had kind of made it sort of their rule to never go up there unless it was serious when they had first moved into their apartment together with Aubrey.

Beca shakes off her nerves and opens the door, setting off to follow the redhead up the steps. When Beca makes it to the top, she pauses before opening the door. She could clearly hear the redhead freely crying. Her blood starts to boil. Who would dare hurt her best friend? Beca opens the door, with clear intentions to help the ginger and to dig it out from her to see who had hurt her. Then, she decided that she would damage that person's face. "Chlo'? You okay?" She whispers? The redhead looks up, eyes wide. When she sees it's Beca, her eyes soften and she turns to look away. Beca frowns and site down next to Chloe, dangling her feet over the edge of the building. Chloe had her legs pulled towards her, arms wrapped around her knees. "Chloe. What happened?" The redhead doesn't answer and Beca grows angrier by the second. "Chloe! I need you to tell who did this to you so I can bash his…her? head in." that earns her a small laugh from Chloe, and her mouth slightly turns up.

"Tom broke up with me." It was so quiet Beca almost missed it. Beca stiffens at the mention of Chloe's (ex?)boyfriend. Beca moves to stand and Chloe quickly puts a hand on her arm. "Please don't kill him. It wasn't his fault. We weren't really working anyways. I loved someone else." Beca frowns again.

"Then why are you crying?" Chloe softly laughs again.

"Just because we weren't working doesn't mean I didn't love him."

Oops. Beca's face turns into one of guilt. "Sorry."

"It's 'kay, Becs." They sit in silence for a little while again, staring at the sunset together. Somehow during their vigil of silence, Beca's hand found its way to Chloe's, softly tracing each of her knuckles. Chloe's breath hitches but Beca doesn't notice.

"It'll be alright, Chlo'. Boyfriends are just natural douches. I mean, why bother with them, right?" Chloe looks up at her in confusion.

"I thought you were dating Jesse."

Beca shrugs, turning back to look at the sinking sun in the distance. "We broke up a few months ago. We also weren't working, and I kind of fell in love with someone else too." Beca doesn't notice Chloe's hopeful and then sadden expression.

"How come you never told me?" Beca shrugs again.

"It didn't seem important." Chloe narrows her eyes at the younger girl.

"Not important? You guys dated for five years!" Beca shrugs again. Chloe's brain turns her back to the previous conversation they were just having. "…Do I know this person you're in love with?" Beca laughs, they're hands still tightly intertwined together.

"In a way."

"And how would this said person you love feel about you holding my hand?" Awkward silence. Chloe looks up and stares at Beca's face.

"I…I don't think she'd mind." A small smile plays at the edge of Chloe's mouth. "…And how would the person you love feel about you holding my hand?" She raises her eyebrow at Chloe. The redhead just smiles at her.

"I think she'd mind." Beca smiles back at her. And they sit like that for a while, eyes glancing at the sunset and stealing glances at each other.

"I…" Chloe starts, the word drawing the silence around it. "This is nice, Becs. Just having you here. Thanks for being here for me."

Beca smiles at her again. "I'll always be here for you Chlo'. You know that." Chloe gives her one last smile before turning back to face the sunset. She rests her head on Beca's shoulder, their hands still intertwined together.

And they sit like that. Both silent, Chloe's head on her shoulder, Beca's feet dangling just over the edge of the building, just like they'd always do during a celebration. It wasn't finalized yet, but something was clear to the both of them as they sat in silence on the rooftop, watching the sunset. And that was everything had changed.

(A/N: Just a reminder that if anyone has prompt ideas for me, both musical or just normal ones, they can send it to me via e-mail (ashleywchou ) or through the review part. Thanks for reading!)