A/N#1: It's late I know! I hate being a functioning member of society sometimes. Please enjoy and try not to hate me too much.
Chapter Eleven – Holiday Hijinks
Clarke
"Lexa calm down! There is nothing to be worried about." Clarke laughed a little at the panicked look on her girlfriend's face as she drove them both toward Clarke's childhood home for Thanksgiving. Lexa had been bouncing in her seat since they pulled off campus. "You have already met my mom and she likes you! Everything will be fine."
"How can you say that Clarke? Yeah I've met Abby but this is your WHOLE family that I'm meeting! I mean do you really want this to happen?" Lexa's eyes were wide as they stayed focused on the road ahead.
"Of course Lexa, I want everyone I know or have ever known to meet you!" Clarke could see her side of things but honestly there was nothing to worry about. Abby was the only biological family she had left…wait…Lexa didn't exactly know that. "You do know that you have literally met half of the people that are going to be here right?" She saw Lexa's eyebrows pull together as she changed lanes around a rather slow moving car.
"I don't understand Clarke."
"My mom is the only biological family member I have left. Both of my parents were only children and both sets of grandparents are long gone." Lexa took the chance to glance her way to see the honesty across her face. "My family consists of mom, Octavia, Bellamy, their mom Aurora, Raven, her parents if they show this year, Anya is coming, Lincoln is apparently showing his face as some point, Jasper a friend from high school and his parents, and a few friends that Jasper invited because they don't have anywhere to go." Clarke looked back ahead at the road. "Turn left." Then went back to explaining. "For a long time our family kind of took in strays at Thanksgiving. It started with the Blake and Reyes families, then we added the Jordan's family once Jasper moved to town our freshman year. It was one of the things dad loved about the holiday…" Clarke swallowed the sob in her throat. "He liked bringing people together just so they had a little something extra to be thankful for…this year I'm thankful for you and I want you to be a part of my tradition." Clarke looked down at her hands softly rubbing her fingers together.
Lexa reached over and threaded her fingers through Clarke's and pulled the back of her hand to her lips. "Thank you Clarke, I know that was difficult for you. I'm thankful that you feel confident enough to bring me along." Lexa smiled at her as she told to her round the next right and it was the house at the end of the street.
Clarke's childhood home could be called extravagant, it was definitely more than their family of three…and then two…needed but it was home. As Lexa killed the engine she stiffened in her seat again. "Lexa, look at me." Light green eyes found her own and Clarke felt herself putting a word to the color, nervous. "If it gets to be too much for you, then just tell me and I will get you out of there if the need arises, okay?" Lexa nodded and Clarke leaded over the center console drawing her into a short kiss. "I promise everything will be just fine."
The tapping on the glass of Clarke's window shot them apart. Abby was standing outside the door looking rather impatient. "Damn, I'm super glad I sprang for dark tinted windows that could have been worse than meeting your mom in the hospital." Clarke laughed and swung at her arm. "Watch it Clarke I'm still healing on that side!"
"Oh bullshit, you have been fine for days!" Clarke opened her door and wrapped her mom in a hug. Lexa moved around the jeep to grab their bags out of the trunk. Abby came around and gave Lexa a small hug because of her semi-recent injury and motioned them into the house. "Come on Lexa, I'll show you where we are staying and give you a short tour." Clarke pulled her by the wrist toward the stairs but Lexa froze and shot a glance at Abby.
"Oh you two go ahead I'm finishing up a few things but I may need help after a bit." Then she left in the direction of the kitchen that Clarke could already smell turkey radiating from. Lexa followed her up the winding staircase as Clarke let her body go on autopilot through the house. She showed Lexa multiple guest rooms, mentioning each person that would be occupying them in the night to come, a study that had been her father's and was now her mother's, about two bathrooms, and then she stopped in front of the door at the very end of the hall.
"And this is my room…well our room." Clarke saw a small look of panic in Lexa's eyes again wondering silently what that was about. Ever since the night Lexa had gotten hurt they had been falling asleep together at least once a week, Clarke wished it had been more but they were still moving slow and that was totally okay with her, for now.
She turned the knob and pushed the door open and stepping back to let her girlfriend enter first and take everything in. There were wall to wall drawings and paintings, a large easel in the corner, hundreds of art supplies covering every available surface for storage, and a drawing table in the opposite corner from her easel. Lexa let out a short gasp as her eyes roamed the room and Clarke let the smile finally reach her lips, this was the very first time Lexa had ever seen any of her work. Lexa let the bags fall at the foot of the bed and started moving to take a closer look at the pictures. Clarke went to move their things into a more accessible location.
"Clarke these are amazing! Why haven't you shown me these before?" Lexa's whisper could just be made out by Clarke.
"I've always been nervous to show others my work. What if they don't like it? What if they voice their hatred when they don't know I'm there? What if I'm not as good as I think?" Lexa turned on her at those words and strode toward her taking her head in both hands.
"You are every bit as amazing as you think you are! I have never seen anything like this and I've been to the Smithsonian…twice!" They both giggled. "You are so gifted Clarke, why are you not majoring in art?"
It was a fair question, one that she had gotten often, but she finally found the answer over the summer. "I know that it is hard to make a living as an artist and that is not the reason I didn't major in it, but I've always loved helping people and making them happy. Art doesn't give me the option to do both but the medical field does." Clarke remained calm as she tried to get out her feelings. "I still love art and I still draw to relieve stress and calm down and such but I want to be a doctor. I want to tell people that they are going to live long and happy lives, I want to tell their family that they lived and will make a complete recovery, and I want to be the person who does all they can for every patient and never asks for a thing in return." She focused her eyes on Lexa again, having looked down at her shoes nervously, and saw a small smile pulling at the corners of her lips.
"And that right there is the reason you will be a wonderful doctor." Lexa leaned in and kissed her before pulling back with that smirk firmly in place. "Dr. Hot Pants!" Clarke laughed at the ridiculous nickname, that she secretly loved, and rolled her eyes and pulled Lexa back in by the back of her neck into a much more heated kiss than the last one. They both sighed at the contact and Clarke wrapped her arms around Lexa's waist as she moved hers around her shoulders. Clarke pressed herself flush to the toned body in her arms and moved her lips over the striking jawline toward an ear with a shiny silver bar running through the top of it. She felt Lexa's whole body sigh as she breathed out her name and traced her fingers up her shoulders toward her hair.
"Girls? I could use a hand down here if you are settled in." Abby called as Lexa stiffened and tried (but epically failed) to pull out of Clarke's grasp. She lifted her mouth from under Lexa's ear and called out.
"Be down in a minute mom. Lexa was just checking out how talented I am." She smirked again as Lexa tried (failing yet again, okay so she could be trying that hard right?) to get out of her arms. "Maybe just in a non-art related way." Clarke whispered into her girlfriend's ear and felt her shudder under her touch before tracing the bar with her tongue and pulling the lobe into her mouth.
"Cl-Clarke, stop-p your mom…shit…is gonna come up here. God but that feels good!" Lexa was almost panting but this time she used enough of her muscle power to remove herself from the embrace. Clarke just laughed at her as she watched the girl try and collect herself. She threaded their fingers together and pulled Lexa out the door and toward the kitchen downstairs.
It was less than three hours later when everyone was accounted for. Bellamy, Aurora, and Raven had arrived first (Aurora having been berating Bellamy for not bringing home a date when everyone else was after meeting Lexa). They were followed closely by Octavia and Lincoln who didn't end up having to go to his family's Thanksgiving until later that night (he had subtly begged Bellamy to let him take O which turned into Bell getting a smack to the back of the head when he hesitated from his mother). The Jordan's turned up next. It turned out that the friends Jasper invited we the Green family, not Anya's but Monty's. Monty followed Jasper closely into the house with Harper at his hand and an older Asian woman behind them looking rather pleased with the children before her and holding a large bowl of homemade noodles. Harper squealed at the sight of Lexa, Clarke, and Octavia and quickly went to hug them each before stopping at Lexa and asking about her ribs, Lexa just laughed and pulled her into a hug.
"Guys I want you to officially meet Monty Green, my boyfriend. Monty this is Lexa, Clarke, and Octavia. Lexa and O were on the lacrosse team with me, O and Clarke are both in Sigma Zeta Psi with me too." They all smiled at the seemingly shy boy but he opened up more when Jasper came around stating they met in computer science class when they both tried to hack the teacher's computer at the same time. Monty introduced everyone to his mother, Hannah, and her family's secret noodles. There was a small knock at the door and Jasper ran to open it before anyone else could and pulled in a pale girl with black hair.
"Maya these are my friends," He rattled off names, "guys this is my girlfriend Maya Vie." The poor girl was obviously shy and terrified at how many people were around her at that moment. Harper gave her a hopeful smile and Clarke pulled her over to the side of the room filled with the rest of the girls. It didn't take long for her to feel welcome, that was one thing Clarke loved about Thanksgiving, no matter how anyone got there they were always treated like family. 'Because you can never have too much family, Clarke.' She heard her father's words in her head and her heart gave a small squeeze, her emotions must have shown for at least a second because Lexa touched her then. It was just a brush of her hand down her arm but she needed it, she looked back and gave her a smile seeing Raven over her shoulder sulking in a corner.
"Rae, you okay?" She asked quietly when she had gotten closer to her friend. Lexa had followed her sight line and gave her a smile before going to distract Octavia from seeing the same thing.
"Yeah, I'll be okay. I mean I should have guessed they wouldn't show. Any of them." Raven dropped her eyes down to the floor suddenly interested in the bottom hem of her shirt. Clarke looked her over quickly and noticed that Raven was dressed much nicer than she had been recently. Her hands were scrubbed clean of the grease that usually resided somewhere deep in the groves and her jeans weren't even worn in the knees. In Raven terms, she dressed to impress, and taking another look around Clarke noticed that there was no one here for her to do that for. It clicked in that moment for Clarke, Anya hadn't shown and neither had her parents, who she hasn't seen since she left for school and they moved to DC for her mother's new job.
Clarke was about to say something when the doorbell rang and since her mother was currently carving the turkey with the help of Bellamy, she went to open the door. "Sorry are we late? I ran into these two out here and got to talking then remembered I smelled turkey." At the voice Raven was at her side with a huge smile on her face that suddenly dropped when she took in the couple behind her girlfriend. "Hey Rae! I hope you don't mind but I introduced myself to your parents." Anya looked extremely nervous at the sight of Raven and Clarke was worried for only a split second before her friend sprang from through the door and wrapped one arm around each of her parents. The four made their way back into the house, Raven trying to catch up on everything her parents now knew, and were welcomed with open arms. When her parents went into the kitchen to say hello to Abby and Aurora, Raven stole a kiss from Anya who she could tell her parents already loved.
They started eating not to long after that and the boys settled down in the living room to turn on the game while they ate. Clarke was rather eager to try both the stuffing and the mashed potatoes this year due to the fact that Lexa made both and refused any help. Both dishes were to die for. "Okay who made the stuffing? I need to know so I can make sure they marry my son!" Aurora shot from the head of the table.
"Sorry Mama Blake but Lexa is spoken for…and also gay so there is no chance she would marry Bell." Clarke laughed shoving another bite in her mouth as she watched Lexa's face grow a shade of red.
"Well what about Octavia?" Aurora laughed, causing all the girls at the table to laugh as well including O.
"She is spoken for too!" Shot from the living room, followed by a faint sound of skin hitting skin.
"Bellamy I swear if you hit Lincoln again I will turn off your cell phone…again! I don't care if he is your 'brother'." Aurora added the air quotes for good measure.
"Lexa who taught you how to cook?" Anya asked from her position directly across the table from her and Clarke. Clarke noticed the slight pause Lexa's body took before she answered.
"My aunt." Lexa said to her plate as her girlfriend moved her hand to rest on her knee under the table.
"Your Aunt Sheila from the game?" Octavia asked. Clarke squeezed a little hoping it would help Lexa look up. It didn't.
"No. My Aunt Renee, Beca's mom." Lexa reached down and took hold of the hand that was tracing patterns on her thigh and looked up at Clarke finally. Clarke just smiled and Lexa nodded. "She died a couple of years ago but she taught Beca and I how to cook when we were in middle school. We both ended up having a lot of practice at it."
"Well she did a great job because I have never had mashed potatoes this good!" Abby stated turning the conversation back away from her daughter's girlfriend. Clarke shot her a look and mouthed 'thanks'.
After their meal there was more talking and people had started to break off into couples. Lincoln and Octavia ran off to his family's house for a while stating they would be back later in the evening. None of the others had to leave tonight as their families didn't make a big deal out of the holiday. Clarke had settled down in between Lexa's legs with her back to her front. Soon enough she felt herself drift almost to sleep, then she heard voices over her.
"Are you aware that Clarke wants us to stay in the same room?" Lexa voice was almost inaudible.
"Yes, I know." Her mother answered also quietly from close by.
"And you are okay with that?"
"Well I can't exactly stop you. You are both consenting adults…"
"Yes but this is your home and I will follow your rules. If that is something you are not comfortable with then you just have to say so."
"And that right there made up my mind for me." Lexa didn't speak back. "You are considerate enough and care enough to make sure you won't upset me with how you are with my daughter. I can tell how happy you make her and she needs someone like that in her life. It is perfectly fine that you two sleep together during your stay here…besides I'm pretty sure Clarke would throw something if I told her no." Both of them let out a laugh and there was a pause before Lexa spoke again.
"Thank you Abby it really means a lot to me that you trust me. I want you to know that I have Clarke's best interests at heart and I would never do anything to hurt her and I don't want to give her any reason to ever be upset with me. I've never had someone like her in my life and I intend to keep her." Clarke knew there was a smile on her mother's face but she never expected her next words.
"Jake would love you Lexa." At that Clarke knew it was true and knew that if her father was here now he would have said the same thing to Lexa that her mother had. Clarke snuggled closer back into Lexa's chest and felt her strong arms wrap around her in warmth and she knew she could stay there forever and never regret it.
Beca
She wasn't panicking, she really wasn't. She was just worrying a lot more than necessary. Okay so she was actually totally freaking out but really had no right to be. Chloe and Clarke had asked the sisters to spend Thanksgiving with each of them after finding out that their family didn't really celebrate the holiday since Beca's mom had gotten sick. Lexa had instantly agreed to go with Clarke without any hesitation or pleading really, Beca was a different story. It took Chloe asking four times and Lexa basically telling her that her only other options were to sit in their dorm alone for the two days she would be gone or she could go home and spend the holiday with her father and Sheila. She chose neither and went with Chloe, besides Chloe's had the added benefit of kissing thrown in.
They were currently sitting in the back seat of their Uber riding to Brookhaven where they would be spending the next couple of days. Chloe had insisted on paying for the Uber on her own because 'I would be going with or without you Bec.' Their Uber driver happened to be the same one that she and Lexa took home to retrieve the Jeep and the bike. Beca had her less expensive (and precious to her) Beats by Dr. Dre secured over her ears playing her mixes through her head to try and keep focused on anything other than the impending doom at the end of this short car ride. Chloe had instantly threaded their fingers together once they were in the back seat and was now tracing patterns on the palm and occasionally outlining the headphones tattooed on the inside of her wrist. That was not helping her train of thought.
Beca was meeting Chloe's family...her WHOLE family! Her parents, her brother, her cousins, her brother, her grandparents, her brother, her aunts and uncles, and did she mention HER BROTHER! She had kept thinking back to their first date...yeah there was no denying that any more…and to what Chloe had told her about her brother, Calvin, and how protective he was of his baby sister. Beca was scared shitless. She may have her badass persona on today and totally not give a crap what the guy thinks of her but, and she would never admit this to anyone (well maybe Lexa), she wanted to be the first person that Calvin actually approved of Chloe being with. They had talked before their car got to the Bellas' house and decided not to spring their relationship on her family just yet. Aubrey had been her friend for years and it was bound to get back to her somehow. Plus if the Beale's were anything like their daughter they didn't have a filter around people most of the time. Beca had instantly agreed not wanting the extra pressure on her.
There was a much firmer squeeze to her hand than normal which caused her to look back from the window and over to Chloe who was smiling brightly at her obviously wanting to say something. Beca paused her mix and slid her head phones down to reside around her neck. "What's up babe?" Shut it the nickname was cute and who could deny the fact that Chloe was a total babe? And that giggle would eventually kill her.
"You may want to lay off the pet names if this is going to go over that we are just close friends."
"You are worse than me, Beale! Don't try and deny it." She shot her girlfriend a look, squeezing her hand back. "Are you okay?" She didn't look very Chloe-esque at the moment.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She was lying as she nodded her head a little too fast. "Okay so I'm not exactly fine but I am okay. I know we aren't telling them about us but I'm still nervous for you to meet everyone." She still didn't sound like her Chloe.
"By everyone do you mean Cal?" Beca asked rubbing her thumb across the back of Chloe's hand to reassure her. When she received a nod Beca formed a plan. "Don't worry Chlo, I have a plan. One that actually doesn't involve me being a complete asshole." That got her a real smile and another giggle.
"Good because we are also here." She pointed a perfectly painted red fingernail out the windshield. The house was large but typical for the area it was in. There were currently three cars in the driveway parked closely together. "Thank God, Cal isn't here yet." Beca wasn't sure if she was meant to hear that but she did. Then Chloe was out the door and she followed after discreetly tipping the driver extra. Beca grabbed both of their bags from the trunk seeing as Chloe was sprinting toward the now open front door.
"Chlo-pop!" A man called as he met her on the porch, he was much taller than Chloe and the hair on his head was light brown with wisps of gray at his temples. Beca guess that he was in his late forties. The woman behind him was only inches taller than her daughter who was her obvious mini-me. Her hair was not quite as fiery as her daughter's but you could tell that was where she got it from. Both of her parents' eyes were the same piercing blue that bore deep into Beca's soul and would never remove their presence. Beca had slowed her strides not only to take them in but also to let them have their moment. Once Chloe released her mother she turned that huge perfect smile back to her and Beca was drawn forward.
"Mom, dad, this is Beca. Beca, these are my parents Candler and Connie." The both smiled warmly at Beca and she braced for the hugs that were about to happen. "Wait, she's not really a hugger guys." They both just smiled and offered her a hand to shake which she gladly did.
"It's nice to finally meet you Beca. Chlo has told us much about you and the Bellas, we are very glad you could join us for the holiday." Connie had a sweet voice, much like the one Chloe used when she was nervous or was trying to comfort someone.
"Thank you, Mrs. Beale, for letting me crash your party." Beca quipped.
"Oh sweetheart, Mrs. Beale is my mother-in-law."
"She prefers Mama B, Bec." Chloe was beside her again and Chandler was reaching for the bags hanging on her shoulder. "And dad is…"
"You can call me anything but late to dinner." He laughed finally removing Chloe's bag from her left shoulder. "Come on in girls the others will be here soon."
"Daddy give me my bag," Chloe rolled her eyes at her father. "I'm gonna take Bec upstairs and show her around."
"Alright Chlo-pop." He handed the bag back to her. "I hope you girls don't mind but you will both have to be in your room. You're cousin Nathan is bringing a friend this year too. I'm surprised he didn't get in touch with you about carpooling." Beca didn't mind at all that they would be sharing the same room, actually she was really hoping that was the case so she wouldn't have to sneak in there.
Ever since Lexa got hurt she has wanted another body pressed against hers while she sleeps. She never knew how comforting it was to know there was someone who cared right next to you when you are at your most vulnerable. It was sad really how much she love to fall asleep and wake up with some part of Chloe touching her. That first night they had fallen asleep facing each other with Beca's arm across Chloe's waist and Chloe's hands balling into the front of Beca's top. When they woke up Chloe was on her back and Beca was half sprawled across the top of her on her stomach (they were both pretty sure Lexa had pictures and was holding them for a later date). Still, waking up and seeing that person still in bed with you and knowing that they never once thought about leaving was enough to actually make Beca's heart have, what she liked to call, "The Grinch Effect". Seeing Chloe look down at her as she woke and whisper a sweet "good morning" sent her heart and her emotions into overdrive and, she craved for it to happen again.
"No dad Nate didn't call. He was probably busy with SBT and forgot or something." Chloe was pulling Beca by the wrist up the staircase. Once they hit the landing and were out of view their fingers gravitated toward each other. The walked through a door on their left and it was exactly what Beca had pictured for a teenage – Chloe room. The walls were striped vertically alternating a teal-ish blue and a royal purple. There were photographs everywhere, books stacked on shelves, a stack of CDs straining to stay upright, a blue flower shaped run, and a fuzzy purple comforter on the queen sized bed. Yep totally Chloe.
After they put their things away they went back downstairs to help the parents prepare. Family started to filter in. Beca couldn't keep any of them straight and of course they kept teasing her that there would be a test at the end of the evening. She did meet Chloe's cousin from Barden, Nathan Miller, he was in Sigma Beta Theta and Chloe had already forbidden him from saying anything about their terrible performance that day. Nate brought his friend Bryan who also pledged this year, Bryan was rather quiet and stuck very close to Nate's side the whole time (which rose questions for Beca but honestly they were pretty darn adorable together). Calvin slipped in a while later picking Chloe up and spinning them both around in a circle, she could tell how much they cared about each other and she was now slightly worried about her plan for later.
Less than forty-five minutes after Calvin arrived, the rest of the family was accounted for and the meal began. It. Was. Perfect. Beca hadn't eaten food this good since her mom got sick and Sheila tried to cook, let's just say she should be banned from every kitchen in the world. Chloe had sat on her right and their fingers gravitated to each other again under the table and for the first time in her life Beca was glad to be a lefty. Dinner ended and there was talking, people asked Chloe what she would do after college (which she had no answer for), they asked about the Bellas (which both of them didn't comment on), and then they turned to Beca and asked what her major was. Once the word was out about music they were all singing and the tables were moved so people could dance. One of the teenage cousins produced a speaker seemingly out of nowhere and filled the room with sounds. Chloe begged Beca to play some mixes, knowing she never went anywhere without her laptop, and Beca could never say no to those eyes…and there were a lot of them around the room right now.
When Beca was upstairs booting up her computer a voice sounded from behind her. "How long have you and Chloe been together?" Beca panicked before even turning around, she had a plan for Calvin and she could do this. Only when she turned around she was greeted by the sight of Nate. Now she was really panicking.
"Uh, we aren't together, just uh, really good friends. She's like the only one I have besides my sister." Beca shot off turning her eyes back to the screen that hadn't changed (unfortunately).
"You don't have to do that you know?" Beca gave him a confused look as he came to sit next to her on the bed. "You guys aren't the only ones hiding your new relationship for now." Nate dropped his eyes to his hands for a brief second before snapping back to Beca's. I KNEW IT!
"Do they know you're gay?" She whispered hoping the answer was yes and making Chloe's family that much more accepting.
"Yeah, they all do. Bryan is really shy though and I wanted him to be relaxed without having to be the perfect guy for me you know?" Beca did know. "So how long have you and Chloe been together?"
"Since early October." Beca blushed as she opened her mixing program. "You can't tell anyone though Chlo isn't ready for everyone to know yet…well she doesn't want Aubrey to find out." This time Nate rolled his eyes causing Beca to chuckle knowing full well how the guy felt about the General. Then her phone sang from her pocket, okay it may have been a bad idea to make Chloe's ringtone and text-tone the same thing but she wasn't complaining.
Chlo-bear: Hurry up babe! I can't wait to show off how talented you are!
There were again about five emoji following the message. Nate had leaned over and saw the message. "Chlo-bear huh?" Along with her contact name as well. Her face flushed again and she turned her phone on silent before answering back.
DJ Love: Be down in a sec. Talking to Nate.
Chlo-bear: Don't be surprised if he knows about us…he's good like that. Plus I'm pretty sure that Bryan is with him too. HURRY!
"The contact name was courtesy of my sister but, after hearing Chandler call her 'Chlo-pop' I'm really liking 'Chlo-bear'." She smiled down at her phone.
"DJ Love?" His eyebrows raised a little.
"You will find out, come on." They both went back downstairs and Beca played her music for the family. They were all dancing and singing along. Bryan had even let loose a little more. Chloe drug her out to dance with her of course and she complied, trying to keep it platonic, until one of her mixes had 'Titanium' in it and Chloe could no longer keep her hands to herself.
The night went off without a hitch and Beca actually found herself enjoying family time at the holidays for the first time in over two years. She still hadn't had the chance to put her Calvin plan into action yet though and she needed to before she chickened out. She got her change when some of the little kids drug Chloe into the basement to play Just Dance on the Wii, Beca told her she would be down in a few after putting her laptop away and going to the bathroom (AKA initiating Operation: Blow Away Brother). Beca did put her laptop away and found Calvin standing in a secluded corner of the kitchen drinking a beer. Now or never Mitchell, you want her? Fight for her!
"Hey, I'm Beca. I know we met earlier but I just wanted to introduce myself again and say how much you and Chloe look like you really care about each other. It makes me wish I had a brother instead of an un-biological twin sister." Cal shook the hand she held out and laughed into his beer at her last line. He coughed a couple of times and she noticed his eyebrows rose the same why Chloe's did when she didn't understand something and felt bad for laughing early. "My sister Lexa is biologically my cousin but we were born on the same day. Her parents died a few years ago and now my dad has custody of her so yeah, un-biological twin sisters."
"I'm Calvin. Yeah, I love Chlo and I'm a little overprotective. Can you blame me though? She is my baby sister!" His voice was laced with honesty and his eye shined every time he said her name. "She mentioned you were in the Bellas together?"
"Yeah, she is kind of forced me to join. She caught me singing one day and basically gave me no choice but to accept her terms." Of course she left out the fact that it was in the shower. This was Chloe's OVERPROTECTIVE brother we are talking about here. Calvin just nodded and looked down the neck of his bottle with one eye.
"Is, uh, how are- do people- ugh, how's that going? Her being like co-captain and shit. Do people like her?" Beca scoffed.
"She is the only one the girls like! General Posen kinda sucks dude. I mean I know you have met her." They both laughed this time. Calvin still had that look about him that said he wanted to ask a question but didn't know if he should. Then he sighed and ran his hand through his hair before throwing it up in a 'fuck it' way.
"Do you know if she has a boyfriend?" He was finally looking her in the eye and now she was nervous (though also slightly offended). "We used to be so close and we still kind of are but we don't talk as often and when we do she is really cryptic but she has been happier recently. I just want to know if she is safe." Again the amount of honesty in his voice struck Beca to her core.
"No she doesn't have a boyfriend." Not a lie. "Look dude, I know she radiates this whole 'I'm-the-brightest-fucking-ray-of-bubbly-sunshine-rainbows-you-will-ever-meet' thing but people know not to screw with her. It's her eyes." Okay now she was really nervous and she was starting to word vomit. "Besides if someone steps to her wrong there is a group of nine girls in flight attendant costumes with pretty voices and mad dancing skills to kick their sorry ass." Good Cal was laughing, this is what she wanted.
"I like you Beca," His laugh was so much deeper than Chloe's but it still filled Beca with warmth, one that she couldn't place. It felt like…family. "You think like I do." Then her phone was buzzing in her back pocket.
Chlo-bear: Come play with us! Oh and bring this ginger her jiggle juice!
"Well I have been summoned to go prove to her yet again that I really can dance." Then she remembered the one thing she really wanted to say to him. "She is by far the greatest person I have ever met and I would never let anything happen to her, I promise you that. If you ever want details that she won't give you, just hit me up, I'll keep you updated." She spun on her heal trying desperately to not turn back.
Before heading downstairs she stopped at the bar, where Chandler was being a terrific host, and grabbed her girlfriend's 'jiggle juice'. 'Better stick with Vodka Cranberry. 'She gets a little to Chloe-y when she drinks tequila.' Chandler had made his daughter's drink before asking Beca was she wanted. She kindly refused due to the fact she was still underage. She did file that tip about tequila for a later date though. Then made her way down to the basement.
After all the games had been played (Beca kicking Chloe's ass at Just Dance and earning gloating rights for ages to come and a rather seductive whisper in her ear), the dishes had been washed, football teams had celebrated victories, and everyone had turned in for the night Beca and Chloe finally found themselves alone. In Chloe's bed. In Chloe's childhood bed. This was a totally cliché right? It was really nice though, especially having more room than normal even though they didn't need the extra. They were lying face to face when she broke the silence. "Today was absolutely perfect Chlo. I haven't had this great of a Thanksgiving since Lexa's parents died." Chloe brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"I'm really glad you came too. I like how much they already love you and they don't even know about us. You and Nate seemed to really hit it off too." He was officially Beca's favorite of the family. "But I have been missing something today." Beca drew her eyebrows together in silent question and Chloe closed the distance between them. They kissed soundly for a few moment and as Beca went to heat things up a little, Chloe pushed back with a hand on her shoulder. "Why did Cal tell me that we should date?"
Oh shit, busted. Beca thought but took a quick breath before answering. "Do you think he knows?"
"No if he knew then he would just come out and say it. He told me and I quote 'she's a keeper Chlo. You better jump on that before someone else does'."
"Well I'm glad we are already exceeding his expectations." Beca leaned back in for another kiss to stop this conversation before it took off. Chloe pulled apart again.
"You said something to him didn't you? Did you tell him?!" Chloe was slightly upset.
"No Chlo I swear to you I didn't say anything about us! I told him we were close friends and that I would do anything to protect you because I didn't want you to get hurt. Which is the complete truth!" Well except for the 'close friends' part it was. She could see the radiant smile in the dark and knew everything would be fine. Chloe pressed their lips together a few more times before flipping over to lay on her other side.
"Come on Bec. I want you to hold me." Beca instantly pressed herself to Chloe's back and wormed one arm under the pillow and rested the other on her hip. Chloe placed her hand on top of Beca's and separated her fingers with her own, and then she pulled her arm around her waist so they were resting against toned (not Lexa toned but still flat) abs. "Goodnight, Bec." She could hear her smile. She nuzzled into her shoulder and placed a kiss on the back side.
"Goodnight, Chlo-bear."
Chloe
For the first time ever in her life Chloe didn't like Christmas. Okay so she loved Christmas she just didn't love that Beca couldn't be with her this year. They still had their family tradition of going to Michigan every year to be with her family that lived there and since she still hadn't told her family about their relationship, Beca didn't come with her. She was back in Atlanta with Lexa and Clarke, because her dad and Sheila always went to Sheila's families and Beca still didn't like her much. She couldn't get Beca out of her head! Her every thought was consumed with her tiny DJ ever since Thanksgiving. I mean not even Aubrey passed the Calvin test and I never had any interest in her! She kept thinking to herself.
Chloe made the best of her trip though, or at least tried to. It was Christmas Eve and she was currently on the slopes with the majority of her family. The younger kids were taking lessons to learn how to ski or snowboard. Most of the parents and older generations were skiers. Chloe's generation and younger tended to be boarders. She had been constantly sending Beca selfies of her day. One of her in her snowsuit, one of her with her board, one of Nate and Bryan helping each other stand on their boards, and one of her current position between the two of them on the chair lift to the highest peak. None of her pictures had gotten a response yet.
She thought back to the day she left. Nate and Bryan had come to pick her up to carpool to the airport since they were all on the same flight. Nate had told their family about his relationship a week after Thanksgiving so Bryan would be joining them this year. The four had gotten close after Thanksgiving and started having a regular dinner night in the week together. Beca had of course come to see them off and just before Chloe got in the car she was handed a small, but expertly wrapped, gift. Beca told her she was forbidden to open it until Christmas day, though Chloe had insisted on giving Beca her present before she left. She currently had it hanging from her neck.
Chloe had spent days trying to figure out the perfect gift and once she had it was weeks before she found the right ones. There was a lot of research involved in her gift, both online and through Lexa. She had gotten her girlfriend the latest model of sound proof studio quality headphones, and in a curve on each earpiece her name had been engraved to say B. Mitchell. Beca had stopped breathing for more than thirty seconds when she opened the box and saw them. Then she launched herself at Chloe and their relationship was about to take a new step when Lexa knocked on the door before entering. Chloe could only imagine what could be in that small box sitting in her room taunting her every day, but she wouldn't have to wait much longer to find out.
"Chloe? Chloe. Earth to Chloe!" Nate was waving his hand in front of her face.
"Huh, what?" She stammered as she was brought back to the present time.
"We are going to be getting off soon."
"Sorry I was just…"
"Thinking about Beca." Both Nate and Bryan answered at the same time.
"Yeah, how did you…"
"You have 'RBF' Chlo." Nate stated with a slight shake of his head, yet Chloe was confused. How did her having resting bitch face give away that she was thinking about Beca?
"Remembering Beca Face, not the other one." Bryan clarified. "It's the same face you have every time you talk about her, talk to her, think about her, or someone even mentions her. It's adorable." They were next to get off the lift and as they slid to the top of a run Chloe shot her retort.
"That's not a thing!" They all three flop down near the drop off to refasten the bindings on their feet.
"It's okay Chloe we know you miss her but, you have been really off this whole vacation and I think everyone else is starting to notice." Nate spoke softly and you could tell how much he cared just through the tone. "Beca would want you to have fun up here Chlo! She understood why she couldn't come and you both made that choice." At that moment the chorus from Rebel Girl by Bikini Kill sounded from her chest pocket. She pulled her phone out to see the text.
DJ Love: You look great Chlo! Tell the guys I say hey and go have fun! I'll talk to you soon.
DJ Love: Oh and make sure you bring that snowsuit home ;P.
"See 'go have fun'! She wants you to have a good time Chlo!" Bryan was looking over her shoulder at her messages. She sighed and nodded before taking his hand and standing on her board. Just before they took off down the run she got an idea.
"Hey Nate, will you take a video of me boarding so I can send it to her? I promise this will be the last thing." Nate was easily the best of the three of them and Chloe knew he could handle the task. He nodded and took his phone out and set himself up facing her (it was a good thing they had opposite stances). He nodded as he started the recording and they all took off. Bryan stayed close by Nate incase anything happened. Once she really got going she started to show off, taking sharp turns, jumping over anything she could, and just before the big jump she gave a double thumbs up at the camera and the boys took off below the jump. She flew off the ramp and did a simple nose grab with a 360 spin before landing and blowing a kiss to the camera.
Chloe sat in her room alone that night watching the seconds tick away on her phone. It was 11:58pm Christmas Eve night. She had kept her promise and not opened Beca's gift but she would be damned if she had to wait any longer than actually necessary so she would be opening it at midnight which still counted as Christmas Day. They had talked on FaceTime after they had come back home from the slopes but it was short lived as Lexa came to drag her away to dinner. Due to family plans they wouldn't be able to talk again until Chloe was basically going to be on the plane back to Georgia so they would be texting until then.
11:59pm. She was bouncing with both excitement and nervousness. She had no clue what Beca would get her and she refrained from trying to drop hints as to what she wanted this year because she wanted it to come from Beca herself. She stared at the package, which looked professionally wrapped, and tried to burn through the paper with her eyes. Why couldn't time move faster? She honestly could have gone without a gift from Beca because they have only been together for three months but it's the thought that counts. She wondered for a split second if she should call or text Beca and tell her she was about to open her gift but she looked down at her phone.
12:00am.
She ripped the bow off and tore the paper revealing a small brown box with a lid. She slid it off and inside was a flash drive sitting on top of tissue paper and a handwritten note.
I think you know what
to do with this.
Chloe leaned across her bed and grabbed her laptop from the floor and brought it to life. Once it was loaded she plugged in the drive and opened it to find a list of audio files. She threw her closest set of headphones on and plugged them in as well. The one at the very top of the list was titled .Play Me First. She did and Beca's voice filled her ears.
"-Hey Chlo it's Beca. Shit okay so you totally knew it was me. Jesus what the hell- fuck- okay I'm screwing this all up.-" She heard her take a deep breath regaining herself. "-Merry Christmas Chlo-bear. I know that we couldn't be together today but just know that I will definitely be thinking about you. Also I really suck at gifts for other people who aren't Lexa so I went with what I know. Now before you listen to these and I know there are a lot of them so you most likely won't get through all of them right now and that is totally cool. I just wanted you to know that they really mean a lot to me.-" She paused again and Chloe could feel the nerves working inside her girlfriend even just through the audio. "-You know what FUCK IT! Okay so all of these mixes I made for you, about you. The day that I met you at the Activities Fair the music changed for me. There was something different about it and I couldn't figure it out. I finally did the night you kissed me for the first time. The music hadn't changed, it was just complete now. I really like you Chloe and you filled my head and heart with so many emotions I had to get them sorted the only way I knew how. Some of these mixes are from specific events others are just because you popped in my head when I heard one of the songs or a line from one. Well I'll let you go listen now. Bye Chlo.-" Another short pause. "-Oh and if you hate all of these or even if you love them there is something else in the bottom of the box. Okay I'm done now bye babe.-"
The first tract began to play and Chloe read the title. Chloe.001 (First Kiss). The sound of Beca's voice was back but with an upbeat pop backdrop and the lyric to a Katy Perry song. As she flowed into the iconic Disney song Chloe's heart throbbed painfully and her eyes filled with tears. She never knew that was how Beca felt after their first kiss on the porch that night and it warmed her to the core to know that this was how she felt.
The tracks played for a while and Chloe had yet to find one she didn't like. A new one had just started when she remembered the second gift in the bottom of the box. Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars filled her ears as she removed the layer of tissue paper to reveal a delicate silver chain with a silver disk pendant. There was another handwritten note underneath it.
It is a good thing that
your last name and my first name
start with the same letter.
Engraved lightly on the silver disk were two letters. The song became layered then with a second, Just A Dream by Nelly, and she noticed they were the letters 'C' and 'B' and between them there was a tiny, only visible at a certain angle, and sign between them. In that moment Chloe was sure of two things. One, Beca did in fact not suck at picking out presents. Two, she was undeniably in love with her.
Lexa
It was a couple of days after Christmas and they were still at the Griffin's. Mainly because they couldn't go back to campus and they didn't want to be at home Sheila's family was in town. They would be heading home closer to New Year's Eve because they would be hosting a party for all of their friends (because Sheila's next conference was shortly after the holiday and in New York so their parents were going to Time's Square). So far their winter break had been great. Abby graciously opened her home when Lexa had asked about Beca coming and said that Raven would be staying with them as well because of her parents being in Washington. Raven flew out the day before Christmas Eve and came back only yesterday to spend the actual day with her parents. Anya had picked her up from the airport when she landed after coming back. Christmas at the Griffin's was almost identical to Thanksgiving there.
Everyone came over Christmas Eve night for a big dinner and to watch old Christmas movies (which Beca tried to protest and Lexa threw her headphones at her and told her to shut up). Christmas Day it was just the four of them, Abby, Clarke, Lexa, and Beca. Abby had gotten all three of them gifts and there were also gifts for each from the Mitchells. Lexa and Beca had been getting each other the same thing since they were twelve, a lump of coal. Like real actual coal. So then each of them opened it and laughed Abby and Clarke were rather confused. Lexa had gotten Beca a headphone case to keep the ones from her grandmother in because she never took off the ones from Chloe now. Beca had gotten Lexa the new back pack style softball bag she had been eyeing.
Then it came time for Clarke and Lexa to exchange gifts. Clarke had gotten Lexa custom batting gloves with Woods 12 embroidered in Barden green around the cuff. Lexa had gotten Clarke a blue stethoscope and embroidered on the scope itself in tiny print was Dr. Hot Pants. They both loved what they got and all around the night was perfect.
Now it was time for the master plan to take effect. Operation: Fuck Finn Over, was set and in motion. Beca had been forced to drive the jeep or stay home alone. Lexa was in the back with Octavia and Clarke, while Raven sat up front with her tool box. They were all dressed in complete black and it was currently 11:40 at night, they rounded the last turn and Beca parked down the street from the house turning off the vehicle lights. "Are you going to tell me what exactly you are going to be doing out there?" She asked after taking off her seat belt.
"You know the drill Bex, the less you know the better. If you see something takeoff I don't want you getting in trouble." Lexa replied opening the back door. The four huddled up together once they got into Finn's yard. "Okay we do this quick and get out safe. Raven how long do you need?"
"If the spare key is still where he had it then only about three minutes, if not then I'll need life eight."
"Octavia and Clarke go for the trees first, anything that we can be certain it will catch on. Once those are done we will focus on the hou…" A light turned on in a window on the second floor stopping Lexa in her speech.
"Clarke isn't that his room?" Raven whispered but the panic could still be heard. They all turned to see Clarke nod. Lexa racked her brain, she really wanted to see this dirt bag, well she wanted him to see her fist. She thought of a plan when she saw the window was open slightly but wasn't sure of how they would react so she kept it to herself.
"Okay guys focus it doesn't matter that he is home we just have to be quiet and fast. I'm gonna check it out and make sure he is occupied. Raven get started with the car, you two," She pointed to the others. "Trees, bushes, plants, anything low for now. I will cover the house when I get back. That should be enough time for Rae to get the car done. Ready?" Nods all around. "Let's go!"
Raven took off towards Finn's car and went to work reconfiguring the horn to attach to his brake pedal so each time he stopped the car it would honk. Clarke and Octavia were covering the landscape in toilet paper that had already been relieved of its paper tube and rolled into smaller strands so it would unroll better. Lexa took off at the house and started climbing it like Channing Tatum had done in 22 Jump Street to perch on a small section of roof just outside Finn's window. When she looked in to see if he was distracted it was easy enough to say he was because there was a girl in there. From what Lexa could see Finn was rather pathetic looking to have both Clarke and Raven fall for him. Once she had committed his face to memory (well half of his face) she lowered herself to the ground and started to cover the roof in more toilet paper. Then Raven shut the hood and the toilet paper started to run low.
"Clarke get the saran wrap over here." Raven called from beside the car where she was putting the spare key back. Clarke gave the last of her rolls to Lexa before running over. They started wrapping as fast and as tight as they could. Once Octavia and Lexa ran out of ammo they joined them.
"Was he occupied?" Clarke asked once Lexa was beside her.
"I'd say! He has a girl in there." The other three froze. "What?"
"What did she look like?" Octavia asked.
"Long brown hair, around our age or maybe younger I'm not sure her back was to me, shorter than Raven but taller than O." Lexa stated trying to get them moving again. They all exchanged a look and started scanning the street nearby. "What is going on?"
"I knew I recognized that car!" Raven called.
"It's Charlotte. I can't believe he go to her too." Octavia added.
"We know her Lexa we all went to school together, I'm pretty sure she just turned eighteen." Clarke explained. Lexa had no control over what came out of her mouth next and she still wishes she could take it back.
"Better hope he isn't sleeping with her best friend too." Lexa instantly looked at Clarke and Raven apologetically but they didn't see because they took one look at each other and took off towards the road. "Where are they going now? You know what never mind we need to get this car done O." They had used about twenty rolls of saran wrap on his car to make sure he couldn't get it off easy. Raven and Clarke came back shortly after they had left.
"We put a note on her car telling her to make sure he wasn't. We signed our names so she would understand why we left it. She won't rat us out to him about all of this either." Clarke explained again. Once they had finished Raven nabbed her tool box and took off toward the car followed closely by Octavia and Lexa forced Clarke ahead of her.
"Get in the jeep. Tell Beca to start it and be ready to go fast." She called after her girlfriend before turning and facing the house. The open part of the window was very small from this angle, thank God she had perfect aim and an even better arm. She looked to see everyone in the jeep before lighting them and throwing them through the window and taking off for the car. Clarke opened the door and she jumped in.
"Lexa what the fuck did you do?" Clarke asked.
"BECA DRIVE!" Lexa yelled. Thankfully her sister listened.
"Seriously what the fuck was that you threw up there?" Octavia was leaning across Clarke, Raven had spun in her seat.
"Look I know you guys knew her and were trying to do the best thing for her but I'm sorry I saw a chance and took it. It may just take like three washes to get it out of her clothes is all." Lexa didn't want to tell them what she did, she still didn't know how they would take it. Beca hit the back of her head against the seat and sighed.
"You threw a stink bomb up there didn't you?" She laughed. "God those have always been your weapon of choice."
"Please God tell me you actually did throw one up there!" Raven was pleading. Lexa cracked an evil grin and wrapped her arm around Clarke's shoulder pressing a kiss to her temple.
"Nope. I threw two."
A/N#2: Things are about to get very busy for my life here this week. I will say that I will try and post every week. I may have to move from Friday nights to Sunday to meet my own deadline but there will be a new chapter and I will finish this story.
Does anyone have any ideas about who Bellamy should be with? Or if he should be with anyone at all? Please leave me suggestions I really want to give the people what they want! Oh and if my music choices suck tell me that too because I hear a song and think 'oh that would be great' and it probably isn't. Reviews people! Leave them!
S.C.