A week had passed and Beca still hadn't found the time to check the diary. Classes had started again and training had resumed. Chloe, who was captain of the Bellas alongside Beca, had reminded her that a new year meant new recruits and therefore that they needed to plan a massive recruitment plan. It must be said that after their victory the previous year, the tendency in the team was to want to do better. The group wanted to prove their number one position by not only retaining their title but also coming in first at each level of the competition.

Obviously, Beca was at the center of this plan. The whole team counted on her to prepare sets of blistering mash-ups. She already had a few under her belt, of course, which had kept her busy all summer, but she too wanted to do better. So between practices, her job at the university radio, classes and her long evenings dividing up parts of already prepared sets, she was rather on edge and tired. Not to mention the fact that the only times she was alone were when she was in the shower or the toilet and therefore she still hadn't been able to find out more about Quinn Fabray.

Her history of philosophy class, the last of the week, had just ended and she only hoped for one thing: to be able to lie down on her bed and immerse herself in reading the journal or rather fall asleep with the journal on the nose. The young brunette slipped out of the classroom through her peers, her nose glued to her phone screen to start the music that would accompany her to the Bellas' house. She did not see the energetic gestures of the redhead who was waiting for her. Chloe saw Beca in the distance, her headphones on and concluded that it was better to get closer. She energetically crossed the crowd of students and slipped her arm through that of the brunette. Beca, who wasn't expecting the gesture, jumped and quickly pulled away from the person who dared to touch her. She saw Chloe's bright smile frown slightly and hastily removed her headphones before approaching.

"Hey, Chlo, I didn't know it was you, sorry." She said sheepishly, looking at her Converse. "Hi Becs, sorry, it's me, I should have warned you…" The redhead reassured. Chloe knew very well how Beca was her opposite. The redhead was tactile, positive and radiant while the brunette was more of a night owl, avoiding all contact with the outside world and remaining hidden behind her musical fortress. She also knew that Beca didn't let many people approach her, except her. Chloe was her weakness. The only person capable of taking her out of her comfort zone. Also the only one who knew how to calm her during a panic attack. The two young women were aware of this and sometimes, the redhead took advantage of it.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out tonight, since we haven't been able to spend much time together this week... " The redhead said, slipping her hand into her friend's, pulling her to continue their walk. "Um, I don't know, Chlo. I'm more in the mood to be alone. I don't really want to have the girls on my back to drink some cocktail that Amy found or to sing some song from the 80s" The brunette said, waving the hand that was still holding her phone. Chloe decided to pull out all the stops. She wanted to spend time with Beca because she missed her. But she would keep that reason to herself.

"Come on, Becs, let loose a little! And I promise you it'll be just the two of us. I discovered a cool bar in town the other night. It's just opened, I'm sure you'll like it! Say yesssss…" After her explanation, Chloe stood in front of Beca, took both of her hands and gave her the puppy eyes that she mastered to perfection. The big game, exactly. Beca stopped and examined her. Her baby blue eyes shone like the sky. Her scowl made Beca want to hug her. Her fingers intertwined with hers caressed her and made her feel like her stomach was going to open to let out glitter butterflies. In fact, it was lost in advance. She reluctantly removed one of her hands and pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing. "Well, okay, but just you and me and you drive" She complied. "Yes!" The redhead said happily, dragging Beca out of the building.

Two hours later, the two young women entered an industrial-looking bar. Everything was chrome or copper. Reworked wooden pallets served as tables. The stools were made of wrought iron. The decoration brought together several portraits of rock singers and Linkin Park music served in the background. A pool table and dart board were at the very back of the bar. At the start of the evening, the place only accommodated a few people. Beca liked the place. She felt almost at ease.

The two women sat down at a table with leather benches in the back, not far from the pool table, and took off their jackets. Chloe pretended not to observe her friend but her gaze was still absorbed by the outfit she had chosen to go out. The brunette wore black jeans, her usual Converse and a gray t-shirt. It was completely in keeping with the atmosphere of the bar. Nevertheless she seemed tense. Chloe decided to fix that.

"I'm going to go order a drink, do you want anything ?" Chloe asked, standing up, her wallet in hand. "Um, the same as yours, please." Beca replied, folding her leather jacket. Chloe immediately left for the bar.

While she was ordering, Beca took the time to look around. Only a group of boys and a couple had chosen to spread out in the bar that evening. She wondered what could be served in such a place. Certainly not too sophisticated cocktails. Her gaze was drawn to a laugh she knew too well. She turned her head to see Chloe talking with the bartender while he made their drinks. Beca noticed that her usually curly hair was straight and that her friend had opted for tight pants that looked really good on her. She came out of her reverie when the pants turned and walked forward. Chloe arrived with two colored glasses and her wallet under her arm.

"The bartender is really nice. I asked him to play billiards, he gave me what I needed without asking anything." The redhead marvelled. "No kidding…" Beca jabbered, still caught up in her thoughts. " What was that ? Beca ?"

"Oh sorry. No, I said, how lucky ! You know how to play ?"

"Yes, a real pro. Come on." Chloe had of course heard Beca's remark but didn't take offense. She led the brunette towards the pool table. Each of them chose a cue stick and Chloe gathered the balls into the triangle. Beca went to take a quick sip and came back with both glasses. "By the way, Chlo, what's in the glasses?" Beca asked, examining the blue liquid. "Curaçao, vodka, cherry syrup and pineapple juice." The other replied while hitting the cue ball.

She slightly missed her shot, which did not completely shatter the bunch of balls. Beca took her place and pulled roughly, spreading all the balls across the table. Two of them entered the holes. She had just scored two points and could start playing again. She positioned herself to aim for a ball rather off-center from the hole she could enter. She took a few seconds then pulled. The ball entered without problem.

"Wow, Becs, you hid this from me for a year, I can't believe it!" Chloe said in amazement. The redhead sipped her drink while Beca put another ball in before hitting an opponent's ball.

"My turn!" Chloe said, positioning herself to aim for her first ball. She struggled to place her hand, she didn't really know how to place it to be the most effective. Beca saw her move her fingers several times and decided to intervene.

"Wait, look, if you put your hand like that…" She moved behind Chloe, leaned down to adopt the same position and curled her friend's fingers. Their faces close, Beca's soft skin on hers, her hand on her hip. Chloe felt a blush rise to her cheeks. She turned her head slightly to see Beca doing the same thing. Their eyes met and time stopped for a few moments. Their eyes moved from one to the other. Beca took a breath as she watched Chloe look down at her lips and was entranced by the redhead's scent. At the sound, Chloe remembered that she couldn't do that and cleared her throat before showing a bright but fake smile. "Thank you Becs!" She said.

The brunette remained stunned for a few seconds before shaking her head and acting as if nothing had happened, too. "No problem. Your turn, go ahead." She went to take a second sip. Her hands were slipping. Her throat was tight. She was sweating. It was going to be a long evening.

A few drinks later and Beca was already feeling a little less stressed about the unknown. Faced with Beca's apparent ease with billiards, Chloe had wanted to spice up the game and had suggested that her friend take a sip of their glasses with each ball brought in. The brunette had taken to the game without batting an eyelid, happy to have an excuse to moisten her throat every time her friend leaned over the table. The two young women were having a good time, now that the second game was well underway and Beca ultimately didn't regret coming. A smirk now remained plastered on her face. "Bam! Another one ! I'll catch up with you Becs!" Chloe shouted happily after scoring. "You can always hope, Beale!" Beca said, handing her her glass.

Chloe brought her face closer to the brunette. Beca could smell the alcohol on her breath. "You want to bet?" she whispered, letting her gaze slide to Beca's lips. For once, and probably thanks to the alcohol, Beca took the upper hand and moved forward as well. She wrapped an arm around the redhead's waist and pulled her in unceremoniously. "If only you had something to bet..." She whispered in her ear. She immediately stepped aside and took the glass from Chloe's hands. "I'll get us some more." She said, indicating the glasses, before heading back to the bar, leaving a confused Chloe in her wake.

Beca smiled to herself. Her thoughts were mixed between what she would have liked to say to her friend and what she had always been told not to say. She shook her head to clear away the negative thoughts. That evening, there was no reason to let all this infect us. That evening was an opportunity to have a good time. She asked the bartender to serve her the same thing but to remove the alcohol for Chloe. The man in his twenties complied with flexible and habitual gestures, then handed her the two glasses. She paid and turned to join Chloe. She stopped short when she saw a boy talking to her. It was typical, really. Go to a bar with Chloe, turn around for two minutes and find her surrounded by real lady killers. Chloe was like a magnet. Her smile and her personality were already two things that gave people confidence. Add to that her athletic physique and her stunning eyes and you will understand why all the males for ten miles around gravitated towards her. Beca sighed, shaking her head. She was up for a new round.

"Hey, Becs, you took your time." Chloe greeted her, rolling her eyes at her. "Sorry, the bartender was busy." The brunette replied, putting her arm protectively around her friend's waist. "Oh, hello there" said the boy in an air that was intended to be charming but which was in fact not at all charming. "Uh, hi. Uh, Chlo, we forgot, the girls are waiting for us."

The thing about Chloe was that she hated these flirty boys who came to her out of sheer superficiality. She was proud of her body and her being but she was not a doll or a show beast and she found it particularly inappropriate that boys could think they were charming by acting like that. However, she was too nice to sort it out on her own. So that was the task that fell to Beca. Because she wasn't afraid to tell a complete idiot that he was a complete idiot and that nothing stopped her from protecting her friends.

"Oh, yes, right ! Chloe exclaimed dramatically. We have to go, sorry" She said before getting up. "Oh no, don't leave just yet." The man said through his teeth, grabbing Chloe's wrist. He seemed to have already stocked up on alcohol and the two girls were wary of this type of person like the plague. Beca automatically saw red and yanked the boy's hand away, placing Chloe behind her.

"Sorry, man. Not for tonight." She articulated drily, then turned around to see Chloe already ready to leave with her jacket on her back. Luckily, the man understood and let them go. The two young women rushed out of the bar. Beca held Chloe's hand tightly as she walked through the crowd that now occupied the place. Once outside, they both took a deep breath. They began to walk slowly towards the car, silent, still hand in hand. Chloe stroked Beca's hand with her thumb.

"Thank you, Beca," She breathed out. "No problem. You know very well what I think about it," Beca said, clearing her throat. Indeed, they had had this discussion many times. Chloe liked having Beca close to her to protect her but she was always worried about how things could turn out for her friend who was always confronting men of varying sizes and especially in varied drunken states. Beca didn't care, as long as Chloe was safe and didn't accept big gestures of thankfullness from the redhead. The story ended there.

After a short silence, Chloe stopped them. "Beca, the glasses !" The brunette took a few seconds to understand. Yes, they hadn't had their drinks. "It doesn't matter, Chloe" She said, shrugging her shoulders. "He will drink them for us." Chloe smiled at her friend's nonchalance. The girls got to the car and got inside. Chloe took the wheel and drove off immediately. The silence that reigned in the cabin was in severe contrast to the atmosphere that occupied the two young women in the bar. Neither wanted the evening to end there. Without meaning to, they began to speak at the same time.

"Maybe we should…"

"Do you want to go…" They stopped at the same time before bursting out laughing. "Come on, go ahead." Beca finally said. "I was saying maybe we should go for a walk or eat something."

"Yes, I am up for it. But I'm not super hungry." At these words, Chloe turned a shocked face towards her friend, her mouth wide open. "I'm hallucinating! Beca Mitchell is not hungry! Woah, I never thought I'd see this day."

"Shut up and drive, Beale," the brunette laughed, pushing her lightly. Chloe laughed too and headed out of town. She knew exactly where they had to go.

About ten minutes later, the red Volvo parked at the top of a hill, near a steep cliff. Chloe turned off the engine and got out. Beca, who didn't know where they were, got out of the car with a confused face. She saw her friend leaning against the hood of the car and came to stand beside her. The redhead exhaled deeply, looking up at the sky. Beca did the same before returning her gaze to her friend.

"You are really full of surprises." She said with a smile. Chloe laughed lightly before looking at her. "You're kidding ? I didn't even know that my best friend was a pool pro!"

"Well, okay. You have a point" the brunette complied. "No, seriously, Bec, where did you learn to play like that?" Chloe finally asked, now not taking her eyes off her. "I learned on the way." Beca was volontarily evasive and kept a shifty look. She looked at the stars as if they could give her all the answers in the universe. Chloe knew she was hiding something.

"Oh I see. You don't want to reveal your secrets. Too bad, I won't talk to you anymore until you break down." She said, crossing her arms, falsely offended. Beca rolled her eyes at how dramatic her friend was, unaware that more important things were at stake. She thought back to all the games she had played with him. The one who gave him everything and then took everything from her. "I don't really want to talk about it, Chloe," she finally said dryly.

The little brunette immediately realized her mistake when her friend turned a hurt look towards her. However, it was impossible for Beca to tell her more. She saw Chloe nod thoughtfully before taking a few steps towards the cliff, arms around her body, as if to protect herself from the injury inflicted just now. Beca shook her head, resigned. This girl was her downfall.

She walked forward too and came to surround Chloe with both arms. Her head rested on a leather-covered shoulder. Chloe didn't say anything. She loved those moments when Beca let her walls down and dared to be sensitive. She just wished it wasn't out of regret but rather out of simple habit.

"I am very sorry." The brunette whispered. Her breath formed in the cold that now enveloped their evening, proof that summer was really starting to escape them. Chloe remained silent. She knew that Beca was sorry and that she couldn't help it. She pushed away anyone who came too close. She was just sad to find that she couldn't get through some of these walls either. She reluctantly pulled away from Beca's arms and headed towards the car. Beca, in a slight panic at her friend's silence, grabbed her arm, without knowing what she was going to say to her.

"Chlo, please…" She stammered. "I…"

"It's okay, Beca. Don't worry, I understand." The redhead interrupted with a suitable but false smile. She walked forward and placed a kiss on the brunette's forehead before walking away to enter the car. It took Beca a few moments to realize what had just happened. She had just broken a bond, she felt it. She ended up shaking off her ideas and then getting into the car too. Chloe drove off and they headed back home in dead silence.

Once they arrived in front of the house, the two girls entered quietly. They took off their jackets and went up the stairs. They separated on the first floor with a bland "Good night". Beca watched Chloe tiptoe towards her room, her shoes in hand. The house was quiet for a Friday night and they didn't know who was out and who wasn't. Beca sighed for the umpteenth time as she walked up the rest of the stairs to the room she shared with Amy. She relished in the fact that the blonde was obviously not there. Using her toes, she took off her shoes and collapsed onto her bed, head first. She turned around with difficulty with a groan, her clothes getting caught in the sheets. Once lying on her back, she stared at the ceiling. What an idiot she was. Chloe was really nice to everyone. No one had the right to hurt her. Beca was even the one who made sure that didn't happen. She had hurt her friend that evening. She knew it and she blamed herself. If only she could be a little more open. If only it would hurt less to think about it.

Ten minutes later, Beca was still in the same place, her thumbnail almost chewed off from beating herself up for the way she had spoken to Chloe. The little brunette was tired of thinking about the same things over and over so she looked for something that could distract her. The diary seemed obvious. It was the perfect time. She was alone. She had time. And she almost needed it. She went to dig it out from under the bed and sat down at her desk to start reading.

Friday October 1, 2010 - 3:37 a.m.

Dear Diary, I have to tell you. She called me today. I was leaving class and my phone rang and it was her. I was so happy to hear her. We hadn't spoken since the start of the school year. She told me that her dorm roommate was very nice and that they got along well. That she had already made tons of friends. That the classes were going well and that she was among the best. I didn't doubt her but she seemed too happy on the phone. She told me all this as if she were trying to convince herself. I could hear the tremor in her voice, as if she was holding back tears. I decided to go and check for myself if what she had told me was true. So I have to tell you that I decided to go see her. But I chickened out, Diary. I turned around. After two hours of driving and thinking, I understood that I had no place next to her. Not at these times. I had no right to comfort her. Because if she doubted herself, if she didn't make friends, if she didn't trust anyone, it was my fault. I was the first to torment her, to degrade her image, to denigrate her personality and her talent. And since then, I knew that she had lost confidence in herself. By my fault. So I wasn't allowed to show up at her house. It probably would have hurt her more, actually. On the way back, I stopped several times. With the phone in hand, I wanted to call her, at least to make sure she was okay. But I didn't know. Each time I remained stuck on her contact page which displayed her star smile. Since I returned, the same dilemma has invaded me. Why would she want to confide in me, Diary ? After all, she could call Kurt or Finn. Or even her father. I'm sure I won't be her first choice. And then, maybe, I imagined the whole thing and everything she told me is true and she is doing very well. Yes, that's probably it. She was so busy with her new friends and fantastic classes that she didn't think to call me first. I'm making up scenarios, you're right, Diary. I'll call her tomorrow morning to make sure. I'll call her with the excuse of having received the invitation to Mr. Shue's wedding and I'll make sure she's okay.

Beca put the diary down for a moment. She was disturbed by what she discovered about the young girl who had written these lines. She was beginning to see some of her personality through the pages of the journal. Quinn seemed to have a tortured mind. She was in love with one of her friends but didn't dare tell her. From the look of her writing and the way she formed sentences, one could think that she loved literature. Perhaps she was a literature student or someone who read a lot. In any case, she seemed very alone. Beca's heart ached when she thought of the horrible things Quinn thought about herself. She still seemed intelligent, loyal and determined. Beca had a hard time imagining what she could have done to her friend that was so horrible that she couldn't even talk to her or see her. She told herself that it was a shame to ruin a friendship out of simple fear. Strangely, she began to recognize some of her fears in the person she was discovering. She also wanted to know if Quinn's friend was okay, or if she had lied. She needed the rest of the story. The brunette turned the page to resume reading.

Saturday October 2, 2010 - 10:07 a.m.

Diary,

R. is not answering me, Diary. I think I should have gone to New York. I am scared. I called her at 8 this morning and got her voicemail. I called again at 9 and got the same result. I just tried again and it's still her cheerful voice telling me to call back later. I don't know what to do, Diary. Is it just out of battery? Did she turn off her phone to study? Did she fall down the stairs and break her neck? I don't know, Diary. She still has the same routine. She always gets up at 6 in the morning to work out on her elliptical trainer. Even during the summer holidays, she had kept her organization. She never missed a workout. Why isn't she answering, Diary ? WHY ?

Saturday October 2, 2010 - 2:22 p.m.

I still haven't heard from R. She hasn't called or texted me. I called her around 1 p.m. and it's still her voicemail. I'm starting to lose my mind, Diary. I go around in circles like a lion in a cage. I'm going to go see her. I think I'm going to hit the road. I'll save time by going straight there. Too bad if she finds me weird, I need to know if

Saturday October 2, 2010 - 2:35 p.m.

R. is fine. She was with a friend from her dance class. I heard him laughing in the back. Bradley or Bruce. Something like that. She is fine. She's with a guy from a perfume commercial and she's fine. They had lunch together and her phone was out of battery. Diary, I have a problem. I'm going crazy. Actually no. I am crazy. For her but also completely crazy. I was ready to leave. And I still am. But not to check if she is okay. To put my fist in this idiot's face and tell him not to come near her. To punch this douchebag and tell her she's better than that. I want to throw my phone out the window. I was so angry that I spoke badly to her. I told her she was stupid for going out without her phone charged and that she needed to choose her friends better. Like I was a perfect example. I'm the idiot. I am pitiful. And completely crazy as hell. Maybe I should get interned. What do you think, Diary ? Anyway, that's what my dad would say if he knew who I had feelings for. He was always saying that people like me are heretics and should be locked up or treated. He was right actually. She drives me crazy. But I'd rather it drive me crazy than feel nothing at all. Even if it's often too much.

Beca pushed on the desk to get away from the pages. Her chair rolled back a good meter. She ran her hands through her hair and blew. What she was reading was starting to weigh on her. How could someone be so tortured and unhappy without anyone realizing it? She couldn't stand people being left in their misery. And then what could it matter to her father that Quinn liked women? The principles of the Bible were, according to her, an excuse to justify the wickedness of people. She was starting to sympathize with this Quinn who she didn't really know and whose appearance she didn't even know. Beca tensed suddenly. Because she could learn what Quinn looked like.

The Internet, this marvellous invention, was going to help her. She rushed to her computer and, after a few clicks, saw the search page appear. She typed in "Quinn Fabray." Dozens of results appeared. She added "Georgia." The pages pointed out places to visit in Georgia. She erased and corrected it with "Barden University." She came across an article on the university website which showed several students winning a writing competition.

The close-up photo was of a boy and two girls, all hands around a framed diploma, smiles wide. She clicked on the image tab and several identical photos taken from different angles appeared. Beca wanted to know if it was indeed Quinn in the photo and which of the two girls present she was. She found an article from a local newspaper which had published the same photo on December 5, 2010. The newspaper had taken care to accompany her photo with a caption where Quinn's name was included. Victory, Beca told herself. Finally.

Quinn was blonde, had hazel eyes, and was dressed in a floral dress. She looked physically fit. The kind of girls you find as high school cheerleaders and debate club presidents. Beca spent a few minutes examining the photo from all angles. She concluded that Quinn was very good at hiding whatever was going on in her head. She hurried to read the article that accompanied the photo. Quinn had come in first place in the competition that year with the congratulations of her teachers. The blonde was a first year literature student in 2010. Doing the math, Beca figured out that the blonde had finished her studies at the same time as she had finished her first year. She went to search for the list of graduates from 2013. When the list was loaded, one hundred and fifty names appeared on the screen in alphabetical order. She went to the letter F but couldn't find Quinn's name. She checked several times but Quinn Fabray was definitely not on the list.

Beca leaned back, confused. What had become of Quinn? Had she repeated or dropped out of school? Was she still in Barden or even Georgia? The brunette turned to the journal, questions in her head. She was about to resume her reading when she heard the stairs leading to her room creak. Someone was coming up. Beca hid the journal under her binder that was lying there. At the same time, Chloe knocked on the wooden frame surrounding the entrance to the stairs.

"I saw the light on and I figured that you weren't asleep yet." The young woman explained softly, looking at her shoes. "Yes, I… I can't sleep." Beca replied, moving away from the desk. Her chair turned and the brunette glanced at her clock radio. It was almost midnight. She hadn't realized how much time she had spent reading. The two young women looked at each other. None really dared to speak. Yet they had so much to say to each other. Finally, Chloe took the lead and moved forward.

"Listen, Beca, I'm sorry for insisting. I wouldn't have thought that would make you angry. I'm really sorry." Chloe apologized. She was obviously waiting for a response from Beca but the brunette was stuck in her own head thinking about what attitude to adopt. She wanted to tell Chloe what was bothering her. But what would she do if she lost her friendship by telling her too much? She suddenly thought about Quinn. About the fears the blonde had to reveal everything. About how she couldn't tell anyone how she felt. Beca was lucky to have someone who listened to her and yet she continued to reject every person who came too close.

At the lack of response, Chloe turned around and was about to go downstairs when Beca grabbed her wrist. They faced each other and Beca took her in her arms. The brunette buried her face in Chloe's neck and inhaled the scent that made her head spin so much. Beca felt the redhead circle her waist. They stayed there, hugging each other for a long time. Chloe didn't understand the full extent of what could be going on in the head of the little brunette in her arms but she was sure she wanted to be present in these moments of vulnerability. Beca seemed to need her and she was willing to listen to her for days if necessary. The musician in question pulled away with a clearing of her throat and rubbed a hand clumsily over the back of her neck, suddenly embarrassed by the position in which she found herself. Chloe saw her hesitation and wanted to reassure her immediately.

"Hey, Becs, it's not that important."

"Of course it is, Chloe." Beca started pacing around the room, Chloe watching her. She saw her ranting and stammering bits of words without her being able to really hear. The redhead took a step and grabbed the little brunette's hands as she passed. Her gesture interrupted Beca who was suddenly absorbed by the softness of the hands against hers. Chloe was close. Her apple shampoo filled the air. She wore such an understanding look. Beca wanted to tell her everything. She pulled her friend onto the bed where they sat side by side in silence. Chloe knew she had to be patient with Beca. That was the key word for the brunette to reveal herself and finally talk about what was wrong. After a few moments of playing with her friend's fingers, Beca opened her mouth.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have answered you so sharply earlier." She began. When she saw that Chloe was going to answer her, she placed two fingers on her lips. "Let me talk, please. Otherwise I don't think I will be able to go all the way." Chloe nodded and smiled slightly. Her blue eyes expressed her sympathy. Beca could trust her, she knew that, so she took a deep breath.

"Okay. Um, I don't think I'll be able to tell you everything right now. It's just too hard. But I will try. Because I don't want my fears to consume me."

After a short pause, Beca ultimately didn't know where to start. She thought about her motivation to tell Chloe everything, where it had come from. A smile appeared on her face.

"You see, when we moved in, I found a girl's diary under my bed. She was a student at Barden like us, three years ago. If only you knew how sad she was. She recounted everything she felt in her diary and I swear, Chlo, my stomach tightens imagining her between these walls, alone, writing down all these horrible things she thinks about herself. And I don't want to be like that. Because I have you, and I have the girls. I know you want to listen to me. You deserve to know. Just for all the times I reject you without explanation." Beca paused. She needed to collect her thoughts. She also didn't want to tell Chloe absolutely everything that evening. At her words, Chloe's throat began to tighten and her eyes sparkled, but she did not interrupt her friend who seemed determined to unpack everything.

"You wanted to know about me playing pool." She cleared her throat then stood up to look out the small window, arms around her body.

"When I was in high school, I worked at a local bar to buy my music equipment. You know my parents divorced when I was twelve. After that, my mother fell into depression and I tried to move forward. Music helped me a lot. Anyway, I was working in this bar and one day, we hired a new waiter. A nice guy, quite charming. He spent his time trying to get me to talk. I didn't want to be too close to him but he was stronger than me. He was handsome and athletic, the new star of the school. A real girl magnet. After a few months, we ended up dating. You can imagine that a girl like me never imagined going out with a guy like him. He was too good for me. Well, that's what I told myself at the time." Beca paused and leaned against the window sill, arms crossed, looking serious. Chloe drank in her friend's words. She had never heard Beca talk this much.

"Everything was fine at first. We were going out with his friends. He was the one who taught me how to play pool after our service. I trusted him. I talked to him a lot. Of my father, of my mother, of my dreams. I also told him about my bisexuality, which I didn't accept at all at the time. He was understanding. He too had had some tough times in life but he always promised me that we would get through it together." She shook her head in annoyance before swallowing to continue.

"In the middle of junior year, he convinced me to sleep with him. My mother had always told me to be careful but I had complete trust in him so I went for it without really thinking about it. We were sixteen, we had been together for four months and I loved him. I didn't really see why I had to tell him no. Yet he insisted, which should have told me to back off. In short, we did it. The next day, the whole school was whispering behind my back. He took a photo of me and passed it around. But I learned that much later. For a week he avoided me, he didn't answer any calls. Then I learned from my boss the following Saturday that he had moved out of town. At school, everyone who was supposedly my friends made fun of me or insulted me." Chloe heard a tremor in the little brunette's voice and knew she was trying not to cry. She stood ready to step in the moment Beca showed any sign she needed her.

"In fact, the bastard had circulated a photo montage of me naked, sleeping, with a girl that he had probably found on the Internet. He started the rumor that I was gay and super easy to put in bed. He betrayed me, Chloe!" The brunette finally collapsed under the weight of her revelations and Chloe jumped on her to take her in her arms. They found themselves on the ground. Chloe took the brunette on her legs and stroked her hair to calm her down. She tried to ignore the fury that was brewing inside her and the ache she felt in her heart facing her devastated friend. Beca continued between sobs, caught in the memory of her story.

"I received the photo every week in my mailbox. I managed to hide it from my mother at first. She didn't need that. But one evening, I came home from class and she and my father were waiting for me in the kitchen. I told them everything. My mother didn't care about my sexuality and so did my father. For once, they agreed. The next month, my mother and I moved to Portland."

Silence enveloped the room. Only Beca's sniffles and Chloe's voice consoling her could be heard. When Beca seemed to have calmed down, Chloe spoke up. "Beca, I don't know what to say. You are so brave. You are fantastic, if only you could see that too." She declared in a whisper, leaving a kiss on the brunette's forehead. "I swear to you that if we meet this guy, we will cut off his family jewels and feed them to the wolves." Beca laughed softly at her friend's reference to the oath they had all taken upon entering the Bellas' team. She wiped her tears with her fingertips and turned to Chloe. She saw that the redhead also had traces of dried tears. She ran her thumb over one of his cheeks.

"Thank you, Chloe. For listening to me. Sorry again for reacting badly.

"Stop apologizing, Becs. It's this scumbag who should apologize for everything he did to you. I promise you that if we meet him, he'll have a rough time. Who does he think he is? If I had been there, I would have made this idiot swallow his phone!" The redhead got angry, gesticulating in all directions. "Chloe! Chloe! It's okay, it was a long time ago. He doesn't deserve to be given this importance anymore" Beca said, grabbing her hands.

Chloe nodded and pulled the brunette into her embrace. She couldn't imagine how Beca could stand here, after everything she'd told her, and still manage to move forward. Three years had passed since then but the wounds were still open. Chloe promised herself to protect Beca as long as she could. She had experienced too much too young.

"I will never betray you, Beca. You're safe here," She said earnestly. The redhead felt her friend's body getting heavier and knew that Beca was starting to fall asleep. She carefully got up and carried her to the bed.

"Chloe, what are you doing? Where are you going?" Beca muttered, her eyes barely open. "Go back to sleep, Becs. I'm not going anywhere."

Chloe placed Beca on the bed and covered her. She went to turn off the light and joined her. The little brunette immediately came and clung to her, her head buried in the crook of her neck. Chloe smiled and hugged her tighter. She would never leave this girl alone. Absolutely never again. She made a promise to herself.