A/N: Shortest chapter yet, but had to post it to get the transition right. Reviews are welcomed, and any ideas you might have!
Here's the little surprise-that's-not-really-so-much-a-surprise.

The first text she had received during Emily's turn was fine. It didn't bother her, and it wasn't unusual that her exes would pop up every once in a while. But the next few were persistent, urgent, it was odd. Tom of all people would have moved on, but he seemed to really want Chloe to see his new girlfriend. And Chloe couldn't care less, but something happened. She didn't know what, but she had an itch to say something – maybe just fib a little bit, just a pinch. It wouldn't hurt anyone, she decided.

Tom, 4:03PM - Come on Chlo-Bear, I haven't seen you in ages. Let's set something up with Tara?

Tom 4:03PM - Tara's my gf btw.

She rolled her eyes at the clarification. A puff of air sputtered from between her lips as she tapped out her reply.

Me 4:06PM - Can't, I'm actually all tied up with my girlfriend too! Darn!

Chloe cackled quietly, softly. She knew it'd rile him up, he was totally a closeted homophobe, and never liked it when Chloe brought up her bisexuality. Beca's right, he is a douche.

The text back was immediate, her phone vibrating before she even set it down.

Tom 4:06PM - Girlfriend, lol. I doubt that.

Chloe huffed before shooting her head up. He was so – so freaking – just so rude! She glanced around, noticing it was Beca's turn. So she quickly snapped a shot of the girl – only her in the frame – swinging the bowling ball back. Her fingers went a mile a minute, typing out a response.

Me 4:08PM - {Photo Attachment}

Me 4:08PM - We're actually on a date right now, so slow replies. It's my turn.

It wasn't her turn, it was Amy's, but Tom didn't need to know that. As far as he knows, she's on a date with the little alternative girl, and that's all the evidence he needs. Chloe feels her phone go off a few more times as she resumes watching her girls bowl.

After a few smirking looks from a certain brunette – and a gutter ball from Amy – Chloe hurried with her turn, successfully getting a spare. She heard her best friend mutter a teasing 'lucky shot' as she passed, spanking her forearm before sitting back down in her seat. Sighing with a small smile, Chloe unlocked her phone to see numerous texts from Tom.

Tom 4:10PM - Is that the girl who was in the showers that 1 day? Wtf

Tom 4:10PM - Becky, right? You're dating Becky?

Tom 4:12PM - Chloe?

Tom 4:13PM - Don't act like you're not getting my txts

Chloe rolled her eyes. He's never really changed over the few years, has he?

Me 4:31PM - I said I was taking my turn, I'm on a date remember? Her name's Beca, and we are together. Have been for a while now :)

She just wanted to get a rise out of him, and she really did. She could tell with his weirdly frantic responses. Like the world relies on him replying to her. Chloe lets out a small, satisfactory giggle.

Tom 4:31PM - I know what you said, but still. So it's a double date then, Friday night at Maria's Diner, around 7

Chloe was about to say they were busy, or anything really that rejected the offer when he sent another text. She bit her tongue – metaphorically speaking considering she was typing with her fingers and not her tongue.

Tom 4:31PM - Unless of course, you AREN'T actually dating that chick-midget

Her hands were typing before she knew what she was saying.

Me 4:32PM - We'll be there.

/

"No."

"Becs, come on-" Beca groaned. How the hell does something like this happen? One minute she's mourning the fact that the douche was stealing her co-captain's attention away from the Bellas' night out – next thing she knows, she's being told that Chloe said a 'little white lie', as the redhead had put it – to her ex.

"Do I have to say it in Spanish? No." Chloe gripped the brunette's arms, pleading as Beca shifted awkwardly in the hold.

"I already told him though, I can't take it back!" Beca stared at her with all the frustration she'd been holding in at the moment.

"Maybe you shouldn't have told him anything!" Ripping away from the ginger's grasp, she hurried into her closet, settling on changing into something comfortable. Anything to make her feel more comfortable. A loud whine emerged from outside her wardrobe. Beca rolled her eyes before exiting the small closet clad in her tank top and pajama bottoms.

"Beca, please. I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate," Beca crossed her arms, standing in front of the girl who was currently sitting cross legged on her bed. She raised an eyebrow at her.

Chloe was practically choking Beca's stuffed kangaroo in her lap – a present she claimed from a certain Australian two birthdays ago.

"He wants to flaunt his new fling in my face, so I lied. But then he cornered me," She released one of her hands from the choke hold, pointing a single finger at Beca.

"He challenged me." Beca scoffed. It wasn't like Chloe to lie in general, but to drag Beca into this – that was just – ugh. The redhead widened her eyes, puling her bottom lip over her top into a pout. Beca knew she was gonna cave, she always pulled this face when she didn't get what she wants. Fuck.

It wouldn't be so bad. It wouldn't be so different from how they were now, right? Just like, more PDA, peck on the cheek, pet names? Beca let out the longest sigh ever, before a loud squeal filled her ear drums.

"This is so not cool."

Hands were thrown around her tightly, and those quick rubs across her shoulders made Beca hold in a different kind of sigh. A spew of 'thank you's were tumbling out of Chloe's mouth as she hopped about in the embrace.

"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever. When's this – thing with Douche-face again?" Chloe pulled back, arms still around the brunette securely. Those crystal blue eyes looked up in thought, humming quietly.

"Tomorrow." Her face contorted into a mixture of sheepish and fright, scrunching her eyes and mouth tightly. Beca furrowed her brows, staring at the girl in front of her. Her hands landed around the other girl's waist, trying to balance herself in the midst of all this.

"Seriously, Beale? You waited this long to tell me that I'm your – girlfriend?"

"Pretend girlfriend," She corrected, squeezing the girl all the more harder. Beca could see the senior's eyes dance across her own face, the redhead's lips forming a hint of a grin that Beca wanted to roll her eyes at, but she refrained from doing so.

"And it's only until he goes back to New York, I promise." Beca tensed. Goes back to New York, so he's not staying then – right? Thank the heavens. She could not handle having Tom in the same state as she was – it just made her feel so uncomfortable.

"When is he going back?" The shy, sheepish look came back to the redhead's face.

"Few weeks? Maybe more, maybe less, after graduation?" The brunette released from the hold Chloe had on her, crossing her arms firmly in front of her chest once more whilst jutting her hip out. Beca gave her the hardest glare she possibly could – Chloe could hardly handle them, so she never usually sent them her way unless she was really in trouble. And lord almighty, she was so in trouble right now.

The taller girl shrunk under her gaze, squirming about in place, hands twisting and fisting at the hem of her shirt.

"Really Chlo? What about the Bellas, what are you gonna tell them?"

"They won't even have to know! Things won't be any different with the Bellas, it's – it's," She groaned, her hands no longer fidgeting at her top, but flailing about as she spoke.

"It's only in front of Tom and his girlfriend, I swear. No one will know." Beca lessened her intensity with her glare, narrowing her eyes into slits.

"No one will know?" Chloe was quick to answer.

"No one."

"And you're positive you can't get out of this?"

"One hundred and ten percent positive." The brunette wiped her face momentarily before dropping her hands completely. She took a second to think a few more things through.

Okay so, it's literally just pretending for one night, and maybe a few things here and there for Tom. That's it – she could do that. She's a great actress. No, wait. She shouldn't act, she should just – like, do what she already does? What they already do – or – okay no, wait.

"Yeah, let's just – we can do this, right?" Chloe nodded her head furiously, her fingers uncrossing from her sides. This must mean a lot to her. Ugh.

"Yes, totes, abso-aca-lutely."

"Remove that word from your vocabulary, asap."

"On it."

There was a beat of silence, the two girls just staring at each other until Chloe squealed once more, landing a solid four pecks to Beca's cheek. She wiggled her butt - that Beca so did not look at - before making her way down the stairs from the small loft.

"See ya in the mornin' babe!"

Beca groaned.