#bechloe/high school au

[w-wquotes]

High school Bechloe romance: Chloe practicing with the band (very concentrated) until she sees her “best friend” Beca and stops playing:

Bonus: one moment later: gay panick

[theres-no-you-and-i]

i could read this fic a million times and never get sick of it i’m not even really in the pitch perfect fandom anymore and i was never really in the glee fandom, esp not faberry, but ohhhh boy am i obsessed with it it’s one of my favorite things in the world

[bechloeislegit]

It's November 1, and you know what that means. . .

It's time to Request prompts for 2023's Christmas One-Shots.

Hello, my fellow Pitch Perfect/BeChloe lovers. Now that SpookFest is over, it is time to look forward to my favorite holiday: CHRISTMAS!

We are just one month away from December, and it is time for me to start writing so I can post the 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases 2023 starting on December 1. 

I do have a list of prompts from last year that I did not use, so I will be starting to work on those, but I will need more to make the full 25 Days; that’s where you come in. So, consider this my annual request for Christmas prompts. Please send me a message with your prompt.

Please remember, these are a few rules that I stand by (I’ve made minor changes but I think you’ll be okay with them):

1. I don't do hardcore smut (some light smut may occur, but the hardcore stuff is just not really my thing, so please don't ask).

2. I like different AUs (High School, Military, etc.). I'm not all that good with vampire or werewolf-type stories. I have attempted them and was somewhat successful (at least in my mind), so be kind in what you ask for if you choose that particular subject.

3. These will be all BeChloe; there will be other pairings as secondary pairings, so if you have a favorite, put them in your prompt.

4. One last thing: I get a lot of prompts about pregnant Beca or Chloe. I will probably do one story for each of them, using Christmas to tell the other they are pregnant (or something along those lines), but I will not write a story where the pregnancy causes any serious medical issues for the mother or the baby (minor medical scares are okay, just no serious stuff; it is for Christmas after all and you know I'm more about the fluffy side of the holiday). So, again, please don't ask that of me.

5. I enjoyed some previous prompts due to their creativity and unusual theme (I even did one that was a Western with Beca as a gunslinger!). I’m looking forward to more creative ideas, so help a BeChloe lover out and leave a prompt here or message me. I'll keep a list and post the first one-shot on December 1.

I can't wait to see what you beautiful people come up with this year! Thanks, everyone!

Love,

Your sister in BeChloe, BeChloeIsLegit!

[thehypotensivegrad]

The Adviser (22/45) | Bechloe Mafia AU

Secrets - Chapter Preview (Read the rest on ao3)

It's been three days since the incident. The incident being another attack at the building and the last broadcast that the rest of the tenants were apparently no longer a part of. Aubrey assured them that everything was being handled and that there was no need for anymore broadcasts. Cynthia Rose was curious as to why, but Beca said that she had the info that she needed and that she will handle things from there, and Cynthia Rose dared not argue back.

They were all still all kinds of bruised up and sore, but other than that, everyone seemed to be in high spirits. Either Aubrey or Chloe would update the tenants daily, even when there was little progress, just to loop them in. They were all in this together now after all.

That noontime was the first time they ended up all gathered up at Cynthia Rose's restaurant since the incident, further giving Cynthia Rose the feeling that they truly were one unit now. A strong team raising hell against Babel and fighting for justice. Even Beca was there, having been dragged along by Chloe. This of course gave Cynthia Rose all the motivation she needed to make a wonderful meal for everyone. She wouldn't dare disappoint Beca, not after she started sending her to culinary school.

They all pushed the tables together, eating together as one family – dare Cynthia Rose call it that? – for lunch, but no one touched their food until Beca was served hers and had a chance to taste it. When she gave Cynthia Rose a thumbs up, everyone released their breathes, relaxed and started eating too.

Most of the conversations during meal time were focused a little less on the business with Babel and more on the happenings on their personal life. Chloe had gone back to her father's home, Aubrey was busy tidying up legal matters on their recent assault while juggling things for Dr. Mitchell's case. The rest of the tenants had rallied behind him since the incident with Calamity and her parent's financial firm getting tied up with Babel. Chloe and Beca had been the one checking in on him recently, making sure he was okay. From the sound of it, he had some kind of complication. Surgery was nearly used to mitigate the situation. Cynthia Rose did her best to follow the jargons. Despite not understanding most of it, she did know that Dr. Mitchell is okay, and the treatment they administered had worked without the need for surgery.

After lunch, Cynthia Rose served everyone some tea and coffee and a plate of biscuits. Flo commented how this was the first time they had a proper get-together with no meetings and no schemes being plotted. Jessica noted that it was nice. Ashley suggested that, if they weren't all too busy, they should do this more often. Denise thought they could throw in a little bit of fun and have a game.

"What do you have in mind?" Benji asked.

"Oh, how about a game of mafia?" Bumper suggested.

And for whatever reason, Beca started choking on her coffee. Chloe laughed and Aubrey gave out a chuckle.

"No one's actually a member of the mafia in the game, Beca," Aubrey then said trying her best to keep a straight faced. Cynthia Rose would be lying if she said this wasn't the first time she had seen the attorney look so amused.

"It's technically like this," Emily then piped up as she tried to hurriedly explain the rules. "We write down different roles on a piece of paper and draw lots. Someone gets to be the narrator, or the game master, whatever you want to call it. They tell us if it's night time. If it is, we all close our eyes. Then they would ask for the mafia members, at least one or two, to open their eyes and pick a target by pointing at them. That target dies when morning comes. The narrator then gets the mafia to close their eyes and asks the doctor to open theirs, pick someone to save, and then close their eyes again. Lastly, the detective is asked to open their eyes, they point to someone they suspect and the narrator will confirm if they're part of the mafia or not. There's also a judge but they don't do much at night. Everyone else get to just be citizens. When morning comes and we get to know who is killed, we all get to discuss who we think is a mafia member and vote someone out. The narrator will confirm if we got it right or not and then a new round starts. If the doctor saves the right person, then they don't die. The detective, meanwhile, can't reveal their role but if they find out who the mafia are, they can direct the conversations and push on voting someone out. If the judge is killed, the mafia automatically win."

"I think I get the gist of it," Beca replied. "But maybe I shouldn't be the narrator, I don't want to mess It up."

"Then I'll take on that role for the games today, how about it?" Cynthia Rose volunteered. "And next time, we can draw lots for it."

"Great idea, CR," Aubrey agreed and so did the rest of the tenants.

And so, the games begun and the tenants drew lots.

They drummed on the table as the narrator talked about how it was night time and it was time for them. The two members of the mafia ended up being Beca and Lilly. They were pretty much in sync in selecting their victim, with their first being Bumper.

The doctor ended up being Bumper, who tried to save Amy. That was a good kill for the pair, Cynthia Rose thought, as the doctor can't save anyone. But the citizens still have a shot. She sat next to Aubrey saw she drew the judge role. She was partly worried they'd win in one go if Beca picked Aubrey – and she did consider it. She smirked before she finalized her decision on Bumper and Lilly quickly agreed. Cynthia Rose couldn't help but wonder if that smirk meant she had a feeling that the judge was Aubrey. Beca sat opposite her across the table, and Lilly was far down the left so neither could have known. Either way, Beca's instinct sure was spot on.

The next was the detective, who happened to be Jesse. He picked Bumper as his first suspect to which Cynthia Rose shook her head to clear him off suspicion.

Doesn't matter, he's dead anyways.

Cynthia Rose had everyone open their eyes and was getting ready to reveal who was out of the game, having been killed by the "mafia" when all of a sudden a group of four men walked into the restaurant wearing suits. They showed everyone their badges – FBI – and revealed a document. A warrant for the arrest of Beca Bella.

Things happened too fast for Cynthia Rose to follow after that. They read Beca her rights. They were arresting her for some trumped up charge, she figured. Babel had to behind this.

Why on earth would someone arrest anyone for being… What did they say again? Con-woman? No, that didn't sound right… it was more like corn salad?

What the heck does that even mean?

Beca looked unfazed, and was cooperative. Emily looked panicked. Jesse started rambling excuses about needing to go to the bathroom for an emergency really quickly. It would seem lunch didn't sit so well with Jesse. Or perhaps he gets anxious around law enforcement personnel? Aubrey and Chloe quickly scrambled on their feet. Lilly looked like she was about to murder someone and Emily was quick to reassure her. It would seem that Lilly was very passionate to prove Beca's innocence. In truth, all of them were.

But for now, what could they do, but hope that their trusted pair of attorney's would set things straight and set Beca free.

She was, after all, one of them now.

[theambracer88]

Ho ho ho!!! Greetings from the Pitchmas Secret Santa workshop, we've heard that you've been very good this year, so we want to gift you with your very own Pitch Perfect fic this Christmas!! Do you have a pairing that you'd prefer, a trope you want to see, any request at all our elves will try and fulfill it!! ❤️💚❤️💚

Howdy! I'm glad to hear that I've been good. 😅 Honestly? I'm not picky about what you do. I'm sure I'll love anything you produce. I think as long as the story focuses more on the side of sisterhood/friendship between the girls, I don't mind the pairings. Emily is also a favorite of mine, so as long as you include her as well, I'm happy. You can always hint at Bechloe and any other pairings you wish (only ones I'm not big on are adults/minors.) I love canon and non-canon/AU tropes, so whatever you feel like writing. Some AU Ideas if you want it - Hallmark Christmas Movie trope. If you watch Hallmark movies, I'm sure you know what to do. If not, let me know and I can expand on this. - Hospital AU where they all work at the hospital or are patients or some are doctors, and some are patients. Think of Red Band Society or the Good Doctor (if you know those). - High School AU. Where instead they meet in HS versus college - Perfect Harmony AU - That one show Anna camp was in except is her as Aubrey and the other Bella's/characters can be a part of it - Almost Family AU: Where instead of Julia, Brittany Snow is Chloe Hopefully that's enough information? If not, feel free to reach back out. ^_^

[massivedrickhead]

One More Year: Chapter 34

I know it's been a really long time. I'm sorry it's taken so long. I've had a pretty stressful few months and I've found writing really hard. I hope this was worth the wait and I hope you'll leave some comments or reviews or like or reblog

Fanfic.net

I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters

Chapter 34

Beca: Hey Chlo'. Haven't heard from you in a few days. Give me a text or a call when you get this xx

Beca: Hey. Me again. I miss you xx

Beca: Can you please reply? I'm kinda going crazy here xx

Beca: Please, just tell me what's going on? It's been like two weeks. Did I do something? xx

Beca threw her phone to the end of her bed with a huff of frustration. She'd been texting Chloe at least once a day for the last two weeks but she hadn't had a single response. She hadn't heard from Chloe since the last time she'd seen her, after their fight or whatever it had been.

She was going crazy.

Chloe wasn't answering texts, Skype messages, facebook messages, phone calls. Beca knew she must seem desperate but she didn't care. She was worried. Worried that Chloe wasn't looking after herself. Worried… Worried that she didn't want her anymore.

She'd called and text Aubrey and Jesse a few times, but neither of them had seen much of Chloe over the past few weeks.

"She just comes back to the dorm to sleep," Aubrey had told her, sounding as stressed as she felt. "She's always either in the library, the gym, or at rehearsal. She hardly speaks to me anymore." Aubrey had sounded close to tears.

She'd even called Chloe's parents, just to see if they'd heard from her. They hadn't. They were worried too.

Beca was so stressed out by it all that she'd even turned to her Mom for advice.

"Why don't you just drive down there?" Her Mom had said, over the phone.

"Because what if she doesn't want to see me?" Beca had replied, her stomach hurting at the thought.

"Well, I hate to say it Becs, but if she doesn't want to see you maybe you shouldn't be together," her Mom said. "I mean, she isn't answering your texts or calls or anything."

Beca pulled a face. "Why am I not surprised that your advise is to end the relationship?"

"I didn't say that," her Mom said with a sigh. "I'm just saying that from everything you've told me, it doesn't seem like this relationship is working."

"Our relationship is fine, Mom," Beca said. "I love her."

"I know, sweetie. But does she love you?"

After the phone call ended, Beca relayed everything her Mom had said to her dad, in the hope that he would offer some better advice.

Instead he had glanced at Sheila and said, "I hate to admit it but I think your Mom is right."

Beca left the room and went back upstairs, closing the door behind her and dropping onto her bed. She checked her phone and was unsurprised to find no new texts or calls.

Tears began pricking at her eyes. She wiped them quickly when she heard a knock at her door.

"Come in," she said.

The door opened and Sheila entered. Jasper squeezed past her and jumped onto Beca's bed and then sat on her lap.

"Hi," Beca said.

Sheila took a seat on Beca's desk chair and studied her through her glasses. She seemed stern. As if Beca was one of her pupils who she was disappointed with.

Beca didn't know where to look or what to say, so she busied herself scratching Jasper behind the ear.

"When did you last work on your music, Beca?" Sheila asked, eventually.

"Uh… I dunno, a few days ago?" Beca asked, surprised by the question.

Sheila raised her eyebrows.

"Okay… A week ago I guess," Beca said. Sheila still didn't say anything. "Why are you asking?"

"You haven't worked on anything in about two weeks," Sheila said.

"How do you know?"

"Because I pay attention to what you do and you haven't even been in your den since you last saw Chloe," Sheila said.

"Okay… and this is bad because?"

"Because for the last two weeks you've shut yourself in your room every day. Whenever you join us for dinner you just sit and stare at your phone, waiting for Chloe to text you back. You're supposed to be making demos to send out to record labels, yes?"

"I'm just taking some time off," Beca said.

"Sitting and waiting for her to text you isn't healthy, Beca. None of this is good for you," Sheila said, softening slightly.

"I… I just… I miss her," Beca said, terrified she was going to start crying. "And I don't know what to do."

"Well… I think you need to go and see her. You need to know where you stand," Sheila said.

"What if she breaks up with me?" Beca asked.

"Then she breaks up with you," Sheila said. "I know you're going to hate me for saying this but you're only 19, Beca. And I know it'll hurt, but you'll come through it. You can't go on like this."

Beca nodded, but she could already feel her heart breaking. The idea of not being Chloe's girlfriend anymore was more than she could stand.

"I'll drive up tomorrow," she said.

Chloe was not coping well.

Since the incident with the subway sandwich, she'd found it harder and harder to eat, and easier and easier to skip meals.

Aubrey would leave before her every morning because her classes started at 8am. She would leave Chloe some fruit or a power bar or something for breakfast. And Chloe would throw it in the trash on her way to class. She felt guilty, but it was easier than actually eating it.

Lunch was also easy to skip. Aubrey would ask Chloe what she had, and Chloe would lie about grabbing a salad or a sandwich between classes. Even if Aubrey didn't believe her, how would she check?

Dinner was the trickiest, and Chloe would usually cave and eat it with Aubrey and Stacie and the boys. She'd get a salad or soup from the dining hall and try and eat as little as possible, without drawing Aubrey's attention to it. Jesse and Benji would shovel burgers and fries and whatever else they could find into their mouths, and Chloe would always feel a pang of jealousy at how much they seemed to enjoy it.

Apart from evening meals in the dining hall, she only saw Aubrey and Stacie at Bellas rehearsals. She spent every other moment either in classes, the library, or the gym. She'd work out until late at night before going back to hers and Aubrey's dorm. Most times Aubrey would be asleep. Sometimes she'd be up, sitting at her desk and frantically typing away at her laptop. She would always stop working whenever Chloe came in, and would try and make conversation with her. But Chloe would always make an excuse about being tired or needing a shower. She felt guilty every time she saw the look of hurt on her best friend's face, but she couldn't talk to her.

She couldn't let Aubrey know how bad it had gotten. She had to remain in control of this one portion of her life, while everything else seemed to be spiralling out of control.

Her classes had become more and more demanding, and since she didn't share classes with Aubrey anymore, she couldn't rely on her to help her study. She had to read a new book every week and a paper every two weeks.

Bellas' rehearsals had also kicked up a notch. They had to be ready for their Christmas shows, followed by the ICCAs in New York. Alice had them rehearsing every day, and every mistake they made meant the whole group had to do laps around the auditorium.

And looming on the horizon, was Christmas. Chloe didn't couldn't begin to imagine how she was going to cope with Christmas this year. Even if Carol wasn't there, the rest of her family would be. And they'd all have to watch her fail once again at eating Christmas dinner.

But all this was nothing to the guilt she felt over Beca.

God, she missed her.

But she knew she couldn't see her. Couldn't even speak to her. She knew the second she heard her voice she'd break down crying. She knew the second Beca saw her, she'd see just how much she was struggling. She'd see right through any lie she'd try to pull.

She couldn't even bring herself to text her back. Her phone lit up daily with new messages, each one sounding more desperate than the last. But it had gone on too long now. Chloe couldn't just text her that she was fine but busy. Any message she sent would open the floodgates. And Chloe needed to keep them shut.

Beca's thumbs drummed against her steering wheel as she drove. She couldn't remember ever feeling this nervous to see Chloe.

Her stomach was turning, her hands slick against the wheel. Ed Sheeran was playing from her iPod, but even he wasn't helping so she turned it off.

She pulled into the parking lot closest to Chloe's dorm room and got out of her truck before she could change her mind.

She pressed the buzzer for Chloe and Aubrey's dorm room but got no answer. It was after 4pm so she assumed they'd be done with their classes. She walked down to the auditorium. She knew Bellas' rehearsals usually started at 5pm, so maybe she'd be able to catch her before she went in. Even if she just got to see her or a few seconds it would all be worth it.

But when she saw the redheaded girl walking towards the auditorium, it took her a second to recognise her. She seemed smaller, much smaller, than she'd remembered. Her hair was tired up in a loose ponytail, but didn't have its usual shine. And when she walked she kept her head down, eyes fixed on the ground, as if scared she might meet somebody's eye.

"Chloe!" She called out, making her way over.

Chloe froze and she looked up, her eyes locking with Beca's. If she was happy to see her she certainly didn't look it.

"Beca," Chloe said. "What are you doing here?" She sounded surprised but not in a good way. Beca knew immediately that she'd made a mistake coming here.

"I came to see you," Beca said, as if that should have been obvious. "You haven't answered any of my texts or calls or anything. I missed you."

"Yeah, um, I missed you too," Chloe said, looking at the ground. "Sorry about the texts my, um, phone broke, so… Haven't had the chance to get a new one yet."

"Chlo', are you okay?" Beca asked, taking in Chloe's appearance. She was definitely thinner. And her eyes kept darting around, refusing to hold eye contact. Her hands were clenched together. Beca instinctively reached out for them, to hold them, rub them, like she always did when Chloe was stressed out, but Chloe pulled them back as if Beca had burned her. "Chloe?"

"I'm fine," Chloe said, not even bothering to sound convincing. "I just… I need to get to rehearsal. If I'm late they'll make us do laps and-"

"Hey, can you just talk to me for like 5 minutes?" Beca said. Chloe let out a puff of air that could have been frustration. "You can't even look at me. I haven't heard from you in two weeks-"

"My phone broke-"

"You could have facebooked me. Or borrowed Aubrey's phone. Or something. You could have done something," Beca said. Her chest and stomach were hurting and she could feel tears threatening to spill out. "I've been losing my mind, Chloe. You just disappeared. Have I done something?"

"No," Chloe said. "It's not you, it's just… I've been busy. And… And I have to go to rehearsal. I don't… I don't have time for this."

"You mean you don't have time for me," Beca said, feeling like she'd just been slapped.

"I didn't say that," Chloe said, still not looking at her.

"No but that's what you meant. Isn't it?" Beca said, wiping the tears from her eyes. She looked at Chloe, waiting for her to do something. Anything. Waiting for her to tell her she was wrong. That she loved her. Waiting for her to hug her and kiss her and say she was sorry. But Chloe didn't do anything. She just rubbed at her forehead, like she was trying to get rid of a headache, and sighed.

"I have to go," she said.

Beca looked up at the sky and laughed, shaking her head as tears poured down her cheeks. Her heart was breaking, but she needed to know. She needed an answer. "Do you still want to be with me?"

Chloe finally met her eyes, and Beca saw her own pain reflected back in them.

There was a moment when Beca thought Chloe might come to her, but it was shattered when her phone rang in her pocket.

The second it took Beca to look down at her phone was all Chloe needed to turn around and walk away.

[gonnabereallyfastfriends]

High School AU:

Beca didn’t expect to have to move across the country right before her senior year of high school. She also didn’t expect to have to sit next to a bubbly redhead during science class who only wrote in pink and who wouldn’t stop passing her notes.

Life was just weird like that sometimes.

[pinkpastels113]

but i think you’re pretty too

pairing: bechloe

rating: g

word count: 2k

additional tags: fluff, high school au, pov alternating.

summary:

In which Chloe is debating on whether or not to go to prom and Beca is gathering up the courage to give her a card.

author’s note: 

leave me alone, my brain is fried from two days of training at starbucks. anyways, check out ppfandomdrive and please spread the word! make a donation and we could check out those requests for ya :33

also on ao3

“So? Have you decided? You know you can just borrow one of my dresses if that is what’s holding you back right?”

Chloe shakes her head, a small smile tugging briefly on her lips as she pushes a strand of hair behind her ear. “No, Bree, it’s not that.” She sighs softly before continuing, “I just- I don’t really think I want to go this year.”

Aubrey gasps very palpably, as if Chloe had somehow personally offended her. “But Chloe, this is senior year prom, the prom that everyone is going to talk about, the one that really matters. It’ll probably- no, most definitely- be the last dance of our entire high school career, you have to go.”

Chloe looks briefly over at her, the quiet desperation and plea in Aubrey’s green eyes stirring a blatant sense of guilt in the pit of her stomach. Still, she is not fully keen on attending a school dance without the right exhilaration, the right excitement, the right… person, that is needed for such events.

“I don’t want to go with Tom though. I don’t think I like him that much anymore.” At the question on Aubrey’s face that Chloe already knows that she’s not going to like, she rushes to add, “No. It’s not because of that. They’re just rumors anyway, and I fully trust him to not go behind my back. I just don’t feel myself invested in this relationship anymore, like my feelings have just… faded away. It’s more like a friendship now and I don’t think I want to send him the wrong message by going to the prom with him by my side.”

Aubrey tilts her head. Students file past her down the middle walkway in the center of the classroom to shuffle slowly towards their seats. Their teacher is still nowhere to be seen. “Why don’t you just break up with him?”

Chloe shrugs. The thought of breaking up with someone has always seemed pointless and sad to her, especially at the rate that everyone likes to break up these days, especially at the drama that it always precedes. “And what would I say? That I just don’t love him anymore? He’ll be so sad, we’ve been together for three years.”

“You shouldn’t be with someone when you don’t share the same companionship and love anymore though, it’s not right and frankly isn’t all that very fair. For the both of you.”

“Three years is still such a long time, Bree, I can’t just throw that all away or toss it in his face…”

“And what? Possibly marry him one day because it’ll be too hard to pull away after five, ten more years? Look,” Aubrey puts a hand on Chloe’s arm, Chloe’s eyebrow raising in it’s gentility, “You’re a very kind and genuine person, Chloe, and I think if you think that you don’t want to entertain the possibility of spending the rest of your life with him, you two should break up. You- and him, for that matter- deserve better than that.”

Chloe nibbles on the corner of her lip, Aubrey’s words filtering through her mind to resonate hollowly in the center of her chest. She’s right of course, Chloe knows Aubrey is, and yet… “Okay then what about prom? Who am I gonna go with if we aren’t together anymore? I can’t just go by myself; everyone’s already got a date, even you.”

At this, Aubrey smiles. And it is one of those honest ones that spread unabashedly across the entirety of her face, one that gives Chloe the feeling that she has been led here by the nose unawaringly all along, “Oh don’t worry, I’m sure someone will come along.”

As if on cue, someone taps on Chloe’s shoulder.

*****

“Come on Becaaa, it’s our senior year! This will be the last and only chance you’re ever gonna get to ask her out.”

“I dunno, Stacie, I still think this is a terrible idea. Doesn’t she already have a boyfriend?”

“So? What does that matter? A little card won’t do any harm. Besides, I don’t really think she likes him all that much anymore anyway.”

Beca stops fiddling with the strap of her bag to squint over at her friend. “And how do you know that? They’ve been together for as long as I’ve known her.”

Stacie hums noncommittally, the twinkle in her eyes reflective of the fluorescent light overhead as they venture down the hallway. “Eh, I have my sources.”

“Hmmm,” Beca eyes her up and down for a couple seconds longer before ultimately deciding to drop it. She has more pressing matters on hand than the mysterious sources of one Stacie Conrad. Speaking of which… Beca glances down at the card in her hand, rubbing at the glossiness of the front cover, “Do you really think I have a chance here? A chance for her to say yes.”

Stacie bumps their shoulders together, stopping at the doorframe of the first classroom just round the corner. “Why don’t you find out?” She gestures her head into the room and Beca can already feel her heart fluttering as it usually does whenever she catches sight of the red hair. “Worst comes to worst, she’ll think that it’s cute, and well- maybe she’ll come to talk to you. And you would stop sulking.”

Beca couldn’t bring herself to look away. Chloe’s presence has always been like a magnet and this time is no different in the gravitational pull of her attention. “I still hate you for daring me to do this by the way. Don’t you think that I’ll ever forget that.”

“Awww,” Beca grumbles as her hair is being ruffled, “Quit pouting shorty, and just go inside. Maybe you’ll thank me for this later.”

Beca is about to protest even further when she catches sight of Chloe’s homeroom teacher walking out of the restroom in the corner of her peripheral vision. “Shit, it’s now or never.”

“Good luck!” Stacie’s encouragement carries her into the room and it is a trance as Beca blindly maneuvers around someone’s gigantic backpack to tap on Chloe’s shoulder. Chloe turns, and Beca needs to force herself to breathe when she becomes the target of Chloe’s baby blue eyes.

There is a moment in which Beca is transferred back to summer of last year, when she was tipsy off a few too many wine coolers in Stacie’s bedroom and confessed that if there was one thing that she would not mind staring into while on the brink of death via some… rather extreme torture deceives- don’t ask, even she herself does not know how she seems to get dragged into the weirdest conversations- it would be Chloe’s stupid blue eyes. She remembers saying how she did not even know how someone could be that pretty, that reminiscent of the sunlight glistening off the waves at Coney Island that one time she visited there, that… comforting. Kind, especially considering the…friends in her social circle.

“Damn, Beca,” CR had said while popping off the cap of her refill, “Seems like you would rather her be your torture device than the last thing you see.”

The breath that Beca lets out now is reminiscent of the one she expelled then, without the groan in response to the teasing that followed. She finds herself just dumbly staring for a few seconds before she realizes that Chloe had already spoken.

“Hi! Beca, right?”

Beca finds herself blinking in surprise that Chloe remembers her name. She can feel the blush slowly creeping into her cheeks at the attention she is already getting from her fellow peers. Damn popularity. “Yeah, um.” She scratches at the back of her neck with the hand not clutching at the card, trying to gather the courage to give it to her in amongst the barely concealed whispers starting to take form. “I just… wanted you to have this.”

She hands the card over, heart on her sleeve as Chloe allows a smile to break across her face. Beca tries to conceal her rapid heartbeat by backtracking. “You don’t have to say yes, y’know. Stacie dared me to write it and ultimately give it to you, but it wasn’t like a total ball out of left field because I have been wanting to give you something like this for a while now and um. Prom just seemed like a good opportunity? To give you this. Again, there is no pressure or anything; I totally understand that you are still dating Tom and that this is probably more than not ideal.”

Chloe laughs, her hair falling from that spot behind her ear, causing Beca’s fingers to twitch. “Thanks, Bec. Just let me read it first okay? Before you pass out on me because you aren’t breathing properly.”

Beca doesn’t think she needs to breathe what with the way Chloe just winked at her. “Yeah, sure. Lemme just-”

“Miss Mitchell? The bell has rung, you’re late to class.”

Beca closes her eyes, pursing her lips inward as she raises a loose fist to jerk it over her shoulder. “-go.”

When she spins around, Beca thinks that she sees Aubrey Posen sporting a smug smirk on her face but she couldn’t be sure, because she is too keen on getting the hell out of there to find out.

What does she care for anyway?

*****

“So? What is it? There should definitely be something inside, she looked like she was going to have a heart attack for there not to be. Something daring and personal.”

Chloe shushes Aubrey while attempting to not to be too obvious in slipping the card into her lap. She makes sure that the coast is clear- meaning, that their teacher is too invested in taking attendance- before seizing the opportunity to flip it open. “Whatever it is, she was brave enough to risk the ‘heart attack’ and give it to me, so be nice, okay?”

The inside of the card was not as glittery or glossy or as pink as the card outside, but it still contained enough cuteness to make Chloe’s chest tighten. It was obvious that Beca has put a lot of thought into it for a dare; there are soft music notes all along the hot pink trim around the borders of the otherwise dark canvas, a small ladybug on the rightmost corner exactly where her thumb would be had she been holding it in the way she is right then, and a handwritten poem opposite of the side where Beca has scripted a section of Chloe’s favorite Taylor Swift lyric. Chloe feels her mind falter, her body too haywire over what to think about her emotions as she scans and rescans the poem.

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

He may be more popular but

I think you’re (really) pretty too

And then under it, in tiny slanted letters as if the writer had added it as an afterthought or as if they had wanted to get it out before they lost their nerve-

(please go out to the prom with me?)

Something flutters in Chloe’s stomach like she has never really experienced before, and she thinks that she might never fully recover when Aubrey snickers over her shoulder.

“What a dork. She could have been less obvious.”

Chloe whirls on her. “You knew?”

Aubrey laughs, shaking her head at the open mouthed gape Chloe is certain is permanently attached to her jaw, “Oh yeah, the whole school knows. She has the biggest crush on you Chlo, for years. You were just too immersed with the obligations of your relationship to figure it out.”

“Yeah well, I-”

“Chloe? Chloe Beale going once…”

Chloe Beale is most certainly not present, but she raises her hand anyway and pronounces herself “here.”

Aubrey rolls her eyes at the unconventional order of which their homeroom teacher takes attendance. She fixes her sweater on her way to lean over the edge of the metal bar of her seat, raising an eyebrow to indicate the poem still in Chloe’s lap, “Are you going to say yes?”

Chloe glances at the question, back to Aubrey, back to the question, and chuckles.

“Yeah.”

Because anyway, it’s really about time for her to give it a try at what she wants. Not her family, not her sensibility, not her fear of stepping out of her comfort zone, just her.

And Beca Mitchell… well. Beca Mitchell seems like the perfect person for that sentiment. The perfect start.

And prom? Suddenly, Chloe could not possibly wait.

---

fin.

[becabeale143]

http://archiveofourown.org/works/26258119/chapters/64166398

It didn’t happen instantly, but once Beca had actually felt alive enough to brave opening her eyes, the previous nights events ran through her head.

Chloe walking out of the bar with Chicago.

Drinking and throwing back shots until she had stumbled out of the bar stool

Jesse driving her home and walking her to her front door.

Her Dad waiting up for her and looking at her in disappointment.

Emailing Red.

Wait...she emailed Red, whilst drunk.

Beca had never sat up faster than she did then, her head throbbed as she reached for her phone. The thought of coffee and painkillers was shoved aside as she clicked on the unread email in her inbox.

[lgbtkendricks]

paper rings - bechloe social media au

1. dramatic decisions

no point, huh beca??

2. the aftermath [aka the breakdown phase]

[cruelgabby]

chloe is the popular head cheerleader, beca’s the quiet artsy type. who could have guessed this unlikely pair would end up falling in love?

[bechloeislegit]

25 Days of BeChloe Christmases 2022

Day 16 - Christmas Choices

Summary (HS AU): Chloe Beale is the new girl at Barden High. The 2 most popular guys in school both have eyes for her and vie for her attention. Beca Mitchell sees what's happening and teases Chloe about it. So, who ends up as Chloe's date for the Christmas Formal?

It was the first day of school at Barden High. Chloe Beale walked through the doors and went toward the office. She was bumped and jostled as students and faculty hurried to wherever they needed to be.

Chloe entered the office with a sigh.

"Can I help you?" a frazzled-looking older woman asked from behind the computer.

"Um, yeah," Chloe said. "I'm new here, and I need my schedule and locker information."

"Name?"

"Uh, Chloe Beale."

The woman sat and started typing something into the computer.

Chloe looked around as she stood waiting. She noticed a guy smiling at her and gave him a small smile in acknowledgment.

"He's a douche," a small brunette said as she joined Chloe at the counter.

"What?"

"Good morning, Mrs. Abernathy," the girl said. "I need an early dismissal for today."

"Good morning, Beca," the woman said. "Wait your turn. I'm helping Miss Beale, and I'll get to you when I'm done with her."

Beca looked at Chloe and smirked. "New girl, huh? So, what's your story?"

"My story?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah, your story," Beca said. "You're starting Senior Year in a new school, of course, there's a story. So, what's yours?"

"How do you know I'm a Senior?" Chloe asked.

"It's a gift," Beca said, shrugging.

"Miss Beale," Mrs. Abernathy said. "Here is your class schedule and your locker information. I'll get someone to-." She stopped and looked at Beca. "Beca, you wouldn't mind showing Miss Beale to her first class, would you? Maybe give her a little tour to help her find her way around?"

Beca looked at Chloe and smirked. "Sure, I'd be happy to play school tour guide for Miss Beale."

"It's Chloe," Chloe said. "And, thank you."

"I still need that early dismissal note, Mrs. Abernathy," Beca said. "I need to leave after fifth period."

Mrs. Abernathy pulled out the dismissal notices and began filling one out.

"Let me see your schedule," Beca said to Chloe.

Chloe handed it to Beca, and Beca looked at it.

"We have the same morning classes," Beca said. "And lunch. I can show you where your classes are until I have to leave."

"Here you are, Beca," Mrs. Abernathy said. "And here are late passes for you both. Miss Beale should go to her locker before class."

"Thank you, Mrs. Abernathy," Beca and Chloe said just as a bell rang.

"That's just the warning bell," Beca said as she and Chloe left the office. "It signifies that you have five minutes to get to class. Come on, your locker is this way."

~~ 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases 2022 ~~

Beca and Chloe had the same classes up to lunch.

"You can sit with my friends and me if you want," Beca said as they entered the cafeteria. "We're not the cool kids, but we aren't the outcasts either. I think you'll like everyone."

"I'd like to sit with you," Chloe said.

Beca led Chloe over to a table.

"Hey, Beca," a tall busty brunette said. "Hi, Chloe, right? You were in my second period class."

"That's right," Chloe said, recognizing the girl.

"Hey, guys," Beca said. "This is Chloe Beale. She just started today." Beca and Chloe sat down, and Beca introduced everyone, pointing out each person as she did. "That's Stacie, and that's CR, Amy, Jessica, Ashley, Benji, Emily, and Jesse."

"It's nice to meet you all," Chloe said, looking around the table.

After lunch, Chloe walked with Beca, Benji, and Stacie to their fifth period class.

"Hey, Stacie, what class do you have after this?" Beca asked.

"Um, History with Mr. Donovan," Stacie said, looking at her schedule.

"Would you mind showing Chloe to class?" Beca asked. "I'm leaving after this period."

"Sure," Stacie said as they all took seats.

"Could I get your phone number?" Chloe whispered to Beca.

"Um, sure," Beca said, pulling out her phone.

Chloe took the phone and put her contact info in.

"Can I text you tonight?"

"Okay, class, settle down," Miss Lancaster said.

"Sure," Beca whispered.

~~ 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases 2022 ~~

After class, Beca left to go to her appointment; Chloe went with Stacie to their next class.

"Hey, babe," a blond called out as she ran up to Stacie.

Stacie gave the girl a quick peck on the lips.

"Brey, this is Chloe, she's new," Stacie said, smiling at the girl. "Chloe, this is my girlfriend, Aubrey Posen."

"It's nice to meet you," Chloe said.

"You, too," Aubrey replied.

Class began, and the three sat together. Chloe enjoyed getting to know Stacie and Aubrey. She learned a bit more about them and about Beca and her friends.

Aubrey and Chloe had music for the last period of the day, and they walked to class together.

"Do you sing?" Aubrey asked.

"Yeah," Chloe said. "I was in the chorus in my old school."

"You'll have to join our chorus," Aubrey said excitedly. "That's where most of us met and became friends."

"Oh, that's nice," Chloe said. "Do I have to audition to be in the chorus?"

"Yes," Aubrey said. "Mr. Shoemaker is both the music teacher and the chorus director. We can ask him if you can audition for him in class."

"What should I sing?" Chloe asked as they entered the music room.

"Whatever you want," Aubrey said. "Mr. Shoemaker?"

"Yes, Miss Posen," Mr. Shoemaker said.

"This is Chloe Beale," Aubrey said. "She just started Barden today. And she sings and wants to try out for the chorus. Can she sing now?"

"Let me get the class settled, and then we'll do it," Mr. Shoemaker said. "Alright, class, settle down and take a seat."

The class did as instructed.

Aubrey waved Jesse over to her, saying, "Bring your guitar.'

Jesse did as requested and stood in front of Aubrey and Chloe.

"What's up?" Jesse asked.

"Chloe's going to audition for the chorus," Aubrey said. "Could you accompany her on your guitar?"

"What song will you be singing?"

"Um, do you know Landslide by Fleetwood Mac?"

"I sure do," Jesse said, smiling as he sat on a chair and readied his guitar.

Mr. Shoemaker stood next to Chloe in front of the class.

"Everyone, this is Chloe Beale, and she'd like to audition for the chorus," Mr. Shoemaker said. "Chloe, start whenever you're ready."

"Thank you," Chloe said and nodded to Jesse.

Jesse started playing, and Chloe began to sing. Several people were nodding in approval as she sang. Aubrey was all smiles.

When Chloe finished, the class applauded and cheered.

"I'd usually ask the members of the chorus to weigh in before accepting anyone new," Mr. Shoemaker told Chloe with a smile. "But I think it's clear you're in."

Chloe squealed, and Aubrey ran over to hug her.

"We are going to have so much fun," Aubrey said.

~~ 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases 2022 ~~

Chloe was all smiles as she got off the school bus. The first thing she did was text her mother to let her know she was home. Her mother texted back that she had to work late, so Chloe was on her own for dinner.

Chloe chewed her lip and then smiled as she sent a new text.

Chloe: Hey, you busy?

BMitchell: No, what's up?

Chloe: Do you know of a good place near the Barden Gardens apartments where I can get something to eat on the cheap?

BMitchell: Come to apt. 327, and you can eat for free.

Chloe gasped. "Beca lives in my building?"

Chloe ran out of her apartment and up one flight to the third floor. She found 327 and knocked.

"What took you so long, Beale?" Beca said, answering the door. "Come on in."

Beca stepped aside and allowed Chloe to enter.

"I didn't know we lived in the same building," Chloe said. "We're in apartment 212." Chloe squealed and took Beca's hands in hers. "Do you know what this means?"

"Um, that you're going to be annoying me all the time?"

"No, silly," Chloe said. "It means we can ride the bus together to school every day."

"Um, no can do," Beca said, sitting on the sofa. "I don't take the bus."

"You don't?" Chloe said sadly. "Why not?"

"Because I have a car and drive to school," Beca said.

"Oh," Chloe said, sitting in the chair across from Beca.

Beca looked at her and smiled. Chloe was pouting and looking at her with puppy dog eyes.

"Okay," Beca said. "I know what that look means, and you can ride with me as long as you don't annoy me too much during the ride."

Chloe squealed again and rushed over to hug Beca. After a few seconds, Chloe released Beca and sat next to her.

"Come help me make dinner," Beca said. "I'm making baked chicken and roasted potatoes."

"I'd love to help," Chloe said, following Beca into the kitchen.

~~ 25 Days of BeChloe Christmases 2022 ~~

September made way to October, and according to Chloe, she and Beca were best friends. Chloe spent as much time at Beca's as she did at her own place, especially after Beca's mother gave her an open invitation to have dinner with them anytime.

It was almost Halloween, and Chloe was insisting that Beca has to wear a costume to school.

"Why?"

"Because everyone else is planning to," Chloe said.

"If everyone else jumped off a cliff, are you going to do that, too?" Beca asked, then shook her head and grimaced. "Eww, that was something my dad would say. And sadly, I'll never be able to unsay it."

Chloe bit her lip to keep from laughing at the face Beca was making while talking about her dad. Her face became serious as she looked at Beca.

"Do you ever see him?" Chloe asked.

"Who? My dad?" Beca asked. At Chloe's nod, she said, "No. And I don't want to."

"I miss my dad," Chloe said. "I mean, I know he cheated on my mom, and the divorce was totes his fault, but he was always a good dad to me."

October and November faded away, and it was now December. Christmas was two weeks away, and Barden High was gearing up for the Winter Concert and Christmas Formal being held on back-to-back nights the week before Christmas.

"My mom asked to invite you and your mom to our place for Christmas Eve," Beca told Chloe as she drove to school one morning. "We usually have a nice dinner with a few friends."

"Oh, that would be nice," Chloe said. "I'll mention it to my mom."

"Okay," Beca said. "Just let me know."

Beca smiled when Chloe began singing along with the radio. It was an everyday occurrence, and Chloe had a good voice, so Beca didn't mind.

"Hey, Beca," Chloe said midsong. "Would you mind taking me to the Winter concert and back home? My mom won't be able to make it because that's the same night as her office party."

"Are you sure you don't want to ask one of your boyfriends to take you?" Beca asked, chuckling.

"I don't have a boyfriend," Chloe said.

"Not yet," Beca said. "But Tom and Chicago are trying way too hard for the honor. I think there's even a pool going around about which one will win you over and when."

"Really?" Chloe asked. "Who wins if I don't choose either one of them?"

"I don't know," Beca said as they parked in the school's lot. "I guess everyone figures since they are the two most popular guys in school, one of them will win you over."

"Chloe!" Chicago called out, seeing her getting out of Beca's car.

"Here's bachelor number one," Beca snickered.

"Shut up," Chloe said just as Chicago reached her.

"Hey, can I walk you to class?"

"Sure, Chicago," Chloe said.

Chicago smiled, and Beca half expected him to cheer. The two walked off, and Beca trailed behind them, unsure of why Chloe kept looking back at her.

Later at lunch, their friends were teasing Chloe about Chicago.

"If you wait another day to be his girlfriend, I could win a hundred bucks," Fat Amy said.

"Hey, Chloe," Tom said, pushing Beca to the side so he could sit next to Chloe. "I was wondering if you'd like to go to the movies with me this Saturday."

"No, thanks, Tom," Chloe said. "I have other plans."

"With who?" Tom asked. "Walp? He's a loser. I am so much better than him."

"No, it's not Chicago," Chloe said.

Chloe looked over her shoulder to see Beca leaving the cafeteria. She stood, picked up her books, and turned to leave as well. Tom stopped her.

"What time should I pick you up?"

"No means no, Tom," Chloe said and stormed off.

"She'll come around," Tom said smugly. "They always do."

The next day, Beca was all smiles as she walked into the cafeteria with Chloe. They joined their friends at their usual table and sat down.

"What put you into such a good mood, Beca?" Stacie asked.

"I got asked to the Christmas Formal," Beca said.

"By who?" Aubrey asked.

"Did you finally get tired of Jesse asking you out every five minutes and throw him a bone?" Ashley asked.

"It wasn't me," Jesse said, frowning.

"So, who was it?" Jessica asked.

"It was me," Chloe said, smiling at Beca.

"Oh, my god," CR squealed. "Please let me tell Tom and Chicago. I want to see those smug smiles wiped off their faces when they find out Chloe picked Beca."

"Go for it," Chloe said. "Consider it an early Christmas present."

Everyone laughed as CR jumped up and went in search of Tom and/or Chicago.

"I didn't know you were such a bad girl," Beca whispered to Chloe.

"You ain't seen nothing yet," Chloe whispered before kissing Beca.

[anna-kendrick]

Three times (of many) that Beca distracted Chloe while she was studying, and one time that she gets called out on it.

[pulledpurplecurtains]

Me: Well this is no good

My brain: What, why??

Me: We've already written a high school au

My brain: So?

Me: We've already written a multi chap high school au angst and dissaproving parents and doubts and questioning and-

My brain: SO??

Me: Dude

My brain: Don't 'dude' me! Is it gonna be the same? The same conflicts? The same setting? The same journey? The same person with the doubts? The same ending? IS IT GONNA BE THE EXACT SAME

Me: Well, no but-

My brain: Then let's do this thing!!

Me: ..........You'd already decided this hadn't you

My brain: Yes :)

[massivedrickhead]

One More Year: Chapter 36

A/N: Still a few chapters to go but we're definitely near the end. A lot of people had a lot of opinions about what should or shouldn't happen, but I've been planning this part of the story for a long time, and I hope you all agree with how I've handled it.

Please review/like/reblog, it really keeps me motivated :)

I hope you all like it.

Fanfiction.net link

I do not own Pitch Perfect or any of its characters

Chapter 36

"Do you still want to be with me?" Beca had asked. Her voice breaking, her eyes full of tears.

Of course I do, Chloe thought, her heart breaking at the thought that Beca didn't know that. She wanted to pull Beca into her arms. To hold her and kiss her and promise never to hurt her again. But she stopped herself. Beca deserves better than you can give her, she thought.

Beca's phone started ringing, and Chloe used it as her opportunity to walk away. She couldn't tell Beca she didn't want her, because it wasn't true. But she also couldn't stay with her. She couldn't carry on putting Beca through this.

So she just walked away.

She heard Beca calling after her, but she kept on walking, tears building in her eyes.

She knew she was being cruel, but she also knew she couldn't give Beca what she needed. Not right now, when her life seemed to be spiralling. In the long run, this would be better.

When she saw Aubrey walk into the rehearsal space a few minutes later, she knew the blonde was mad at her.

"What did you do?" She asked. "Why does Beca think you guys have broken up? Have you?"

Chloe swallowed hard. Everything inside her hurt. "It's for the best. She deserves better."

Aubrey opened her mouth to argue but Alice called a start to rehearsal and Chloe moved away from her.

The days seemed to blend together after that.

She stayed away from her dorm room, only returning way after midnight when she knew Aubrey would be sleeping. She saw Aubrey and Stacie at rehearsals, but kept her distance, never giving them more than one word answers. Every time she thought about Beca, she felt like she was going to burst into tears.

She felt awful, in every way. She just wanted everything to stop. She wanted everyone to leave, just for a little while. Just so she could get herself back together. She felt like if she lost this last bit of control she had, she would lose everything.

The night before the last day of college before Christmas vacation, Chloe got back to her dorm room to find that Aubrey was still awake.

"Hey," Chloe said, avoiding eye contact.

"I called your Mom," Aubrey said without preamble.

Chloe froze and turned to look at her. "What? Why?"

"Because…" Aubrey cleared her throat and wiped her eyes. "Because you aren't eating. And you won't talk to me or anyone else. You need help."

"I'm fine," Chloe said, feeling panicked and angry. "I'm fine, I don't need babysitting. I don't need you running to my Mom." She picked up her phone from her desk and saw a missed call and a text from her Mom.

Mom: We're coming to get you tomorrow. No arguments.

"You aren't fine," Aubrey said, keeping her voice steady. "You are the opposite of fine right now."

"I can't believe you did this," Chloe said, pacing. "What if I end up back in that hospital again? I'll have to drop out of college, probably lose my scholarship. I'd have to leave the Bellas. Everything…" She forced herself to take a breath. She could feel her hands shaking as she clenched them together. "Everything I have worked for will be gone."

"You could die, Chloe," Aubrey said, failing to keep her tears at bay. "This, what you're doing, this could kill you. Will kill you if you don't let someone help. I can't stand by and watch my best friend kill herself. You can hate me if you want, but you're my best friend and I love you. And it hurts to watch you do this to yourself again."

We're coming to get you tomorrow.

Chloe felt trapped. Her heart was racing and she felt like she was going to throw up.

She sat on her bed and let her head fall into her hands.

"I didn't mean for it to go this far," she said, finally crying. "I'm sorry."

Aubrey crossed the room and sat beside her, pulling her into a hug.

"It's okay," she said, relieved that Chloe hadn't pulled away. "You're going to get help."

We're coming to get you tomorrow.

"I don't want to go back to hospital 'Bree," Chloe said, crying. "I don't want to lose everything."

"I know," Aubrey said. "But you can't go on like this."

The next morning, they had their final Bellas rehearsal before Christmas vacation. She managed to muster up the courage to call her Mom on the way, saying she wouldn't be ready to leave until after. Her Mom sounded like she was going to cry on the phone, but she also sounded relieved.

Near the end of the rehearsal, Alice had them do laps again. They had to run up the stairs of the auditorium, along the back row of chairs, down the stairs on the other side, and then past the front row. It was a punishing run, but the pain burning in her legs helped Chloe focus.

In a matter of hours she'd see her family again, and then she didn't know what was going to happen. She felt sick. She kept running.

Of course, she hadn't eaten breakfast that morning, but she kept running. Her legs screaming in pain as she pushed up the stairs.

She started feeling light-headed once she'd reached the top. The other girls had started slowing down. Some of them had stopped and were drinking water, red-faced and exhausted. She knew she should stop too, but once she stopped it would be time to leave, and time to face her parents. She went for one more lap.

The light-headedness was worse now, and she started feeling dizzy. She was half way down the stairs, thinking she'd have to call it a day, when her vision went black and her legs gave out.

When she opened her eyes, Aubrey and the other Bellas were standing over her.

"Are you okay?" Aubrey asked, her face full of worry.

"Yeah," Chloe said, momentarily confused. She could taste blood from where she'd bitten her tongue and her wrist and ankle were throbbing. "What…"

"You fell," Aubrey said, helping her sit up. Stacie came over to her other side.

"You collapsed more like it," Stacie said. She gingerly held Chloe's wrist, shooting her an apologetic look when Chloe to a sharp breath in from the pain. "This is already swelling up, you'll have to get it checked out." Stacie was studying nursing and did some volunteering at the university free clinic. "You should have stopped running when you felt dizzy," she said.

"I'm fine," Chloe said, still feeling sick.

"No you aren't," Stacie replied.

"Alice called an ambulance," Aubrey said. "I'll call your Mom on the way to the hospital."

"Oh my god, I don't need to go to the hospital," Chloe said, feeling irritated and panicked all over again.

"University procedure is we call an ambulance if someone hurts themselves on school property," Alice said, in a tone that left no room for arguments. She looked frazzled in a way that Chloe had never seen before.

"I really don't need all this fuss," Chloe said.

"Chloe, it's okay," Aubrey said quietly.

"I said I'm fine," Chloe said, trying to stand. "I don't want to go to the hospital."

Standing proved to be a mistake as Chloe immediately felt dizzy again.

"Sit down," Stacie said, taking her uninjured arm. She sat her in a chair and handed her a bottle of water. "You need to drink this and calm down."

Chloe drank the water and then looked around at all the other Bellas watching her. She knew she must be coming across as a little crazy or irrational, but she couldn't go to the hospital. They'd take one look at her medical records and she'd end up back at the psych hospital, she knew she would. She felt like she was going to throw up.

"Okay!" Alice said, clapping her hands together. "Let's all stop staring at Chloe, I've got some stuff you all need to know before you leave for Christmas. Rehearsals start up again on January 11th. I want everyone here to know their music inside and out…"

She carried on talking but Chloe wasn't listening. She was grateful Alice had pulled away their attention, but it didn't stop the feeling of rising panic. Her heart was beating painfully in her chest and she felt like she couldn't breathe properly. She wanted to run away but she couldn't. She felt like she was drowning.

"Chlo', calm down, it'll be okay," Aubrey said, softly.

"I can't," Chloe said, breathing too fast. "Please don't make me go to hospital."

"Chloe you need to calm down," Stacie said, her voice quiet but firm, trying not to attract the attention of the other Bellas.

But Chloe couldn't calm down.

We're coming to get you tomorrow.

Everyone was coming to get her.

Her vision went black again.

Beca pulled on her shoes and climbed into her truck the second her phone call with Aubrey had ended. She hadn't even grabbed her jacket.

"I'll meet you out front," Aubrey had said, her voice on the verge of breaking.

She's okay, Beca told herself as she drove, tears burning her eyes. Aubrey said she's okay, she wouldn't lie about that.

But even if Chloe wasn't hurt bad, Beca knew she'd be far from okay.

She made it to the hospital in less than 20 minutes, and sent a quick text to her dad so he knew where she was. It had started snowing, and she was shivering by the time she made it from her truck to the front of the hospital.

Aubrey was there, pacing.

Beca broke out into a run. Aubrey seemed to relax when she saw her, and Beca didn't question it when she pulled her into a hug.

"Is she okay?" Beca asked, hugging her back.

"I think so," Aubrey said, ending their hug so they could walk inside. "She's with her parents and the doctor now. They won't let me see her, while she's speaking to the doctor. It's just family allowed."

"What happened?" Beca asked as they headed for the waiting room. Aubrey had explained briefly over the phone, but Beca needed to hear exactly what had happened.

"We were running laps at the end of rehearsal, and she collapsed running down the stairs. She's sprained her wrist I think and maybe her ankle. She had a panic attack just before the paramedics arrived and she passed out again," Aubrey said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. They arrived at the waiting room and took a seat on the uncomfortable plastic chairs. "I'm sorry, Beca."

"What for?"

"For not looking after her," Aubrey said, tears filling her eyes again. "I tried to make sure she was eating but I failed. I couldn't help her and now she's back here again."

"It isn't your fault," Beca said. "It isn't anyone's fault." She put her head in her hands and started to cry. "I just want her to be okay. I want her to be happy."

Aubrey put a hand on her back. "I know," she said.

They waited for what felt like hours when Chloe's Mom finally came to see them.

"How is she?" Beca asked, standing up.

"She's okay," Mrs Beale said, her eyes red from crying. "They're going to let us take her home in a few hours but she has to see her psychiatrist tomorrow, and he'll decide the next steps." She looked at Aubrey. "Thank you for calling me."

"Of course," Aubrey said. "Can we see her?"

She glanced over at Beca. "I'll go and ask her."

"She doesn't know you called me," Beca said. It wasn't a question.

"No," Aubrey replied. "But I couldn't not call you."

"She won't want to see me," Beca said, wiping her eyes. "I should go, I don't want to upset her more."

"Let her decide what she wants," Aubrey said.

Beca nodded and sat back down. She didn't know where she and Chloe stood, but she loved her. More than anything. And if Chloe didn't want to be with her anymore, she would accept it, but she wouldn't just walk away from her. Even if she was just there as a friend, she'd be there to support her.

"You guys can see her one at a time," Mrs Beale said, coming back into the waiting room. "Aubrey, do you want to come in first?" Aubrey glanced back at Beca who nodded.

Aubrey followed Mrs Beale out of the waiting room and Beca was alone again. She didn't know if she was ready to see Chloe yet, and the waiting was agony. What if Chloe didn't want her there? What if she looked at her again the way she looked before?

After about twenty minutes, Aubrey was back, and Beca had to stop pondering her 'what if?'s.

"She wants to see you," Aubrey said. "I'll show you where she is."

Beca swallowed and nodded before following Aubrey down a hallway and through a set of double doors. Chloe was in a room on the left, her dad sitting outside, his hands were clenched together. He gave her a weak smile, but tears had filled his eyes and the smile didn't stay long.

Beca gave a tentative knock on her door. Mrs Beale opened it and stepped aside to let her in. She left the room once Beca had entered and closed the door behind her.

"Hi," Beca said, standing near the end of the bed.

"Hi," Chloe replied. She was hugging her knees, one arm wrapped up, a drip in her other hand. She looked smaller and thinner than Beca had ever seen her. She was chewing on her lip and her eyes were full of unshed tears. "I didn't think you'd want to see me," she said, finally looking at Beca.

"Of course I'd want to see you," Beca replied, taking a cautious step closer.

Chloe gave a hollow laugh and looked away, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Why?" She asked, her voice rough.

"Because I love you," Beca said.

Chloe's lip started quivering. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Beca said, moving so she was sitting in the chair beside her bed.

"I love you too," Chloe said, her voice breaking. "I'm sorry," she said, fully crying.

Beca started crying too. "Can I?" She opened her arms to hug her. Chloe nodded and Beca pulled her into a hug. Chloe gripped her shirt and buried her face in Beca's neck.

"I'm sorry," Chloe kept saying, still crying hard. "I'm so sorry."

"I know," Beca said, closing her eyes. "I know you are." She kissed her head. She wasn't going to tell Chloe that it was okay. Because she knew the way she had treated her wasn't okay, and Chloe knew it to.

"I don't want to break up," Chloe said.

"Neither do I," Beca said, holding her tighter. They knew they had a long way to go, but both Beca and Chloe felt relief flood through them as they held each other. "I love you," Beca said.

"I love you too," Chloe replied.

[beca-mitchell]

brain is in the back seat (heart's in drive) (1/1)

Summary: Life has a way of not working out like the movies. Not like Beca likes movies anyway. Beca and Chloe’s first kiss.

Word count: 4,125 words.

Fic title from the song "the movies" by Nightly. Part of the daylight au. As always, many thanks to @asimplefavors for letting me cry at you re: this fic which I’ve been sitting on forever. I’m just glad it’s done. 

Read below or on AO3.

* * * * *

LOCATION: Brookline, MA MONTH: March AGE: 15/16

 * * * * *

 Beca hates movies, so it makes sense that she’s kind of getting the feeling that her life is turning out like one.

After the Winter Formal, Beca kind of just wants things to go back to normal, not that she really has a baseline for that anymore.

It also doesn’t really help that she has to endure Valentine’s Day amidst all her peers. If there’s something people never really grow out of, it’s the excessive gift giving and over-emphasis on the quantity of candy grams received in one’s locker on that specific day.

...And it further didn’t help that Beca had quickly shoved the Valentine’s card she had been planning to give to Chloe into her own locker upon seeing Tom walk down the fall with his arm snugly around Chloe’s shoulder, a small bouquet of roses pressed into her arms. Beca had thought it inappropriate at the time—figured Chloe didn’t need extra Valentines when she was so obviously taken...even though it had been their tradition for years.

And of course, the fact that Chloe hadn’t given her a valentine either. That was telling enough. Not that Beca gave her much reason to, with how much avoiding she had been doing since January.

That February break that follows immediately after is one of the most relaxing breaks Beca has ever experienced. She spends most of it sparsely replying to texts from Chloe and begrudgingly visiting her father and his family for the short break.

It’s the time apart (again) that really only cements that the nauseating feeling in her stomach is because she’s not getting over her feelings for one Chloe Beale anytime soon.

The more selfish part of her—the part entirely consuming her heart—doesn’t really want to give up on her feelings, but the rational part—somewhere between her heart and her head—knows that she’s just setting herself up for more heartbreak, if the Instagram updates from Chloe and Tom are any indication. It’s horrible, really because they’re not even together in person. Beca knows this solely because she knows Chloe’s family takes a trip to Stowe every February break for a ski trip.

It’s like the social media back and forth is just designed to hurt her. The little comments they leave on each other’s photos. The hearts. The inside-joke emojis.

She knows rationally that her thoughts are spiralling and it’s entirely untrue that Chloe would ever want to hurt her purposefully. It’s just that, well, Beca wouldn’t blame her. She knows that her avoidance of Chloe over the past few weeks has been more than obvious and less than desirable.

So when Beca sits down with her father and his new family, the sensation of being replaced never really gets old even if she knows that she has no real right to feel that way. But it’s hard, looking around her and feeling so out of place, and then knowing that when she returns home, the one person who she had always considered the literal embodiment of home is also starting a new segment of her life in which Beca has no real place.

And even sitting in her father’s home in New Haven, she imagines what it would be like to blurt out that she’s in love with her best friend—a girl—simply to see the disdain cross his face like a shadow. It would be enough to make her forget about her current plight. Plus, she’s just so tired of feeling like shit all the time.

She sees it, in all honesty. Like her mind has two screens, she sees the mildly foggy memory of her father saying something disparaging against homosexuality on one screen while the other gleefully rolls imagined footage of Beca sweeping his pretentious dishes off his dining table and declaring her love for her best friend, the very girl she grew up next two for the past eleven years.

Still, as appealing as that sounds and looks, she bites her tongue and listens to her father spout off something about psychology or some other academic topic that Beca has zero interest in. She would normally be texting Chloe, but she just can’t bring herself to pick up the phone.

Chloe doesn’t text her either.

It all sucks.

February break sucks.

She sucks.

Her thoughts follow her all the way back home to the desolate wasteland she calls home (classic Boston-in-February weather) where her mother (shockingly) greets her with a hug and the promise of a sit-down meal. The thought warms her for a moment before Beca remembers that her mom probably just feels guilty without really wanting to do anything. Not even apologize for being absent. Emotionally distant. Neglectful. Beca’s sure the list could go on.

As she sits at the dinner table thinking about a myriad of things floating around her mind in an attempt to distract herself including the dreaded first day back at school, the assignments she should probably work on, seeing Chloe again—

Her fingers twitch towards her phone on instinct.

She draws back with a flinch, resisting the urge to mindlessly text Chloe even though it’s what she wants most in the world at the moment. Quickly, she spares a glance at her mother who hasn’t looked up from her own plate.

With a sigh, Beca furrows her brow and returns to staring sullenly at the table until it is an appropriate enough time to retreat to her room.

The next day passes without incident. Beca decides to walk to school early instead of catching a ride from Chloe’s brother like she normally would. She’s not sure what the point is. Chloe will just figure out a way to corner her later regardless.

Even with that in mind, Beca isn’t expecting to see Chloe sitting on her bed when she opens her bedroom door. In fact, she’s kind of expecting her room to be exactly as she left it that morning before heading out for school—empty, her bed unmade, and cold.

But now—

“What are you doing here?” Beca asks, harsher than she intends. She swallows, willing herself to reign in her emotions as best as she can.

“Your mom let me in,” Chloe says softly. Her palms glide briefly over Beca’s bedspread before she’s pushing herself off the bed and moving awkwardly to the middle of Beca’s bedroom. “I…hope that’s okay?” she asks hesitantly, like she is no longer sure of her place in Beca’s house; in Beca’s life.

Beca steadies her grip on her backpack for a moment before dropping it to the floor unceremoniously. “It’s fine,” she says finally, trying to ignore the way her heart pulls and tugs at the mere sight of Chloe—Chloe, out of her school clothes and wearing comfortable loungewear. Chloe, with her hair down instead of up in a ponytail. Chloe, whose lips are slowly spreading into a hesitant smile. “I just…” Beca blinks, turning to walk to her desk quickly to be safe. Distant. “Why are you here?” she asks again, softer.

“I…” Chloe takes a deep breath, but she thankfully does not seem to move closer to Beca in any capacity. “Are you mad at me?” Chloe asks with a delicate softness that only makes Beca’s heart ache more.

In her mind’s eye, she plays out the variety of expressions Chloe could possibly be wearing. An expression designed to elicit the highest amount of sympathy in a willing audience. Outwardly, Beca stares hard at the notebook on her desk, reaching out to run her finger along the spiral. “No,” she murmurs. “I’m not mad at you.”

“Did I…” Chloe sighs, like she can’t quite bear to finish that question. But Chloe, as resilient as ever, pushes through, though she doesn’t finish the question. “Beca, please just look at me.”

Beca bites her lip but she complies nonetheless, taking her time to drag her eyes up to Chloe’s face.

She hates that she immediately wants to break into a smile upon simply seeing Chloe’s face—a natural by-product of the happiness she usually feels upon seeing her best friend’s face, though her more recent emotions have obviously been veering towards the romantic.

But more than all of that—more than the positive emotions—she hates the hurt she sees there, especially knowing that she had actively contributed in some way.

“Did I do something?” Chloe asks rather quickly. Nervously. Her hands come up to grip her own arms, hugging herself. “Did I do something to you to make you…”

“To make me what?”

“Like this,” Chloe says quickly. “Like you can’t stand being around me.”

It’s not you, Beca thinks. It’s me and I’m so sorry. “It’s…nothing,” Beca says evasively. “I…” Her eyes narrow as her brain catches up with the rest of her emotions. She fully processes that Chloe is in her room. After school. On a nice evening. “Didn’t you have plans today? With Tom?”

A blush rises on Chloe’s cheek at the mere mention of his name, as usual. And as usual, Beca finds herself reacting viscerally with something akin to nausea. “I cancelled,” Chloe admits. “I wanted to see you. It’s been a while since—”

“—Well, you’ve seen me.” Beca tries not to let some of the acidity seep into her tone because Chloe doesn’t deserve it, but it does anyway. Too late. Beca sighs. “I have homework to do.”

Chloe brightens. “Great! So do I. We can do it together.”

Chloe’s chipper tone, while normally something that Beca finds charming and attractive, grates on her nerves today. Beca glances at Chloe out of the corner of her eye. It’s then that she notices Chloe’s full backpack resting on the floor by her feet. “Don’t you have to do it with Tom? Like you guys normally do? He made that pretty clear.”

“I don’t have to do anything,” Chloe says in a tone that Beca can’t identify. She doesn’t know if she has the energy to identify anything at this point.

Beca grits her teeth. “I still think you should go.”

“Why?” Chloe challenges. When Beca doesn’t respond, Chloe continues, this time with an angry tone. “Do you know how worried I am about you? What’s going on? Why are you avoiding me? Is it Tom? Did he say something to you?” The way Chloe says his name then is so distinct that it makes Beca’s ears perk up. It reminds Beca of so long ago—of Chloe immediately demanding the names of people who had hurt Beca’s feelings.

Her own knight in shining armor.

Beca exhales noisily and finally meets Chloe’s eyes head-on. “Chloe, no. We’re not doing this right now.”

Blue eyes flash like lightning. “Oh, well at least you’re looking at me now.”

“Chloe,” Beca says, exasperated at the bitterness in Chloe’s tone. It is absolutely well-deserved, but the sting makes Beca’s hackles rise nonetheless. “Come on.”

“No, I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s been going on with you.” Chloe literally stomps her foot on the ground. “I swear it, Beca Mitchell.”

Chloe kind of looks like she might stomp her foot again. Instead, she crosses her arms and stares at Beca defiantly.

It’s like the dam breaks all at once. Beca bursts out laughing at both the sight and the sound. “Did you just—? A foot stomp? Really?”

Chloe freezes, like she isn’t quite sure what’s going on. “Oh, I…” The mild confusion in her eyes causes Beca to smile again, unable to hide her own adoration for her best friend even if she tried.

(Which she has been. Trying, at least.)

For a moment, it is finally silent in Beca’s room. Chloe’s stance softens and she is suddenly staring at Beca with a different kind of expression on her face. “What?” Beca asks, not realizing that she has the tiniest smile on her face still.

“There you are,” Chloe says affectionately. “My favorite smile.”

Beca blinks, feeling the sudden urge to cry. All kinds of emotion well up inside her, each warring for some kind of dominance; each warring for attention. Beca feels like Chloe is really looking at her for the first time in a while.

It also occurs to Beca that they’re finally alone and Beca has no idea what to do.

“Stop,” Beca says quickly. She averts her gaze. “Stop doing that.”

Chloe’s confusion is immediately visible. New tension grows palpable between them. “Stop doing what?”

“Stop…” Beca gestures wildly. “Doing those things. Saying those things that make me…” she trails off, licking her lips. The air feels thick. Difficult to breathe. “Stop,” she whispers.

Her heart races uncomfortably, like what Beca imagines a heart attack to feel like. Or if she’s being less dramatic, what she imagines a panic attack to be.

“Beca,” Chloe murmurs. “You can talk to me. Please, you’re scaring me.” She steps closer, right in front of Beca. Beca sees Chloe’s annoyingly cute socks in her line of vision and slowly lifts her head. “Hi,” Chloe says softly upon catching Beca’s eyes with her own. “Beca,” she starts. “It’s okay.”

Is it? Beca thinks. Will it ever be?

It’s then that Beca realizes how close they’re standing. How nice Chloe smells. How much softer her sweater looks up close. The very light freckles on Chloe’s face, now faded compared to how prominent they had seemed during the summer months.

I love you so much, Beca thinks, her traitorous mind breaking down every last confine as usual. I don’t know what that means, but I know that it’s true.

Beca isn’t sure what comes over her then.

(She kind of knows, but still. It’s easier being ignorant to her thought processes.)

In reality, it feels like the oddest fog passing over her brain while her heart beats with startling clarity. Her fingers graze Chloe’s cheek before she realizes what is happening and her lips meet Chloe’s with force that surprises both of them. Beca feels the tension leave her body immediately replaced by the most peculiar warmth—a warmth that fills her chest unexpectedly and so wholly that her body all but sags into Chloe’s.

To her surprise, just as she is about to pull back, Chloe’s hand comes up to cup the back of her head while the other hand curls around her hip with, Beca realizes with a jolt of fire to her chest, stark possessiveness and protectiveness. For a few blissful moments, Chloe’s lips move in tandem with her own, as soft as Beca always imagined. The initial shock of experiencing her first kiss wears off, but…

Chloe is kissing her back. Chloe is kissing her and Chloe is not moving away except—

She does.

Chloe finally moves back, their lips separating with suddenness and abruptness that leaves Beca reeling.

“Oh my God,” Beca says immediately. Her throat feels tight and her voice is high and rough with the fear that courses through her body. “God, Chloe, I—”

“You just kissed me,” Chloe interrupts. Her voice trembles even as she continues. “You kissed me, Beca.”

There is something more than accusation in her tone. There is a hint of desperation that Beca recognizes all too well and further, something almost foreign in terms of their interactions with each other. Chloe has never sounded unsure or insecure when talking to Beca. The fact that she did just then breaks Beca’s heart a little bit.

“I’m…” Beca swallows. Pushes down the emotion threatening to spill over. She isn’t even sure what there is to really say. All she can think about is how Chloe pulled away first—essentially pushed her away. It stings more than Beca had anticipated even though it had been what she entirely expected. “I know. Chloe, please, just listen."

“I’m dating Tom,” Chloe responds immediately. “I’m dating Tom and I can’t…you can’t just spring this on me and just…” Chloe’s eyes well up with tears and Beca feels her own eyes sting at the sight. “I can’t cheat on him.”

“We didn’t,” Beca says quickly. Desperately. “Chloe, please, can we just…” Beca feels the last false shred of happiness finally crumble away as she sees the despair in Chloe’s eyes.

She doesn’t feel the same way.

She never did.

She was just caught up in the moment.

“I don’t know what I expected,” Beca says in a small voice. “Fuck,” she murmurs, running her hands through her hair. “I’m sorry.”

She feels so fucking embarrassed.

Chloe hesitates. “Beca, wait.”

“No, you should just go. You should go and just.” Beca turns back to her desk and grips the edge of her chair tightly. “Just go do your dumb homework and go be with your boyfriend. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“I just need time—”

“Chloe, now.”

The way Beca’s voice rings around her bedroom weighs heavier than the silence that follows. She thinks she hears Chloe sniffle once, but she can’t bear to look. She can’t bear to see Chloe’s expression and even more viscerally, the metaphorical imagery of Chloe finally crushing the last pieces of her already-shattered part as she leaves Beca’s bedroom.

The door clicks quietly, but the sound still makes Beca jump. Unfortunately, not like a movie, these end credits close out with nothing more than a whimper from her own mouth.

She finally allows herself to crumble, finally unable to outrun the magnitude of her emotions.

Not like running had worked very well before.

 * * * * * 

Chloe I shouldn’t have left, i’m sorry

That’s the text message Beca receives the next morning.

Beca I wanted you to go

It’s one of the few lies Beca has ever told Chloe over the span of their eleven-year friendship.

Beca I’m sorry too

She bites her lip at the added-on text, sending it on impulse because she doesn’t want Chloe to be upset with her. Whether she’s apologizing for the kiss, for her feelings, or for chasing Chloe out of her bedroom, she’s not sure at this point.

It doesn’t matter, however. Chloe doesn’t reply; doesn’t even call her out on it.

 * * * * *

Beca goes a few days with some relative quiet in her life. She drags herself around aimlessly doing her best not to be too rocked with guilt and discord as her mind traitorously replays the kiss at unfortunate moments.

“Beca, wait!”

Beca does her best to steady herself and she takes a breath. It does feel like self-sabotage, knowing that Chloe is equally likely to spend time at this specific spot—their spot—so Beca supposes a part of her wanted so badly to just see Chloe’s face again. Just to see if Chloe would be disgusted or upset with her.

All she sees is desperation written across Chloe’s face. The same desperation that had been on Chloe’s face just a few days ago in her bedroom. Since then, Beca had been avoiding her as best as possible, weaving around people whenever the opportunity presented itself (which was often, due to Beca’s smaller stature).

Beca had never been so grateful for crowded high school hallways. Blending in and being nearly invisible never felt so good.

“We need to talk,” Chloe says quietly. “You know we do.”

“There’s…” Beca presses her fingers tightly into the metal bar in front of her, unable to look at Chloe directly. She should have expected Chloe to come here. Self-sabotage, she supposes. “Nothing to talk about.”

“That’s crap and you know it.”

Beca refuses to acknowledge that. “I can’t right now, Chlo.”

“Please,” Chloe says, a bit closer than before. “You…” Chloe sighs. “You can’t just kiss me like that and—and—” Biting frustration seeps into her tone. “I shouldn’t have left you alone like that,” Chloe whispers after a moment of silence. “But there’s no way you can just expect me to ignore what happened between us.”

Beca takes a brief moment to marvel over how Chloe somehow manages to be good with words. Or at least that she manages to get words out at all. It’s something Beca envies.

“I’m trying so hard to understand, Beca,” Chloe murmurs, taking a step closer.

Beca continues to focus on anything but Chloe. “There’s nothing to understand. I made a mistake. You can forget about it.”

The air seems to still around them. Beca can hear the shouts of their peers, sharp and crisp in the brisk, chilly air.

Finally, Chloe responds, voice thick with emotion. “I don’t want to forget about it, Beca.”

That makes Beca look at Chloe. She twists so sharply and quickly that she think something cracks in her neck, but she brushes off the brief twinge that runs through her body. “Why?” she asks, hating how weak her voice sounds. “You should, it’s for the be—”

“I don’t want to forget about it,” Chloe repeats, firmer than before.

“Why?” Beca asks quickly as curiosity and hope win out.

Chloe says nothing, simply watching Beca with a near-inscrutable expression. Finally, she sucks in a breath. “Why did you kiss me?” she asks, in lieu of responding, like it’s all the response Beca needs. The challenge in Chloe’s voice is familiar. It makes Beca’s heart race. She resists the urge to reach out and grasp onto Chloe’s forearms or shoulders to steady herself. Instead, Beca forces herself to keep her eyes on Chloe steadily.

In that moment, Beca just wants Chloe to steal the words right from her mind. She wants Chloe to speak so she doesn’t have to—Chloe has to know at this point. She has to know, there’s no real reason for her not to know. It becomes evident that Chloe isn’t going to let her off the hook so easily. Beca sighs. “You know why,” she finally murmurs. “You know,” she presses.

Chloe’s eyes flash with emotion—finally something akin to the familiar passion that Beca has come to know over the years. It sends Beca’s heart into a tangle of emotions as she attempts to steady her own breathing. She could go on. She could keep talking. She feels the urge—she recognizes it in its rarity—course through her with startling sincerity. You know why, her own words echo back at her. Tell her, she begs herself. Please.

I like you.

I’m in love with you.

I love you.

“Then you know why, too,” Chloe finally says after a long silence.

Beca’s eyes must do something—she feels some muscle in her face twitch—because Chloe takes an immediate step back after the words leave her mouth.

“Chloe,” Beca breathes, like it’s the first breath of pure air she has taken in and expelled in a long time. Tom, Beca thinks frantically. But Tom is—it can’t be—

“I—I should go. But—um.” Chloe shifts, drawing her lower lip between her teeth as she assesses Beca once more. Beca doesn’t dare breathe, wondering if Chloe is going to kiss her—whether Chloe will kiss her first this time. Or if Chloe will hug her. Or if Chloe will say more. She longs to ask more questions, say more words, but she’s too afraid of the thick air between them suddenly.

Chloe finally takes a breath; she finally takes a step back and lifts her hand in a half wave, like she realizes she needs to leave. “I have to go,” she repeats. “But I...Beca,” Chloe murmurs. She lifts her hands together, like she might take the necessary steps to close the distance between them, but she casts Beca a sad expression, clenching her hands into fists and drawing them close to her chest. It is so vulnerable and unexpected for Chloe that Beca has no idea what words could possibly come out of her mouth then. “Don’t give up on me.”

That alone steals Beca’s breath from her once more. She can do nothing more than nod, because how can she even fathom the thought. It had been nice to indulge in the possibility of not loving Chloe Beale—not being with her, even as friends—but this reality, however half-formed is more than Beca could have ever dreamed of.

With that, Chloe finally twists and darts away from under the bleachers. Beca watches her go with bated breath, and when she finally exhales, she watches the way the air condenses in front of her, like a flurry of thoughts and emotions finally making themselves known in Chloe’s wake.

She breathes, allowing herself to think of their shared kiss in Beca’s bedroom just days ago. Maybe even a week now.

“I won’t,” she replies, speaking to nobody except the ghostly presence of the memories past, present, and future.

And she finally feels like the future—whatever sequels may follow—might not look so bleak.

fin.