believe

2. parents

"Huh, so..your parents don't want me to see you, so you hadn't told them we were married?"

Beca rakes a hand through her hair and stares at me as I nod in response. "That's vile." She mutters. "I guess I'm used to always being the disappointment."

Beca's head whips around and her eyes widen.

"You shouldn't fucking have to get used to it, Chloe! We're going to go and see them. No questions asked. I need to talk some sense into these dickheads, you are so much more than a disappointment, Chlo. You can make my day by just being here, so clearly you aren't that much of a disappointment."

"We don't have to do that, Bec." I assure her, forcing a smile and shaking my head. "No, I do."

I put my head in my hands while biting back tears so Beca doesn't want to see them any more. "Chloe, you don't see the damage they've done."

I look up, eyes filled with tears. "I do."

"Do you? Because you just told me you're used to being the family's disappointment. That's not seeing the damage. Baby, you're covered in scars and it's just awful seeing you like this but it's because of them. I need to see them."

"Fine."

————

Beca's POV:

"Hey, Mr and Mrs Beale, right?" I say, grinning from ear to ear and holding my hand out for them to shake. "Yes, that's us..and who might you be?"

I pull my hand back after shaking their's. "Rebeca Mitchell. You might remember me from when your daughter went to Barden? I was her closest friend."

Mrs Beale nods and smiles, looking up at her husband.

"You remember Rebeca, don't you? Chloe never stopped talking about her- Oh..Chloe. Gosh, how I miss her.." She mutters. I start feeling bad, because it seems like Mrs Beale was never the reason Chloe ran away from home.

Mr Beale nods and puts an arm around his wife.

He opens the door more and steps back. "Do come in. Is there an issue with Chloe?"

I nod slowly before seating myself on their grey couch. "Ah, well, that's why I'm here. Your daughter, she..she's not in the best place mentally right now." I say, bracing myself for a reaction.

Mr Beale keeps a poker face, but Mrs Beale lets out a soft sigh and dabs her eyes with a handkerchief.

"She isn't? Oh dear, my poor Pumpkin Pie.." She mutters, looking down. Mr Beale clears his throat and nods. "Please, tell us what happened."

I take a deep breath before looking him in the eyes and opening my mouth to speak. "Chloe..she was, er, sexually assaulted last month. And for a good while now, since she was twelve I think, she's been struggling with self harm."

"And how do you know this, Rebeca? Did you stay close with Chloe after college?" He probes.

"Ah, well, uhm..Chloe likes girls, as you know, and..we got married a year ago, after my car accident I proposed and she said yes."

Mr Beale's jaw drops and he looks angry, but Mrs Beale's ears prick up and she smiles. "Oh my! Congratulations, Rebeca. Are you two happy together?"

"Cinda! Don't seem so happy." Mr Beale snaps, glaring at her. "They're both girls."

I shake my head before laughing and smiling. "Well done sir, you noticed that we're both females. Is there an issue?"

"Yes! Of course I have an issue with it! God, that's just vile."

"Now I realise why she left you two. Shit, you really are a waste of oxygen, aren't you Mr Beale?"

I smirk before standing up and staring at him. "Well, I was hoping you two would want to see her considering she came all this way and is waiting in the car now, but clearly not. I'll take her somewhere to be appreciated then."

"Good, I don't want a f*g in my house." Mr Beale snaps, a fierce look on his face.

I smile and nod at him. "Oh, you really want to fucking try that one? I might be tiny, but God help me, I can fight." I threaten, walking over to him and getting in his face. "Come on. Call me that again, I fucking dare you."

He grins and looks down at me. "F*g."

I raise my fists and punch him straight in the eye, making him yell out in pain. Mrs Beale runs to his side and looks up at me, worried. "What have you done?"

"What have I done? Ma'am, he called me a....one of those! Do you realise how offensive that is?" I say.

She nods slowly. "Yes, I do. But look at him!"

Chloe runs into the house just in time to see Mr Beale swing at my stomach, knocking me to the floor and causing me to throw up blood on impact.

Chloe's POV:

I stand still, frozen, as my father knocks Beca to the floor and blood flies from her mouth. She slides across the ground, stopping when her head hits the wall.

"What the fuck?! Dad, why would you do that?!" I scream. My father turns to me and folds his arms.

"Oh look, the other dyke is here. God, when will you learn I'm not your dad? I'd never raise someone like you." He spits.

I watch as Beca pulls herself up, clutching her abdomen. "What sort of father would act like that to his own flesh and blood? Granted, mine never really cared much for me, but that is..that's disgusting, that's what is it. It's actually sickening. My own wife can't feel safe in her parent's home? It's fucking awful. Come on Chlo." She snaps, staring at my father.

"I'm not done with you, tiny fucker." He hisses. He grabs Beca's shirt collar and holds her up against a wall and starts punching her stomach and face repeatedly. "For goodness sake, John, stop!"

Everyone stares at my mother as she walks over to my dad and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Put her down. She doesn't deserve it." She mutters.

He shakes his head and continues to punch Beca, causing her stomach to turn red and purple with hand marks and her nose starts to bleed. My mom pulls him away from the wall and I quickly grab Beca as she corners him and glares at him. "Get out of my house, John. You do not treat your daughter and daughter-in-law like that."