Beca was sitting at her desk with the pen clicking against her thumb. The rain drops were sliding perfectly down the glass window that had a view of Brooklyn laid out in front of her. Usually she would be head first into a mix or something for work. But, she couldn't focus.
The once filled tiny apartment with three best friends was now just Beca. Amy was the first to move out to go traveling. She had left about six months ago and not that Beca would admit it, she missed her. Amy was and is one of Beca's closest friends. Sort of like a sister to her. So seeing her leave was hard.
But, she had Chloe. Though that was until earlier today. Chloe had accepted a job down in Georgia as a veterinarian. It worked out perfectly because Chicago had been stationed close to there. Well, worked out perfectly for Chloe.
Beca thought she would love living alone. The apartment would feel bigger now that she had more space without the other two being there. She had the bathroom to herself without having to rush into shower or being rushed out.
Yet, with all those good things it still felt lonely. Her eyes moved to look at the couch bed now folded into a couch. It had been still out when Amy left even when Chloe and Beca moved to the bed. They had left the couch bed out to act like they slept in separate beds for some reasons. Even when they never did. But now it was folded up and had no reason to be used.
The clothes rack that Chloe and Beca shared clothes on now gone. Beca could now just use the closet instead of the rack which should be a positive. It just didn't feel like that anymore to her.
Her phone buzzed on the desk beside her notepad which snapped her out of her gaze. She put the oen down before picking the phone up.
Amy: Hey Shawshank, heard about Red leaving. You good?
Beca: Yeah. Why wouldn't I be? Finally have the place to myself lmao
Amy: I don't know. Just wanted to make sure. I'm in Paris next week. Want me to bring you back some food? I'll be back in Brooklyn to see you the week after.
Beca smiled softly at that. Amy was always a considerate friend. She already had a bag full of souvenirs that she was bringing home to The Bella's.
Beca: As much as I appreciate it, the food would go bad by the time you got here.
Amy: Aw shit, true
Beca felt her phone vibrate again, this time with the group chat lighting up. Even after all these years apart The Bella's group chat was still as active as ever. With memes and gossip. Sometimes it would just be two people talking while other times it was more. For now though, it seemed to be Chloe texting.
Chloe: Ladies..
Beca raised an eyebrow; wondering why she just texted that. Maybe Chloe was drunk? Beca didn't know. But she saw the others start to pop up with their names saying that they read it.
Aubrey: Chloe?
Chloe: I fucking hate Georgia.
Stacie: Honey, you just got down there lmao.
Jessica: You got to give it time, Chloe. Moving is difficult. You know when we all left the Bella's house it was hell.
Aubrey: Exactly, just what Ashley said.
Jessica: I'm Jessica.
Aubrey: Exactly
Chloe: I've tried since I got here this morning. I just hate it.
Aubrey: Give it a couple days, Chloe. You'll love it. Plus you get to be so close to Chicago! And you live down the road from me.
Beca was just reading the messages. She didn't have an urge to reply because she didn't want to encourage Chloe to stay. Beca wanted Chloe back here with her already. It felt too lonely and weird without her.
But that urge to not text Chloe came to an end when a notification popped up above the chat.
Chloe: You're such a stalker
Beca: Oh? How so?
Chloe: It tells me when you read messages in the group chat. You've been reading them and not saying anything.
Beca: ....
Chloe: Thoughts?
Beca: I don't know. Do what you want.
Chloe: Hm, so nothing?
Beca: I just told you
Chloe: No you didn't. You haven't given me shit, Beca.
Beca: What does that mean?
Chloe: This morning when I left
Beca: This morning was you leaving for the airport after days of packing at two am. I was tired.
Chloe: Sure
Beca: I gave you the key to my apartment. That should have said something.
"Shit!" Beca cursed out before putting the phone on the desk a bit too harshly.
She had only typed that message out to just delete. But instead, she hit send. There was no taking that back. And all she could hope is that Chloe had completely missed her meaning by that.
Her hands covered her face as she brought her legs up to her chest so her feet rested on the chair. The phone still hadn't buzzed on the table. Chloe's usual quick messages in a few seconds now felt forever even though it was just a minute, not even.
Buzz.
The phone had went off on the table. But, Beca just kept her head in her hands. She wasn't ready to face the text back to that. Even if Chloe had completely missed what she meant. But not even a half second later,
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
"Oh no.." Beca muttered knowing that Chloe was calling her.
She let her head lift up as her hands pushed through her hair. Beca knew she had to answer. It wasn't like if she didn't, Chloe would just give up. That was a key part to why they were friends and that was because Chloe was relentless, in a good way. She didn't let Beca just slip away or push her off.
The phone call had ended for it to just start up once more. Beca now knew Chloe understood that message meant more then just Beca being sarcastic. She had basically admitted that she didn't want Chloe to leave.
Her hand reached forward, but her position in the seat stayed the same. She grabbed the phone to look at the screen seeing surprisingly, Aubrey's face on it. Chloe must have told her something was up.
"Hey" Beca said into the phone.
"Oh so you'll answer her and not me? You can't just text me that and ignore me after" Chloe said.
Beca sighed.
"I should have known you little shit" Beca sighed.
"Did you not want me to leave?" Chloe asked.
"How did you get Aubrey's phone?" Beca asked.
"She came over after I was texting in the group chat. Pretty lonely here.." Chloe admitted. "Good to hear your voice" She added.
"You only left this morning" Beca chuckled.
"Yeah at two am. I barely got my goodbye. You were half asleep" Chloe sighed.
"Oh, was a goodbye so important?" Beca smirked a bit. "You seemed to rush out more then anything, Chlo" She said.
"I did" Chloe admitted. "I didn't want to say goodbye to the most important person ever"
"I'm not that person, Chicago is"
"You will forever be the number one person in my life. Nobody could take that position"
Beca was silent for a bit feeling the butterflies swarm her stomach as she felt her face burn up.
"Same for you, Chlo.." Beca whispered.
"Then why-" Chloe seemed to cut herself out. "Why did I leave?"
"The job and Chicago" Beca replied.
"A job is a job, and Chicago he..." Chloe sighed. "We broke up like a month ago" She admitted.
"What?" Beca's body had jumped forward a bit, but still in the seat.
She swore her heart started to thump harder; threatening to bust out of it's cage at any moment. Hope was the feeling she now had. Maybe Chloe could come back. But, at the same time her mind told her that was insane to even think about.
"Yea-"
"Why didn't you tell me?" Beca asked.
"You never liked Chicago and I was actually a bit upset we broke up. So I just didn't want you celebrating" Chloe chuckled.
"You just don't know why I would be happy" Beca blurted.
"God damn it, Mitchell. Where is your filter?" Beca thought to herself.
"Oh? Do tell" Chloe said.
"Nevermind.." Beca said. "Anyway, I think you should uh.." She sighed. "You should, stay" Her voice cracked.
"You having me keep what I know is your only key to the apartment because you lost your other one-"
"How did you know?" Beca asked.
"Told me otherwise.." Chloe said. "And because you've been using my key" She chuckled.
"Yeah, I was going to call our landlord- My, landlord, tomorrow" She fixed her sentence.
Chloe sighed a bit obviously hating this as much as Beca. They had remained silent for a few moments before Beca was the one to start talking again.
"So, how is Aubrey?" Beca tried to switch the subject.
"Why did you give me the key?" Chloe went back to the original subject knowing Beca was trying to change it.
Beca sighed.
"It's stupid" Beca said.
"Just tell me" Chloe replied.
"Because, I figured.." Beca sighed. "Maybe you would change your mind and want to come home- back, to Brooklyn" She said. "You know, so I just.."
"I get it" Chloe said.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have and-"
"No, it's fine. Just that was your only key, Beca. How are you locking the door tomorrow when you go to work?"
"I actually have the week off. So I'll just get a new key this week and not leave until I have it" Beca chuckled.
"I didn't know you had this week off. I would have stayed another week" Chloe said.
"Sorry, forgot to tell you" Beca sighed.
"Well, wasn't really on the front line of thoughts huh?" Chloe asked.
"No, not at all" Beca replied.
"I miss you, you know.." Chloe said.
"It hasn't even been twenty four hours" Beca sighed; hating the fact she felt the same way.
"Beca, I missed you the moment I walked out of the apartment" Chloe chuckled.
Beca suddenly was struck by another wave of emotions. This time felt stronger and overall felt worse. She felt her eyes threaten to let tears fall out and a kick in her gut. Hearing Chloe say the words like this knowing she was states away made her sick to her stomach.
She needed to pull her into a hug right then. Feel how Chloe makes sure to rub Beca's lower back how she has always loved it. And let her oxygen become the smell of the cheap apple shampoo Chloe used. But, she couldn't. And it killed her.
"You know uh, I have work in the morning so I should go" Beca's voice shakey and had a few cracks.
"But you don't have work this week" Chloe pointed out.
"Just," Beca said. "I need to go" Beca now knew as the tears started to fall from her eyes Chloe would know. She only ever cried around Chloe so of course she would know her voice.
"Bec.."
"I'll text you okay?" Beca asked.
"What is-"
"Night" Beca quickly said before hitting end on the phone call, then placing the phone down.
From that moment, Beca had let her head fall back into her hands. She felt the cries that she couldn't hold back anymore escape her. The pain in her chest felt worse as the kick in her gut made her want to vomit. She had never felt such a pain in her life before.
Her phone was buzzing, but she had just ignored it. She would talk to Chloe again. That was inevitable. But, right now wasn't the best time. When she had moved on from the pain of Chloe not being here, she was sure they would be fine. Yet it felt like this pain would never leave.
Little did she know just states away, Chloe was reacting the same way. Not just in the same way, but maybe even worse. Both at the same time were sobbing their eyes out because of the distance between them. They felt the same aches of pain in their veins. Both craving each other's physical prescence to each other. Yet, they were states away, oblivious to how the other felt.
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At some point in the night, Beca had moved into her bed. She must have because she woke up with her head tucked into the pillow and the blanket pulled up to her chin. Though she couldn't remember when she exactly did that.
The sunlight was shining into the window. Well, the sunlight she got that managed to slip through other buildings. Dust particles floated in the air showing that Beca needed to clean. Then, coffee was the scent in the air.
She wrinkled her nose a bit wondering where the coffee smell was coming from. Beca never made coffee for herself. She usually would just go to the coffee shop down the street and buy herself some. The only person that ever made coffee was Chloe.
That caused Beca's eyes to go bloodshot open. But, she didn't move. Chloe was in Georgia. Beca had to remember that even though having to remember that each morning for now on was going to be terrible. But, she shook that off. Her mind was playing tricks on her. Chloe could not be making coffee right then. Maybe she was just craving-
"Dammit" Someone whispered as the sound of silverware fell on the floor. It stopped Beca's inner monologue thoughts.
Beca didn't register the voice. All she realized was there was a stranger in her apartment making coffee. Odd thing to do, but it still made Beca's fear and adreline kick in. She slowly reached over for the nightstand where the pocket knife was. Her fingers opened the small drawer before picking the knife up.
As she was sitting up to turn and look at the intruder, her heart really dropped. The redhead was standing with her back faced to her in the small kitchen. Two of Chloe's bags were placed down on the couch with the plane tags still on them.
"What are you doing?" Beca's voice rasped.
Chloe jumped a bit before turning to see Beca half sitting up. She saw Beca's hand placing the knife back in the nightstand drawer before closing it.
"Making coffee" Chloe shrugged. As if she never moved down to Georgia and this was a typical morning.
"You're in Georgia" Beca said.
Chloe had looked around before looking back at Beca.
"Looks like I'm in Brooklyn" She said, small smile slowly creeping upon her lips.
Beca rolled her eyes.
"Okay, jackass, you know what I mean" Beca said. "How did you get here? When did you get here?"
"Well, you had left the key for me. So that's how I got in. And I took a plane last minute to come here" Chloe explained as she poured coffee into the cup.
Beca looked at the time to see it was almost eleven in the morning. She did not mean to sleep in this late. At the same time, that wasn't her main focus.
"What?" Beca asked.
Chloe started to walk over with the coffee cup in her hand. It was Beca's mug she had gotten her years ago. It was black and said on it "stop talking" They had saw it in Walmart one day and Beca thought it was hysterical. So, Chloe had gotten it randomly for her. Beca ever since then used it each day.
"You told me you were off this week, figured to come back" Chloe shrugged as she put the coffee down on the end table.
"Oh, so only the week?" Beca asked.
"Well that's until the movers I hired can bring my stuff back" Chloe sat down on the edge of the bed. Her lower back right against Beca's stomach, smiling down at her softly.
Beca's eyes flew open and a small smile couldn't be resisted to form on her face. She felt guilty about it. But, she couldn't hide the fact that she was happy that Chloe was back.
"What?" She asked.
"You gave me your only key. I figured I needed to move back in until you got yours" Chloe said.
"That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard" Beca chuckled.
"It's not. I mean, come on. I have your only key. What would you do without me?" She asked.
"Mm, you're right" Beca hummed. "I'd be lost without you" She said. "That being said.."
Beca trailed off into her own mind for a second. She watched as Chloe tilted her head to the side as if that made her listen better. Her eyes stared right into Beca's making her heart skip beats. And her hair radiated in the sunlight. God, Beca missed this. She feared that she would never wake up to this again.
That fear luckily had pushed her though to say her next words.
"Listen, I could be reading this wrong. But do you wanna' go out sometime? Just us, I mean, we already do that. Shit, sorry. I just mean like something more?"
Chloe's face flushed red while her jaw dropped a bit. She seemed taken a back by the question causing Beca to regret her words.
"Shit, I'm sorry, I know you-"
"Yes," Chloe cut off. "Tonight? We could go bowling or mini golf, oh! Those escape rooms seem fun!"
Beca felt butterflies swarm her stomach.
"So, an actual date?" Beca asked.
"That's what you asked me to go on, right?" Chloe asked.
Beca nodded a bit frantically.
"Yeah, dude. Yeah, shit, I shouldn't call you dude. Is that flirty?"
"Have you been flirting with me over the last years like I have with you?"
"Wait, you were? And yeah, I was. Sometimes"
Chloe snickered. "Yeah, because I just offer back rubs to all the girls I meet"
"And I just let complete strangers in on my shower without beating them up"
"Okay, you win that one" Chloe laughed.
"So it's a date tonight?" Beca asked.
Chloe moved her hand to caress Beca's cheek after moving a piece of hair out of her face. She nodded softly with the warmest smile presented.
"God, Bec. I've waited for you to say that forever," She whispered, a soft kiss placed on her cheek. "Yes though. It's a date"
Beca's face was a deep, deep, red after she felt Chloe's lips on her cheek. She nodded slowly, coughing a bit to clear her throat.
"Alright, sick dude- shit, wait, do I say babe?"
"Oh, this is going to be fun" Chloe laughed at the woman's attempts.
"Sweetie?"