A/N: Hey all! So I actually posted this story a few weeks ago in the second person POV and I was surprised that it didn't get much attention. After asking around tumblr I discovered that a lot of people don't seem to care for second person and usually don't read anything written in that format. So I decided to rework this fic in the first person POV and post it again. I still left the second POV up under the title "The Announcement" so if you read that this is the same story, with slight changes. If anyone has comments on the POV preferences send me a PM, as a writer I'd love to hear your thoughts so I have feedback for future fics. Thanks for reading, please leave me a review with your thoughts!
"Chloe and I are together…" This was it, I could not believe this was finally happening, I had been pining for my tiny brunette best friend for years now and we're finally together. It happened a few weeks ago during one of our regular "weekly" sleepovers. Once the Bella's got their own "sorority" house those weekly sleepovers became more frequent. Being the oldest Bella in the house I got a room to myself, but with graduation nearing Beca had practically moved in becoming my roommate.
One night we stayed up till the early morning hours talking, as per usual, but this night's topic of conversation was more personal in nature than what we regularly talked about. I began talking about my normal day to day stuff until eventually Beca made a comment about graduation. This topic began a long discussion about the future, our hopes, our fears, and inevitably where we stood as friends. Neither one of us could bear the thought of not being in each other's lives anymore, or not being able to see each other every day. This train of thought made me finally confess what I had been keeping secret from her for the past three years.
At first she was surprised, which I thought was funny because I thought I couldn't have been more obvious about how I felt when looking back in hindsight. All the lingering touches, the long lasting looks, the back rubs, the sleepovers, the pet names, there were so many things we did that crossed the line of normal friendship boundaries, but Beca never protested so I kept on. After the initial shock wore off she kissed me. It was a short and innocent kiss, but I swear it was the best kiss I've ever had in my life. She told me she didn't know how this was supposed to work. I agreed noting how scary it could be, but also that I was willing to give it a go. She agreed by kissing me again, but this time it was a lot longer and more passionate. We spent the rest of the night cuddling and trading kisses, giggling at how happy we were in that moment, how we are now that we're together.
This brings me to today, five weeks later. We are still together and getting happier by the day, if that was even possible. And up until now we agreed to keep our relationship a secret, this way we had the proper privacy to figure things out on our own terms. I enjoyed it for a while, sneaking around was pretty hot and all, but I had been hiding my feelings for years now, so I'm more than ready to make it known. So when Beca came to me the other day, a couple weeks ago, saying she was ready to tell the Bellas I couldn't have been more ecstatic, so much so that I may have accidentally knocked her over in a hugging frenzy. She ended up spraining her wrist in the fall, so we then agreed to give it some time to heal before telling the Bellas, you know in order to avoid all the rough sex jokes I'm sure we would've heard.
We had given it some more time and now we're finally ready. I called an emergency Bella meeting in the practice room after morning classes, but Beca wanted to make the announcement. I couldn't help but blush at how cute she was about her determination to be the one to tell the girls about our relationship upgrade. And after a short and awkward little speech Beca said it, out load and proud while taking my hand in hers, gently interlacing our fingers, "Chloe and I are together…" She was beaming, with a smile that went ear to ear, and I couldn't have been more proud of her, my smile quickly matched hers, which turned into a confused pout just as quickly after Fat Amy chimed in.
"Yea you're together all the time, no need to make a PSA about it." Amy quipped in response to Beca's announcement.
Beca shook her head before adding, "No I mean we are together together, as in we are dating." She looked at me with a loving smile, and I got lost in her eyes, forgetting we were in a room full of people.
"Yea no shit Sherlock, still don't know why y'all made us come out, for you to come out." Fat Amy piped up again, to which all the girls laughed.
Beca was beginning to become frazzled, "Wait so none of you are surprised by this?" She looked around all the girls in the room.
There was a chorus of no's , nah's , nope's, and not really's, among other negative affirmations from the Bellas. I can't really say I'm all that surprised by the girl's nonchalant reaction. Mainly because I'm pretty sure one night after getting really drunk at a party I may have yelled "I love Beca!" over the loud speakers, luckily Beca was out of town visiting her mom that weekend. I don't exactly remember a whole lot about that night, but from what the other Bellas told me the next morning, I wasn't exactly surprised. Beca had only been gone for two days but I had been missing her like crazy. I remember downing drink after drink to numb the pain, but everything after that is a blur. I still haven't told Beca about that night, and in hindsight maybe I should have before letting her announce to everyone that we are dating.
I can tell Beca is so confused, she let go of my hand, placing her own hands upon her head as if she was racking her brain for answers, "Wait what?!" I just stood there watching the scene unfold in front of me, debating whether or not I should chime in.
Before I got the chance to speak up, Cynthia-Rose began to elaborate on Fat Amy's indifferent disposition. "We all thought you and Red were shacking up this whole time." I can't help the blush that overtakes my face turning it bright red while thinking about the implications of Cynthia's statement. Beca on the other hand gets an incredulous look on her face. Believe it or not, we actually haven't gone that far yet. We decided to wait to at least become public before taking that step, but that doesn't mean I haven't thought about it, and I know for a fact Beca has, she tends to mumble in her sleep. I try to shake it off and turn my attention back to the ongoing conversation between Beca and the Bellas.
Fat Amy agreed with Cynthia, pointing out the fact that, "Yea we just figured you were private about well you know your privates and who may or may not be touching them with their privates." And there goes my head again, back in the gutter.
"Eww Amy." Stacie chimed in, grossed out by Amy's bluntness.
Amy looks over at Stacie, "What? Oh come on you out of all of us should be the last to scoff." I laugh lightly at Amy's dig at Stacie's promiscuity, she's right.
I can tell Stacie wants to jump in with a cut to Fat Amy, but Beca breaks it up before an argument erupts, "This whole time? What do you mean this whole time? We've only been dating a few weeks." Her arms are flailing as she speaks, if I wasn't concerned for how flustered she was getting I'd think it was cute, aww who am I kidding, I still think it's adorable.
Fat Amy answered Beca's question in a kind of tone that made it seem as if the information was obvious, "Like these past three years brah."
Stacie, no longer irritated by Amy's comment chimed in with her thoughts on the topic, "Yea we weren't sure when exactly it all started but my money was on right after regionals." And she wasn't lying; I kind of already knew the Bellas had a pool on when we would finally come to our senses and get together. I just chose to ignore it; they seemed to be cool with the idea of us being together so it didn't really bother me that they were betting on it. In fact it actually gave me hope in some weird way, if the Bellas were all willing to bet money on the status of my relationship with Beca, then they must have believed that such a relationship was possible. I realize now that that's another thing I probably should have told Beca before letting her conduct this meeting. Oh well as they say, hindsight is 20/20.
The girls start this debate as to when each of them think Beca and I got together. I don't even hear the first few ideas; it's not until Amy gets a sly look on her face, nodding coyly, that I began listening. This can't be good. "Nah I bet it started after their little shower rendezvous. "My whole body flushes red again, I was under the impression only three people knew about that, me, Beca, and Aubrey (of course I had to tell her, she's my best friend) For some reason it didn't occur to me that Beca would tell her best friend as well. I see the other girl's eyebrows furrowing and looking around at each other in confusion. Good, they don't know; although I just know I'm gonna have a lot of questions about this to dodge in the future. Oh well, once that that hurdle comes I suppose.
"Three years?!" Beca's high pitched squeal rips me from my thoughts, "You guys all thought we were dating this whole time?"
The Bellas all chime in with their various head nods and sounds of affirmation, "Yea." "Yep. "Yes."
"Mmmhmm." Cynthia Rose proudly belts out.
Beca shakes her head and looks at me for the first time since she made the first announcement, "Chloe can you believe this?" I want to answer her, but don't exactly know what to say, after thinking about it, yes I can believe it, but if I tell her that she might get huffy that I never mentioned the bet or the drunken party confession. But it doesn't matter because before I even get a chance to answer her she turns her attention back to the group. "I don't understand how you guys thought we've been dating this whole time, I dated Jesse for a year, does no one remember that?"
Stacie explains matter of factly, "Yea I just thought he was your beard."
Fat Amy raises her hand, "Same."
"Mmmhmm," Cynthia Rose adds with gusto once again.
I laugh quietly to myself at this, I know Jesse and Beca had a thing but honestly it was kind of a joke of a relationship, not that I would ever tell Beca that. The whole time they were together she would leave their dates early to hang out with me, spent more nights in my bed than in his room, and she even told me once when she was really sick and came to me to take care of her that she enjoyed my cuddles more. So while I may have been jealous of Jesse at first, I soon came to realize that I had a much stronger relationship with the petite DJ than he did.
Beca was getting oddly worked up and the flustered confusion was evident on her face. Fat Amy noticed this too, all the girls did really, but it was the Australian who put the question that was on everyone's mind, including mine, out there. "Dude look, I don't understand why you've got your knickers in a bunch, we all love you," she points to Beca, "and we love you," she points over Beca's head at me, where I'm standing behind her, "and we love that you love each other." She takes her hands and joins them together, "There's so much love I might explode!" She threw her hands up and even added in a kaboosshhh noise for effect.
Cynthia Rose makes note, having been in this type of situation before, "Look the point is you're together now and we all support you."
"Yea Beca relax, there's nothing to be upset about," Stacie quickly added, placing her hand gently on Beca's arm.
"Nothing to be upset about?" Beca shook away from Stacie's grasp and walked over to the nearest step, taking a seat with her head in her hands, she was really upset now, and I have no idea why, it's starting to make me nervous, "Seriously?"
I made my way over to my girl and leaned down in front of her trying to get her attention. I grabbed her hands and pulled them away from her face. I can tell this situation has escalated into a weird stressful event for her so I brush some hair out of her face while offering her an out, "Becs why don't we go get some ice cream or something."
"Oooh yea can you bring me back some chunky monkey?" I hear Fat Amy call from behind us. I turned around shooting her a death glare, telling her to keep quiet.
I look back at Beca wait for an answer. "No Chlo, I'm not in the mood."
Her tone of voice sounds sad and defeated, I completely forget the other girls are in the room and instantly go into concerned girlfriend mode. "Hey babe why are you so upset?" I begin rubbing her thigh with one had while caressing her face with the other. I stare intently into her eyes hoping I'll find an answer in them.
She looks at me and whispers, "Three years Chlo."
"So what? It's not a big deal." I respond softly, still not understanding.
"Yes it is." She pleads almost desperately.
I'm still not following her train of thought and ask for more information "Why then? Care to explain why you're freaking out for no reason?"
"I missed out." She answers in a small voice.
"On what?"
"On you!" She projects, startling me for a moment. She grabs both of my hands firmly and looks into my eyes, she must have realized I'm still not following, so she elaborates, "We could have been together this whole time! We could have been—"
"Blowie!" Fat Amy yells out.
Oh my god, I forgot they were here, and by the look on Beca's face I can tell she forgot too. She didn't make comment on Fat Amy's outburst, instead focusing back on me. "We could have been dating this whole time, but because I was too dense to figure it out I missed out on three years of us."
"Oh Beca." I sigh, it was at this moment I turned around shooting the other girls a look basically commanding them to leave, so I could have some time alone with my girl. They all seemed to get the message and obliged, even Fat Amy didn't put up a fight, leaving us alone in the practice room.
I sat down on the step next to Beca and took the hand closest to me tightly in my own. "Becs why is this bothering you so much?" I ask her sweetly.
She refuses to make eye contact with me and fidgets in her seat a bit, lightly pulling at my fingers, something she only ever does when she's nervous. "I don't know Chlo, I mean, as girly and dumb as it sounds, these past few weeks with you have been so incredibly amazing, and I've never been happier. I guess knowing that I could have been this happy this whole time, for the past three years. I don't know, it bums me out, is all."
I smile widely trying to contain my tears of joy, because I know even though they are happy tears they'd still probably freak Beca out in this state. Even though she's come a long way she's still not the greatest at handling feelings, especially those of other people. I'm pretty sure this is the nicest thing Beca has ever said to me. I playfully nudge her with my shoulder, "Can I let you in on a little secret?"
This statement that makes her look up at me. I continue on without missing a beat, "The past is so overrated." She slightly scoffs and rolls her eyes, all while smiling. I know she's laughing at my use of such a cliché phrase. "No, I'm being serious here." I lightly swat at her arm to make her stop laughing, although this attempt only makes her laugh harder. I'm happy she has seemed to perk up, but I really was trying to be serious. She doubles over protecting herself from the few more playful bats I send her way.
She quickly throws her hands up in surrender, "Uncle!" I stop physically berating her, "You're so weird," she adds for finale measure. I stick my tongue out in response, earning a bright smile from my girl.
I settle down for a moment and continue with my serious speech Beca so rudely interrupted, not that I really minded. "Let's not focus on our past and what could have been, but rather on the future and what will be." I take both of her hands in mine before continuing, "Beca, I was never excited about leaving college and growing up, I was terrified really, why do you think I've changed my major so many times?" It's true; I'm on major number 3 at the moment, but this one has stuck.
" We live in this society that's so hell bent on education, that practically forces you to spend the first quarter of your life in a classroom, and yet, they fail to properly prepare you for what lies beyond school. And I never really felt ready to face that reality, of life on my own, without teachers and classmates to guide me through. But now with you by my side, I finally feel ready; I'm excited, ecstatic even. I'm ready for the future that once scared the daylights out of me, and the best part is knowing I get to spend it with you."
For a moment I feel like I may have dropped too much on Beca since she has remained silent, for longer than I expected. Her face remains blank, giving me no indication on what she's thinking. I begin to worry for a moment before she surprises me by launching into her own sappy declaration, "Chloe you have me dreaming of a life I never cared to live. I always imagined myself moving to LA, living alone in a small ass studio apartment, spending my nights playing a gig at a club, and spending my days never leaving my bed. All the normal milestones people seem to love so freaking much, never interested me." She squeezes my hand and sends a toothy grin my way, "But lately, I find myself thinking about how amazing it would be to live with you, to fall asleep and wake up each day tangled in your arms, to cook meals together after getting home from a long day at work, hell even shopping for groceries and other dumb household items seems so exciting with you in the picture. You've opened my eyes to a whole new life that I want to live with you."
I wasn't even aware I had started crying until Beca reaches out and softly wipes away my tears with her thumb. I'm pretty sure the grin on my face couldn't get any bigger, and I see one just as big and bright mirrored on Beca's face. I want to say those three little words, that have been dying to cross my lips for the past three years, but I figure we have been through enough emotional stuff today, it's probably best to save that for another day. Beca slightly nods at me, as if she could read my mind and feels the same way. So instead I decide to break the tension with a playful jab and a quiet laugh, "Who knew Beca Mitchell was so domestic?"
She mirrors my action before adding, "I surprise even myself." She leans in and kisses me. I didn't realize how desperately I needed her lips on mine until they were there and moving in full force. When we finally part for air, I consume her in a tight embrace, making no move to let go anytime soon. She shifts in my arms so we become side by side, resting her head on my shoulder, but keeping our arms wrapped around each other's sides. She places a light kiss to my neck before snuggling closer. I think to myself how closely this conversation had resembled the one that ended up bringing us together in the first place. Talk of the future making both of us realize that we never want to spend it apart. And somehow I end up thinking graduation wasn't as scary as I thought three years ago.
We remain in this position for minutes, silently enjoying each other's presence. I've never felt more at peace than in this moment. And I wish it could last forever, that is until Beca suggests, "should we go get that ice cream now?"
"Mmmm, yes please." I groan in acceptance. She laughs quietly in response, getting up and lending a hand to help me up as well. We gather our things before coming back together, interlacing our fingers. As we begin to walk out of the practice room, hand in hand, I turn to Beca, "Should we bring back some rocky road for Fat Amy?"
She looks, for a second, as if she is contemplating the question before replying quite astutely, "No. She called us Blowie, when obviously our ship name would be Bechloe." We both bust out laughing at the remark and continue on our way for our quest for ice cream.
End.
