A/N So I saw a post on Tumblr that basically said that this would be a perfect time for Anna Kendrick to pull a Taylor Swift and Speak Now. This was in reference of Brittany Snow getting married soon to Tyler Stanaland. Well I kept thinking about that comment. I'll be honest if Britt isn't going to marry Kendrick I'm glad it's Tyler. He just seems like an amazing guy who really cares about Britt. But my mind just couldn't help but think about it and then I realized it would be fun to turn into into a Bechloe one shot. But with a bit of a twist. What if it was Chloe who was about to lose Beca to a marriage?
Find out what happens in Speak Now.
Chloe sighed as she read the invite. She felt the tears sting her eyes as she read the beautiful font.
Warren & Shelia Mitchell and Katie Steal
are proud to announce the Marriage of their daughter
Rebecca Anna Mitchell to Jesse Michael Swanson
You are cordially invited to the wedding ceremony on the
27 of June 2020 5pm
At the Mitchell Estate in Barden, Georgia
The Reception will follow the ceremony 7pm
Please RSVP with your name and number of your party
No later than 30 May 2020
She looked at the back of the announcement where a picture of Beca and Jesse was. There were words on the picture that read:
Endings Are The Best Part
Chloe felt her heart break with the realization that she was definitely going to lose her…
Chloe already knew that Beca and Jesse were engaged. She had known since it happened when Beca called her to tell her.
But this. This invitation made everything so…real. So inescapable. The pain was just too real.
Chloe knew she had had many chances to tell her best friend exactly how she felt. It was no secret that there was something different about her and Beca's relationship. But Chloe had never collected enough courage to actually tell her. Even in those few years that Beca and Jesse weren't together and Chloe and her were living in New York together. She almost had, on the USO tour. That is until Jesse showed up to surprise Beca. She had been so happy to see him. Chloe had no choice but to step back, let Beca feel that joy.
Just as Chloe was about to sink into her pity party her phone began to ring.
"Hello?" Chloe asked, not recognizing the number.
"Chloe?" The voice was unmistakable. She couldn't help but smile.
"Hey! How are you?" Chloe asked. "Did you get a different number?"
"Yeah, hey did you get your invitation yet, for Beca and Jesse's wedding?" Emily asked.
"Yeah, I just got it actually." Chloe explained feeling the pang in her heart.
"How uh… How are you doing?" Emily asked hesitantly.
Emily was the only person who knew about Chloe's feelings for Beca. She had found out one night when she'd caught Chloe in a weak moment.
Flashback
Chloe sat at the bar with tears in her eyes, she downed the last bit of whiskey and motioned the bar tender for another one.
"Fuck you Jesse…" Chloe mumbled to herself as she drank half the glass of whiskey that had just been placed in front of her.
She couldn't get his face out of her mind. Or how happy Beca looked to see him again. She felt sick to her stomach and it had nothing to do with the liquor.
Just as Chloe was downing the glass and slamming it on the counter, Chloe felt a tap on her shoulder.
She looked to see Legacy standing there. She motioned to the seat next to Chloe. "Is that one taken?"
"By you." Chloe slurred.
Emily nodded and took the seat. She motioned for the bar tender. "Can I get a beer. Whatever's on tap."
"Sure thing." The man smiled.
"Another one please." Chloe slurred.
"You otta slow down." The bar tender cautioned.
"Can you do your fucking job and get me another one?" Chloe snapped. This caused both spectators to look at Chloe in shock.
"Sure." The bar tender shook his head.
"Chlo, are you okay?" Emily asked clearly not understanding why Chloe would snap like that.
"No." Chloe stated. She tapped impatiently on the bar, needing another whiskey to help her drown her pain.
"What's wrong? Chloe, you're not worried that Beca's leaving us, are you? You know she'd never do that." Emily explained. Chloe felt the pang of the statement in her heart. She knew that Emily meant it in a completely different way but the statement was still true.
"Beca was never going to stay. We all knew it the moment she joined the Bella's. She was always going to leave." Chloe stated bitterly.
"That's not true. We're a family." Emily looked at Chloe hopelessly. "Beca cares about us. She loves us. Sure, things are going to change and she's going to move on to do amazing things with her music but that wont change the fact that she is always going to love us. She's always going to love you."
"Not the way I want." Chloe stated. The words tumbled out of her mouth before she had the wherewithal to stop it. But if she was being honest, she didn't care…
"Have you ever asked her?" Emily asked. She didn't even pretend to act like she was shocked. It didn't go unnoticed by Chloe but she just chose to ignore it.
"Why would I?" Chloe spat bitterly. "She loves Jesse. It was always going to be fucking Jesse…"
"Chloe, if you really love her she deserves to have the chance to decide." Emily pointed out. "You don't get to decide for her."
"She decided for herself. She's probably fucking him right now." Chloe downed the amber liquid, trying to drown out the image that had just consumed her mind.
"I know you're hurt. But I really think you need to talk to her before you brush her off and act like she can't possibly love you back." Emily stated.
Chloe looked over at the young Bella. Suddenly she saw her differently. Emily was no longer the cute, little, naive Legacy Chloe had spent her Senior year with. No, she'd grown up. Maybe it had to do with everything that happened between her and Benji. How he had turned out to be a total ass and cheated on her. Or maybe she'd just seen too much fucked up shit that her rose colored glasses had dimmed.
"Beca doesn't love me. It's something I've had to deal with since her freshman year." Chloe explained. She felt the tears stinging her eyes. She tried to fight them but there was no use. "I love her and that's just going to have to be the end of it."
Emily shook her head. "Don't sell her short."
The Legacy drank the rest of her beer. Put down a few bills. Before she walked away she put her hand on Chloe's shoulder. "I think you'd be surprised by her reaction if you just talked to her."
With that Emily left.
Chloe looked down at her hands, allowing Emily's words to echo in her mind. Was it possible that Beca could feel the same way?
Suddenly she felt energetic. She felt the need to find Beca right away, tell her what was going on. Find out if it was possible that they were on the same page.
She put money down on the counter and thanked the bar tender before walking or more like stumbled away, in search of her best friend.
When Chloe made it up to Beca's room she knocked to be polite but opened it up after a few seconds. She walked in.
"Beca?" Chloe called. "You here?"
She turned and saw Beca and Jesse on the bed. Jesse was on top of her. Chloe gasped as she took in the scene in front of her.
"Get the fuck out!" Jesse yelled at her.
She took one look at a shocked, very naked Beca before she apologized and ran out of the room as fast as she could. She suddenly felt way too sober.
She had made it to the elevator when she heard her name called down the hall. "Chlo, wait!"
It was Beca. She was wearing a robe and was walking down toward where Chloe stood, tears running down the red heads face. She rushed into the elevator and smashed the close door button as many times as she could. Just before the doors slid closed she made eye contact with Beca.
Beca had never hers. By why did it feel like she just lost her?
Beca and Chloe had never talked about that night. In fact after that they hadn't really talked at all. Obviously they saw each other at Bella reunions but they weren't close. Chloe blamed herself for that. She had honestly done it out of a need to protect herself. She used school as an excuse. Then when she had graduated, she used work. Slowly Beca just stopped trying all together.
"Chloe? You still there?" Emily's voice broke Chloe out of her flashback.
"Huh?" Chloe responded. "Oh yeah I'm fine."
They both knew it was a lie but she was grateful that Emily didn't call her out on it.
"Are you going to go?" Emily asked. There was hesitation in the Legacy's voice.
Emily and Beca remained close. In fact Beca had gotten Khalid's label to sign Emily as an artist once she had graduated. Beca worked as her producer on Emily's first and second albums. They were currently working on her third.
"I uh… I don't think I really have a choice. Do I?" Chloe asked. If it were up to her she wouldn't go.
Emily sighed on the other end of the phone. "Chloe, I wouldn't blame you if you didn't go but you know it would kill Beca. She's honestly so confused about what happened to you too. She misses you, Chlo."
"I just… I can't." Chloe sighed. "I can't see her and know that she loves him."
"I get it. I really do." Emily explained. "Listen, I know it's going to be hard for you to be there but if you do decide to come, I'll be there for you. I wont leave your side, I promise."
"Thanks, Legacy. It means a lot." Chloe smiled softly. She and Emily had gotten a lot closer since that final night of the USO tour. It was like they shared a bond. Emily knowing Chloe's deepest secret and feelings and not judging her was exactly what Chloe needed. "I'll uh think about it and let you know."
"Sounds good. Hey I have to go, I'm meeting Beca at the studio in a little bit. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"I am. Thanks for thinking of me." Chloe smiled. "I'll talk to you later."
"Bye," Emily's usual chipper tone returned, and this caused Chloe to laugh. She would always be grateful for that girl.
30 May 2020
Chloe sat on her parents' couch in her childhood home and shook her head. She'd been staring at the email on the stupid card for the last hour. She had put off deciding if she was going to Beca's wedding until the very last day. She honestly didn't know what to do. She knew she needed to be there. She wanted to support Beca. Actually that's a lie, she wanted to want to support her… But the thought of sitting there, watching her marry him. It killed her.
"Chloe?" Her mothers voice pulled Chloe out of her internal struggle. She looked up and saw her mothers concerned face. "Are you okay, hun?"
Grace Beale was one of Chloe's most favorite people on the planet. Her mom had a heart of gold and would give the shirt off her back for anyone in need. She was the most positive, loving person on the planet.
"Yeah." Chloe lied. Grace of course saw through it and sat down next to Chloe. Chloe put her head on her mothers' shoulder.
"What's going on, Chlo-Bear?" Grace asked affectionately.
Chloe didn't know how to say it so she handed her mom the invitation. Grace looked at it and it was almost as if realization came across her face. "Beca's getting married?"
Beca had come back to Seattle with Chloe one year for Christmas so her mom, dad, and three brothers had all met her. Grace had known that Chloe's feelings ran deep for the girl but was unsure of to what extent. Chloe had never opened up to her about them though.
"Yeah… I still haven't RSVP'ed." Chloe explained, the emotion evident in her tone.
"And why is that?" Grace asked, even though she knew the answer.
"I cant… I can't watch her marry him." Chloe said as the tears streamed down her face. "It'll hurt too much."
Grace pulled her only daughter into her arms as she cried. She placed a soft kiss in her hair and held on for dear life. It killed her to see her daughter in so much pain.
Eventually the tears subsided and Chloe pulled away from her mom's embrace. "I'm sorry."
"Don't say that." Grace said softly. "You have nothing to be sorry about."
"I just… How do I learn to be okay with this?" Chloe asked in a defeated tone.
"Chlo, I don't know. You're in a tough situation right now." Grace sighed. "I know that this can't be easy for you. But you're going to have to figure it out if you want to keep Beca in your life. You have to decide if you love her enough to forget about yourself."
The words hit heard for Chloe. She didn't know if she would be strong enough for that.
You have to decide if you love her enough to forget about yourself…
"How do I do that? Just brush aside the fact that I'm in love with her?" Chloe asked. She felt the sting of tears behind her eyes but refused to give them passage.
"You know, your dad was once engaged to someone who wasn't me?" Grace asked. Chloe looked over at her mother in shock. "He and I had taken a break that ended up being a lot longer then either of us realized. I had moved to Ontario for work while your father stayed here in Seattle. By the time I got home he was already seeing someone else. She just so happened to be my best friend from high school."
"Wait, what?" Chloe asked in shock. "Dad was going to marry someone else? How… what did you do?"
"I didn't do anything, at first." Grace explained. "I thought he was better off with her. I had given up on trying to fight for him. The night before their wedding though, I found myself knocking on his apartment door. He looked shocked to see me. He didn't realize I was back from Canada."
Chloe staired at her mom in shock. How was this even possible. She thought her mom and dad had always been a sure thing. They always talked about how they always knew, from the beginning they would be together.
"I had only one question to ask him." Grace continued. "I asked him if he loved her more then he had loved me."
Chloe's mouth opened. She almost couldn't imagine her mom saying something like that. "What did he say?"
"Nothing." Grace explained. "He just stood there, staring at me. I walked away before he managed to say anything."
"What?" Chloe looked stunned. She was having a weird Deja vu kind of moment. It reminded her of walking away from Beca's hotel room, ignoring her plea's to stop.
"I thought for sure I had lost him. But then the next day he showed up to my apartment." Grace explained with a tear in her eyes. "He told me he didn't say anything last night because he knew he needed to tell Melissa first. He ended things with her."
Chloe looked at her shocked. She couldn't have even imagined this all being real.
"When your father and I say we always knew… we did. We just forgot sometimes." Grace exhaled. "Im not telling you that that's what you should do with Beca. Maybe be a little more sensitive. But if you feel she truly loves Jesse, you need to figure out how to get over it and move on. It wont help you to hold onto those feelings. It'll only hurt you and any future friendship you'll possibly have with her."
Chloe took in a deep breath. "I don't know if I can love her enough to let go. I know that's the saying right? If you love her, let her go… or whatever. But what if I'm not strong enough. What if it hurts too much?"
"Chloe, that's the price we pay to love. Hurt and love are oposites but they have to coincide with one another. If they didn't we'd never be able to truly appreciate the love." Grace explained. She pulled her daughter in for another hug. "I'm not going to tell you what to do. I never have and I never will. That has to come from you, my darling."
Grace stood and walked out of the room, leaving Chloe to her thoughts. She pulled her phone out and typed in the email address. Sending a quick response to RSVP for the Swanson wedding. Her body still ached with anxiety but she needed to be happy for Beca. Beca deserved her support.
25 June 2020
Chloe stepped off the plane in Atlanta, Georgia. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of being back. It had been a long time since she'd been to Barden and the thought that she was so close honestly felt like coming home.
She smiled even brighter when she saw Aubrey and Emily waiting for her. They had insisted on picking her up from the airport and Chloe had to admit it felt pretty great to have them there.
She was pulled into a hug instantly by Aubrey. "Oh my god, Chloe!" Aubrey yelled in her ear but Chloe just laughed. The two old friends hadn't seen each other in almost a year. They of course talked all the time but being able to hug Aubrey was amazing!
She then turned and pulled Emily into a hug. "Hey, Chlo." She smiled brightly as they hugged.
"Ugh it's sooo good to see you two!" Chloe smiled as she pulled away. She took a good look at two of her closest friends. She momentarily forgot why she was back in Georgia, she was truly happy for that moment.
But soon the pang hit. In two short days she would be watching the love of her life marry someone else…
"Well, lets get you down to the house." Aubrey smiled.
Aubrey and Stacie had moved to Barden not that long after they had gotten together. Chloe would be staying at their house for the weekend that she was back in Barden.
The drive to Aubrey's place was maybe only an hour long. It was nice to have that hour to catch up with them and learn all she could about their lives.
Emily talked nonstop about her newest album as well as the fact that she was staring in a TV show about Emily Dickenson. Playing the poet herself. Chloe couldn't help but be so proud of her friend. She'd really made an amazing career for herself.
Aubrey talked mostly about Stacie and Bella. She just seemed to glow with love and excitement as she talked about her little family. Chloe couldn't be happier for her. She knew that Aubrey and Stacie were perfect for each other and she was glad to now that they had finally gotten together.
"So tonight we're meeting up with Amy, CR, Beca, Stacie, and me and Emily for dinner." Aubrey explained. Chloe's heart dropped at the mention of Beca. She was going to come face to face with her tonight… She didn't think it would be so soon. "I'm not sure if Lily will be there but everyone else is flying in tomorrow."
Chloe nodded her head absentmindedly.
She needed to calm down. It was just a mini Bella's reunion. Nothing to be freaking out about. Right?
That Night At Dinner
Chloe had dressed causually, like Aubrey had told her to, and they made their way to the restaurant that they would be eating at.
Seeing Stacie and Bella had gone well and Chloe was so happy to see that Stacie was just as happy as Aubrey was.
Now they were walking into the dinner and Chloe's heart pounded in anticipation. It had been almost 3 years since Chloe walked in on Beca and Jesse. 3 years since she'd had an actual conversation with the music producer and singer. 3 long, agonizing years.
The thought of seeing her tonight made Chloe both excited and terrified.
She spotted the back of Beca's head from across the room. She would know that short brunette anywhere. Suddenly she just felt excited and walked toward the back of the restaurant.
She tapped on Beca's shoulder. She turned and her face lit up as she saw Chloe.
"Chlo." Beca smiled and pulled Chloe into a hug. Chloe hugged her tightly. Chloe thought landing in Atlanta felt like coming home, and she knew that she was wrong. Hugging Beca. Now that was what coming home truly felt like.
"Becs." Chloe sighed. The room seemed to disappear around them. It was only her and Beca. Everything else dissolved into obscurity.
"I'm so glad you came." Beca exhaled. It was quiet enough that Chloe was sure she was the only one who heard it.
"Of course, Becs. I wouldn't miss it." Chloe lied, sort of. She would do anything to support Beca. She always wanted to be there for her. But she was secretly there for more selfish reasons. She wanted to know for sure that Beca was truly happy with him. That he gave her the best life possible.
They pulled out of the hug but kept looking at each other.
"I've really missed you." Beca admitted, Chloe saw a hint of something in Beca's eyes that she'd never seen before. It was hard to explain but all Chloe could think to name it was yearning.
"I missed you so much." Chloe admitted back. That was true. She had missed Beca, deeply. Yes, it had been her fault. But she didn't want to think about that right now.
Suddenly they were pulled out of their own little world. "Let's eat, pitches!" Amy yelled and everyone found their seats. Chloe couldn't help but laugh at the familiarity of it all. Yeah, it had been awhile since a lot of them had been together, but it honestly felt like nothing had changed at all.
Chloe's smile was brighter then it had been in a really long time. She would always love her Bella's.
As Chloe was looking around the table, taking in the interactions between each other she felt a hand slip into her own. She looked over to see it was Beca. Chloe smiled at her.
"Can I talk to you?" Beca asked. She tilted her head toward the exit.
Chloe took a look around and figured no one would really miss them so she nodded and stood up to follow Beca out.
They'd been standing in the parking lot by Beca's car for a few minutes. Just looking out into the night sky. Neither said a word and Chloe was anxious. Then suddenly the silence was broken.
"So uh… I wasn't sure if I should bring this up but it's driving me crazy." Beca began. "What the hell happened to us?"
Chloe looked at Beca, who kept her eyes trained on the sky that endlessly stretched out in front of them.
"I don't know…" Chloe admitted, again another lie.
"That's bullshit, Chlo and you know it." Beca stated. There was no heat in her tone but Chloe knew she was being serious. Beca finally turned and met the red heads eyes. "After that night, you've been avoiding me. Why?"
Beca didn't need to explain what night she was talking about. They both knew.
"Bec…" Chloe began. She took a deep breath. "It was just hard for me to know that you were moving on. That you were going to be able to follow your dreams. That I would be left behind."
What she said was true. Those were all fears she had had. Some more serious than the others but still concerns.
"Do you really think I'd do that to you?" Beca asked clearly taken aback. "Do you really think I'd get my break and just leave and never look back?"
"No. Not exactly." Chloe stated. She didn't want to offend the dj. That was the last thing she wanted. She looked over at Beca and sighed sadly. "Bec… This isn't the time for us to talk about this. You're getting married in two days…"
"Chloe, I feel like this is the time we need to talk about this." Beca stated. She looked at Chloe, waiting for her to say what she's feeling. "What is it?"
The question weighed on Chloe. It felt as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. The tears stung her eyes and the emotion fought its way to the surface. She looked into Beca's eyes and held them there. Knowing that if she was going to tell Beca the truth it had to be now.
The realization of this moment hit her like a train. She suddenly understood what her mom was telling her. She did love Beca enough to forget about herself and just let her be happy. But she had to make sure Beca was actually happy.
"Do you love him?" Chloe asked, studying her face. Beca gave her a questioning look. But she must have understood what she was talking about after a moment.
"Of course I do." Beca sighed. "I'll always love, Jesse."
"Does he make you happy?" Chloe asked, still studying her.
"Chloe, what are you getting at?" Beca asked a hint of emotion in her tone.
"I just need to know you're happy. That he's the right one for you." Chloe sighed. "I need to know that he's the best person for you to be with. So, does he make you happy? Does he make you feel like the most amazing person in the world? Does he see all your quirks and weirdness and love you all the more for it? Does he know that you chew your bottom lip when you're nervous? Or that you watch the Bachelor at night when no one can see you? Does he know that you cry every time you read A Walk To Remember? Or that you actually love Disney Movies? And that you can sing the entire score to both Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen? Does he know you, Beca? Can he tell you that he knows you better than anyone else?"
The tears had begun to fall but went unnoticed by the redhead. They didn't go unnoticed by Beca though.
Beca stood there, stunned at the emotion that was in Chloe's tone. She had never seen Chloe so emotional about something and she felt a weird pang in her heart. It made her wonder how Chloe had known all those things. But it also made her wonder if Jesse really did know any of that about her…
"I…" Beca began but didn't know what to say. She didn't know how to respond to her best friend. She didn't know what to think about any of it. "Chloe, I."
"Make sure he does before you promise forever with him. Make sure you know him too, Beca." Chloe plead. "You never wanted to get married or have kids. I don't understand what changed."
"You wouldn't." Beca sighed. "You kicked me out of your life after the USO tour…"
Chloe could hear the hurt in Beca's tone. There was no anger, just hurt.
"I couldn't see you with him." Chloe admitted. "I couldn't watch you go back down that road."
"What the fuck does that mean?" Beca asked, the anger finally coming through.
"He's not right for you, Beca!" Chloe returned the anger. But her anger wasn't really directed toward Beca, it was toward Jesse and herself. She should have stuck around. She shouldn't have been such a coward. She should have told Beca her true feelings. "He's not your happy ending." She said that last line with a sigh.
"How would you know?" Beca asked angrily. "What makes you so certain he's not exactly what I want? If I didn't want him I wouldn't be marrying him in two fucking days!"
Chloe felt each word like a punch in the gut. Beca wouldn't be marrying Jesse if it wasn't what she wanted… She knew Beca well enough to know that she didn't do anything she didn't want to.
"I told you this wasn't the time to talk about it." Chloe sighed. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. When she opened them, she looked into Beca's dark blue eyes. The eyes she's always loved. "I want to support you and be there for you. You're my best friend. But Beca, I can't. I can't watch you marry him."
Chloe turned to walk away but was stopped. "Stop fucking doing that! Stop running away! Face me and tell me what the hell you want to tell me! It's clearly important to you."
"I can't." Chloe sighed. She kept her back turned to Beca. She didn't want her to see the hurt in her eyes. "I love you too much to do that."
The weight was there, in her words. She felt them and couldn't help but wonder if Beca felt them as well.
"I love you enough to forget about myself." Chloe sighed, repeating her moms words. She didn't know if she was trying to convince herself or Beca.
"Talk to me, Chlo! What is it about Jesse that you hate so much!?" Beca walked up behind Chloe and put her hand on her shoulder, trying to get her to turn around. "I've always known you didn't like him, but I can't figure out why…. What is it about him? Jesse's a great guy. I don't understand."
"It has nothing to do with him." Chloe admitted. She turned and looked at Beca. The pain was etched all over the usually happy red head. It shocked Beca to see. "It's not him. It's me."
She took a deep breath. She hated that she was doing this to Beca two days before her wedding. But it needed to be said. For her own sanity more than anything.
"Everything you have with him. The future you have, it's what I've always wanted." Chloe sighed. The sadness was evident on Beca's face.
"You'll find someone, Chloe. I know you will." Beca began but Chloe cut her off.
"No, it's not that." Chloe sighed. "I don't want it with someone. I want it with you."
The words came out in a rush. It seemed as though it took Beca a few seconds to realize what Chloe had just said, because her face went from sadness, to confusion, to understanding, and back to confusion all in a matter of 3 seconds.
"Chloe…" Beca began but stopped almost as if she couldn't form the words to say.
"It's fine. I get it, you love him and not me. I've always known that. It just hurts." Chloe explained. "I'm sorry."
"Chloe, wait." Beca tried to grab her hand but Chloe had already slipped away and was headed back to the restaurant entrance.
She walked straight to Emily. "I need you." She whispered and headed back outside, just going out the opposite door from the one Beca was still standing at, dumbfounded and confused.
"What happened?" Emily asked clearly worried.
"It just spewed out… I didn't mean for it to." Chloe sobbed into Legacy's shoulder. Emily pulled her in tightly. Emily's heart truly broke for both Chloe and Beca. She knew that this weekend was going to be hard for the former captains but she didn't expect it to blow up on the first night.
"It's going to be okay." Emily promised. "It's going to be okay…"
Chloe just sobbed into her shoulder. The pain of realizing that Beca finally knew about her feelings was just too real. She felt as if it would consume her.
Beca had always been the one for her. She'd always been Chloe's happily ever after. But it was too late. She'd waited too long. It was over.
After a long time and multiple people staring that them as they walked into the restaurant, Chloe pulled out of Emily's embrace. "I'm getting on the next plane back to Seattle. I can't do this."
"Chlo, you'll regret it." Emily stated. "If you leave now that's it. You and Beca will never be able to repair your relationship. But you already know that. Would you rather not have her in your life at all?"
In this moment it seemed it would be easier if she never saw Beca Mitchell again. But she knew that the pain would subside and that she would regret burning that bridge with Beca. She would always want Beca in her life. They were too close for her to just do that.
"Emily…" Chloe shook her head. She sighed. The conversation with Beca seemed to echo in her mind on repeat. The look on Beca's face had truly crushed her. "Can we go?"
Emily nodded. "Let me go grab my bag."
Chloe stood by the car and waited. She didn't realize that Beca had left already and didn't say goodbye to anyone. The girls in the restaurant were confused and rightfully so. How had a night that was supposed to be fun turn into this…
Beca's POV
"No, it's not that. I don't want it with someone. I want it with you."
Chloe's sentence reverberated in Beca's mind the whole time she was driving. She didn't know where she was going all she knew was that she needed to get away. Process what the hell had just happened.
Beca wasn't stupid. She knew that there was something clearly wrong with her friendship with Chloe and it started the final night of the USO tour. She knew that something had changed in the red head. But she never imagined it was Jesse. Or more like it her relationship with Jesse.
She hadn't even honestly thought of that. She had always just assumed it had to do with being signed by Khalid or something. But suddenly Beca started having flashbacks to her Barden days. Living in New York. The USO tour. Everything. All her interactions with Chloe. How close they were. The weird magnetic pull they had with each other.
Beca had never really thought of it before, but now it was staring her in the face like a giant elephant she somehow had missed for years. How the hell had she missed it for so long?
The tears stung at her eyes. This shouldn't be happening. She was about to marry the man she loved. She was about to start her life with him. How could this be happening? How could she be doubting everything when the most important decision of her life was less then 48 hours away? What the fuck!
Beca pulled up in front of the hotel she and Jesse were staying at. She thought about going in, talking to Jesse. Figuring out what the hell she needed to do but the thought of that, it killed her. She had no idea how to talk to him about everything. Beca had come a long way with her communication skills but still how do you start that conversation.
"hey Jes so I just found out Chloe's in love with me, what are your thoughts?" Beca thought to herself and gave a humorless laugh. That would go over really well.
Beca sighed, she climbed out of the car and headed up to her and Jesse's room.
She walked in and found Jesse sitting at the small desk in the corner of the room. He was writing something. He looked up at her and smiled brightly.
"You're back early." He pointed out. He moved the piece of paper he'd been writing on over so that Beca couldn't see it. "How was your dinner with the girls?"
"Jesse…" Beca began, "We need to talk."
Chloe's POV
Chloe had been stared at the ceiling in her room all night. The ceiling was clearly winning their staring contest, but Chloe had known that sleep wouldn't come easily, if at all.
By the time the sun came up the next day Chloe had barely noticed the hours trickling by, she barely felt the exhaustion. In fact she barely felt anything at all.
Chloe proceeded to go throughout her day as if in a robotic trance. She went through the motion of going shopping with Stacie, Bella, Aubrey, and Emily. She barely talked when they got food even though they all tried to include her in conversation.
The three adults were all worried about her. She knew they were. But she couldn't bring herself to snap out of it. It was easier to feel nothing at all in the moment.
Soon she found herself back at the Conrad's home. She was sitting on the couch, half listening to the three other woman talk, half hearing nothing at all.
She hadn't even registered the door bell ringing. She hadn't noticed Stacie stand. She hadn't noticed Emily and Aubrey clear out of the room. She hadn't noticed the new arrival. She just stared at the same spot on the carpet that she'd been looking at for who knows how long.
She could tell someone was standing just inside her peripheral vision but hadn't tried to figure out who it was. If she had, she would have felt the tension that was filling the room.
"We need to talk." Beca stated.
The voice broke Chloe out of her trance. She looked over to see Beca standing there, for the first time. Chloe could tell Beca had been crying. She could see the hurt and pain written on her face.
"Can we talk?" Beca asked. But Chloe knew she didn't really have a choice. She nodded her head.
"Let's go on the patio." Chloe suggested. That was the most she'd spoken all day.
Beca silently followed her outside. They stood there, staring at the night sky again, just like they had the night before. This time however the tension was real and thick. Almost as if you could cut it with a knife.
The silence was unbareable but Chloe had no idea what to say. All she could think about was her mom's story about her dad. The question that she had asked him.
"Do you love him?" Chloe asked again. Beca stayed silent this time.
"How long?" Beca asked, ignoring the question.
Chloe didn't need to clarify. She already knew what Beca was asking her.
"Do you remember that night at the Treble party, your freshman year, you had just sung up on stage and you ran over to me. It was the happiest I'd ever seen you. You pulled me in and told me that you sang that song for me." Chloe stated. "Do you remember what the song was?"
"No." Beca stated. To be far she had been drunk.
"You sang Mine by Taylor Swift." Chloe stated. "You basically told me you just sang me a love song. I didn't know if it was a joke but it was that moment that I knew you were more then a friend for me. That was the moment I knew I loved you."
Beca took in a shaky breath. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"I tried to." Chloe sighed. "The last night of the USO tour, when I went to your room I went to tell you. But then I saw you and Jesse. I realized that you didn't feel that way about me."
"Chloe, you didn't know that." Beca stated. She turned and looked at Chloe for the first time. Chloe remained looking out at the darkness. "You just decided for me that I would never love you like that without even talking to me about it."
"Do you?" Chloe asked without thinking. "Don't answer that. It doesn't matter now."
"What if it does matter to me?" Beca pointed out. "Chloe, you're one of the most important people in my life. How could you say it doesn't matter?"
"You're getting married." Chloe pointed out in a defeated tone.
"Look at me, Chloe." Beca whispered. Chloe did as she was told. "You know that one part of weddings where the guy officiating the wedding stops and asks the people there if anyone objects to stand up and make it known?"
Chloe looked at her with a confused look on her face. "Yeah but what…"
Beca interrupted her. "Here's your chance. Speak now or hold your peace."
Chloe felt the words in her sole, how was this happening right now?
"Tell me not to marry him." Beca stated. She was looking at Chloe expectantly.
"Do you love him more than me?" Chloe found herself asking. She needed to know the truth. She had to know before she asked Beca not to marry him.
"Chloe, speak now." Beca prodded again. There was a hint of desperation in her tone. Did Beca want her to do this?
"Don't." Chloe sighed. "Don't marry him, Beca."
Beca looked at her as if the words were sinking in.
It happened in a rush, Beca stepped forward and captured Chloe's lips in her own. The kiss was soft and sweet and gentle. The emotion that was shared was unlike anything Chloe had ever experienced. Beca Mitchell, the love of her life, was kissing her.
Suddenly Chloe pushed away, realization dawning on her. "We can't do this, Beca. You're engaged. You're supposed to be getting married tomorrow."
Beca lifted up her left hand, Chloe took in the absence of the ring that should have been there. The one that was there yesterday.
"Wha…" Chloe started but stopped, staring dumbly at Beca's hand.
"I talked to him yesterday." Beca explained. Beca went on to explain what had happened.
*Flashback*
"Jesse, we need to talk." Beca walked over and sat across from him on the bed.
"This doesn't sound good." Jesse looked at her with a concerned look on his face. He turned his chair so that he was facing her. "What's up, Becs?"
"I uh… Jesse what the hell are we doing?" Beca asked in a rush. "Is this really what you want?"
Jesse was taken aback by her question. "Do you not want this?"
Beca sighed. "I don't know what I want." She confessed. "Does this feel, right to you?"
"Right now, no not really." Jesse stated with a very worried look on his face. "Do you not want to get married?"
"Jesse. The closer we get to this, to marrying each other I can't help but feel like we're rushing things. What if we realize after we get married that we don't even know each other?" Beca asked, letting Chloe's questions get to her. Did Jesse know any of that about her.
"Beca, you are a musical genius. You are one of the worst morning people on the planet. You pretend like you don't give a shit but you care far more then most. You laugh at the dumbest jokes but you love them." Jesse put his hand on her leg. "I know you, Beca. I know who you are."
The pit in Beca's stomach only grew. "Jess, everyone knows those things. What about the little things?"
"I'm not understanding where you're going." Jesse sat back and just studied Beca.
"What's my favorite book?" Beca asked him, she knew for a fact she'd read it around him before.
"I don't know, Harry Potter?" Jesse guessed.
"What's my favorite musical?" Beca asked. "Favorite movie? What do I do more then anything when I'm nervous? Do you know any of it?"
"Why do those things matter?" Jesse asked in shock. "Do you know those things about me?"
"Your favorite book is Pride and Prejudice. Your favorite musical is Wicked. Move is The Breakfast Club and anything Star Wars related. You bite your nails when you're nervous. But if it's really bad you start to bounce your let up and down like you're doing right now." Beca stated. Jesse looked at her in shock. "How can you be my husband when you don't know any of the little things about me?"
"Beca what the hell is this really about?" Jesse asked in defeat. "I'm sorry I don't know those things. But is that really what's bothering you?"
Beca looked down. She didn't know what to say. Jesse seemed to be thinking as well because he sighed loudly.
"What happened at dinner?" He asked her. "What happened when you saw her again?"
Beca looked up at him in shock. "What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Beca." Jesse snapped. He must of realized that he was getting to angry because he stood up and started pacing the room. "Chloe. What did she say to you?"
Beca looked at him shocked. How did he know it had anything to do with Chloe?
"I don't understand. What are you talking about, Jesse?" Beca stayed in her spot on the bed.
"I'm not an idiot." Jesse sighed. He stopped and looked at her. "I know how she feels about you. She's in love with you, and you know it. Are you in love with her?"
Beca's mouth opened as if she was going to say something but nothing came out. What the hell was she supposed to say to that…
"I'm not her." Jesse sighed. "You've never looked at me the way you look at her. And you're never going to, are you? You're never going to love me like you love her."
"Jesse I don't…" Beca began but she was cut off by him.
"Don't lie to me, Becs." Jesse put his head down. "It's okay. I've always known. I think I just didn't want to accept it. You love me, just not like that."
"I do love you, Jesse." Beca stood up and walked over to him. "I'll always love you."
"But are you in love with me?" Jesse asked. "There is a difference."
"I thought I was…" Beca admitted. "Until tonight, when she… When she told me."
Jesse sighed and she could hear the break in his breath.
"I'm so sorry, Jesse." Beca felt the tears sting her eyes.
"Me too." Jesse pulled her into a hug that Beca returned. She allowed the tears to fall and could feel his body shake as his own tears tumbled down.
He pulled away and looked at her. She fought the urge to brush his tears away, feeling like it wasn't her right. "What do you want?"
That was a loaded question if Beca had ever heard one. She honestly didn't know.
"Do you want her?" Jesse asked. "Do you want to be with Chloe?"
"I don't know." Beca sighed. "I don't even know how I feel about her."
"Yes you do, you know." Jesse looked in her eyes. His brown eyes glistening with tears. "You know."
Beca turned away from him. She couldn't see him like this.
"Beca, I need you to say it." Jesse plead. "I need you to tell me so I can let you go easier. Because if you don't, I'll always wonder what if. Tell me the truth, please."
Beca turned. She felt his pain in ever word and it killed her that she was the one who had caused it. "I could be happy with you." She said.
"I know. But who would you be happier with?" Jesse countered. "You have to make this choice. But I want you to make the choice that's best for you. Not me and not Chloe, but for you."
Beca took in a deep, shakey breath. Suddenly the reality of everything hit her.
"Oh my god, I love her…" Beca breathed out. "I'm in love with her. Jesse, I'm so sorry."
Beca broke down again. How had she done this to him? How had she drug him along just to realize her true feelings right before their wedding.
"Shh." Jesse pulled her into another hug. "Don't be. Okay. It's going to be okay."
Beca calmed down a little while later. "What do we do now?" Beca asked in a tone of defeat.
"We face this together." Jesse explained. "We'll need to talk to our parents. We don't have to tell them why, at least not now if you don't want to. We can just tell them that we realized we weren't in love with each other. Or whatever."
"But you are in love with me, Jesse." Beca pointed out. "This whole thing is my fault."
"No it isn't." Jesse stated. "Beca when I say I've always known, I'm not kidding. I just had this false sense of hope that you might learn to love me. It's my fault really."
Beca sighed. "Together?"
"Together." Jesse confirmed.
*End Of Flashback*
Chloe stared at Beca for a moment, not believing any of it. "You're not getting married?"
"No. At least not yet and not to Jesse." Beca explained.
"Beca… I don't know what to say." Chloe explained. "I'm so sorry."
"I'm not. I love you, Chloe Beale." Beca said as she stepped forward and kissed Chloe.
Beca knew that the road would be long and complicated, but she was glad that Chloe spoke up when she did. She was glad she finally knew the truth.
A/N Hope you all enjoyed this! So just for fun I made the wedding announcement and posted it on Tumblr. You can find it by searching Aca-Bechloe47.
Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed it :)