Who Run the World? Girls.

3 - Two Kinds of Sister

Chloe's eyes snapped open and the first thing she saw was the "C+J" she had written on the ceiling as a stupid, love-blind 16 year old. It stood for 'Chloe + Jason', Jason being her first boyfriend. She met him when they started high school together and they had started dating in 9th grade. He was one of those gorgeous looking guys with hazel eyes and perfect brown hair and a six-pack that you could fall into any day. The difference with him though, was that he was one of the only guys in her year who wasn't an arrogant dick. He was timid and worried about school more than his fitness plans. She adored him, but in the end it turned out she adored him a little too much. When they went away to college, at first they called each other every day, but then it became every other day, then every week and so on. Until one day Jason called her and told her it wasn't working anymore and then she never saw him again.
Then she met Tom at Aca-Initiation night at the beginning of her second year at Barden, but that ended up lasting a year and half since she caught him all over some girl from his Physics class.
Since then she had been single and free, and she liked keeping it that way, allowing for an occasional fling every now and then.

Chloe sat up and looked around her room. Her old violin was sitting on the shelf, now covered in about three millimetres of dust. She'd given up on that when she discovered Acapella.
She got up, and followed the scent of food down to the kitchen where her mother was cooking breakfast. Her father was shovelling down some scrambled egg at the breakfast table.
"Morning, Chlo. You want some bacon?" her mother asked.
"Sure," Chloe replied as she sat down.
Her mother was not the most proud one in the world. Especially after Chloe had deliberately failed her year at college for four years in a row. Her dad secretly supported her in her decisions, feeling that she should only do what she loved. In her case, he was the better parent. Her sister, Sophie was the star of the family though, being two years younger than her and graduating two years before her, even if she did earn a living from telling fat people to run.
"How late are you, dad? You look like you're going to choke yourself," Chloe said, looking at him worriedly.
Her dad swollowed and glanced at his watch. "Oh, crap." he muttered, before jumping up, grabbing his keys and jacket, kissing her mom and shooting out the door.
"Have a good day, you two!" he shouted as he left. Chloe just chuckled.
"Honestly, your father. Why can't he ever get his timing right? He reminds me of you sometimes," her mom groaned.
Chloe chose to ignore this as her mom placed her breakfast on the table in front of her and took off her apron.
"I have to be at the hospital at 11 so-"
"Hospital? Why?" Chloe asked.
"It's just a check up, sweetheart. Nothing to worry about. Uh, your sister told me to remind you to meet her at 1:30, in case you forgot."
"I didn't. But of course she'd think that I did because she graduated before me."
Ever since her graduation, Sophie's ego had cranked up a lot, especially when it came to upstaging Chloe. She'd always been a stuck-up little bitch anyway, but that event had changed her for the worse.
"Please don't start that again, Chloe..."
"I'm not. I was just saying. Now go before you're late too," Chloe muttered.
Her family was part of the reason she stayed at college and the half the reason she was so quick to accept Beca's offer of moving in together. It was only her dad she could really rely on because she found she was more alike to him. He'd always been there for her and was the one who read the bedtime stories and cuddled her at night. She didn't like the way it was, but the rest of her family brought out the worst in her.

Her mother left soon after that, so she saw it as a good time to take a shower and get herself ready for her meeting with her sister. She was constantly checking for messages from any of the Bellas, because she felt lonely. It was like being in an empty bubble with everyone she loved living miles away.
There was only one message from Fat Amy saying "In Tasmaniiaaa, bitchesss!! I've never been so happy to see a Dingo! Aussie love from down under ;) x"
Assuming she'd sent that to everyone, Chloe realised how much that was going to cost her in international charges. But it was Fat Amy. She probably didn't give a toss.

Chloe met Sophie for lunch at a small cafe in the centre of town. Chloe was there first, and she had to watch as her sister approached, wearing sporty gear and smiling at every person she saw. She was a local celebrity since her gym was the only one in town. She'd really 'made a difference' to the community and now everyone loved her for it.
"Chloe!" she squealed as she finally reached the table. She hugged Chloe, who returned it, but with not nearly as much fake enthusiasm.
"Hi, Sophie," she said with a smile, before they both sat down.
"I can't believe it! You graduated!"
Of course that was the first thing she was going to bring up.
"Yes, I did. I wouldn't call it the highlight of my life though," unlike you.
"Oh, of course. World champion of Aca-whatsit, right?"
Sophie ordered a coffee. Her long, dark hair was swaying a little in the wind and her bright blue eyes (identical to Chloe's) were covered by her shades. Chloe had the fortune of being the only redhead in the family.
"Uh, huh. That was quite something. But enough about me, how's the gym? I can see you've made quite an impression with it," Chloe beamed with false interest.
This is where Sophie bullshitted her way into centering the whole conversation to herself.
"It's absolutely fabulous! The profits have been zooming up in the past twelve months and so many more people are recognizing my work and effort and..."
It went on and on. Chloe kept nodding and sipping at her coffee. She let her mind drift away a little, until she sensed that the long boast was about to end.
"That sounds great, Soph. I'm proud of you," Chloe nodded.
"Really?"
"Really, really. It's wonderful what you've done here."
"Aw. Thanks, sis. Anyway, it's been so amazing talking to you, but I have to get back. I've left Beatrice in charge, and you know what she's like," Sophie said with a laugh.
Chloe had no clue what Beatrice was like, but she laughed too. She had never felt so sarcastic in her life.
They said goodbye, and then Chloe sat back down, ordering another coffee.
Then she got out her phone, feeling the need to have a real conversation with someone. That someone wasn't hard to choose. She stared at Beca's name, before, tapping it with a grin and putting the phone to her ear.
"Hey, nerdy poo. What's up?" Beca said when she picked up.
"I miss you," Chloe wanted to say.
"Oh, you know, Sam old. I just met my sister," Chloe actually said.
"Woah. How did that go?" Beca asked sceptically. She was aware of Chloe's relationship with her sister.
"The conversation was mainly about her and her beloved gym. But I absorbed it all without listening. She briefly congratulated me on my graduation and the World Champs. Which is something I guess," Chloe laughed.
"She actually complimented you? Dude, not to worry you or anything, but she might be getting nicer."
Chloe gasped. "Holy crap, that's a scary thought."
This time Beca laughed. "Man, it's only been a day, but it's been so boring without you by my side," she said.
"I know right? I feel the same," Chloe said, glad she could express what she felt without feeling awkward.
They talked for a bit more, before Beca said she was going shopping with her cousin.
"Have fun, loser," Chloe said.
"I will try, see ya."
"Bye, Bec."
And then she hung up, and Chloe was back in the cafe. The bill was sitting in front of her and her coffee cup only half drunk. It felt slightly cold now.
It was moments like this where Chloe realised that Beca was more of a sister to her than Sophie had ever been.