The Right Place

Chapter Forty-Six

As she delicately broke off a piece of croissant with two pinched fingers, Chloe listened intently to Aubrey, who was rambling passionately about her new favourite album. The friends were sitting opposite each other in a regular chain café, and for the past five minutes, the redhead had been caught in a whirlwind of praise towards Frank Ocean.

'All I'm saying is that he's a genius', Aubrey finished, leaning back into her chair and taking a sip of coffee rather triumphantly. Then, taking a bite into the carrot cake she'd momentarily abandoned in favour of the speech, she added, 'You should listen to him- he'll blow you away'

'Well you've certainly convinced me', Chloe nodded, placing her fork neatly on her plate and wiping the corners of her mouth with a tissue. 'Hey, you know-'

Chloe's next words were cut off by an interruption from Aubrey, who'd had a revelation in the past few seconds.

'Maybe', Aubrey spoke, eyes wild with hope and fire, 'Beca could work with Frank, and she could take me to the studio while they make music...Mrs Aubrey Posen-Ocean. I like how that sounds...'

A snort left Chloe, and she held back more giggles with the palm of her hand. To see Miss Posen, (uptight, must-be-done-right-first-time-Posen), become so childishly enamoured with a celebrity was a humourous experience to say the least.

'What? It's not realistic?', asked Aubrey, poking fun at herself.

'Please', Chloe replied, rolling her eyes with such great deliberation that Beca would have been proud. 'You said that Beca and I were unrealistic, which makes your fantasy ridiculous'

'Ouch. Let a girl have a toner'

'And the rest of the Bellas think you're so innocent', winked Chloe into her smoothie cup.

'So how's your little toner?'

'Beca?'

'Obviously'

Swirling the straw of her smoothie and becoming mesmerized by the slick strawberry swirls, Chloe answered giddily, 'We're amazing'. However, before Aubrey had barely started to congratulate her, she interjected with a, 'But...'

Her mood hadn't faltered, but her teeth had gritted together to prompt questioning.

'...But?', Aubrey repeated back to her, leaning forward and raising an accusing eyebrow.

'Hmm...no, don't worry about it actually', Chloe dismissed with a casual wave of a hand.

'Chloe, tell me. You know we don't keep secrets from each other'

'Excuse me? Remember that time you were hooking up with-'

'Woah, okay, there is no need to bring that up', the blonde interrupted, waving her hands dismissively. 'I just want to make sure you aren't being...misled, or hurt by anyone'

'No, no, Bree, it's nothing like that. It's just a little thing that's been bugging me- it's not a big deal'

'If it's bugging you, it's a big deal'

Chloe sighed, and made one last, laboured sweep with her straw before defeatedly crossing her arms on the table and tugging at her lip with her front teeth. She hummed and faltered, considered and thought. She wondered if she should be sharing a problem so private without giving Beca a chance to fix it- it seemed unfair. On the other hand, it was sort of unfair to leave Aubrey on the edge, waiting for an answer, and after all, what best friends don't share secrets? Aubrey wasn't the type of girl to leave things unsaid- especially if Chloe's feelings were on the line. Deeply protective of her, she wouldn't let the redhead be crushed by anyone or anything, if she could help it.