Senior Year

Emily

"Great, now DSM thinks they have the drop on us," Chloe said, running a hand through her hair. Beca didn't know how to respond – the redhead was right but at the same time, at least Emily had had the guts to sing something.

"I might just go crawl under a rock and die," the legacy mumbled, looking to the floor. Beca put her hand the on girl's shoulder, trying to comfort her. "Hey we don't-" Beca said as she looked over to Chloe. Seeing the redhead's eyebrows raised, she held a finger up to her. "We don't want that."

Annoyed, Chloe made her way to the far corner of the room and put her head in her hands. Beca apologised to Emily and went after the redhead.

"I know the Bellas mean a lot to you Chloe but that doesn't mean-"

"The Bellas are the only thing I have Beca." The redhead had tears in her eyes, her bottom lip trembling. "This has been the last seven years of my life; nothing else has mattered. If DSM beat us and the Bellas-" She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

Not quite knowing what else to do, Beca simply held out her arms and allowed Chloe to fill the gap. The girls weren't strangers to each other like this with the amount of dancing they did together, not to mention Beca's pre-audition in the Uni showers. However, this felt different; Chloe was shaking in her arms and it hurt inside to see the redhead so choked up about something.

"If I know anything," the brunette muttered, thinking on her feet. "It's that you are the most enthusiastic person I know. If anyone can help get the Bellas back on track, it's you Chlo."

Wiping her eyes, Chloe smiled a little. "Thanks Beca. Has anyone told you that you're a great hugger?"

Beca shook her head, confused at the statement. Her reaction must have been peculiar because Chloe started to laugh.

"You should be like this more often," the redhead said. "It's nice seeing a different side to you."

"That's a weird thing to say," the brunette said slowly. "I wouldn't say the same to you; crying definitely doesn't do anything for your look." Chloe hit Beca's arm but laughed all the same.

"Smiling a little more often would help you look more approachable?" The redhead bit her lip as she waited for Beca's reply. The brunette's jaw dropped but she also burst into a fit of laughter.

"Although saying that," Chloe said under her breath. "You have actually been smiling more. That's a bit weird."

Beca shrugged her shoulders. "Can't say I know why. You know that's another weird thing to say? Besides, when have you seen me smile? Are you secretly stalking me?"

The girls giggled again but the look in Chloe's eye was different this time. As their laughter faded away, they just locked at one another, neither flinching nor daring to move. "Beca I-" started the redhead, but at the same moment, Jesse came up behind the brunette and tapped her on the shoulder.

"You guys should join in with the party instead of standing back here. Come on!" He grabbed Beca's hand and took her off into the crowd.

"Sorry," Beca shouted as she disappeared into the mist of bodies, the redhead vanishing from her field of vision. She could only hope that she'd cheered Chloe up, at least for now.

A/N: Shorter chapter than usual but I hope you enjoy all the same :)