The Truth Comes Out

Chapter 15: Apartment

"Are you sure you're going to be alright by yourself?" Aubrey peeks in and looks around Chloe's apartment with an unsure expression on her face.

"Yeah. I need some sleep. I need to be alone; I need to do something to stop the pounding in my head." Chloe leans against the doorframe, practically falling asleep right there.

Aubrey looks her over one more time. "Okay," she sighs. "I'll go. Call me if you need anything."

Chloe nods and closes the door with a click. She turns to her empty apartment and exhales. 

There are clothes on the floor. Her bed is unmade. Chips lay open on the counter. The place she shares with Beca and Fat Amy is so melancholic and empty without her best friends in it. It reminds Chloe of the normal days before the crash; doing stupid little things with Fat Amy and Beca, training for vet school, and still wondering if Beca likes her. Now that everything has turned to shit, Chloe longs for them so much it hurts.  She knows she'll never get those days back. 

---

"You guys, this movie is gonna be so... Kick-ass."

The girls erupt into laughter. It's a Thursday night and they all have work in the morning, but Fat Amy decided to put on "Kick-Ass" for Chloe and Beca because she knew they needed a break from their work life. Beca insisted they get the best sound experience for their movie, even if the speakers are twenty years old and have been living in the apartment longer than they have. She works diligently on the wires and knobs while Fat Amy raids the closet for some blankets. Chloe sits in her spot on top of a beanbag chair and watches them. 

She stands up. "I'm gonna make us some ice cream."

"Greaat, make mine pistachio," Fat Amy says. 

"Blegh. The Aussies and their pistachio ice cream," mumbles Beca from under the wires.

"We're just too awesome for you Americans to understand," says Fat Amy dismissively.

Chloe leans against the hallway frame. "Becs? What about you?"

"Oh, um...vanilla please." 

"Americans," Fat Amy murmurs under her breath, and Beca attacks her with a pillow. 

Chloe turns to fetch their ice cream. She opens the freezer, but only a couple of sad ice cubes greet her. She groans. 

"We're out of ice cream," Chloe yells behind her.

Beca stops attacking Fat Amy with pillows. "Awww, I was really looking forward to my American vanilla ice cream."

"Well..." Chloe peers into the cabinet. "We have cereal.....?"

"That works!" Fat Amy calls. 

Chloe shrugs and starts making three bowls of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. 

Fat Amy is wrapped in her snuggie, and Beca a large blanket. Chloe comes back with two bowls (and a large cup, because the rest of their bowls are in the sink and no one stepped up to dish duty that night). Beca pats the bed beside her, motioning for Chloe to sit next to her. She nods and steps over the clutter to Beca, hands both girls their cereal, and plops down into the blanket. 

Beca puts her legs over Chloe's and they munch on their cereal as the opening credits begin to roll. 

---

The memory is enough to start a good cry, but Chloe swallows it down. 

She's still in her hospital clothes, she hasn't showered in days, and the taste of vomit still hangs in her mouth. She takes her shoes off and crawls under her covers. She just wants to sleep.