I Know What You Did Last Summer - A Bechloe Short Story

Chapter 4: It's Tragic Really

Summer of 2010

"You should've told me you were visiting! I would've canceled my plans to go to Miami if I knew you were coming." Chloe said over the FaceTime call.
"But I wanted to surprise you!" Jade said back. "By the way, how's Miami?"
"It's great! Some dude tried to hit on me this morning. He wasn't even that cute." Jade chuckled.

"Did Aubrey beat him up?"

"Oh, totes!" She said, and Jade burst out laughing.

"Classic Aubrey." Jade said, shaking her head in amusement. "At least I know someone's looking out for my sister."

Chloe inspected her step sister's face for a little bit, before grinning.
"You're happier. Who is it? Spill now." She demanded, and Jade's eyes widened in disbelief.

"How the hell do you do that?" Jade asked. "How do you always know when there's someone I really like? It's freaking me out Chlo!" Chloe just laughed.
"I lived with you for almost all my life. I think I'd know by now if you liked someone, so who's the lucky one?" Chloe wiggled her eyebrows and Jade giggled.

"Her name is Beca. She's...wow." Chloe smiled.
"Go on."

"She's this amazing person. She makes me so happy, Chlo. It's insane. And I—"

"And you think you're in love with her?" She asked. Jade shook her head.

"I know I'm in love with her."

                      ______________

                              2015

     "Hey you." Chloe said, pressing a kiss to Beca's cheek. Jade left about 10 minuets ago, claiming she had somewhere to be. She avoided Beca's gaze as she walked out of the house.
     "Hey." Beca replied, smiling.

     "So what's up with you and Jade? She looked like she'd just seen a ghost when you opened the door." Beca gulped.
     "Uh, Yeah. We've met...um before..." she said, and Chloe raised her eyebrows.
     "Really? Hm, what a small world."

     "Yeah." Beca grumbled. "Tell me about it. So why were you laughing and squealing while Jade was in your room? Were you..."

Chloe's eyes widened. "Ew! No! It's not like that at all! Jade is my step sister." Beca tried to look like she didn't already know that information.

     "Jade was putting concealer on the hickeys you gave me. I'm ticklish, so that's why I was laughing."

     "Oh." Beca said.

      Chloe gave her a skeptical look.

     "You sure you're okay, Becs?"

     "I'm sure. I just need to...make a call." She said, standing up from the table. "I'll be outside, okay?" Chloe nodded.
     "Okay." She responded, as Beca made her way outside the house.

                  _______________

     Jade woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. Her eyes widened as she stared at the caller ID. She took in a shaky breath before picking up.

     "Beca?"

     "What the hell, Jade?" Beca hissed. "Chloe is your step sister?!"

     Even if Beca was yelling at her right now, Jade missed this. She missed Beca's voice. She didn't realize how much she missed it until she heard it again.

     "Yeah." Jade confirmed. "What's the big deal?"

     "She's that half sister? The one you came to Atlanta to visit the summer we met?" Beca asked, voice calming down a bit. "The one that you intended on visiting, but she was actually on a vacation with her friends in Miami?"

     "Good memory, B." The nickname slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it.
     Beca grimaced at the nickname, trying not to dwell on it too much.

     "You know...you could've given me a little head's up before showing up at our front door." She said, and Jade rolled her eyes.

     "Well God, sorry. I didn't know you were a Bella."

     "Didn't think you'd ever see me again, huh?" Beca asked, and there was a hint of hurt in the brunette's voice. Jade took a deep breath.

     "No...no I didn't." She confessed. "And I can't believe you still have my number."

     "I don't forget things that easily, Jade." Beca snapped. "Can't really say the same about you..."

     "Bec—"

     "Well, it was nice seeing you again...I guess."  Beca said, cutting her off.

     "You too, B."

     Beca didn't say anything after that. She just ended the call. Jade put a hand to her mouth, holding back a sob. Her eyesight blurred with tears.

How could she have let this happen?

                 _______________

Beca walked up to her room and flopped on her bed, fighting back tears. She thought she was over this. She bought she was done crying over her.
She heard a knock on the door.
"Beca?" It was Chloe's voice. "Can I come in?"
Beca took a few breaths to compose herself.

"Yeah, sure." She replied, and Chloe stepped in the room.

     "So I got curious....how did you meet Jade?" Chloe asked.
     "We um...hooked up at a party...when I was in high school." Beca lied, and Chloe seemed to buy it.

     "That's interesting, because Jade knew a Beca. They met during the summer of 2010."

     Beca nodded, ignoring the lump in her throat because she knew who Chloe was talking about.

     "God, Jade was so in love with her." And wait what?! She was what?!
    
     Beca couldn't comprehend what Chloe was telling her. Jade had said that it was just a fling. She made it sound like that summer meant nothing to her. Jade couldn't have been in love with her. Could she?

     "W-What happened?" Beca asked, tears pricking her eyes.
     "Our dad...he wasn't a good man."

     "Oh god, did he..."

     "No!" Chloe said. "He didn't hurt us, not physically at least. But he threatened Jade with something that forced her to break up with Beca. It's tragic really. Jade never got to tell Beca she loved her."

     Beca's voice was caught in her throat, and all she could manage was a nod.

     Jade loved her. It wasn't just a meaningless fling. She loved her. But Beca needed to hear that from Jade.

     "Hey Chlo?"

     "Yeah?"

     "There's something I need to do." Beca said, and Chloe didn't need to be told twice.
     "I'll be in my room if you need me!" She said, standing up and leaving the room.

     Beca stood up and looked through her old mixes. Smiling sadly, she picked up the mix that was labeled, Jade, and stuffed it in her back pocket.

What Beca didn't realize, was then while she grabbed Jade's mix, she accidentally knocked Chloe's mix to the ground.

     She rushed downstairs, out of the house, and into her car. She took her phone out and dialed the number.
     "Beca?" Answered Jade.

     "Meet me at our spot. I need closure and I think you do too." said Beca. There was silence before Jade spoke again.

     "I'll be there."