The Basketcase and The Princess

Chapter 19

Beca got the cab to drop her off at her building. Beca vanquished any thoughts she had of inviting him up. Any thoughts Beca had tried to convince herself to have about inviting him up gone as she closed the car door behind her and said her good night. She couldn't even look him in the eye. Never mind anything else.

The cab took off towards his building.

Beca took out her phone as she entered her building. There was a missed call from Chloe from less than an hour previous.

She owed her a call, a text, a visit.

She knew she owed her an explanation.

Beca owed Chloe.

Fuck.

She needed to see Chloe.

Now.

Had to.

It wasn't a want. A pure need. To feel right again. And only Chloe, she knew, could give her that feeling.

Make her feel like herself again. Better than herself.

Chloe fucking Beale.

Beca stood outside the Bellas house, phone in hand, a picture of her and Chloe together, smiling, that Fat Amy had taken one day during rehearsals that she had set as Chloe's caller photo I.D. But it was blurry.

Wet?

Fuck. Was she crying?

When had that started?

She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. Yes, fuck. She was crying.

She pressed call, then put the phone to her ear.

It rang and rang and rang. And nothing.

She started over again, redial, and she saw a light go on above her in the house.

Chloe picked up. Silence.

"Chlo?" Beca's voice broke over her name. More silence. "Chlo...?" Beca took the phone away from her ear to make sure she was on the line with Chloe. Seconds ticked by on the call on her screen. Chloe was there. She placed her cell phone back against her ear as she looked up to Chloe's window. The light was still on, a small glimmer of hope in the darkness. "...please..." Head back in her hands. She shut her eyes. Tight. Saw Jesse looking down at her. Tried to focus past that and see Chloe's face behind her eye lids. "...say something, talk to me."

"Oh so now you want to talk?"

"Yes? No?..." Beca didn't know. The words were hard to come by. "I don't want to talk."

"Darn it," She heard Chloe sigh. "Bec..." Beca looked back up at Chloe's window. Waiting. "What do you want?"

"You... I want... I want you Chlo... Fuck," She let out a long deep breath, then swallowed. Hard. Still tasting him. Her hand ran through her hair, as she leant back into the building. "Chlo I just want you, please... please just... come open the door..."

"Bec..." Chloe spoke through clenched teeth, keeping in the words to just tell Beca to fuck off. "Go. Away."

Chloe hung up, letting out an angry breath. Chloe fell back onto her bed, tossing her phone out of reach.

Chloe's phone started to buzz again. She rolled her eyes. At herself. Because she knew she was this close to giving in to Beca. She knew she wasn't strong. Shook her head and let out another ragged breath. If she hadn't tossed her phone away she would have picked back up. Picked up, got up, and let Beca in.

Chloe placed her hands over her face, rubbing harshly through her hair, down to cover her ears.

Beca sat on the ground outside the front door, holding in sobs that threatened to take over her entire being, she felt dirty and wrong.