bechloe ~ high school

Chapter 1 (Thank you)

Chloe Beale was deemed the hottest girl at Barden High. Her long red hair and perfect figure had all the boys watching her longingly as she walked passed them on her way to and from classes. Her best friend, Aubrey Posen, was just as hot, with long blonde hair and a dazzling smile. The two teens had most of the school eating out of their hands and they knew it. They were reknowned for ace-ing their classes (though the reality was they got people to do their homework for them) and were first choice for all professional photos that the school required for brochures and promotion. They were also reknowned for each having a different on-off boyfriend every couple of months or so. Almost always a 'jock'. Almost always as much of an idiot as the idiot who came before him. Speaking of which, Chloe and Aubrey were reknowned for leading their respective boyfriends on, breaking up with them once they had slept with them..

Beca Mitchell was in the year below them at Barden High. She was notorious for a whole other set of reasons. Her insistence on skiving most of her classes, hiding around the back of the bike sheds to smoke with her friends, and having a lousy attitude gave her a very bad reputation. A reputation that didn't go unnoticed by the two beautiful teens in the year above her.

Beca had heard Posen calling out within earshot how 'scummy' Beca was. And Beale would always laugh, telling her how awful she was. But Beca would just shrug and roll her eyes. She didn't give a crap about what they thought. They were just a couple of slutty teens who put out because they were insecure. If she had to choose anyone in the school that she hated, she'd definitely say it was Chloe Beale & Aubrey Posen.

One day Beca sloped into the bathrooms at school. The ones right at the back of the science block. The ones people rarely went into because nobody really knew they were there. She snuck through the door of one of the cubicles and pulled out some cigarette paper to roll one up.

Suddenly she froze, holding her breath as somebody slammed into the bathroom, waiting for the door to swing close before letting out a loud sob.

"What the fuck. Like what the actual FUCK!" Beca heard the voice muttering beyond sobs and she swallowed loudly. It was Chloe Beale. Chloe Beale was crying in the girl's bathroom.

Beca took a deep breath, opened the door of her cubicle, and stepped out. Her heart jumped into her throat as she saw Chloe looking at her in the reflection of the bathroom mirror.

"Hey um..are you ok?" Beca asked tentatively, and Chloe sniffed loudly, clearing her throat as she began hastily running some water and washing her hands.

"Yeah..." a watery smile spread across her face to try to mask her tears, but Beca had already seen too much, "just...boy stuff..."

Beca realised this was probably the first time she'd ever heard Chloe speak without Aubrey by her side. The blonde always seemed to lead any conversation. It surprised Beca just how vulnerable Chloe looked.

"Boys huh..." Beca began awkwardly, stuffing her hands in her back jeans pocket as she tapped her feet, "yeah I hear they're pretty shit..."

"Ugh the worst!" Chloe blurted, sniffing again, her smile now dropping as she turned the water off and stared at her own reflection, "And now my make-up's ruined..."

"I don't get why you wear all that make-up. You'd look pretty without it." Beca accidentally said out loud, clearing her throat awkwardly as she screwed her face up in embarrassment.

"You don't think I'm pretty with it?" Chloe quickly asked, not sure quite why she cared. Because she didn't care what the girl thought. It was only Beca Mitchell.

"No I...of course you look pretty with make up on...I-I'm just saying you don't need it dude..."

Chloe let out a small smile at Beca via the mirror.