bechloe ~ high school

Chapter 8 (The Next Morning)

Chloe strode down the school corridor, a relaxed smile on her face as she held her school books close to her chest. She'd barely slept a wink last night, her mind entirely on the girl she had become secretly besotted with.

Chloe had stayed up all night texting Beca, and Beca had stayed up all night texting Chloe. The two had talked about their hobbies and interests. Their favourite foods. What their families were like. What they hoped to do after high school. And Chloe had fallen deeper and deeper for the quirky alt-girl.

Now she walked down the corridor, passing all the students from the younger years, passing rows upon rows of lockers. Between the fingers of her right hand she held a piece of paper that she'd folded up neatly. She casually approached one particular locker, then slid the paper into the crack of one of the doors. That particular door she knew belonged to Beca.

Chloe then began making her way further down the corridor, still gripping her books, but this time running her thumb thoughtfully over the silver ring she had on her index finger. Beca's ring.

Their little secret.

The redhead bit her bottom lip, turning the corner to approach her own locker. She opened the door, sliding her books into it then pulling out a few pens to place in her bag.

"What the hell happened to you yesterday?"

Chloe jumped at the sound of Aubrey's voice, and peered around her open locker door to see Aubrey frowning at her, her arms crossed disapprovingly. The redhead suddenly felt nervous, clearing her throat awkwardly, a smile no longer on her face. She'd ignored Aubrey's texts last night. She'd ignored Aubrey's texts this morning. Aubrey was pissed off, it was obvious to see.

"Sorry Bree I just...wasn't feeling up to going out last night that's all." Chloe said with a small shrug.

"Since when have you ever not felt up to going out?" Aubrey said with a furrowed brow, cocking her head suspiciously.

Chloe shrugged, noticing Aubrey look down at her neck. The redhead brought a hand to her neck, scratching it slightly, clearing her throat. She'd tried her hardest to use make up this morning to cover the large love-bite that Beca had given her the previous afternoon. But there was a chance she may not have done a good enough job..

"Hey babe, where did you get to last night?"

Chloe swallowed loudly, feeling an arm snake it's way around her waist. She smelt the familiar scent of Drake, her ex-boyfriend, and she turned her head to see him stood beside her. He looked down at her with a sidewards grin. A grin that she'd initially thought had been cute when she'd started dating him a few weeks ago. A grin that now made her stomach churn. She felt a little sick.

She wondered how she could have possibly ever felt anything for him. Any form of attraction. Because since first getting to properly know Beca a couple of days ago, Chloe no longer had any desire to look at anybody else but her. If only she could see her now.

Beca walked down the school corridor, her rucksack slung over one shoulder, a piece of paper in her opposite hand. The piece of paper she'd found in her locker just now. On it were words that had made her smile: 'Missing you already ❤️'

She knew it had been from Chloe. Chloe was the only person who would ever leave a note for her in her locker and Beca presumed it was written in Chloe's handwriting, having never seen the girl's handwriting before.

Beca's heart began to beat a little faster as she turned the corner and began walking towards the part of the corridor she knew Chloe's locker to be stood at. The brunette slowed her pace slightly, swallowing loudly as her eyes honed in on the redhead she'd been texting all night. The girl she had found herself falling hard for. Her stomach knotted when she noticed Chloe's ex-boyfriend stood beside her, his arm around her waist, and suddenly Beca felt a burning ball of jealousy scramble in the pit of her stomach.

Every part of Beca's being was willing her to stride over to Chloe, tug Drake's stupid arm from around her waist, and pull her away from him. But suddenly Beca's heart skipped a beat as she saw Chloe's eyes find her from across the corridor.

Beca saw the redhead's chest rise and fall as she clearly let out a heavy sigh, and a small smile was now washed over Chloe's face. A smile specially for her. It was this that calmed Beca. Kept her from darting over there and revealing their secret to the one person who really COULDN'T know about Beca & Chloe - Aubrey Posen.

Chloe's heart was racing as she saw Beca raise her hand, the note between her fingers. Chloe spied the ring she'd given Beca on Beca's index finger and it made Chloe's heart skip a beat. The brunette gave Chloe a wink, smiling gently before continuing down the corridor.

Chloe turned back to Aubrey, a new wave of confidence rushing over her body as she closed her locker door and slinked out of Drake's hold.

The young man seemed a little confused, Chloe having never shied away from attention before. Aubrey seemed to have also noticed her best friend's movement, and she cocked her head slightly again. Chloe, however, simply let out a light sigh, forced a smile, and shrugged, "Shall we go to class?"

And the redhead began wandering down the corridor, not waiting for her best friend's response, knowing full well Aubrey would follow her.