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'I can't be there by Saturday,'

That's how it starts.

Beca just didn't know it yet. She had been clueless, foolish even. If she had known how it would've ended she might've wished to be blind instead.

"It's okay we can celebrate when you come back," Beca had assured her girlfriend.

Rachelle had been on tour for the past two months. She's in New York at the moment and Beca terribly misses her. All the video calls and messages just can't be compared to being a breath away from each other. They've done everything together since they became a couple and the distance is killing her but seeing Rachelle reach for her dreams was worth every sleepless 2am call.

Admittedly, they've both been busy this past few weeks, missing calls and delayed messages yet Beca plans to make up to it. She was aware that between the both of them, it's her that needs to adjust. Being the girlfriend, or as of recently, fiancée, of one of music industry's most in demand artists, she's the one who needs to be more understanding when it comes to time.

That's why she's completely certain that after this week, everything she's worked hard for will finally pay off and she could finally give all the time in the world to her love. She smiles to herself just thinking about it, her eyes cast down dreamily at the picture of a beautiful 2-storey, three bedroom home. Along with all the wedding plans going along smoothly, it's perfect.

The wedding has been pushed to next year due to schedule conflict. There's also a lot of conflict regarding secrecy. Paris Blake, Rachelle's celebrity pseudo name, remains single in the public eye because unfortunately, it does add to her appeal for the fans. Hollywood has it's lies and secrets after all. Beca hates that part the most because it physically pains her to be unable to hold Rachelle out in public. Their dates are always done in very private restaurants and even then, it's still not safe to show affection. So they usually stay at home instead. To everybody else, Beca is just Paris Blake's roommate and best friend.

But really, it's a small price to pay for fame and it doesn't bother her that much as it used to.

What's important right now is that Beca has news and it's big. It's not official yet though so she has to wait a few more days before she tells Rachelle about it.

Her upcoming promotion.

She won't be hanging on to that secret for long though. Her fiancée will finally be back home on the weekend for a short break before continuing her concert tour, this time, outside the country.

Coincidentally, it just so happens that it's Rachelle's birthday this coming Saturday and as mentioned she can't make it back by then. In that case, Beca would have to wait for four more days and honestly, she can't wait until Monday.

Also, there's no way in hell that she'd miss the love of her life's birthday. More so, knowing that she'd be alone on that day, something Beca's promised will never happen ever again.

So, without even a second thought she secretly books a roundtrip ticket to New York.

Excitement bubbles in her chest and she naturally annoys Stacie all day—and night—about it.

Stacie surely does get annoyed because Beca tends to be picky when she deeply cares for someone so every suggestion just doesn't seem to be enough and when Stacie is annoyed, so is Aubrey that by the next day the extremely organized and precise blonde is wheeling in a white board with a long list of 'Things to surprise your significant other with on their birthday'. Of course, the list is done with a perfect mix of frustration and sarcasm, especially when the first one writes 'Yourself, because there's nothing more surprising than you turning up out of nowhere, duh' but Beca doesn't complain because that sort of thing is sweet and that's just Aubrey being a sweet supportive—in an aggressive way— friend.

In the end, she goes for the first suggestion, flowers, a flowery cake and Rachelle's favorite dessert, ice-cream. Singing has deprived her fiancée of cold sweet desserts and now that she's getting a break, she can finally eat ice-cream. It's actually been their Saturday ritual but as Rachelle rose to fame they've settled for their ice-cream Saturdays during hiatus or short breaks like this.

She doesn't even pack much, just the essentials. It's just two nights anyway and they practically share clothes.

It's the early evening when she arrives and as soon as she lands, she's asking about the nearby flower shop, cake and ice-cream store. It takes her a while because she keeps mentally debating about which was perfect enough to give.

By the time, she's reached the hotel, her arms are full with beautiful red roses, a small box of strawberry cake and a big tub of vanilla ice-cream.

Rachelle's manager, Brian, happily gives her a key card to the room with a wink and Beca almost hugs him.

Her smile is wide when she arrives. She fixes herself at the door, inhaling and exhaling before opening it.

A huge mistake

What greets her wasn't what she's expected and her body goes numb. It's like she's in a nightmare she desperately wishes to wake up from but can't.

Her eyes loose the life in them as her perfect world shatters, the air knocked out of her lungs and heart on the floor along with the flowers, cake and ice-cream. The crash jolts her to life.

"Beca I-I can explain—"

A tear slides down and she hears nothing despite the noise. She almost stumbles when she backs away slowly and then her legs finally come to life, suddenly feeling free from the invisible chains and then she's running.

Fast.

Hands that aren't hers on her bare body, lips that aren't hers on her neck, chest to chest and legs tangled underneath the sheets.

It was too much and she finds it hard to breathe.

It's hard to face the end.

'I have something to tell you'

That's how it starts.

Chloe arrives home to find her boyfriend, Matt, waiting for her outside the door of the apartment she shares with a friend. Katy is still at work though which is why Matt was waiting outside.

There's this glint of excitement in his eye and Chloe wonders what the good news may be. Matt has always had such a serious personality yet she knows deep down that he's just not used to showing feelings and taking things lightly due to a rough upbringing.

But if Chloe only knew what this news could bring to her life, she would've not looked forward to it as much.

He follows her to her room, talking about this opportunity of a lifetime and Chloe pauses to face him.

Matt's an aspiring DJ and he has been working hard to get his talents recognized. Chloe gives her full support in every way she can and her smile widens at the thought that maybe a music producer or talent scout has finally reached out to him.

"I found the perfect apartment for us and the rent is reasonable enough. With the both of us working, we can do it. And besides, you'll love LA!"

He was going on and on about all the plans that he's got covered not realizing how silent she got, eyes blinking slowly down at the floor.

Her stomach turns at the thought of it all. The information itself is still something she's still processing as she sits on the edge of her bed, legs suddenly feeling weak.

His words start to become gray noise and it's only when he's kneeling in front of her, eyes expectant and face full of hope, that she comes back to her senses.

"I... this is... it's a lot," she finally says and she watches the disappointment flood his features. It doesn't deter him though.

"Well, we still have time. We can move there next month. One month to settle everything here and make—"

"I'm not sure if I want to go, Matt," she cuts in softly and his face hardens at her words.

"What does that mean?" his voice indifferent and far. It scares her a bit.

"I-I... I have a job here—"

"That isn't stable enough, Chloe," he reasons, finishing for her. "Besides, it's Hollywood! You'll find something there. The opportunities and chances are greater!"

"Hollywood is not Broadway. I don't want to be a celebrity. I want to be a performer and I've come this far. I can't just leave and start over again from zero," she stresses and he huffs in frustration.

He stands up, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand frustratedly.

"Then you're going to have to choose. This life you have here or a life with me," he looks down at her, expecting her to choose him in a flash but when she looks down again and remains quiet he angrily smacks the wall, Chloe's chest jumping at the action, and then he storms out the door.

Left all by herself, she buries her face with her palms and sighs heavily, wondering if she was the problem.

It was a simple thing, to choose, and yet she finds herself wondering if she was being greedy asking for both.

Giving up one would still end up breaking her heart.

The result will always be the same.

"I forgive you," Beca says, her quivering voice betraying the emotions only pain can bring as she reaches out towards the other end of the table, fingers holding on to Rachelle's hand.

"We can forget about this. It's just... another bump in the road," she continues despite the silence. The falling tears are the only reply.

Beca looks down at her hand on top of Rachelle's, matching diamond rings placed as a promise on both their fingers.

She'd very much like to hold on to that promise.

...even if the world around her feels like crashing down.

"I can't do this, Beca..." the words uttered softly proceed to rip her heart apart.

"Please," she begs just as softly, so vulnerable and filled with fear. "We can still fix this."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't say that. Please..."

"Maybe we need... some time apart,"

"Please... don't."

Her own tears blur her vision as the pink and blue lights of the café blend in with the image of the woman she loves walking away from her.

"Do you love me?" Chloe's boyfriend Matt asks, a mixture of hurt, disbelief and anger etching his features.

"Did you even love me at all?" he follows up and Chloe looks up at him the same way.

"Of course I do!" she says without a hint of hesitation.

"But? There's always a 'but'," he says hands sliding further away as he coils back.

Chloe rushes to hold it in between her own.

"This isn't easy for me, you know that. I can't just throw everything away and leave," she says, eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"We had a plan, a life that we're going to build together! Does it really matter where if we have each other?" he argues.

He has a point, she knows but the timing just doesn't feel right.

Chloe's been chasing her dreams and now she's not even sure what she's trying to chase.

"LA has a lot to offer, Chloe. We have to be practical. Do you really want to stay stuck, struggling here for the rest of your life, uncertain and falling back into the same tiring cycle?" he questions her and she stutters for an answer.

"I love performing and it is a struggle right now but..."

"Alright, I get it," he bitterly says, nodding as if trying to swallow down what's happening right now, his gaze avoiding hers.

"Matt, please..." she pleads.

"No, it's already clear what you're trying to give up right now... and it's certainly not New York," he says, jaw flexing as he forcibly slips out his hand out of her grasp.

"Don't do this, please..."

Tears slide down her face one by one as her heart painfully aches heavily with every footstep he makes away from her. The slow 80's synthwave by Timecop1983 filling up the café and drowning out her muffled cry.

"Becs, talk to me, please. I know you're there and this is like my tenth message. You can't hide from the world forever. Please, for the love of god, at least call me back to let me know that you're alive," Stacie's voice rings out Beca's apartment yet she remains unmoving underneath the covers, eyes empty before she closes them again.

It's been days since New York and now she's back home. Everything hurts, even breathing feels like a struggle. Especially when every time she inhales she smells the scent of Rachelle's perfume. They've always had the same preference when it comes to scents which was why they'd always buy the same bottle of perfume.

The thought is another sting to her chest and the tears start to swell once more.

Everywhere she looked, there are memories. Every item they owned had a story. Every corner of their apartment had been a witness to the life they shared and now all that's left is sorrow, pain and longing. She doesn't even bother opening the lights and instead lets the darkness swallow her whole.

Rachelle, who decided to extend her stay in New York, is busy doing god knows what and no matter how many times Beca calls and sends messages not a single reply has come.

She's desperate but she doesn't care.

A sob breaks and she curls up, clinging to all that what has been and all that'll never be.

She doesn't want to give up but everything looks bleak.

This might be the end.

When the morning comes, she'd be reaching for the invisible mask she's learned to put on as she drowns herself in the only thing that can distract her, work. The only thing that matters to her now.

There is no rest for the new overall producer of live events.

"Chloe, are you ready?"

Chloe suddenly looks up, momentarily disoriented as she finds their director looking at her in concern.

"Yeah. I'm ready," she says, trying her best to smile.

She does the last retouches of her make-up before standing up, checking herself in the mirror one last time.

When she glances down to her bag, she eyes the one way ticket to Los Angeles and takes a deep breath.

She's made a choice.

Stepping behind the curtain, she blinks away the tears. No time to feel sentimental. She wants this to be perfect...

...one last time.

The music starts and the lights open. In seconds she lets herself be carried away. It's always like the first time. The thrill, the nerves and that exciting feeling in the pit of her stomach before she floats away into the story she sings.

Her heart soars with every beat until the last note.

Until the end.

The lights dim, the curtain closes and a tear finally slips. She's given her all and now it's time to say goodbye.

In a couple of hours she'd be flying off to the other side of the continent to save the only thing her heart cannot give up.

Love.

"Beca, that's enough," Aubrey warns her, voice calm yet traces of concern are audibly evident. It's the softest warning her friend's ever given but Beca doesn't find it in herself to tease her.

The only thing that matters to her right now is finishing up the bottle of whiskey she paid for.

It's a Friday and drinking like no tomorrow is a requirement for Friday night hang outs.

The only problem is, her companions don't seem to know how to have fun, dragging her out the bar when she's not even done yet and trying to take away her expensive whiskey.

It's two in the morning but still for Beca, it's too early to go back home.

She's worked so hard all these years and she deserves nothing but the finest alcohol. So she doesn't appreciate their attempts to stop her.

"You're drunk and almost caused a bar fight with someone twice your size. You're done for tonight," Stacie says in her warning tone, a much stricter one than Aubrey's.

"He was an asshole," she slurs, almost tripping as she makes her way back up the front steps of Stacie's house.

Both her friends were quick to catch her, bringing her back up to her feet.

She waves them off, repeating the words she's been regularly saying these days, "I'm fine."

"Don't worry. I've seen her like this before—although not this bad but I'll manage," she hears Stacie say as Aubrey looks on in concern, reluctant to leave.

"I said I'm fine! I'm living my best life!" she yells before truly loosing her footing and tripping just as she reaches Stacie's door.

She hears them both sigh before rushing to her side.

"I'll stay for a bit longer, just in case," Aubrey mutters as they pull her up.

She shakes them off the second she's up, smiling like a fool as she assures them that she's got it before banging on to the door several times.

Aubrey stops her before she wakes up the neighbors while Stacie slips in the key to open the door.

"Open the fuckin' door!" she yells out and Aubrey's hand instantly clamps down her mouth as she struggles to break free.

Unable to do so, she starts to bite and Aubrey starts to curse in a million ways.

Take note, Aubrey rarely says anything 'vulgar' as it is as she says, 'cheap and shows bad upbringing'.

"This is why I don't go to the zoo," Aubrey says after literally pushing her inside. "It's animal abuse to put them in small enclosures and the wild will always belong in the wild," she eyes—the wild— Beca sharply while Stacie inspects her hand in concern—for rabies.

Beca, in the meantime, has clumsily stumbled down the floor and is crawling towards the sofa, unbelievably still clutching her whiskey as she does so.

Climbing up, what she has made into her own bed these past two weeks, makes her head spin so she settles on the floor, sitting with her back against the sofa.

She begins to drink from the bottle only to have it harshly taken away by Stacie.

"No more alcohol," she tells her and anger quickly seeps in Beca's chest.

Alcohol may not be a solution but it numbs the pain for a while and on this Friday night, the last Friday night of the month, she badly needs it right now. Maybe even desperate.

"That's mine! I bought that!" she almost growls but Stacie doesn't budge.

"No."

Beca hates the word so much by now that she's so close to punching her friend on the face.