""

Beca. The name that swims through Chloe's head all night making it hard for her to sleep. Dark blue irises look back at her whenever she closes her eyes, staring at her in a way that makes her stomach twist. If she lingers a bit, she could almost smell that familiar perfume that her senses already associate with the brunette. If she stays even longer, she starts seeing Beca in Rachelle's arms backstage at the music festival. The mere memory twists her insides the wrong way and it bothers her enough to angrily kick away the sheets.

It makes her feel so... irritated.

She hopes to restart tomorrow morning, to have everything figured out. But when Sunday morning comes greeting her with the gentle rays of the sun, there are so many more questions to ask and she's desperate for answers. Tossing and turning in her bed, she only releases frustrated sighs before finally getting up.

She stares in to space for a while, her body not really up to functioning in the regular pace as it normally does. It's like she's been dragging dead weight all night. When she comes back to her senses, she hears small noises outside her room. Aubrey must be up by now, getting ready for her daily morning run.

Chloe started joining her ever since she's began living with the blonde about a month ago.

A month since she left Matt.

Closing her eyes, she sets her thoughts elsewhere, back to where it had been drifting off to earlier.

Beca.

Chloe sighs again because these relentless thoughts about the brunette are starting to make her go crazy.

Deciding that a morning run would help clear her thoughts, she gets up to hurriedly change into an appropriate exercise outfit and join Aubrey in the living room. Her friend now also dressed in jogging gear as she ties up her running shoes.

When Chloe enters, Aubrey greets her with a smile and gestures for the door.

They have something important to discuss after all.

There's a question left unanswered last night because Aubrey, like Beca, needs to get at least seven hours of sleep to function and whatever they are going to talk about definitely requires more than seven hours of serious discussion.

She hasn't forgotten the look on Aubrey's face last night. One that is a mixture of shock, amusement, curiosity and disbelief rolled into one.

She expects the same look this morning when she greets her friend but Aubrey fixes her with something that seems ready to tackle down any issue there is, no matter how big it is. There isn't an ounce of judgement in those eyes. Only an open and accepting vibe, willing to help her with her dilemma.

Chloe just hopes she's ready for it.

The answer, that is.

"It's the same girl, isn't it? The one who confessed to you months ago."

It's the first question Aubrey asks her an hour into their run. They've stopped for a short break, walking slowly up on the hiking trail to a view overlooking the neighborhood.

Chloe takes a lungful of air, breathless after their run while she takes in the pleasant view.

There's no reason to hide it after all. Keeping it in would not help her. She already feels like exploding whenever she thinks of it. So she solemnly nods to affirm Aubrey's assumptions.

Chloe had never been the type to hold back. Once she likes someone, she boldly shows it. Her actions are always the first to betray her. Her body craves any sort of connection to the object of her affection, a touch, fingers tracing on skin before gently curling them around a hand or softly raking through hair. It evolves into an embrace, tightening and lingering longer every time they meet. Then all there's left is a kiss to seal the deal.

Her favorite thing? Curling up in her special someone's arms and breathing in their scent.

Now here comes her problem.

This is... new. Something she hasn't done before. Chloe had always prided herself for being open and adventurous but this? This was so different. It's so... fragile and Chloe doesn't want to break it. Ever.

"I started realizing that I'm also attracted to women back in high school." Aubrey suddenly tells her, making Chloe look back at her.

"It started as a simple crush. You know, girls have girl crushes which sometimes evolve to jealousy, which is normal but," she pauses, a small smile on her face as she looks down on her shoes, shaking off dirt from the trail.

"But when you start wondering what it'd feel like to kiss those pretty pink lips during those sleepovers and frown at the guy she crushes on because he's a dumbass but she can't see it, well, that's when I started to realize that I've began to harbor feelings for my best friend." Aubrey says, there's tinge of sadness to her tone and Chloe doesn't really have to guess how it all ended.

"She's married now, to a great guy, and has two beautiful children. I was at her wedding." She breathes out before looking back at Chloe and then pointing a finger to herself, "Maid of honor." She proclaims with a light laugh.

Chloe gasps in disbelief, a hand to her chest but Aubrey easily waves it off.

"I'm okay now. Have long been over it when the news broke. It feels like ages ago ever since," she assures her.

"Did you tell her?" Chloe asks curiously.

"No. I never got to and it really doesn't matter now. We had went to different colleges and then I finally felt safe to come out as bisexual. My dad had a heart attack, literally," she says but immediately adds after seeing Chloe's shock, "He survived. My relationship with him though, not so much." She turns serious at that, looking out into the view in front of them.

"I'm sorry. It's almost the same story with some of my friends." Chloe says with a sigh. She only used to listen to these things and try to offer all the support she can get.

Now... it feels as if she's finally, truly, starting to fully understand how they felt. It is different standing on that very spot rather than observing from the sidelines after all.

"We talk now, more than before, but it's still a sensitive matter. So, it's been awkward at family reunions ever since," Aubrey shakes her head before turning to her.

"What does it feel like whenever you're around her?" the blonde gently asks and Chloe could already feel a blush creeping on her cheeks.

She has never told anyone about this and she has definitely not talked about a girl like this before.

But then she thinks about those familiar set of dark deep blue eyes, looking at her like there was nobody else in the room. The image of Beca finally confessing her feelings for her at the Hilton. She remembers her smile, sad yet somehow still happy to have gotten it out of her chest. To be free of a burden she had carried for some time now. The memory of her walking away after she admits that Chloe is nothing like Rachelle. Affirming just how special she was, unlike anybody she's ever felt drawn to.

Ironically, that's how Chloe feels about her now.

Chloe had rejected some people before, all men, and some haven't been as respectful and easy as Beca had handled it. The amount of respect, sincerity and care the brunette gave her is unrivalled.

Beca's offer of friendship is genuine, Chloe could tell. It wasn't something that had ulterior motives in them like that guy back in college who still tried to make a move on her even when he said that being friends was alright.

Her mind then drifts to the night of the event. Beca's carefree smiles as she fondly calls Chloe with a new nickname, her sweet little words before she dropped her off and the way it feels to just pull her in her arms.

A smile graces Chloe's lips.

"I... feel like there's nothing I need to worry about. It's so easy being around her even though," her smiles widen at the memory of their rough second meeting, "she was being so cold and frustrating at first."

She inhales deeply before letting out an audible exhale.

"But I knew she was someone whom I wanted in my life. She saved me when my life was a mess and people like that are very rare to find so I," she prolongs the last word, trying to connect all the pieces together. "I wanted to be close to her and now thinking about it. Maybe I wanted to be close to her because of..." she trails off, not knowing how to proceed with all this.

With the truth. With the feeling that maybe her heart had always felt that strong tug towards Beca before she even realized it.

She feels Aubrey's hand on her shoulder, "Hey," she gently says, making her look at her.

"I haven't felt anything like this before, Bree. It's scary and confusing—I don't want to mess up," she breaks, the weight on her chest now taking its toll on her heart.

"Somebody has already messed her up so badly and now this! All that I'm realizing and feeling now for her..." she shakes her head.

"Chlo, look at me," Aubrey softly says and Chloe slowly does as she's told, finding understanding light green eyes staring at her.

"There's no need to rush. You don't have to figure everything out all at once and put a label to anything immediately. Coming to a point like this in your life, it's huge, I know, but it doesn't really change who you are deep down. You're still you, the bubbly sunshine with a heart of gold," Aubrey sincerely says as she lifts her chin up.

"I suggest you take things slow. Let it sink and settle down first. Both this new realization and these feelings you might have for this girl. Then when it does fall in to place, embrace it."

Aubrey brings a hand to her cheek, her thumb brushing her skin as she looks at her fondly.

"I was scared of what I felt for a couple of years too. It wasn't... what society deems normal but it's not wrong. It never was and I was stupid to think so. When I finally completely accepted who I am, everything felt right," Aubrey drops her hand and turns to the serene view,

"Chloe, what your heart decides to feel is never wrong."

Chloe makes her way to the local animal shelter, her chest now feeling much more at ease than it had been last night. Aubrey had been right. She was overthinking things and worrying over nothing.

Taking things slow is a great idea. So she may have feelings for a certain amazing producer. Still, whether it was just overwhelming adoration or romantic attraction, Chloe wanted to be sure.

She had to be. Because breaking this one is the very last thing in this life she wants to do.

Once she enters the shelter's glass doors, she happily greets Gary and Linda, the two people in the world Chloe deems to have the biggest hearts in the world. They've been managing the shelter for years, advocating for animal rights and continuously fighting against animal cruelty.

Chloe knows how hard it is and vows to help, even in a small way. Besides, taking care of the sweet babies may be tiring but she finds that animals have this way of taking all her stress away and Chloe needs something to get her mind busy with before Monday rolls in again.

"You're late."

Those are the first words that greet Chloe when she finally enters the cat area. Deep blue eyes look up at her and Chloe's heart shoots up, beating furiously at the sound of that familiar voice.

The words she's heard in such a strict tone months ago are now said in an endearing way that Chloe couldn't stop the smile breaking in her lips.

Beca, dressed in a casual button-up plaid shirt—black leather jacket hanging in a corner—and faded dark fitted jeans matched with a pair of black sneakers, sitting cross-legged on the floor, a cat lounging on her lap while holding another cat in her arms. She looked really content sitting there that Chloe's feet drag her over to the brunette's side like magnet, enticing her to sit down as well.

"I see you already have this room covered. Have you sworn your love to all the cats here again?" she asks, watching as Beca tenderly runs her hand up and down the cat's fur.

"Yes and also apologizing for having neglected them for the past two months," she laments before lowering her head down a bit, lips brushing against cottony fur to softly whisper, "Which I promise will never happen again, my love."

Chloe laughs at the sweet exchange, getting this strong urge to grab her phone and capture the moment. Maybe she should remind Stacie to send her that promised video of Beca and Bella she never got to send.

Chloe gives in to the temptation eventually when Beca is wrapped in a cat hug. The soft feline's head settling comfortably at the crook of Beca's neck.

"Delete that photo, you psycho."

"Nope, not happening, Becs. I'm keeping this forever."

The producer simply sighs at her reply just as an alarm goes off and Chloe realizes that it's coming from Beca's phone.

"Cuddle time's up," Beca simply answers at her questioning look before putting back the two cats in their kennels and then taking two others. She then resets the timer.

Piecing things together, it takes seconds before everything finally clicks. "How long have you been here?" Chloe asks in amazement.

As it turns out, Beca had been setting play times for all the cats and if Chloe's assumptions are correct, by the direction Beca is going these next two cats would be the last ones.

There are currently thirty-four cats in the shelter right now.

"Uhm, since early morning?" Beca answers as she sits back down next to her, handing her a cat.

Having felt Chloe's eyes staring at her in awe and disbelief, the brunette quickly replies, "They don't have families, you know. They deserve hugs," she says in a matter of fact tone.

Beca outside of the office is definitely a different person and Chloe is still currently trying to process the fact that the Beca in front of her is actually real. CR and Jesse had been telling her all these stories about Beca back in the day and how great it would've been if they met then.

Chloe finally sees it.

In addition to that, now that they are officially friends, Beca seems to have shed off tons of her defensive layers around her and is easily showing a side to her that only a few get to witness.

The thought has her insides twisting and the internal battle to resist hugging Beca or pulling her close at the moment is a struggle for Chloe.

She's now aware that this is not just any simple admiration.

Oh, it's probably so much more.

Beca suggests they dine out after finishing volunteer work and Chloe quickly agrees, not wanting to part just yet.

Not yet.

If only she could hang out with her all night, she would.

Unlike, the reluctance to be anywhere near her before, Beca is now the one to initiate everything. She picks the place, even telling her a funny memory of it when Stacie, CR and Amy forcibly brought her along ages ago to stalk this guy Flo had been dating that time.

"Basically, CR thinks he's an actual serial killer and we spent the entire night following him," Beca was saying before she sips on her wine.

"No way!" Chloe says in between giggles, her head feeling so light she could almost float away.

Having again discarded her leather jacket to the side with her sleeves rolled up to her elbows, Beca's arm brushes against hers and some time in between a couple more hearty laughs, Chloe gives in to find just how soft Beca's skin is underneath her palms.

It's magnet, Beca is one big magnet and Chloe can't stop herself.

"I love this song," Beca suddenly says as she bobs her head a bit to a song from Seawaves and it makes Chloe lightly sway because they have similar taste in music and it's almost perfect, how easy they click together.

She feels tipsy yet she hasn't even consumed wine.

"Rachelle and I used to dance to it a lot whenever we got drunk. So now, whenever it comes up I feel like drinking and dancing," Beca continues, seemingly unaware of the way Chloe stills, fingers stop playing along skin, her hand slowly slipping away from her soft hold on Beca's arm.

The information, which Chloe isn't sure whether Beca had intended to share or just something she had unconsciously let slip from her lips, wakes her up from the happy cloud she's been floating on all day.

There's another reason why Chloe fears for her growing feelings for Beca.

Images from the huge event last night floods her mind again. She almost forgot about it to be honest and now she feels like some force slammed her back down the ground to remind her of reality. She tastes something bitter on her mouth again but this time, she's aware of what it is.

She knows what it is now and truth be told, she rarely tastes it.

Chloe Beale doesn't get jealous often. She's always been confident and trusting—too trusting, according to Tessa but Chloe defends that being committed to a relationship also means complete trust.

When it comes to this case however, Chloe knows she doesn't have any right whatsoever to be jealous.

Doesn't mean that it'll hurt less though and again, Chloe's fears take over. This might only be a crush but it's already starting to sting.

And here comes more of it.

"I saw that post she made last night," she starts, eyes looking down at the food. "She's mentioned you in it. A little thank you, I believe. You guys seem to be... okay now," she continues, poking on the bits of beef on her plate.

"Yeah, we actually are. I mean, I think it's healthier to be civil with your ex than loathe them," Beca admits, gently swirling her wine, "Better if you're friends but that really depends on you and how the relationship ended."

Chloe nods at that. It's a good point.

"So, are you guys... giving it another shot?" she slowly asks and as soon as she does, regret instantly kicks in. She blames that small flicker of hope in the back of her mind.

"I just observed a couple of things here and there—but you don't have to answer that—I'm being nosey, sorry!" she continues, rambling about as the awkwardness takes over.

Beca lets out a small chuckle, erasing the discomfort Chloe feels as she shakes her head, "No, we're better off as friends," she says, voice slipping into a softer tone.

"Oh. Really?"

It definitely sounded too eager and Chloe mentally kicks herself for that.

"I-I mean, it looked like the both of you seem to be getting closer nowadays so I thought..." she lets her words hang, hoping that Beca fills in.

She does.

"I... think it's best this way. It's just... not there anymore. I find that I was only hanging to the memories which was why I had a hard time moving on," Beca's eyes are now the ones looking elsewhere, settling out the glass windows of the restaurant.