""

"Is there somebody else? Is that what this is about?"

Eyes that she used to love now look at her accusingly. Now there's anger and she used to fear them. Well, not anymore.

"No, it's not. It's me, it's you and this toxic air between us," she answers without missing a beat, her voice steady and calm.

"I can't do this anymore, Matt. I'm sorry."

"You and me? Are you sure about that? When here you are choosing your beloved producer over me?" he spits out, jaw flexing and veins growing visible in compressed rage.

"You better chose your next words carefully," her eyes suddenly flash with anger, anger at his jab at the one person whose soul is as beautiful as a melody so ethereal. She doesn't deserve to be caught up in this.

He's acting up like he had been unfairly treated just because she wouldn't do what he wants. So he aims his attack on someone else.

Someone so dear to her.

This was about them. Him. He doesn't see it, where they've gone wrong. Where he's gone wrong.

He's pushed her buttons now and she tries to reign in whatever control she has left but it spills.

"Because right now I'd rather choose someone who actually cares about me and what I love than someone who just keeps using me out of his thirst for fame."

Someone who makes her feel weightless, free and safe, and not just a means to an end, a bridge he could use to reach the top.

A look of hurt paints her features at the thought. She wants to cry but she holds it in. He doesn't deserve her tears. Not anymore.

"That's not what—"

"Oh please stop, let's not kid ourselves here. I did everything for you. I gave up—" she pauses, swallowing down the lump in her throat. What use is it to bring it up anyway?

"I gave up so much just to prove to you that I'm here to stay for the long run. I've given so much to the point that I don't know who I am anymore but you... you wouldn't do the same," she slowly shakes her head. "And still you want more..." she sucks in all the air she can, reminding herself to hold on.

"This right here, this is your answer," she stamps down. "I'm tired of it, all your twisted words and manipulating ways. I'm done," she breathes out, a sardonic smile on her face.

"You can have the apartment. We both paid for it. But I'm leaving with my car. I bought it after all," she grabs the car keys amidst his shouts of protests.

He reminds her of a child throwing a tantrum.

Without even flinching at the sound of crashing and breaking, she heads for the door, pausing when he starts throwing things at the wall and shouting nonsense threats.

"Don't hurt yourself," she coldly says before casually picking up the cat crate by the door.

"Let's go, Mallows. It's too dusty in here."

"So, it's like live sessions. More intimate and up close. Tickets will be limited so people are going to be fighting for that. We can shoot a short advertisement for it," Chloe says as she walks with Beca into the Amplify building.

The producer takes off her sunglasses as soon as they are covered from the morning sun, eyes zooming to the open elevator. She nods to Chloe's words, deep in thought.

"We can use some old live footage and maybe a promo video with our artist. We'll then post it on all our social media. See what the public thinks of it. Also we need to update our website," Chloe continues as Beca enters the elevator, holding the door open as she waits for her to get in.

It's not unusual how she hands Beca a wrapped sandwich and coffee in a to-go cup. Or maybe how the brunette shields her from getting pushed by some employees getting out the floor beneath theirs.

Chloe's skin burns at the touch. She ends up standing behind Beca, that familiar scent of perfume draws her closer, close enough to hug her from behind.

She fights the urge to lean forward.

The elevator's bell softly rings as they reach their floor and Chloe's crashes back to reality.

It's been almost two months since she's realized that it wasn't just admiration.

Two months since she's realized that being friends with Beca Mitchell has hindered her from acting on those very feelings. Ironically, the friendship she wanted from the start has become her downfall.

The thought of losing Beca's friendship by confessing her growing feelings for her now scares Chloe. If Beca only sees her as a friend, her heart might not take it and things will never be the same again.

Still, she can't stop. How could she not feel anything for her?

Beca, as it turns out, is very enjoyable to be with. They may have opposite personalities but when it comes to preferences, they find that they compliment each other well. So well, it's almost perfect.

Beca loves animals, eating and music. The three things that Chloe considers important in life. Beca is left handed while Chloe is right handed and she's stopped herself several times from thinking about how convenient it is to hold hands—or play the piano together. Beca doesn't put too much sugar on her coffee which means Chloe doesn't worry about forgetting to ask the barista for an extra packet. Beca believes Chloe can reach for anything she wants if she puts her mind in to it and encourages her to grow by putting her often in charge of projects, trusting her decisions now more than ever. Chloe's advices are always taken seriously and given much thought.

Mallows loves Beca and Bella loves Chloe. Even their cats deem their compatibility perfect.

Chloe remembers having Beca and Mallows meet. It only took seconds for Beca to win his heart— they stared at each other for almost half a minute before Mallows lets out a meow and then Beca, in all seriousness, softly answers, I like you too, you little shit. The feeling is very mutual and it has come to a point that Chloe's gotten jealous of her own cat for receiving all of the brunette's affections.

They step out the elevator, Beca letting her out first as she holds the door before following after her.

"I want that ad materialized in paper and tell CR to update the website with all the new schedules," Beca tells her as she takes off her coat and hangs it on her office chair. "Also, I need you to contact our potential sponsors," she adds as Chloe nods.

Jesse steps in next to her and Beca's attention draws towards him as he informs her of a cancelled meeting.

Chloe takes it as her cue to leave, walking towards her own table, now much more personalized than before. A collage of pictures decorate the small space in a corner. Photos of her family, the gang in one of their last Friday of the month get-togethers, the photo of her, CR and Jesse goofing around at the music festival event and lastly, two precious photos of her and Beca. The brunette wasn't even looking at one of them, too focused on staring at her newly created playlist while the other was another bet that Beca had lost—she made her wear matching red heart shaped glasses while holding huge blue soft serve ice-cream swirls.

Chloe smiles at the photos until it slowly fades on her lips, a thought settling heavily in her mind.

Beca seems happier now. Her heart free from all the burden it had carried for so long and Chloe knows that her secret feelings for the producer might just become that, another burden to carry.

Chloe, for the first time in her life, doesn't act on her heart's desires. Not because she doesn't want to but for fear that she might ruin everything. She's built and destroyed brick walls one after the other for years and it gets to you sometimes, that maybe all she ever does ends like that, build weak foundations and end up destroying them at the first onslaught of a storm. A familiar cycle. So she fears tainting the one good thing she's got and it's those calm dark blue eyes.

Beca is so important to her, so special and Chloe cares for her deeply. Deep enough to suppress the growing desire to be with her in a more intimate way.

Loving someone just isn't enough. Love's just a part of it.

Chloe cares too much and that's why she deems that hurting Beca in any way is the last thing she wants to do.

That's what makes Beca so different from all those who have come before her.

This time, Chloe's never been more sure.

This time, she's submerged in waters too deep to come out of, deeper than ever before.

And again, it scares her.

But then forever isn't just about being in a romantic relationship. Forever can also happen between friends and right now Chloe's willing to settle with 'just friends' if that's what it takes for her not to lose her beloved angel.

"Five minutes," Beca mumbles, eyes glued at her computer screen as she types and Chloe shakes her head, a fond smile on her face.

The office is empty now and only the two of them are left but Chloe isn't that keen on heading home unlike the other employees. It's past official office hours and that just means she can fiddle around Beca's table without getting glared at.

Silently, she reaches for the ladybug keychain in her pocket and attaches it to the zipper of Beca's black designer handbag. She smiles as she proudly watches it dangle at the side.

"What are you up to?" Beca suddenly asks, inquisitive eyes that almost make her heart stop look up her way. Chloe quickly shakes her head in reply.

"Nothing. Why would I be up to something?" she replies, her tone high and a smile breaking her lips. Very suspicious enough for Beca to raise an eyebrow.

"You're being quiet which is rare. When you're quiet it means you are up to something and when you are up to something I am usually the victim," Beca replies in a matter of fact tone, eyeing her sharply while Chloe gasps in mock outrage.

"Can't I be quiet just for the sake of being quiet? And when have I put you in harm's way? I would never!" she bursts out indignantly.

"Not when your name is Chloe Beale and like, all the time," Beca answers, a smirk creeping in the corner of her lips and Chloe playfully throws a crumpled paper ball at her.

"If there was an example of friend abuse this would be it," Beca continues, dodging the attack as Chloe reaches for another sheet of used paper.

"You're fired if you throw something at me again."

She throws it right at her face anyway, chuckling as she successfully hits her mark. "I hate you," Beca mutters amidst her laughter.

"With passion?"

"With burning passion," comes the dramatic reply.

Chloe almost falls off her seat from laughing. Beca's genuine smile etched into her memory. She'd do whatever it takes to bring it out again and again. Even if she has to play the idiot to do so because god, it's worth it.

Minutes later, they are heading down the elevator and out the building. The air is getting cooler with the approaching winter season and it only dissolves her struggle to resist moving closer to Beca.

Beca is warm, she always is and Chloe keeps unconsciously being pulled into that warmth like moth to a flame.

The lady bug key chain remains dangling on the zipper of producer's bag. Beca fondly plays with it in the car and Chloe hides her smile as she looks out the streets they pass by.

They have dinner in what has become their favorite restaurant and it's always a good time. Chloe's chest is light and her heart fluttering with happiness like never before.

They are sitting closer now and how easy it is to forget about everything else.

Music drifts around and it's such a beautiful feeling to have all your favorites right there with you.

Their shoulders constantly bump, her fingers unconsciously doodling circles on the skin of Beca's wrist and Beca doesn't mind.

Chloe wished she did. Then it wouldn't be so hard to forget where the lines start and end.

But this much is enough, right?

Having Beca by her side. It's enough.

Is it?

Or maybe that's what she keeps telling herself.

Dine outs turn into stay ins and Chloe finds herself spending too much time at Beca's place. Ironically, she's gone from having to beg and offer service in exchange of staying over, to being the one being offered to stay and be fed. Beca, surprisingly, knows how to cook and she remembers the shock her entire system had when she got to taste said cooking.

"Why do you eat take out when you're qualified to enter Masterchef?" she sputters in amazement while Beca shakes her head at the exaggeration.

"It's just Beef Broccoli, psycho," Beca answers in a calmer tone as she sets the dish in a, unsurprisingly, very organized manner.

She holds back the comment threatening to roll out her tongue. The one where she points out that Beca's kitchen now looks used rather than a decoration for display.

Chloe cooks like a hurricane came through the kitchen. Beca cooks like a host on the Lifestyle channel. They both put their heart in to it though and somehow Chloe finds that eating with Beca becomes ten times more delicious no matter what is being served.

It's very refreshing to be the one being cooked for this time. Her mind betrays her as it wanders to thoughts of warm breakfasts, cozy dinners and kisses as sweet as honey in between.

She snaps out of it quickly. It felt too good. Too enticing, living in that world.

No, this was enough. Having Beca in front of her, talking about putting Bella on a diet and something about ordering a set of feather soft pillows online, is enough.

Is it?

She blames her struggle on all on the unguarded moments Beca keeps showing her. Unconsciously, the brunette's soft side leaks out whenever they are together that Chloe feels like she's being pampered and well taken care of. Perhaps Beca doesn't even realize it. That Stacie had been right all along.

Beca is a sweetheart behind closed doors. A sweetheart who deserves to be given a beautiful bouquet of blue flowers at her table every week and maybe that's excessive but Chloe doesn't care.

It makes sense to her now what the rest of their friends meant about the Beca Chloe should've met years ago all along. Why they seem so protective of her. Constantly watching out over her even if they don't act like it.

Beca Mitchell's heart is pure, gentle and selfless. She can easily fool people with that cold exterior yet the truth remains. Beca deep inside is too soft. Too giving and too caring.

But life can be cruel and people like Beca are easy targets. Golden hearts are quickly susceptible to being broken and harshly wounded once easily handed in the wrong hands.

Rachelle may have made Beca realize this fact and the harsh façade Beca had carried afterwards was rather, a defense mechanism for fear of having to suffer the same fate again. It was that same fear that somehow fueled their initial conflict.

Hostility out of fear. She had been scared. Beca probably doesn't even know it. That she might have been scared of Chloe and what kind of fate would fall upon her fragile heart once placed in her hands.

And maybe Beca had every right to be so because that's exactly what happened.

The image of the brunette walking away from her at the Hilton on a quiet Saturday night. Beautiful yet sad. Melancholic yet calm. Hurting yet accepting.

Painfully unrequited.

Chloe had done the same thing others before her had done to Beca's heart.

Let it fall.

Once is enough.

Beca still criticizes every horror movie Chloe picks, groaning about stupid plots, dumb characters, Chloe's messy eating and obvious depressing endings.

The problem is, Chloe's stopped caring about the movie halfway through. Her attention constantly falling back to the brunette next to her.

Unlike before, she's not as excited to watch people being chased by mysterious entities or deranged killers anymore. All she thinks about now is the scent of Beca's shampoo, how close they are despite the size of Beca's L-shaped sofa or... wondering what flavor Beca's lipbalm tastes like.

She mentally slaps herself over and over again.

It's wrong to think of those things about your friend. Best friend.

They watch a sci-fi movie next. It's something about outer space and aliens. There's action, adventure, comedy and, well, a love story in between all of it.

When she looks back at Beca, she finds her asleep, head rolled to the side, against a pillow, an inch away from Chloe's shoulder.

She smiles at the way the producer, adorably, still manages to hold the popcorn bowl in her lap and Beca's ability to sleep through a loud action packed scene—Stacie once said that Beca has slept through an intensity five earthquake, inside a club, at a stadium in the middle of an NBA finals game, a school while waiting to pick up Aubrey's seven year old nephew and in every single mode of transportation. The brunette's ability to sleep just about anywhere is also rather worrying and now Chloe always feels the need to make sure she's safe.

Interestingly, Beca has awakened Chloe's protective side and now she fears forgetting that her protectiveness over the brunette has its limits.

She's not yours.

The female protagonist hugs the male protagonist in the film after the climax of the movie and Chloe unconsciously moves a strand of dark brown locks away Beca's face. She's extra gentle as she does it, fingers lingering on smooth skin until it settles back on Beca's hair, tenderly brushing soft strands in a hypnotizing manner.

Beca is exactly that, hypnotizing. The way she walks, the way she talks, her subtle mannerisms and moments like this where she feels safe enough to sleep next to her.

It's... too much.

The two movie characters move closer, faces inches apart but Chloe's focus has long been lost to long eyelashes, the curve of pale smooth skin and slightly parted soft lips.

Then she stops thinking. A huge mistake she'd come to realize as those very lips she deems sinful are pressed ever so tenderly against her own.

Electricity shoots through her veins and Chloe's pulling back in a flash as the realization sets in. The room becomes stifling, blood rushes up her head and she quickly stands up, leaving the sleeping brunette as she hurriedly enters the bathroom.

Inside the small four walled room, her heartbeats sound like a fast pounding drum as she leans on the door, breathing heavily as she tries to calm herself.

She questions her actions and yet only one thought keeps coming back.

She's taken advantage of Beca.

With all these bold thoughts of keeping Beca safe and forging sincere friendships, Chloe had forgotten the one great danger that could hurt her.

She had forgotten to protect Beca from herself.