Work Text:
Beca Mitchell was never late. Okay, maybe that was a big fat lie. But in the last two years that she's been working for Jesse, she has never been late. And it took pride in that. Today, though, it had to be one of those days that no matter what or how hard she tried, time (or anything else for that matter) wasn't on her side. Beca entered the building, holding two cups of coffee – Jesse really had the audacity to ask her whether she could bring them coffee on her way there - and her mobile phone, while her laptop bag was hanging loosely on her right shoulder. Her eyes caught her reflection in the glass door. She looked like a lunatic, hair sticking up everywhere, her eyeliner already smudged, and she was in grave need of some deodorant. She was beyond caring, though. She needed to get up there, hand Jesse his coffee while also telling him to fuck off, and then lock herself in the studio. It was a great plan, she thought.
The moment she reached the elevator, no one was there. She thanked her lucky stars. Riding an empty elevator was one of Beca's wishes every morning she got out of bed. That, however, didn't take long to change. Seconds before the elevator arrived, she heard footsteps coming menacingly towards her. She prayed to every God she knew that this wasn't the case, but since when was luck on Beca's side? She gave a side glance to the person beside her. It was a woman, maybe a couple of years older than Beca. She was wearing sunglasses (inside, something that Beca found weird) and was perusing thoughtfully through what seemed to be a script. Her auburn hair was tied into a French braid, and she was dressed in black jeans and a white t-shirt. Catching herself staring at the other woman, she quickly averted her eyes and focused on the elevator.
The elevator came after a while, and both women stepped inside. Beca pushed the button for the 32nd floor and walked at the very end of the cabin, while the other woman opted to stay closer to the door. Beca squinted her eyes and saw that the other woman had pushed for the floor above hers. Then it clicked her. Above Jesse's music company was a movie production office. Beca had seen many actors, famous or not, waltzing through the building almost every day. Apparently, the girl in front of her was a potential new addition. Jesse had overheard that they were working on a new musical, and a lot of big names had come to the table. Beca moved a little to her left to catch a better glimpse of the other woman. She didn't recognize her. Then again, the last movie Beca had seen was eons ago. But still, she knew a big movie name when she saw one.
They were pretty close to Beca's floor when the lights suddenly flickered before the elevator came to a halt. Beca couldn't help but curse as she pushed herself from the metal wall and walked towards the button panel. She pressed a couple of them before letting her frustration take the best of her and punch the nearby wall.
"Does this happen a lot?" The other woman asked. She looked nervous, and Beca didn't know if it was from the enclosed space or her coming audition.
"Only when you're late," Beca muttered while taking a few steps away from the other woman. One thing Beca knew was that when she was close to a panic attack, having people near her didn't really help.
"So what do we do now?" She asked again. If Beca hadn't felt bad for her, she would have rolled her eyes.
"We wait for help. Unless you know how to open this..." Beca pointed at the small square door above them, "And climb yourself out of here." She answered. The other woman seemed to think of it for a second before dismissing the idea.
"Hey, relax; there's literally nothing you can do. So, I suggest you just...chill." Beca tried. The woman regarded her for a bit but eventually let out the breath she was holding.
An awkward yet deafening silence was formed between them. It was killing Beca, but she wouldn't be the first to break. She was alternatively casting looks at the other woman and on her phone. There was zero signal, and it was slowly driving her crazy. The other woman was way more collected than Beca, even though she previously looked like she'd puke.
"Have you been in the industry long?" Beca finally relented. She'd rather talk to a total stranger than go completely insane. Yeap, she was a big drama queen, but she didn't care.
"Excuse me?" The other woman said, confused. Beca pointed at the paper the other woman was holding, "Oh..." She sounded surprised. "I suppose not." She replied after a while.
"So you know how these things work. I mean, you don't have to be nervous or whatever. Then again, I once caught Scarlett Johansson doing breathing exercises in the bathroom downstairs, so ..." Beca shrugged. She was rambling but didn't do anything to stop it. It wasn't like she would see the other girl again. Or maybe she would if she actually takes the role. But Beca doubted that. It was an established company, and they rarely went lower than A-list actors for the movie. So seeing someone she didn't recognize baffled her. Maybe they were going with something fresh for a change, Beca thought.
“I always consider every audition like it's my first.” The other woman admitted. “You can never get anything for granted.”
"Dude, you're getting deep." Beca joked, the other woman chuckled. "But I totally get your point. Let me tell you a secret, though. These guys upstairs always go for the big movie stars, Brangelina, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, etc. So don't feel bad if they reject you. They once rejected Shailene freaking Woodley because she wasn't famous enough." Beca whispered, not wanting someone to hear her badmouthing the company.
“Can I ask you something?” The other woman asked with an amusing smile on her face.
"Uhm...Sure I guess?" Beca said, suddenly feeling self-conscious.
"How many movies have you watched, let's just say, in the last five years?" Beca raised her eyebrow, wondering where that random question came from.
"Like a couple, I think? I'm not a big fan of movies, to be honest. I found it a waste of time. Why?" Beca asked back, curiously
“Nothing.” The other woman smiled sincerely at her.
They talked a bit more. Beca did most of the talking, but neither of them minded. The other woman seemed content enough with this and let Beca take the conversational wheel. Beca told her about her job, working as a music producer for her best friend's company, and her many encounters with celebrities. The redhead, Chloe (Beca found out about that a little later in their conversation,) told her about her most embarrassing auditions. There weren't many, but Beca did laugh at most of them, earning a few slaps on her arm. Beca couldn't believe she was enjoying this. Yes, she could talk someone to death if she really wanted to, but never with strangers. That part of herself was always reserved for her family and Jesse. But with Chloe, it was different. If she was honest with herself, she was forming a teeny tiny crush for the other woman. Not that she'd ever admitted. Or that she'd actually ever have to admit it. Their small bubble would burst the moment Beca stepped out of these doors. She would go on with her life and Chloe with hers. But maybe it didn't have to end. There were literally no commonalities between them. Chloe was an aspiring actress (and a really talented one from the few lines that Chloe read to Beca), waiting for her star to shine. And Beca was...well, she was happy with her current life. She was working with people she liked and was doing the one thing she loved. Maybe what she needed was to grow some balls. She was about to man up and finally ask the other woman out when she felt the elevator moving.
"Finally!" Chloe exclaimed and jumped to her feet immediately. During their almost one-hour entrapment in the elevator, they decided they weren't getting any taller, so they sat on the floor, facing each other. Beca followed suit and stood up. It didn't take long after that to arrive at Beca's destination.
"So that's my floor," Beca said almost shyly. She stood in front of the door, stopping it from closing.
“Yeah, I Figured.” Chloe chuckled.
"Uhm, break a leg?" Beca suggested while giving her a thumbs up.
"Thanks, Beca." Chloe smiled. Beca took that as her cue, and she let her hand from the door. They exchanged one last look before Chloe's face disappeared behind the metal door,
"Dude, where the hell have you been?" Jesse asked worriedly the moment she stepped foot in his office.
"Dude fuck off," Beca growled. "Everything went to shit today." She said while giving Jesse his now-cold latte. He sipped from it and made a disgusted face, ultimately throwing it on the trash can. Beca would have punched him if she didn't feel the same about her own coffee.
“You were fine this morning.” He countered.
"Yeah, I know, but after that, all hell broke loose. I was stuck on the elevator for an hour, dude!" Beca shouted dramatically. She plopped herself on the couch opposite Jesse's desk.
“How did you survive in there?” He asked, concerned. He knew Beca and her detest for anything quiet.
“I was with someone” She tried not to smile at the thought of Chloe, but Jesse was quick and caught it immediately.
"Only you could find someone while being trapped in an elevator," He said in amusement.
"It's not like that." Beca lied but took it back immediately, knowing Jesse could see through her bullshit. "Well, maybe it is, but it doesn't matter. The stupid elevator got fixed the moment I was about to ask her out." Beca cried.
"How do you even know she wasn't straight?" Jesse asked, confused.
“I caught her staring at my cleavage. And I'm pretty sure it wasn't because she was jealous of them.” She said while grabbing at her boobs. Jesse barked a laugh and pointed at her, agreeing that this was a good point.
“Did you at least find out where she's working?”
"She's an actress," Becca replied.
“Do we know her?” Jesse raised an eyebrow at that.
"I doubt that. She looked out of her depths. But she did read some of her lines with me, and she's pretty good. I hope they pick her."
"What if she's famous and you don't know her?" He pointed out. Beca wasn't exactly the person to know famous actors and follow on their work. She didn't even have social media accounts.
“Her name's Chloe if that helps you.” Beca shrugged.
"No, it doesn't. There are many Chloes out there; Benett, Bridges, Beale..."Jesse started to list, but Beca cut him off.
“I don't know any of these names you told me.”
"Okay, let me show you," Jesse said and was about to retrieve his phone and walked towards Beca, but once again, she stopped him.
"Dude, no. It's like almost ten o'clock, and I've done zero work. My boss's a dick, and I need to be in his good graces."
“Wait, I'm your boss!” Jesse yelled as Beca blew him a kiss and left his office, leaving him chuckling to himself.
*
It was almost lunchtime, and Beca was getting restless. Even though she had managed to wriggle herself out of Jesse's room with the excuse of having to work, which was not a lie, she didn't manage to do anything at all. She played with the panel in front of her, making random sounds and trying to merge them together, but nothing looked close to making a song. Her mind was on Chloe. She tried not to because what kind of person gets obsessed with a woman who met a couple hours ago, and they talked for like an hour? Beca probably. She rolled her eyes at herself. Way to crush on someone she barely knew. Knowing she wouldn't get any job done, she decided to stop by Jesse's office and drag him to her favorite diner a couple of blocks away. Beca wasn't the biggest fan of fast food, but today was one of those days she wanted her arteries to clog. Grabbing her wallet and her phone, she made her way to Jesse's office, four doors down from her own. Jesse wasn't there, so she went to the next possible place he might've been; the studio.
Her guess was correct. Beca found Jesse in the studio with David Guetta. The first time Beca had met Guetta, she gushed all over him, and when he complimented her work, Beca almost fainted. Suffice to say, he was her biggest crush and her idol. She still feels her heart flutter when she sees him, but today was not one of these days (because someone else had totally stolen her mind and heart.)
“Becaw!” Jesse howled when he noticed Beca standing at the door.
"Hello, Beca." David smiled at her, and yeap, he still had that effect on her; who was she kidding? She gave him a timid smile and walked towards them.
“Is everything okay?” Jesse asked.
"Nope. Just got hungry, and you know I can't eat alone, so it's your lucky day. Do you wanna go to Granny's and grab lunch?" Beca suggested, hopefully. Jesse exhaled, clearly not wanting to blow Beca off.
"Truth is, I'm hungry as hell, but I need to be close to the office.." Beca couldn't say she wasn't disappointed, but her hunger won over, so she was willing to make a sacrifice.
"We can go downstairs to the cafeteria." She proposed. "Food's not that good but, I love you, and I need company, so please accept this." She pleaded, looking at him like a wounded puppy. Not that she needed to. Jesse loved her and could never say no to her. She had milked that out many times, and she would continue too, as long as she could.
"You know, I can't say no to you." Jesse sighed. Beca clapped her hands excitedly, and Jesse rolled his eyes fondly at her.
"Can you wait like five minutes, though? I still have a few things to talk to David about, and then we can go." Jesse said, and Beca nodded her head dutifully.
“Alright, I'll be waiting for you outside.” She said goodbye to both men, but mostly David, before exiting the studio.
Much to Beca's dismay, it took Jesse longer than five minutes to finish his meeting with David. Her stomach was protesting more and more with each second, something that didn't go unnoticed by anyone that was passing by her in the hallway. She scowled at some of them, but she couldn't say she wasn't feeling embarrassed. She'd kill Jesse the moment he stepped out of the studio. Okay, maybe first they'd have lunch and then kill him. She still needed him to keep her company, and even her growling stomach couldn't change that. She may have been thinking about it too much because she felt a light tapping on her shoulder, catching her by surprise. She yelped as she turned around to face Jesse, who was looking at her sheepishly.
"You said it'll only be five minutes." She murmured.
"It was figuratively speaking..." Jesse smirked at his best friend's glare. They walked towards the elevator, and thankfully it was on their floor the moment they arrived there. Beca jogged a bit, putting her foot in front of the door, effectively stopping it from closing and having to wait for another like five minutes for it to arrive again.
Their ride to the cafeteria, which was on the first floor of the building, was silent. Jesse was looking at something on his phone while Beca was taking in her surroundings. Even though she spent like an hour in there trapped and basically a good half an hour of her daily routine riding it up and down, she never really noticed it before. Come to think about it, it wasn't anything special, but her previous encounter with Chloe gave a whole new meaning to this small space. She shook these thoughts away. She was sounding like a cheesy teenager in a rom-com movie. Jesse would have teased her mercilessly if he'd ever found out what was going on in her head. She had a reputation to uphold, and thinking about romantic dates and candlelit dinners didn't help at all. The elevator dinged, signaling their arrival to the cafeteria. Jesse let Beca exit the elevator first before following suit. Once out of the cabin, Beca scanned the room for the most secluded table she could find. She immediately spotted a two-seat table at the very far corner of the room. She pointed at it with her head, and after Jesse deeming it good, they walked towards it.
They took turns going to the buffet and taking their trays in fear of losing their precious table. There weren't many people dining there, despite it being lunchtime. Beca didn't know if this was normal or if it happened to be one of those busy days that everyone ordered food in their office. She didn't mind, though. Big crowds made her nervous, and this was the last thing she wanted to feel while eating her food.
They fell into a comfortable silence, only breaking it here and there, talking about their meal or gossiping about their coworkers. They were fully into their meal when Beca raised her eyes and looked towards the door. It was something she usually did. Watching who was coming and going, in every room, she found herself in. Jesse would always say that it was rude, but it was a habit Beca had since she was a kid.
Her eyes fell upon a certain redhead that was free rent living into her mind ever since that morning. She ducked her head immediately, not wanting to be noticed.
"Chloe's here." She whispered while also bringing Jesse's body closer to the table.
"Where is she?" He asked curiously, and he was about to turn his face when Beca stopped him.
"Why are we hiding?" Jesse hissed, clearly baffled by Beca's reaction. Yes, she didn't like people, but this was a whole new level, even for her.
"I don't know," Beca grumbled. It wasn't a lie. Ever since that morning, all she wanted to do is go upstairs and ask Chloe out. But apparently, when it came to actually come face to face with the other woman, she chickened out.
"Shit, she saw me," Beca said before throwing Jesse a look while both straightened their bodies. She saw the other woman making timid steps towards them. Beca couldn't fathom how even her walking was beautiful. Her confidence was radiating all through the room, and she made a lot of heads turn around. Except Jesse's, because Beca was still holding his face firmly, looking directly at her.
"Hey!" Chloe smiled radiantly as she stopped in front of their table. Beca forgot how to breathe momentarily, but she recovered quickly, dropping her hands from Jesse's cheeks. That allowed him to finally turn his head and face the woman Beca had a gay panic attack for this morning. The moment he realized who the woman in front of him was, he almost spit his food. He started coughing uncontrollably, making both women look at him concerned.
“Dude, you okay?” Beca said worriedly, hitting his back a couple of times.
"I'm good, I'm good." He breathed. Jesse gave one more look at Chloe, who was staring at him amusingly.
"Anyway...Uhm, Jesse, this is Chloe. The girl I stuck with in the elevator earlier today. Chloe, this is my boss/ best friend/sort of stepbrother Jesse." Jesse did his best not to gawk at her as he took her hand to shake. Internally he was screaming. His best friend was crushing (and not one-sided, apparently) at one of the biggest names in the movie industry. Beca had the hots for Chloe freaking Beale. And she didn't have the slightest clue. He pondered for a while whether he should tell her or not, but a pleading look for Chloe (clearly, she was thinking the same thing) stopped him.
"It's nice to meet you, Jesse," Chloe said, and Jesse mentally congratulated himself for the willpower he was showing. Not only was Chloe Beale in front of him, but they also shook hands. And she now knows his name. He inwardly cursed Beca for her lack of knowledge about current big celebrity names.
“Hmmm.” Jesse nodded his head more times than it was customary before avoiding looking at her at all costs. It was the only way to keep Chloe's cover and stop himself from fanboying over her.
"So, I stopped by your work, and they told me I'd find you here. I wanted to thank you for earlier. Your tips helped me a lot." Chloe said sincerely. Beca looked bashfully at her and shrugged it off.
“That means you might have a chance?” Beca asked curiously.
"Oh, I got the role," Chloe replied as if nothing happened.
"Dude, congrats!" Beca exclaimed. She stood up from her chair, and she was about to give Chloe a hug, but she decided against it. Chloe was practically nothing to her, and she didn't want to overstep her boundaries. Once she saw Chloe's hurt look, though, she cursed herself.
“It's not a big deal.” Chloe shrugged.
"Oh, it is! I told you before, they don't usually consider small names." Beca said. Jesse once again choked at his food, earning an annoying look from Beca.
"Seriously, what's wrong with you today? Have you forgotten how to eat? " She shrieked before sighing, watching how Jesse was literally about to die.
"I'm gonna get you some water, you big baby." She turned to look at Chloe. "Wait for me?" She asked and was more than happy when Chloe nodded affirmatively.
"You're Chloe Beale," Jesse said once Beca was out of earshot.
"I know," Chloe smirked. "And you know. But Beca, for some weird reason, doesn't. And I'd like to keep it that way for as long as I can."
"She doesn't live under a rock, you know. Eventually, she'll find out." Jesse pointed out.
"I'm well aware. But you have to understand. I'm not trying to make fun of your friend. Today was one of the few times someone regarded me as a normal human being. At first, I thought she was doing it so she wouldn't put me in a difficult position. But I quickly realized she had no clue who I am. And that's so...pure. I really enjoyed that little time Beca and I had in that elevator when no one knew my name, and we talked like strangers. I haven't felt that in a long time." Chloe confessed. Jesse nodded in understanding.
"Alright, whatever Jesse told you about me is not true," Beca said. She placed one bottle of water in front of her best friend and handed the other to Chloe, who accepted it gratefully. Chloe looked at her watch before speaking again.
"Anyway, I have a few...errands to run, so I think I should get going." She opened her purse and retrieved her notebook along with a pink pen. She scribbled down something before leaving the note on the table. Beca looked at it before throwing Chloe a questioning look. Chloe winked at her before starting to walk away, her eyes never leaving Beca's
"I guess I'll see you around." Chloe winked again while waving Jesse goodbye. Both Jesse and Beca stared at her until she vanished from their view.
“She'll be the death of me.” Beca smiled once she saw the phone number written in the note with Chloe's calligraphy writing.
“This is going to be interesting...” Jesse muttered to himself.
*
Scraping two days old food from dishes wasn't Beca's favorite pastime. She had been waiting for Jesse to drop his ego and do it for once. But the bastard was as good at ignoring them as she was, to the point that it was getting ridiculous. Beca clearly remembered that time she left for her hometown for a week and came back to find the dishes towering over her head at least an inch. She had yelled at him for twenty minutes. He offered to hire a maid to help them with the chores. Beca would rather clean the dishes for the rest of her life than let someone else tidy her apartment. In general, Beca took pride in maintaining both work, social life, and a pristine house while living with a man child. He loved Jesse more than anyone else in the world (including her parents), but boy, she wanted to strangle him. Yes, Jesse was a busy man, running a successful company and all that. But she'd definitely appreciate it if he at least offered to do some of the chores.
So there she was, at the kitchen sink restoring it to its former spotless glory. Music was reverberating from the sound system through their apartment, and Beca was humming along to the songs. Jesse was once again out having dinner with a client. It was something usual, and she had tagged along to many of them, but today she needed the apartment all to herself. Ever since that morning, Beca had already made a mental list with all the things she'd do once Jesse was out. Doing the dishes wasn't one of them, to be honest, but she made some adjustments. Beca couldn't wait to finish, so she could hop in the bathtub, with a glass of wine and her favorite trash show, playing on the laptop. She turned around to get a clean towel when for the umpteenth time, she looked at the piece of paper Chloe had given her. She had purposefully left it atop of the counter, intending to actually call the other woman, but she never got around it. It had been three days since their first encounter, and Beca still hadn't found the balls to do it. Jesse had warned her that if she didn't call her, he would. Beca glared at him, but even his comment wasn't enough for her to pick up the phone. Chloe had dropped the ball to Beca's court, but Beca was clearly too much of a coward to pick up the damn ball and throw it back. Or whatever weird basketball analogy people used. Thinking about Chloe had helped actually do the work quicker, as she found herself wiping the last glass before putting it back to its place. She grabbed the note from the counter along with her phone and plopped herself on the couch. Her fingers were hovering above the screen, trying to find the right words to text Chloe. She closed her eyes to concentrate, but the noise coming from the TV and the sound system didn't help. She turned off the latter and grabbed the remote to turn off the volume on the TV system when she stopped. Chloe was on the TV. Curiosity took the best of her, and she turned the volume up instead to listen better.
"Actress and singer Chloe Beale has been nominated for two Academy Awards this year, making this her fifth nomination. Beale is nominated for her role in Quentin Tarantino's new movie, as well as, her supporting role in Tim Burton's movie "The Puppet Master". Chloe Beale made her debut as an actress six years ago and is already an owner of two Academy Awards while...."
Beca blinked rapidly, unable to process what had just happened. She timidly grabbed her phone and opened a search engine, quickly writing Chloe's name. She opened the Wikipedia page dedicated to her, and it was enormous. They had everything about her in there. Early life, her whole fucking filmography, personal life - that one wasn't actually bad, she made a mental note to check it later - awards and nominations. She had been in a vast variety of movies Beca never bothered to watch. She threw the phone on the coffee table and sighed. Chloe, her Chloe (well, not exactly hers, but you get the point), was one of the biggest names in the movie industry right now. And Beca had not a fucking idea. Flashbacks of Beca practically calling Chloe a no-one came to her mind, and she had to refrain from facepalming herself. She had made a total fool of herself, and sweet Chloe was too kind to correct her. How could she ever lay her eyes on her again? Chloe was a movie goddess, and Beca was a much, much lesser-known music producer. She grabbed her phone again and dialed Jesse's number. He picked up after two rings.
"Chloe's fucking famous," Beca said.
"I know," Jesse replied. Whether he was in front of a client or he didn't have anything else to say, Beca didn't know and didn't care right now.
"No, Jesse, you don't know...Chloe is like Beyonce....and everyone fucking knows Beyonce. I mean, even someone who is an uncultured swine could recognize her. And I called her a C-list actor many, many times...Oh God, I'm such an idiot...." Beca groaned, letting herself fall at the back of the couch.
"Oh, and she's also an EGOT winner...EGOT Jesse! They're like less than twenty others of them!"
"So you know what an EGOT is and how many winners there are, but you didn't know Chloe Beale?" Jesse said, amused.
"Shut up, man. This is like, general knowledge, or whatever.....And you traitor! Why didn't you say anything when you saw her?" Beca asked, accusatory.
"First of all, you're really bad at reading the signs, dude. I almost fainted when Chloe came to our table." Jesse pointed out.
"I thought it was because she's drop-dead gorgeous!!!" Beca defended. Although now it came to mind, Jesse was right. He had seen many attractive women in his life, but he only reacted that way when someone famous was involved. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction, though.
"I feel awful, Jesse. I didn't even bother to look her up. Instead, I was rambling like an idiot giving her tips so she won't be nervous at her audition. She was probably laughing at me afterward. I'd laugh at me, to be honest.”
"Beca, sweetheart, you need to take a deep fucking breath," Jesse instructed. Beca did as she was told.
"Need I remind you that no matter how you treated her, she gave you your number. Chloe liked this. For some weird reason that I'll never understand, she liked you."
"You're an asshole," Beca muttered.
“You love me. And now that you know the truth, I suggest you pick up the damn phone and call her. It's been two days already. I'm pretty sure she's waiting for you.”
“I think she's probably busy writing her acceptance speech for the Oscars.”
“Beca....” Jesse said seriously this time. “Call her.” Beca hated when Jesse used that tone.
"I'll try, I promise." She agreed before ending the phone call.
Beca never called her. After reading multiple articles about Chloe and her rise to fame, she decided she could never do it. She couldn't even understand why Chloe even bothered to give her her number. If that was her number indeed and not her assistant's or a number for fans to text her. She doubted the last one was a thing, just as much she doubted Chloe wanted anything to do with her. Maybe it was a joke for her to pass her time or a thank you for entertaining me move. She sighed once again. She tried to stifle multiple yawns but to no avail. The day had caught with her, and the whole thing with Chloe mentally exhausted her. It was relatively early for bed, but she preferred that to have Jesse come home and nag her about calling Chloe. Earlier bedtime, it is.
*
Forgetting about Chloe wasn't easy. She swore ever since she found out who Chloe was, Beca felt like she was hearing her name everywhere. Or maybe she did because Jesse wouldn't stop mentioning her. It's like he was doing it on purpose. Oh wait, he did. Jesse's every second sentence contained Chloe's name, last name, or a combination of both. She would find it cute in any other situation in which Chloe wasn't insanely famous. But of course, Beca had to fall for someone way out of her league. No scratch that, Chloe wasn't simply out of her league. She was the whole damn league. She was the Superbowl, while Beca was in a kid's team at a god-forsaken town. How could they ever find a common ground?
Beca was at work finishing up on a song when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She jerked slightly, removing her headphone, and turned her head.
“Jesus, Jesse, you scared me.” Beca clutched her heart to prove her point.
“I called you like three times.” Jesse shrugged.
"I was wearing...you know what, never mind...Do you want something?" She asked grumpily.
“Is everything okay?” Jesse replied with a question of his own. He could count many times Beca wanted to bite his head off but never without a reason. Today though, they haven't even talked properly, so it seemed unlikely to have pissed her off.
“I'm fine.” Beca snapped but immediately regretted it, watching Jesse's hurt expression.
“I'm sorry, I just have a lot of my mind right now. Seriously though, what do you want?” She said calmer this time.
"I wanted you to go to the diner across the street and grab some food for David and me. But it's okay, I'll go myself." Jesse said, not wanting to upset the brunette more.
"No, it's okay, I'll go. I need the distraction anyway. And I'm kinda hungry. You're paying, right?" She asked with a mischievous grin, causing Jesse to laugh.
"Sure, if it helps wipe that grumpy grimace off your face, get whatever you want, and don't worry about the money.'
"You're the best boss, Swanson!" She pecked his cheek as she grabbed Jesse's credit card from his hand and ran towards the exit.
"I'm also your best friend and stepbrother!" He yelled to no one.
Beca found herself waiting for the elevator. Since her encounter with Chloe, that elevator had a whole new meaning in her life. She found herself on more than one occasion daydreaming about the door opening and Chloe being on the other side. Then she'd scold herself. She had brought this on herself. The situation she was currently in wasn't Chloe's fault but hers. She refused to call. So, she really wasn't allowed to play the victim there. The elevator dinged, and the door opened slowly, revealing the redhead woman standing inside. Beca didn't know if she had somehow manifested this, if her mind was playing tricks on her or if karma had a good sense of humor. Knowing her luck, it was definitely the latter.
“Chloe?” Beca whispered just to make sure that what she was seeing was real.
"Hey, Becs." Chloe smiled genuinely as she stepped aside to let the other woman enter. Beca noticed the use of the nickname, but she chose not to comment on it. Instead, she smiled back at her and stood next to her. Beca swore to herself she wouldn't say anything to the other woman, but as they were getting closer to the ground floor, she couldn't hold it.
"You didn't tell me you were the new Meryl Streep," Beca commented.
“What do you mean?” So, Beca had found out. However, Chloe chose to put those acting skills into use and feign ignorance.
"I saw you on TV. Congrats on your nominations, by the way. And I looked you up on Google. The things you can find out about someone on that thing are borderline creepy. I mean, the last time I saw you I only knew your name. Now I know all your family tree, your last relationship, by the way, Tyler Hoechlin, really? And that you have seven tattoos. The one in your ankle is really cute." Beca said in one breath while avoiding looking at Chloe at all costs. Instead, her eyes were fixated on the panel above the door, indicating the floor they were in.
"Is that all you have to say?" Chloe asked. When Beca didn't answer, she rolled her eyes. With one quick move, she pushed a button, effectively stopping the elevator.
"Really now?" Beca complained.
"Yes, really, Beca. Why are you acting like that?" She demanded
“Acting like what? Like someone who found out that the girl they've been crushing on for the past two weeks is the most famous person in America?”
"First of all, you're exaggerating. And I never meant to hide the truth from you." Chloe admitted.
“Why didn't you tell me who you were?” Beca asked.
“I doubt you'd have recognized me if I told you my full name.” Chloe pointed out.
"Okay, that's true, but at least you could have told me you're famous?"
“How exactly do you bring that into a conversation?”
"I don't know; I'm not the famous one!" Beca yelled, and Chloe couldn't help but roll her eyes. This was ridiculous.
"You can't. Usually, I take it for granted that someone will recognize me. And that's what I did when we got trapped in there. But you never did. And the truth is, I liked it. It has been a long time since the last time a stranger treated me like that. I didn't do it to make fun of you. I genuinely enjoyed the fact you had no idea who I was." Chloe confessed. Beca finally looked at her.
“Are you mad?” Chloe asked timidly.
"More like fucking confused," Beca revealed. At Chloe's quizzed expression, she elaborated.
"I like you; there's no point in denying that, but I'm fucking terrified. You have a completely different lifestyle than mine. I don't mean that like it's a bad thing. I'm sure your life is incredible, and you have worked hard to build it. But I don't think our lives can have a Venn diagram." Beca shrugged.
“Jesus, Beca, I didn't ask you to accompany me to the next Met Gala. I simply wanted to get to know you, no strings attached.”
"See? Even in that department, we're completely different. You can date someone different each day, and no one bats an eye because that's what celebrities do. But this is not me. I can't make an effort if I know that the next day I'll be yesterday's news and just another one of Chloe Beale's suitors." Beca argued. Chloe chuckled, but it was humorless.
"Beca, this is Hollywood. You go out for drinks with your brother, and people think you're dating. And besides, most of these are just dating rumors. But you choose to see what's easier for you. I'm not the bad guy here. I'm putting myself out there as much as you do. I would have never given you my number if I was just looking for someone to smile nicely at the cameras. "
“I have literally nothing to offer to you, Chloe. I can’t take you to the hottest party in town or to a movie premiere. The best I can do is pizza and maybe a couple of ciders if I'm feeling fancy.” Beca reasoned.
“Do you think I'm that shallow? That I only care for parties and grand gestures to brag about on Instagram?” Chloe asked incredulously.
"I think that every celebrity has a reputation to uphold and is expected to act in a certain way."
"We're human, Beca, not puppets. Contrary to what you think I can choose whether I'll attend a party or not. But clearly, you have made your mind about me and my life, so there's no point in trying now, is it?"
"I've already made my mind about this, Chloe, but I didn't expect you to understand. I'm sorry for things not going your way."
"Did you just call me spoiled?" Chloe asked, shocked.
"I guess I did."
"You're a dick, Beca," Chloe hissed, before storming out of the elevator, thankfully before the tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
“That's like the hallmark of my personality, princess!” Beca yelled.
"Idiot." She mumbled to herself.
She made it back to the studio after a couple of minutes. Jesse was chatting with the receptionist when he noticed his best friend entering the room, an even gloomier expression on her face.
“Did you lose the food on your way here? Because that’s the only way I can justify your expression.” He joked, hoping that Beca wouldn't incinerate him on spot.
"Huh?" She asked, disoriented. The whole ride from the ground floor to her office, Beca was replaying her conversation with Chloe and how utterly and unjustly it went wrong. Chloe was right. She acted like a dick. There were many ways Beca could have said no, but of course, she chose the rudest one. She was a huge idiot.
"The f.... never mind. What happened, Becaw?" He asked, concerned.
"Why do I have to be such an asshole, Jesse?" She asked before starting weeping in front of everyone that was in the hall. In any other situation, Beca a) wouldn't cry in front of that many people, or b) she would have cared. But she didn't. Jesse rushed to her side and enveloped her in a tight hug.
“Shhh...everything's fine Becs, you're fine.” He cooed, kissing the top of her head.
"No, it's not. I acted like a total ass. I wouldn't blame Chloe if she never wanted to see me again." Beca said between sobs.
"You gotta give me more than that, buddy." He said. He guided Beca towards his office and away from prying eyes. Even though Beca couldn't say it right now, she was thankful for that. She sat on the couch, wiping her eyes with the inside of her sleeve. Jesse offered her some tissues before sitting next to her.
"Okay, tell me now, what did you do?" He said lightly in fear of upsetting his best friend more.
And Beca did. He told him all about her rude comments to Chloe and her generally cool and standoffish vibes she was projecting the whole time. Jesse did his best to not judge her, but if Beca had taken this lighter, he would have smacked her in the head.
"What do I do now, Jesse?" Beca asked pleadingly.
"Well, now you hope those rumors about Chloe being generous and kind-hearted are true, and she forgives you."
“What if she doesn't?”
"In that case, you'll have a less cool story to tell."
"Shut up." Beca scolded, a smile creeping onto her lips.
*
Beca, if she were honest with herself, didn't intend to stay that long in the studio after everyone had gone home. It was Friday night, and Jesse had a policy of letting everyone leave a little earlier than usual. She did want to leave early too, maybe catch a drink with Jesse on their way home, but inspiration had hit her like a bus. She literally felt like a lightbulb had lit above her head. The truth was, she hadn't produced anything good in a while. Okay, maybe she had, but all were mashups of already existing songs, nothing new. But that wasn't in her job description. Jesse had hired her because he knew what Beca could do with a music controller and a few of her favorite songs. He had also seen her making original tunes, some of which had already been made into songs for famous artists. But lately, she was in a dead-end. That was why she dropped everything and ran towards the studio, putting the headphones over her head and starting working on a rhythm that had stuck in her head all day. She hadn't realized how much time had passed until she looked at her phone. It was a little after nine, and she also had three missed calls from Jesse. She shot him a quick text, telling him not to worry, as she continued working on her song.
It was almost an hour later when she decided that she was done for today. The tune still needed a lot of work, but after catching herself yawning every five minutes in front of her computer, she knew it wasn't a lot of time before she fell asleep in there. She turned off the computer and was packing up her things while also humming one of her favorite songs.
“I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose, fire away, fire away.....”
"Ricochet, you take your aim, fire away fire away..." A voice all too familiar joined in. Beca froze in the spot. She hadn't seen Chloe since the second elevator incident. Well actually, she had seen her on television and every damn billboard across the city, but that didn't really count.
"You shoot me don't, but I won't fall, I am Titanium...." Chloe hit a really high note, causing Beca to finally turn and face her with an impressed smile on her face.
"I can see why you got that Grammy," Beca teased as she stood awkwardly in front of the panel. Chloe was still standing at the entrance, waiting for Beca's permission to come in.
“I actually have three, but who's counting.” Chloe shrugged, but Beca could see the teasing glint in her eyes.
“Now, you're just showin’ off....” Beca rolled her eyes. Chloe chuckled.
Beca couldn't believe she was thinking it, but she missed Chloe's voice. They didn't even have a proper chance to get to know one another, and Βeca could count their encounters in one hand, with fingers to spare. Yet that woman had left a deep impression in her heart, something she didn't dare to fathom. She didn't want to imagine how high on Chloe would be if they have actually had a date or something more. Beca shook her head to shoo these thoughts away. She and Chloe would never have that chance simply because Beca was an idiot.
"May I come in?" Chloe asked, seeing as Beca wasn't going to say anything. Beca nodded as she put her hands in her back pockets, not knowing what to do with them.
"What are you doing here?" Beca asked. It sounded accusatory and angry, and Beca cursed herself. The last thing she wanted was to draw Chloe further away. If that was possible, for that matter.
"I wanted to talk to you," Chloe replied. She was looking at Beca with those big blue eyes of hers, making her feel suddenly self-conscious.
"No, I think I should talk first," Beca said, and before Chloe could have the chance to argue, Beca continued. "I acted like an ass the other day. I didn't mean to be rude and offend you. And you were right. I was too quick to judge you based on what I think celebrities are like. It was stupid and immature. I hope you can forgive me. Even though, If I were you, I wouldn't. I mean, what to forgive? I didn't even give you the chance to talk to me...I...."
“Beca...” Chloe chuckled, seeing how Beca wasn't going to stop rambling any moment now.
“I'm talking too much, aren't I?”
"Yes, you are..." Chloe laughed. "But you were right too, you know. Our lives are completely different. There are some things my agent expects from me. Certain appearances, a certain public image, scrutinizing all my relationships, both personal and professional ones. And to be honest, I didn't think of the consequences or the impact my life could have on yours when I handed you my number. I did it purely based on instinct. But that didn't mean I wasn't doing it because I wanted to. God, I've seen you like twice, and yet I can't stop thinking about you." Chloe shook her head in disbelief.
"Well, the last part is mutual." Beca smiled, causing Chloe to do the same.
"Do you think we could give it....give us a chance?" Chloe asked hopefully.
"Well, to be honest, I can think of many benefits dating Chloe fucking Beale might have," Beca smirked.
“Oh, like what?” Chloe smirked back
"Like, I get to date the most gorgeous woman on Earth right now. And these are Esquire's words, not mine. Although I do agree..."
"You're an idiot." Chloe rolled her eyes playfully. Neither of them talked after that. Instead, they stood there, inches keeping them apart whilst taking each other in. It was Beca who broke the silence after a few minutes.
“So, what do we do now?” She asked uncertainly.
"Well, you take me on a date… and then we can always play it by ear," Chloe suggested.
Okay, that sounds good. Wait, why should I be the one to take you on a date? Why don't you take me on a date instead?" Beca challenged, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Because you said it yourself, Becs. You're dating Chloe fucking Beale." Chloe winked, watching how Beca's face went from one of pure smugness to someone who just had their ass delivered. Chloe laughed loudly while starting to walk towards the exit, leaving a dumbfounded Beca behind.