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Chloe didn’t know what drew her to the brunette sitting on her own at the bar. I mean there was the obvious “she’s drop dead gorgeous” of course, but there was something more to it, like a magnet was pulling her to the stranger. Chloe had just wanted a drink after work, she hadn’t been looking for anyone, but she was also hardly going to turn down an opportunity that looked this appealing.
Straightening the hem of her dress and fluffing her hair a little, Chloe’s painted lips turned into an easy smile as she approached the stranger. She leant on the bar next to the brunette, bending in a way that she knew made her ass pop and feeling the woman’s eyes graze slowly down her body. Bingo.
“See something you like?” Chloe smirked, the bartender setting the gin and tonic she had ordered in front of her.
“Maybe.”
Chloe could hear the smirk in the stranger’s voice as she kept her eyes on her drink, stirring it with the short red straw it came with. The brunette in turn moved her attention back to the bottle of beer in her hands, not saying another word as she sipped her drink.
“So are you from around here?” Chloe asked.
“Sorta.”
“What brings you to town then?” Chloe supressed a wave of irritation at the non-committal answers when she saw the brunette smirking out of the corner of her eye. So she wanted to play hard to get huh? She had clearly never met Chloe Beale.
“Work.” The stranger shrugged, sipping her beer nonchalantly.
“Huh. And what is it you do? I take it you’re not any kind of public speaker?”
“You just don’t give up do you?” The stranger smirked, lifting her beer bottle to her lips as her eyes ran up and down Chloe again.
“On a cute girl like you?” Chloe raised an eyebrow, smile infectious, “Never.”
The stranger chuckled softly, “You’re kinda forward huh?”
“What can I say?” Chloe shrugged, easy smile never wavering, “I know what I like, and I’m pretty confident about this.” Chloe turned slightly to look at the stranger properly for the first time since she’d arrived at the bar and gestured to her body.
“You should be.” The stranger smirked. Chloe studied her for a moment, trying to figure out what this feeling in her chest was. This woman was stunning, yes, but there was something else Chloe couldn’t quite put her finger on.
“You’re kinda forward yourself.” Chloe giggled, sipping her drink as she tried to pinpoint what this feeling was.
“It’s not often a hot redhead propositions me at a bar, I’m just embracing the experience.” The brunette shrugged.
“I find that very hard to believe.” Chloe raised her eyebrow, playing with her hair with one hand, her other holding her gin and tonic, “I bet people are banging down the door to get a chance with you.”
“No banging.” The woman shook her head, “Barely knocking. But I’ve been busy with work so I haven’t had the time to notice how intact my door is.”
“Well that is a travesty.” Chloe sighed, brilliant blue eyes meeting the stormy blue of the woman she was hitting on, “Who would leave you sitting on a shelf? Such a waste…”
The stranger blushed a little, running a hand through her hair, “I guess. How about you, I bet you have to fend them off with a stick.”
Chloe laughed, “I do okay. No-one ever sticks around for very long though.”
The stranger frowned a little, “Well that’s their loss. You’re a little… intense, but I’m sure under that you’re really sweet and caring.”
It was Chloe’s turn to blush a little as averted her gaze for a second, wondering what it was that had compelled to be vulnerable with this stranger, “Thanks. I guess I’m just waiting for the right person to come along and turn my world on its head.”
“Oh?” The brunette smirked around the mouth of her beer bottle, “And you think that’s me or…?”
“It could be.” Chloe bit her lip a little, “I can certainly see me turning you on your head before the night’s out.”
The brunette laughed, shaking her head a little as she looked at her feet for a moment, “You don’t know who I am do you?” She asked, lifting her gaze to Chloe’s again.
Chloe frowned for a moment, surveying the brunette. Know her? She’s just spotted her across the bar, what did she mean know her? And then, that weird feeling that Chloe couldn’t put her finger on suddenly made sense as realisation crashed down on her.
“Oh my God! Little Becky Mitchell?!”
“Beca…” Beca groaned, rolling her eyes, and Chloe was suddenly twelve years old again.
“But I like Becky, I think it’s cute!” Chloe insisted.
“God you’re so annoying.” Beca rolled her eyes, grinning despite herself, “Why do I hang out with you?”
“Because we live next door to each other and it’s convenient?” Chloe shrugged, eyes glittering with amusement.
“Dork.” Beca chuckled.
“Weirdo.”
“I can’t believe it’s you!” Chloe gushed, tears pricking at the corner of her eyes as she sat opposite the girl (woman now) that she hadn’t seen in nearly fifteen years, “This is insane.”
“I know.” Beca grinned, “I couldn’t believe it was you when you came and shoved your ass in my face.”
Chloe gave Beca’s shoulder a gentle shove, blushing slightly, “I didn’t know it was you when I did… I can’t believe you recognised me right off the bat.”
“Are you kidding me? Your hair might have gone orange, but those eyes? There’s no-one in the world with eyes like yours.” Beca smiled softly, the initial flirting mellowing a little as she ran a hand through her hair.
“So how long were you gonna let me carry on flirting with you with no idea who you were?” Chloe raised her eyebrow.
“Not much longer.” Beca laughed, “I only caved because you were right on the verge of asking me my name… you’d have figured it out from there.”
Chloe was beaming from ear to ear as she stared at Beca in disbelief. She couldn’t believe Beca was here, sat right in front of her after all these years. Her mind wandered to the last time she had seen the short brunette.
“I wish you weren’t leaving…” Chloe sniffed, running her hand through her hair as Beca stared glumly at her feet.
“Me too.” She mumbled, “Stupid parents. Stupid divorce. STUPID Portland.” Beca kicked a knot of grass as she wiped furiously at her cheeks.
Chloe’s arms were wrapped around herself as she watched Beca’s frustrated and sad pacing. Beca’s mom honked the car home and stuck her head out of the driver’s side window.
“Beca, honey, we’ve gotta go!”
Chloe caught Beca mid-pace and pulled her into a tight embrace, “I’m gonna write to you every week, okay?” Her voice was thick with tears.
Beca would usually push Chloe away (gently of course) when she hugged her, but today she hugged her back even tighter, face buried in her shoulder as she sobbed, “You’d better.” Beca mumbled through her tears, “I’m gonna miss you so much Chlo.”
“I’m gonna miss you too Becs.” Chloe whispered.
Beca pulled away when her mom honked again, wishing she didn’t have to rush her daughter right now but needing to get going sooner rather than later. Beca sniffed hard as she gave Chloe a sad awkward wave. Chloe waved back, watching until Beca’s car was long out of sight, her dad’s arm tight around her shoulders.
“You never wrote…” Beca said softly, a sad smile on her face.
“I did!” Chloe gasped, looking a little outraged that Beca would suggest that she had not kept her promise, “I wrote every week for a whole year but you never wrote back!”
“Chloe, I never got your letters…” Beca frowned softly, “Are you sure you sent them?”
“Yes!” Chloe protested, “Two seven five seven-”
“Two seven five one.” Beca corrected her with raised eyebrow.
“What? No it’s… oh my god…” Chloe shook her head a little as she realised what had happened, “You and your scrawly handwriting!”
“Hey don’t blame me! You were the one sending letters to complete strangers for a year!” Beca scoffed.
“This is so insane…” Chloe chuckled, “After all this time, after everything the universe threw in our path, we’re in the same bar in New York.”
“I know.” Beca smirked, “Do you want another drink?”
“Yeah, that’d be nice.” Chloe grinned.
They talked for hours, right up until last call before either of them had noticed how late it had gotten. Beca had just finished the last touches to her debut album, talking excitedly about her music as Chloe listened intently. Beca had always loved music, and to hear that she’d made a career out of her amazing voice warmed her heart. Chloe had just opened her own veterinary clinic in New York, showing Beca countless photos of the animals in her care, Beca chuckling as she remembered fondly how Chloe would always go out of her way to help any animal that crossed her path.
“I still can’t believe you’re here.” Chloe shook her head, ordering her and Beca one last drink.
“Me neither… of all the bars in New York huh?” Beca grinned, a content silence passing between the two of them for a moment, “Can I tell you something?”
“Sure!”
“I um… I only realised in hindsight but- I had the biggest crush on you when we were kids.” Beca blushed, playing with the label on her beer bottle rather than looking at Chloe.
Chloe’s jaw dropped for a moment before a grin crept onto her face, “Really? And what about now?”
Beca looked up from her beer with a confused frown, “Now?”
Chloe rested her hand on Beca’s arm, tracing along it softly with fingers as Beca’s blush deepened, “Do you still have the biggest crush on me?” She asked innocently.
“What if I did?” Beca bit her lip, “What if I’ve been sat here all night trying to come up with the perfect line so I could kiss you?”
Chloe’s grin grew wider, “And did you?” She whispered, head moving closer to Beca’s.
“I was thinking I’d just go for it.” Beca mumbled, brushing her lips over Chloe’s, eyes meeting hers and seeing the same spark of desire in those incredible blues that was racing through her entire body.
“Great line.” Chloe chuckled, lips connecting with Beca’s.
The kiss was passionate, deep, longing turned to lust as Beca’s hands found their way into Chloe’s hair, Chloe’s hands on her waist. Once the kiss ended, Beca rested her head against Chloe’s, grinning broadly.
“Well I’d say that was worth fifteen years apart wouldn’t you?” Beca chuckled softly.
“As long as you promise it won’t be another fifteen years before I see you again.” Chloe took Beca’s hands in hers, a nervous glint in her eyes.
“Believe me Beale, I am never letting you go again.” Beca leant in and kissed Chloe, softer this time, sealing the promise.
Fate really was a funny thing.