CHAPTER 23

POV- Beca

It's been over a week and a half since I gave Chloe the flash drive. I still haven't heard from her, so I'm guessing I finally pushed her to her limit. I don't blame her… I was horrible to her and she deserves much better. She deserves flowers and kisses and cuddles and things I wish I could give her, but I was just a little too late coming to my senses.

KNOCK KNOCK!

An authoritative knock interrupts my pity party. I shuffle over to the door and unlock it, already having good idea who it is. As I turn and begin to shuffle back to the computer desk, my door swings open and instead of my dad, I hear Aubrey's stern voice.

"Get dressed, let's go!"

"Wha-?" I turn around to see the Bellas filing into my room and making themselves comfortable.

"We are ALL going to Chloe's final recital now and YOU need to be there, so hurry up and get dressed."

"I AM dressed…" I look down at my tank top and oversized jogging pants.

Aubrey chuckles and gives me the once over before shaking her head.

What's the use in getting dressed up anyway? I already blew my chance with her. I don't know if I can handle this…

After some whining and a few threats from Aubrey, I find myself sitting in the recital hall in my best flannel and boots (because that's really all I've got). I don't pay attention to the first few dancers, and I find myself making a conscious effort not to look at the stage as Chloe takes her place in the middle of the stage.

I can't do this… I can't do this… I can't do this…

I slide down in my seat and close my eyes, willing this to go by faster. Just as I consider leaving, I hear the first few bars of "Wonderwall" and raise my head a little as the strumming pattern begins to sound familiar. Then, my voice fills the recital hall and I realize this is the cover I gave Chloe, when I told her how I felt. Once I've gathered the courage to raise my head completely, I find her eyes locked on mine just as she begins to move… Pirouettes, leaps, vertical extensions, and some of THE most graceful tumbles I have ever seen…

The way she moves across the stage seems to work perfectly with the guitar and it almost seems as if she IS dancing the music… Leaving it all on the stage…

I feel like the biggest baby fanning my eyes and blinking about 50 times a second just so I don't start bawling in front of the rest of the girls. I exhale deeply, getting my emotions under control. Cynthia leans over to tease me about how "bad" I've got in, but I can't even deny it this time.

Unlike most of the other dancers, when Chloe's performance is over, she doesn't go backstage. She takes the side steps and makes her way down the side aisle. Before I even realize what I'm doing, I'm squeezing past parents and other Barden students to get to the aisle. Muttering "excuse me, sorry" more times than I can count.

But it's all worth it when I reach Chloe and she takes my face in both hands. It's SO worth it when her trembling lips meet mine and I feel the tears on my face. Because nothing else matters at this moment. Just Chloe.

Just this warm, tingly sensation that I've been denying for almost two years. Just the look in her eyes when she pulls away and smiles. Knowing that she's finally got what she wants, and I've finally figured out what I want.