Chapter Text
Beca Mitchell sighed, exhausted, sitting down on a box in what was supposed to be her new living room. After the move, she didn’t have the energy to fully unpack anything or put her furniture back together. She only did what was absolutely necessary—like set up her cat’s temporary food and litter box situation, throw her mattress on the floor and unpack her toothbrush.
Atticus was running around like crazy, sniffing and meowing at everything in the house. Beca laughed. She loved how silly Atticus was. He always kept her life interesting. She thought she might as well unpack some of her clothes, which she had just begun to do when there was a knock at the door.
Beca opened the door to a redheaded woman and a little girl. “Hi?”
“Hi,” The woman said, gazing at Beca. The woman had never seen someone as beautiful. “Oh my gosh you're so pretty. My name is Chloe, Beale. And this is my daughter, Rory. We live next door. Not to sound completely crazy, but she heard your cat meowing.” Beca smiled immediately, also widening her eyes a bit. Atticus was that loud? “She was wondering if she could meet your cat? Totes cool if that’s not okay, she just loves animals.”
“I’m Beca.” Beca says, looking down at the girl. “Of course you can meet my cat. His name is Atticus. He’s not shy at all. Come on in, it’s a huge mess but don’t be alarmed by it.”
“Oh no worries, we’re used to messes.” Chloe says, stepping inside the house. Beca smiles, tiptoeing around the house in search for the cat. Chloe and Rory wait in the very unfurnished living room. “So where are you moving here from?”
“So embarrassing to say. Ohio.” Beca says from the other room.
“Ah. That makes sense. You seem cool.”
“Yeah. Old dudes, farmers and republicans aren’t really my speed. New York suburbs seems more like it. Plus I liked the look of this place. Good vibes were emanating from it.” Beca says, remembering when she first saw the exterior of the house. It was painted black and had white scallop trim and shutters. She felt so connected to it.
“Why Ohio?”
“Don’t ask me. I didn’t even want to be there in the- OH!” Beca exclaims, picking up Atticus, who had been hiding in the shower. “Here he is. Little jokester. He was hiding. So sorry about that!”
“Aww. He’s so cute!” Chloe exclaimed, immediately reaching her hand out for him to sniff.
“Can I pet it?” Rory asked, smiling so big.
“Of course!” Beca said, placing him on the floor in front of Rory. Beca and Chloe watch as Atticus warms right up. Atticus and Rory are already best friends.
“So, Ohio?” Chloe asked again. For some reason, she felt herself being connected to this girl, or wanting to be, at least. She wanted to know more.
“Right. I was born there and then we moved to a small town, where I spent most of my life, and that’s when I decided that I absolutely had to get out of there.” Beca explains, remembering her old houses and schools. “Even with college. I really tried to go out of state. Everything was just so, not me, in Ohio. I don’t know how my parents lived there so long. And my grandparents. Tons of Ohio family shit. Oh my gosh I’m so sorry. I’m not around kids much.”
“It’s all good. I struggle watching my mouth too. And I think she’s too distracted by the cat.” Chloe says, drawing both of their attention to Rory who was still playing with the cat.
“I think he gets bored of me. So where’d you move here from?” Beca asks.
“I was born in Portland. I went to college in Atlanta. Way to move across the country. Twice. Yeah. Don’t know why I did that but it was totes worth it.”
“Sounds like it.” Beca says, admiring and also wishing for the nomadic life that Chloe has had. She wished she could be spontaneous.
“Yeah, just after college I got pregnant with this little thing,” Chloe says, shifting her vision to her daughter. “Weirdest day ever. But also the greatest. Sometimes weird days are your best ones, right?”
“Definitely.” Beca liked the way this girl thought about things.
“And then when she was born, the whole gas station milk thing happened with her dad. But that’s whatever. I decided that maybe we should settle. Decent neighborhood. Good schools. She’s only five but dude, I have to plan ahead for that shit.”
“So sorry about her dad-” Beca says, somehow feeling like she’d overstepped.
“Don’t be. Nobody needs people who don’t want to be there.”
“Word.” Beca said. “But if you ever need help or someone to talk to, I’m literally always doing nothing. and I know we just met, so don’t feel bad turning down the offer-”
“Oh no absolutely,” Chloe interrupted. “I feel like we’re gonna be really fast friends.” Chloe felt weird. The new girl living beside her will be a big part of her life. She can feel it already.