Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
A/N: This is my first fanfic and feedback is greatly appreciated, good or bad, so I know if you would like to read more! Hope its not too bad for my first try :)
7:00 am.
The alarm clock shrieks its rude wake up call as a tussled mess of dark hair stirs unwillingly, revealing a tanned arm shooting out from the covers to silence the awful alarm. Slowly Callie Torres sits up and groans, wanting nothing more than to lay back down and surpass the torture that is the first day of school. Without warning Callie's door flies open to reveal a fully awake Aria.
"Cal, come on! We are leaving in half an hour." Aria glances over at the still form of Callie, who had retreated under her covers once more. "Get up!"
After no response comes from her sister, Aria makes her way to the bed and leans in close to Callie's ear. "I know you can hear me. So don't make me get the water. I promise it will be very, very cold."
Callie silently weighs her options and chooses to sit up slowly to avoid a second rude, and very cold wake-up call. Glaring at Aria she groans and pushes her hair out of her face.
"Why so early, Aria? Can't I have just ten more minutes? Or just five?"
Aria sighed and smiled while pulling Callie out of the bed against her sister's will.
"What's that saying? The early bird gets the hot guy?" Aria winked and pushed Callie towards the mirror. "But you are gonna want to brush that bird's nest of yours and wipe away that very attractive drool."
Aria giggled and moved to Callie's closet as Callie hurriedly wiped away the thin line of drool streaked across her face and began to brush her messy hair.
"How about this one?" Aria emerged from the closet holding up a deep purple v-neck shirt.
"Aria, don't you have anything better to do than play dress-up Callie?" Callie grumbled and began to rid herself of her pajamas, wishing that this was all a bad dream.
Aria disappeared into the closet once more only to return with the purple shirt and a pair of black skinny jeans.
"Nope, so put this on and stop complaining. It's your first day as a senior...you have to show everyone how bad-ass and gorgeous you are."
Callie decided to give up and pulled the outfit on to satisfy Aria. Obviously pleased with her choice, Aria nodded approvingly.
"Whew Cal! You'll get plenty of attention from those hot guys!"
Callie stared at herself in the mirror realizing that the low cut of the shirt allowed a glimpse of her tanned breasts. She knew she looked good, but she didn't want to draw attention to herself.
"Aria, I don't want any attention from guys. I'm already in a relationship. You know that. And I'm perfectly happy."
Aria rolled her eyes and mumbled something under her breath before adding, "Yeah, yeah, but George hardly counts as a good relationship. And he's definitely not hot."
Callie shot her a look of anger and Aria shrugged in defense. "What? I'm just saying."
She adjusted her shirt to cover her chest and pointed to the door, indicating she wanted Aria to leave.
"George may not be your idea of 'hot' Aria, but I think he's perfectly acceptable. You know looks don't matter to me. Some people aren't as shallow as you are."
Aria shrugged off the comment and began to move towards the door as Callie disappeared into the bathroom to brush her teeth.
"Maybe you'll think twice about that after today, Cal." She called over her shoulder.
Callie frowned into the mirror and sighed when she heard her door close.
'It's senior year. This is it. This is my last chance to polish my grades for those college applications. My last chance to make things right with George. My last chance to prove that I can make it, that I'm not falling apart completely. '
George. Callie and George had been dating for almost half a year and things had started to get shaky. Callie loved him, that much she was sure of. But lately she felt like she wasn't getting that same love in return anymore. It wasn't a physical love, no. They were both still virgins, as far as Callie was concerned. But it was a love that made her feel safe, made her feel like she belonged. Over the summer she felt that love start to dissipate. George hardly saw her all summer while he was on vacation with family in California and he made little effort to stay in touch with her while he was gone. She knew their relationship was moving towards an end at a dangerously quick speed, but she chose to ignore it. She didn't want to think of losing George now. So she ignored it, pushed the thought of it far back into her mind, willing it to not show itself again. She was determined to make this year different. To find a way to hold onto him.
As Aria pulled into the parking lot of the school, Callie could see her best friend leaning up against his car, grinning at her approach. Mark. She was so excited to see him again. They spent the first half of summer seeing each other everyday at the pool where they both worked as lifeguards. He made work fun, despite his man-whore jokes about Callie in her bathing suit. But later in the summer he had to fly to New York to spend time with his father. Since his parent's divorce he kicked his flirting into high gear. Callie knew he was only doing it to hide his feelings. He had always been a charmer with the ladies, but over the summer he had been with more girls than Callie cared to think about. He tried to make himself seem better off without his father, but Callie knew it was tearing him up inside. They talked long nights about everything and the true Mark shone through only to her. She couldn't wait to see what flirting skills he had acquired over the summer.
Jumping out of Aria's car as soon as she stopped, Callie ran to Mark, his arms open for her. She hugged him tight and placed a quick kiss on his cheek.
"Hey sexy," Mark's eyes traveled down Callie's toned body and he whistled. "Torres, are you sure O'Malley is still cutting it for you?"
"Yeah, she's sure." Callie heard a small voice answer Mark before she could and saw George approach them, glaring at Mark. "Hey, Cal." He smiled and kissed Callie quickly on the cheek before hurrying off.
"I'm sorry, but I have to, uh, go check on my schedule. I'll see you at lunch?"
Callie frowned and nodded. "Sure."
George avoided her eyes and walked quickly into the school, leaving Callie stunned. Mark shook his head and huffed.
"Everything alright with you two, Cal? Nothing got any better I'm guessing?"
Callie shrugged and pretended that George's lack of attention didn't have any effect on her. "Yeah. We are alright." She feigned a smile to assure Mark.
"You find anyone in New York?" She asked, trying to distract Mark from the hurt starting to spread over her face.
Mark raised his eyebrows and smiled slyly. "Of course. No girl can resist this," Mark waved his hand over his body and Callie rolled her eyes.
"Right. You know, I can't wait for the day when a girl does turn you down, so you're ego can shrink a size or two." Callie laughed as Mark feigned hurt.
"Right Torres, the day that happens is the day that you become a lesbian."
Callie screwed up her face in disgust, "Um, that will never happen."
"Exactly," Mark grinned widely and chuckled just as the bell signaled for them to move to class.
Callie and Mark found Cristina sitting at a desk in the back of the room and moved to join her. Homeroom to Callie was her favorite class simply because it was pointless. It was held every morning to make daily announcements. She knew that is was a waste of ten minutes, but she was happy to have time to talk to her friends every morning. Sitting next to Cristina she smiled and waved a hand in front of her face to bring her out of her daydreaming. Callie smirked as she considered the idea that Cristina was probably already missing her tequila.
"Cristina, you there?"
Cristina snapped her head towards Callie, seemingly agitated that her wonderful daydream had been interrupted. "Yeah, I'm here. Unfortunately."
Callie chuckled and rested her head in her hands. "Is there anything I can do to make it better"
Cristina grinned, "Do you have tequila?"
Callie shook her head, her suspicions confirmed. "No, but-"
"Then no." Cristina's grin disappeared as her eyes glazed over as she went back to her tequila laced daydreams.
Turning away from Cristina, Callie caught the eye of a small blonde walking into the room looking slightly shaken, but confident none the less. Transfixed by the beautiful shade of the girl's eyes, Callie found herself staring. The blonde smiled, a smile so bright that Callie felt her breath hitch unintentionally, surprising herself. As the blonde made her way towards the empty seat beside her, Callie felt her heart start to race, confused as to why she was responding this way. Before she could return the girl's smile, Mark approached the blonde with a charming grin, extending his hand in greeting.
"Mark Sloan. Does God know that one of his angels is missing?"
Callie rolled her eyes and couldn't help but to giggle at Mark's cheesy pick up line. Her laughing ended quickly though when she felt agitation rise in her chest as her view of the smiling girl was obstructed by an over-confident Mark. She watched with amusement and sheer surprise as the curly-haired blonde smiled uncertainly at Mark and chose not to to return the offered handshake. Clearly amused by Mark's attempt to win her over, the girl walked around him and sat down next to Callie. When she noticed Callie staring she offered another smile and an introduction.
"Hi there. I'm Arizona Robbins," the blonde's eyes shone even in the dim light of the classroom lights.
Callie fought to return the smile as the cheerful voice of this Arizona invaded her thoughts and deafened her ears to all other sound.
"Callie, Callie Torres." Callie began to freak out internally, questioning her sanity as she caught herself thinking that this girl was beautiful. 'Callie, what the hell? She is not beautiful, you cannot call her beautiful. That is so off limits.'
Despite her internal scolding, she continued to watch the blonde intently as she started speaking again.
Without needing prompting, Arizona offered the answers to the questions that she had been accustomed to hearing at the start of every new school.
"I'm new here. Just moved from Florida." Callie finally managed to form a smile and calm the ringing in her ears that resonated with Arizona's voice.
"Well, Arizona, it's nice to meet you. It must suck having to finish your high school here, huh?"
Arizona shrugged and kept the dazzling smile on her face. "Actually, its not so bad. I'm used to it. My father is in the military."
At this Mark scrunched his nose. An army brat. 'No wonder she thinks she is too good for me.'
Callie smiled sympathetically at Arizona and shrugged. "Well if you need help getting around here or anything then I'll help you. You can sit with my friends and I at lunch. Although, it seems you have already met one of them." Callie glanced pointedly at Mark and he smirked. Arizona laughed and Callie thought her heart would stop at hearing such a beautiful sound. 'What is wrong with me?'
"Yeah, he's a charmer." Arizona giggled. "But I'm not his type."
Mark huffed and puffed his chest out cockily. "Every girl is my type darling."
Arizona shook her head slowly and winked. "I promise you, I'm not."
Callie caught a glimmer in Arizona's cerulean eyes as the blonde turned to look at her once again, done with entertaining any of Mark's thoughts of hooking up with her.
The bell sounded and Callie stood, throwing her backpack carelessly over her shoulder.
'Back to another boring year of classes.'
"Where are you headed Arizona?"
The blonde glanced at her schedule and looked back up to the raven-haired beauty looking at her expectantly.
"Becker for English."
At this Callie extended her hand and smiled, hoping the blonde would accept her offer.
"Me too. Come with me."
When Arizona allowed Callie to help her up, she felt her hand tingle as it met the warm, tan hand of Callie. She tried desperately to stand without staring into the Latina's caramel eyes for fear of losing all coherent thoughts. Callie Torres certainly was stunning, but Arizona was not about to let her guard down this early on. She had been hurt too many times before when people found out that she was a lesbian. At this new school she had a chance to start over. A chance to make new friends that didn't know the truth and could look at her without gossiping or giving her nasty looks. For now she was happy that this Callie Torres was willing to help her through the day. But she knew already that this was going to be an interesting year...