Trying something new, so let me know if you like. ;)
"So my mom told you to take me out for a couple of hours, so she can set up a surprise party for me?" I asked my backstabbing best friend, in horror.
"I'm sorry, but I had no other choice...your mom scares me." She says, in a serious tone.
"Cristina! You know I hate surprise parties! I hate surprise anything!" I start walking away from her and away from the door that separated everyone I knew from us, and who would jump out screaming if I opened it.
I meet Cristina Yang when we were in the 6th grade. We were in the same class, obviously, but it wasn't like we became friends right off the bat. Hell no. It was a lot more….complicated.
I was the kid that sat in the middle of the classroom where I can be surrounded by people who, at the time, I thought were the best people to be surrounded by. The middle of the classroom was perfect for the students who wanted to gossip, but also pay attention at the same time. The students who were only interested in gossip and sleep sat way in the back.
Cristina wasn't either though. She was the student who sat right upfront, always present and never late. She raised her hand before anyone after a question was asked, from the teacher OR a student. She never spoke when the teacher spoke and jotted down all the information from a lecture on a black covered notebook that had a heart on the front. She always looked so tough so it was weird to me that she had such a girly notebook. Either way, she didn't have anyone to talk to. She only spoke to one person in the beginning of the school year. I think his name was Preston, or something like that.
When the teacher was done speaking and gave out the assignment, they were always the first done. They would always talk while doing their assignment, but it wasn't like me and my friends talked. Their discussions always looked so thoughtful and intense. I found it kinda funny how they always took their work so seriously, but I always thought they were cute together. They always sat together at lunch and that's when each of them would show a little bit more of who they were. They always smiled and laughed in lunch, but when it came down to the classroom, it was all business.
Half way through the year, he transferred. Rumors said that he fought with another student from a different class and his parents transferred him just to ovoid the problems, but no one really knows. Maybe Cristina did, but it's not like she would have said anything.
It sucked that the kids hated her because she was smart. She had the best grades in the school. They always called her names like nerd and suck-up, stuff that only proved how jealous they were of her intelligence and ambition . Sometimes I would see some assholes throw paper balls at her back when the teacher wasn't looking, but she was tough. She never let it show that they were bothering her. She would yawn or stretch just to show them that she didn't give a fuck what they did to her, and then she would get right back to work, like I said, she was tough. I really admired how strong she was and was always disgusted by the way they were treated her. At that time I didn't have the guts to say anything about it though. I always wanted to stand up and tell them to stop being pricks, but I cared too much about what the others thought of me.
That disgusted me too.
One day the teacher gave us a project we had to do with a partner, and this time she decided that she would be the one to pick our partner for us. I'm pretty sure you know where this story is going.
Cristina became my partner.
"Look, you don't have to sit next to me, I will do all of this and you can go back to your little buddies." She said as she continued to write things down on a piece of paper.
"Um, we're partners…"
"Well, no duh. I can see that you're not the brightest crayon in the box." She snickered and continued writing.
I stare at her a little dumbfounded. I seriously didn't expect that from her. I quickly let out a huff and smirk at her. "Well, aren't we just a ray of frigging sunshine?"
She finally looks up from her paper with a grin. "So, I guess you do have balls after all." She shakes her head and looks back down at her paper again.
"What?"
Her head comes back up. "Well, you always seem to follow Hahn and her bitches around like a lost puppy; I just assumed that maybe your parents were siblings."
I busted out laughing and soon she did too. I should be upset that she called me a follower, but she was probably only messing with me. She seems cool and I like her. She's definitely one of the funniest people I've ever met. While we were laughing I heard the teacher say something about quickly stepping out and to behave, then I saw her leave the classroom.
I finally stopped laughing and extend my arm towards her. "Callie Torres." I say introducing myself.
She stares at my hand for a few seconds with a raised eyebrow before she decides to take it. "Cristina Yang."
"So, we should get started." I smiled at her.
She returned the smile and was about to say something when she was interrupted.
"Damn Torres I feel sorry for you, getting stuck with miss no-it-all must be annoying, huh?" Erica Hahn approached us with a grin, her hands crossed over her chest.
Conflicted, I stared at her not knowing what to say. Quickly after that came Mindy and Stacy to stand right behind Erica, a grin matching Erica's plastered on each of their faces.
My three friends stared at me suspiciously waiting for a response. I shifted in my seat and quickly glanced at Cristina who had her head down writing again. I guess she was just ignoring them like she normally did.
"I asked you a question, Calliope." I heard the entire class laugh at the use of my full name and noticed all eyes were on us now.
I bawled my fists and stood up angrily. "Don't call me that!" Everyone knows not to call me that.
"Relax Cal, I'm just messing with you." She winks at me. "But everyone is waiting for your answer now." She gestures to the class behind me who were all still starring in amusement.
"Wait, don't tell me you're actually friends with this freak." She says, pointing her finger at Cristina with a look a disgusted across her face, earning more laughs from our classmates.
"Because that would label you as the second biggest loser in the school and I can NOT be hanging around with any losers."
"I...um." I look down at Cristina and even she is staring at me now.
"Well, tell me, Cal. Are you a loser?" Erica says, challenging me.
I took a deep breath and looked around the room one more time. Cristina was right. I'm nothing but a chicken-shit follower.
"…She-She's…annoying as hell." The whole class erupted into laughter and I had never felt more ashamed of myself than I did in that moment.
I caught a quick look at Cristina and it only made me feel worse. Hurt was covered across her face and she got up to leave with out saying a word.
When the bell finally rang and I quickly gathered my things so I could find her. I wanted to apologize, I needed to apologize! I looked by the lockers just incase and then went to see if she would still be outside, but I never found her.
The next day I was assigned to a new partner. The teacher told me that Cristina wanted to work by herself and would refuse to work with anyone.
Two days later there was a crowed formed outside of school when I came out. I went to see what was happening and Mindy had Cristina held by one air while Stacy held on to the other, holding Cristina in place. The crowd was laughing while Erica read pages from Cristina's heart notebook in an obnoxious manner then ripped out the pages.
Till this day I still don't know where it came from, but I walked up to Erica and ripped the notebook right from her hands.
"What the hell are you doing?" She snapped in anger.
I didn't give Erica any attention and quickly faced her minions. "Let her go."
They looked to me and then to Erica not knowing what to do. The crowed had turned silent. No one ever defied Erica Hahn.
"Do you have a problem, Torres?" She walked up to me and got right in my face.
"Yeah, I do actually. You're a bitch." There was a load 'ooooh' that came from the crowd. I'm not going to lie, I was scared shitless, but there was no way in hell that I was going to let it show.
Erica looked shocked, but quickly recomposed her self. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. What has she ever done to you, Erica? Huh?" I can see the fire burning in her eyes, but I just swallow the lump in my throat and don't back down. "She's never done shit to you! You're just a petty bitch that has to tear someone else down to make yourself feel better!" The crowd erupted again with more instigating noises.
By now Erica's face had turned completely red and I was surprised that she hadn't physically hurt me yet.
"Well, Calliope at least-" I didn't let her finish her sentence on the count of my fist colliding with her nose.
"I told you not to call me that!"
The crowd gasped as Erica fell to the ground and I cradled my right hand, holding in the pain. I turn my head toward Cristina and they had finally let her go. Mindy and Stacy running to check on Erica who had a hand covering her bloody nose.
"You bitch! I'm fucking bleeding!" She screamed at me, still holding her nose as she began to rise from the floor with the help of tweedledum and tweedledee.
"Get the fuck out of here before I fucking break it!" I look at the crowd and give them my best 'don't fuck with me look.' "All of you!"
Erica gave me one last death glare before she scurried away. Everyone else slowly followed and I was left alone with Cristina. I helped her pick up the pages Erica had already ripped out from her notebook before I got here.
"Thanks." She mumbled.
"I wanted to apologize to you." I say as I pass her another piece of paper off the ground. "...for what I said in class the other day."
"It's cool." She says not even looking at me and still searching for her papers.
"No, it isn't. You didn't deserve that. I was a coward." She's still not paying much attention to me.
"I'm sorry."
She looks up to stare at me. "Yeah…you were a coward." She finds another paper and quickly reaches for it.
"Uh…yeah. So….can you please be my partner again?"
She lets out an annoyed sigh. "Look, you don't have to prove anything to me, alright."
"No, no. That's not what I'm trying to do I swear….I like you."
Cristina looks at me a little freaked out and I laugh. "Oh, come on. Not like that!"
She smirks. "Alright, you can be my partner again….but hands were I can see them at all times, Torres!"
I smile and extend my hand for her to take. "Deal."
We stand there in silence for a few seconds before a devilish grin appears on her face.
"So, Calliope, huh? Your parents must have a really great sense of humor."
Five years later and I still can't ask for a better friend, even if I do want to kill her right now! I was never the same after that day. She helped me become a better person, a person I'm proud to be today. She has changed a lot since that day too. She's scared of no one and doesn't take any shit. Well, she's scared of no one other then my mom. For some reason she has always been afraid her. Anyway, she's one of the bravest people I know and she's like another sister to me.
"Callie, where are you going?" She comes after me and steps in front of me so I would stop walking.
"I'm not going in there." I try to walk past her, but she doesn't let me.
"Come on Cal, it won't be that bad!"
"Is Mark in there?"
"...Yes."
"What!"
"It was his idea!"
"Oh my god." This is going to be so embarrassing!
"Yea, he is so sweet." Cristina says sarcastically then sticks her finger in her mouth, pretending to gag.
"Cristina, I can't go in there!"
"You'll be fine, Callie!" She puts her hand around my shoulder and starts walking me back, toward my house.
"You know how embarrassed I get in situations like that!" We reached the stairs and are now walking up to the porch.
"I know, you turn all red and you get all nervous. It's really cute, Cal." Then she squeezes one of my cheeks and I slap her hand away.
We're standing right in front of the door. Knowing all the people that will be behind that door just staring at me is making me so nervous. I hate being the center of attention. My palms are getting sweaty and my heart is pounding rapidly.
I would have tried to runaway right about now, but Cristina probably knew I would do that so she's holding me in place. "Just breathe. It will be over eventually." She grins and I know she's enjoying this.
"Cristina, lets just go to your house. They'll all get tired and leave."
"Just open the door, Callie."
"Please don't make me go through this, Cristina." I whined.
"Open the door, Callie."
"How about you go in and-"
"Open the damn door, Callie!"
I take a deep breath knowing there's know other way out. I reach for the door knob and I can hear all the whispers and all the people trying to shush one another. "I'm going to kill Mark." I close my eyes and I open the door, but there is only complete silence. A couple of seconds pass and nothing happens so I open my eyes and obviously, all the lights are off. I know once I turn the lights on everyone one will jump out.
So I wait a few more seconds to try and calm my nerves, but of course, Cristina being Cristina, she turns on the lights with out any warning and even though I knew what was suppose to happen, it still scared the shit out of me.
"SURPRISE!"
I jump in panic and they all start to laugh. God I hate it when people laugh at me!
My heart was racing and I felt my entire face go hot. I stood there frozen not really knowing what to do. I just wanted it all to be over.
I saw my mom approaching me with a huge smile on her face and she hugged me tightly. "Feliz cumpleaños, mi amor." (Happy birthday, my love.)
"Thanks mom." I mumble and she kisses my cheek before letting me go.
"Sorry that we scared you, mija" She says chuckling a bit.
"Mom, why did you do this you know I hate- " Before I could finish I was in a tight bear hug and I was being spun around the room. "Happy birthday, baby." He said into my ear.
Soon everyone had greeted me and I was so happy not being the only one stared at. I hate being put in situations like that and I'm glad it's over and everyone is mingling with each other.
"How could you do that to me? You knew I would get embarrassed!" I whisper angrily to my boyfriend.
He's holding me around my waist and gives me his puppy eyes. "I just wanted to surprise you on your 17th birthday."
I stare at him still trying to be mad, but I really didn't care anymore. "That was so embarrassing." I say, burying my face between my hands.
He laughs and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. "I love it when you get all shy. It reminds me of when we first meet and I put on my charm." He says, smugly.
I hit him on the arm. "Oh, yeah right! You couldn't stop stuttering."
He chuckles. "You were so cute. I knew you were the one for me."
He's a nice guy, but something was wrong. Something was missing and I couldn't say that he is the one for me. I say that I love him, but I never mean it. I felt obligated to say it after he did. I wish I could fall in love with him because he is such a good boyfriend...but I can't.
"Hey, I just remembered that I want you to meet someone." He says, with a huge smile.
"Who?" I ask curiously.
"Wait right here, I'll be right back."
He walks away getting lost in the crowd and I stay wondering who he wants to introduce me to that made him smile like that.
Soon I see Cristina approaching me with a grin. "Seee, that wasn't so bad."
"Cristina, that was horrible!"
She begins to crack up and speaks in between laughs. "You should have seen your face." She points at my face.
"It was priceless!"
"Shut up, Cristina!"
She still wouldn't stop laughing. "Why did you get scared? I told you about the surprise!" She was holding her sides from all the laughing. She was pissing me off now so I smack her across the head.
"Ouch!" She rubs her head then her gaze turns to someone in back of me.
I turn around and spot her across the room walking toward me with the most beautiful dimple filled smile I had ever seen. The moment I saw her everything around me stopped. I couldn't hear anything or see anyone else that wasn't her. My heart began to pound again and I felt the oddest thing in the pit of my stomach. Her gorgeous blue eyes meet mine and I felt a jolt go down my spin. She was so...beautiful.
Before I knew it we were face to face and she stared at me with her bright smile that made me go weak at the knees. I couldn't move. Everything around me was so peaceful and calm. I didn't want the moment to end.
"Callie!" Cristina had shoved me from the back and my moment was gone. "Mark is talking to you."
I hadn't noticed that Mark was right next to her so I look up at him and he is staring at me weirdly.
"Aren't you going to say hi? I said this is my cousin, Arizona."
TBC?
Yup, I did it, I made them cousins. =p
It's kinda weird, but if enough people like it I'll continue it. If not, I do have another story planned out. ;)