A/N: Happy new year. Let the year be what we want it to be.

"And our eyes are crossing paths across the room

There's only one thing left for us to do"

Chapter 25

When I see her in that green dress, all I want is to tear that dress off and do things to her that no one can think of. "You are looking so gorgeous." I seductively purr in her ear. She just smiles but somehow that smile does not touch her face. I know that she is never comfortable in this big parties and she is very unhappy tonight, specially wearing this evening gown. And my dad has really thrown a big Hollywood style party to please his dear wife. He loves spending money, I think looking around. My only problem with my dad is that he thinks that status is everything in life. But, soon I will be out of this house- my classes are going to start shortly.

I remember the morning argument with her.

"Callie, no, I'm not gonna wear this embarrassing dress." Arizona says in a strict voice.

"See, this is an evening party and ma wants you wear this." I sit near to her helplessly. I really do not want to force her, but mom has bought this dress for Arizona. The dress is stunning, but Arizona doesn't like wearing them. "Please?"

"NO!" Can I wear a pair of black pants and white shirt?"

"That's too casual."

"I wore them in another wedding too. I had a white tank top underneath the shirt."

"So, what did that tank top do?" I ask amusingly. I have grown up in such a privileged way that I find it so cute when Arizona talks about dresses like this, as if they don't matter. They really don't.

"So that I could take off the shirt when it is too hot." She says seriously.

"What? No? you can't take off that shirt…. And by the way you are going to wear this dress." I point towards the dress lying on the bed.

"Callie, you have again started pushing me."

"Yes, I'm."

"I always knew that you would be like this." Arizona annoyingly shakes her head.

"Just for the last time kiddo…" I take her both hands in my hands, "last time… we will be out of this place very soon. Then you'll be at the grad school and I'll be teaching."

"Again, you are taking decisions for me..."

"We will talk about this later." I give her a squeeze on her shoulders before I sneak out quickly. I really really hate pushing her like this, but I know that I cannot say No to mom. This is the problem I have with my family that I can never say No to them.

I try to relax Arizona by rubbing her shoulders and leading her inside the hall room. Seeing both of us, Adi quickly walks towards us, "Callie, be discreet. You are still not out with your relationship with Arizona." She deadpans me.

"What did I do?" I ay nonchalantly.

"Pull your hands off of her back." Adi makes a poker face. Embarrassingly I remove my hands from Arizona's back.

"Arizona, try to comfortable yourself. Adi is here." I say when I see some of the guests are waving at me.

"Aren't you be here?"

"I'm here…I'll just be going around." I find out the event manager of the party, Goldy. "Is she coming?" I ask in a hush voice. Goldy smiles assuring, "Ms. Torres, she is in Canada and she actually is staying at one of our hotels."

"But, she is here for a tour. Did you confirm her?" I ask impatiently. I cannot let anything spoil the biggest surprise I plan to give Arizona tonight. I can only imagine how happy she is going to be.

At the party, both of us try not to make any physical contact with each other. But, the electricity between us is palpable. Almost visible and I would say dangerous. Throughout the time, we keep eying each other. We both are as if two invisible silhouette among all these people, visible only to each other and for each other.

After half an hour, I hear there is a little noise coming from the door. As I peek at the entrance, I see her coming. My surprise for my Arizona.

I quickly move close to Arizona, "hey, what's up?"

"Nothing up.." She is clearly bored around these people. There is someone, I would like you to meet. My friend.

"Who? You never mentioned anyone except Addison."

"This one is special and she is veryyyy close to me…. Kindly underwear buddies." I add a little lie to dramatize the situation.

"Underwear buddies?"

Then I pull Arizona towards the door. "There she is!"

Arizona looks at the person standing amidst of other people, talking and giving autographs. I have expected a loud "O my God" type expression, but here she is standing like a robot.

"Arizona?" I ask her shaking her shoulders. "Ummm… do you wanna talk to her?"

Then slowly Arizona moves towards me, shock plastered on her face. She hisses, "Demi?"

"You like her, right?"

"Demi Lovato?" Arizona again says, not believing.

Now I smile big. I guess my cheeks will be hurt later because of the way I'm smiling right now. I know that my surprise is a real surprise for her. She always have been an ardent follower of Demi Lovato. I'm not into all these. I watch few occasional dramas and that's it. But, Arizona talks about Demi in a way, as if, she knows everything about her. Once she told me that how demi had saved her life, when she was feeling very lonely. On my asking, she replied that once Demi told somewhere that her fans should not feel lonely- whenever they will listen to her, they should feel that Demi is there for them. My eyes were about to pop out thinking that she really did believe in all these. But, I know that this is Arizona. A typical fangirl.

"Yes! Let's meet her."

As Goldy sees me, she cracks the gathering around Demi and leads her towards our direction. "Ms. Lovato, this is Ms. Torres… she invited you here."

Demi seems to be a very down to earth person. Instead of taking my hand for a shake, she pulls me into a bear hug. I laugh a little realizing how small the woman is compare to me. "Thanks Ms. Torres for sponsoring our stay during the tour." She smiles gratefully.

"I'm not the one. That was my dad, Mr. Carlos Torres." Then I turn to Arizona, who is looking at her crush opening her mouth open. "This is Arizona Robbins… your biggest fan of the world."

"Are you?" Demi hugs Arizona too, and I see how enthusiastically Arizona returns the hug. Eh! She has never hugged me this tightly. But, okay for now. I try to swallow my child-like jealousy. I don't know why I turn into a 16 years old girl when it is about Arizona.

"Where is Nick?" Arizona asks looking around, curiously, "I like your friendship." She adds slyly. Uff! Those killing shy dimples.

"Arizona, Demi is here for a very short time. Once you are done, I'll take her to meet dad and other guests too." Then I start walking towards dad to inform him about Demi, but before that I instruct Goldy, "make it sure that next 10 minutes, no one can come near to Demi, except Arizona."

Once Demi leaves, Arizona never stops smiling for next few minutes, "I don't believe that you did this!"

"She is friend, you know?" I wink at her.

"Oh, yeah… good, now I can meet her whenever I want!" she winks me back.

"Of course not! The way, you were hugging her- that is dangerous for me. Someday, I would know from the newspaper that Demi is dating Arizona!" I theatrically roll my eyes at her.

"I wish!" She mimics my tone.

"What?"

"I wish, Demi would have dated me."

"She is not even gay!" I start arguing being knowing how silly it must sound.

"She once dated a model, Ruby."

"Demi never spoke out about that and about her sexuality. Why do you want everybody to turn gay?"

"I don't want. This is a fact that she is into woman too." Arizona starts arguing in a defensive tone. I start giving myself mental checks not to flow with the argument, but I end up saying, "as if, she has dated you."

"One day… one day, she will date me." Arizona grins popping both of her dimples.

I suddenly grab her arm and pull her dangerously close, not remembering the party anymore. Her face is inches apart from me, I can feel her sudden nervousness, but I note how eyes are full of curiosity. These eyes have always made me scared, made me frightened, made me feel that probably I want something, which I can't have. "Not in this life time…not at this universe…not with another person, Arizona Robbins." I'm also little surprised at the hoarseness of my voice. Arizona stares directly into my eyes, as if, she knows every little secret I have hid in my heart. I let her arm go clumsily. Then, she simply replies, "okay." I don't know why I have behaved this weird. She was of course joking. I just have made a fool out of me. As she is about to walk away to the bar counter, "I'm sorry, Zona!" I say in a down tone.

She just turns a little and then instantly turns on her heel locking both her hands to her back. I see that rare confident look which she has given me only a few times. I'm almost unable to look at her eyes.

"I love you." I hear clearly, she says that. Again.

Once I manage looking at her, I see she is looking at me not blinking even once. I stutter, "what?" Instead of replying, Arizona keeps looking at me for a while. I see a little smile in some corner of her lips. She shakes her head a little as if she is talking to a kid and then she walks away leaving me standing like a dumb in the middle of this high-class party.

"I love you, too." I mutter under my breath.

A/N: So, what do my lovely readers think now?

All of my memories keep you near

In silent moments imagine you here

All of my memories keep you near