TW: Mention of Death.
After the pair had gone to the store and grabbed snacks and some frozen pizza to make for their dinner they went back to Arizona's house and went to the basement to watch tv. Arizona had a decent sized tv in her room but the one in the basement was better suited to watch movies on. Arizona was so nervous. She kept looking at the brunette next to her as they watched some dumb horror movie Arizona found on Netflix, she couldn't even tell you the name of it because she was more focused on making sure that Callie was having a good time than to actually enjoy the movie.
Callie jumped at a scary part and when she looked over at the blonde to see if she had the same reaction she was met with blue eyes already looking at her. Callie got a bit self conscious "What? Am I being too annoying?" Callie asked. The last thing she wanted was to annoy the blonde, she was actually having a good time and she didn't want to ruin that.
Arizona couldn't help but smile at Callie "No, I just got scared and jumped a little and got embarrassed, I wanted to see if you jumped as well" Arizona told a little white lie, she didn't want Callie to know that she was staring at her.
"Okay good, because I totally jumped and had the same reaction, which is silly because all of this stuff is fake" Callie said as she reached forward and grabbed a handful of popcorn. She focused her attention back on the movie and just enjoyed the company. After a little while she opened her mouth "Is this all you do? You know at sleepovers? Just watch movies all night and eat junk food or is there more to it?" Callie asked as she turned to face Arizona.
Arizona paused the movie and looked at Callie "Well, we do this, play games, makeovers, literally we can do whatever you want" Arizona said with a smile "It's still early in the day that we can go to like an arcade or bowling or something, honestly Callie the possibilities are endless"
Callie couldn't help but smile. Arizona was such a ray of sunshine, she found the good in everything and always knew how to have a good time, or so she thinks, this is really the first time that they have hung out in this capacity but she could tell that Arizona was someone worth getting to know and to keep around "Maybe we can go bowling, I haven't been in years and by years I mean the last time I went I was seven and I broke my finger" Callie said with a shrug "And ever since then I refused to go back because I had this fear that if I bowled I would break my finger again" Callie said with a silly grin on her face.
"Okay, so you want to face your fears?" Arizona said as she stood up and when Callie nodded her head she couldn't help but smile "And while you face your fears you want to get your ass kicked at bowling" Arizona said. She slipped her phone in her back pocket "Bad idea Torres, I am super competitive and I absolutely hate to lose" Arizona said with a wink as she walked towards the stairs. When she realized Callie was yet to get off the couch she looked over at the brunette "What Callie? Scared to lose?" Arizona said as she disappeared upstairs.
Arizona made her way into the living room where her father and mother were sat watching some show on tv "Is it alright if Callie and I go bowling?" Arizona asked as she took a seat on the couch with her parents.
"Callie? Who is Callie?" Daniel asked. He reached forward and grabbed the remote to mute the tv "Do we know this Callie girl?" Daniel asked as he turned to face his wife.
"I would hope so, she's in our house" Barbara said with a smile "But Callie is Arizona's new friend who is staying the night, I forgot to tell you"
"So, can we?" Arizona asked again and right as she saw her mother about to answer Callie walked into the living room. Arizona moved over on the couch so Callie could come and sit with her but of course Callie was timid and didn't sit down, Arizona knew not to take it to heart "Dad this is Callie" Arizona said as she started the introductions "And Callie this is my dad, Daniel" Arizona said.
"The Colonel"
Callie nodded and took a deep breath "Uh, it's nice to meet you sir, thank you for letting me stay" Callie said, she really just wanted this moment to be over with.
Daniel smiled at the young lady in front of her "We are happy to have you" Daniel said "Also, you guys need to be back by nine please"
"Dad, really?" Arizona said "Nine? It's a Saturday night. can we please make it eleven? What if we want to go watch a movie or get some late night ice cream" Arizona pleaded "Mom, please"
Barbara grabbed her husbands hand and gave it a gentle squeeze "They can stay out till eleven honey, as long as you check in every hour and let us know if you leave somewhere?"
Arizona ran over to her mother and gave her a hug "Thank you" Arizona said as she let her mom go and walked over to Callie and grabbed her hand before basically running out the door, she was just excited to be around Callie, plus she was excited to beat Callie in bowling.
Once the two were settled into Callie's car Arizona had asked if she could connect her phone to the Bluetooth so she could play some music, what Callie didn't know was that Arizona was about to play music from her all time favorite group, Alt-J. Never in her life has she heard another soul around her listen to them, it almost made Callie crash that's how excited she was.
Arizona gripped onto whatever she could find in the moment before she looked over at Callie like she was a crazy person "CALLLIE" Arizona all but yelled "Careful"
Callie couldn't help but shake her head and let out a breathy laugh "I am so sorry, it's just I have never heard another person listen to Alt-J and it just took me by surprise that's all" Callie said as she focused her attention back at the task at hand; Driving.
Soon enough the two of them were pulled into the bowling alley and Callie got nervous when she saw how packed the place was, she just hoped it was a bunch of families and children's birthday parties. The brunette slowly took her seatbelt off and tried to control her nerves. She knew that, well, she hoped that Arizona would stick up for her if need be, because although Callie liked to think she was strong and could defend herself against the bullies that invaded her high school hallway, but, she knew that she wouldn't be able to. Watching as Arizona got out of the car like a giddy toddler Callie couldn't help smile, she had no idea where all this optimism and sunshine came from but it was a nice change of pace from her normal life. Callie slid out of the car and took a deep breath as she made her way to stand next to the blonde.
Arizona turned to face Callie "Don't forget, I do not care if people from school are in there, I am your friend Callie and friends go bowling and hang out" Arizona said. She squeezed Callie's hand before dropping it and making her way into the building. Callie followed closely behind and watched as Arizona went up to the counter to pay for the lanes and grab some shoes "Callie, what size do you wear?" Arizona asked "I also bought us two rounds, if we want to play more we can always pay for some, okay?" Arizona said with a smile.
"Uh, I'm a size eight" Callie said "And yeah, that sounds good" Callie said, she was anxious and looking around for any sight of someone she knew from school and so far the coast was clear and she let out a breath that she didn't even realize she was holding. She walked a little closer to Arizona and really tried to let her anxiety settle, because she did want to enjoy her time with the blonde. Arizona handed Callie her shoes and they walked over to their assigned lane.
Callie sat down and took her shoes off for the ones the bowling alley gave her, once she was done she stood up and looked at the screen "Okay, so how do we set this up?" Callie asked as she started to press buttons.
Arizona couldn't help but laugh, Callie looked so carefree and it was nice to see Callie finally letting her hair down so to speak "Callie, stop" Arizona said as laughed and joined Callie at the screen "You are going to get us kicked out if you keep messing around like this" Arizona said as she swatted Callie's hand away "Okay, so are we doing our real names or do you want to have fake nicknames?" Arizona asked as she bit her lip.
"Fake names?" Callie asked. She had no clue what the blonde was talking about "Why would we not use our real names?"
Arizona looked at Callie in a sweet way "Oh my sweet Callie, because it is more fun that way" Arizona said as she started to input their names. Once she was happy with the names she chose she turned to look at Callie and waited for the brunette to catch on to what she had put on the screen.
"Broken Finger, really?" Callie said as she laughed "I told you that in confidence" Callie couldn't help but shake her head. She then focused on the name Arizona had given herself "Roller skate girl?" Callie asked confused.
"Okay, I have a secret to tell you" Arizona said as she pulled Callie down onto the bench they had in their little area, she really was setting this up like it was about to be a serious conversation and that worried Callie because she didn't think this public setting was the right place for it. When Arizona was taking deep breaths, Callie reached forward and gave Arizona's thigh a gentle squeeze, letting her know that whatever it was she was trying to say she would be there the same way Arizona had promised to be there for her "I...I have shoe's that have wheels on them and I skate around sometimes in the neighborhood and I know I look silly but it's fun" Arizona said as she pretended to cry.
Callie looked at Arizona like she was crazy, she couldn't help but swat Arizona on the thigh as the blonde in front of her was cracking up at the joke she had so poorly executed "Arizona, you had me thinking something was seriously wrong" Callie said with a smile "You mean to tell me you have shoes with wheels and you like to roll around the neighborhood, that's your big secret" Callie said as she shook her head and stood up, she began to look for a ball that best suited her, she really was nervous about breaking a finger again.
"You should've seen your face Callie, it was priceless" Arizona said as she continued to laugh, she joined Callie in the search for a bowling ball that would work best for her. Once she was happy with her choices, she put them on the ball rack and waited for Callie to get comfortable "Okay Callie, I would like to say that I am going to take it easy on you but I just can't because I am going to do anything but that, but you shouldn't let that make you nervous" Arizona said with a wink as she set down and watched the brunette.
Callie playfully scowled at the blonde before she lined herself up the best she could and let the ball go, it immediately went into the gutter and Callie looked at Arizona with a straight face "Yeah, I meant to do that" Callie said as she picked up her second ball and waited for the pins to go back down. Lining herself up once again, she took a deep breath and tried her hardest to center the ball but even with her best efforts it wasn't enough as she bowled another gutter ball. Callie turned around and shrugged her shoulders "Yeah, I am totally going to lose today" Callie said as she took the seat Arizona had once occupied.
Arizona grabbed one of the balls she had chosen and looked at Callie "Honestly Callie, I probably will suck as well" Arizona said with a stupid little smile, she knew she was lying, Arizona was amazing at bowling. Arizona lined herself up the way she likes ands and bowled. It was a perfect roll and before you know it she got a strike. The blonde jumped up and down and clapped her hands before she turned to look at the brunette who was now looking at her with wide eyes. That roll was literally perfect and Callie had no idea how the blonde managed to do so "Okay, maybe that was just luck" Arizona said with a cute smile.
Callie scoffed "Yeah, luck my ass" Callie said as she stood up and assumed her position. She knew it was going to be a long night of ruthless teasing from the blonde and for some reason she was really okay with it.
The pair ended up playing four rounds, Arizona winning all four of them, something that was to be expected but, to be fair Callie did find her footing and managed to get a few spares and she even got one strike on the last game, so all hope was not lost, with a few more trips to the bowling alley Callie could be as good as Arizona, or, so she hoped.
"Did you want to grab some food here or eat somewhere else?" Arizona asked as she took the bowling shoes off and put her shoes back on "I don't care either way and with my experience bowling food is always nasty"
Callie thought about it for a second "Uh, we can grab some fast food and head back to your house? I am kind of worn out, I really haven't been out like this in ages and it's kind of taking a toll on me" Callie replied honestly. She really hoped that the blonde understood "But I mean, if you want to do some more stuff I can totally suck it up and we can do more stuff"
"It's fine Callie, I honestly wouldn't mind being wrapped up in a fuzzy blanket with some fast food and a dumb rom com on" Arizona said. She leaned down and grabbed both pair of shoes "I'll be right back, i'm going to go return our shoes" Arizona said. The blonde made her way to the front desk to return the shoes and just as she was about to turn she heard someone call her name.
"Arizona" Teddy said with a smile, she grabbed the blonde and pulled her in for a hug "What are you doing here? Are you here with family?" Teddy asked looking around for any sign of who Arizona might be with.
"Uh" Arizona said, she had no idea why she was freezing, she wasn't embarrassed to be with Callie, so, why couldn't she just be honest. Arizona was struggling to even form words "Uh, with, who you are?" Arizona said. She scrunched her face once she realized how she sounded, she let out a nervous giggle before she tried again "I mean, who are you here with?" Arizona asked as she turned quickly looked back at Callie who was in her own little world, of course reading a book and Arizona wondered when she even grabbed a book, she couldn't help but smile a little, but her little moment of peace was disrupted by Teddy speaking to her again.
Teddy laughed "I'm with Henry, Mark, Amelia and the twisted sisters"
Arizona looked at her confused "The twisted sisters?"
"Oh right, sometimes I forget you're new here, you fit so well at our school" Teddy said as she dragged Arizona over to where all of them were sitting. She pointed to Meredith and Christina "Those two there, they are the twisted sisters. Always together, never apart. You'd think they were lesbians with how close they are" Teddy said with a laugh.
"Well, i'm Arizona" Arizona said with a smile "Friends with Teddy and Mark"
"Nice to meet you" Meredith said with a tight lipped smile.
"Oh my gosh, look who's here" Christina said as she pointed to Callie, who was still nose deep in a book. It made no sense to Arizona that someone so smart had no concept of time when it came to her reading a book "The freak comes out to play"
Everyone around them laughed. Well, everyone but Arizona, she had just had an amazing night with the brunette, she finally got to see Callie in a different light and she hoped that with everything inside of her that would be the extent of the teasing that went on "No but for real, does she think someone is going to bowl with her? I mean, come on, who brings a book to a bowling alley" Christina continued "She looks so dumb right now"
Arizona looked hurt. She had no idea what to do or say, so she stood around awkwardly.
"Only someone as dumb as Torres would do something like that, honestly it's a failed attempt at trying to be normal and it really didn't work, it honestly makes me hate her more" Amelia said as she laughed and popped a fry in her mouth "Seriously, why is she here? I'm about to go tell her to leave because I don't think I can enjoy my time here with her just sitting over there looking like...like that" Amelia said as she waved her hands in the direction of the brunette.
"Callie is with me" Arizona finally said. She hated herself for taking so long to speak up, she hated that she let them talk about Callie for so long without speaking up and saying something "She's actually staying over at my house tonight" Arizona said with a proud smile. She looked over and saw that Callie wasn't in her seat anymore and she got sad, she wondered if the brunette had seen who she was talking to and left.
"Wait, you're friends with Torres?" Meredith asked the blonde who stood in front of her.
"Yeah, i'm friends with Callie" Arizona said emphasizing Callie's name "And you guys really are missing out on someone special" Arizona said, she really just wanted everyone to see Callie for who she is, she is smart, funny, beautiful and most importantly kind. Arizona hasn't known her long but she could tell that Callie would and does put others before herself.
"Yeah, no, she is special alright" Amelia said and the group laughed, along with Teddy "Honestly new girl, if that's your cup of tea, being friends with the freak then that's what you like"
"Callie is honestly so amazing" Arizona said. She stood up a little straighter and looked at everyone the best she could "You guys really are lowlife's. I thought I wanted to be friends with you guys and I hate myself for it because Callie is honestly so amazing. She is funny, she is incredibly smart and she is so unapologetically herself that it pains me and I hate to see the damage that years of constant bullying from you guys have caused because if you guys fucking got out of your own heads and actually gave her a chance you would see that Callie is amazing and a fun person to be around and I am so happy to have her as a friend" Arizona said, she was breathing hard and fast, she was trying to calm down and sometimes when she was really angry she could get nasty and she hated to do it but it happens, mainly when she is protecting the people she cares for "And you" Arizona said as she turned to look at Teddy "I really thought you were different, don't bother coming over tomorrow until you change your views on how you treat people because that's not me. Never has been and never will be" Just as Arizona was getting ready to turn around she saw Callie looking down at the ground, sad and it broke Arizona's heart "You ready to go, Callie?" Arizona asked "I'm done here" Arizona walked passed Callie and towards the door.
Callie looked at the group that was in front of her before she ducked her head and followed Arizona outside.
Arizona was already in the car, and in that moment Callie wondered when she grabbed her set of keys but she didn't question it. She opened up the driver's side door and got in before pressing the start button and backing out of the parking space she was in. The ride was awkward, Callie had no idea how to feel and she didn't even know what the blonde was feeling and she hated not knowing and because of this, the car ride was extremely quiet. Ten minutes later and the two of them were pulled into Arizona's driveway. Callie looked over at the blonde and she was just staring straight ahead so Callie decided to speak up "I can go home" Callie suggested, she really had no idea what to think or where the two stood, such a perfect night ruined.
Arizona took a deep breath and faced Callie, there were tears in her eyes and Callie's heart broke at the sight "Are you okay?" Callie asked softly "I told you being my friend wasn't worth it. I tried to tell you" Callie said. She knew this was going to happen and it broke her heart "I'll just go in and grab my stuff" Callie said with a sigh, it pained her to not have Arizona speak with her, she just wanted to know what she was thinking.
As Callie tried to exit the car she felt Arizona grab her and pull her back into her seat "No, stay" Arizona said softly "I want you to stay"
"Well, i'm not great with this whole emotions thing, Arizona but I want to be here if you need to talk about anything" Callie said "Do you want to talk about what happened?" Callie asked softly. She turned the car back on so they could have some air conditioning.
Arizona sighed. She couldn't help but feel good that Callie was actually making an effort, it was weird to feel so connected to someone who you hardly know. Arizona took her seatbelt off and found a comfortable position to look at Callie "I...For some reason when they were talking about you and being awful I couldn't find my voice, the voice I heard in the back of my head screaming at them to stop and I just let it go on for so long and I don't want you to be mad at me, Callie because I want to protect you, like I promised" Arizona said with tears in her eyes.
Callie shook her head "Arizona, no" Callie rushed out "I don't need protection, I promise. I am a big girl and I am used to people saying things about me. I have thick skin and although it does suck and it does hurt i'm used to it" Callie said. It really made her happy that Arizona cared this much, it made her know that the blonde was serious about actually wanting to be her friend "I just want your friendship not your protection"
Arizona sniffled "But a part of being a friend is to protect each other, to look out for your friends and I failed" Arizona said. She sat up a little straighter.
Barbara and Daniel were just a little frustrated because their were headlights shining through their window and causing a glare on the tv. The two of them got up to go look out the window to see who was causing them so much anger. It wasn't until Barbara saw Callie and her daughter talking in the brunette's car, Barbara smiled, she thought Callie was going to be a really good person for Arizona to have in her life "Who gets their child such a fast and dangerous car?" Daniel asked annoyed, he also saw the two of them talking but he was more annoyed at the very fast sports car in his driveway.
Barbara smacked his arm with a laugh "The same kind that get's their daughter a lifted jeep"
Daniel huffed and the two of them walked back over to the couch. Daniel took his phone out and texted his daughter asking if Callie could turn her headlights off.
Arizona looked down and saw the text, she let out a giggle "Can you turn your headlights out, they are shining into the living room and daddy is getting mad that he can't watch America's Got Talent!"
Callie laughed "Oh gosh, I am so used to auto lights I forget that they turn on automatically" Callie said as she turned them off, she couldn't help but laugh alongside the blonde. After a few moments she stopped laughing and she grabbed Arizona's hand again and you could just feel the seriousness return to the car "But, back to what you were saying, yes, friends do that, I mean, I don't really know I haven't had many friends in my life but sometimes, sometimes you have to just ignore it because believe me, it's not going to stop and you will burn yourself out being my friend before we even get the chance to see if this friendship can blossom"
Arizona nodded her understanding with the brunette "Do you even know why they don't like you though Callie, it's so stupid"
Callie sighed "I really couldn't even tell you why they started hating me it just sort of happened" Callie said and in her mind that's the truth, she didn't know what actually started it, one day, when she got back from her little break from school everyone started to hate her and bully her relentlessly and it broke her heart because in that moment all she needed was one person she could call her friend and eventually after many failed attempts at trying to get people to like her and be friends with her she gave up and just let them bully her, which in turn made it more fun for people to continue on with being mean towards her and it was just a cycle that didn't stop.
"Because I guess you had some public breakdown and were screaming some pretty crazy things" Arizona said "I don't even know, I wasn't even really listening when Mark was telling me because really the only person I am going to believe is you, because it's your story to tell, you are the only one who can tell it correctly" Arizona said honestly.
"Do you want to know why?" Callie asked softly. If she was going to try and have any type of friendship with Arizona. When Arizona slowly nodded Callie took a deep breath and started the story "my cousin died" Callie said simply "She was my absolute best friend, we did everything together, literally were connected at the hip" Callie said with a smile, she looked up trying to keep the tears at bay, she really just wanted to get the story over with before she started to cry "We had this secret spot near this creek. It had a waterfall and it was tucked away in the middle of the woods and it was ours, ya know?" Callie said rhetorically, she wasn't actually seeking a response "It had a rope swing, it was the only way you could get across the creek, you had to swing on it, now keep in mind it wasn't that large of a gap but if you didn't swing hard enough you were falling in" Callie said as she took a deep breath "We would go there every day after school, well, every day that we were allowed, she was the only one who really understood me and my love for things and I her" Callie took a deep breath and looked at Arizona "One day I was just so tired I didn't want to go with her to the creek, so she said would go alone and check on our fairy houses"
"You guys made fairy houses? That's amazing" Arizona said. She didn't mean to interrupt the brunette "Sorry" She finished quietly.
"No, it's okay" Callie said with a smile "But yeah, we made fairy houses, and we were old enough to know that fairies weren't real, I mean it was the beginning of freshman year, I don't know how to explain it" Callie said.
"No, I get it, Tim and I are the same way with garden gnomes but I will tell you that story another time, please finish" Arizona said with a smile.
"So, she went to the creek alone that day" Callie said "And it was raining all day, we always tried to make it a point not go when it's been raining because the creek filled and it was just dangerous, but it only rained for an hour so I didn't think anything of it" Callie said "But, when it was getting dark and she still hadn't come back I got worried, so I told my dad. Next thing I knew I heard screaming downstairs" Callie couldn't hold it in anymore, she was crying "I...I walked downstairs and I just knew, I knew something happened"
Arizona grabbed Callie's hand, giving the brunette the comfort she needed "It's okay Callie, I'm right here" Arizona said.
Callie nodded and took a few deep breaths before she continued "The...The rope broke and she fell into the creek, hit her head and she drowned" Callie said "And I blamed myself because I was always the one who went on the rope first and maybe if I had just sucked it up and gone she wouldn't be dead" Callie said, she was a crying mess and it was getting hard to breathe "It's my fault. It should've been me" Callie let her head fall onto the steering wheel as she cried.
Arizona's heart broke at the sight. She reached over and rubbed Callie's back trying her hardest not to cry herself "Callie, no" Arizona started "This isn't your fault, it never was and it never will be. It was a freak accident, no one and I mean no one could have known that the rope was going to break. This isn't on you and it never will be, no one blames you Callie" Arizona said.
"But, if I had just gone" Callie started but Arizona was quick to cut her off.
"No Callie, it was and always will be an accident" Arizona said "And I am so sorry that people have been cruel and not tried to get to know you and be there for you. You needed a friend and everyone looked the other way, Callie, I am so sorry"
"So, I wore her favorite shirt for like two years straight almost, it was the only thing that made me feel close to her" Callie said "And of course that didn't help the bullying but I couldn't take it off and one day someone at school tried to pour glitter and glue over me like we were in elementary school and something inside of me cracked because I started to throw things and scream crazy things and then the police came and took me away and I went into some type of therapy group home for the rest of the year and the summer. I didn't come back to school until Sophomore year" Callie said softly as she wiped her tears, she knew she looked horrible.
"You needed to feel close to her Callie and the way you did that was by wearing her shirt and someone tried to disrupt that and you snapped. You had every right to snap, people are awful and I am so sorry" Arizona said "I get it and thank you so much for sharing that with me, it means the world that you trusted me with something so deep and personal to you, I already feel closer to you"
Callie just smiled "Do you think we can go in and make those pizza's and eat and watch crappy movies?" Callie said with a smile "And thank you for listening to me, you have no idea how much it means to me. I didn't know how much I needed to say a lot of that out loud"
"Anytime Callie" Arizona said with a smile "And of course, lets head inside"
The two of them headed inside and enjoyed the rest of their night together. They talked about anything and everything. They were in their own little bubble and the two of them didn't want it to end, so they decided to try and stay up all night. Yeah, being friends was a good thing.