Great, just great. The timing was always impeccable with Soren and Claudia who were likely at the door.
Rayla hoped that the doorbell wouldn't wake Callum. The last thing she needed was for Callum to wake up before she got out of his lap. Unfortunately, with no one to answer the door, they would keep ringing the doorbell, until someone did. Then they began knocking on the door.
Just her luck. She tried to hurry disentangling Callum's fingers from her hair. And just to add to her unfortunate situation, Callum slowly began to open his eyes, when she wasn't looking. The first thing he noticed was Rayla sitting in front of him holding his hand taking some of her hair knotted around his fingers out from between his fingers. He could feel as she was holding it with her left hand as she took strand by strand from it.
The next thing he noticed, was that his lap didn't feel as weightless as it usually did. He put two and two together, suddenly realized why, and even how Rayla was sitting in front of him. She was sitting in his lap. It wasn't uncomfortable in any way, so he wasn't complaining.
Before he could fully process it, he questioned, "Rayla, Why are you.. what are you doing in..." He still sounded groggy, but he spoke loud enough for her to hear him loud and clear.
Rayla practically jumped and the doorbell rang again. She groaned in aggravation, her cheeks and ears blushing brighter by the second. "I wouldn't be had your hands not been stuck my hair. What exactlyareyour hands doing in my hair? I can't really move without it tugging on it, thank you very much." She managed becoming more frustrated everytime the doorbell was rung.
The knocking repeated, and Rayla groaned, and called out, "In a minute!!"
"Oh! Sorry, I'm- I'm not sure how..." Callum tried to explain before getting interrupted by Rayla.
"It- it doesn't matter. We just need to get it out, before I shoot the guests at the door."
Callum disentangled his fingers from her hair, and Rayla instantly got off his lap. She ran to the door and opened it.
"What took you so long? We've only been here for 15 minutes." Claudia commented walking inside, Soren following and snickering. Rayla closed the door, and Claudia looked at her noticing she wearing the same clothes she was the day before. "Have you been staked out here all night? In the living room? Instead of sleeping somewhere more comfortable, like your bed?" She had to notice the blanket on the couch.
"Uhhh." Both Rayla and Callum said in a singular voice looking at one another searching for an answer their faces almost glowing red.
Claudia giggled and Soren smirked wider.
Rayla changed the subject, if they couldn't find an answer, they could find something else to converse over, "What're you two doin' here?" She said crossing her arms.
"Why so sour? Did we interrupt something wildly important?" Soren questioned chuckling mischievously.
"No." Rayla replied smoothly for once, as Callum stated the opposite.
"Yes." After all they did interrupt their sleep.
Rayla's head shot towards Callum, and his answer changed. "Um.. no."
After looking from one to the other, Claudia shrugged it off. "As for your question, Rayla, A single word; School?"
Callum face palmed, he'd forgotten about that, "That's right. Dad'll kill me if he hears I was late."
Soren shook his head, "No, that's not the point. That's the entire plan."
Claudia nodded in agreement with Soren's statement, "We're here to stake out until we can be slightly late for school. Besides you have a t.v., there's bound to be some news on dad."
Callum and Rayla exchanged looks.
"Wait.. why are you- why do you want to be late?" Rayla wondered skeptically.
Claudia turned on the t.v., and flipped through the channels, "To avoid the gossip, and rumors, obviously. When your principle is also your dad, and he goes to jail, the entire school creates dozens of rumors about you." She said as if it were clearly obvious, her eyes not leaving the screen.
Soren was just as glued to the screen, as much as Claudia was.
They exchanged knowing looks once again.
"Sounds familiar, huh?" Rayla pointed out plainly not receiving any reply but two, "Uh-huhs"
The news blared as the reporter on television shared the allowed information regarding Viren's fate.
"Viren Warner, former principle of the well-known Katolis City High School, has been tried for murder, attempt of murder, thievery, and the attempt to begin a World War III. Today the jury has spoken and we've learned the verdict of this 13 year long treachery. Warner will serve 15 years prison time for his heinous crimes. Warner's Ex-wife, Lissa Slora served as a liable witness to these events along with former accomplice, Kasef Abner who was only ten years old when he assisted Warner in his attack on the border between the City of Katolis, and the magical and mysterious lands of Xadia. This may have very well began, yet another war between the human lands and Xadia. This attack converged nearly thirteen years ago. Warner was finally exposed a few weeks ago by his trusted friend, and current Dean of the very same high school, Harrow Ayers. Ayers claimed he was unaware of this plan even as it took place. When asked about his discovery, Ayers simply replied, he eventually began to see suspicious activity connecting to Warner and felt the need to discover the truth. Young Abner was let off easily due to his young age at the time of the attack and was promised his freedom in return for his full cooperation, and honesty. Fortunately for Abner, over the years was said to have changed a great deal since the event. Warner's children had no inkling of their father's antics only being of the ages of seven and eight years when the attempt was acted upon."
Suddenly, the t.v. was shut off. Both Claudia and Soren looked at Rayla who had taken the remote from Claudia's hand without either noticing.
"Hey!!!" They cried out in frustration. "In case you couldn't notice, wewerewatching that." Claudia complained.
Rayla rolled her eyes, "School!"
"But we- the police don't even keep us informed about anything regarding Dad. I mean, he is our Dad. You'd think they'd let us know something." Claudia begged crossing her arms.
Callum walked into the living from the restroom his hair slightly wet, "Rayla's got a point. We have school, remember? I know you want to know more, but it can wait, until after school."
Rayla nodded, "Thank you. Besides you've heard enough. Let's go! Callum and I have both already taken our showers, while the two of you watched the television. We could be already over 20 minutes late. Callum and I don't want detention."
Soren and Claudia's backs slumped, "Fine."
As they drove to school, Soren and Claudia in Soren's truck and Callum and Rayla in Callum's car, Rayla had quite a lot of questions just running through her mind. Some she needed answered. "Um.. Callum."
Callum slightly turned his head to her for a second before looking back to the road in front of him. "Yeah?"
Rayla tried to pretend she wasn't blushing, "Uh... about this mornin'... be- before Soren and Claudia came.. what- um- how did we- how were we...?"
"Oh! That. Um.. well,... last night... as you may recall, you were upset. So we kinda just sat- sat down... I was... well, since you were upset, I was- I was letting you c- cry it out aaannnd after awhile you kinda- you just sorta fell asleep. When I moved to pick up the- Dad called and I had to get up. But you-- You kinda seemed- you sorta started sounding really uncomfortable. I explained stuff to Dad, and I got a blanket. Then I sat next to you a-again, and you- you stopped groaning-- Then I.. fell.. asleep." Callum stammered his cheeks and ears turning red. This coming sooner or later. He didn't want to explain in detail that she seemed to cuddle up to him as soon as he sat down. Maybe she didn't entirely need to know that part.
"Oh." Rayla said in small voice studying her lap the blush not leaving her face.
Callum immediately felt guilty for letting that happen. She wasn't comfortable with it, and he didn't even take that into consideration. He shouldn't let that happen. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- It was just that I didn't want to wake you, and it was too late to go home and not... and- and you only have one bedroom.. you- you do have a family room.. or office space.. whatever it is, I just- I shouldn't have- I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable ." He apologized profusely. How could he be so selfish? She didn't love him, he shouldn't have done that.
"What! No, No, That's not- that's not what I meant. It wasn't- I wasn't- I'm not uncomfortable, it was actually.. it was... nice, just unexpected... to me.. it was nice... but it wasn't to you so I'm the one who's sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep on you like that... at all, I mean." Rayla instantly shot down his assumption coming to her own.
"Really?... I mean, no. You didn't either. I was comfortable, it was... nice.. I- I agree." Callum couldn't help, but smile in relief and excitement.
They arrived and Rayla was determined to keep what happened between them. Nyx, Claudia, and Soren would blow it out of proportion, and Harrow and Ezran would be too curious as to how it happened. Callum almost immediately agreed. But they had to find something to explain them. Callum had promised an explanation and it wouldn't be an occasion when they could just change the subject.
School was long, at least it felt. They had alot of catching up to do to end the school year. Viren's imprisonment set the school behind. But as of this week they were finally almost finished the school year. They were nearing the end of September and finally they were almost finished.
Rayla afterwards went to work as she was scheduled and Callum came home. He for-the-most-part explained the entire truth informing it as he and Rayla had agreed. He just left "minor" details out. Nyx joined them and listened as if it were a suspenseful story.
~*~
As the week passed and the end of school neared, Nyx and Claudia discussed an idea that would celebrate the end of school.
It was the day before the last day of school, and they visited Callum's house to share their idea with Callum and Rayla. Ezran answered the door and let them in leading them into the dinig room where the others were.
Claudia and Nyx walked in and saw Callum and Rayla sitting across from one another at the table with a chess board evenly in the center of their stance. Harrow was sitting beside Rayla with a small chalkboard.
Studying the chalkboard, it seemed that everyone was challenging against Rayla, but she was winning against everyone.
Claudia dared to ask, "What exactly is going on here?"
"CHECKMATE!!!!" Rayla called out in cheers and Harrow used the speck between his fingers to tally the board.
Ezran explained dreadfully, "Dad taught Rayla how to play chess, and now she's unbeatable. Dad's the best chess player, we know and she beat him 2 out of 3. This is the fourth time she's beat Callum and I'm next to be mopped the floor with. I can't even beat Dad. This is going to be my funeral."
Rayla smirked, "Don't be dramatic, Ez, this isn't your funeral. We've way past that. This'll be your trip to the morgue." She smiled as she laughed.
Claudia and Nyx looked at each other and shrugged.
Harrow stood, "I need to get another chalkstick. I'll be back. Ezran, where did you put the chalksticks?" He left as Ezran led him to the chalksticks.
The moment Harrow and Ezran were out of sight, Claudia and Nyx squealed as Rayla and Callum reset the game.
"What's got you two so excited?" Rayla raised a playful eyebrow at them.
"Friday night. 6:15 p.m., we're going to the Club." Claudia whispered and giggled.
Rayla shrugged at them, unsure what a "Club" was, "Uhh,... Congratulations?" She looked to Callum cluelessly.
Callum chuckled. She looked cute when she was confused about something.