Holy Monkey and Shaggy Dog

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Ephram caught up with Calla as she was heading out of the building after classes were dismissed. "Hey. Did you want to go back?"

"Go back?" she questioned confusedly, turning to face him. "Oh! That look- out point. Um, yeah. Did you want to go now?"

"I don't have much else to do," he shrugged.

"Okay, then. Let's go." Calla led Ephram off in the direction of the parking lot.

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"Hey. . .Look at those clouds over there." Calla pointed to the sky above the mountains to their right.

Ephram propped himself up slightly on his elbows. "Yeah. . .they're neat."

"They look like stairs. . ."

"Huh. . .they do." He glanced over to the girl beside him. She almost looked as though she were seeing the sky for the first time. She smiled and said something, but he didn't hear her because he was studying the curves of her face in the diminishing sunlight. "What did you say?"

She looked at Ephram before returning her gaze to the sky, laughing slightly. "What planet were you visiting?"

Ephram felt himself blushing. "Sorry. I was just. . ."

"So completely not with it?"

"Yeah."

"I noticed. . .I said that it looked like a stairway to Heaven." They lay there for a while longer, then Calla abruptly sat up. "What time is it?"

"Um. . ." Ephram pulled up his sleeve to look at his watch. "Ten after seven. Why?"

"Holy monkey. Bright. My house. Seven thirty." She stood and helped Ephram to his feet.

"Oh, yeah." He tried to sound enthused, but it didn't come out that way.

Calla laughed the whole way back to the car. "You know, it figures."

"What figures?" Ephram didn't follow her train of thought.

"That the only two people I've befriended don't like each other. I really wish that you guys would get along. I don't know what it was that caused you to not be friends, but how bad could it be?"

"It depends on the point-of-view."

"Well," Calla began, turning the key in the ignition then putting the vehicle into gear, "one of these days, you will enlighten me with your point-of-view."

"One of these days."

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It was seven twenty and Calla was still standing in the middle of her room trying to decide what to wear. "What does one wear on a first date?" she asked herself quietly. She glanced at her clock again. If it's seven twenty-one here, then it's. . .eight twenty-one there, she thought. She picked up her phone and dialed the eleven digits.

"Hello?" questioned the first familiar voice Calla had heard since she'd been in Everwood.

"Renee? It's Cale."

"Hey! How are you? I haven't heard from you since you left? How are you?"

"Um, I'm good, I guess. What am I supposed to wear on a first date?"

Renee squealed. "You've only been there how long and you already have a date?"

"Yeah. And he's supposed to be here in.eight minutes."

"Um.do you know where you're going?"

"Not a clue."

"Okay. Well, um, let's see. Oh! Okay. That long jean skirt you have - with that antique-y wash - and that pink peasant blouse-thing."

"You sure about the skirt? What about jeans?"

"But I like the skirt," Renee whined. "Fine. Which jeans did you have in mind?"

"Those ones. . .You know, with the thing. . ."

"Yeah, you're really helpful."

"They're the same color as the skirt and they came with that belt."

"Ooh. Okay, okay. That works. So. . .what does he look like?"

"He's cute," she giggled. "Really, really, cute."

"Eyes?"

"Blue. Blonde hair. He kinda reminds me of Evan - with the hair."

"Shaggy dog." The two erupted into laughter. "I wish I could be there."

"I wish you could be, too. I miss you."

"I miss you, too. Call me when you get back. I don't care how late it is."

"Okay."

"Good luck."

"Thanks. Talk to you later."

"Yep. Bye."

Calla hung up the phone and pulled the jeans from her dresser and the shirt from its hanger in her closet. As she pulled the shirt over her head, she heard the doorbell ring. She hurried to finish getting dressed and grabbed a pair of sandals as she raced out of her room and down the stairs. She reached the foyer at the same time as her dad and slipped her feet into the shoes. Opening the door, she smiled at Bright. "Hi." She stepped aside to let him in.

Marcus was standing in the living room, confused as to why this young man was at his house. "Hello," he said, offering his hand to Bright.

"Dad, this is Bright. Bright, my dad."

"Hello, Mr. Porter." Bright shook his hand firmly.

Calla gave her dad a look. "I'll be back later, okay?"

"Uh huh." Marcus wasn't so sure about this. Who was this boy? And what happened to the one she brought over yesterday - the son of Doctor Brown? "Have fun." At least she was making friends.

"We will." Calla gently took Bright's arm and led him towards the front door, grabbing her purse on the way.

Bright laughed. "Okay." He nodded, smiling.

"What?" she asked skeptically, following him to his car.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." He opened her door for her and closed it after she got in.

Calla smiled to herself. "Sure."

Bright climbed in, starting the car and fastening his seatbelt. "So. . .Have you been into Gino's yet?"