AN: I know it's been a while. As usual, my life had been crazy. Beeen sick, then been hella busy. I know a lot has probably given up on this story, and there had been decreasing activity in this fandom, but one day I just woke up and I wanted to continue the story. Anyway, back to the story.
And shout out to Amelia Louisa, thank you for your kind words. I miss your story updates. If you see this, please know I am a big fan. Like get butterflies-when-I-see-updates-from-you-big-fan.
I apologize in advance for being rusty. It's kinda hard getting my groove back on after such a long time.
Arizona's POV
I feel my whole body trembling, shaking. I feel like I'm running out of breath. My abdomen has started to become sore from too much convulsing. My body writhing, wriggling on the bed. Tears are welling in the corners of my eyes.
"Callie….. I….I….;" I try to get out in between sounds of ecstasy.
Boisterous sounds are also coming from the woman beside me.
I try to gasp for air like a fish out of water, and all that comes out of my mouth is some whimpering.
"I can't believe you actually did that," Callie tries to enunciate, but she herself is having a hard time getting words out of her beautiful mouth.
We're now both supine on my bed, rolling around, clutching our stomachs. Our previously obnoxious laughs has turned silent as we are both running out of breath. A video had been playing on repeat on my laptop, and it is currently showing the very object of my humiliation. I am pretty sure I am beet red from laughing too much, and so is Callie.
"I was young, and stupid," I say in between giggles.
"Yeah you were stupid," Callie emphasized as she maneuvered herself to watch the offending video again. Her wide teasing grin still plastered on her face.
After telling her that we would be sleeping in the same room, on the same bed, I kind of expected that Callie would panic a little, or at least feel a little nervous. What I didn't expect was she would literally clap her hands together out of joy because she would be spending the night in the same room as I am. Well, I am pretty ecstatic myself to be spending an entire evening with the woman of my dreams. I just hope nothing happens that would make this awkward for the both of us. I mean, we kind of just made up.
"I want to know more about you," she declared as soon as she found out we would be bunking together. So here we are watching some old high school videos after we've finished going through all of the photo albums in my room and my high school yearbook. We've talked about my first crush, my first love, my first heartbreak, my first time. Callie would scrunch her face a little, in a cute way of course, everytime I would mention an ex. She even called my ex who brutally ripped my heart out an ugly hag when I showed her a picture when in fact she is smoking hot despite being evil. It's not an annoying type of jealousy though, just a confirmation that she cares about me like I care for her.
So that's how we ended up watching the most embarrassing moment of my life.
I was probably in first year of junior high, and High School Musical was big thing back then. There was a noontime show during lunch time, and I don't know what got to me to volunteer to dance to We're All in This Together. Not just dance though, I even lip-synched to it. I was Troy and a classmate of mine was Gabriella and another 2 classmates as the back up. It was awful. You could see in the video that people were starting to leave as we were performing, and Callie could not stop laughing as she watched it. At first I felt like I was going to die watching it again, but I just can't help but laugh at how ridiculous that performance was. So here we are bawling our hearts out as we watch it again and again.
I tried to turn myself over and reach out to the laptop so I can stop the video from playing, but my sudden movement stretched my neck more than it was supposed to.
"Aww," I suddenly exclaim while clutching my neck. I think I definitely pulled something.
"Hey, are you okay? What happened?," Callie says as she sits upright suddenly sobering up from too much laughter. She reaches for the laptop to stop the video, and turns her attention to me. She gently guides me up so that I'm sitting upright with my back facing her.
"I think I pulled a muscle," I grimace in pain.
"Here, let me," Callie says as she scoots closer to me. She places her legs on my sides and her front is flush against my back now. She gathers my hair to the side to expose my neck, then her expert hands start caressing my neck softly. Her movements are increasing in pressure as she eases the pain away. I close my eyes, small moans escaping from my lips as Callie massages my neck.
"You're really good at that," I breathe out as I let my body relax against hers.
"Well I am the best orthopedic surgeon in the country, I think I can handle some pulled muscle," Callie says softly as though she was lulling me to sleep with her voice. It's effective in keeping me relaxed though, I literally can feel my entire body melting.
When the pain has subsided, and my muscles had relaxed, Callie stopped her ministrations but instead of moving away, she pulled me closer to her so that I'm lying on my back on top of her. She feels so soft and smooth and warm. She's put her arms around my waist, and she's resting her chin on my shoulders.
"I'm happy that you don't feel uncomfortable sharing the room with me," I say as I break the silence.
"Why would I feel uncomfortable?," Callie asks as she pulls me tighter in her embrace.
"After everything that has happened I guess," I reply.
"I told you, I wanted to do this right this time. I guess it's me putting all the mistakes I did when it comes to us behind me. I am genuinely happy to spend the night with you, because I love your company, and being with you even just next to you makes me giddy. Despite all the shit happening in my life, being with you feels right," Callie confesses.
"You're amazing you know that?," I say as I turn my head to look her in the eyes.
"And you're breathtaking," she replies breathily
My heart is literally pounding just looking at her and seeing the way she's looking at me right now. I'm surprised that I don't have the urge to just pounce on her and kiss the living crap out of her. The way Callie was friendly, and gentle, and tender with me tonight has turned the sexual tension between us into complete adoration and reverence for each other.
"I want to know you," I say with a small smile.
"What do you want to know?," she asks.
"Everything that made and makes you this amazing woman I've completely fallen for," I say tenderly and quite smoothly. I do have my way with words.
Callie blushes at my admission, and I give myself an imaginary pat on the back for that.
"I have an idea," says Callie.
Callie's POV
"Are you sure about this?," Arizona asks with trepidation.
"Don't you trust me?," I ask.
"I just don't expect this from you," she says as she motions to the object of our debate.
"Are you telling me I look like I don't know how to ride a bike?," I ask mocking insult.
"Well, you are The Callie Torres, a world renowned surgeon, badass ortho god, I just never imagined I would see you riding a pink bike with a pink basket in front," Arizona replies.
"See, you're finding more about me already. And this is your bike. Come on, hop in," I encourage her with a wide grin.
I used to love biking when I was a kid. I almost biked everyday everywhere. I would even let my little sister Aria ride the bike with me. When she got old enough and learned how to ride a bike, we rode together to school.
"Your chariot awaits milady," I gesture with emphasis to the bar of the bike.
Arizona reluctantly sits on the bar in front of me with both her legs to the side.
"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you," I assure her.
I thought it would be better to just take Arizona's bike to where I want to take her. I didn't want to bring my car out because we might wake Barb or Sofia up, or they might wake up in the middle of the night and notice the car gone. I don't want them to worry. So while we were sneaking out of the house through the garage, I caught a glimpse of Arizona's old bike. It's definitely faster than walking.
I just had to get my bearings for a bit, and I had to get Arizona accustomed to riding double on the bike's main frame. Apparently she hasn't ridden a bike this way.
We coast through the neighborhood in comfortable silence. After a few blocks down the road, Arizona finally relaxed. She has let her hands rest on the handle bar, just going along with my steering. It's probably 2 o'clock in the morning, or maybe 3. I'm starting to catch a whiff of the morning dew kissing grass, the air is getting more chilly as it blows on our faces, I can hear the symphony of crickets and frogs frolicking in the neighbors backyard, and the moon is beaming so bright that the street lamps are practically useless.
"Where are you taking me?," Arizona asks as she looks from left to right, trying to make out at which part of the neighborhood we're going to. This is the neighborhood Arizona and I both grew up in, well at least until 3rd grade for me, but I can see that she's not too familiar with this particular block.
I enter a driveway towards a typical looking 2 storey-house much like Arizona's house and most of the houses in the neighborhood.
"This is probably a good time to tell me if you're a serial killer," Arizona chimes in nervously.
"Well not tonight, I forgot all my tools in the car," I jest.
Arizona gives me a playful slap on the arm as she disembarks our pink vessel. I lay the bike sideways gently on the driveway, much like how I used to with my bike when I was younger at exactly the same spot on the driveway.
"This is the house I grew up in," I declare.
"Wow, it kinda looks like…." Arizona trails.
"Just like your house?," I question and she nods in affirmation.
"Well come on let's go in," I say excitedly as I pull her towards the door. I grab my set of keys in my pocket and I open the front door.
"Wait, so nobody lives here? And why do you still have the keys?," Arizona asks, confused and almost afraid of going through the front door.
"I own it," I reply.
"Who lives here then?," Arizona asks.
"No one really," I say.
"I loved this house, for me this was always home. When we moved out when I was in 3rd grade; my parents had to literally drag me out of that door. They said that we're getting a bigger house near the city, I can get all the toys I want, get ice cream everyday, I'll get a big princess bed in our new house, but I still didn't want to move," I tell Arizona as we walk hand in hand around the house. Arizona laces her fingers in mine and moves closer to me.
"But of course, we still had to move. They put the place for sale, but after a year of not getting any takers, I made a bargain with my dad," I continue.
Arizona looks at me curiously prodding me to go on.
"I asked him if I could buy this house. I was in 4th grade then and he just laughed at me, but I gave him the famous Torres stare down and he realized I was dead serious. Of course at that time I didn't know how foolish that proposition was, all I knew was that I wanted to have this house and be able to go back to it anytime I want. It's not too much of a burden to my father at that time anyway because that was the year that my father's business suddenly boomed. So we had an agreement that I could pay off my loan to him little by little. Of course he didn't give me a deadline," I narrate.
"So when were you able to finally pay it off?," Arizona asks.
"When I reached my teenage years, I was starting to regret getting into that deal with my father. But since I had always been somewhat scared of my dad's authoritarian and serious side, I never let myself slip from paying him little by little. I guess my first ever big loan because of this house was what taught me to be hardworking and to strive for the things I wanted. That's also one of the reasons why I took other jobs on the side, babysitting, mowing lawns, being a barista during summer vacations. Those jobs and this loan has given me so much good and useful experiences and values in life. And the beautiful ladies I met while being a barista was just an added bonus. I was finally able to pay him the full 200,000 a few years into residency," I ramble on.
"Wait so you became a barista to hit on girls," Arizona questions with her eyes narrowing on me.
"So that's what you got from all that I said?," I ask in amusement.
"No I got everything, but….," Arizona pouts.
"Oh come on, you know you're my main girl," I coo quite teasingly as I pull her closer to me.
"Such a sweet talker," Arizona says with a playful poke to my side.
"But it's amazing what you did there," Arizona adds.
"Thank you, come on let me show you around," I say as I pull her along.
"Wait, hang on, why does your house seem like it's been maintained? It still looks like it's completely furnished, nothing's missing, everything's clean" Arizona questions as she looks around.
"I hired people to come here once in a while to maintain the place. Take care of the electricity, plumbing, remove dust here and there, and control pests. Aria and I and even my parents have keys to the house, just in case any of us need some time off and just go back to the good old days. I had been here a couple times previously, when I used to visit Barb I would stay here, but when life got busy with work and Richard and Sofia, I kinda haven't visited for years. You were still so young when I last visited and only visited briefly," I explain.
"Oh I see," Arizona replies as she walks around the kitchen.
"So this kitchen is where my love for cooking began. My mom had always been a great cook, and at times I would poke around and try to help her. Then little by little I tried cooking on my own, starting with frying and grilling stuff, and by 3rd grade I could do some of my mom's dishes in this kitchen already," I ramble on.
Arizona then looks at me from across the room, and gives me a wide smile.
"I wanna see your room," Arizona beams.
"Okay let's go," I reach my hand out, then she laces her fingers with mine. I pull her out of the kitchen, to the hallway, and up the stairs, but before we could fully ascend, she stops and pulls me back.
She pulls me to a small table along the hallway donned with trinkets and trophies and photos, with the wall above it littered with old family photos. She gazes at each and everyone studying them quietly and meticulously.
"Is this your….?," Arizona trails off as she points to a specific picture.
"Yep. That's my pet ferret, Ferrero," I reply.
"You named your ferret, Ferrero?," she enunciates as she looks at me teasingly.
"What?, it's a cute name," I shrug.
"And you have a portrait of him? Not just some picture; but a portrait from his bust to his face, like how a person would have his portrait," she adds sounding amused.
"Well yeah, he was very dear to me," I say a little too defensively. Now I'm feeling a little bit embarrassed for being such a sappy geek.
Shockingly though, Arizona suddenly leans in and gives me a gentle peck on my now burning cheek.
"Come on you goof," she says with a huge smile as she pulls me upstairs.
I then direct us to my room. There is a single bed in the corner, a study desk still littered with some of my stuff in grade school, a small closet filled with some of my childhood clothes, and some adult clothes for when I come here, and drawings and pictures of me and my friends back then plastered on the wall.
"This is where I sleep everytime I visit. When I was little I was deathly afraid of ghosts, not that I see any, just the idea of one lurking around terrifies me. This is the only place in the house where I felt safe ," I tell Arizona as she inspects the things in the room.
She suddenly turns to me, with a serious look on her face.
"What? What's the matter?," I ask slightly worried.
She then walks closer to me and puts her arms around my neck.
"You are amazing," she says quite in awe, her eyes piercing mine.
"I'm nothing special," I say a little embarrassed and feeling a little intimidated by her intense blue orbs.
"You care like crazy, you commit to the things you love, and you give importance even to the simplest and smallest things. You could have and can afford anything you want, but you still chose to keep the things that mattered to you," Arizona says tenderly.
"I…..I…..," I try to speak but the way she's looking at me keeps me speechless.
"You're making it so hard not to fall for you even more," she confesses.
"I'm falling for you too, more and more, with each and every moment I get to see you and be with you. I guess I wanted to bring you to this place because this house was the first thing I ever worked hard for, it was something very important to me because this is my home. And right now, you are my home, with you I feel safe and vulnerable at the same time. Everything that I will do from this moment on is for me to finally be deserving of you. I'll work my damn hardest so one day I might get a chance to be with you. I know it will be difficult, for both of us, but I just want to be able to show you how much I care for you each and every waking moment," I say to her as I pour my heart out.
"I'm already yours," she says as she cups my cheek. I can't help but lean into her touch.
"I don't want to take you away from anybody or cost you any chance of being happy. I don't want to ask you to wait until I fix everything in my life. All I want is for you to know that I'm here, admiring you, caring for you, even from a distance, hoping one day that I can fix all that needs fixing just so I can have a legitimate shot with you," I say to Arizona. It's so hard, so very hard to tell Arizona that it's okay for me for her to be with someone else. It's going to hurt like hell but right now this is the right thing to do. Her happiness is my priority. She's young and beautiful and smart and promising and she deserves all the happiness in the world. She doesn't need to be tangled up in my mess of a life.
"I only want you," she says.
I look at her imploringly, silently begging her to put her happiness first.
She then just pulls me into a tight hug, an embrace that tells me she understands, an embrace that seems like a farewell to the complicated game we played in, and hopefully a warm welcome to a shot for a real future for us.
AN2: I guess this was a difficult chapter to write. I would like to ask you guys what you think should happen next. I guess I want to see where you guys want to take the girls from here. So you can comment or send me a message.