1. Bisexual Visibility Day was September 23rd! While there are several different definitions of bisexual, a common one is "the attraction to two or more genders". Roughly 52% of the LGBT+ community is bisexual! There are several harmful stereotypes about bisexuality, from the implication that a bi individual is more likely to cheat to the notion that bisexuality is trans-exclusionary (both of which are false and bigoted assumptions). Such stereotypes combined with pervasive discrimination and hatred towards bisexuality has resulted in bisexual individuals having poorer mental health and higher self-reported rates of suicidal ideation than gay, lesbian, and heterosexual people. Biphobia ranges ranges from the implication that bi people need to "pick a side" all the way to physical/sexual violence towards bi individuals because of their sexuality. An important subset of biphobia is bi-erasure; for example, calling a bisexual character straight when they end up in a canon romance with someone of the opposite gender or calling them gay when they end up in a canon romance with someone of the same gender. Bisexual people are bi no matter who they're dating! (Condensed from soyouwanttotalkabout on Instagram.)

2. Do you live in the US? Are you 18+? Are you registered to vote? If not, head on over to vote dot org and register right now! This election season, we have no choice but to "#SettleForBiden". A vote for Trump is a vote for white supremacy, fascism, and hatred. The youth vote is historically underrepresented in American elections - let's change that!

Bonjour vous-autres! I'm excited for you guys to read this chapter. There's a lot revealed and plenty of foundation laid for future chapters, so put some coffee/tea on, snuggle up in a blanket, and get cozy. I hope you enjoy!

xXxXxXx

"Hey, Ez," Callum called as he walked into the living room, checking the time on his phone, "we're going to have to leave soon if we want to get there on time. Claudia is saving us seats."

Ezran sighed in mild irritation, placing a bookmark in the novel he was reading before setting it down on the coffee table to the left of the couch. "Alright. Let me put my shoes on."

Callum laughed at his brother's disgruntled reaction. "You're the one who said you wanted to come to the game."

Ezran rolled his eyes. "I do want to come. The universe just always seems to interrupt me when I arrive at a crucial plot point in my book."

"Pfft. Alright, drama queen." Callum raised an eyebrow. "But you can bring your book with you, you know. Like you don't have to leave it behind."

"Gee, thanks. I had no idea."

Callum stuck his tongue out at him, an action his younger brother copied before disappearing into his bedroom to grab his shoes.

"Getting ready for the big game?"

Callum turned around to see that his dad had entered the room and was leaning against the doorframe that led into the kitchen as he sipped a cup of tea. "Yep. Rayla and Soren have been stressing about it nonstop."

Harrow chuckled. "Understandable. This game could very well be more important to win than the national championship. At least in the long run. Especially for Soren, being a senior and all. He's played every year against Neolandia and lost every time - no doubt winning this game is what he has focused on since the beginning of the semester."

Callum tucked his phone into his pocket, having another takeaway from his father's monologue besides just how important this game was. "So you do think they're a championship-bound team, then?" He knew Claudia did. And it was true that KSU's football was having an unprecedentedly good year.

Harrow shrugged, taking a sip of his tea. "Possibly. Time will tell." He cleared his throat. "But before you and Ezran leave, there's something I wanted to talk to you about." He turned around to head back inside the kitchen, gesturing for Callum to follow him.

Callum was puzzled, but saw no reason not to listen to his dad, and so joined him. He walked in to see a laptop open on the table, with a website pulled up entitled 'Xadia University: International Exchange'. "What's this about?" he asked as he sat down next to his father, a mixture of curiosity and apprehension simmering in his stomach.

"As you know, Rayla is the first Xadian student to participate in KSU's international exchange program in over a century," Harrow explained. "Her home college, Xadia University, has expressed interest in reciprocating the exchange next year because Rayla is having such success right now. Of course, they want a student specifically from KSU. Only incoming sophomores and juniors are eligible." He turned the laptop towards his son. "I think you should consider applying."

Callum blinked. "Me?" The idea of uprooting his life for an entire year was… overwhelming, to say the least, even if he wasn't opposed to travelling to Xadia. Correction: even if he wanted nothing more than to travel to Xadia. "Why?"

Harrow chuckled. "Namely, you are one of the only students I know that has genuine interest in Xadian culture and history. I think participating in the program would be an enriching experience for you. Not to sound like a cheesy promotional pamphlet, of course."

Callum cracked a smile at that. And his dad was right - he couldn't deny that it would be amazing to visit Xadia and take real Xadian history classes. But for an entire year? Still a pretty daunting prospect.

"Second, you're more than qualified to apply for the program," Harrow continued. "You're an incoming sophomore, of course, but your grades and extracurriculars - they're well above the base requirements. What's more, your scholarships could at least partially cover expenses for the trip, which means Xadia University might be more likely to consider you because they wouldn't have to spend as much money. So that also puts you a step ahead of the other applicants."

Well, Callum wasn't one to complain when his dad bragged about him. Everyone needed an ego boost from their parents once in a while.

"And third, you have Rayla." Callum could feel his face heating up at the comment, but his dad held up a hand to stop him from protesting, an amused smile on his lips. "Not just because you're dating her. You know Rayla, and she's one of your best friends. If you go to Xadia, you'll have someone in your corner from day one. Think of how much easier a transition period Rayla would have had if she'd known someone here from the beginning."

Callum grimaced. People had been terrible to her. For weeks. Not that they were all sunshine and rainbows now, but their attitudes had somewhat improved, at least. Still, he knew there were things she didn't tell him. Sometimes she just looked… exhausted. He knew why. But he still felt helpless. And if he was completely honest, he wasn't sure he wanted Rayla to feel that helplessness because of him, either, on the off chance he applied and got accepted into the program.

"You don't have to decide now," Harrow reassured him. "The application period doesn't actually open up for another two weeks. I just wanted to talk to you about it in advance so you'd have plenty of time to think it over."

More like plenty of time to agonize over the possibility, but that was his own problem, not Harrow's. "Thanks, Dad. I'll… I'll definitely think about it."

Harrow clapped him on the shoulder, chuckling. "Right. I think that's enough discussion of Xadia and exchange programs for tonight. You need to get to the game and cheer on your friends to victory."

Very true. If he was even a minute late, there was a strong possibility Claudia would threaten to have him beheaded. Any later than that and she might actually go through with it. "I take it you have paperwork or something to finish?"

Harrow grimaced. "Comes with the position, I'm afraid. Opeli tried to ensure that I'd be free so I could attend, but sometimes things are out of our control. Don't worry, though - I'll have the game playing on TV the entire time."

Callum laughed. Yeah, he could believe that.

They returned to the living room, where Ezran was waiting impatiently - impatience that was probably a result of him wanting to get into the car as soon as possible so he could continue reading during the drive to the stadium.

Oops. Callum hadn't been talking that long with their dad, had he?

Less than five minutes later, they were out the door and on their way, and sure enough, Ezran had his nose buried in his book. Honestly? Good for him for finding a novel that had snagged his attention so thoroughly.

And now Callum was about to put his neck beneath the guillotine blade, but… Oh well. "Hey, Ez?"

His brother grunted in response, and Callum rolled his eyes.

"Ez. Come on. I have an important question."

Ezran groaned but reluctantly lifted his head. "Fine. Make it quick."

Callum had to bite back an amused snicker, aware that such a reaction would not curry favor with his sibling. "Okay." He slowed to a stop at a red light. "So… Dad talked to me about a school… thing… that he thinks I should apply for."

Ezran raised an eyebrow. "And what does that have to do with me?"

Right. A failure on the indirect approach. Time to dive straight in. "Uh… Basically, Dad recommended that I apply for the exchange program next year. The international one. In Xadia."

Ezran blinked and slowly closed his book, as if processing what his brother had said. "You'd live in Xadia? For… an entire year?" There was a hesitance to his voice, a still wariness that Callum wasn't sure he'd ever heard before.

"Yeah," Callum said after a pause. "I would."

Ezran swallowed, nodding. "Okay. Is that - Is it something you want to do?"

Callum chewed his bottom lip, pulling through the intersection when the light turned green. "I'm not sure yet. It's… an interesting opportunity, for sure, and I love the idea of getting to spend another year with Rayla and learning about Xadia in person, but…" He glanced at his brother. "I wanted to hear what my friends thought, first. Before I made any decisions about whether or not I should apply."

"Right." Ezran nodded stiffly. "No, that makes sense."

Callum turned left. "What do you think, then? Should I apply?"

Ezran exhaled slowly, pushing out air between his lips. "I think… that being in Xadia is something you would really enjoy. Especially with Rayla there to show you everything she loves about her home. And you'd probably learn a lot by going there, too, which you'd also enjoy because you're weird and like learning. Plus." He smirked at his brother, though with less mischief than usual. "You'd get to see Rayla every day for another year, so I can't imagine you having a problem with that."

Callum chuckled. "Yeah, definitely not something I'd mind." He glanced at his brother again. "But…?"

Ezran hesitated. "But…" He averted his eyes, turning to stare stubbornly out the window. "But nothing. That's it."

Callum sighed. "Ez. Come on." He wasn't stupid, and he could read Ezran's body language better than anyone. "Spit it out. I know there's something you aren't saying."

Ezran groaned. "It's no big deal."

"It's obviously important to you, so that means it's a big deal to me. You know there's nothing we can't tell each other."

"Ugh. Fine." Ezran's fist clenched, then fell slack into his lap. "I… might miss you. If you left for an entire year."

Oh.

Right. Callum should have seen that coming. Damn. It would not be good for him to start crying while he was still driving. "Ah." His grip tightened on the steering wheel. "I mean, I'd miss you, too. A lot."

Ezran's shoulders stiffened, and he spun around to glare accusingly at his brother. "But that doesn't mean you shouldn't go!" His voice cracked, and he winced, but he didn't stop. "Because Xadia is a place you're interested in! And - And if it's something you want to do, you shouldn't let anything or anyone convince you otherwise, because you know what's right for you."

Callum stopped at another red light, and he turned to face Ezran. "Thanks," he said after a pause, relieved his own voice didn't break. "I really - I'm glad to have your input."

Ezran attempted to discreetly rub his eyes, though he was met with little success. "You're welcome. Now shut up. I want to keep reading."

Callum was torn between wanting to laugh and wanting to cry, instead deciding on a smile and a shake of his head. "Just so you know, I will be giving you a hug when you least expect it, since you're the best brother in the world. Consider this your heads-up."

Ezran grinned, though he didn't tear his gaze away from his book as he reopened it. "I'd like to see you try."

They arrived at the stadium about ten minutes later, and Callum had to reassure his brother - much to his own amusement - that yes, he was allowed to bring his book inside. It would be fine, and no, Claudia would not hate him for doing so. He was simply contractually obligated to look at the field whenever Rayla and Soren were playing. Other than that, he was free to pay as little attention to the game as he liked. That was how Callum approached it, anyway. He loved Rayla, but… he wasn't sure he could ever love football. He'd gotten what was basically a 'football for dummies' book, though, so at least he was slowly understanding more of the game on his own.

"Hey guys!" Claudia called excitedly, waving at them from their seats near the front of the student section. "Over here!"

True to her words, she had saved them two seats, both directly to her right. But to her left was someone Callum had definitely never expected to see at a football game, of all places.

"Sonya?" he said curiously, taking the seat next to Claudia. "I didn't know you were coming."

Sonya rolled her eyes. She was wearing a maroon sweater - presumably the closest thing she had to anything representative of school spirit. "It was a last minute decision." She glanced sideways at Claudia. "And not one I had much of a say in."

Huh. He hadn't known Claudia and Sonya had been hanging out. Though he probably shouldn't have been surprised - they'd gotten along super well at Aimee's, and he knew they already had at least one class together. "Well, I'm sure Rayla will appreciate the additional support," he said with a smile. "Doubly so if they win."

"You mean when we win," Claudia corrected, jokingly elbowing him in the arm. "I will not be accepting any doubt of our team's capabilities tonight!"

Callum bit back a laugh. "Okay, Clauds. Moving on." He gestured to his brother, who was sitting to his right. "Ezran, meet Sonya. Rayla and I have Renaissance History with her. Sonya, Ezran is my little brother."

Sonya gave Ezran a small wave, the shiny black ring on her middle finger catching the light from the stadium. "It's nice to meet you, Ezran. Callum talks about you a lot. Mostly good things."

Ezran snickered. "That's because he's a responsible older brother. All of my friends know a million embarrassing stories about Callum."

"Wow, thanks," Callum scoffed. "I feel so loved."

Sonya winked at Ezran. "I'd love to hear some of those embarrassing stories. Whenever you have time."

Ezran grinned at her. "I'll give you my number after the game. Be prepared for me to blow up your phone."

Callum sighed in defeat. "Ez, how do you always get my friends to turn against me so easily?"

Ezran gave him an innocent smile. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

A blatant lie, but debating would get him nowhere, so Callum contented himself with flicking his brother's ear, earning a squawk of protest from Ezran. Callum then noticed a pained frown forming on Claudia's face out of the corner of his eye, and he turned to see her staring down sadly at her phone.

"Something wrong?" he asked, concerned.

Claudia sighed, turning off her phone and dropping it into her purse. "Yes. No? Ugh! It's whatever." She huffed. "Dad just texted me that he can't come to the game tonight. He knows how important this game is for Soren, and sure! He has official school stuff! Whatever! But he could at least put the game on at home or record it or something, you know?" She tucked the white streak behind her ear as it fell over her face. "God. I don't know how I'm going to tell Soren. This was like, the one game he really cared about Dad seeing."

Callum grimaced. He knew neither sibling had the greatest relationship with Viren, though he was also keenly aware that Soren had always been… second best. In Viren's eyes. "I'm sorry, Claudia." What else could he say? "I wish there was something I could do."

Claudia shrugged. "It's fine, I guess. Not like Soren isn't used to Dad not coming."

That was the worst silver lining Callum had ever heard. But not wanting to make her dwell on the disappointment any longer, he offered a subject change. "So, what can you tell me about Neolandia?"

Claudia did brighten up at the mention of the game, which Callum took as a win. She gave them all a rundown of KSU and Neolandia's history, the gist of which seemed to be that KSU had lost to Neolandia for the past seven or eight years, which KSU fans were… displeased about. Not to mention Neolandia had won several national titles during that time, too, which was like rubbing salt in the wound. As a result, if - when - KSU won, it would both boost them up in the rankings and make them a contender for the playoffs. Which was a prospect Claudia was very passionate about.

Ezran picked up on her energy the most, apparently, as he'd almost immediately transformed into a miniature hype man for Claudia and had promptly begged her to lend him one of her pom poms for the game.

She of course obliged, because who could say no to Ezran?

Callum, although he knew she wouldn't see it in time, couldn't stop himself from sending a text to Rayla.

Callum: you've got this! go royals!

"The teams are coming out!" Claudia cheered. "Oh my gosh, it's happening! We are finally going to beat Neolandia! This is our year!"

Callum wasn't able to pinpoint Rayla's jersey among the crowd, but he knew she was there. And… Claudia was right. He knew they were going to win. "Let's go, Royals!"

xXxXxXx

Okay, while Callum still knew they could - would - win, the back and forth pattern of the game was giving him massive anxiety. Every time KSU scored, Neolandia would counter with points of their own, and Callum had to resist the urge to tear his hair out from the stress. He'd kind of hoped KSU would just stomp Neolandia, that way he wouldn't have been tempted to revert back to the period of his life where he chewed his nails because of his anxiety, but he supposed that was too much to ask from two of the best teams in the country.

He was relieved to note, at least, that Rayla appeared to be having no trouble with her previously-sprained finger, as she caught every pass thrown to her without difficulty. She and Soren were pretty much on fire every time they were on the field together. Rayla had only dropped one, maybe two passes, and Soren was yet to throw a single interception.

Huh. He hoped he hadn't just jinxed them.

From his seat in the student section he was able to see Lucas on the sidelines near KSU's current end zone, another cheerleader standing on his hands as he held her above his head. Which blew Callum's mind. Cheerleaders were insanely powerful.

Neolandia's coach took a timeout, and Claudia sat down, massaging her temples. She looked like she was on the verge of completely freaking out, but was somehow containing her panic. "If my hair is completely gray tomorrow, know that it is solely because of this game."

"You sure it's not because you keep bleaching your hair lighter?" Sonya remarked, amused, earning herself a mock-glare from Claudia.

"You hush, little miss." But an amused smile nonetheless inched onto her face.

"I didn't think football could be this stressful," Ezran admitted, Claudia's pom pom that she'd lent to him resting on his lap. "They'd better win. Or else."

The genuine intensity and touch of malice in his younger brother's voice sent a chill down Callum's spine. Was Claudia's obsession with football contagious?

"Everyone hush!" Claudia exclaimed, jumping back to her feet as the teams returned to the field. "Okay. If we hold them here, then all we'll have to do is run the clock out, which should be no problem for Rayla and Soren. Just a couple first downs." She pumped her fist. "Come on, defense!"

Callum was pretty sure he'd never be able to think ahead as many plays as Claudia did, so he focused on her first statement: KSU needed to 'hold' Neolandia. In other words, they needed to stop them from scoring a first down. Which normally wouldn't have been a major issue, but Neolandia's offense rivalled KSU's in terms of skill. Hence why Callum was watching every play so apprehensively.

"Neolandia's going for it on fourth down," Claudia muttered, though her voice had jumped up an octave. "Makes sense. A last-ditch play. But we can cover this. We can! They need eight yards - something we can stop super easily. No problem."

It sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than anyone else.

The roar of the crowd had to be reaching record levels, as it seemed like everyone knew that this was the most important play of the game. Callum had to fight the urge to squeeze his eyes shut, though he didn't hesitate to clamp his hands over his ears. Anything to dull the excruciating amount of sensory details around him.

He was still able to hear what sounded like a collective gasp from the crowd as the ball was snapped, and -

"Oh my God, he fumbled the snap! KSU recovery!" Claudia screeched, jumping up and down and waving her single pom pom so aggressively he was concerned it would fly out of her hand. "That's game! That's game! We won!"

Her cries were soon drowned out by the ecstatic screams of every other KSU fan in the stadium, including those of himself, Ezran, and even Sonya, though Sonya's feet remained planted on the ground. Claudia proceeded to turn to her left and press a kiss to Sonya's cheek before turning away to continue jumping around and cheering at the top of her lungs.

Callum, on any other day, would have needed a moment to process that particular action, but his mind was too consumed by the thought of Rayla and Rayla and getting to see Rayla. Somehow they all managed to stop themselves from sprinting onto the field when the game was officially brought to a close, instead fighting through the crowd as they hastily followed Claudia around the stadium to a back entrance of the locker room that she said Soren had shown her before the game. He'd told her if they won that there was no they'd be able to find each other on the field, not with all the players and cameras and reporters, so they'd meet there instead.

"We need to celebrate!" Ezran said eagerly as they waited outside the door, bouncing on his heels. "Should we get ice cream? Or jelly tarts? Or literally anything sugar-filled?"

Callum burst out laughing at his brother's comment. Even Sonya cracked a smile. "Are you sure you didn't come to this game just because I told you we'd be getting food afterwards?"

Ezran shrugged. "I can have more than one motivation."

Callum was tempted to tease him further, but he was stopped short as the door swung open, revealing Soren - sweaty but no longer in uniform, and with the biggest grin that Callum had ever seen on his face.

"We won!" he shouted, immediately pulling all of them - minus Sonya - into a massive group hug. "Holy crap, we actually won! This is the best day of my life!"

"You were amazing, Sor-Bear," Claudia praised, able to embrace her brother directly because she was at the front of the hug. "I am so proud of you! You're the most talented quarterback KSU has ever seen!"

"You certainly played an impressive game," Sonya said from beside them, ever the calm one. "I enjoyed watching it."

"You and Rayla really were at your best," Callum reassured Soren as they were gradually released from the hug. "I mean, I know nothing about football, but you hit almost every pass you threw, so that's gotta be good, right?"

Soren laughed, reaching out to ruffle Callum's hair. "Yes, it is. Thank you, Callum. I appreciate your attempt to follow the game." He then turned to Ezran, offering him a high five. "Pretty awesome for your first time in the stadium, huh?"

Ezran eagerly returned the high five. "It was the best! Can I come to every game from now on?"

Claudia placed her hands over her heart. "I've raised him so well. My protégé."

Callum groaned. "I can't believe I'm the only person here who isn't obsessed with football." His brother, two of his best friends, his girlfriend somewhere inside the locker room - he'd forever be outnumbered.

"Please don't suggest I'm obsessed with this sport," Sonya said with a small smirk. "I'm afraid I still would not call myself a fan. But. I did have a good time tonight." She turned to face Claudia. "Thank you for inviting me. I wouldn't mind doing this again… with you." Her face was dusted with a light blush, and she said her goodbyes after revealing that she had to leave and meet with her cousin.

Soren gave his sister a mischievous grin as soon as Sonya was out of sight, elbowing her arm. "So that's the girl you've been talking about, huh, little sis?"

Claudia groaned, her own face turning red. "Ugh, I knew I shouldn't have told you about her. Now I'm never going to hear the end of it."

Callum blinked, his brain processing on a minimum ten-second delay. "Wait, what?"

Ezran rolled his eyes. "Come on, Callum. Claudia was flirting with Sonya the entire game. Don't tell me you missed it."

Callum's jaw dropped. "She was what?"

Soren burst out laughing. "Dude. I know you can get lost in your own world, mostly because I totally understand the feeling, but that's gotta be a whole new level of missing what's right in front of you."

"Don't forget how long it took him to realize his own feelings about Rayla," Claudia muttered, though her eyes glittered with amusement. "Much less recognize that Rayla liked him back."

Callum flushed. It was true - he really hadn't been paying much attention to his friends during the game. His mind had been consumed by thoughts of the Xadian exchange program, while his hands had been busy sketching as his eyes continually glanced up onto the field to watch for any play from jersey #16. "I was… focused on the game, okay?"

"Psh. More like focused on your girlfriend," Ezran teased, and Callum had to resist the urge to strangle his little brother. Mostly because he was right.

"Anyways," Callum said, desperately wanting to change the subject, "aren't we supposed to be getting ready to go out and celebrate this victory somewhere?"

Soren gave him a thumbs up. "You are absolutely correct, my guy." He gestured to the open door of the locker room behind him. "You can wait inside, if you want. I just need to grab my bag and stuff. Felix and Rayla should be joining us in a minute."

As Callum stepped inside with Ezran, he noticed that the room was empty except for a few players who were mostly on their way out. He sat next to his brother on a bench resting against the back wall, only then realizing that Claudia and Soren were yet to come in. If the way Ezran's gaze was also focused on the door they'd entered through indicated anything, it appeared he, too, had noticed how their friends had hung back.

"So… Dad couldn't make it?"

Oh, no. Soren's voice was low, tinged with a mixture of disappointment and exhaustion that made Callum's chest ache.

"No. He couldn't," Claudia said quietly. "He… well, you know. Said what he always says. 'Something came up'."

Soren sighed, the frustration in his voice obvious. "I'm sick of his excuses, Claudia. Why doesn't he just disown me already? It'd be better than pretending he actually cares!"

"You know he doesn't mean to -"

"Who cares what he means, Claudia?! I'm still here. It still hurts every goddamn time he doesn't show up. He hasn't come to a single game! Not fucking one for four fucking years!" There was a pause, and Callum could practically picture Claudia flinching and Soren's face paling, though he still couldn't see them. "Shit. I - I'm sorry, Claudia. It's not - It's not your fault that he doesn't give a damn."

"Soren, he does care -"

"Claudia. Just stop." His voice wavered. "Please."

Callum recognized that their conversation was not one to continue listening to, and he physically turned himself away from the door in an attempt to focus on something - anything - else. He didn't miss the worry written all over his brother's face as he did so, and he gently squeezed Ezran's shoulder. "We'll make sure he has fun tonight," he murmured. "I promise."

Ezran hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. We will."

"Oh, Callum! Just the man I'm looking for."

Callum looked up to see Felix jogging across the locker room towards him. "Hey!" he said, clueless as to why he felt surprised to see his friend, since he was fully aware Felix would be joining them that evening. "I hear you're celebrating the win with us tonight."

Felix chuckled, and Callum noticed that his face had a red tint to it. Maybe exertion from the game? "Actually, that's what I need to talk to you about. Something else has come up, so I can't go with you guys anymore."

Callum frowned. "Oh. Is it something serious?"

"No! No, nothing like that," Felix hastily reassured him. "My friend from drama finally has some spare time to hang out with me outside of academic and extracurricular stuff, so I'm taking advantage of that and going to a movie with him. Are you okay with letting everyone know that I won't be able to come with you guys?"

Callum nodded, giving him a thumbs up. "Definitely. Have fun with your friend!" He easily sympathized with the desire to spend time with people he hadn't seen in a while. That particular weakness of his would undoubtedly make it harder to go a full year in Xadia without his friends.

Ugh. He needed to get off that train of thought. He briefly debated telling Rayla about the program, but… No. Not yet. He wanted to talk with a few other people first.

Felix beamed at him. "Awesome. Thank you so much! And see you at practice!"

Ezran frowned as Felix waved and walked away. "Wait, you have a practice with him?"

"I mean, I don't. But I bring Rayla to football practice sometimes, and I think I'll be picking Claudia up from Macbeth rehearsal every so often until the show. Whenever Soren has their car, at least."

Ezran gasped. "Wait, Claudia was cast?! And you didn't tell me? What role did she get?"

Oops. Callum forgot Ezran had been with Mx. Irene when Claudia had revealed she'd been cast in Macbeth. Well, it wasn't like she was keeping it a secret. Not as far as he knew. And besides - it was Ezran. They all told Ezran everything. "Yes, she was cast. She's the head witch."

"Really?! That's amazing! Claudia is going to be the best witch!"

That sounded… too much like a backhanded compliment.

"I'm going to be the best what?"

Speak of the devil. Er, witch.

Claudia and Soren had returned inside the locker room, and Ezran jumped to his feet and immediately began gushing about Macbeth. Claudia of course responded in turn, while Soren watched on with fond amusement. Both siblings seemed calm, as if they hadn't just confronted the fact that their dad hadn't come to his son's biggest game of the season. Callum was about to offer his two cents when he was distracted by a familiar face in the corner of his eye.

"Rayla!" he exclaimed, practically leaping in the direction of his girlfriend to pull her into a tight hug. She'd changed out of her uniform into a maroon camisole and black leggings, and although she was sweaty and her hair had fallen halfway out of its bun, she was still the most beautiful person he'd ever seen. Without thinking, he stood on his tiptoes to press a kiss to her lips, which his girlfriend reciprocated in a matter of seconds, allowing his feet to fall back flat to the floor.

"Someone missed me," Rayla murmured as she pulled away, the knowing glint in her eyes making him blush.

"That was actually a celebratory kiss," he corrected, "since you kicked Neolandia's ass tonight. It was a pretty breathtaking game."

"Aw," Rayla cooed. "You know just how to flatter me."

Callum shrugged. "I mean, you did crush them. You're able to do anything you put your mind to. And that…" He tucked her hair behind her ear. "Is amazing. And I love it about you."

Rayla's eyes widened, as if his words had struck a chord deep within her. But that expression soon vanished, and was replaced by her typical fond affection, and she pressed another chaste kiss to his lips. "Thank you, Callum. You're the sweetest."

"Wow, you guys really just forgot we were here," Claudia said, voice dripping with amusement. "When's the wedding? Should I expect an invitation next week?"

"I'm pretty sure they're already married," Soren mused. "Gotta say, I'm hurt they didn't invite us."

Callum rolled his eyes, and he was pretty sure Rayla did the same. "If we ever got married, rest assured that you three would be the first to know. But we're not even twenty yet, so it's not like marriage is a topic on the table."

Claudia smirked at him. "Oh, so you admit you've thought about marrying Rayla -"

"As much as I would normally love to see how this conversation would end," Ezran interrupted, "I'm gonna stop you there, because this is a tangent that could easily spiral out of control. And I would like ice cream or some kind of dessert sooner rather than later."

Callum had never been so grateful for his brother's presence.

Rayla nodded, face pink. "Right. Yes. Ezran makes a great point. Should we - Should we all meet at the car?" Callum started to follow everyone out the locker room after they nodded, but stopped when she grabbed his hand. "Help me with my bag?"

Callum blinked, then nodded. "Sure."

"No making out!" Claudia called after them as they headed in the opposite direction towards the girls' locker room, a comment Rayla responded to by flipping her off without even looking back.

"Do you actually need my help to get your bag," Callum asked when they were alone, "or is there something else going on?" She'd never needed his help before. Not that he minded either way - it was just unusual.

"Ugh. I really am an open book." Rayla grabbed her duffel bag from the floor of the locker room and dropped it onto a bench. "Yeah. There's something else I wanted to talk to you about. Preferably in private, hence why we're here."

Callum raised an eyebrow. "Should I be concerned?"

She managed a laugh. "'Concern' isn't exactly the word I'd use." She took a deep breath, twisting her hands together. "Like I told you on Halloween, I… I want you to meet Runaan and Ethari. Next Saturday is our bye week, and also the beginning of fall break, so I've already talked to them about the possibility of meeting then. They're both available to video chat that evening. Is - Is that something you'd be okay with doing?"

Rayla was one of the most confident and assertive people Callum knew. Even after they'd started dating, he could tell that her strong facade wasn't fully a facade - she was an incredibly strong person. Seeing her be so… vulnerable and open was not new, by any means, but he was aware it wasn't something to brush over.

He stepped forward, taking her hands in his. "I can't wait," he said, hoping his sincerity outweighed the anxiety edging at the back of his mind. He was… terrified to meet them. Hopefully they wouldn't hate him - honestly, more for Rayla's sake than his.

Rayla let out a breath he hadn't realized she'd been holding, her shoulders visibly slumping as the tension left her body. "Really? Oh, this is great!" She squeezed his hands. "Thank you, Callum. I was… pretty scared to bring this up. It was really hard to avoid freaking out just now."

Callum smirked at her. "You were trying not to freak out? Really? I had no idea! You hid it so well."

Rayla laughed at his teasing. "Shut up."

His grin widened. "Make me."

She raised an eyebrow. "Didn't Claudia tell us not to make out?"

Callum glanced at the clock on the wall. "I think we can spare a minute. Besides, what she doesn't know won't hurt her." He took a step closer to his girlfriend. "And since when have you ever listened to Claudia?"

"Hmm… Point taken."

xXxXxXx

(I KNOW I wrote this but Viren is such a jerk, wow.)

Shoutout to a reader I think on Wattpad who predicted EONS ago that I'd be introducing the idea of Callum possibly going to Xadia next year as part of reciprocating the exchange program. You know me better than I know myself, lmfao. But honestly, shoutout to all my readers. Your comments are genuinely the highlight of my week amidst stress from school and covid-19. I love you guys so much! Thank you for reading!