It had been Russ who told her that Sam's birthday was the following weekend. Callie had been eating lunch with him on the grass in the park when he'd told her the news.
"Yeah. He'll be turning 22. And we definitely have to do something big for him this time."
Apparently, rather than celebrating his 21st birthday with a bang, like every other college student, Sam had stayed home after coming down with the flu. Russ recounted how Touya had tried to drag his sickly older brother out of bed, only to be promptly dragged out the apartment himself by an irritated Russ.
Callie always thought Russ and Touya were like two sides of the same coin. They were both tall and handsome. Women seemed to gravitate towards them as easily as wasps to an open can of cola. However, Russ was muscular and classically handsome; looking like your typical American heartthrob, the cute boy-next-door sorta guy. He had warm eyes and stylish hair, a defined jawline and dashing smile.
Touya on the other hand, looked like the boy your parents warned you about. Lanky and looming, dark and daring.
She wondered what Russ thought about Sam's friendship with the guy. Although, Russ was so kindhearted, it was unlikely he had a bad word to say about anyone.
"Do you have anything in mind?" Callie asked, dusting the sandwich crumbs from her hands and lap.
Russ hummed in thought, his snowy white hair shining pleasantly under the warm sun.
"Well, Touya messaged me the other day suggesting he host the party at his place."
And Callie remembered the look on Sam's face when she had suggested they call Touya to crash at his when they'd locked themselves out the other week.
"Oh, erm. Okay." She uttered unsurely.
Russ noted the apprehension in her voice and shrugged his shoulders in a way that reminded her so much of his brother.
"Well, it doesn't bother me all that much. At least we won't have to tidy up afterwards, and it'll be a lot cheaper than going to Grillby's."
She supposed he was right. Now all she had to do was figure out what to get Sam as a present.
When she consulted Russ before parting ways to go to their last class of the week, he smirked at her and said, "so long as you're there Callie, I don't think Sam cares what you get him."
She punched him playfully on his arm as a response.
What could she get her roommate? He loved science, baking, bad puns, rap music and ketchup...among an assortment of other odd things. As the question plagued her throughout the rest of her afternoon classes, a messaged popped up on her phone. Glancing down at it while her professor continued his presentation at the front of the lecture theatre, she saw that it was from Touya. It was literally the first time he'd even messaged her since adding her on social media weeks ago. It read;
Heading into the next city tomorrow to get something for Sam. Wanna come with?
She pursed her lips in thought. She had never spent any amount of time alone with Sam's best friend before. To be honest, she found him a little intimidating at times. However, not seeing any pressing reason to decline, she accepted his invitation and he told her to expect him outside Snowdin Apartments at 10am the next day.
Sam and Russ had already left the apartment by the time she was up and ready to meeting Touya. The former had gone to work and the latter was at training. When her phone buzzed as Touya messaged her to let her know he was outside, she quickly checked her appearance one last time and was out the door in a swirl of skirts and long, matcha-coloured hair.
"Yo." Touya said with one hand raised as he waited by the front door. "You ready?"
As expected, he was dressed in his usual style of grungy attire; tight, black ripped jeans, laced boots, a white shirt and leather jacket and all the piercings to match.
Callie nodded with a sheepish smile, dropping her eyes from his smirking stare. It was only then that she noticed the motorcycle helmet under his arm.
She then glanced past him to see the matching vehicle parked not far behind him.
Bikes and cars weren't really her forte to say the least. Therefore, all she could really say about his choice of transport was that it looked like one of those old models American heartthrobs like James Dean rode in the movies. It was cherry red and matte black, matching the lipstick and winged eyeliner she chose to wear that day. Unfortunately, she had also chosen to put on a vintage-style sundress and sandals- not motorcycle appropriate in the slightest.
Touya eyed her through the smoke of his cigarette before saying, "ya know, you should probably walk those pretty, long legs back upstairs and put on some jeans or something."
She stuck out her chin and turned on a heel, walking quickly as a blush crept into her cheeks. When she returned, he had finished his cigarette and she was now dressed in blue jeans and boots. She had also quickly twisted her long hair into a braid whilst in the elevator; figuring it would be better that letting it fly behind her in the wind.
"All good?" He asked, handing her a helmet.
"Yup." Was her awkward, slightly anxious answer. Luckily, the helmet was the perfect fit even though it clashed with her elegant jacket and tan footwear. Not that mattered if she suddenly came flying off the back of this damn thing.
She watched Touya swing one of his long legs over the bike, his hands gripping the handle bars as he waited for her to join him. Trying not to look as awkward as she felt, she climbed on behind him and suddenly found herself debating where to put her hands.
Touya noticed the reluctant way she placed her hands at his waist before casting her a glance over his shoulder and chuckling. "I don't bite, you know."
"Sorry..." she began, embarrassed by her own bashfulness, "I just-"
But as soon as the engine growled loudly as he revved it into life, her arms automatically wrapped around him as he turned into the road.
It didn't take her long to lean into him when the bike suddenly picked up speed.
"You scared?" Touya mocked, calling to her over the sound of the bike and the rushing wind. Callie was practically squeezing him at this point; she didn't bother trying to deny his statement.
The journey to the next city was just over 40 clicks. As the winding roads began to level out into long stretches of even tarmac, Callie found herself able to relax and actually enjoy the ride. She caught Touya's eye as it glimpsed her in the mirror and she returned the smile she saw there.
"See? Not so bad?" He called and sat back a little, one hand coming away from the handle bars to rest on his thigh as the other maintained an even speed on the accelerator.
As greenery turned back into buildings, Callie actually felt her heart drop a little. She had thoroughly been enjoying the feel of the wind against her body and the sight and smells of the countryside that separated one city from the next.
Touya pulled into a parking space and Callie slid off the bike. After securing their helmets to it, they headed towards the high street looking like an odd pairing.
Touya undoubtedly looked like he could be on the front of some rock-magazine with his thuggish good looks and edgy fashion sense. On the contrary, Callie looked like she could have been posing for a french perfume ad or something, especially after she undid her braid and let the waves cascade back down her well-postured spine.
"So, any idea what you're gonna get for the little dipshit?" He asked her, pulling out another cigarette and lighting it.
Callie huffed a laugh. "No, not really. You?"
Puffing out a couple of smoke rings as he lifted a shoulder he replied, "I guess I have a few ideas."
And as they turned into a designer shop as Touya flicked away the butt of his cigarette, he explained how he seen a jacket similar to one Sam had lost on a night out once back in Junior year.
As her eyes perused the expensive garments, Callie remembered that Touya was in fact from a wealthy background.
After searching the rails with a few lazy flicks of his wrist while Callie stood at his side, a pretty assistant offered to help him.
"Yeah, sure. I'm trying to find a jacket for my friend. I saw it in here about a week ago..."
The assistant pulled a theatrically fake look of apology as she cut across him. "I'm sorry sir. That collection has been replaced with our new line. Perhaps you could tell me a little bit about what you were looking for?"
Touya sucked his teeth in mild frustration before sighing.
"Okay. Well, I'm looking for something for a guy about this tall..."
Callie quirked a brow as Touya held up his hand at a level that was far shorter than what Sam actually was.
"...a bit of a nerd. But the kind that some girls find cute, I guess. Right, Callie?"
She opened and closed her mouth in surprise. "Erm. Well-"
"...likes science and never wears colors toward the warmer end of the spectrum. Don't think I've ever seen him wear jeans and he doesn't like anything too tight on top because he has like, this massive scar on his chest from when he was a kid and his asshole of a dad forgot to lock his lab one night."
As the shop assistant could only blink at the lengthy and jumbled description, Callie found herself pondering Touya's last words.
So he knew about Sam's scar huh? Well, she supposed that was normal. They both seemed pretty close. And so that was the reason why Sam preferred oversized styles to his younger sibling's more fitted ones? She remembered the way she had laid her head against him back when they shared a bed in the motel and suddenly felt guilty. She hoped she hadn't made him feel uncomfortable. Then again, he hadn't protested. In fact, she remembered the feel of his arm around her...
"Well, sir...there might be some options over here for you."
And the shop assistant lead them towards the back of the shop while Callie shook herself from her daydream.
The items the assistant picked up to show them did not look anything remotely like what Sam would wear. Touya didn't hesitate to let her know, if not in a rather unconventional way.
"Yeah. We're gonna have to turn down the preppyness by say, 30 percent and up the nerdiness by a good 40 percent."
And when the shop assistant started to look a little unsure of where to go with this consultation, Callie dismissed her with a polite thank you, but I think we'll manage from here on.
Between the two of them, after dipping in and out of a few more high-end shops, they managed to find a jacket that Touya insisted looked just like the one Sam had loved and lost last year. Only, this one was designer and, due to its higher quality, looked even better. Additionally, even though it clearly pained him, a t-shirt in a shop front for skaters caught his eye and he ducked inside to purchase it. On it's front where the letters from the periodic table, spelling out the phrase 'Na Br O.' Even Callie had laughed at how appropriate it was for Sam, who could often be heard saying that very phrase and also knew the entire periodic table off by heart.
With Touya's presents now bought and already gift-wrapped, it was now left to Callie to find something for her roommate. After pausing for coffee as Touya enjoyed yet another cigarette, an idea eventually came to mind. After chatting casually with Touya about his plans for Sam's party, the memory of how the last celebration ended flashed in her mind.
Sam had had to sleep in her bed because Touya had hi-jacked Sam's in order to enjoy the company of two women. And apparently, at some point during their time together, Touya and his two lady friends had broken Sam's lamp. Though he had given Sam some money towards it, the item in question hadn't yet been replaced.
Callie was more than happy with the cool lava lamp she'd purchased. It glowed in a similar shade to Sam's eyes and Touya assured her that he'd definitely be happy with it. For some reason, his approval made her all the more proud of her purchase.
But, just as she was beginning to think this day couldn't have gone any smoother, dark clouds had rolled in and a cold air had settled throughout the streets. The heavy rain soon followed. There was no way they would risk riding through the bad weather on the bike. Therefore, Touya had pulled over and they now stood beneath the shallow overhang of a boarded-up shop front.
As she stared out at the blanket of rain, jeans soaked to the skin and hair all wet and tangled, she suddenly became aware that she no longer felt the cold droplets hit her skin. Looking up, she saw that Touya had removed his leather jacket and was now holding it over both of their heads, shielding them from the water that dripped from the edge of the barely-present overhang.
"I should have checked the forecast," Touya grumbled, his dark hair, heavy with water, falling into his eyes as they stared out at the downpour.
"Guess we'll just have to wait it out." Callie mumbled, trying to keep her lips from trembling as the cold enveloped her shivering body.
There was an awkward silence as she quietly debated shuffling further under his raised arms.
"So..." Touya eventually voiced over the sound of the rain against his jacket that sheltered their heads.
Callie cast him a sidewards glance as she waited for him to continue. Once he started talking again she'd try to inch closer into that heat he always seemed to emit. She'd noticed it when her arms were around him on the bike.
"What do you think of you think of ole' Samuel, then?"
The direct question took her by surprise. Rather than shuffle closer to him, she instead shuffled awkwardly on her wet feet as she felt his eyes swing over to her.
"Samuel? Is that his full name?" She asked first of all. Curious, she'd never heard anyone call him it before.
Touya grinned when he nodded.
"Erm, well he's really nice. Yeah." She responded to his earlier question. Images of Sam's dimpled grin and tired-looking eyes filled her mind.
"What's it like living with him?" Touya continued. When he shifted his arms, most likely due to the fact that they were surely beginning to ache, he seemed to have moved a little closer. Her back was now pressed lightly against one side of his torso. She sighed in relief at the immediate warmth it brought.
And in that moment of contentment Callie thought back to the past few months living with the Gasters. The bad jokes and the good food, the laughs and the late nights. A smile formed gracefully onto her features.
"Great, actually. I couldn't have asked for better roommates."
Touya nodded and turned his face back towards the downpour.
It was Callie who spoke up next. "So how long have you two known each other?"
Her tall companion grinned, clearly filled with equally nice memories of his time with Sam.
"We met during our first day at U.A. Funny story..." he drawled through a small smile as his eyes seemed to slip out of focus, no longer seeing the rain but the events of said story.
"I chose to sit next to him because he looked like your typical straight A-student, knowing it would make my life easier. " He paused to grunt a laugh. "Believe it or not, Sam was even nerdier looking back then."
And Callie clicked her tongue lightly as she threw him a smile. Honestly, she didn't think Sam looked 'nerdy' at all, no matter how many times everyone seemed to say it. At least not in the stereotypical sense.
Anyway, she continued to listen as Touya went on.
"There he was, sat there in his done-up lab coat, dorky round glasses, pens laid out all neatly..." Touya's smile was wider than ever at this point, it was contagious even, even Callie was now grinning at his story as he continued. "And then I found out he was the professor's son, I was worried he was gonna be a little snitch. Turns out the nerd wasn't all that bad." And he laughed a bright, genuine laugh that brought light to his dark features. "In fact, we bonded over how much we both hated his old man."
Callie sighed. "Yeah, Sam's nothing like his father. Other than being amazing at science, that is."
Touya nodded his head, a droplet falling from his hair and running down his nose. "Yeah, if it wasn't for Sam, I wouldn't have gotten through freshman year, or any year for that matter."
Smiling affectionately, Callie added "he definitely likes to help people. He's so supportive of his brother, working all those crappy jobs so that Russ can focus on his baseball career and all that."
And as the rain started to ease up, Touya grinned and said;
"Yeah, he's a good guy."