Callie

'Shift. Shift. Shift.'

Dealing with Mariana tossing and turning in bed for the past thirty minutes finally gets to me and I let out a sigh. I grab my phone to check the time and see we have more than thirty minutes before we're actually supposed to wake up for school. I scrub a hand over my face, "Mariana."

'Shift.'

"Sorry!" she stage whispers as she turns to face me, "Did I wake you up?"

I roll my eyes in the dark, "No, I was already up," I fib, "Can't sleep?"

"Not really," she answers and sits up. She grabs her phone, probably to check the time, before placing it back on her night table, "No point in going to sleep now, I guess." She muses to herself.

I sit up as well, "You could shower so it's not a battle like every morning." I suggest.

Mariana shakes her head, "I showered last night."

"Okay…" I mutter. I rack my brain for suggestions and come up with an idea that is actually pretty good, "Do you want to help me make breakfast?" I ask tentatively in case she dislikes the idea because she doesn't comer off to me as the kind of person who would willingly do extra work.

I'm surprised, to say the least by Mariana's enthusiastic nod, "Oh my god, yes!" She is already pushing the blankets off herself and wiggling out of bed, "What do you want to make? I won't eat eggs so that's not an option."

I get out of bed as well, "Let's see what we're working with first, okay?" I bring my finger to my lips to remind her to be quiet and we tiptoe downstairs.

A few minutes later we have a bowl of what's supposed to be waffle mix but doesn't really seem like it. We have the recipe up on Mariana's phone and are going through to see if we skipped something.

"We put everything in," Mariana says after reviewing the steps. She spoons some of the batter and lets it fall back into the bowl, "Is waffle better usually this lumpy?"

I shrug, "I don't know. Should we add more water?"

"What if everything is right and we're just overthinking this?"

I chuckle, "Mariana, it looks like vomit."

She scrunches her nose and frowns, "Ew! I didn't need that mental image. Let's just make one and see what happens."

"No way am I making a waffle out of the vomit batter," I say, shaking my head, "But by all means, you go ahead."

"Come on!"

"No."

Mariana stares at me for a bit before getting mischievous look on her face and I know what she's about to do. I get off my stool and circle around to the other side of the table.

"Mariana, no."

She ladles out some batter with an evil smile, "What?" she asks innocently. She starts circling around the table, too, so I keep moving.

"I know what you're going to do, and if you do it I'll kill you." I warn, holding up a finger to her.

"Like you tried to do that first night?" she asks cheekily, and it's amazing that we've come to the point that we could actually joke about that.

"You're so funny!" I say sarcastically, "I'm going back upstairs, so have fun with your gross waffles." I turn to head upstairs.

"Wait, Callie," I turn around and flinch when some batter is flicked at my face. I bring a hand up to my face to wipe it off while Mariana giggles.

"How does it taste?" she asks in between laughs.

I cock an eyebrow, "I'll show you." In a split second Mariana stops laughing and dashes to grab the bowl of batter. She manages to get it, but not before I get the chance to stick my hand in it and fling it at her.

She gasps and nearly drops the bowl, "Callie, don't get it in my hair! That's just cruel!"

I scoff, "You just threw it in my face!" I argue back. I pause, "You know what? Fine. Let's just stop and clean everything up and we can start over."

Mariana eyes me suspiciously, "Really?"

"Really," I say, "Promise." I stick out my clean hand. She thinks it over for a moment before setting down the bowl and shaking my hand.

"Fine."

I immediately wipe my batter covered hand on her face, grab the bowl, and make a dash for the backyard. Mariana's threats are almost drowned out by the laughter I can't seem to hold in.

Stef

I blink my eyes open and immediately notice Lena is not in bed. After sleeping in the same bed with her for so many years, my body has become used to her being there at night. Muscle memory, you can call it. So when she's not there, I can automatically tell. My eyes adjust to the slight dark that dawn often brings and I spot Lena standing in the window.

"Lena?"

She turns around momentarily to wave me over before turning her gaze back to the window. I slip out of bed and pad over to the window to see what could possibly be holding my girlfriend's attention at this hour.

And then I see it.

Mariana and Callie are chasing each other around the perimeter of the back yard. Callie is holding a bowl of something; it's hard to make out what it is. She's sticking her hand into it and flinging whatever it is at Mariana. They're being loud and making a mess of the backyard.

But that doesn't matter.

What matters is that they're shrieking and laughing and acting silly. What matters is that they look like kids who haven't seen the horrors of the real world much earlier than they ever should have.

What matters is that they look like little girls.

I wrap by arms around Lena from behind and rest my chin on her shoulder. She turns to kiss my cheek before returning her gaze to the girls.

"How long have they been out there?" I wonder aloud.

Lena shrugs, "No idea. They just look so happy…I don't have the heart to stop them."

I shake my head, "Don't. I just want to watch them for a little bit more."

I feel Lena's smile rather than see it.

Lena and I are cleaning up the girl's mess when they finally stumble into the kitchen, still giggling. As soon as Callie spots us she immediately stops. Her eyes flit to the mess we're cleaning up and I know exactly what's going through her mind.

"Did you guys have fun? I ask lightly with a teasing smile, trying to convey to my parolee that she has nothing to worry about.

Callie bites her lip, "Sorry about the mess, we can clean it up—"

"Don't worry about it," Lena interjects as she opens the faucet on some dishes, "We'll take care. Just this once, you guys are off the hook." She says with a wink.

Callie still looks unsure, "Are you sure?"

Mariana puts her hand out to cut her off, "Callie, don't push it. This is probably one of the only times you'll ever hear them say that." She pats her on the shoulder and heads upstairs. Callie is left alone standing near the back door, looking so confused that it makes me a little sad.

"I can help…" she offers again. Lena wipes her hands dry and walks up to her.

"Callie, sweetheart, it's okay. We promise. Go get ready for school, okay?"

Callie stares at Lena for a moment before suddenly launching herself into my girlfriend's arms. Lena immediately wraps her arms around her and squeezes her. She sends me a shocked but elated look over the top of Callie's head. She holds the embrace for a moment before kissing Callie's head and patting her back.

"Go get ready." Lena waits until Callie leaves the kitchen before splitting into a huge grin and bouncing on her feet. I laugh and hug her as she continues to bounce.

Callie

I spend lunch in the music room. Stef keeps telling me I should make effort to meet some new people and make some friends but…I don't know. I just don't feel the need to. I like the quiet. I pick up my guitar and begin to strum some random chords.

This morning, when Lena and Stef cleaned up after Mariana and me without being angry or annoyed…it was such a parent moment; something that hasn't happened to me in years. I guess that's why I felt the sudden urge to hug Lena. This surge just went through me of…

Love?

I shake my head and play my guitar even louder to block out my thoughts.

"Room for one more?"

I glance up at the door and see Brandon. I nod and he comes into the room, tossing his backpack next to mine on a chair. He plops down at the keyboard and begins to play a scale.

"So…is everything okay?"

I tilt my head, "Hm?"

"Well, moms are being weirdly protective. Well, more than usual for them. And well…" his eyes drift to my wrists which are still tinged with bruises. I shake down my sleeves so that they cover my wrists.

"What do you know?" I ask cautiously.

He shrugs, "Not much, moms said it was up to you to tell us. Only if you want to, of course."

I furrow my eyebrows and put the guitar off to the side, "When did you guys talk about this? What does Jude know?"

"He just knows something is up," Brandon quickly assured him, "We weren't, like, talking about you behind your back. Moms were just letting us know to be more careful."

I nod, relieved that everyone wasn't filled in on Liam. Still, I know Jude is going to have some questions and I'm not sure how I'm going to answer them.

"You're okay though, right?" Brandon continues, eyes full of concern, "You'd say something if you weren't?"

I nod, not trusting myself to speak because I'm getting choked up. This family cares about me and Jude so as if we were actually a part of it. I pick up my guitar once again and settle it on my lap.

"Simon and Garfunkel?" I ask, acting as though I weren't just on the brink of tears from the overwhelming emotion.

Brandon begins playing the opening chords to 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' and I am quick to join in.

I can't apologize enough. College is not high school let me tell you. I barely have time to eat let alone write for fun. I miss this story so much and I still have so much in store for it. I know it's been over a month since my last update and I profusely apologize.

I'm going to try to update weekly. The longest I want to go without updating is two weeks. I'm going to write whenever I have the free time.

Please, take a chance on me ;)

-Liv