Chapter 5

Callie had just gotten back from her date with Alex. She really liked him, he was cute, funny, charming, but a little immature for her liking. She knew someone who was mature enough for her. Mark. But, she couldn't have Mark, even if she could, he didn't like her. He was the quarterback of the football team. He would never date her.

The next day at school, Callie sat at one of the tables outside the cafeteria. She had her earbuds in her ears and she was studying for her big science exam. She didn't hear when Mark Sloan came walking up to her and sat down in the seat across from hers. She jumped when she felt him kick her underneath the table. She looked up from her textbook and kicked him right back.

"What do you want?" she asked slightly annoyed and slightly hopeful that he was there. He just simply shrugged.

"I don't know, I just haven't seen you around and thought looked lonely." He wiggled his eyebrows in her direction.

"Yeah well, I was fine just by myself" he nodded his head and they sat in silence for a couple moments.

Irritated by his presence, she packed up her stuff and stood up, she was about to leave when Mark caught her arm and turned her around to face him.

"Why are you always running from me Cal?" She let out a bitter chuckle and tugged her arm out of his grasp.

"Why don't you ask yourself that Mark, ask yourself why I always seem to want guys I can't have, and while you ponder that, I'm walking away" She turned and abruptly left him alone except for his thoughts.

Mark didn't understand what was going on with Callie. He thought he had showed that he wanted her the night at the movies. Maybe she didn't want him, maybe he wasn't good enough for her. He always found a way to want girls he could never have. Maybe he should just give up. But wait, Mark Sloan didn't give up, not before and not now. He was going to prove to Callie that he was good enough if it was the last thing he did.

Later at lunch Callie met up with Addison and they walked to the cafeteria together. Once inside the swinging doors the girls stopped dead in their tracks, their jaws dropping open. Hanging the cafeteria was a huge banner with 'I'm sorry, Callie' hanging from the ceiling. Callie just stood there while people around her started to whisper and stare. Addison nudged her from her shock and that's when she noticed Mark standing under the banner with a single red rose in his hand. Instead of running into his arm, Callie ran out the door.

Mark stood still as he tried to understand what had just happened. He thought this would make it better, he guessed he was wrong.

Callie didn't see Mark for three days after that, not that she was avoiding him anyway, she was actually looking for him. The initial shock of the gesture just caught her off guard, and her instinct told her to flee. After having time to think about, she realized that it was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her. And now, she found herself standing at his front door debating on whether to knock or not.

Perking up her courage, she knocked.

A few minutes later Mark opened the door clad in only sweatpants with a spoon in his mouth.

"Hi" Callie said chuckling.

"Hey" He replied with the spoon still in his mouth.

"Um, I didn't see you around school, we were getting kind of worried." Mark nodded and removed the spoon from his mouth.

"Well, I'm fine."

"Look, Mark I just wanted to apologize - " She was cut off by Mark.

"No, Callie it's okay, it was a stupid thing to do anyway"

"No! No, it wasn't, it was really sweet and I didn't mean to run off like I did, it's just..." she trailed off for a second before speaking again.

"No one has ever done something like that for me before and I just wanted to thank you" Mark smirked.

"Well, your welcome, I guess" Callie nodded and turned away, but stopped and turned back and jumped into his arms crushing her lips to his. Mark almost fell by the force of her approach but caught her just in time and wrapped his arms around her waist. After a few more kisses, Callie pulled away, her lips a breath away from his and whispered,

"Oh and your completely forgive" Mark chuckled and pecked her lips one more time and set her on her feet.

"I'm taking you out friday, by the way" Mark declared and Callie rose and eyebrow at him.

"Oh yeah?" Mark smiled and nodded, as he closed the door.

"Yeah, I'll call you" And with that he shut the door and Callie smiled to herself as she walked back to her car and headed home.

Friday

Mark found Callie at her locker, and he stopped and leaned beside it waiting for her to acknowledge him. When she closed her locker, she jumped in surprise at his presence.

"Oh! I didn't see you there, you scared me dummy!" Mark smirked and folded his arms across his chest.

"So I'll pick you up at 7?"

"7 sounds good. where are we going?" Mark shrugged.

"It's a surprise"

"Please, I have to know what to wear, cold or warm, casual or formal, there are so many factors I have to think about." Mark simply smiled at her and she pouted. He could never say no to her.

"Okay! I'll give you one hint" he leaned in close to her and whispered in her ear, his breath hot on her neck, "You will be blown away" And with that, he left a chaste kiss on her cheek and walked away even after she called after him.

"What! That's the hint I get? That does nothing for me, Mark!" She called after him, but he simply kept on walking.

Later That Night

Callie was standing in front of her full-size mirror trying to decide whether her outfit of choice was good. She was wearing a black pencil skirt that stopped a few inches above her knee, and a loose red crop top that showed off her curves. Taking one more glance in the mirror she decide that she looked Hot!

She moved to her dresser where she grabbed her diamond earrings and put them on. Turning back to the mirror, she applied a bit more lipgloss to her lips and smacked her lips. Her mother called to her from the front door,

"Calliope! Mark is here!" She smiled to herself and grabbed her purse on her way out. When she got to the top of the stairs she saw her father and Mark shake hands and noticed the way her father eyed Mark up and down. Her mother on the other hand, had a smile on her face as she listened to the boys talk.

Callie cleared her throat as she made her way down the stairs, Mark looked up at her and his jaw dropped. She was gorgeous. When she finally reached the bottom, she kissed her mother and father good-bye.

"Her curfew is 11 o'clock, Mark, any minute after and I will ring you neck, got it?" Her father asked and Mark nodded with a loud gulp. Mark followed Callie out the door and led her towards his car. Moving in front of her, he opened the door for her, but before she could get in, he grabbed her wrist and tugged her towards him.

"You look beautiful" Callie smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You don't look to bad yourself"

"C'mon let's get out of here before your dad shoots me" Callie laughed and got in the car.

Half and hour later, Mark pulled into the parking lot of a very grassy park where there was a hot-air balloon being set up. Callie sat in the passenger seat with a confused look on her face. Mark stepped out of the car, ran over to Callie's side and opened her door. He helped her out and took her hand leading her towards the balloon.

"Mark what are we - "

"I told you you'd be blown away." Callie gasped as realization hit her.

"We're going up in that?" She pointed at the hot-air balloon that was being set-up by the owner.

Mark nodded, "Yeah, you aren't scared are you, Cal?"

"No! I just, I've never been in one" Mark smiled.

"Well, let's get going then" He pulled her hand as they ran towards the balloon. The owner had given them the instructions and safety precautions. When he was done, Mark and Callie climbed in and Callie was surprised when the owner didn't.

"Isn't he gonna drive this thing?" Mark smirked and shook his head as he lit up the fire and began to lift them off the ground.

"I'm gonna fly it"

"WHAT!? DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW TO FLY ONE OF THESE THINGS, MARK!"

"Cal, calm down, I was National Hot-Air balloon race champ across the U.S. three times, I started flying when I was 6, trust me, your safe with me." Callie was still hell bent on being shocked.

"Really? Why did I not know this?" Mark shrugged, and moved them over the sky.

"I don't know, I never really told anyone about this, I kinda just do it in my free time."

Callie smiled, she looked out into the beautiful night sky. The moon was full tonight and the night was cool. She looked around the basket they were in and noticed a blanket and picnic basket sitting in a corner.

"What's that?" she asked pointing to the items.

"You didn't think I'd let you starve, did you?" Callie giggled as she walked over to them and peeked inside. In the picnic basket were two coke bottles, two sandwiches, and lastly, a pack of strawberries. Wordlessly, Callie spread out the blanket, and placed the food atop it. She then removed her shoes and climbed on the blanket patting the spot next to her for Mark to take.

Mark set the Hot-Air balloon so that he could leave the steering and sit down. Toeing off his own shoes, he sat beside Callie and stretched his legs out.

"This is amazing, your getting big points for this"

"Points?" Callie nodded as she bit into her sandwich.

"Yep, points to be used for special things"

"And what, pray tell are these 'special' things you speak of?" Callie smirked and wiped mustard off the side of his face.

"It's a surprise" she mimicked his earlier words. She chuckled as Mark dropped his head and groaned.

"So, are we a 'thing' now?" Callie pretended to be thinking very hard about the question and burst out laughing as Mark's face had a horrified look on it.

Wordlessly, she leaned over and pressed her lips to his and whispered,

"Yeah, we are" Mark nodded and smiled brightly.

"Okay, let's play a game" Callie set down her sandwich and sat across from him.

"Fine, what kind of game?"

"Twenty Questions, so we can get to know each other a little better" Callie nodded as she thought of her first question.

"Okay, me first, do you have any siblings?"

"Nope, only child"

"Me too!" Mark smiled at her.

"Okay, my turn, favorite color?" Callie stopped to think about it.

"It's a tie between Purple and Black" Mark snorted out the sip of coke he just sipped.

"They're like the exact same color!" she smacked him on his arm and leaned back on her hands.

"No, they're not, they're very different, now, first childhood pet?"

"Hmm, I think I had a gerbil named Melvin when I was 5" Callie burst out laughing.

"Melvin, what kind of name is that?"

"The good kind! When is your birthday?"

"January 31st, yours?"

"April 17th" Mark reached into the picnic basket and pulled out the strawberries. He plucked one out and fed one to Callie who savored the taste of the fruit.

"Next question, favorite subject?" Mark groaned and hung his head.

"Do you promise not to laugh?" Callie nodded and grabbed a strawberry and fed him one this time. She giggled when some juice slipped down his chin, she carefully wiped it clean and licked it off her thumb.

"Science, okay? My favorite subject is science" Mark was surprised when Callie didn't laugh.

"Why would I laugh at that? Science is my favorite subject too"

"It's just weird, me being a football player and liking science, totally messing up the law of high school." Callie chuckled and wiped her hands on a napkin.

"Well, if you like it, why be ashamed of it?"

"Good point, my turn, first boyfriend?" Callie pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Jaime Sanchez, 7th grade, first girlfriend?"

"Kelly Smith, 6th grade"

"Wow, your parents must be so proud" Mark smirked.

"I like to think so" Callie nudged his shoulder and moved closer to him.

"First kiss?"

"Winter ball, 8th grade, yours?"

"Spring social, 7th grade."

"Where were you born?" Callie laid down, her head in his lap. Mark moved his hands to her hair and began stroking it softly.

"Miami" Callie turned slightly and looked up at Mark. They sat in silence for a little while before Mark spoke,

"Okay, last question, and then we go" Callie nodded.

"Will you go to Prom with me?" Callie smiled and sat up sitting in his lap, she moved her arms around his shoulders and kissed him hard on the lips.

"Yes" she said against his lips. Mark brought her closer to his body and moved his hands to her hair. Callie's hands moved to his neck where she lightly scratched the nape of his neck. Mark parted his lips and Callie slipped her tongue into his mouth and laved her tongue over his. When Mark felt Callie shiver, he pulled apart and rested his forehead against hers.

"Let's get out of here, I have no doubt your father will ring my neck if your late." Callie laughed and dropped her head to his chest and nodded against it. Mark stood up and brought them back to the ground and got out first and helped Callie. They walked back to his car with their hands interlaced. He opened the door for her and made sure she was in before shutting it and moving to the driver's side. The car roared to life and Mark headed back to Callie's house.

When he pulled up in front of her house, got out, walked over to her side and grabbed her hand. He walked her up to the front door and gently stroked her cheek.

"Did you have a good time" Callie smiled and nodded.

"I did, you really know how to treat a girl" Mark smirked.

"I try" She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in for a kiss when the front door swung open and her father stood there with his arms crossed over his chest. Mark and Callie pulled apart instantly.

"Calliope, you better get in this house before your friend here will no longer exist." She nodded quickly and turned to Mark.

"I had a good time, thank you, see you tomorrow" And with that she hurried in the house and out of sight.

Mr. Torres still stood at the doorway glaring at the younger man.

"If you ever come near my daughter again while I'm in sight, I will gut you, got it?" Mark nodded.

"Yes, sir" Mr. Torres shut the door and Mark breathed a sigh of relief. Not two seconds later, the door opened again and Callie rushed out, crushing her lips to his and pulled back after a few seconds.

"Goodnight" Mark stood there with a smile on his face.

"Night" Callie shut the door once again and Mark strolled down the walkway, and climbed back into his car and headed home.