Chapter 7

Callie slowly trudged her way to her front door. Her eyelids were almost closed when she put the key in the lock and pushed the door open. Without out a word, she slammed the door shut behind her, climbed the stairs, and slipped into bed where she slept for three hours.

She awoke to her phone ringing on her nightstand. With her eyes still shut, she reached over to grab it and brought it to her ear.

"Hello" she said huskily.

"Hey sleepy head" Callie smiled at the sound of Mark's voice.

"Hi"

"I told you I'd call you, now get your sleepy ass out of bed and come to your balcony" Callie groaned into the receiver and did as told. Padding her feet, she opened her glass window doors that led to her balcony and made her way outside. She stood there confused until she heard a whistle coming from below. Cautiously, she moved to the ledge and peered over the edge. A beautiful smiled appeared on her face as soon as he looked over.

"Rapunzel!, Rapunzel, Let down your hair, I come bearing apple cider and strawberries for us to share!" Callie laughed out loud as Mark called to her from the ground below.

"Shhhh...My parents are sleeping!" She threw a rope over the ledge of the balcony and Mark tied the picnic basket that he had brought to the rope and Callie pulled it up. She untied the basket as Mark climbed the tree that sat next to her balcony and hopped over the ledge. He greeted Callie with a tender kiss to her lips and wrapped his arms around her waist. Callie laughed against Mark's mouth as he tugged a lock of her hair.

"What are you doing here?" Mark didn't answer but grabbed a blanket from her room and lay it on the balcony, he then toed off his shoes and patted the spot next to him for her to sit.

Callie raised an eyebrow but sat anyway. Mark opened the picnic basket and began pulling out its contents.

Well, I figured that you came home and slept right after school, so I decided to bring you a late night snack." Callie smirked and accepted the glass of apple cider he held out to her.

"Wow, who knew Mark Sloan could be so spontaneous" They clinked their glasses together and each took a sip. Mark then pulled the strawberries out and fed one to her.

"Mmm..sweet" Mark leaned forward and kissed away a drop of juice that dripped down her chin. He then took his own bite of the strawberry and put his glass down and leaned back on his hands.

"So, what color are you thinking of wearing to prom?" Callie mimicked his actions and leaned back on her own hands.

"I don't know, maybe red"

"I like red on you, red is definitely your color"

"Red it is then" Mark wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing her closer so she was leaning against him. They lay there for close to an hour, talking and laughing about the most weird and normal things. Soon, Mark realized that Callie hadn't answered is last question, he looked down at her and smiled at the sight of her sleeping form. He eased her off of him, wrapped an arm around her shoulders, the other going under her knees. He scooped her up into his arms and walked over to her bed where he gently lay her down and pulled the cover up over her.

Callie stirred and opened her eyes. She smiled up at him and brought his chin down to leave a kiss on his lips. Mark brushed her hair away from her face and left a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight" Callie smiled.

"Goodnight" Mark quietly cleaned up the remnants of their late night snack and climbed down the tree and headed home, the smile on his mouth never fading.

The next day, Callie found Addison sitting in school courtyard, earphones in her ears while she studied. Callie sneaked up behind Addie and pulled one of her earbuds out causing Addison to jump. As soon as she saw Callie she hit her on the arm and moved her stuff so Callie could sit down.

"Dumb ass, so, what's up?"

"Wanna go look for prom dresses with me?" Addison's jaw dropped.

"Who are you going with!?" Callie looked at her like she had just grown another head.

"Mark, duh, didn't you hear us say we were a couple yesterday."

"Oh yeah! I forgot, yeah I'll go, I have to find mine anyway."

"Okay so after school today?" Addison nodded.

"Yup, sounds good to me, we can grab a bite at the mall"

"See you then, I have to get to class, see ya Addiecakes." Callie hugged Addison and stood and walked toward her class.

Callie's next class was Honors Physics, as she made her way through the door she spotted her unlikely ally, Cristina Yang. Callie plopped down into the seat next to her and began to unload her things.

"Hey Cris"

"Hey Cal"

"What's up?" Callie asked as she started to take notes that were on the board.

"Oh nothing... can I ask you something?" Callie looked over at Cristina who had a mischievous smile on her face.

"Uh.. sure"

"Are you and McSteamy a couple?" Callie was thoroughly confused.

"McSteamy?"

"Oh! Sorry, that's what Meredith calls him, Mark, I mean are you and Mark a couple?" Callie couldn't help the smile that formed on her face.

"Yeah, we're going to prom together" Cristina nodded and Cristina raised her hand to high five Callie.

"Nice going! That boy is hot! Make sure you keep an eye on him, I hear that the Blonde Bimbo has her eyes set on him" Callie couldn't help but the feel the pang of jealousy that rang through her. She shook her head to clear the thoughts that had been running through her mind. Mark wouldn't do that, not to her.

Before Callie realized, it was time for lunch. She saw Addie in the hallway and looped an arm through her as they continued down the hall towards the cafeteria.

"So Derek told me that Mark told him that you guys had a little 'late night snack' last night" Callie giggled and shrugged.

"We had apple cider and strawberries, it was nothing" Addison gave her a 'you are so full of shit look' as they pushed open the swinging doors that led to the cafeteria. Both girls were giggling, but Callie stopped dead in her tracks at the picture before her.

There, at their table was Izzie Stevens who was leaning over the table, obviously trying to show off her rack, whispering something into Mark's ear. When she pulled back, Mark had a smile on his face. Callie pulled Addison toward the table and cleared her throat.

Both Izzie and Mark looked up at her and Izzie immediately scurried off. Callie sat down in front of Mark with her arms placed firmly over her chest.

"So, what was that about?" Callie sat there awaiting his answer.

"Oh, nothing, she was asking about a homework assignment" Callie nodded, but she knew that he was lying. She could tell by the way he wouldn't meet her eyes. The rest of lunch, she kept her conversations between her and Addison and never looked at Mark once.

Addison and Callie were both in the changing rooms of their favorite store, each trying on different dresses. They both came out at the same time and laughed at the ridiculousness of the others dress. They stepped back into the changing stalls when Callie called over to Addison.

"I'm just paranoid right? I shouldn't be worried about Izzie, should I?" Addison wretched open Callie's door and stepped in. She put her hands on Callie's shoulders and smiled.

"You have nothing to worry about, Cal, she's got nothing on you." Callie sighed and slipped into a red maxi dress that shimmered in the light.

"I guess your right, I have nothing to worry about" Addison nodded and left Callie to finish changing and went back into her own stall. A few more dresses late, Callie and Addison were trying on their final choices.

"Okay, on three" Addison called from her changing room.

"One"

"Two"

"Three" As Callie said it, they both stepped out and their jaws dropped at the sight of each other. Callie had on an above the knee, skin tight long sleeve dress that showed just enough cleavage, but the back dipped down to right above the small of her back. Addison had on a light blue spaghetti strap dress that flowed freely and had a black belt that wrapped around her chest.

"I think these are the ones" Callie stated as she admired herself in the mirror. Addison smiled and nodded also taking in the look of herself in this dress.

"I think you're right" The girls changed back into their original clothes and headed toward the cash register, not before stopping to pick up the perfect shoes to go with their perfect dresses for their soon to be perfect prom.