March

1991

I sat on the edge of the school swimming pool with my pant legs rolled up, reading my newest book, 'Ballistics: A History'. Eric had picked it up for me the day before.

"Have you it finished yet?" he laughed surfacing in the middle of the pool. He had managed to charm his way into getting permission to use the school pool during the weekend.

"Nearly. It's really good."

"You're a wonder Cal." He smiled and swam over to me.

"What you mean?"

"Blonde cheerleader by day, gun-specialist by night." He laughed.

"Very funny, Fish-Man."

"Bullet-Girl." He retorted.

"Uh I hope that doesn't stick." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"You coming in at all?"

"No Eric I'm not." I said standing up. He'd been back for over two months now and we had fallen into our routine rather quickly. In school we didn't exist to each other, but outside we were free to do what we wanted. It was just like before.

"Still not to fond of water eh?" he grinned.

"Causes havoc with my hair."

"Ah Cal come on!"

"Nope." I shook my head.

"Pollo…" he smirked wider. I looked at him shaking my head. Not again. I thought. I unzipped the fleece I was wearing and threw it down on the ground over my jumper. Running towards him I jumped over his head into the water. When I got back up he was still grinning.

"Works every time." He laughed.

"No-one calls me a chicken Eric Delko!" he swam towards me.

"Your poor hair." He moved a wet strand from my face, I could feel my heartbeat getting faster.

"I'll live." I whispered.

"SO we've got quite the scheme going. No-one knows anything." he said, his face was only inches from mine now.

"Besides Carmie."

"True but you're like another daughter to her anyway…" I smiled I'd never really noticed how lovely the colour of his eyes was.

"Eric, remember when we were thirteen… when I moved from the big house." I said and I could have sworn he blushed.

"Yes."

"And you kissed me…"

"Yes."

"Do it again…" I breathed the words out.

"Cal I don't know you're my best friend…"

"We were best friends back then too."

"We were younger…" he said but his gaze had fallen to my lips.

"So…" he just blinked. "…I need to know if what I felt was real…" there I'd told him. he blinked again. then closing the space between us completely he kissed me. It was completely different to the last one, Adam had never kissed me like that, or Cody before him. this one was soft and caring. I'd stopped threading the water and he was holding me up. pulling back he whispered.

"It was Cal…"

May

1991

"Stop it Eric!" I hissed. "I need to finish my physics homework."

"Stop what?" he grinned. He was always grinning now-a-days.

"Watching me. Do your chemistry." We were sitting at his kitchen table. Carmen was behind us making cakes for one of her many fundraisers.

"So you two…" she said not looking up at us. "…How long are you going out now?" my jaw dropped.

"What? Ma you're mad! We're not…" Eric stuttered.

"Don't lie to me I know you both too well." She raised an eyebrow.

"Two months…" I said. Eric gaped at me. "What she knew anyway!"

"I've known since you were six years old." Carmen laughed. I blushed and Eric was still watching me.

May

1992

I sat down at the lunch table with all the other cheerleaders. The door across the room opened and Eric walked in with some of the swim team. He smiled at me and I grinned back. Tess slid over next to me.

"You two are too cute!" she whispered. I gasped.

"What who i…"

"Calleigh I'm not stupid! Not like the rest of them. I've always known that you didn't just drop him."

"You haven't…" I said.

"I haven't said it to anyone."

"Thank you." I smiled.

"How do you do it?"

"Do what… we just see each other outside school."

"Yeah but like he's going out…" my eyes widened. "Yeah I know about that too… He's going out with the most popular girl in school and he cant brag! And like you cant show him off either. I mean I'd want to! He's quite good looking… for a Latino." She smirked.

"He's great…" I said.

"I hate you Calleigh! You have it all." I grinned at her. Tess and I were firm friends after that.

-----------------

"Come on in. My parents shouldn't be home until later." I held his hand as we walked up the path.

"So my collage scouts are coming next week…"

"Yeah? That's great."

"I know… I'd kill for the scholarship Cal. I could do chemistry."

"I know… your dad still set on you working for him?" I took out my key.

"Yes, I just cant tell him yet." I opened the door and we were greeted by a yell.

"GET OUT!" my mother.

"I'M GONE!" my father. He came towards the door with a suitcase in his hand.

"Daddy…" I started, dropping Erics hand.

"I'm leaving Calleigh. It's over." My father brushed past us to his car and took off. We walked in.

"Mom?" I said quietly.

"It's over Calleigh. I'm finished. I just cant take it anymore! I've lost everything over him! my money, my house, my sons. And it's all his fault."

"Mom come on!" I said walking towards her.

"No Calleigh don't. it's done." She stormed up the stairs.

"Will you be ok Cal?" Eric asked.

"Yeah. She just needs to calm down, they've done this before." He took my hand again and kissed my forehead.

"Bye Cal." He whispered. I pulled his hand back and kissed him, needing some comfort. His hand came to my face.

"WHAT! Calleigh Margret What are you doing!" My head snapped round to the stairs. "You! Delko. Get out of my house! Now!" my mother roared.

"Mom…" I said.

"No Cal I'll go." He said and left.

"Mom what was that!" I shouted.

"Calleigh you are not to see that boy!"

"Why Mom."

"Because you're a Duquesne!"

"So what? He's one of the best people I know! What's the problem?"

"Calleigh he's below you!" she said coming right down the stairs.

"Mom if you haven't noticed we've hit rock bottom! You and Dad drink, D.J. and Benny wont come near us and we've absolutely no money!" before I realised it my face was stinging. She'd slapped me. I went flying to the floor.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that! You are not to see that boy anymore."

"But I love him!" I said, and the realisation hit me.

"Love! Calleigh you don't want love! Look where it got me." She said and went back up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door. I cried for the first time in years.