March

1987

"Eric hunnie. I need to talk to you." my mother said coming in and sitting down. I took out my earphones.

"What is it Mama?" I asked

"Am… I don't know if Calleigh's told you yet in fact I don't even know if she knows yet…" she was starting to scare me.

"What is it Mama?"

"The Duquesne's are moving…" she said. I stood up.

"No… why?" I said.

"They've had some money problems and they have to move. I wont be working with them anymore."

"But they're not going far right."

"Actually they are… I don't know if you'll see her again." She said slowly.

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"Mari can I talk to you?" I asked opening her bedroom door. She turned to face me. Marisol was seventeen now and even though I was only thirteen we were still close.

"Yeah of course Eric, but make it quick I'm going out." She smiled while tying up her hair.

"How do you know if you like someone?" I asked knowing she was the only one I could ask this to.

"Why does Eric have his first crush?" she grinned.

"I don't know…" I said suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"come on who is she?" she asked putting down the hairbrush.

"I'm not telling you!" I said.

"It's Calleigh isn't it! The two of you are way to close for there not to be something going on." She grinned.

"If your not going to help then I'll just go." I turned to leave but stopped when she spoke.

"Butterflies… if you feel butterflies then you do…" she said.

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"I'll miss you Cal." I said sitting up beside her next to the pool.

"I'll miss you too… and I was just getting really good at the Spanish." She grinned. I smiled too. I knew she was trying to make a joke of the whole thing but I could see the sadness in her eyes.

"It'll be ok. No preocuparse. {don't worry}" I put an arm around her. then I felt it. My stomach tighten that's what Marisol had been talking about right? I thought.

"I wont." She grinned. Just then my mother called.

"Come on Eric. Time to go home." She said. We both stood up.

"Ok mom." I said walking to the house. I could sense her walking behind me. "I'll talk to you soon Cal. I have your new address." I looked down at my feet unsure of what to do. How to properly say goodbye. Deciding what to do I looked up. taking a slow step towards her I bent down and kissed her on the lips. She didn't move. I took that as a sign to leave.

"Bye Cal." I said without looking her in the eye, and I ran up the steps to the house.

October

1990

"Eric I think this school is perfect." My mother smiled.

"Yeah I think so to." I smiled and nodded. It had been my fathers idea to move schools so that I'd have a better chance of a scholarship, he was still convinced that I wanted to follow in his footsteps when all I wanted to do was swim.

January

1991

First day's suck. But this first day beat them all. I really hadn't realised what I was getting my self into when I transferred here. I'd spent six hours in the place and finally realised that there was not a single other Cuban at the school. This was going not going to be easy, the one thing I needed was a swim so I headed for pool that the coach had showed me earlier and told me to feel free to use. Changing in the dressing room I went straight out to the pool there was no one else around, silence just as I liked it.

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I was at fifty lengths when I decided to get out and practise my diving. As I got out I got the strange sensation that there was someone watching me. I turned around and was greeted by a shout.

"ERIC!" it was her. Calleigh standing there in font of me.

"Cal?" I rubbed my eyes just to make sure it wasn't just the chlorine in my eyes making me see things. When I looked again she was right in front of me.

"It's you… really?" she said slowly.

"Yeah…" I smiled. in four years she had definitely grown up. her hair was much longer then I remember and it seem a lot blonder and shiner. She was obviously taking much better care of it now. Looking down I saw the cheerleading outfit, well honestly I saw the way it fit her, she definitely wasn't thirteen anymore… Stop it Eric that's Calleigh!! I scolded my self

"Cal…"

"God no-ones called me that in years."

"You look so different." I felt myself blush.

"What are you doing here?" I finally said.

"My dad decided to transfer me here for the better swim team. More chances of a scholarship."

"You didn't send me your new address." My voice dropped.

"I did but you didn't write back so I called to the house. But you were gone! I guess we moved at the same time."

"I missed you." she said slowly.

"I missed you too." I admitted knowing that I couldn't tell her anything but the truth. I didn't care that I'd get her all wet, I just had to hug her. I pulled her close her head was under my chin, she was tiny. I could smell lilac and something else off her hair, I remembered that smell. It smelt like their old bathroom, like her mother.

"Calleigh?" I hadn't heard the door open but as I looked up I saw a tall well built guy standing there. He didn't look happy.

"Adam." She jumped back from me.

"What's going on here?" the guy she'd called Adam said as he made his way over to us. I could take him if I need to… I thought.

"Nothing, this is Eric. I grew up with him. Eric this is Adam my…" Calleigh started.

"Boyfriend." The blonde guy interrupted.

"Oh… right" I nodded as my eyes flashed red.

"Come on Call we better go." He said looking me up and down.

"Am… no I think I'll…" Calleigh said looking between us.

"We both have practise." Adam said wrapping an arm around her smirking at me.

"It's ok Cal I want to get in another few lengths anyway." I smiled, trying to be the bigger man.

"Ok I'll see you later." She smiled. I turned around and dove back into the pool, to try and get away from it all.

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I opened the changing room door and immediately saw here standing there waiting. She was gorgeous. I couldn't help but grin.

"Cal…" I said.

"Eric I cant believe you're actually here." She said looking up at me. I could barely hear her. I was lost in those green eyes. Was this really the girl I'd grown up with?

As we walked out of the school I smiled. She's back.

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I walked out of chemistry and collided with someone. I started to apologize but then I saw who it was, Adam. He'd been giving me trouble all week since Calleigh and I had started hanging out.

"Hi Eric." He said.

"Adam." I tried to walk around him but he too moved.

"Where you going?" he asked.

"To my locker. And then to the library with Calleigh." I grinned. He frowned at my words and took a step closer to me, attempting to pin me against the wall.

"You are to stop hanging around with my girl. People are talking."

"Hey Adam if you feel threatened by me, I'm sorry but Cal and I are friends. You're going to have to accept it!" I smiled.

"She's too good for you Latino." He said eyes dark.

"It's up to her who her friends are. You have no say in it."

"We'll see." He turned and walked away.

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I reached the corner of the hall before Calleigh's locker and paused. I could hear Adam talking to her

"Well…" was he stuttering? "…I don't want you seeing him anymore Calleigh."

"Sorry?" she said. I could hear laughter on her voice.

"You'll stop hanging out with him. End of conversation." God did he know Calleigh at all! She couldn't be ordered around like that.

"Ok Adam if that's how you feel" I leaned in wondering what she was going to say. "…end of relationship." With that I heard a locker door slam and she turned the corner almost chrashing into me. I smiled. That's my girl.

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"Cal!" I called out. For such a small person she could move fast. I jogged up to her.

"I can't believe them!" she snapped sitting into her car. "Why are they acting like this?"

"'Cause that's how they were raised Cal. I'm foreign." I shrugged, I thought she'd understood this.

"No your not you were born here." She looked at me obviously confused.

"I don't exactly have white skin and blonde hair do I?" I said quickly adding "No offence."

"Your birth certificate is American that's what matters."

"Calleigh it's normal. Sure your mother never like the fact that we were friends." I said nonchalantly. I thought it was common knowledge.

"What?"

"Cal we were never meant to be friends. I was the help." I said sighing, knowing what I would have to do. for her.

"Eric why are you saying this?" she looked back at me truly puzzled.

"Because I don't think we should hang out anymore." I had to look away from her. This was the last thing I wanted but I knew it would have to happen "You need to stay on the cheerleading team. It's your chance to make a life for yourself. Go to collage, your way to good to end up working as a receptionist Cal."

"But Eric…" she sounded on the verge of tears.

"No I'm not going to let you ruin your life, your future for me. If those girls wont accept me as part of your life well then I just wont be." I said finding it agonizing to get the words out.

"They don't have to know." She said quickly.

"Cal…"

"No I have it! In school we just won't know each other but outside school no one has to know about." She made it sound so simple…

"Cal…"

"Stop Cal-ing me! We shouldn't have to sneak around but if that's what it takes I'll do it. I lost you once I cant do it again. Besides you're the only one that knows everything I cant leave you go now can I." I smiled and buckled my belt. Maybe it could work. It's worth a try… I thought.

"Gun range?"

"Yup" she grinned and started the car.