AN: I know, I know... long time, no update. But hey, it's here so yaaaaay! (?) I won't do much blah blah blah, I just wanna thank you all for the follows, favorites and reviews I've been getting, you guys are awesome!
Callie's POV:
It's been a week since the party, since the night I drowned myself in champagne and had no idea how I made it home. It's been a week since the gossip was spread, and if there's something we know about gossip, it's that it spreads faster than wild fire.
If it wasn't for the hours I spent, in this very same office, talking to Arizona that night, I wouldn't have survived it. The dimpled blonde and I developed a really nice friendship since that night, which surprised me because out of all people, the new girl would be the last person I'd have guessed I'd be friends with. We talked a lot that night and I must admit that Arizona is really cute when she's drunk... I just wish I could remember more things about that night.
But now, a week later, all of that fun time of girl talk with my new friend is over and I am sitting in my office looking at the bills that already arrived and trying to find a way to pay them without making the hole in our fund deeper. Since the idea of the gala came up for the first time, I let everyone know that I was against it, that it wasn't a smart move to spend that amount of money on something that would last only a night when we need the money for so many more important things, but nobody listened to me. However, now that the bills started to arrive they realized I was right, that it was a bad idea... but even now, they don't care as much as I do because it's MY responsibility to find a way to not let the hole get deeper.
I was so focused on my papers that I almost didn't hear the knock on the door. "Come in." I said before looking back at my papers.
"Hey Callie." Jackson greets me as he enters.
"Hey, Jackson." I say finally pulling my head out of my papers. "Didn't expect to see you here today, I thought it was the secretary knocking."
"Yeah, sorry I didn't call to let you know, I told her to announce me but she said I could come and just knock."
"It seems like she's finally learning." I said, letting out a laugh. This had been the main subject of my speeches to the poor woman for weeks, she heard me saying that neither Mark or Jackson needed to be announced so many times that now I think she finally learnt.
"I heard some of the bills started to arrive, so I thought I could come and help you with that, I know that you're the one who manages that stuff." He says giving me a small smile.
"Oh, sure, that would be nice. These numbers are already giving me a head ache; poor Arizona couldn't handle me rambling by how stupid this idea was so she left to get me a cup of coffee and herself 15 minutes without me saying how stupid it all was. Though she wasn't complaining, I know she deserved at least 15 minutes, she's been here since 8."
"Well, let me see how I can help" He said standing up from his seat and taking the chair in front of my table.
Something like 2 minutes passed and I could feel that his eyes were on me, and if there's one thing that makes me feel very uncomfortable it's when people stare.
"What is it?" I say leaving my eyes from the paper and facing him.
"Nothing." He shrugs and looks back at his paper but not two seconds later he looks up at me again.
"Alright, Avery, what's the matter?" I ask with my level of patience a little lower.
"The thing Mark said at the party... that wasn't true, was it?" I could sense in his tone that he was a little afraid of asking that question.
"Mark said so many things that if you don't tell me exactly what you referring to it'll be a little hard to answer your question." I say playfully to make him a little more comfortable.
"About...uh... when he said it wouldn't be the first time you'd be with... uh with-"
"Oh, that..." I say cutting him and getting a little nervous. I still can't believe Mark brought that up. "It's- it's not true I-I've never-" Saved by the bell, or better, my words are cut off when my phone starts to ring, but before I pick it up I say, "I like men".
Sliding my finger on the screen and bringing the device up to my ear I answer my call. "Hello?"
"Calliope!" My heart freezes when I hear the voice that comes from the other end of the line, there are only two people who call me like that and that voice is definitely not my father's. "You finally answered my call, little sis."
"What do you want?" I answer with a harsh tone getting Jackson's attention. "I already told you I don't wanna talk to you."
"Come on little sis, you used to treat me better." He says with a playfully tone that gets me on my nerves. "Stop being stubborn Calliope, I wanna see you, I miss you."
"Well, it's a little too late for that." I say raising my voice. "I don't, do you hear me well? I don't want to see you, I don't want to talk to you so stop calling me because I have no interest in anything related to you. You cut me out of your life once, so now I am the one cutting you off. And right now, I am hanging up." Those are my last words before I hang up the call. I take a couple of calming breaths but it doesn't seem to work, so before even thinking I throw my phone across the room making it bump against the wall and falling with its screen broken in little pieces to the ground. I stare at the broken phone on the ground and before I can help it I feel tears of anger and sadness rolling down my face. And before I know it there are arms reaching me and leading me to sit on the couch.
I don't say a word and Jackson just watches me as I break down, I feel his arms around me and his hands going up and down on my arm as a way to try and calm me down, which helps little.
"It was my brother." I say after a couple more breaths and some tears later. "He left our house when I was five. He used to be my hero." I say with a sad laugh. "After he left my world came down, I couldn't imagine how I'd live without my big brother." I knew I was throwing out words but Jackson didn't seem to mind and just shook his head. "He used to call me... every day around 5 o'clock I used to sit on the chair next to the phone and wait for my brother's calls. But then his calls became rare and after a while he stopped calling. I used to lock myself in my room and cry into my pillow because my brother wasn't there anymore... I still had Aria but it wasn't the same. He was more than a brother for both of us; our father has always been a busy man with almost no time for family so our brother sort of played his role. He used to take us to the park to eat cotton candy and play with other kids, he was older than us but he played hide and seek with us whenever we wanted, when a storm hit the town he was the one to share his bed with his scared little sisters... after he left Aria tried to be that for me but she couldn't because she missed him as well." Jackson listened to my story without moving and keeping me in his embrace. "When I grew older I tried to find him, I tried so hard but I couldn't, it was like my brother had never existed and it hurt. Our father told us that he had given up on his family, some of other family members said he was probably dead... but I refused to believe any of those theories so I kept looking. But then, one day, I got tired and stopped and let myself believe that he was indeed dead. Because for me was easier to believe he had died than to believe he had abandoned me." At this point all the hurt from the past came back, clips from the days I spent locked in my room crying started playing in my head and it felt like I was there in my old childhood room crying. Before I could notice I was sobbing again and my sobs were the only sound echoing in the room.
It was until the door cracked open and a blonde holding two cups of coffee entered the room. "Sorry it took so long but there was-" She stopped talking when she noticed I wasn't alone. "Oh.. sorry, I-I will come back later." She said starting to leave the room.
"Arizona!" I called her but she didn't look back. "Great, that's just great."
"Do you think she thought we were..." Jackson said rising up from the couch.
"Of course she did. Everyone is talking about it, and we both know it's a lie, I told her it's a lie but now she is probably thinking I am the liar." I say without getting a pause to breathe. How did I get so nervous about it?
Minutes of awkward silence filled the room until Jackson said, "I should go."
"Yeah, I think so." I answer. "Thank you for listening... but if you could keep this-"
"Don't worry, I won't say a word." He sends me a wink and leaves the room.
After a few minutes staring at the wall, I cross the room and get my broken phone. "This is just great." I say sarcastically when I see the stupid thing I did. "I guess I need a new phone." And after that statement I leave my office to go find myself a new phone.
As I walk through the streets of Seattle I think back at what happened this afternoon. My brother's call messed with me more than I would like it to. After thinking about it over and over again I realized that I was right when I said my family was lying. My brother wasn't dead, and he hadn't given up on his family either because, even after all these years he called me, he wants to see me. But at the same time that little hint of happiness from hearing from my bother appears, it's soon over and the question that has been in my head the whole day pops up, 'Why now?'
And to add the cherry to the top of the sundae, Arizona walked in on me and Jackson in a little intimate moment, for a lack of a better word. I know that it shouldn't bother me but it does, the gossip is all around and it would just make it worse. I know Arizona is not the gossiping kind but what if, without meaning it she lets it out to someone? And after that, that someone will tell another someone that will tell another someone that will tell someone else. But I guess that despite of this little concern there is another bigger one, that I myself don't know why it's bigger but it just is, she will think I am a liar. The look on her face when she saw us was... somehow, a sad look.
When we were talking that night, I felt a comfort that I hadn't felt in a long time, the way she seemed to understand and agree with me was something I think it's... special? I guess that's because she's a woman and I always had men as friends, never really trusted having woman as friends after high school, where the pretended to be my friends just because of my father's money or because they needed to cheat on an exam but deep inside they thought I was some sort of Carrie. But with Arizona... I don't know, there's something with her that makes me trust her, and I still have to find out what that is. I mean, if she's still willing to be friends with me.
After having so many things in my head at the same time, I decided to stop by my old friend's house and let it out a little.
"Hey Cals!" Mark greets me when he opens the door. "Come in, it's a little messy in here but nothing compared to my old college dorm." It gets from me a little laugh. Mark and I went to the same college and one day when we decided to have a movie marathon I got really scared when I entered his room, I just couldn't stay in that mess, we had to have the marathon back in my room.
"So, what do I own the pleasure of your visit?" He plays and I just hang back, with my back against the door staring at nothing. "Cal," he says after I don't give him an answer. "Are you okay?"
I can feel the concern in his voice so I stare at him in the eyes and just say, "Javier called me."
"What?!" He yells across the room. He knew how much this topic messed with me. "He called you again? I can't believe this guy, how dare him? After all he's done to you, after all the hurt he gave you!" I see my best friend's face getting redder and redder with anger. A year after my brother left I met Mark; he met the miserable sad six year old Callie that used to cry because she missed her big brother. That's when our friendship started, he told me he'd be my brother and he'd take care of me. And well, he did, Mark has been here for me since we met, standing to his word, he was my big brother and still is.
"He wants to see me." I say barely in a whisper as Mark keeps walking back and forth in the room.
"You're not going to see him, are you?" He stops in his tracks and asks me with concerned eyes.
"No," I say finally letting the tears I've been holding drop. "I thought it would be the happiest day of my life, you know... when my brother would call again but... no, not after all these years..." I wipe the tear that just dropped from my eyes. " I don't wanna see him." Before I know it Mark is by my side with his arms wrapped around me in a tight hug.
We stayed like that for I don't know how long. The warm embrace of my friend made my world stop spinning and I could finally take a breath. I know Avery was there for me either but it's not the same thing. Mark is my brother.
"You know what? I have plan." I look at him expecting him to give a solution for this situation but this hope fades away when he says, "we're going out tonight, like the old times. We're going out to drink and dance until we can't feel our feet anymore. You need to clear up your mind, have some fun. When was the last time you went out with friends?"
"Well, you're the only friend I have so you should know the answer."
"You know I am not, people really like you Cal, you just need to let them approach you. Like you did with Blondie and even Avery... you're an awesome friend, just stop being afraid of letting people approach" He says giving me a sweet smile. " So, I'm gonna call Lexie and cancel our dinner, I'm sure she will understand."
"No," I cut him. "You don't have to do that Mark, she is waiting for you. I bet she's been thinking about this all day and you can't let her hanging... I'll be fine, just... go." I say matter-of-factly.
"That's probably true." He says thinking for a moment. "How about I call her and change plans, she can go out with us, she's been dying to meet you so this would be a good opportunity. And she also needs to let loose a little, she has some boards coming up and she is getting crazy."
"Well... if she's up to it, I'm in." I say giving him a smile. "She's dying to meet me?"
"Yeah, I always tell her about you."
"She probably thinks I'm your dirty mistress" I say getting a laugh from my friend.
"I'll call her in an hour, I was actually getting ready for work when you arrived. I'll go grab my jacket and I leave you at home, okay?" I just nod and he leaves to grab his jacket.
Mark left me at home a few hours ago. Attempting to not think about the thing I'm willing to forget I took a nap for two hours and now I'm as good as new. Mark texted me when I was asleep to let me know he will be here to pick me up at 8, which leaves me one hour to get ready.
That hour flew by and as I'm giving myself a last check on the mirror my new phone vibrates with Mark's text letting me know he is already here. Finishing my last check and getting very happy about the result, I get my stuff and head outside the house.
At the other side of the street I see Mark's silver car with its window open and a beautiful brunette girl inside 'Yeah, he got himself a pretty one' I think as I give my friend's girlfriend a smile as I approach the car.
"You must be Lexie Grey." I say finally stepping in front of the cars door.
"And you're the famous Callie Torres." She says with a smile as big as mine.
"Famous, I don't know - but definitely Callie Torres." I say getting a laugh from both of them and getting into the car.
Let's have some fun.
General POV:
The night's choice was the old dance club Callie and Mark used to go as soon as they moved to Seattle. There were a lot of other fancier dance clubs their money could afford but the duo always enjoyed the simple life.
As soon as they are inside Mark goes to the bar and get them their respective drinks. If this night is about forgetting, let the forgetting begin.
"Hey Cals, you won't believe who I found at the bar." Mark says as he hands the girls their respective drinks.
"Who?" Callie asks curiously.
Instead of answering Mark just points to the blonde sat on a stool not too far from them. The Latina sees the blonde and she feels every hair of her body shiver, she hasn't spoken to Arizona since earlier that day so she doesn't know if the blonde still wants some sort of friendship with her, so she just raises her glass greeting the blonde, who does the same thing.
"I told her to stay here with us but she gave some crappy excuse." Mark explained.
"Maybe she's with someone." Lexie said getting Callie's attention.
"I don't think so, she was alone there. Why don't you go talk to her Torres, aren't you guys friends or... something?" He said giving his friend a knowing smirk, getting in response a punch on the shoulder.
"You should really stop with this. Your little joke at the gala? Jackson asked me about that. Before saying anything else about my past you better think because the things I've done? You've done it twice as worse." She says playing with her friend and now Lexie is the interested one.
"Is that so..." The Brunette says. "I'd love to hear about these stories..."
"No you wouldn't." Mark said before Callie could answer anything.
"I'll give you my phone number and we can talk." Callie said giving Lexie a playful wink.
"Seriously Cal, go talk to her." He says almost pushing the Latina towards the blonde, until Callie finally realizes he just wants some time alone with Lexie.
"Alright tiger, don't need to push me."
At the other side, at the bar, the blonde watched from distance her friends playing with each other.
The blonde had gone to the bar to try and forget what happened earlier, she knew she shouldn't be upset but she just was. Seeing Callie in that sort of intimate moment with Jackson made the blonde feel something weird, that she, herself, thinks she hasn't felt in a while, if she ever felt that... jealousy.
Arizona never considered herself to be the jealous kind, she never felt that with any of her girlfriends. And as some sort of sick joke, she is jealous of a woman she's not in a relationship with.
Since she started working with Callie she knew it would be a challenge for her every day to keep herself from grabbing the Latina's ass or from drooling over her beautiful broadway legs. But that was a challenge she was willing to take. After the gala she was happy to see that she and Callie could have some sort of friendship, that the other woman trusted her she said, some feelings she shared... But it all went away today when she saw her with Jackson. Callie had assured her they weren't anything but friends and a few weeks later she walks in on them. And that kept her mind busy all day, she knew what she saw wasn't like... a big deal... but couldn't stop thinking why/if Callie would lie to her. And after thinking for too long she went after her best friend, Clara, who told her the best way to forget what happened is to go out, have some drinks, dance a little 'even though you're a terrible dancer' Clara's words echoed on the blonde's mind making her giggle. But just like that, fate decided to slap her on the face and she finds herself in the same place the person she was trying to get out of her mind. And before she realized it, Callie was walking towards her direction and there was no way out.
"Hey." Callie greets her with a shy smile.
"Hi." Arizona says trying to control her eyes to not check the Latina out but failing.
"So... you're alone?" Callie asks, pretending she didn't notice Arizona checking her out.
"Um.. yeah, alone." She says smiling. "I see you're with Mark."
"Yeah," The taller woman turned around just to see her friend with his lips attached to Lexie's. "But not really." She says laughing and turning back to the blonde.
An awkward silence falls upon them until Callie decides to break it. "So, why don't you join us? I know Mark already asked so I thought that maybe if I came here with my smile and all you'd change your mind... and that way I won't feel like the third wheel." She said having no idea what her words did to the blonde.
"Um, yeah... okay." Arizona answers standing up from her stool.
"And Arizona..." Callie was with a serious tone now. "About earlier today I-"
"It's not my business." The blonde replied and the look on Callie's face made her think that maybe she was too harsh with the woman. "Really Callie, it's fine." She says now with a softer tone and with a smile that hides how she really feels about it.
Callie just nods and they head to the table where Lexie and Mark are.
"Alright, you're not alone anymore." Callie says when they approach and the couple doesn't seem to acknowledge their presence. "You can stop kissing now."
"Sorry." Lexie says with a blush on her face.
"Hey, relax, Lexie." Callie says placing a hand on the woman's shoulder. "I was just kidding."
After introductions were made the four friends started drinking and dancing all together, each of them with a buzz already on their head.
Talks, laughs and some failed dance moves were made and they were now lost into the beat of the music, mainly a certain Latina that couldn't help but move her hips to the sound of the beat, making a certain blonde and some men around stare at her, and the good kind of stare. Callie danced with Mark and even with Lexie but she stopped dancing when she saw the blonde sat just moving her feet.
"Come on Arizona, don't you dance?" She asked a little louder to be able to be heard over the loud music.
"I'm a terrible dancer; I am not going to embarrass myself, mainly in front of my boss." She says playfully. "And I already danced a little."
"I'm not your boss right now, right now I am your friend, I won't judge." She said trying to convince the blonde. "So, you going to dance and have some fun, or will you stay there just watching all the people around you having fun?"
"Alright but... will you dance with me?" The blonde asks with blue eyes now a little darker with desire, she knows that nothing happened but just the idea of dancing with Callie, feeling the Latina's body touching hers as they dance together makes her heart beat faster, her eyes go darker and some other funny things happen to another part of her body.
Before the Latina could answer a familiar voice called them from behind. "Hey guys, I've finally found you!"
"Jackson?" Callie asks surprised. "What are you doing here? How did you know we were here?"
"I texted him." Mark said. "I told him we were coming here tonight and he should meet us here to see how people have fun for real and not just in fancy dinner or gala parties."
"I know how to have fun, alright? I am not my father!" He answers with a childish tone getting a round of laughter from the others.
"Well, I am glad you came, Jackson." Callie answered. "I was trying to take these people to the dance floor but they're just too weak and old, they're already tired."
"Hey!" Mark snapped.
"Shut it, grandpa." Callie replied. "So, you won't let me and Arizona down will you?" She asks playfully, this time getting Arizona's attention.
"Me? Why me?" She asks.
"Because you had agreed to dance." Callie replied.
"Yeah but... you know what? I guess I'll have to drink a little more before that." She says giving some lame excuse. "I'll go to the bar get another drink, you two go and have fun."
"Alright, we'll be waiting for you." Callie says before she and Jackson head to the dance floor.
"Mark," Lexie says getting her lover's attention. "I just got paged, I have to go."
"Oh come on, really?" He asks not believing his night won't end as he was planning it to.
"I'm so sorry, I promise to make it up to you."
"Can't you just pretend you didn't hear it?" He asks with a childish tone.
"And let tiny humans die?" She asks faking a shocked expression.
"Alright." He gives in. "See you tomorrow." And with a quick peek on the lips he sees his girlfriend leave.
Just after Lexie left, Arizona came back to their table.
"Oh yes, alcohol!" Mark said trying to get the blonde's drink.
"This one is mine, if you want one, the bar is over there." She says pointing to the bar.
The man just shrugs and go to the bar get his so wished for drink.
With her eyes on the dance floor, Arizona sees the people moving along with the beat of the song, all of them seem to be having a really good time and are really good dancers. But none of them moves to the sound of the beat as well as the Latina that has gotten Arizona's attention since the day they met. It's amazing how Callie's hips moves to the beat of the song, and she looks incredibly hot. Arizona can see from distance that bright smile that could illuminate an entire room, her tight black jeans making justice to the Latina's curves, making Arizona's mouth water... or go dry, she didn't even know anymore, and her eyes once again gets darker with lust. But when she sees Jackson dancing with Callie, his hands on her hips and her back in to his front, it's like someone threw cold water at the blonde.
"You want a napkin?" A voice wakes Arizona from her dream.
"What?" She asks confused as to why Mark would offer her a napkin.
"You're drooling." He says with a knowing smirk. "I don't blame you, she is hot."
Arizona suddenly finds herself without words. She's been caught and there's nothing else she can do... so she just tries to deny it. "I'm... I'm not drooling."
"It's okay, Blondie. Don't need to get all nervous." Mark plays, getting on the blondes nerves.
"I," She says rising up from her stool and facing Mark, looking at him in the eye. "…am not drooling."
And just like that she leaves the man hanging alone, watching a furious slash jealous blonde walk away.
I am so going to kill Clara. The blonde thinks as she leaves the dance club.
AN2: So, long chapter, huh? Was it worth it? Let me know. Ya know, reviews make me write faster...