Walk Tall...by lilscout
Chapter 12
The shift in seasons, from fall to winter, brought the usual changes in weather and wardrobe. T-shirts and sunglasses were replaced by raincoats and umbrellas, much like the large black one Callie was holding close to her body as she waited for Arizona to decide which movie she wanted to see. Her patience thinned as the rain poured harder.
"Just pick one already, it's raining more now and I'm getting soaked, Arizona!"
"I know, okay. I'm standing out here too. I just can't decide between Disney or vampires. Which wold you rather see, again?"
Callie exhaled loudly. It was the fourth time Arizona had asked, and the answer had been the same every time.
"I don't care. I told you already...several times...I just want us to spend some time together." The brunette looked away, mumbling. "I practically never see you anymore."
"What...?" Arizona asked, distracted again by the marquee outside the theatre.
"Nothing..." Callie answered flatly, turning back to the blonde.
"Okay...anyway, I've decided." Arizona held up a triumphant finger, "Vampires it is!"
"Great," Callie said. Smiling, she stepped to the entrance and held the door open as Arizona strode past her. "Then let's go."
Finally inside, Callie shook off the clinging droplets of water from her umbrella and snapped it shut. "Popcorn?" she asked.
"Mmm...I'll just have some of yours," Arizona replied, making a beeline straight for the candy counter.
"Of course you will," Callie sighed as she paid for and pocketed their tickets, and joined Arizona in the short line-up.
They located their theatre entrance, walked up the inclined ramp into the muted darkness, and looked around. The seats were virtually empty except for three teenage girls sitting together in the back row, all intently staring down at their phones, texting like mad. Probably to eachother. Arizona pointed to a row in the middle and Callie gave a quick nod, so they stepped carefully across the sticky floor and bustled about, removing jackets, balancing popcorn and drinks, and finally settling beside eachother in the cramped seats.
"This is nice," Arizona said. "What was the last movie we saw together, do you remember?"
Callie thought about it, and came up blank. "Nope. No idea. Must have been a while ago if neither of us can recall it."
"Huh..." Arizona said. "I guess so." She squeezed Callie's hand and smiled sweetly. "Well, we're here now."
"Yep," Callie answered, glancing back as the girls seemed to have taken a break from their phones and were now talking and laughing loudly with eachother.
"I hope they don't keep that up when the movie starts," Callie commented warily.
"I'm sure they'll stop," Arizona hushed her, squeezing Callie's hand even harder and pulling it over into her own lap. She knew Callie did not deal well with chatty theatregoers once the movie had started. Arguements usually ensued.
"So, training's going well." Arizona began, hoping it would offer Callie a distraction.
"What?" Callie asked, turning around in her seat once more.
Arizona tugged at her arm, and Callie shifted back.
"I said, the training's going well. For the tournament. You know...the one I'm competing in next weekend."
"Oh, that's good to hear," Callie replied, averting her eyes. It was a sore spot for her, but she was determined not to let Arizona know. She would say Callie was being was ridiculous. And childish. And she'd probably be right.
"Yeah, and everyone's been really helpful. Especially Joanne. Honestly, I'd be a lot more worried about it if she hadn't been willing to spend so much time sparring with me and practicing my defensive techniques." She picked some lint off her pant leg and flicked it away. "She thinks my speed and reaction time has improved a lot, too."
"That's great," Callie said again, though her tone was hollow and flat, and it caused Arizona to give her a quizzical look.
Then the room dimmed, and the girls behind them, thankfully, fell silent. Callie eased her hand from Arizona's grasp and, almost imperceptibly, shifted her body away from her girlfriend.
...
"That's better, but I still saw it coming. You were too slow with your foot placement that time, I think."
"I know...I know..." Arizona stood bent at the waist, her chest heaving as she sucked in much needed air. "I'm getting tired, is all." She glanced at the clock on the wall, and groaned. "And look how late it is." She stood up again and smiled, sweat dripping down her face and neck. "Callie's gonna kill me! I really should call her."
"I'm sure she won't kill you," Joanne replied, then smirked, "but your opponent just might if you keep showing her what you're planning."
"Okay," Arizona breathed out as she looked at the clock once more, then stepped back to her line on the mat. "Let's work on some blocks this time.."
A while later, first Arizona, then Joanne, had showered and changed back into their regular clothes. As they lugged their gym bags up the stairs, Joanne suggested, not at all innocently, a quick drink to unwind after such a strenuous workout.
"We can go to that place down the street." She nudged the hesitant blonde in the shoulder. "Come on...one drink. To celebrate your impending victory this weekend, and the giant trophy you'll be winning for the dojo. You know Kancho will be proud of you," Joanne offered.
Arizona shook her head as they stepped out onto the sidewalk. She pulled the door closed and locked it. "No, I wouldn't say he'll be proud." She turned and headed in the direction of the pub, Joanne happily stepping in line beside her. "He dislikes tournaments as much as I do, but he also knows that trophies bring people in the door, and financially, the dojo could really use some new members."
"Are you saying you don't want to fight in the tournament?"
"Honestly, no, I don't. But he asked, and I could never refuse him. Not after all he's taught me and done for me."
Joanne nodded her agreement, and they walked the rest of the short distance in silence.
...
Callie sat on the couch in Arizona's apartment, waiting for her girlfriend to get home. It was quite late, and Callie had been worried for some time now, but she didn't know what to do about it. She had called and texted, but there was no response at all from Arizona. It wasn't as if they had any specific plans or anything, and Callie knew that Arizona would be staying behind at the dojo to train with Joanne. So maybe they were still sparring and Arizona hadn't had a chance to check her phone yet.
Or, maybe they were lying on the mat in the back room, lazily exploring eachother's naked and sweaty bodies.
Callie shook her head and shuddered at the mental image. She reached for the remote and turned on the tv, desperate for any kind of a distraction. Twenty minutes later she heard the sound of a key in the lock and stood up as a slightly drunk and bumbling Arizona pushed the door open and stumbled into the hall, dropping her gym bag as she moved. Arizona seemed to find that funny, and chuckled to herself.
"Hello," came the clipped tone from the living room.
"Wha...Callie!" Arizona broke out into a big goofy smile, and she quickly pried off her jacket and boots as she stepped toward her girlfriend.
Callie moved to put the length of the couch between them, and Arizona stopped short.
"What?" the blonde asked. "What's wrong?"
"You're drunk." The words were cold, accusatory.
Arizona stood up fully now, sobriety coming quickly when she registered the look on Callie's face. "We...we went for a couple of drinks after, is all." Arizona gestured around the room. "I didn't know you were waiting here for me."
"You would have," Callie responded, "if you had bothered to check your phone tonight."
Arizona reached in her pocket and pulled out her cell phone, scrutinizing the display screen. No New Messages came on at first glance, but when she dug a little further, she saw she had a text and a missed call. "I...I don't...I checked it, I swear." She shook her head in confusion. "There were no messages, earlier. I don't understand..."
"Whatever, Arizona." Callie cut her off, and folded her arms. "You could have called me too, you know. Why does it have to be me who always calls you?" Callie was getting angrier now.
"Wait a damn minute, Callie. That's not fair! I call you all the time, and you don't always answer either, but do I go around making you feel like shit? No! I don't!" Arizona spat back. "And anyway, it was only supposed to be one quick drink...but then she bought me another, and then we both had a few and..." Arizona stopped abruptly.
Callie uncrossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "And what, exactly?"
Arizona fidgeted. She knew she was caught, and no matter how she explained it, it would still look very, very bad.
"She tried to...she kissed me."
Callie's expression grew tight. "Did you kiss her back?" she asked evenly.
"No! Callie! No!" Arizona took a step forward, pleading. Callie took a step back. "I...it took a second to understand what...I was a bit drunk...but as soon as I did realize, I pushed her away. Honest!"
"Mmm hmm...tell me what happened."
Arizona let her arms fall to her side and dropped her head. She took a breath and looked up and met Callie's eyes again. "It was later than I had planned when we finished sparring at the dojo, and Joanne, she suggested getting a drink, you know, to celebrate my upcoming victory, or whatever."
Callie rolled her eyes.
"I know, it's stupid," Arizona nodded. "Anyway, I had checked my phone in the changeroom after my shower and there were no new messages, so I just figured you went out with Mark, or something. And I thought, well, Joanne has been so helpful with my training, the least I could do was go for one drink with the woman."
"Fine. So why didn't you let me know?"
Arizona considered her words carefully. "I guess I should have, but I know you're not crazy about Joanne, and I didn't want to upset you..."
Callie laughed maniacally as she threw her hands in the air. "Jesus, Arizona, and now do you see why I don't like her!"
"Yes, okay, I was wrong to not call you, but I was just trying to spare your feelings. I knew you'd be jealous."
"Well, if you know that something is going to make your girlfriend jealous, don't you think, maybe, you should avoid doing it?"
"Callie, god! It was just supposed to be one drink!" Arizona's headache was coming on like a freight train, and she was quickly losing patience with this arguement. "I've done everything I can think of to reassure you that I'm not even remotely interested in Joanne. It's you I love, you know that."
Callie shook her head. "I don't know what to believe anymore. We never see each other, you're always either working or at the dojo with her...it's like you don't want to spend any time with me at all!"
"That's not fair. You know I have to do this. I don't want to, but Kancho asked me personally. I would do anything for him. And I can't let him down by not being fully prepared. He'd be more disappointed by that, not if I lose. I have to do the best I possibly can, for him, not for me."
"Well, I think it's crazy you're putting more importance on this one tournament than spending time with me."
"Ugh...Callie, look, I have a massive headache...I'm sorry I upset you, but I really need to lie down and sleep this off. Can we talk about this later? Please?"
"Fine," Callie huffed as she hurried to the door and grabbed her jacket.
Arizona turned and watched her leave. "Will you still be coming to the tournament with me this weekend?" she asked, hopeful.
"Uh...I don't think so, Arizona. It sounds like you already have everyone you need."
Arizona stood stunned as the door slammed shut in front of her, angry footsteps trudging heavily down the stairs.
She turned on her heels, shuffled back slowly towards the couch, and whispered sadly to the empty room, "But...it's you I need."
...
Oh geez...more drama.
Will it ever end?
Yes, and soon. I promise.
:)