Chapter 7.

"Uh, hi," said Callie. "It's me."

"Oh. Hi, Callie," said Robert. He sounded surprised to hear from her so soon after her visit. It wasn't like her to call just to say hello. "What's up?"

"Um, I just need to talk to you about something," she told her father. "It's kind of silly."

"Is everything okay?" he asked, with more concern than she expected.

"Yeah," she replied, grasping the ring in her hand. The red stone sparkled brilliantly, reflecting the light on her ceiling. "I'm unpacking, and I just found a... surprise... in my suitcase. I guess Sophia slipped Violet's ring in there."

"Really?" He managed a small chuckle.

"Mm-hm. So, what should I do with it?" she asked. "Do you want me to bring it back?"

"Nah," he replied. "Don't make the trip. Just hold onto it until Friday. Sophia's already asking to come stay the weekend, if that's okay with you."

"It's fine," Callie agreed. "She's always welcome here."

"She'll be happy to hear that," he replied. "You know, she adores you, Callie."

"Well, I adore her too." She paused, listening to her father breath. She heard some paper shuffling, and imagined him flipping through the stack of mail that sat on the sideboard in the hall. "Well, I'll let you go."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"Callie?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really very sorry that my mother left you out of the will," he apologized. "I don't know what to say. I feel terrible."

"It's okay," she sighed. "I'm already over it."

"I just want you to know that I'm planning to put a portion of her estate into your trust fund," he told her. "I know it can't make up for what she did, but I hope it will help."

"Thanks."

"I love you."

"Okay. Um, bye."

After they hung up, Callie finished unpacking, still dwelling on her father's words. her family's wealth was still surreal to Callie, after growing up with nothing; It was almost ironic that the daughter of Robert Quinn went to bed hungry most nights as a young girl, before going to the Foster's. Money meant security, which Callie appreciated given her past, but it sometimes bothered her how the Quinns tended to use money as a bandage. A trust fund was nice, but it could never really make up for taking away her chance to be adopted by the family she loved. At least Sophia's gesture came from the heart, even if she couldn't keep the ring.

She was tucking her empty suitcase under her bed, when her phone rang.

"Hey... it's Brandon"

"Hi," she said quietly, her heart rate speeding up. Even when she was annoyed with him, Brandon had that effect on her.

"I was just wondering if you could come over?" he asked. "Please?"

Callie glanced at her bedroom door, thinking of Caitlin and the pizza she was ordering. "I sort of have plans..."

"Well, can you break them?" he asked. "I need to talk to you."

Callie's heart twinged, and she wondered for a moment if Caitlin would mind her bailing. "No," she finally sighed. "I can't tonight. Tomorrow?"

The next afternoon, after classes, Callie went straight to Brandon's apartment. He greeted her at the door before she even had a chance to ring the doorbell.

"Hey." He smiled, but he didn't kiss her. She was kind of hoping he would, though she knew it was presumptuous to expect it.

"So, what's up?" she asked.

He studied her for a moment before speaking. "I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. I didn't mean to be a jerk... are we good?"

Callie smiled shyly. "We're good." She craned her neck to kiss his cheek. "You could have just told me that over the phone, you know."

"Well," he shrugged. "I wanted to tell you in person. I wanted to see you."

"I'm sorry for snapping at you," she apologized. "I shouldn't have been so defensive."

"It's cool." He ran his fingers through his messy-cute hair, then wound his arms around her waist. "You know, you can tell me anything, Callie." He studied her through those beautiful green eyes. They were as smooth and perfect as sea glass.

"I know," she said with a smile. "Thanks."

"So?" he asked. "Does this mean we're still on for Spring break?"

She nodded. "I wouldn't miss it for the world." That was the way their relationship went; it always had, from the beginning. They fought over something for five minutes, forgave each other, and everything was fine. It was uncomplicated and predictable, and she liked it that way.

"Do you want to hang out for a while?" He looked at her hopefully, still holding onto her.

"Yeah." She took off her jacket and hung it on the hook by the door.

The next thing Callie knew, they were making out on his couch.

She breathed through her nose as he kissed her, straddling him, parting her lips so he could gain entrance. She could feel his hard-on underneath her. She ground against him, causing him to moan into her mouth. It didn't take much to turn him on.

"I want you," he murmured, running his hands down her back. He'd thought of nothing but making love to her while she was out of town, and he felt like a bomb, ready to explode.

Callie smiled, ghosting his movements, and leaned down to kiss his swollen lips. "I want you too." She unbuttoned his shirt, and pressed wet kisses to his chest. "Take me to your bed."

They rolled off the couch, and Brandon picked her up and carried her to his room.

"Hey, beautiful." Callie grabbed Sophia and gave her a bear hug.

"Hi," said Sophia. It was Friday night, and Robert had just dropped her off.

"So, what sounds good for dinner?" Callie asked as they walked back to the dorm.

Sophia shrugged. "I don't know. Pizza?"

"Sure," said Callie. "But let's make the homemade kind. It tastes way better." It was important to her that her sister learn some life skills. After all, she was growing up, and would soon be on her own, too. Money couldn't buy everything; she hated to think of Sophia entering adulthood without even knowing how to prepare a meal.

"Where's Caitlin?" the teenager wondered, setting her bag on the floor.

"Uh, she's spending the weekend at a friend's," Callie replied. She led her sister to her room, and took the ruby ring out of her desk drawer. "Want to explain this?"

Sophia looked at her sheepishly. "I'm sorry for tricking you. I just wanted you to have something. It was wrong of grandma to leave you out."

Callie smiled gratefully. Sophia really was a sweetheart. She certainly didn't inherit that trait from Jill. "I'm not mad, baby," she explained. "I appreciate what you were trying to do. But you know I can't keep this, right?"

"I know," the young girl nodded. "It's okay, though." She fished Violet's locket from her jeans pocket, and held it out. "Dad wants you to have this."

Callie took the locket, unsure of how to react. "Thanks, Soph."

"Open it." She clasped her hands together impatiently.

She clicked the oval pendant open. Inside, Sophia's school picture filled the frame. "Aw, it's you," she smiled. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," said Sophia, giving her a hug.

Callie returned the hug, then took her by the hand. "Let's go start dinner."

She went to the cupboard, and began taking out ingredients and lining them up on the counter. Once everything was set out, the sisters worked together, cutting vegetables, mixing the dough, and pressing it into the pan. While they cooked, Callie listened as Sophia told her about her day. The pizza had just gone in the oven when Brandon called.

"Can you come over?" he asked. "I thought we could hang out for a while."

Callie glanced over at Sophia, who was wiping down the counter with a paper towel. "I can't. I'm sorry, B. My little sister is visiting. Unless you want to come over and have pizza with us?"

"Can I?" he asked. "I mean, we don't have to be naked to spend time together... do we?"

"No," she laughed.

"Okay," he said. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Sounds great."

After Brandon left, Callie felt happier than she had in a long time. The evening had been fun; so much fun that she'd began to entertain the idea that life could always be that way. The idea excited her, despite her reservations about she and Brandon becoming a couple.

Sophia took to Brandon immediately, and he was sweet to her. The teenager watched in fascination when Brandon kissed Callie, and she'd hung on his every word when he told her all about his band. When he dropped pizza on his shirt, and peeled the shirt off right at the table, revealing his toned chest and abs, the younger girl's face reddened and her eyes nearly popped out of her head. He'd even given Sophia a cute nickname, Callie 2.0, because the sisters looked so much alike.

And when Callie returned from taking Brandon's shirt to the washing machine, he'd taken her hand in his underneath the table, rubbing it lovingly as he stuffed pizza into his mouth with his other hand. Their fingers stayed laced together throughout the rest of the meal, like a secret between the two of them. It was a quieter sort of intimacy; a kind that she wasn't necessarily used to, but it wasn't very different than sex; it was fulfilling in the same way.

Before Brandon kissed her goodbye that evening, he caressed her cheek with his thumb. "See you soon?" he asked.

Callie nodded, stealing on more kiss. "See you soon."

Later that night, after Callie and Sophia crawled into bed, Sophia turned to her. "Is Brandon your boyfriend?"

Callie blushed in the dark, unsure of how to respond; the subject was still confusing to her. "Well, he's a boy, and he's my friend," she answered lamely.

"You know what I mean," he sister insisted. "Are you guys dating?"

"It's complicated," she replied. "Why?"

"He's so cute," Sophia confided. "He's like... perfect."

Callie laughed playfully. "Does someone have a crush?" she teased.

"Maybe... Okay," her sister admitted. "Yes."

"It's okay," Callie told her. "Brandon has that effect on women." She ran her hand over her sister's hair. "We used to be boyfriend and girlfriend, but we broke up. Now we sort of just hang out for fun."

"I don't get it. Why would anyone break up with a guy like him?" Sophia asked, appalled. "I wouldn't."

Callie sighed patiently. "We had no choice at the time."

"Well, you have a choice now," the younger girl pointed out. "You guys should get back together. He's totally into you."

"You think so?" she asked.

"It's so obvious." Sophia told her. "Didn't you see how his eyes lit up when he saw you? You guys make a really cute couple. And you're... different around him."

Her comment piqued Callie's interest. "Different like how?"

"Well, you know how you're always kind of 'doom and gloom?'" Sophia asked.

"Yeah..." she reluctantly agreed. She hadn't realized she'd come off that way to her sister. She'd always tried to be cheerful around her, even when she didn't feel cheerful.

"You weren't like that tonight," the young girl told her. "You seemed happier. More... alive, I guess. I like you that way."

"That's good to know," said Callie. She kissed Sophia goodnight, then rolled over and closed her eyes. Once she was facing the wall, and the room was quiet, a strange sensation overcame her. She felt like crying. She wasn't sure why at first; a sort of panic filled her chest and wouldn't leave. Then, she was struck with realization. She had to face the truth, even though it frightened her: she was falling in love.

To Be Continued