"Arizona, wait!" Callie called, and she knew her voice carried into the other room even as Arizona slammed the bedroom door closed behind her in her haste to get out.

She swore under her breath at herself because she was so fucking stupid, as her feet kicked at the blankets tangled around her legs, that were preventing her from getting up. Without wasting a second, as soon as she had a leg cleared, she jumped up from the bed and hopped as the remaining blankets now twisted on one ankle.

Ignoring them, she went for the door, tripping now as she gripped the handle, "Please don't go," she tried again, but before she even had her door open, the front door to the apartment had already slammed shut, and Arizona was already gone.

Groaning at herself, she closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. She was such an idiot.

"Wow, Torres. You really have a way with the ladies," Cristina commented in an amused voice from the kitchen. Meaning she'd witnessed the fact that Callie had literally scared a woman into running for her life from the apartment.

It made her groan again, "Shut up, Cristina."

Her roommates laugh echoed in her ears as she turned back around and went back to her room. She might have had a chance to catch up to Arizona, if things were different. As in, if her head wasn't so foggy from the feeling of her soft lips. She'd been practically in a daze when Arizona had pulled away from her, and while she was still processing what had happened, the blonde had already had the time to put on her shoes and coat and get the hell out of dodge.

Biting her lip in uncertainty, because she knew Arizona didn't want to hear from her, she still dug out her phone from her bedside table. And only after a moment of hesitation, she typed out, Arizona, I'm sorry. I really am.

Then she fell back onto her bed, because much like she knew Arizona didn't want to hear from her, she also was fairly certain her apology was going to fall on deaf ears, at least for the time being. So when she didn't get a response in the next hour, she sent another message.

Will you please just let me know when you're back at school safely?

It was hours later – she was already heading out to the theatre for her show – by the time she got a reply.

Back at school. Mock-trial all day. I don't think I'll have time to talk tonight.

And even though it was a blatant lie, she didn't call the blonde out on her – how could she? Her stomach twisted uncomfortably as she quickly typed back, Okay, I understand. Can we talk about this some other day?

This time, there was no answer at all.

In the last few days, Callie's phone had become somewhat of her adversary. Mostly because every time it had alerted her to a new text message, it was never from the person that she was hoping it was from.

"You know that saying, about how if looks could kill, you'd be dead right now?" the words were asked into her ear, over the music that played in the background in the bar that they were in.

And she rolled her eyes before turning to face Mark Sloan, lifting her eyebrow at him, "Heard that a lot, have you?"

On the other side of her, Addison threw her head back in laughter as her hand slapped Callie's shoulder in what she had come to learn was the redhead showing her appreciation. In the couple of weeks that she'd spent more time with Sloan, he never seemed to take her barbs to heart; he usually found them amusing.

And this time was no different, as his lips quirked up and he shot her a grin, "Ouch." Then he pulled out a stool and slipped onto it, "But, just so you know, for as many dirty looks as I have gotten from women – not that there are many –" both women rolled their eyes, but he pushed on, "I've never been on the receiving end of a glare the way you just glared at your phone. It's just a poor inanimate object, Torres."

His words nearly made her growl. She clearly knew it was just an inanimate object. She knew logically that her phone had no bearing on her current lack of communication with Arizona. But still.

"She's just mad that she and her girl aren't talking right now," Addison supplied, tipping her head back to finish off the drink in her hand.

For this Tuesday night, the cast had decided to go to some underground bar that was very trendy right now to celebrate Addison's understudy's birthday. Callie really had no reason to not come out tonight, because she was fairly positive that tonight wouldn't be the night that Arizona suddenly decided that she was ready to talk. Plus, she'd blown it off the last time she'd promised to go out with them.

But she bristled at Addison's phrasing, even as she could feel herself flush, "She's not my girl. Definitely not," she finished with a mumble.

Now Sloan seemed more interested than he was with his drink and leaned in, "Alaska? What's going on? Tell Uncle Mark all of your problems."

The way Addison stared at him was enough to make Callie grin begrudgingly, as her friend stabbed her finger at his chest, "I have told you repeatedly to never ever refer to yourself as Uncle Mark again."

He looked slightly more put out by her glare than he had with Callie's – always an interesting development, she thought – but still brushed it off, and held his hands up nonthreateningly, "I was just going to offer my expertise in the area of women." With a roguish grin and a wiggle of his eyebrows, he added, "And I know you don't have any complaints about that."

"She's not going to talk to you about her woman problems, Sloan," Addison bit back, probably because Callie hadn't even told her about what happened between her and Arizona a couple of days ago.

Not that she hadn't wanted to tell her, because she really did. Addison's friendship in the last few months had been nothing short of great. But because of how much she knew Addison really liked the idea of Arizona and herself becoming "a thing" she felt like she wouldn't get the serious conversation she needed.

Mark Sloan, on the other hand, had a lot of experience with women. She would give him that. Even though he was turning out to not be the enormous douchebag she originally thought him to be, he still had his moments. And even in those moments, women still flocked to him.

So, she figured, if there was someone who could help offer a new perspective, it could be him.

Then again, she thought with a frown as she looked at the drink on the bar in front of her, she was on her third drink of the night, and it could be the alcohol that told her talking to Sloan about her personal problems was a good idea.

But, she heaved a sigh, she was going to, because the heavy, twisting feeling in the pit of her stomach was only growing heavier with every day.

Her teeth dug almost painfully into her bottom lip before she relented, "Okay, Sloan. How do you…" her eyebrows crinkled in confusion as she contemplated how to ask, "How are you sure when it's a good time for a kiss? Like a first kiss, with a woman," she clarified, even though she thought it might be somewhat needless.

Addison's mouth fell open in disbelief even as Mark smirked triumphantly at her, before he put a hand diplomatically on his chest, "Well, Callie, generally when I'm alone with a woman, it's always a good time for a kiss."

The genuine curiosity she'd had for his particular insight deflated in an instead, brown eyes staring at him in disdain, "Go away."

Addison tapped her fingers against the bar with one hand as the other moved her cup in a round movement, her eyes narrowed at Callie, "I don't know what else you were expecting him to have to say on the insight into a woman's mind." Before Callie could say anything, the redhead held up her hand to stop her and downed the rest of her drink, "I, your actual friend, have asked you for days what is the deal!"

She winced, because, yeah, Addison's eyes were flashing angry with her, but she also realized that was one of the many ways her friend dealt with being hurt. And her intention hadn't been to hurt Addison at all, but before she could say that, blue eyes went wide as the redhead sat up straight and stared at her.

"Wait a second. You two kissed?"

Callie simultaneously wanted to grin at the burst of enthusiasm in Addison's voice and drop her head to the bar and groan because of the kiss. Instead, she just reached out to pick at the little straw in her glass and she nodded.

"Well?" Addison prompted, poking her finger into Callie's side in a manner that was just hard enough to hurt, which had definitely been done on purpose.

She glared at her friend for just a second, "I thought you were mad at me?"

To which the redhead scoffed, "I am; you've been holding out on me. But I still want to know everything."

"Same," Sloan piped up from her other side, which made both of the women roll their eyes again.

Callie lifted an eyebrow, "I thought I told you to go away?"

He lowered his eyebrows, "I was just trying to lighten the mood. Even if it was true…" he let it go for just a moment before slinging his arm over her shoulder, "Come on, Torres. We're practically friends, and I'm here to listen." He leaned in closer to her so that he was close enough to whisper without Addison hearing, "Tell Uncle Mark what's wrong."

She hated that she couldn't help but huff out a laugh, even as she pushed him away and Addison gave them the eye, saying that she knew exactly which of her hated phrases he'd used. Leaning back in her chair so that she could see both of them, she brought her hands into her lap to fiddle with them, "Yes, we kissed."

And that was all she said, which, naturally led them both to staring at her. Addison was the first one to speak, "And? Did you kiss her? She kiss you?"

Then Sloan hopped in, "And you banged, and now she's avoiding you," he said knowingly, before looking deep in thought. She sincerely hoped he was deeply thinking about her predicament and not the situation he had just mentioned.

Addison slapped his shoulder either way, before lifting an eyebrow at Callie, "That's not much to go on. Is that what's got you all down?"

Callie nodded, "It's – it's been awful. I kissed her, and then she ran away and now she's not talking to me." Not since Saturday.

Wordlessly, she held unlocked her phone and opened it up to her messages with Arizona before handing it to Addison. Who took it wordlessly, with Mark leaning over to read as well. Not that there was much to read, because aside from the message Saturday, the only thing Arizona had said in response to her attempts to talk to the blonde were the same.

Sorry, can't talk tonight. Really busy.

It was the only thing Arizona had sent to her – and she had sent it twice. Sloan grimaced as he reached for his beer bottle, "As long as you're sworn to secrecy, I'll admit to you that I have been turned down before."

Callie and Addison turned to narrow their eyes at him, before Addison deadpanned, "You don't say."

He gave her a look, before pointedly turning to Callie, "As I was saying, I have been brushed aside once or twice. And… well, that's kind of what it looks like," he nodded towards the phone.

Her stomach felt like it was twisting painfully because she knew that. But, for once, Sloan didn't sound like he was trying to be an asshole, so she shrugged, "I'm aware. I'm – I'm not trying to pursue her for another kiss or romance or anything. I just want to still be her friend."

"You're not going to pursue her again?" Addison asked, and looked at her incredulously, before turning her attention back to Callie's phone. Which, Callie realized, was where it had been for the last couple of minutes, scrolling through old texts.

Quickly, she grabbed it back, locking it, and sliding it into her pocket, "Didn't anyone ever teach you manners?"

The redhead scoffed, "Please, the only thing I'm afraid of finding going through someone's phone is nudes. And I know you and your girl haven't been exchanging those. Yet."

Sometimes she had no idea where Addison was even coming from, "We're never going to be exchanging them. Haven't you been listening?"

"Did she kiss you back?" Mark cut in before Addison said anything else, and he leaned on the bar, looking interested.

Biting her lip, she thought back to the weekend. Not that she had to think particularly hard about it anyway, because it was simmering on her mind since it had happened. And she was fairly certain it would be until she and Arizona could move beyond it.

"She…" she'd been still at first. Callie had felt the way her breath had hitched, "… not at first," she admitted in a murmur, thinking of the kisses she'd placed on those soft pink lips and somehow, the memory of them still made her lips feel like it had just happened, "But then, she did. A little," Callie was sure of it. Because she was going to pull away, but then she had felt the returning pressure against her mouth.

Considering how the moment had felt like time had slowed between them, she was sure that she hadn't imagined it.

Then she blew out a breath as her shoulders slumped, "But – not for very long. And then she pulled back and ran." Seeing the questions form on both of their faces, she nodded surely, "Literally, ran. Like, away from me and out of the apartment in less than a minute."

Mark hummed in thought and sat back, sipping on his beer for a second, "I mean, in my experience, a woman running away is a really bad sign."

And she just stared at him before shaking her head, "I am very much aware of that, thank you," her teeth clenched, "As I already said, I'm not trying to get her to want to be with me; I just want her to talk to me so we can be friends again."

He looked uncertain, splitting his gaze between them for a moment, then downing the rest of his beer, "Yeah, listen. I'm no good for this kind of thing – the emotion and friends thing. When you have the romance problems, I'll be here. You're hot, Torres; you don't need to wait around for Alaska," were his parting words before he somewhat clumsily patted her on the shoulder offering what she thought was comfort, before gesturing to Addison something about where he was going.

She waved him off without a word, before tapping Callie's thigh, "I didn't think you had it in you. To just go for it," she clarified, even though it was unnecessary.

Callie scowled, "Yeah, well, I wish I didn't."

"So, why did you?" Addison prompted, as she gestured for another round of drinks for them. When she caught Callie's look, she added, "What happened that made you feel like it was the time to kiss her?"

"It's – there was – we had," she cut herself off with a groan, trying to quell her own stuttering, before she thought back to right before the kiss. What had started her great idea to lean in, "I – I told her that before her, I was really lonely. And she made me feel not alone anymore. And she said the same thing about me."

Then she frowned. That's what she'd thought Arizona was saying. Because she responded to Callie's speech in kind, but, "Oh, god," she whispered, shaking her head, "I read it all wrong."

Maybe Arizona hadn't meant to imply that she'd been lonely until Callie, the way Callie had meant it about her. Callie had just been too wrapped up in the moment – the moment she probably created in her head because she'd been lying in bed with the woman she realized she had actual, real, deep romantic feelings for – and kissed Arizona when the blonde was just trying to have a heart to heart.

With a friend.

Callie was a friend that Arizona had turned to when she felt like she couldn't go anywhere else, and she'd come to Callie to provide her a safe space. And then she'd turned that around and kissed the vulnerable girl when she was supposed to be comforting her.

No wonder Arizona wasn't talking to her. She was practically a molester!

Her chest felt like it was too tight, and she closed her eyes, "God, I messed up. Really badly."

Addison stared at her for a moment before slapping Callie – hard – on her thigh, "Hey, snap out of it. Listen, it was just a kiss. If she really is your friend, one little kiss that you're clearly sorry for won't be detrimental to your friendship."

But she shook her head, "You don't know Arizona; I can't make her listen to something she doesn't want to hear." Reaching for her phone, she shook it slightly in the air, "Clearly." She didn't go further into detail to explain Arizona – Arizona who closed off and drew into herself when there were things she didn't want to talk about. Arizona who seemed to deal with her problems by bottling them up and refusing to talk about them to anyone.

Which was how she'd ended up at Callie's place last weekend in the first place.

Addison just lifted her eyebrow and took a sip of her drink, before gesturing to Callie's phone herself, "All I saw in there – barring since Saturday – were the two of you flirting and being all couple-y."

Now Callie rolled her eyes and reached for her drink as well, "This is why I couldn't talk to you about the kiss before! Because you're always so adamant that Arizona is – that we should be together, or are already together, or whatever else. But now, I know we're not that."

"That?" Addison asked, confused.

"That," she embellished, taking another sip of her drink, before explaining, "What you think we are. Maybe you were right that I like her as more than a friend, but she definitely doesn't like me. And now we're probably not even friends!"

The redhead rolled her eyes, "Jesus, take a pill. Yeah, I did think you had feelings for her, and I was fucking right. And yeah, I do think you two are involved in some serious deep lesbian love tangle. And I'm fucking right," she mumbled, even though Callie clearly heard her, before clearing her throat, "But if this is the way it's going to be for now, then just get her to talk. You're great at making people like you."

She stared at Addison incredulously before bursting into laughter. Really, she couldn't stop, and it carried on like that for almost a whole minute, before she managed to take in a deep breath, "I'm good at making people like me? No one in the play liked me for months, including you." She didn't bother to add in the other experiences she'd had. Namely the ones in high school, where no one had liked her.

Or about her parents, who hadn't cared enough about her to try to reach out to her since she'd moved to the new city.

Yeah, her track record was pretty awful.

The redhead shrugged, "You are. I don't even really like Sloan, and I'm sleeping with him, but I like you." She downed the rest of her drink before pushing herself up and resting her hand on Callie's shoulder, "Listen. You wrote Arizona a fucking letter out of nowhere. She had no idea who you were, and you were all creepy. And she liked it – liked you – and wrote back. If she's not listening to your apologies right now, make her listen. She'll still like you."

And with that – and a sloppy, wet, more than slightly tipsy kiss on the cheek – Addison was off, leaving Callie to stew.

The last time Callie had been on a college campus was almost two years ago. Though, the college she'd attended in Florida wasn't nearly this big. It had been a small, private university that was very much close to home.

This?

Suffice it to say, the University of Pennsylvania was sprawling and Callie was grateful for the amount of reference maps in the area. They were the only things that had helped point her in the right direction.

Though, she frowned, she wasn't entirely sure this was the right direction. She had hope, though. If she could move to New York City by herself and figure her way around there, she could do the same here for an afternoon.

By this point, it had been just over a week since Arizona had run away from her – from their kiss, she corrected with a grimace. Since talking to Mark and Addison on Tuesday, she hadn't messaged the blonde for a couple of days, figuring that if she gave her a few days without interruption, that Arizona would come around to talk.

Or at least be receptive to hearing her out.

But, she'd been mistaken. And she kind of had a sneaking suspicion that if she didn't get Arizona to start talking to her again now, that she wasn't going to be able to later. All she was really hoping was that Arizona didn't think she was ridiculously creepy.

But, she reasoned with herself, Arizona had sought her out and surprised her at her play, right?

Biting her lip, she took a few steps in one direction, and looked at the tall academic buildings down that way. Before taking a few steps back, because she wasn't looking for academic buildings, she was looking for an auditorium or gymnasium of some sort.

Then she heard a yelp just as she felt her back knock right into someone. Quickly, she turned around – nearly tripping over her own feet in her haste – as she reached out to grasp at flailing arms to help steady the woman she'd nearly pushed over.

"Sorry," she mumbled, as she girl stood up straight, and as Callie let her go, she brushed herself off.

It was only then that her eyes lit up as she took in the sight in front of her. It was a girl, a little shorter than herself, with reddish brown hair – in a cheerleading uniform. The girl drew herself completely up, clipboard in hand, before offering Callie the slightest smile, "It's all right. Now if you'll excuse me."

The girl started going in the opposite direction, and Callie bit her lip and hesitated for a moment before hurrying after her, "Wait! Sorry, I'm not – I don't mean to follow you or anything. I'm not a stalker," she rambled, and cut herself off when she was given a sidelong suspicious glance from the corner of the girl's eyes. Why did words come out of her mouth sometimes? Pushing on, she dug her hands into her coat pockets, "I'm just – I was here to visit a friend for the cheerleading competition. But I'm kind of lost and I figured well, you probably know where you're going," she finished explaining.

At the mention of the cheerleading competition and the sight of one of the small maps in Callie's hand, the woman's demeanor relaxed, and she nodded, throwing a slightly warmer smile, "In that case, you're right. And you were pretty close; it's just down here," she nodded with her chin jutting out.

As they walked, she snuck a look at the clipboard in the woman's hands. It was a roster, she believed, and then she jumped when the girl caught her looking, and said, "It's the check-in sheet for the squad."

Callie lifted an eyebrow, "Are you – you're in charge of that kind of thing?"

The girl let out a quiet sigh before she looked down at the clipboard and shook her head, "I – no, not really. My frie – the captain of our team is. Arizona."

Just at hearing the blonde's name Callie felt her stomach flip flop. But she hadn't spoken to the blonde all week, and this was… it was so crazy to her. That she was conversing with someone else who knew Arizona. Because the only times she'd ever talked about the girl before was when she brought it up to other people.

But, to people like the woman next to her, Arizona was a real person. She saw the sides of Arizona that Arizona purposefully presented to her, and Callie was curious exactly to what that entailed.

"Is she… a good captain?" she ventured asking, feeling like it was a neutral enough question, if a little strange. But as much as she was interested in learning more about the blonde, she also didn't want to feel like she was stepping into her privacy.

If the cheerleader found it especially weird of her, she didn't act like it. Instead, she didn't hesitate to nod, "Yes. She's a great captain," and her tone was sure, but Callie felt like there was more there that she would have said, provided she actually knew Callie.

She wished she could ask, but she knew that would definitely be weird.

Instead she cleared her throat, "That's good. Um, I'm Callie, by the way."

The girl nodded at her, before offering her hand, "April."

Upon hearing her name Callie froze. But after a few hopefully unnoticeable seconds, she slipped her hand into the other girls, "It's nice to meet you."

After a quick shake, April resumed walking, and then checked her watch. Callie walked with her, mulling over the fact that she'd met Arizona's closest friend from her school. April was the only person Arizona consistently mentioned by name in their conversations, and suddenly Callie felt like an intruder.

Because she knew April already – well, not entirely – but she knew things about the woman that she shouldn't know as a stranger. But clearly, April didn't know of any Callie's. Which, even though it made her heart feel a twinge, she wasn't surprised.

She would have been shocked if Arizona had told any of her school friends about their friendship due to how little she liked to share. But she'd be lying if she said that it didn't make her at least a little sad, because everyone in her life knew of Arizona. Not that that included many people, she acknowledged.

Regardless. This wasn't about any of that; she was already here to apologize for taking advantage of Arizona's feelings before. She knew firsthand how closed off the blonde could be.

Shaking her head to clear it of those thoughts, she looked at the girl out of the corner of her eyes. And she thought of everything Arizona had said to her that night as she'd cried against Callie. About the things that people on the cheerleading squad and the sorority apparently thought about her, and about how Arizona had sobbed when she'd brokenly said that even April wasn't on her side.

She wondered about if they made up – she wouldn't know because she hadn't spoken to Arizona. She also wondered if April even had any idea at all how upset Arizona had really been. That she'd literally been driven to cry herself to sleep in a different state.

Ugh, she needed to see Arizona. Honestly, aside from needing to apologize, she really also just wanted to see that Arizona was okay; she was worried about her. How could she not be, when she felt like she'd isolated the blonde from herself, apparently the only person Arizona felt comfortable opening up to?

Her stomach twisted and her fingers tingled with nerves, and some excitement, too, she would admit, as they came up to a large gym.

"Here we are," April announced, then looked at her watch again, "I'm not sure they're letting people who aren't competing in yet; you're a little early. Do you already have your ticket?"

Callie didn't even know you had to buy tickets to this type of thing; all she'd known was that she had to come see Arizona and set things straight between them and that she'd mentioned this cheerleading competition several times in the last few weeks, so she knew she'd be here, "Uh," she unintentionally made the sound as she reached into her pocket for the little wallet she had, "Where do I –"

"April, there you are!" came an extremely familiar voice, and it made Callie freeze.

She chewed on her lip as she heard footsteps come closer to them, then abruptly cut off. Callie didn't have to look up to know why, though April did. The cheerleader cast the blonde a glance and offered a very tentative smile, "Sorry I'm a little late. I have the roster," she offered the clipboard to Arizona, who regarded it, scanning her eyes over the names.

And as she did, Callie took a second to look the blonde up and down, and she felt her face burn bright red. Why did she think it was a good idea to make amends with the woman that she was attracted to when she was going to be at a cheerleading competition, again?

Because it was an awful, awful idea. Arizona's smooth, slimly muscular legs – that seemed to go on forever, even though she was a little shorter than Callie herself – went on for miles, and were fully displayed beneath her pleated cheerleading skirt. And her top was just –

Very bad idea, Callie.

She tore her gaze away for a second before bringing it to Arizona's face, which, thankfully, hadn't looked at her again to see her clear perusal. Her jaw was completely healed now – which made her glad. And she didn't really know what else she was looking for, because the blonde looked flawless, like she always did.

Her stomach twisted again, as she bit harder on her lip.

Her skin looked smooth and blemish free, which, Callie's fingered tingled with the memory of stroking over it, and her cheeks were kind of red and rosy and adorable from the chill in the air.

No, she commanded herself. You're not here to check Arizona out. You're here to do the opposite of that.

She tuned back in as she watched Arizona run her finger lightly down the roster that April was holding, making occasional quick comments on the girls, as April nodded before trying to hand Arizona the roster for her to take.

But instead of taking it, Arizona hesitated – which caused April to look at her curiously, because Callie had the feeling that this Arizona, head cheerleader Arizona, didn't often hesitate. Then she slid her gaze to Callie, and she couldn't help but blush immediately upon eye contact.

She could practically see Arizona debate in her head before she gently pressed the clipboard back towards April, "Actually, could you go in and go through the roster first? And start running stretches. Please."

April looked shocked – which Callie thought was taking this to a little bit of an extreme, because it didn't seem like Arizona was asking her to do much – before she looked between the two of them, regarding Callie with suspicion again. Her voice was questioning as she answered, "Sure. Are – is everything okay?"

Arizona nodded, "Yeah, everything's fine. Thanks," she tacked on quietly, which seemed to make April even more alarmed, but the girl did what Arizona had asked, and slowly made her way inside.

Arizona crossed her arms around her waist after brushing them down the front of her form-fitting, wrinkle free shirt, which Callie had come to realize the blonde did when she was feeling nervous or uneasy, before she asked, "So, what are you doing here?"

Okay. Here it went.

Jamming her hands deep into her pockets, she felt her cheeks burn even more as she shook her head, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for coming here and blindsiding you, and I'm really, really sorry for – for kissing you. I shouldn't have done it. I mean, you came to me for comfort and I practically forced myself on you in my bed!"

Arizona quickly looked around, eyes wide, and Callie followed her gaze. No one was really close enough to hear them, but more people were milling around the area now, and Arizona tilted her head to the side, in a gesture that told Callie to follow her.

As soon as they were around the corner, Callie took a deep breath and continued, "I mean, you felt like you had no one else to come to, and then I felt like… I don't know, I felt like we had a moment. And I completely misread everything, and you – you barely gave me any response, and I kept kissing you! I'm sorry. And I just, I really want to be your friend, Arizona. I'm worried that I messed it up, because you don't want to talk anymore. But I care about you, first and foremost, as my friend. So I don't want to lose that just because I made one mistake. I'm not just some – some molester."

Blue eyes stared at her – god, she'd always thought those eyes were so intense, and right now they were incredible.

Then Arizona's eyebrows arched high on her forehead, "I – a molester?" Her hand came up to press to her forehead, and those eyes closed as Arizona shook her head, groaning, "For the record, I never thought of you as a molester."

Well, that offered some relief at least, and she sighed with it, feeling slightly less tense. But then Arizona didn't offer a response to anything else that she'd said, so she bit her lip before waiting a few more seconds, "I'm – I'm sorry, Arizona. And I mean it." Feeling slightly defeated, she stepped back, "But I'll leave, if you want me to."

She'd only taken one more step before Arizona reached out and lightly touched her arm, "No, don't go. I'm – I still want to be friends, too. It's just…" she lightly bounced from foot to foot, and then dropped her hand before looking around again, seeing that no one was around them, "I have to go back in and get ready. If you want to stay for the competition, we can talk after?"

"Yes!" she agreed, probably too quickly, and she flushed, before just nodding.

Arizona started walking back towards the building, and as they entered through the front doors, it was incredibly interesting to see the way Arizona's posture changed. She stood with her shoulders back and her chin up – formidably, Callie thought. Like a boss.

Like the captain, she supposed.

She liked it, though she liked that Arizona was relaxed with her – even right now – better.

When she paused behind a group of people waiting to buy tickets, she didn't think Arizona would notice, but within another two steps, Arizona turned around and lifted an eyebrow questioningly at her.

Callie started to dig out her wallet again, "I'm – I didn't come prepared. I have to –"

Arizona made the words fall back into her throat as she looked at the ticket collector to their left, and pointed to Callie, "She's with me."

And he looked at her and stepped back to let them through.

Okay. That probably shouldn't be hot. Probably really shouldn't, because it wasn't meant the way Callie kind of wished it was meant. But even still, it was exciting.

She was Arizona's guest, and it made her heart pound a little harder.

The blonde looked at her squad and Callie followed her gaze. The group of girls in matching uniforms were giving them curious, questioning looks. And Arizona turned back to Callie, who thought that the blonde's face was a little flushed now. She tilted her head a little bit, "I'll talk to you after."

Callie just nodded – because she didn't exactly know what she had expected when she'd come here but she didn't expect it all to go like this.

But she wasn't complaining.

Arizona turned and walked determinedly to her team, and Callie couldn't hear what she said, but she knew she said something to get them all focused on their stretches. Then Arizona started stretching, and Callie swallowed hard and made herself look away.

Cheerleading competitions were definitely a blessing and a curse.

Please let me know what you think! I love any and all feedback, and I'm so grateful for the response to this story so far. Thank you all for reading!

Also, on a sidenote, I'm going to be on vacation for the next 10 days. So... I'm going to possibly try to update once (no promises!) while I'm away. But no regular updates until I'm back, I'm afraid. Please be patient! Thank you!