A/N: Can I just say, TWENTY reviews?! Wowohwowohwowohwow. *insert much happiness and smile-y-Ness.* Yay!
Anyway, here's the next chapter, hopefully you'll like it. It's.. more cheery (I think?) than the other ones, and doesn't really have much drama. NEXT chapter though... heheh...
As always, please rate/review/follow. Oh, or PM me, I don't mind :)
Oh and 'cause it's almost Christmas, ten points if you spot the Frozen reference...
DISCLAIMER: I own only the cuppa tea I'm holding...
CHAPTER SEVEN
Unfortunately, they didn't forget to ground her. She had, after all, gotten suspended for fighting. Grounded for two weeks, with a ban on all electronics, extra chores for one of those weeks and a promise never to do it again... at least, not without reason. Still, she'd had worse, and therefore didn't complain. She was, instead, relieved that they still wanted her, that they were still willing to fight for her. Even after the latest ways she'd hurt them.
But at the same time, she was angry, furious even. What was the point in them sticking by her, treating her like their own daughter - she wasn't theirs and probably never would be? It felt almost fake - like they were all deluding themselves with worthless promises and false hope, the stuff of fantasies. She wasn't going to get adopted. She knew that, and so did Stef and Lena.
A tear slid down her cheek. And another. And another. She let them fall, not bothering to wipe them away or attempt to stop crying. It didn't matter, no one else was home anyway. Besides, there was no point. There was just no point. And she was sick of pretending otherwise.
She breathed in the silence of the house. The silence that was always possible but barely ever there - what with the twins constant squabbling, Brandon 's music and the moms' friendly chatter. Even Jude ignored it, joking around with all of them or asking for things - be it food or help with his maths. Sometimes she felt like she was the only one who appreciated it - who really knew what it meant, how it not only proved your existence, but also your insignificance. Because, let's face it, what was the point of being around - of living - if you were alone? Alone meant no one to confer in when you were worried, no one to lean on when you needed someone to rely on, no one to comfort you when you were sad. Thinking about it, Callie was well acquainted with being alone, in fact - in a kingdom of isolation, she would definitely be the queen. Because sometimes, even when the house was full and the idea of silence ridiculed, she found herself feeling so alone, separate from the rest of her family - from the people who were meant to love and understand her. Meant to, but didn't necessarily actually.
Ever since the ill-timed phone message from Sophia, her foster siblings had refused to speak to her, and so had Jude. They hadn't even given her a chance to try and explain, instead leaving the room as soon as she opened her mouth. They refused to listen - even when Stef and Lena tried. It was like they'd given up.
About time.
Which, with the added addition of her current suspension, meant she'd ended just listening to the silence a lot recently.
But what was the point in even bothering to explain? What would it achieve? Nothing. There was no point. So she might as well stop pretending. She shook her head and trying to convince herself otherwise, It didn't work. They don't care. Why should they, you're a worthless piece of shit. Adopting you was a silly notion - a child's game of make-believe. It was never really going to happen. There's no point in them adopting you - they have Jude now. They don't need you, no one does. No one.
Keys jangled as they were shoved into the front door, and the silence was shattered. She felt like laughing, relieved to be, once again, saved from her thoughts. But, once again, also ashamed of said thoughts - of how much anger, hatred for herself, and utter hopelessness they contained.
Why couldn't she just be happy? She sighed.
"Sweets, I'm home! Are you there?" Stef's cheery voice called from the hallway. She sighed again. Staying sat on her bed, she took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. Wiping her eyes, she exhaled. "Sweets?" Stef's voice held a worried tone as Callie failed to speak. How could she, when she felt as though she'd burst into huge loud sobs if she so much as opened her mouth.
"Callie? Can you answer me please?"
"Yeah?" Could Stef tell how hard it was for her to speak right now, for her to reign in and control her emotions? She hoped not.
Her door opened as Stef entered the room, smiling t the girl on the bed. "Hey, there you. Are you okay, Bug?"
"Yup." She nodded, not really in the mood for conversation.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Well, okay then." Stef frowned and sat beside her, scouring her face for clues. "Have you done your homework?"
Callie gestured at the open books and sheets scrawled on in her neat handwriting that lay next to her bed, and raised an eyebrow, not bothering to really answer the question. "Figure it you."
Stef frowned. "Less of the 'tude, please. I don't need another Mariana around the house!" As she'd hoped, that remark caused a giggle to escape the teen's lips. "Huh, think that's funny do you? Well I'll give you something to laugh about, missy!"
She pulled Callie closer to her and tickled, smirking as she squirmed and squealed with laughter. Soon the two of them were sprawled across the bed, both laughing joyously as they messed around, completely carefree.
"Stop it. Stop it!" Callie raised her hands in surrender. "Please!" Her face was flushed and she was struggling to catch her breath, but her eyes were filled with a childish delight Stef had never seen in them before - they were happy.
Stef happily obliged, and sat up, causing Callie's head to rest on her shoulder. She stroked the girl's hair gently - lovingly - and smiled down at her daughter. "What's bothering you, Slugabug?" She murmured. "Please tell me."
Callie took a deep breath, ready to just... talk.
"Stef? Are you back already?" Lena called from downstairs as she entered the house, accompanied by the other fosters.
Callie winced as their noise filled the building, before glancing at the open door and then back to Stef, hesistant to say anything now that they were no longer alone. "It doesn't matter." She muttered, standing up and heading out the room. "You shoulod probably go see what Lena wants."
Stef pursed her lips, frowning more so than before as she watched the teen leave, but she didn't say anything. She sighed, silently cursing her family's habit of bad timing, and also left the room, heading towards the sound of her wife's voice.
Upon finding her, Stef's good mood instantly dampened as she looked at her partner's serious expression.
"What?" She asked, "What is it?"
Silently, Lena handed her a letter.
'Dear Mrs S.M. Adams Foster and Mrs L.E. Adams Foster,'
Her heart dropped as she continued to read, barely able to comprehend hat was happening. Even though she'd known there was a chance this would happen. A teeny tiny chance she'd refused to think about, denying constantly. But it could no longer be denied, because it was happening - right there, right then.
Robert Quinn wanted custody of her daughter.