A/N – Well guys, this is the chapter before last. The next one's the big one. The grand finale. Thanks so much for sticking around till the very end, but I'll give thanks in the next chapter, for now let's just read this one.
I think this is my longest chapter yet, it's just over 7'000 words. The next one will be longer and it might be a while before I post it, but who knows, I might have a dash of creativity and write it all soon.
This chapter is focused more on Chris and Callie rather than Jackie and Eric. But there is a Jackie/Eric moment in the beginning and I think it's very sweet. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy. Until next time. Have a nice day.
August 27, 2001
"It's okay… It's okay…" Jackie soothed. It was three in the morning and Eric had stayed up late working on going through his photos for a collage he was supposed to put together for a magazine. He had become overwhelmed with everything lately and woke Jackie up crying and panicking. He was sitting in an upright fetal position, his arms wrapped around his knees as he tried to even out his breathing, but concentrating on it wasn't helping and was actually probably making it worse.
Jackie was rubbing his back soothingly, trying to help as best as she could. She'd never seen Eric have a panic attack this severe, he was getting really pale and she was sure he was having a hard time drawing in hair. She was afraid he was going make himself pass out.
"Eric, look at me," She pleaded, moving to sit in front of him, "Eric…"
Eric shook his head and clenched his eyes shut tight, tears running down his face as he muttered incoherently.
"Eric," She said again, a little louder as she gently grabbed his wrists, pulling them away from where he was pulling at his hair, not wanting him to hurt himself, "Open your eyes… Look at me… Eric, look at me."
Eric finally opened his eyes, but he averted Jackie's gaze, a little embarrassed of having a meltdown in front of her, but Jackie continued to plead with him, "Eric, look me in the eyes. I promise you it will help."
He still refused to look at her, so she ended up putting her hands on his face and moving his head to look at her. She was gentle about it and when she saw his pretty hazel eyes she smiled warmly, "It's okay. Just focus on me, okay? Just look at me…"
Eric slowly started to calm down and the color started to come back to his face as Jackie used her thumb to stroke his cheek, quietly soothing him. It was about five minutes or so before he finally started to calm down, but Jackie was just happy he was actually calming down.
Jackie kept her hands on his face and looked him in the eye, "You're okay now… You're alright," She smiled as she wiped his tears. His face was red, but Jackie couldn't tell if it was from getting upset or embarrassment. Probably both.
"Why don't we go to bed? You've had a long night," Jackie coaxed, moving her hands down to grasp his.
Eric nodded gently and sniffled, still trying to catch his breath but having an easier time breathing than before. Jackie slowly stood up and helped him up along with her before they slowly stepped over to Eric's bed.
Jackie released Eric's hands as he climbed into bed before she crawled in beside him. Jackie sat back, propped against the pillows as Eric suddenly wrapped his arms around her middle and rested his head in her lap. Jackie was a little surprised by the action.
Ever since the incident Eric's barely touched her. She doesn't know why, but she went with it. He was vulnerable right now and needed someone. Even though he never touched her, he still clung closely to her, barely ever leaving her side.
Jackie was surprised further when he grabbed her hand and pulled it down around him, kissing the back of it firmly before holding it in both his hands, keeping it close to his face as he stared at the wall across the room.
"I'm sorry," Eric suddenly spoke, his voice sounding small and quiet.
Jackie furrowed her brow as she looked down at Eric's face, using her free hand to brush the hair out of his eyes, "Sorry for what?"
Eric adjusted himself and gripped Jackie's hand tighter, his eyes watering again, "For being so… distant…"
"Eric, you're going through a rough—"
"I won't even hold your hand, Jackie," Eric snapped, causing Jackie to flinch, but she wasn't hurt by it, she just let him continue, "How could love someone who won't even hold your hand?"
Eric was getting choked up again as Jackie spoke, "Why won't you hold my hand? I know you're forcing yourself not to. So why won't you touch me?"
Eric shrugged, "I don't know… I guess I'm just… ashamed…"
"Of what?" Jackie asked, widening her eyes, "Of me?"
Eric felt her start to slip her hand out of his and he suddenly sat up, turning to face her as he grabbed her hand back, looking her in the eyes, "No! I'm ashamed of myself! I'm not ashamed of you. Jackie… you're beautiful and kind, and… Well, you've stuck around with me for longer than anyone ever has, even in my condition."
"Eric… Of course I've stuck around. I would never leave you… Y-you don't think I would, do you?" Jackie asked, tightening her grip on his hand.
Eric looked down at his lap and shrugged his shoulders loosely. Jackie grabbed Eric's other hand and both of them in both of hers, "Eric. Please believe me when I tell you you're the love of my life and I would do anything for you. I'd never abandon you…"
Eric scoffed and kept his gaze locked on his crossed legs, "It's just hard to believe that sometimes…"
Jackie didn't really know what to say. How could she prove to him that she wanted to be with forever? That she would never leave his side, no matter what? Surely there must be a way. Jackie then smiled.
She looked back at his face, her hands holding his tighter than ever, "Marry me."
Eric looked up quickly, his brow furrowed in confusion, "What?"
"You said you don't believe me. You don't believe that I would stay by your side and be there when you needed me. I thought how could I prove you wrong? So… Marry me," Jackie was smiling sweetly at him, but Eric was still crying, Jackie thought maybe he'd say no.
Eric looked down at Jackie's hand in his and chuckled, as if he didn't believe what she was saying, "Are you being serious?" He asked as he looked back up at her face, a small smile on his face. It was a sight that warmed Jackie's heart.
Jackie nodded and squeezed Eric's hands, "Yes, I'm being serious. I'm asking you to marry me, Eric."
Eric smiled a little bigger and laughed again, happily. She wanted to get married? He looked into her eyes, her hazel colored irises looked sincere. Eric couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he nodded.
"Yes," He laughed, "Yes, I'll marry you."
Jackie beamed and squealed joyfully, in a girly way as she clapped her hands. Eric watched her and laughed happily the whole time before she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the mouth.
He smiled against her lips and placed his hands on her hips as she straddled his lap and pushed her fingers into his hair.
And Eric knew right then as Jackie sat in his lap and kissed him, he knew she was the one he'd be with forever.
0-0-0-0-0
Over an hour or so later, the two were lying in bed, under the blankets, staring up at the ceiling. Both of them wore a smile on their face, both of them happier than they were an hour ago.
Eric didn't think his night would turn out this way. It started out with him stressing out over his photo collage and having a panic attack to Jackie proposing to him and now here they both lay under the blankets after passionate… sex. Eric blushed just thinking about it.
He suddenly heard Jackie giggle under his arm and he looked down at her and raised an eyebrow, but his warm smile remained, "What's so funny?"
"Nothing…" Jackie smiled, biting her lip, "You're just so cute when you're blushing."
That made Eric blush more and Jackie giggled again before she rested her head on her fiancé's bare chest. Fiancé. She liked the sound of that.
The two sat in silence for a moment, it was a comfortable silence.
"Where do you want to get married?" Eric asked joyfully, tightening his arm around Jackie's shoulders.
Jackie hummed in thought before sarcastically responding, "Fiji."
Eric chuckled, "Fiji?"
Jackie nodded, "Yeah. Or we could just get married on the beach. That'd be cool, too."
Eric laughed and nodded, "I don't know. An average old beach is definitely not as cool as Fiji."
Jackie giggled and scrunched her shoulders, "I don't care where we get married. I'm just happy I'm getting married to you."
Eric smiled at that and rubbed Jackie's bare arm gently before giving her a kiss on the side of the head, "Yeah. I'm happy I'm marrying you, too."
Jackie smiled back and looked up into his eyes, "You know what we're going to have to do after we married, though?"
Eric furrowed his brow and shook his head, "No. What?"
"Buy a house," She responded, resting her head on his chest once more.
"Oh yeah? What for?" Eric asked, not catching on.
Jackie then rolled her eyes, "For our kids, of course."
Eric smiled wider and looked up at the ceiling longingly, "Well… How big does this house have to be?"
Jackie thought for a minute, her lips pursed before she spoke, "I don't know, how many kids do you want?"
"I don't know… Two or three?" Eric shrugged.
"Really? I want five," Jackie responded, as if that was an easy number of kids.
Eric's eyebrows shot up, "Five?"
Jackie nodded and beamed a bright smile, "Yeah, five. Four boys, one girl."
Eric was surprised, "You want more boys than girls? I would have never guessed."
"Boys are easier than girls," Jackie said, "Girls are too complicated. They're more expensive too."
Eric chuckled, "I don't know. I think boys are harder to raise than girls."
Jackie rolled her eyes, but smiled lovingly at her new fiancé, "How so?"
Eric adjusted under the blankets, but kept his arm firmly around Jackie's shoulders, "Well, knowing me, our girls could be careless about what kind of clothes they wear. When I was a kid I never cared about the latest trend in fashion—"
"But I was," Jackie cut him off, "What if they're like me as a kid?"
"Oh, that'd be a nightmare," Eric chuckled as did Jackie, "But I don't really care either way. We could have all boys or all girls. I'd love them all the same."
Jackie nodded in agreement, "Yeah, me too."
Jackie and Eric then snuggled closer together and closed both their eyes as they slowly drifted off into a for once peaceful sleep.
0-0-0-0-0
August 28, 2001
Callie leaned back against a tree out in front of the high school. She was only in eighth grade and Chris was a freshman, so she still had another year before she went to the same school as he did, and she couldn't wait. It was kind of weird spending time apart from him now after spending every day of the summer by his side. She kind of missed him.
She was waiting for him right now. He told her yesterday that his old bully was already back to picking on him, so Callie wanted to be here so they could walk home together. Maybe Callie could keep the bully from antagonizing Chris all the way there.
Callie kicked at rocks on the sidewalk as she waited for the bell to ring, which happened only a moment later. Chris hated the bell. It was too loud and it happened too fast. He could usually handle it though.
Callie watched as kids started flooding out of the school as she pushed herself off the tree trunk she was leaning against, waiting for Chris to make his appearance.
It was after most of the crowd had went down the sidewalk that Chris came through, his hands gripped the straps of his backpack and his head lowered to the ground, glaring at it irritably. It was then that Callie noticed the kid following behind Chris, chattering away constantly, and from the look on Chris's face, what he was saying wasn't good.
Callie grabbed the straps of her backpack as well and skipped forward a little, waiting for Chris to catch up to her.
"Hey Chris," Callie suddenly spoke as he got closer to her.
He jerked his head up and looked at his friend, "Callie…"
The boy beside Chris suddenly stopped in his tracks and smiled deviously at Callie, "Oh, you're still hangin' around her?"
Callie crossed her arms and glared at the boy, finally recognizing him. Casper, the boy from the street that day that was flirting with her and calling Chris names. She hated him.
"Yes, he's still 'hangin' around me,'" Callie spat, stepping closer to Chris and sizing Casper up, "Do you have a problem with that?"
Casper shook his head and held his hands up in defense, though he wore an amused smile on his face, "No problem at all."
Callie nodded and grabbed Chris's arm. He flinched at the sudden contact but he relaxed quickly as they turned to leave.
"It's no problem that ye' choose ta' hang out with a retard," Casper called as the two started walking away, but they froze when he said that, "It's a little weird, but… It's yer life."
Callie spun around and clenched her fists, glaring at Casper, "What did you call him?"
Casper smiled as Chris tried getting Callie to leave it alone, "A retard," Casper smiled smugly, "Everybody's got a nickname for him, it just depends what mood he's in that day. If he freaks out, he's cry baby. If he flaps his hands, he's retard. If he has a little fit of rage and he yells at a teacher, he's Mr. Manson. We're just waiting for Chrissy boy here to snap. It's willing to happen one day."
Callie nodded, "Yeah, and you'll probably be the first one he goes after."
Casper frowned, "Was that a threat?"
Callie sized Casper up again, her face just inches from his, "Yeah, I think it was."
"Okay guys, let's not fight," Chris said, pushing the two apart awkwardly.
Callie and Casper glared at each other as Chris pulled Callie away from Casper, "Callie, let's just go home. I can handle him. I don't need your help."
Callie shook her head, "Nobody calls my boyfriend names and gets away with it."
Chris blushed at that and Callie was fully aware of what she just said. Boyfriend. She wasn't spending the time to blush about though, she was still glaring at Casper, but she decided in the end to grab Chris's hand and walk away, be the bigger person.
"Come on, Chris," Callie snapped, turning and dragging Chris away, "I'll bash his face in some other time."
Casper smirked at her meaningless threat and shook his head, "We both know you're not capable of that, little miss perfect."
The two kept walking as Casper tried coming up with something else to say, "You must be pretty desperate if you're willin' to screw a retard!"
Callie tightened her grip on Chris's hand, but Casper kept talking, "Is it desperate or… Slutty?"
That's when Chris stopped walking, pulling Callie to a stop. Callie turned and looked up at Chris, her features softening when she saw his angry expression, "Chris?"
"What's the matta' Chrissy boy? Don't like me insulting yer girl?" Casper asked, his thick New York accent starting to get on Chris's last nerve, "I don't think sluts can be insulted. They've already gone as low as they can go."
Chris clenched his fists, releasing Callie's hand as Casper hit the last straw, "And yer girl's already gone as low as she can go, I mean… How much lower can it get, sleepin' with you."
Chris suddenly spun around on his heel and charged at Casper. Callie stood back in shock as she watched Chris tackle Casper and they both slid to the ground. Chris was sitting on top of Casper as his fists just starting smacking into the other boy hard and fast. Callie was too shocked to respond initially, she just watched as several kids leaving the school crowded around and watched the fight.
"Is that Chris?" One kid asked.
"Yeah, the weird kid?" Another spoke.
"Yeah."
"He's whoopin' Casper's ass!" A boy cried, pumping his fist in the air, "Get him Chris!"
Callie was surprised someone else was supporting Chris in this fight, but she quickly shrugged it off and stepped forward, pushing into the crowd of gathering teenagers and came to stand in front of the fight.
Casper had landed a few punches at Chris, but now he was begging for Chris to get off of him as he guarded his head with his arms.
Callie needed to stop this before Chris really hurt Casper, "Chris! Chris, stop!"
But Chris kept hitting Casper, his breathing heavy. Callie finally reached down and grabbed Chris's fist as he raised it up again and Chris suddenly stopped. He looked up at Callie, one fist still clenched, the other gripped the chest of Casper's shirt.
"Chris, stop it," Callie ordered, tears threatening her eyes.
For once, Chris sensed the emotion in her voice and his gaze softened. He looked back down at Casper and released the chest of his shirt. Callie let go of his wrist and Chris stood up quickly, but he glared down at Casper and didn't say a word. He just turned around and started down the sidewalk, Callie following closely behind.
They walked side by side as the high school kids stared after them and then they all looked down as Casper, who still laid on the ground, holding his stomach and groaning in pain.
Callie looked up at Chris as they walked down the sidewalk quietly. He was still glaring, but at nothing in particular. He had been punched in the face, because his mouth was bleeding. Maybe he bit his tongue or something?
Callie watched as he turned his head to the side and spit some blood out into the grass in front of somebody's home. Callie didn't like it when people fought, especially if they were fighting about her, but Chris looked kind of badass right now.
Callie kept herself from smirking and the two continued their venture home silently.
0-0-0-0-0
Chris dropped Callie off at her apartment before he ran home. He got back to his apartment near four thirty that afternoon and when he walked in, Eric and Jackie were sitting at the counter, drinking a beer.
"Hey buddy, how was sch—Chris?" Eric suddenly cried, putting his drink down, along with Jackie before they both walked over to Chris, "What happened?"
Eric tried grabbing his chin to make him look towards him so he could see the damage, but Chris pushed his hands away, "Nothing, I'm fine."
Eric was taken aback by his harsh tone. It wasn't like Chris to be angry. He was usually quiet and secluded.
"Chris, if—"
Chris cut him off, "Casper called Callie a slut so I kicked his ass."
Chris then stormed towards the hall as Eric and Jackie looked towards him, "You look like hell. Are you sure you're okay?"
Chris then smirked sort of smugly, which was rare for him as well, "You should see him."
He then walked down the hall and the next thing Eric and Jackie heard was the slamming of his door being shut. Eric then smiled and looked towards the hall proudly, "Wait to go, Chris."
Chris threw his backpack down in the corner of his bedroom and went over to lay down on his bed. He kind of felt bad for beating up Casper, even if he did deserve it. Chris didn't like being angry and he felt like he should apologize.
He also thought Callie was mad at him. Callie didn't say a word to him the whole way to her apartment, even when he tried talking to her. That was usually the other way around. Apparently Callie didn't like the fighting type. Not many girls did.
Chris sighed and looked up at the ceiling, his mind not letting him think of anything else than Callie being angry at him. Had he just ruined his only friendship?
Tap, tap, tap!
Chris jerked his head over to the side, looking over at his window and he saw his only friend standing on the fire escape, tapping on the window.
Chris raised an eyebrow and quickly sat up and stepped over to the window, unlocking it and opening it up.
"Callie? What are you doing here?" Chris asked as he moved out of the way for Callie to clamber through the open window.
"I came to see if you were alright," Callie replied as she smoothed her shirt out and looked up at Chris, "Are you?"
Chris nodded, "Yeah, but… You're not mad at me?"
Now Callie furrowed her brow, "Why would I be mad at you? You stood up for me and beat the crap out of Casper. That's pretty cool."
Chris shook his head, "I should of let it be. I shouldn't have hit him."
Callie shrugged her shoulders awkwardly, "I think you should have, maybe just not so much…"
Chris nodded in agreement, "Yeah, maybe…"
Callie examined Chris. He had a bruise along his jawline and a cut on his lip, most of the other damage must be on his abdomen, that's where Casper was trying to push him off of him. Callie looked down at Chris's hand, which was clenched nervously. He was averting her gaze, as usual.
"Callie?" Chris suddenly spoke again, causing Callie to look up at him.
"Yeah?" She hummed, her brown eyes staring into his intently.
Chris immediately averted eye contact again and nervously asked, "Um… D-did you, um, mean what you said back there?"
Callie raised an eyebrow, "About what?"
"Um… m-me being your… You know, your… Boyfriend…" Chris said nervously, his fists clenching and unclenching.
Callie smiled a little bit and gently grabbed his hand, causing him to flinch a little as he looked down at their entwined hands.
"Why would I have said it if I didn't mean it?" Callie asked.
Chris adjusted his shoulders awkwardly and stumbled over his words, not really sure what to say. His face was pink with slight embarrassment as he tried getting words to form and actually come out of his mouth.
This was it. Callie thought. My chance. Callie grabbed Chris's other hand and tightly held the both of them before she stood on her tip toes and pecked Chris on the lips, which immediately halted his speech.
The kiss was quick, like any typical first teenager kiss, but Callie was still glad she did it. Chris blushed a deeper shade of red and finally made eye contact with Callie as she smiled up at him. Chris then smiled back awkwardly before he laughed nervously, which he always did when he was nervous. Callie thought it was cute.
After the slight awkwardness died down a bit they both sat down and laid on his bed, both looking up at the ceiling, still holding hands.
Their first kiss was awkward, sure, but who's first kiss was perfect? Callie was just glad she did it.
0-0-0-0-0
August 29, 2001
It was the middle of the school day the next day and neither Chris nor Callie had any problems with anybody that day. Chris was usually picked on by somebody during the day, but so far, nothing. Not even from Casper, and he was hard to scare away. Chris actually hasn't seen Casper today, which was a little odd. He must have really scared him off.
Around lunchtime, Callie would sneak out of her school and come over to Chris's school and they'd have lunch together. The middle school was only a block away so she just walked over to the school.
She climbed over the fence that surrounded the outdoor lunch area and walked up to the back steps. The outdoor lunch area was for the outcast kids. The poor kids, the thugs, the thieves, the pot smokers, the kids that snuck alcohol into the school and disguised it as water or tea, and then just the plain weird kids.
It was a little intimidating at first. High school kids were different. They were tougher, more intimidating, knew how to stand their ground, didn't care what other people thought of them, accepted themselves, had everything figured out. At least, that's what Callie thought.
These kids were worse than middle school kids. They may have been taller and stronger, but they were still just kids who had no idea what to do with themselves and they were all self-conscious. Which is why all the 'weird kids' ate lunch outside because they felt like the outcasts inside.
Callie and Chris were both accepted out here, nobody cared who they were and what they did. Thye were just some other weird kids.
"Hey Callie," A boy named Windel suddenly spoke. He was a laid back kid who had fried too many brain cells drinking straight rum out of a flask and smoking way too much weed, but he was always the one that greeted Callie, along with two of his friend.
Gina, who was a punk girl who always wore either a Sex Pistols, Blink-182 or Sum 41 t-shirt whose hair was dyed black and she also wore a nose ring and thick framed glasses. And then there was Jimmy, who always wore sunglasses and never spoke. Callie's only ever heard speak about three times, he just didn't like to talk, even though Callie knew he had so much to say. He was always writing in his notebook and from what Callie could tell, it was pretty deep stuff.
"Hey Windel, how's it going?" Callie asked.
Windel shrugged and looked around, his eye glassed over. He was high, "It's goin' a'right. I got grounded last night. My Pops found my stash of grass in my backpack," Windel then chuckled, "Hey… That kinda rhymed."
Callie rolled her eyes, "Sorry about that, Windel. You know where Chris is?"
Windel nodded, "He said 'e had ta' go to the bathroom. He should be back any minute now."
Callie nodded and adjusted her bag over his shoulders, "Thanks Windel," Callie then marched past him, saying hello to Gina and Jimmy on the way through. She opened the back door and stepped inside the empty hall, looking down towards the men's restroom.
She slowly marched down the hall and came to a stop in front of the boy's bathroom, and as soon as she got there, Chris came stumbling out of the bathroom, tripping over his own two feet. Callie held back a giggle and looked up at him.
"Hey Chris," She smiled and he looked down at her, but he didn't smile back. He seemed anxious.
"Callie, I'm worried," He suddenly said, looking around nervously, "I haven't seen Casper today."
Callie rolled her eyes and kept the smile on her face, "You probably scared him off. You gave him quite a beating yesterday."
Chris nodded, "That's what I'm worried about. What if he's plotting revenge?"
Callie rolled her eyes once more and smiled smugly, "You're overreacting."
"Am I Callie? Am I?" Chris asked, raising his voice.
Callie fought the urge not to laugh as she grabbed Chris's hand, "Yes, you are. Come on, I'll prove it to you."
Chris furrowed his brow, "How?"
Callie started dragging her boyfriend down the hall as he stumbled behind her, his hand loose in her grasp, "We're going to go find Casper."
0-0-0-0-0
This was a bad idea, Chris knew it was. Callie found Casper pretty easily. He was sitting by himself in the lunchroom, his hand holding his head up as he looked like he could fall asleep at any minute.
"See, he's just sitting there," Callie said, "He doesn't look like he's plotting any kind of evil scheme to get back at you. In all honesty, he's probably scared too. You can be pretty tough when you want to be."
Chris nodded, unbelieving, "Yeah? Well so can he!"
"Chris," Callie looked up at him, starting to get slightly annoyed by this, "He didn't stand a chance against you yesterday. You had him beat. I don't think he's going to fight back."
Chris looked across the lunchroom at him, "I don't know… I still don't believe you."
Callie sighed and frowned, grabbing Chris's hand again, "Then come on, follow me," She then started dragging Chris across the lunchroom over to his former bully.
They got there pretty quickly, as Callie was wasting no time. They stopped in front of Casper's table where he sat alone and stared down at him. He didn't seem to notice them approach him, so Callie had to say something.
"Hey Casper," Callie said suddenly, causing the boy at the table to flinch.
Casper looked up at Chris and Callie, looking incredibly tired, and glared at them, "What do you guys want?"
Callie released Chris's hand and crossed her arms over her chest, "Chris is afraid you're going to get back at him for he did yesterday. So could you please tell him you're not going to do that so we can just go about our day?"
Casper looked up at Callie and then at Chris and then back at Callie, "Why? It's betta' if e's scared a' me."
Callie raised an eyebrow, "How is that better?"
Casper looked over at Chris again. He was looking around nervously, his hand grabbing his wrist as he scratched at it anxiously, not making eye contact with anyone. Casper then looked back up at Callie before averting anyone's gaze completely and looking down at the food tray on the table in front of him.
"I'm sorry…" He whispered, but over the loud chattering of all the kids in the cafeteria, neither Callie nor Chris could hear him.
"What was that?" Callie asked, not in the mood to be nice to him. Why should she be anyway? He's bullied Chris forever.
"I'm sorry, okay?" Casper whispered harshly as he glared up at Callie.
Callie and Chris both looked at him, a little taken aback. Casper never apologized, he found enjoyment in watching other people wallow in sadness. He liked making people feel bad.
"You're sorry?!" Callie cried, surprised. A few tables around the three of them got quiet and looked over towards them, interested in the ensuing drama as most high school kids were.
Casper looked around and then sent Callie a warning glare, "Would ye' keep yer voice down? I don't want everybody ta' hear!"
Callie ignored him and glared down at him as Chris spoke, "You're not sorry! You've bullied me since fourth grade! You're the one that turned everyone against me! You're the reason everybody here thinks I'm a freak!"
Casper was clenching his fists which were barely visible under his much too big jacket. His jaw was clenched as he avoided looking at anybody. He almost seemed embarrassed. He probably was, with all these people watching him get yelled at by Chris. First he was humiliated yesterday by getting beat up and now this. Not much more could go wrong this week, and it was only Wednesday.
"I know," Casper said quietly, his voice weak.
Callie almost felt bad for him, but she also didn't. He kind of deserved all of this. He was a dick.
"Why aren't you fighting back?" Chris asked, his frustration still evident, "It's kind of hard to get mad at you when you're just letting me do it!"
Casper glanced up at Chris, his brown eyes glassy. He glared at Chris then reached down and grabbed his backpack off the ground behind his chair and stood up, throwing the bag over his shoulder before he pushed past Chris and Callie, his head tilted down so he didn't make eye contact with anyone as he rushed out of the cafeteria.
Callie looked up at Chris and he looked down at her in confusion as they both spun around to watch Casper go. They watched as he pushed open the doors to the cafeteria and rush out.
"Wait to go, Chris," A boy from behind them suddenly said. The two turned around and came face to face with as a smaller kid. He had golden colored hair and dark eyes like Chris's and he wore a smile on his face. This was the kid that was rooting for Chris yesterday during the fight, "Casper hasn't messed with anyone today. I think you finally knocked some sense into him. It was probably that blow to the eye."
Chris raised an eyebrow and looked down at the kid who was sitting on the table, "I didn't hit him in the face."
The other kid furrowed his brow and looked at Chris funny, "Yeah, you did. He's got a black eye, didn't you see it? You busted his lip, too."
Chris looked away from the kid and thought for a minute before he looked down at Callie, who was gazing up at him curiously.
"What is it, Chris?" Callie asked, putting a hand on his arm.
Chris thought for another minute before he suddenly spun around and started towards the cafeteria doors where Casper previously went.
"Chris, wait up!" Callie called, jogging to catch up with her best friend.
When she caught up with Chris they both ran out of the cafeteria and Chris looked down the hall, but it was empty. He started down the hall to where the men's restroom was and peeked inside, seeing if Casper had gone in there. A moment later he peeked his head out of the door and grabbed Callie's hand, "He's in here."
Callie raised an eyebrow, "Okay, so—Chris!" She cried as he pulled her into the bathroom.
Callie stumbled in after Chris, a little annoyed by him at the moment.
Casper suddenly looked up from where he was at the sink, looking in the mirror and looked over at Callie and Chris, a look of annoyance on his face as he pointed at Callie, "What is she doin' in here!"
"That's what I want to know," Callie snapped as she pulled her hand out of Chris's and smoothed her shirt of wrinkles.
"Who else beat you up, Casper?" Chris suddenly asked, causing Callie to look up at him in alarm.
"What?!" Casper suddenly cried, glaring at Chris angrily.
"Chris!" Callie smacked him on the arm roughly, giving him a scolding look.
"You've got a black eye," Chris kept on, "I didn't hit you in the face."
Casper just continued to glare at Chris, "Yeah ye' did."
Chris shook his head, "No, I didn't. Did somebody else beat you up?"
"No!" Casper snapped, clenching his fists and taking a daring step closer to Chris, "Ye' got one black eye, ye' want the utta' one ta' match?!"
Chris didn't even flinch at his threat as he normally would, but Casper did raise a fist, which made Callie flinch. She grabbed Chris's arm and tried pulling him out of the bathroom, away from Casper, "Chris, come on, don't fight again. He's not worth it."
Casper glanced at Callie and she saw something flicker in his eyes. Anger? Annoyance? No, neither of those things. Hurt. It was hurt.
Casper lowered his fists and turned away from the two standing before him, grabbing the edge of the sink so tight his knuckles turned white.
"Just leave me alone," Casper snapped, avoiding the two's gaze.
"Was it Doug?" Chris asked, taking a step closer to Casper, "He's always pushing me around."
"It wasn't Doug," Casper snapped, "Would you two please just leave?"
"Then who was it? Victor?" Chris kept asking questions. He just had a weird feeling about this.
"Nobody beat me up, Chris! What can't ye' undastand 'bout that?!" Casper snapped, glaring at Chris out the corner of his eye.
"Chris…" Callie grabbed his hand, tugging on it, "Maybe we should just go."
Chris looked down at Callie, his brow furrowed, "Somethings wrong."
Callie shook her head, "You can't fix everything, Chris."
Chris looked back up at Casper and then back down at Callie, "Just look at him…"
Callie sighed and looked up across the room at Casper. He was leaning over the sink, his head tilted down as he avoided looking at either of them, but he kept glancing at them out the corner of his eye. He had dark circles under his eyes, dark circles he didn't have yesterday. He seemed paler. He looked tired. He was shaking, just a little, you couldn't tell unless he was still and you were looking at him real close.
Callie looked up at Chris and sighed, giving him a sympathetic look before she suddenly hardened her gaze. She let go of Chris's hand and took several looming steps towards Casper. She moved so quickly neither of the boys had time to act.
She grabbed the sleeve of Casper's nylon blue jacket and pulled him towards her. He turned and looked down at her, giving her an annoyed look.
"What?" He spat, glaring.
"Don't 'what' me," Callie snapped with just as much bite. She asserted the situation in a much tougher demeanor than Chris, maybe she could break Casper, "If you don't tell us what's wrong, I'll give YOU a matching set of black eyes. So talk."
Casper swallowed thickly, but his glare never faltered. He was tough and hard to break. Callie didn't run across that often back home. Then she remembered she was in New York City, there was a lot of tough people here. She'd have to try a little harder.
"I don't have ta' tell ye' nothin'," Casper snapped back, sizing her up, which was making Chris a little anxious.
"Could you two just…" Chris stood beside both of them and put his hands in between them, pushing them back away from each other.
"Tell yer little girlfriend 'ere she needs ta' learn how ta' watch 'er mouth," Casper snapped irritably, "She ain't in no little small town no more. Yer messin' with the big dogs now, sweetheart."
Callie stepped closer to Casper again, making Chris groan in annoyance, "Don't call me sweetheart, sweetheart."
"Don't try an' act all tough when yer not," Casper ordered, glaring hard at Callie.
"Maybe you should take your own advice," Callie snapped. Casper faltered. He dropped his tough guy attitude in a split second. Callie smiled inwardly. She broke him.
Casper stepped back away from Callie and glared at the floor now instead of at Chris or Callie. He sniffed and then spoke, "Why do ye' wanna know so bad?"
Chris stepped over to stand beside Callie, "Because… Your usually the tough guy that doesn't back down from a fight. Yet, here you are. I was so nervous you were going to beat me up today, but instead you're telling me to get away from you. I can tell something's seriously wrong, and that's rare for me."
"Come on, Casper, just spill it," Callie ordered, crossing her arms. She was getting a little tired of this.
Casper sighed and dropped his head, his arms going limp by his sides, "It was Joey, Frankie and Leo."
Chris raised an eyebrow, "But… But I thought they were your friends?"
Casper glared at Chris, "They were nevva' my friends!" He snapped. He was an angry kid, "They jus' kept me 'round 'cause I stole my pop's beer for 'em!"
Chris and Callie stayed quiet as he continued, "And wheneva' my pop's found out about it he'd—" He stopped speaking abruptly and calmed his voice, "Screw it, you guys don't care anyway."
Callie softened her gaze, but kept her arms crossed, "Does your dad hit you, Casper?"
Casper looked up at the younger girl and his brow twitched, he was starting to have a hard time keeping his angry attitude up. It was exhausting sometimes, "Why do you care? Yer just 'ere so ye' can blackmail me lata'."
Callie finally softened her gaze and dropped her arms by her sides, "What? No Casper, I'm not like that. If your dad hits you, that's screwed up."
Casper sniffled and averted their gazes, "He's not my dad. He's my step-dad. I don't know my real dad."
Chris stepped forward a little now, "There's something we have in common."
Casper looked up at that as Callie asked, "Does your mom hit you too?"
Casper gave Callie a look as if she were insane, "No! She'd nevva' do that ta' me!"
"Sorry," Callie said quietly, looking down at her shoes.
Casper dropped his head again and laughed incredulously, "God… I'm pathetic. I have no friends, my dad thinks I'm a losa', my real dad hates me enough ta' not be 'round…"
Callie looked over at Chris for a minute and then down at her shoes again before finally looking up at Casper, "You want to come to lunch with us?"
Casper jerked his head up to meet eyes with Callie, "What?"
Callie shrugged her shoulders nervously, "Do you want to come sit with us at lunch? I noticed you weren't sitting with anybody in the cafeteria, so…"
Casper glared at her again, his soft side not showing for long, "I don't need yer pity, and I certainly don't want pity friends."
Callie shook her head and smiled warmly, "We're not pity friends. I think maybe you're just a mean kid who has a reason to mean. And I mean a real reason. I don't think you're really like that, you just need some real friends to show you that. So I'll ask again, do you want to come to lunch with us?"
Casper looked at Callie for a moment, his features softening quickly before he looked over at Chris, who was looking at him too. He then looked back at Callie and smiled a small smile, "Yeah, why the hell not?"
Callie smiled and Chris even smirked a little as they all departed from the restroom and started down the hallway towards the outdoor eating area.
Callie looked up at Casper and asked, "My mom usually over packs for lunch, so if you want half of my sandwich you can have it."
Casper smiled down at Callie, "Sure… Thanks."
Callie smiled back, "No problem."
Casper looked down at Callie then up at Chris before asking, "So, are you guys really togetha' or is that all for show?"
Callie looked up at Chris and smiled, grabbing a hold of his hand before looking back at Casper, "Yeah, we're really together."
Then Chris and Callie and their newfound friend went to eat lunch together, all of them a little happier than they were an hour ago.
A/N – I bet you guys thought Casper was just an asshole bully. Nope, I've got big plans for him which you will see in the sequel to this. So, Callie and Chris's first kiss was a little awkward, huh? Hope you didn't cringe reading it, I know I did when I was writing it. I was going to change it, but then I thought, a teenagers first kiss is never perfect, so I left it alone. Until next time, have a nice day.