Amy POV

January 6th

"As long as her grades don't go lower than this," Callie's PO, Carl Peterson, said pointing to the file in front of him "There isn't going to be any problem!"

"So, C average is okay for now," Aaron concluded watched Carl closely

"Yes, it's okay for now," he emphasized "She was in Juvie few weeks ago. I understand that it takes some time to adjust to a new living situation and a new school,"

After a brief pause, in which he finished drinking his tea that I had made for him, he continued "Of course, I would love to see her grades improve as time goes on. That's not just for me," he pressed his palm to his chest "that's for her own sake! We all want the same thing - for Callie to succeed in life!"

"Of course," Aaron and I both nodded back agreeing with Carl

"We are going to do everything we can to make that happen," I added glancing to Aaron, who sat next to me on the living room couch

"Now," Carl turned a page in Callie's file "What does concern me a little bit, at this moment, is that Callie doesn't participate anywhere. I want for Callie to become part of a community!"

"Meaning?" Aaron raised his eyebrow up while he nervously shifted in his seat

"Meaning – I want you to get Callie into any kind of after school activity. Right now, all she sees is school and your home. It will be good for Callie to expand her horizons, to meet new people, learn a new skill. I want her to meet people her own age, that unlike the teenagers she met in Juvie or in previous foster homes, will be a good influence on her!"

"Like, girls scouts?" I asked the first thing that popping in my mind

"That...that is one option!" Carl said with a laughter, but explained further a moment later "She could also participating in any kind of sport – volleyball, softball, lacrosse, swimming or track and field. You could sign her up to music school so she can learn how to play guitar, piano, violin or any other instrument. If she likes to sign – choir or glee club? There is also art school and dance studios. Maybe drama club at school! If she doesn't like any of the previous option there is San Diego youth center that is not too far from her school. She could work there as volunteer. What you chose for her – it's up to you!"

"We can certainly find something for her to do," I replied while Aaron simply nodded his head back, acknowledging that he understood what was said

"Okay," Carl smiled as he closed Callie's file "I guess, that's it for today," He took the file and put it in his briefcase that stood by the leg of the coffee table

"I will come back around in few weeks. To see how things are going. By the time, I would love for Callie to participate in some activity after school," Carl said as he stood up

When we were by the front doors, he turned back to us and shook our hands "Thank you both for your time!"

Once the doors closed after him, Aaron turned to me "Girl scouts?" he laughed about what I had said

"Shut up. It was the first thing that popped in my mind!" I replied, playfully slapping his upper arm as I walked pass him to the living room to clean up the empty cups

"Can you imagine Callie walking around in those girl scout uniform, knocking on doors and selling cookies," Aaron continued to joke as he slumped down on the couch

"She would never ever wear that uniform. Not even for a million of dollars!"

"That's so true!" Aaron replied as I carried the dirty cups to the kitchen. I quickly washed them and put them away. After that, I returned to living room to join Aaron on the couch. I sat at the end of the couch and extended my legs over his lap. Aaron placed his hands on my lower legs.

"What are we going to sign her up to?" he asked turning his head to me

"No idea. She probably has participated in some school activity when she was a kid, right? I mean, she was 10 before she got placed in foster care. She must have done something afters school," I thought out loud

"Maybe we should sign her up to softball," Aaron said looking blankly at the black TV screen on the other side of the room "She already knows, how to hold and swing a bat!" Aaron glanced to me with a smirk on his lips

"It's not funny," I said holding my smile in

"If she can smash a car, just imagine how far she would hit the ball! She would be a great hitter!"

"You need to stop," I said shaking my head. Part of me, found it funny, other part, knew that it wasn't. Callie was desperate at that time and desperate time calls for desperate measures. That little stunt cost Callie her freedom for 3 months.

"I'm just joking around, honey," Aaron ran his hand up and down my lower leg

"I know, but Callie won't find it funny!"

"Okay, okay...I'm stopping!" Aaron raised his both hands up "No more jokes about Callie's bat swinging skills!"

"We will talk to her about it today, after dinner. Figure out together what she wants to do. I don't want to sign her up to something, that she won't like."

"What if we don't get anything out of her? What if she is against even the thought about doing after school activity?" Aaron asked as he rested his right arm on the top of the couch backrest, but his left arm on my leg

"Then we will sign her up as volunteer in the SD Youth Center, because I don't want to see her go back to Juvie!"

"Am I in trouble?" that was the first thing that Callie asked, when we asked her to come sit down with us in the living room after dinner

"No!" I shook my head "You are not in any trouble. Aaron and I just want to talk to you about something," Callie studies both of us for moment, but doesn't say anything in return

"So," I rubbed my hands together as I continued "As you know, your PO came to visit us today," Callie's eyes darted from me to Aaron

Aaron shifted in his seat a little and continued "He would like for you to participate in an after-school activity,"

"Why?" Callie spit back

"He wants to you to be surrounded by people your age with good influence on you. Also he wants you to be part of the community more, otherwise, you only see school and home. By joining an after class activity you will widen your horizon and learn something outside school, like a skill. You could also meet new people, make new friends!" I explained to Callie

Callie glanced to Aaron, before her eyes darted back to me "Why are you even telling me this? It's not like I have a choice anyway. You will sign me up to some stupid after class activity no matter what I say!" Callie replied with an attitude

"Well, we want to sign you up to a stupid after class activity that you would hate the least!" Callie rolled her eyes and scoffed at me

"Markus has a stupid after class activity as well!" Aaron adds gesturing to the where the stairs are "He plays football. He has made a lot of friends there! And over time he has gotten real good at it. In fact, if he keeps it up, his stupid after class activity could give him a scholarship for college!"

"When I was your age, I did track and field. I still keep in touch with few friends I got from track and field!" I said to Callie as I leaned back in the couch "And Aaron was in this geek club!"

"It was a math club," Aaron rolls his eyes at me

"What we are trying to say is that, after class activities are not as horrible as you think!" I leaned forward and pressed my elbows to my knees as I spoke to her

"So, if you have to pick one stupid after class activity, which would it be?" Aaron asked the girl

"One that you would hate the least," I added as we waited for the girl to answer

"Music," Callie said quietly and started to nibbled her lower lip

I clap my hands and exclaim out happily, startling Callie a little bit "Okay, that's good! Music. We can work with music! Are we talking about an instrument or singing?"

"I guess, I could tolerate guitar," Callie muttered back

"Guitar it is!" I concluded cheerfully

Callie POV

January 9th

"I'm Amy Scott," Amy said as she shook the hand of the woman that is going to be my guitar teacher "This is Callie," she introduced me as she placed her hand on my shoulder blade

"It's nice to meet both of you. I'm Sarah Rivers," I smiled warily at the older woman "If you would follow me, I'm going to show you around,"

The tour in the music school took about 10 minutes. While we toured the school, Mrs. Rivers talked about all of the class rooms, all the teachers, the accomplishments the kids have achieved and stuff along those lines. Amy was the only one that chatted with Mrs. Rivers, because I was walking in silence. I wasn't going to do small talk.

As we walked pass a lot of classrooms, I noticed how annoying happy all the other kids in music school looked. They chatted and laughed with one another. In one of the classroom room, that we walked pass, a choir practice was going on. The teacher had stopped their signing to point out something to the kids and the next moment they resumed signing. In the next room, I saw a boy, around my age, playing piano. A teacher was standing next to the piano, nodding his head, while listening to the tune he was plying. Some other kids, that had free time, where just playing around. I saw one boy blowing his flute right in some other boys ear to scare or annoy him. But at the classroom at the end of the hall, a girl with coal black hair was playing drums.

Mrs. Rivers took us to a smaller classroom in the middle of the hallway. Room number - 35. Just like other rooms, it was filled with musical instruments. But this room, unlike other rooms, had more guitars than any other room we were in before.

While Amy and Mrs. Rivers were talking by the doorway, I was walking around the classroom, exploring it. I stopped at the corner of the room, because I noticed a guitar that looked far to similar to the one my mother used to teach me with how to play. I reached out for the guitar. My fingertips barely touched the guitar strings, when I pulled my hand back quickly.

My mind was suddenly flushed with memories of my mother. Of how we used to sit on the porch on Sunday mornings with guitar over my lap. She would teach me chords. Mom was so patient with me. If I didn't get a chord right, she would show me again until I got it right. There was also a memory of how mom used to play and sing songs to me and Jude on the guitar. Jude was clapping along as she was singing Hey, Jude to us. Her voice was so captivating and soft. I could listen to her sing forever and not get bored. Moms fingers had moved so swiftly over the guitar string, while her eyes were locked with mine. She knew all the chords and she didn't have to look at the strings.

"Callie?" I heard Amy call my name, pulling me out of my thoughts. Quickly with my left palm I get rid of the tears that were threatening to fall down from the corner of my eyes.

I turned around to see the two woman. Amy was watching me closely from the other side of the room. I got the feeling like she knew something had happened, that I had been lost in my memories for a moment. For a brief moment she watched me closely, before she spoke up "Mrs. Rivers asked if you have ever played guitar before?"

Before I replied, I glanced over my shoulder to the guitar that had caught my attention "Yeah...I-" I sighed as I looked down to the floor in front of me and rubbed my nose "My mom taught me, when she was..." I trailed off

I looked up to the two woman, but my eyes stopped on Amy "I used to play, when I was little," Amy was looking at me, like no one had ever looked at me. There was so much compassion, sympathy and hurt in her eyes. For a moment, I got the feeling like she felt for me.

"Then why don't we start with sitting down and you showing me how much you remember," Mrs. Rivera suggested

"I guess, I will come back in..." Amy glanced to Mrs. Rivers looking for answer, how long this first class will last

"Hour. I think we will start today with an hour," She smiled back at Amy

"Okay. I will pick you up in an hour, Callie!" Amy waved at me before she left the room

"Lets get started then. Pick a guitar," Mrs. Rivers said as she gestured to the choice

I didn't have to think long. The guitar stood right behind me. I turned around, grabbed it and walked back to where Mrs. Rivers was now sitting. I sat down on the chair next to her and placed the guitar over my leg.

"Okay, show me what you remember, Callie!" my teacher said with a smile and looked to my hands on the guitar

"I don't remember much," I said warily as I looked to my left hand while I was trying to remember how I needed to put my fingers for C chord

"That's okay. What chord are you thinking about now?"

"C," I said placing my fingers on the strings

"You almost had it. Just move your index finger one lower...yes, that's it!" I did what my teacher told and then strum the guitar strings few times playing the note

"See! You remember more than you think you do!" Mrs. Rivers praised me. I smiled timid and returned my attention back to the guitar in my hands.

And from there on, the one hour I had today with Mrs. Rivers flew by faster than I had thought it would. Not to mention, I actually had fun. It was such a great feeling to play guitar again. I had forgotten how much I liked guitar, how much fun it was to make music.

January 14th

On the Saturday, I woke up a lot more earlier than I usually do. The alarm that stood on the nightstand, next to my bed, showed me that it was only barley 7AM. Even thought it was still early, I knew there was no reason for me to try and get more sleep. I was wide awake.

I tossed the blanket aside and sat on the side of my bed. At first I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. Before I got up from the bed, I stretched, cracking my back in the process. My first stop, like every morning was the bathroom.

Once I was done with my morning routine, I made my way down the stairs. I hadn't heard anyone walk downstairs, so I was surprised, when I saw Aaron in the kitchen, with a cup of coffee in front of him.

"Morning, kiddo!" He greeted me with a smile "You are up early," he observed

"Morning," I replied standing still in the doorway

"What woke you up? You do know it's Saturday and that you don't need to go to school today?"

"Just...wasn't tiered," I replied and shrugged my shoulders a little bit

I still wasn't feeling too comfortable with being alone in the room with Aaron. Part of me, was still little bit scared of him, because he reminded me so much of Mr. Malloc, one of my previous foster parents. Personality wise they were completely different. But the body build was similar and it scared me that Aaron could so easily overpower me, that he was 10 times physically stronger than me.

"How about we use this morning to our advantage, huh?" Aaron asked stopping the silence that had fallen between us

"What do you mean?" I asked, watching how he stood up and walked towards the fridge

Aaron opened the fridge and searched for something. When he leaned out and stood up straight he was holding a box of eggs in his hands "Let's make some pancakes!"

"I don't know how," I admitted warily

"I will teach you!" Aaron said carrying the eggs to the table. He set them down and then returned to fridge to take out some more ingredients.

"Grab flour and sugar from that cupboard!" Aaron instructed pointing a finger to a cupboard, before he took out milk

I walked over to the cupboard and opened the little doors. The pack of flour stood in the top shelf, but the pack of sugar on the lowest. While I could easily get the sugar, I had to reach on the top of my toes to get the flour. I was extra careful not to spill anything.

"Baking powder...where did we put baking powder?" Aaron was talking to himself while I carried the flour and sugar to the table

"Anything else?" I asked wanting to be useful, so he doesn't get angry with me. Aaron walked over to one of the shelves and found the baking powder.

"We will need a bowl where we will mix it all together!" He said when put the baking powder down next to the other ingredients. I have been here long enough, to know where all of the dishes, bowls, tableware, cups and plates stood. Without much hesitation I walked to the cupboard and got out one of the big bowls.

"Excellent!" Aaron rubbed his hands together excitedly, when I walked back to the table "We are going to make a special kind of pancakes. You know why they are special?"

"No. Why?" I asked curiously as I looked over all of the ingredients on the table

"Because this recipe, that I am going to teach you, is why Amy agreed to marry me!"

"Can't she make pancakes herself?" I looked up to me confused

"She can, but she doesn't know this recipe! She doesn't know my recipe!" Aaron pointed both of his thumbs to his chest

"You haven't told her the recipe?"

"No," he shook his head back

"Why?"

"It's my golden ticket!" Aaron smirked at me

"But you are going to teach me how to make them?" I questioned him not really understanding the logic underneath it

"Yes!" Aaron nodded back

"Why?" I felt like an old record player, repeating the same question over and over again

"I have to leave it as legacy to someone!" he winked at me "If something ever happens to me, I want someone to be able to make Amy my special pancakes,"

"Why not tell or teach the recipe to Markus? He is your son, but I'm just some foster kid you are temporary fostering," I wondered out loud

"Markus is a bad cook. Besides, I have a feeling you are the right person to give this legacy to," Aaron winked at me, but then raised his index finger up and pointed out "There is just one rule!"

"What kind of rule?"

"You can't, under any circumstances – even if she is begging you to - tell this recipe to Amy. It has to stay secret!" He watched me closely before he added "Can you promise me that?"

"It's a recipe..." I tried to reason

"You have to promise!" Aaron insisted

"Okay. I promise!" I gave in

"Pinky promise?" Aaron extended his right pinky finger to me. With slight hesitation and warily I wrapped my pinky around his. I found this all a little bit silly, but after the conversation, I was kind of curious about the recipe, that I was willing to make a pinky promise with Aaron.

"Excellent!" he rubbed his palms together "Okay, lets get started then!"