A/N: Another chapter for you. Thanks a ton for the reviews and PMs. This is the story for which I'm getting the highest number of PMs, asking me about Arizona's character. I hope, you would like this chapter. I personally enjoyed writing this, kind of savoring the moments…
∾∾∾ "To love is nothing. To be loved is something.
But to love and be loved, that's everything"∾∾∾
Chapter 4
"What did you do last day?" I ask Arizona during the breakfast. We are late for the breakfast, as we slept quite late after out last night out.
"I just roamed in downtown and went to the China town."
"Did you like it?"
"I did." She takes a big bite of her grilled cheese sandwich.
"Today is my last day of the conference and I'm not feeling like going."
"You should concentrate on your conference." Arizona suggests me making a wise face. This is another cute side of her, when she pretends to be a grown up.
"Would you like to go to the zoo? Calgary has the nicest zoo in Canada." Actually, I'm not in a mood to go to the conference as my paper is over and I want this last day to see Calgary before I go back home.
"Zoo?" Arizona perks up with her entire self, "of course, I love zoo." This is one of the very few times, when I really can see the little girl in her who is lost somewhere.
We have taken the C-train from downtown to go to the zoo and now she is teasing me because she has bought the youth ticket and I have bought the adult ticket.
"You are not youth anymore, you know that?" Arizona gives a teasing smile.
"You are also not kid anymore, I hope you know that too," I reply her laughing.
"But, I still fall under youth and very soon you'll be senior citizen," she laughs popping her full dimples. I let her make fun of this- Arizona does this hardly ever. I just laugh nodding my heads and she laces her arms with me saying, "but I always make friends with older people easily."
I just enjoy the moment and wait when the train would reach to the station…although I don't mind if it does not reach anywhere ever.
So when we go for the tickets, I suggest her to go for the youth or student ticket for here too. But she shushes me, "see, today is the family/couple day."
"So?" I am confused but she laughs evil and tells the salesman to give a pair of couple tickets. My eyes are about to come out, it's super uncomfortable now. I look around and feel like everyone is only looking at us. After purchasing the tickets, she grabs my hand and pulls me aside, "see now we can share the fare."
"What is this?"
"Who made you a professor? Come on, today they have a special deal for couples and by this we got 50% discount, aren't you happy?"
"But this is cheating." I am still not convinced.
"Callie, now stop pouting," and she starts walking towards the entrance of the zoo. Helplessly I follow her too.
"See, penguins. I have never seen penguins" The baby-self of Arizona has again come back. This is what I like most about her. I see her clapping her hands while cheering the penguins.
"Okay, stand there; I'll click your picture with these penguins."
"No photos."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want this moment to go away while I'm busy in capturing it."
I feel like I'm at awe. She is so right. I have visited so many places, but more than enjoying I was busy in capturing them. I slide my mobile back in my pocket. Today I'll enjoy the moments rather than capturing them in vain. I go near to her and lace my fingers with her- she does not resist, I would say rather unexpectedly. I'm going to enjoy for sure.
After an hour, when we have barely seen only few of the animals, I go to the cafe to buy a bottle of juice. It takes me few minutes to come back, as there is a long line in the cafe. While walking towards Arizona, I see her talking with a girl and the way she is laughing, I have not seen her in last two days. The girl is almost at her age. I stand maintaining little distance from them respecting their personal space. But, I just feel so annoyed seeing the other girl putting hand on Arizona's arms. She is rubbing it too. Oh, now I feel like killing her. I can't see it anymore, so decide to go near to them.
"Callie, this is Joanne"
"Hi, Joanne," I barely can look at her now. Arizona notices my uncomforting attitude. "Are you okay, Callie?"
"Yeah I'm. I think we should move ahead."
"Let's go." Joanne also starts walking with us and of course breaking all the rules of personal space and almost invading into Arizona's personal space. I look at Arizona with a questioning look. "Joanne is also going to watch the gorillas," she informs me with all her perkiness.
"Okay." Now I'm following them. Both of them are discussing Alycia from some TV show called the 100. And the way, they are discussing, I feel like these two have written, directed and produced that TV show. And what kind of name is that? I don't have time to watch these silly shows. It must be some silly romantic kid show.
"Have you seen their new photo together?" Joanne asks. But suddenly Arizona turns back to me and just looks at me, "you are quite."
"I have… okay…well…I have headache." I stammer while making up something. Oh, God, this is one thing, I haven't learnt yet to lie properly. I hope, she does not get that. That would be so embarrassing for me. Arizona does not say anything, rather resumes her discussion about Alycia and Eliza. Who are they? Who knows?
After the gorillas, we move to see giraffe. In fact, I have lost all my interest to see anything. Now, I'm as if going to have a real headache.
"Arizona, I'm not feeling well. I'm going back to hotel. I'll see you at the hotel, then." Before she replies, I start walking towards the exit of the zoo. Unnecessarily, my eyes are steaming- I don't know it never happened for my boyfriend too. But with this girl, all those things are happening, which never had happened before.
After coming back to the room, I just change and go to the bed. I'm pissed off at myself more than anyone else. Why am I behaving as if I'm jealous? I barely know her since last two days only.
Arizona comes back after two hours. But, I don't open my eyes; rather I pretend that I'm sleeping. I can hear the noise of her clothes. After few minutes, she sits near to me, I can sense that but I still prefer not to be bothered.
"Callie, let's go for lunch. I'm hungry…"
I don't reply.
"Callie, I know you are not sleeping."
"You should have taken lunch before coming back to the room." I reply still closing my eyes.
"I was not feeling good, so I came back."
I turn my back to her while fixing my sheet to cover my face.
"Callie, Joanne's boyfriend and I used to go to the same school and I met Joanne back home." She just says quietly.
"She has a boyfriend and she is not lesbian?" I jump out to sit straight babbling.
Arizona gives me a smile and just gets up from the bed. "I hope now your headache is gone!"
"Headache! I mean…" Arizona cuts me in, "now get ready and come for lunch. I'm starving. It's almost dinner time."
My Lord, how many times I have to be embarrassed in front of her who knows. Why can't I control my behavior in front of her? All my vulnerabilities and insecurities are coming out in front of her. It's nothing but silly. Cursing myself I start getting up from the bed for lunch.
At sometime during midnight, I wake up with a wrestling noise beside me. I quickly get up expecting a kick from the other side and move out quickly. But, then I notice that Arizona is still sleeping but she is wrestling with some invisible someone. In the darkness too, I can see the way she is shifting herself from time to time. I quickly go by her side without much of thinking and just hug her from back tightly. "Shush… you'll be okay…you just have a bad dream," saying this I gently stroke her forehead and suddenly she seems to be peaceful. After few seconds, I hear her breathing in and out regularly. Now I'm bit confused that should I lie here hugging her or should I go back? One part of mine asks me to go back to my side, but the other part of me wants to stay here, near to her, where I can hear her breathing and can feel her pressed against me. So, I stay here not caring much how I am going to explain this to Arizona in the morning.
In the morning, I wake up with Arizona still in my arms. O God! What a feeling! I can lie here for the rest of my life, but I'm embarrassed too that I have started having little tickling feeling for this adamant girl. But, before I move, she just turns to me and I'm kind of bound to see in her eyes now, which I have been trying to avoid for a while. We are so near that her breathing is washing over my lips and it seems to be impossible not to notice that. Nonetheless, I see a kind of amusement in her eyes, as if she has found the entire situation entertaining.
"So, did you sleep on my side?" She asks still locking her eyes.
"You didn't seem to complain last night," I just whisper as my throats are dried now.
"I had a bad dream," she says lowering her eyes.
I just cannot help but reaching her cheeks, stroking them gently, "it's okay kiddo." I can feel the building tension between us and I really do not know how to break that away right now.
Arizona suddenly gets up and while stepping out from the bed she just turns and says, "thanks though."
"I thought, you don't like cuddling," I try to lighten the moment.
"I never did till now." And she slips into the washroom leaving me still on the bed.
A/N: Let me know, how was that? Callie is falling fast...