Ok I revised it . Let me know how you like it.

"This is going to be fun," Arizona said as she started the car.

it had been a week since Callie told Charlie she'd be staying longer than planned.

"sure," Charlie sighed.

"So first we have Carver Highschool of the Arts and STEM," Callie read.

"I don't like the name it's too long," Arizona complained.

"I know but they have a good science program and an amazing art department," Callie explained. "Next we have Seattle ART Highschool, it's an art school. Then we have Seattle school for the gifted," Callie folded the piece of paper in front of you.

"why can't I just go to public school," Charlie sighed.

"we want you to have the best education," Callie explained turning in her seat.

"It's a week before school starts," The principal said "but with all the letters of recommendation I just couldn't say no," The principal smiled looking at the girl.

Charlie looked at Callie and Arizona confused.

"okay so we have a test that determines if she gets in, I know she'll do good but since you couldn't get her previous school records we have to do it," he explained. "So she'll go in this room and she'll be given a hour to finish 30 questions about math, and science, and English and a short written response about an article that you'll read," he explained opening the door.

it was easy, but school was always easy she just stopped trying after a while, academic validation didn't suit her.

"Done," Charlie sat up straight.

"alright tell your moms we'll know by the end of the day," The test proctor said as she took the test.

"okay," Charlie gave her a weird look before leaving the room.

"Oh my god how'd you do," Arizona asked?

"did you do good we've been so stressed out here?" Callie looked nervous as she got up.

"I haven't been this stressed since I took the mcat," Arizoma said

"I did good, I think I may have gotten a few questions wrong on the read part," Charlie said, as Arizona pulled her into a quick hug.

"sorry," Arizona pulled away once she realized what she was doing.

"it's ok," Charlie said, looking away.

"how about we take a quick lunch break then we can go to seattle art," Callie suggested.

"yeah," Charlie gave an awkward chuckle.

The rest of the day went smoothly, Charlie didn't have a portfolio so she drew something on the spot, but other than that the day continued with out any more hiccups.

"that was carver they want you, we haven't heard from Seattle art but Seattle school for the gifted said they have one more spot in their science program," Callie said as she sat back down at the dinner table.

"where's Sofia," Charlie asked?

"she's with mark and Lexie," She explained.

"oh," Charlie slumped back in her chair hoping to use her as a buffer.

"so the schools," Arizona asked?

"I want to take a tour of carver if I like it I'll go there, and if I don't I'll take the spot at the gifted school," Charlie rolled her eyes.

"okay how about Monday I have a exploratory surgery with Bailey I'm sure I can get karev to do it," Arizona started to try and rearrange her schedule.

"no I can do it I won't be on call till next Monday I got it," Callie laughed.

"I know you got it I just want to be there," Arizona explained.

"I'll tell you all about it once you get home," Callie said, sneaking in a little peck.

"maybe I please be excused," Charlie sat up in her chair.

"geez you're worse than Sofia it was a peck," Callie chuckled.

Charlie looked between Callie and Arizona waiting for an answer.

"fine, I guess you can go," Arizona said.

"hey can I come in," Arizona asked on the other side of the door?

"come in," Charlie said, laying on her bed with her phone in her hand."you can always just knock."

"yeah, but then you wouldn't know it was," Arizona said sitting on the edge of the bed,

"yeah I guess," Charlie rolled her eyes before she pushed herself to the edge of the bed.

"so how did you like Carver," Arizona asked shifting on the bed?

"I like it, it's nice, but I just wanna go back to my old school," Charlie mumbled.

"what," Arizona asked?

"I just want to go back to my old school. What you're doing is nice, but I don't want it. I mean you got people I've never met before to write me letters of recommendation. I don't want to go to that school with stuck up kids. I don't belong with the trust fund babies," Charlie crossed her arms.

"ok what if we made a compromise," Arizona scooted closer to Charlie.

"I'm listening," Charlie sighed.

"how about you give the school a week, just a week and at the end of the week you report back to me with your assessment of the place. And if you still don't like it, you can go to your old school but you have to try."

"Deal," Charlie stuck her hand out.

"wait you have to promise me you'll atleast try to like the school."

"I promised," Charlie spoke.

"Deal," Arizona shook Charlie's hands.

the week went smooth Callie was mostly home and when Callie wasnt Arizona was there so she was never really alone. She spent a few days with her cousin, but most of the time she was in her room on her phone. But today was the day she started work.

"Come on Sofia, you have to get ready for daycare," Arizona picked her up. "And you have to get ready for work," Arizona turned to Charlie.

"I am ready for work," Charlie said, confused.

"alright, then," Arizona looked at her again.

"I can wear sweats to work, you basically wear sweats too," Charlie argued.

"Yeah, sure I'm sorry I assumed you weren't ready for work. Can you pass me the dress on the door," Arizona said.

Charlie grabbed the hanger with dress on it of the door handle and gave it Arizona, before she left.

"You're up early," Callie looked confused, as Charlie walked into the kitchen.

"well Sofia woke me up at around 5 so I played with her then took a break to get ready then we played some more," Charlie said as she took a seat in the kitchen.

"she gets that from her mom, before Sofia Arizona wouldn't never stay in bed passed 9 am," Callie laughed as she stirred her coffee.

"can I make a cup," Charlie look over at the almost full pot?

"sure, mugs are in the cabinet," She pointed to the cabinet above her head "creamers in the fridge sugars in the jar label sugar on the counter."

"well thank you," Charlie chuckled at Callie's rambling.

She knew she shouldn't and it was a bad idea, but she was really warming up to them. Callie and Arizona where nice people and she got tired of waiting for the other shoe to drop. She always did that, waiting and it always made her anxious and unhappy. So she decide, with the help of Cortez to just enjoy what they offer while she can.

"So excited for work," Callie asked, as Charlie poured the coffee into the travel mug.

"yeah, kinda I mean I missed but sometime you just hate retail jobs," Charlie explained putting the lid on.

"you drink your coffee black," Callie asked?

"well yeah when I first started drinking it in residential we didn't have sugar only stevia and Splenda and I hate that so I drink it black. And with diabetes and all it's better to just drink it black," Charlie said before taking a sip.

"well, we got about an hour before we have to go," Callie started

"Actually I think we should head over now since it's on the other side of town," Charlie suggested.

"oh, alright then let me put on some shoes then we will get going," Callie walked away, leaving her in thought.

"say bye to Charlie, Sofia," Arizona said, as she brought Sofia into the living room to put her shoes on.

"I had the hardest time, get her in the dress," Arizona whispered to her as if she wasn't talking about the girl in front of her.

Charlie made an o shape with her mouth and raised her eyebrows in fake interest.

"Alright give me your foot," Arizona asked getting sitting right beside her?

"no," Sofia said as she played with the doll in her hand.

"Sofia," Arizona reprimanded grabbing her foot only for Sofia to kick out of Arizonas hands.

"Sofia that's not nice," Arizona said, in a stern voice.

"sorry," Sofia apologized.

"now give me your foot," Arizona asked again?

"no," Sofia repeated.

"Mind if I try," Charlie asked, seeing the struggle in Arizonas face?

"sure," Arizona handed the shoe over to Charlie.

"hey Sofia mind putting on your shoes for me," Charlie asked?

"no," Sofia said.

"aww man, you know people who don't wear shoes get stinky feet, and you don't want stinky feet," Charlie said, getting eye leave with Sofia. "So can I help you put on your shoes," Charlie rephrased the question?

Sofia shucked her foot out, and Charlie put on her shoes.

"see that wasn't so hard was it," Charlie asked?

"no," Sofia sighed.

"and now you won't have stinky feet," Charlie said before she started to tickle her.

"okay, okay," Sofia laughed, Charlie stopped laughing with her.

"I think I missed placed my black flats," Callie said,coming out of the room.

"So this is it," Callie asked, as she pulled into the parking lot?

"Yep, Alvarez Liquor," Charlie unbuckled.

"you don't sell liquor here," Callie asked?

"well yeah it a liquor store but I always ask for an Id," Charlie stepped out of the car.

"im coming in with you," Callie followed behind.

"Dios lo bendiga," Charlie greeted the man on the stoop handing him a dollar.

"Dios lo bendiga," Callie did the same.

"Julio, it me," Charlie shouted.

"come to the back," He shouted.

she motioned for Callie to follow.

"you know it's probably not the safest option to leave the door open while your in the back," Charlie said.

"Relájate sé lo que estoy haciendo princesa, I was just going over what's supposed to be coming in today," Julio smiled. "I've been running this store since you where in diapers.(Relax I know what I'm doing princess)

"oh Julio this is Callie, Callie this is Julio," She introduced the two.

"you never told me she was this beautiful," Julio put his hand on his chest acting surprised.

"but I did tell you she's married to a women so never gonna happen," Charlie chuckled.

"way to crush a man's dreams," he shook his head at Charlie.

"so um how long will she be working," Callie asked, trying to feel less awkward.

"normally I keep her till 11 for inventory on Saturdays and from 3 to 8 on Sunday, and then she hangs out around here during the week. But she hasn't done that in about two year," Julio looked at Charlie with a nostalgic look in his eyes.

"well you got around more months till im driving and you won't be able to make me leave this place," Charlie joked.

"a man can dream," He laughed. "Why don't you too sit down," He pulled out the chair.

"oh no im just dropping her off I have to go to work," Callie politely declined.

"she's a surgeon," Charlie explained.

"that's great maybe she can help with your diabetes," Julio turned to her.

"no that's a different kind of doctor she's an orthopedic surgeon, she works with bones," Charlie tried to explain.

"huh," Julio asked confused?

"nevrmiind," Charlie shook her head. "Alright I'll see you at 11," she turned to Callie.

"ok see you later," Callie waved before seeing her way out.

"she is so fine," Julio said shaking his head.

Charlie swatted him on the head.

"and married and gay and my foster mom," Charlie said.

Charlie sat behind the counter on her phone, scrolling through social media.

"Char," She heard a voice call.

"Duece," she asked, it looked like him but so much older?

"yea it me," He smiled, she ran from behind the counter engulfing him in a hug.

They stayed like that for while till Charlie felt something hit her ankle.

"what is that," Charlie asked pointing to his ankle?

"it's a ankle monitor," he said like it meant nothing.

"how did this happen," Charlie asked backing away.

"while you where away, my dad got laid off, and my little cousins moved in with us," he got closer " we needed the money," He tried to explain his reasoning.

"okay so you got work at Taco Bell or a factory," Charlie said. "Are you ok at least now," she asked?

"yeah, I got baby too so I'm tryna stay out trouble I got one more month on da monitor then I just go visits with my po," He said.

"With who," Charlie asked, hung up on the fact that duece had a baby?

"Veronica Jimenez, yeah she skipped town after she had the baby, so now I'm a single dad," Duece told her smiling.

"well that's good got any pictures," Charlie asked?

"yeah she turn one this next weekend maybe you can come," he told her while he searched for pictures. "My mom sent this two days ago, she quit her job every since my dad got another, so she watch her while I'm at work or school," He explained.

"she beautiful, so where you work," Charlie asked?

"here," he told her just as Julio came to the front.

"hey bossman, see you got reacquainted with Charlie," Julio said, exiting from behind the counter.

"so Charlie you on inventory and Jose on counter," Julio instructed. " the trucks come in two hours and by then I want all the number of the drink that we have left, and even the stuff in the back," Julio handed over the clip board.

Charlie groaned before taking the clipboard.

"tough first day back, huh," Duece teased?

but Charlie didn't find it funny.

"So how was your first day back," Callie asked as Charlie got in the car.

"you wouldn't believe me if I told you," Charlie laughed to herself.

"try me," Callie said pulling out of the parking lot.

"well my ex best friend had a baby went jail, the babies momma skipped town so now he's a single dad, and he works here in the weekends too, and he has an ankle monitor," Charlie said nonchalantly.

"wow you where right," Callie said, in disbelief.

"but it's all true even invited me to her first birthday next weekend," Charlie sighed.

"Wow," Callie repeated.

"you know I never would thought it been him, I knew about his family and there story, but I never expected it to be like that. I always thought he'd be the one out of all of us to make it out, you know. And now hes kinda stuck, I feel bad. I think if I stayed I could've prevented it," Charlie looked into her hands.

"you can't change what's already been done," Callie tried to comfort her.

"yeah I guess your right," Charlie sat back in her seat.

"Julio, I'm here," Charlie yelled.

"why you just now getting here," Jose asked?

"cuz I work longer than you on Saturday, so you work longer on Sunday doofus," Charlie mocked.

"no fight you two," Julio yelled from the back.

"so excited to go back to school," Jose asked?

"oh im not going back to Douglass I'm going carver," Charlie told him.

"the trust fund kids school," Jose asked, not sure he understood her?

"it was either that or The gifted school," Charlie explained.

"trust fund and smart I like it," Jose teased.

"shut up, but if I don't like it im coming back to Douglass," Charlie said.

"no don't, mr Johnson's bo is even worse than freshman year. And Ms Watson is even meaner, just go to carver," Jose told her.

"but I miss you and all my old friends," Charlie whined.

"we can hang out still, and Daisy is happy you're back at the store and she wants to see you," Jose said.

"what about Miguel," Charlie asked?

"Miguel um he , um," Jose stammered.

"spit it out," Charlie tried to get him to talk.

"he with the 46th street disciples, last time I heard, I still hang out with him but not as much my po says it bad idea so we don't talk like we used to," Jose explained.

"anything wrong with daisy," Charlie asked?

"no daisy the only non stupid aside from you," Jose laughed.

"he's been asking about you," Jose told her.

"Jose," A guy came through the door.

"hola," He huffed.

"Jose," Miguel walked in behind them. "Charlie," He called out stopping right in his tracks. "Is that you?"

Charlie wanted to be mad at him, she wanted to be furious, but she couldn't because when she looked into his eyes she didn't see a gang member, she saw the cute guy that got stuffed in the locker on this first day of high school. And that wasn't going to change even though he was a whole head taller than Charlie now.

"Miguel," Charlie said, leaving the counter.

"It's been forever," Charlie went in for a hug.

"talk to the girl later we got shit to do," One of the guys said.

"go what by the car I'll be there in a minute," He instructed, amd they listened. "So how's it been going," Miguel asked, trying to make conversation?

"um it been going good I got a new foster placement loss by so I'm working here again, how about you," Charlie asked, even though she knew the answer.

"oh nothing I just been chill laying low since you left," yeah like joining a gang is laying low.

"well I hope to see again, take care," Charlie said, moving back behind the counter.

"wait, let me give you my number," Miguel grabbed the pen on the counter and wrote on her hand. " Here it's my new number," He explained before leaving.

"what did he come in here for," Jose asked, restocking the shelves?

"I have no clue," Charlie sighed.

"So big day tomorrow first day at your new school," Callie said.

"I know," Charlie gave her a half smile.

"look I was think about something you said earlier, and I was wondering if you wanted to start drivers training," Callie asked?

"well I've already finished, and I got my permit a while back I just need 50 hours of practice driving," Charlie explained.

"okay, we can make that work," Callie said leaving her room.

She stared at her hand for a while, not knowing what to do with the now faded numbers. She went back and forth on calling him , but before she made her decision she felt herself reaching for the phone.

ring

ring

ring

"hello," A voice answered scaring Charlie. "Hello," They said again. "Prolly a spam caller," She heard someone say in the back ground.

beeep.

"Damn," Charlie whispered to no one in particular partially because no one was around.

[char]

sorry about that I just need to know if the number was fake

read 9:42 p.m.

She stared at her screen, he read she thought to herself as she exhaled. Then a text bubble popped back up.

[miguel]

who is this???

Really you just have me your number, she thought as she typed her next message.

[char]

it's char

[miguel]

mb right now not a good time I'll text you later

[char]

alright then, goodnight

read 9:51 p.m.

Charlie turned over and turned her phone off then closed her eyes. She would need sleep as much sleep as she could get to survive tomorrow.