Arizona entered the classroom, dreading the moment. High school had always been the worst for her, especially having to transfer from school to school every now and then. She despised change, and who could blame her? It was terrible to move to new schools, and even worse to do so in the middle of the term. But that was her reality, constantly shifting from one place to another, her father's job demanded it. She kept her gaze fixated on the floor, her ears alert for any signs of impending confrontation. New kid, she thought to herself, knowing all too well the drill.
However, when nothing occurred and she found herself standing in the middle of the classroom without a clear destination for a seat, she finally lifted her eyes for the first time.
In that instant, she was immobilized. Her gaze locked onto a pair of big brown eyes. 'This is it. Now I've caused trouble,' she thought. Arizona tried to look away, but those eyes held her in place. She contemplated turning back and perhaps trying another route, class, or even changing schools at this point, because, despite her newly acquired karate skills, the girl with whom she had made eye contact seemed like someone who could take her down in no time, and that scared her. But then, something incredible happened: the girl smiled, and Arizona's jaw literally dropped.
The girl's smile was radiant, white, pearly teeth that formed a full, genuine grin, reaching her eyes in a way that lit up the room. It was the most beautiful smile Arizona had ever seen, and in that moment, the realization struck her; she wasn't smiling at her. There was no way this gorgeous girl, clearly confident, an alpha of some type and very at ease with herself could be smiling at someone like her. Arizona glanced behind her, half-expecting to find someone more deserving of that grin, but there was no one.
Having transferred to her fair share of schools, Arizona often found herself as an immediate target for the bigger kids, who took pleasure in mocking her name. Her scrawny build paired with the bullying was why she had taken karate lessons, to learn how to protect herself.
But when she turned back to face forward again, she found the girl still smiling, and something inside Arizona lit up. A huge smile bloomed across her own face, mirroring the girl's infectious joy. She hated to think about how it must look in a mirror, awkward and self-conscious, but she couldn't help herself. This gorgeous girl had smiled at her, she liked this girl, even though they hadn't even met yet. It was a thought she had often fantasized about on her first day in a new school: finding a friend right away. Could this possibly be it?
When the girl motioned to a chair in the far corner with a nod, disappointment washed over Arizona. She wanted to sit next to her, to feel the warmth of that smile and maybe even spark a conversation, but instead, she was dismissed. Right next to the goddess was an empty seat, but she signaled for Arizona to sit far from her, and it stung in a way she didn't expect. As she made her way to the far corner, she couldn't shake the feeling that this moment could have been different. In that fleeting instance, an opportunity slipped away.
Arizona sulked for the rest of the lesson, stealing glances at the girl whenever she thought she could get away with it. During class, the teacher had called upon Callie, asking her to demonstrate a C-sharp note for everyone, and that was how Arizona discovered the girl's name. With that single note, Arizona also noted the clear admiration that danced in her new classmates' eyes. Callie was talented, and it dripped from her every movement.
Despite the number of times Arizona looked her way, Callie seemed blissfully unaware, her gaze fixed on the door as if she were expecting someone. Sure enough, a boy stumbled into the classroom, and the instant his was at the threshold, Callie's face lit up in a way that made Arizona's heart drop. The teacher shot an irritated glare at the boy, but it was clear this wasn't the first time he had disrupted class; as if the teacher expected this kind of behavior from him.
He made a funny face at the teacher and waltzed over to the empty seat right next to Callie, an empty seat that Arizona had been hoping would be hers. It was obvious that it was reserved for him, and this knowledge gnawed at her, intensifying her annoyance. Go figure, Arizona thought, glaring at both of them. Objectively speaking, he was a decent-looking guy, tall, with dark hair and a well-built frame. A handsome face, if you were into that kind of thing, but still, he was nothing compared to Callie. Arizona couldn't help but think that Callie was stunning, a goddess, even, if you asked her.
Looking away, Arizona forced herself to focus on the lesson, but it was a losing battle. The rest of the class was uneventful and largely a blur, thoughts of Callie occupying every corner of her mind. Concentration came hard, but that was nothing new; sometimes, she just struggled to stay still. She couldn't stop thinking about Callie, and it kept her on edge. She soon realized they only seemed to share music class today, and what a shame that was. The prospect of never seeing Callie in any of her other classes felt like a cruel twist, and Arizona couldn't shake the feeling once again, a chance at a friend who seemed so close, yet so far.
Daydreaming, and walking absentmindedly, Arizona bumped into something, scratch that, someone. She looked up and was met with those familiar brown eyes staring back at her; yes, the very ones she had thought about all day.
"So we finally meet," Callie said, her smile bright and inviting, almost as if she hadn't dismissed Arizona earlier in class or hurried out afterwards with that boy.
"We had to, sooner or later. It's not that big of a school," Arizona retorted, her voice a bit on an edge. She couldn't quite decipher the mix of emotions flitting across Callie's face. It was a curious dance of surprise, open mouth, knit eyebrows and there it was, Callie's smile again.
"Not that big of a school? Who says that? It's a huge school!" Callie replied decisively, her confidence radiating.
"Dude, I've been to bigger schools where this is just a nut," Arizona countered. Callie's eyebrow shot up, her jaw dropped again as she looked around, clearly in disbelief. "And quit making those weird faces, by the way. You're creeping me out," she added, smirking.
Suddenly, Arizona was enveloped by a rich sound that pulled her from her musings: Callie was laughing. The pure bliss on her face made Arizona's heart race. The sound of Callie's laughter was instantly added to Arizona's favorites list. She wanted to encourage it, to hear more, but just as abruptly as it started, the laughter stopped, snapping Arizona out of her daze.
"A nut, really? The only thing you can compare it to are nuts?" Callie replied, raising an eyebrow in a suggestive manner. "And, p.s., this is my thinking face,"
"Firstly, gross. I said a nut, not nuts! Get your mind out of the gutter! And, p.s., your thinking face sucks! It looks like you're having an aneurysm or that you're about to pass out," Arizona shot back, the playful banter flowing naturally, as if they had known each other for years. And there it was again, that delightful sound, Callie's laugh, bright and unrestrained.
"You're too small to be running your mouth like that, you know?" Callie said, sliding in beside Arizona and casually draping an arm around her shoulder. "But I like you way too much to care. Wanna sit with us for lunch?"
"Yeah!" Arizona exclaimed, enthusiasm bubbling within her until the "us" hit her square in the chest. For the first time, she looked up and around, the bustling cafeteria coming into focus. Callie was holding a water bottle, clearly headed somewhere. Finally, her gaze landed on a nearby table, where a tray filled with food sat and damn, there he was again, that boy.
Arizona's excitement dampened slightly. Callie had just mentioned "us," but it seemed she was part of a group she hadn't anticipated. The boy's presence loomed like a shadow over her budding connection with Callie. As she stood there, torn between the thrill of this unexpected friendship and the anxiety that came with it, but there was no time to dwell on that, as Callie flashed her a smile, beckoning her to join the table. Arizona took a deep breath, willing herself to step into this new experience, heart racing with both apprehension and anticipation.
Before Arizona knew it, she was standing alone, watching Callie slide into the seat next to that boy. A tight knot formed in her stomach as she tried to shake off the unwelcome feelings of jealousy creeping in. Why did it matter? He was just a boy, after all. She grabbed a bottle of water, an apple, and a salad with the intent of eating somewhere far away from them. But as she turned, her legs seemed to have a mind of their own, betraying her resolve.
Before she knew it, she found herself sitting right opposite Callie and that boy whose name she didn't even know.
"Kiddo, Earth to you!" Callie called out, snapping Arizona out of her daze as she was picking on her salad.
"Sorry," Arizona replied, trying to sound casual. "And don't call me kiddo."
"Well, I don't know your name. Unless, of course, you prefer 'babe.' That works for me as well," Callie quipped, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
"Eewww," the boy piped in, nudging Callie playfully on the shoulder.
"Arizona," she said, unable to suppress a smile as she laughed at their antics, even though a tiny part of her felt annoyed at how comfortable they were with each other.
"Like the state?" Callie teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Yes, exactly like the state, Arizona Robbins," Arizona replied, her voice tinged with mock seriousness.
"So you are named after the state?" Callie inquired, her tone light and inquisitive.
"Nope," Arizona said, her spirit lifting in spite of herself.
"Are you going to tell me the meaning of your name then?" Callie pressed, leaning in like a mischievous child.
"Nope." Arizona shook her head, and the three of them burst into laughter. Callie had a way of lightening the air, making Arizona feel lighter, too. It was a side of her that had begun to fade during their endless transfers.
"Do you have a name too, or something?" Arizona asked, still grinning as she looked at Callie.
"It's Callie, Callie Torres, but I also answer to 'Goddess,'" Callie said dramatically, striking a pose as if she were on stage. Arizona couldn't help but roll her eyes at how over the top it was, yet it made her smile all the same. Still, she couldn't disagree, with the Goddess part especially, she had seen that the moment she had laid eyes on her.
"And this right here is Mark Sloan. He also answers to Callie's lackey," Callie added, gesturing toward the boy with a flourish. Just then, Arizona remembered they weren't alone. Mark rolled his eyes, feigning exasperation.
"She is watching this TV show, and she's been doing terrible impressions of it," Mark supplied, crossing his arms with a bemused expression. Then he turned to Callie with mock seriousness. "You should be sued for slander. If I created a show and someone had such terrible imitations of it, I would sue them."
"Heeeey, that's mean! Imitations are a form of flattery," Callie shot back, unfazed by Mark's playful jab.
"I would still sue you," Mark replied with a shrug, and just like that, they both burst into laughter. Great,inside jokes. Arizona recognized that rhythm; she and Tim had shared a similar connection, weaving a web of shared glances and subtext that left others feeling like outsiders. But these two had that down to an art form. Maybe they were siblings, she thought, before the surname "Torres" and "Sloan" deflated that idea. Her body physically slumped a little at the realization.
"...nice to actually finally meet you, by the way! Callie couldn't stop rambling on about you the whole time," Mark continued, catching Arizona's attention as she zoned back in. Who could hate that? Arizona had grown accustomed to people being mean or dismissive, always keeping her guard up. But these two had managed to disarm her, effortlessly strolling through her guarded heart with their smiles, infectious laughter and that sinful smile that Callie sported.
"I'm starting to think I'm boring you," Callie said, a teasing lilt in her voice as she noticed Arizona had momentarily zoned out again.
"Callie, no way! I am not bored; it's just the first day and everything,I'm not blowing you off! I think you're pretty cool, and I think you're awesome," Arizona blurted out, realizing she'd taken the bait. Callie was definitely teasing her, and now Arizona felt the heat rise to her cheeks. Callie was being such a jackass.
"I'm awesome?" Callie said, nodding her head in a goofy way and sporting the goofiest grin. "And here I thought you were cool."
"Says the girl who spent the whole day talking about me," Arizona shot back, frustration and amusement bubbling up. Mark burst into laughter, his drink nearly spilling as he darted his gaze back and forth between the two.
"Burn!" Mark exclaimed, pretending to be shocked. Callie feigned annoyance, scrunching up her nose as she shot Arizona a playful glare.
"I think you finally met your match," Mark added, turning to smile directly at Arizona. That smile! In that moment, Arizona made up her mind: she liked Mark. She could see the appeal, the easy confidence he radiated, and the kindness that lingered in those brown eyes. He seemed like an okay guy.
Callie's unapologetic zest for life had pulled Arizona from her shell, while Mark's easygoing nature provided a comfortable safety net that allowed her to simply be herself. They had spent so much time together, late night study sessions that turned into movie marathons, spontaneous outings to explore nearby parks, or simply lounging in each other's company, reveling in the comfort of shared silence.
It was unfathomable to think how quickly they had built this bond, how easily they had carved out a space for each other in their lives. Arizona felt a warmth fill her chest; Even her mother had commented on the transformation she had experienced since meeting Callie and Mark. She was her perky self again, with this resurgence of happiness came noticeable changes within Arizona herself. She had gained a little weight, and she was no longer as "bony" as she had been in the past. She had grown a few inches taller, finding herself standing a little straighter. Somehow, this physical transformation had attracted attention, and boys suddenly seemed to notice her, all the time. Despite the compliments that surrounded her, an undeniable truth lingered in the back of Arizona's mind: her heart was irrevocably tied to Callie. While the boys sent her flirty texts, it was Callie's laughter that resonated deep within her. It was Callie's gaze that she wanted upon her.
"Hey, Arizona" Callie's voice broke her reverie, snapping her back to the present.
Arizona blinked and grinned back at her friends. "Sorry, just lost in thought."
"Thinking about how amazing we are?" Mark teased, giving her a playful wink.
"Actually, I was just reflecting on how much you two have driven me crazy," she shot back, a playful smirk on her lips.
"Touché!" Callie exclaimed, laughing as she threw her head back, the sound bright and airy.
In that moment, surrounded by their laughter and familiarity, Arizona knew one thing for sure: no matter where life took them from here, she would always cherish this time, these friendships, and the memories they were still creating together.
As the days turned into weeks, the trio became a staple in the cafeteria, surrounding their table with laughter, shared stories, and even some friendly banter directed at each other. Arizona felt a deep sense of ease that had eluded her through her endless transfers. With Callie and Mark, the world felt a little less intimidating, and for the first time in a while, she found herself genuinely smiling more than she thought possible.