After Prom: Callie and Fred

[x-nothungry.livejournal.com]

After an amazing night, Callie and Fred share a moment. Well almost. Wait...yes. No...wait...no again.

...
...
...okay, it's yes again.




Fred couldn't wipe the smile from his face if he tried. The Prom had been typical, right down to the spiked punch (or he had been told it was spiked; it took a lot of alcohol to mess up Fred). Past just being typical, it had been so fun to be carefree with his friends, just be a teenager, especially with Callie. He walked beside her now, after she walked with his to dismiss the limo for the evening and pay the driver for his services. Fred had jokingly told her that he'd 'walk her home' to her dorm room, and been pleasantly surprised when she agreed. For now they stood outside near the entrance, as Fred inhaled deeply from the first cigarette he'd had in several hours.

Wanting to break the quiet, Fred chuckled a little, and turned his head to the pink skinned girl next to him, "So...was it everything you thought it could be?"

The question had come as a bit of a surprise. Callie had been busy staring up at the sky, watching the stars and enjoying the extra time with Fred. She didn't mind his smoking even, as that was something she had grown accustomed to while in Italy. It was just nice to be outside, alone with her date, even if it was a little chilly. She looked over at him, a large smile on her face. "It was. I had fun, really it was great. Did you... did you have fun?"

Fred smiled and placed his cigarette in his mouth and slid his large brown coat from his shoulders, and put it around Callie's shoulders gently. No reason for her to have to brave the elements for the sake of his habit. "Yea, I had a great time," he said earnestly, and continued to smile at Callie, "Thanks for asking me to come."

"I'm really glad you said yes," Callie confided as she wrapped his coat tight around her. It was still warm from Fred's wearing of it, and helped warm her up. For a minute she regretted wearing an almost backless dress, but decided that Fred's face as she had descended the stairs earlier that evening was worth the cold. "I was afraid you were going to say no. Or not have fun."

Fred's fingers lingered inside the jacket for the scantest of moments, his hands resting on either side of Callie's neck. He quickly removed them however, and became very interested in his own cigarette. He exhaled smoke from his lungs, "Well, I'm glad I didn't say no. I, uh, I had a great time..."

She sighed. His hands were warm, and strong, and she enjoyed the way the felt while he was leading her around the dance floor. So when he pulled away, she felt inexplicably sad. "Fred," she ventured, a look of concern on her face. "Is something wrong?"

Fred coughed a little, and tossed aside his cigarette, "Uh, no, I was just gonna suggest we go inside. Getcha out of the cold..." his smile returned, and he opened the large entrance doors of the Mansion for Callie.

"I'm fine now, really. Your coat is keeping me warm." She nervously chewed on her lip. He was acting like he didn't want to be around her. So why would he go and agree to go to prom, rent a limo, take her to dinner, and everything? Was he just being nice? Did he feel bad for her? "Fred, are you trying to get rid of me?"

Fred stuttered for a moment, unsure of where this sentiment came from, "Wh-huh-whah? No! I, uh, I just figured, y'know...it's late, and I didn't want to...you know, seem like I was..." Fred coughed again. Where was Julian when he needed him?

Callie smiled, he was so cute when he was flustered, it was so endearing. And it seemed like he wasn't trying to get rid of her, but had her best interests at heart. She didn't know what it was, whether it was a culmination of everything that had happened that night, or if someone really had spiked the punch and she hadn't noticed, but Callie did something that normally would be out of character, but she couldn't help it. She slowly stepped toward Fred, her hand sliding out from under the coat to rest lightly on his cheek as she leaned in and pressed her lips softly to his.

Fred was a statue. He didn't move. He didn't think. All that could process was that he was Fred (of which he was fairly certain), that he was standing in front of Callie (again, only partially sure), and that she was kissing him (of that he was the most positive). He stood there, hands in the air, eyes wide...

"I'm sorry," she said taking a step back. Honestly, she didn't know what she was expecting. She had hoped that Fred would kiss her back, that he liked her, but she was just being stupid. Feeling the tears well up over being scorned, Callie quickly removed the brown coat and draped it over his shoulder. "I'm going to go now. Thanks for everything Fred. It was fun. I'll... I'll see you later."

The plan, as Callie turned to go to her room and flee his awkward situation, was to head to the kitchen, grab some ice cream, and eat it in her room while she berated herself for being so stupid.

Yes. That sounded perfect.

Before Callie could get more than three steps, one of Fred's hands were on her shoulders. He turned her and, eyes locked on hers, moved in close to her, until they were pressed very gently together. One large hand at the nape of her neck and the other pressed flat to the small of Callie's back, Fred leaned in and kissed Callie, his lips parted slightly, his warm hands tight against her skin...

For a few moments, Callie allowed herself to enjoy and reciprocate the kiss (he was a surprisingly good kisser). But in the end, her logic fueled mind won out and she found herself pushing away. Whoever said girls were confusing had obviously never met a boy. One minute he was giving her the cold shoulder and the next he was kissing her like this? It made no sense. And it made her head spin thinking about it. Or maybe that was the kiss. Which made the situation all that more confusing.

Callie shook her head as she stepped away from the Texan. "Fred," she pleaded. "Please don't do this to me."

Fred's expression was a pretty homogeneous mixture of surprise and hurt. Did he push to far? Did he do something wrong? Either way, Fred took a step back himself, wary of the situation, "Don't...don't do what, Callie?"

"I like you," she said as she began to pace. "So I kiss you. I don't know I guess I thought you liked me. Maybe I was wrong and you only like me as a friend or whatever. And that'd be fine. And I was all convinced of rejection so I turned to leave. And then you grab me and you kiss me like that. And so now I don't know what to think. Ugh. You're so confusing."

Fred's eyebrows knit together, and he looked more than a little forlorn, "Callie...I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I...I like you, too. I just, just figured you didn't and, uh, and I'm sorry I upset you, I am..."

She stopped and faced him. "You like me?"

"I...yea. I do. I, uh," Fred sighed and grabbed his coat from where it had fallen, and slid it back on. He still looked more than a little hurt, "I just never woulda figured...I mean I never think about that kinda stuff and, look, I'm sorry about making you upset. This was supposed to be your night and...look, I'll just..." Fred jerked his thumb at towards the garage, away from the rest of the Mansion, and slowly backpedaled away from Callie, not wanting to upset her further...

Callie wanted to laugh, but given the situation and how Fred was acting she figured it would only make things worse. "Fred wait," she said as she rushed toward him. As soon as she was close enough, she found herself reaching out and taking his hand in both of hers, trying to keep him from leaving.

"Fred. I'm not upset. I was just confused. I didn't think that you like me. I mean I kissed you and you just stood there. It kinda seemed like you didn't like me, and I just felt stupid. Like, I don't know."

Fred looked at her, hurt replaced with outright confusion, "Oh, I was just...shocked, really. Promise. Just didn't see it coming, is all..." He looked down to her hands and then back into her eyes.

Callie smiled and shook her head. "We're both being silly," she said suppressing her laughter. She dropped his hand and brought her arms up to wrap around his neck. "Maybe we should try again?"

Fred didn't answer right away. Instead, he cupped Callie's chin and tilted her head up, "Yea. Once more with feeling..." and kissed Callie again, as gently as he could manage...

When the time felt right, Callie broke their kiss, a wide smile on her face. "Thank you, for a wonderful night Fred."

"Best. Prom. Ever." Fred said, chuckling. He offered an arm to Callie, "I promised I'd walk you to your room. I mean to keep my word," he said, smile wide.

"Indeed," she agreed, as she slipped her arm through his and the allowed him to lead her back to her room to say good night.