Aftermath

9

They had planned the perfect night, snacks, movies, and she even told Cal she snuck alcohol from her parent's liquor cabinet. It felt like the weekend would never come. But finally, the last bell rang out and school ended.

"Cal!" She waved from the other end of the parking lot and Cal jogged over to get in the car.

"Matt's driving," she said, climbing in the backseat next to Cal "he's going to Oliver's so he is just dropping us off." Calpurnia nodded in acknowledgment.

"What are you and Oliver doing?" Cal said, catching Matthew's gaze in the rearview mirror.

"Don't know," he shrugged, "probably games or a movie or something" Calpurnia smiled.

"Nice sounds fun," she said and looked back to Rowan next to her. She had a slight look of irritation on her face, but it disappeared quickly.

They spent the whole night watching movies and gorging themselves on junk food and drinking. She spilled about the guy she had a crush on, and Cal melted into a fit of laughter while she talked about him. Calpurnia loved staying with them, it was nice to be away from her house.

After she had fallen asleep, Cal stumbled upstairs to get some water. Matthew walked in the door while she was grabbing it.

"Hey," he said, reaching around her to grab a bottle for himself. "Is Rowan asleep?"

Cal nodded, taking a sip from her bottle. She teetered slightly, but regained her balance and closed the refrigerator door.

"Moreno," she deadpanned, hoping he'd explain why he was there quickly.

"Were you guys drinking?" Calpurnia froze for a second but eventually nodded again looking away to escape his poof of disapproval. "She always knocks out after she drinks," he said chuckling, "such a buzzkill."

At that, a laugh escaped Cal's lips, she hadn't known Matthew knew about them drinking. Honestly, she should've expected it, the Moreno siblings were close. She looked up to find him already looking at her with a soft smile splayed across his lips.

"I should go to bed," Cal stated, looking back down at her feet. Matthew's hand caught her cheek and he tilted her chin back up to look at him. She squeezed her eyes shut, torn between wanting to respect her best friend and giving in to her desire.

"Cal," Matthew breathed, "open your eyes." He tucked a strand of unruly hair behind her ear, letting his fingers snake around the back of her head. His thumb ran back and forth across her cheekbone. She sucked in a deep breath. She felt a pull and stumbled forward into him.

"Matthew," she pulled her head away from his chest and pushed her forehead against his chin. He let out a soft indignant groan and pressed a kiss on her forehead. She tilted her head up to look at him but averted her gaze quickly under the heat of his stare.

"We can't." She started to step back but Matthew wrapped his arms around her, one against the small of her back the other pressing her cheek into him, holding her there for a moment.

"Mattie" she pleaded, unsure if she was asking him to stop or to start. He tipped her head up so she was looking at him again. Before Cal could say anything he pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth. Neither of them moved, Cal felt a flush of heat run over her body and held onto his forearms for support. She moved her head into his kiss. He moved to kiss her lips, but she turned her head away, so he planted one onto her temple instead.

"Rowan would be devastated" she squeezed his arms, begging him to understand her position.

"I know. I'm sorry." He spoke against her temple. She tucked her head under his chin, grazing her lips on the base of his throat, before letting go. At first, she didn't move away, but before he could change her mind Calpurnia stepped back putting space between them.

"Goodnight Matthew," Calpurnia whispered.

"Goodnight Callie."

...

Just as quickly as the peace came the facade disintegrated into reality.

Cal woke up distraught, clinging to the happiness she'd felt while she dreamt of Rowan. Devastation rolled in and settled in her gut, rotten and threatening to spread. There was an unsettling amount of dread pooling in her body. Heavy and thick nearly suffocating her.

She didn't leave her bed that day. Or the next day. By the end of the second day, her body started to react. Her skin ached, her stomach was in knots, her bladder was distended and sore, and she hadn't even slept. Still, she wouldn't have gotten up but someone wouldn't stop banging on the door.

Calpurnia made her way to the door, hunched over slightly from the pain in her lower abdomen, and ripped the door open. There Matthew stood, and she watched his face drop from a half-smile to shock. She had no idea what she must look like, but she did know that it wasn't good.

She attempted to straighten herself out but a searing pain shot through her body causing a strangled whimper to fly out of her mouth. The edges of her vision went fuzzy and black, and just as she started to sway Matthew latched onto her and hoisted her up. He helped her to the couch and sat down.

"What is it?" He asked, panic apparent in his voice. His hands smoothed her hair away from her face and his eyes searched hers desperately. "Cal, what's happening?" His voice broke at the end.

Calpurnia reached to his shoulder and closed her fist around the material of his shirt. She tried to calm him down a little by nuzzling her cheek into his chest.

"I can't sleep." It was the only explanation Cal could manage. She had no idea how to explain herself to Matthew. Truth was, she couldn't. But it was more than that. It hurt more than that. A tear trailed down her cheek silently. She tensed as another sharp pain shot through her. She might have a bladder infection.

Cal moved to stand but Matthew caged her against him. Her body sagged, but she knew she needed to clean herself up. It was embarrassing.

"Let me help," he said when she tried to pull away again. She nodded and gestured toward the bathroom and he helped her there before walking back out and closing the door.

She emptied her bladder which alleviated some of the discomfort in her abdomen. When she stood up she was able to stand up straighter than before. Her body was sore still, no doubt from lack of movement. She tactfully avoided her reflection. Scared of the reality of her appearance. She hadn't slept in days. The events of the last few minutes took every ounce of energy she had left. She made it to the door jamb and pushed open the door grateful that Mattie was right outside of it, all but falling into his arms.

"I'm so tired" she managed to whisper and he scooped her up with an arm under her knees and one under her back. He carried her over and laid her down on her bed gently. Mattie pulled the covers up over her and moved to stand but she caught his hand before he could get too far away. He turned around and shot her a confused look. Cal kept a grip on his hand.

"Don't go." It was so quiet she wasn't sure he would even hear her. But he knelt beside the air mattress and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered into her skin. Her eyes fluttered closed, incapable of staying open any longer. Her grip on his hand was firm if she let up at all he would disappear. She tried to sleep but she couldn't. Cal was too tired to function, and even that wasn't enough to help her sleep. A frustrated sigh left her lips.

She felt Matthew pull his hand from hers, then the air mattress dip behind her, causing her to slide into his chest. He tucked one arm under her head and the other across her torso, his hand grabbing her arm gently and stroking swirls onto her skin.

"Go to sleep," he whispered into her hair. She nodded but before she settled down she rolled over so that she could nuzzle herself safely into his chest. Her nose pressed into his neck and her arms wrapped around his torso. She felt her eyes droop almost immediately. The fight from her body was gone.