We Will Rise

Callie

"Callie! You made it!"

Callie Sencen couldn't help smiling as her best friend rushed towards her. "Hey, Biana."

Despite there being an age gap of a year, the two girls were as thick as thieves. Fitting, as Keefe and Fitz, the girls' older brothers respectively, were also best friends.

The younger girl brushed a lock of chocolate brown hair out of her face. "You have no idea how bored I've been! Fitz's been away for ages, which means Keefe's not been coming around, so I can't play Base Quest with anyone."

"Keefe, huh?" Callie smirked. "Do you like him?"

"Wha—no!"

"I think you do!"

"I do not!"

"Yeah, sure."

"I don't like him!"

"Mm. If you say so."

"Callie!"

"I'm kidding. What about Alvar?"

"Busy. It's not fun playing with him, anyway. He just stays invisible the whole time."

"Mm, I s'pose."

"I wish I would just manifest already!" Biana sighed, dropping her head onto Callie's shoulder. "It's so annoying waiting, especially when your best friend's already manifested and is the most popular girl in school!"

"You're making me blush," Callie remarked drily.

"Come on, lets ask my Mom if we can go to Atlantis tomorrow."

When Callie didn't immediately bolt out the door, Biana latched onto her arm and dragged her out. "Come on, come on!"

"Okay, okay, I'm coming!"

They found Della in one of the guest living rooms, where she was fixing her already perfect hair in a mirror. Callie wasn't entirely sure how Della was doing that, as, being a Vanisher, she kept flickering in and out of visibility, but Callie supposed she was used to it.

"Mom, can we go to Atlantis tomorrow?"

Della turned, and smiled at Callie. "Hello, Callie."

"Can we, Mom?"

"Don't you still have homework to do?"

"Well, yeah, but—"

"You can go when you're done with your homework, young lady."

"Mom, please!"

"I can help, Bi," Callie interjected. "Well. Unless it's The Universe. Then I can't."

"But it is The Universe! Mom!"

Someone entered the room, and Della turned to the door. "You're home."

There was a squeal, prompting Callie follow suit.

Fitz Vacker was standing in the door with his father Alden, and a blonde girl who looked to be Callie's age and to whom she took an instant dislike. Perhaps it was the way the girl blushed and glanced at Fitz—her, Callie's, eventual match, at least according to everyone else—or the way Fitz looked at the girl with obvious admiration in his eyes.

"Sophie, this is my wife, Della," Alden said, looking like he was trying not to laugh.

Ah, so her name is Sophie.

It wasn't a very elfin name.

"And my daughter, Biana, and her friend, Callie," he added. "My dear, I don't believe our guest is used to being around Vanishers."