[COMPLETED] After finally turning eighteen, foster-kid Callista Ford, goes out to party with a group of friends, in hopes of coming out of her shell for once, and maybe even snatching up the cute green-eyed guy staring at her from across the room.
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CALLIE later found herself in the backseat of Lana's Minivan, Lana in the front, and Alec, in the passenger side, constantly trying to meet her eyes in the rearview mirror, to let her know he was sorry.
She ignored him.
Lana, tapped her fingers on the wheel, humming absentmindedly as she made another Left turn, following the GPS's instructions.
Leo had hung up, not long after Callie's outburst, making sure they knew to destroy the phone, the second the call ended, and they did.
Alec had come to Callie later, and told her he'd go with her, but there was something tense in his body language, and when she asked about it, he denied it.
The sky was dreary and grey, and lay untouched by the morning sun yet. The wind had built up a little breeze that had Callie's blonde locks flying in all directions of her face, which she had attempted to straighten under multiple attempts.
The streets were starting to look more and more familiar the closer they got to arriving at their destination. From the park, she distinctly recalled always visiting while she was still in diapers, to the lady who lived a block away from them, and had always brought them home cooked meals on their first few weeks living in the house, so they could feel more welcome.
Long Story short, that lady died of old age, and her grandson lived in her house now, but her memory still lived on in Callista's heart.
Alec tapped her thigh, bringing her attention back to him, she pulled her leg to her chest, and away from him.
He ignored her dramatics. ''We're almost there.''
His words had her scrutinizing the emerald she wore on her finger, from its roundness, to the pretty rock Pearl she had always found herself stroking whenever she was nervous in her childhood.
She had been a regular introverted child back then, hanging out with friends, drawing, painting, binge watching the new movies that came out, and series, with Savannah, completely unaware of the power her ring held.
The car slowly came to a stop in front of a familiar house, in an even more familiar neighborhood.
Everyone held their breath
''Oh... my . . . God,''
The house sitting in the driveway was nothing like the house Callie remembered living in as a child.
The burnt down house is all skeletal remains in the new light of the day, covered in debris, dust, and dried and blackened charcoal.
Burnt books, and torn pages covered whatever was left of the floors. The wood in the bookshelves were bent at unnatural angles, burnt. Incredibly burnt. And covered in shattered glass, no doubt from the windows, furniture, and even the dining table.
An empty and abandoned bottle of gasoline lay innocently in the grass, and she could almost see everything that had happened that night.
The orange flames as they rose into the night sky, as they consumed everything that was her home and her place of sanctuary. As the house fire took all it could, and covered it in smoke, and charred furniture.
This house had become a distant part of her life. A place that held her happiest memories, and the years lived there. Only for it to burn. That was hard. Probably the hardest thing she had ever had to endure, after witnessing her parents die before her eyes.
The house could be rebuilt, if somebody wanted to. Considering it still held its basic structure, and stone walls, and even the furniture could be replaced.
However, nothing could restore the memories lost. The photo-albums, the frames, the--
She sensed Alec before she saw Alec.
''You and Leo knew.'' She said without missing a beat, thinking back to how both Alec, and Leo, had been opposed to the idea of her going back to her old house.
They knew it would destroy her if she knew, and they were right. She could feel the pain destroying her from the inside out. The anger.
This wasn't the first time somebody had lied, or withheld information from her, so she wouldn't get hurt.
She was sure Alec was hiding more than she knew, and it was only a matter of time before she found out. And she was without a doubt, that whatever it was he was hiding, would only hurt her tenfold.
''You didn't want me to get hurt.'' She added, her tone even. Even though it was the opposite of how she was feeling.
He didn't deny her words, and she knew he wouldn't. Because they were true.
It was true.
Whatever was left of her parents murder, and of the fortune everyone had been desperately after, was lost away in the fire.
She fell to her knees, and lost count of how long she had stayed there, saying nothing. Just... looking.
All that remained was the chimney, and the walls of stone.
What was to stop her from destroying the ring, now? It was not like she had a fortune anymore.
Alec kneeled beside her, as if reading her thoughts, and pulled her head into his chest. Combing his fingers through her hair as he always did when she was upset, but she didn't cry, surprising him, and herself.
She pushed her feelings aside, and bit her lip.
She found herself in a similar position later, with her head on Alec's chest, feeling his heartbeat, and his back to the fluffy pillows Lana had supplied them with.
''Are you going to ever tell me?'' She graced the silence eating away the room, with the voice she hadn't used in hours. ''...why you never told me you were my brother?'' She asked him, her green eyes, meeting his.
Well, twins.
Though, she wasn't finished. ''While you watched me have nightmare, after nightmare, after nightmare about... our parents murder, and cry, and never let me know you had reason to grieve as well?''
For a second, he looked like he was actually going to answer her question, but then he blinked, and put his border back up.
He pressed a light kiss to her forehead. ''You should be getting some sleep.''
