[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,'' The whisper traveled through one ear, and went out the other. Almost as if it were an angelic hum.
She wasn't even sure if she had actually heard something, or if she'd imagined it.
And then she emerged from the shadows.
It was almost as if Milk and sunshine had woven together to make everything that was her. Because the second she stepped out into the light, Callie found herself staring in awe.
Honey hair and honey skin, the woman was blonde from the roots to the tip, born from nothing more than golden sunshine, and full moons. Her eyes held a warm tenderness that Callie craved. That promised she would bring good days.
A woman that was sweet from her sun-kissed lips to her gracefully blonde hair.
''Mom?'' Callie whispered the word. Nearly breaking into tears, when the other smiled her beautiful smile at her.
''My baby.'' She said, her eyes brighter than the sun itself.
''Mom.'' She said with a little more strength behind her words. She didn't waste another second before leaping into her inviting arms. Legs wrapping around her waist, and arms lifting off her sides.
''I love you.'' Her mom uttered the words she hadn't heard in so long.
''I love you too, mom.'' She said without an ounce of hesitation. She didn't know when she'd get to say it again, or if she'd even be able to.
She didn't want this dream to end, so she kept herself calm. ''Where's dad?''
Her mother laughed a bubbly laugh at that. Her hair was flying in the wind, almost as if a fan were blowing it from behind. ''You know how you father is.'' She said. ''Always reading a new book.''
Callie nodded.
''He's in the library, reading about Kinetic energy.'' She started, trying to maintain her serious expression, but ended up bursting into pretty laughter that had Callie staring in awe.
Her mother was certainly beautiful.
''You're beautiful too baby.'' Her mother said, as if reading her mind, but then her eyes looked around her. ''Where's your brother? He's supposed to be with you everywhere.''
Callie dipped her head, so even in her dreams everybody had known about her brother, except for her.
''Why didn't you tell me?'' She asked her mother. Her fingers jammed into fists. ''That I had a brother.''
''Because he was taken.'' Her mother answered. Her answer surprised her on so many levels.
What did she mean by that?
''He was taken from us at a very young age, while you were just two-years-old.'' She explained. ''Taken by some very bad people, who had it out for us.''
''Jarvis.'' Callie concluded, seeing her mother's eyes widen.
''Yes. We owed Jarvis money, and back then, you didn't have an emerald ring, only Alec did. His was red. Cameron had willingly given it to him, but I was more on the hesitant side.'' She said, ''And once Jarvis found out how much money Alec's ring was... he took him. And once he found out I had a ring, he ordering we give it up, or he'd kill Alec.''
For the first time, Callie had seen her mother cry. Tears formed in her eyes, darkening the color that was usually bright. ''My ring was passed down to me by my mother, and hers was passed down by her mother, and so on, and so on. And I loved Alec, with all my heart. But I wasn't ready to give up my ring for him.''
Callie felt her heart drop to her stomach.
Her parents had betrayed Alec, and left him to die.
Now she knew why he never brought up his relations with them. He didn't want her positive view of her parents to change.
But it didn't matter anymore, because it had.
''They shot him.'' Her mother continued, only succeeding in making her feel more sick to her stomach. ''They abused him, they tortured him, they . . . '' She cut herself off of her next words, looking away. ''He eventually ran away.'' She said, ''Made it back to us, unaware that it was our fault that he had went through, what he had went through, our selfishness.''
She dipped her head.
''We were gonna pack up, and skip town, but they somehow found us. We suspected that it was a tracker they had most likely implanted in him, but we weren't given much time to do anything, before...''
Callie knew what she meant.
Before Jarvis killed them all, and left her alive as a witness.
''How could you do something like that to Alec?'' She questioned angrily, her voice catching in her throat.
Her mother resembled that of a gaping fish, her mouth opened and closed, as if she wanted to say something, but words wouldn't do her justice.
''The mother I knew would never do something as selfish as that.'' Callie spat. ''And my father would never stand by and watch all this happen.''
''We're . . . only human.'' Was her mothers excuse.
''Do you even have a good reason as to why you did what you did, other than selfishness?''
Her mother looked ashamed.
Well, that was a first.
''I . . . I don't.''
''Then you're not my mom,'' Callie started with repugnance.
And with that, she pinched herself. Bringing herself back into the real world, an uncomfortable and permanent feeling resting in her stomach.
