Fostered

Chapter Fourteen

I roll off of Calla and collapse beside her, my skin slick with sweat. I catch my breath for a moment as she covers my face in little kisses. I can't help smiling at her affection. I pull her on top of me and plant a kiss on her jaw, then another on her forehead. She buries her head in the crook of my neck and I run my fingers through her hair.

 "What am I gonna do with you?" She mumbles against my neck.

 "Take me home with you." I snicker.

 "You wish." Calla giggles, "I'm serious, Sloan. What's going to happen to you? What's going to happen to us?"

 A smirk creeps across my lips, "We'll run away to Scotland... Change our names and become shepherds... We can have a farm in the rolling green hills and grow our own food. No one will ever bother us again."

 "Have I ever told you that you suck?" She shoots back, holding herself up on one hand and giving me the stink eye.

 I scoff and she leans down and gives me a long, soft kiss on the lips.

 "But I still love you." She adds.

 I steal a quick peck on her lips before scooting up toward the pillows. Calla laces her fingers through mine, resting her head on my chest. I use my free hand to run my fingers up and down the length of her back. She occasionally shivers under my touch, causing me to grin.

 "You turn eighteen before I do. You'll be out of the foster care system then, right?" She asks me.

 "Yeah, but I don't know what's going to happen after that. Nobody's adopted me. I'm a pain in the ass." I shrug.

"Even if you were a pain in the ass, which you aren't, you'd have every reason to be. Nothing you've been through has been easy, Sloan." Calla reassures me.

 "I'm just afraid that they're going to throw me out into the world and I'll end up just like my mom." A frown threatens to cross my lips, but I straighten them out.

 "You're nothing like her. You know that, don't you?"

 I'm silent, not entirely sure how to respond. I kiss the top of her head gently and she looks up at me.

 "Hey."

 "Hm?" I inquire.

 "I love you." She reminds me.

 "I love you too." I say, unable to resist the smile that finds its way on my face.

 "We'll get it all figured out, okay?" Calla beams.

 "Alright." I lean forward to give her a kiss, but she jerks her head to the direction of her phone.

 It rings loudly and buzzes on the night stand. I groan and she reaches over, plucking it off of the glass and answering it. She clears her throat and brushes her hair away from her ear.

 "Hello?"

I can hear the faint sound of a frantic female voice. Calla sits up and begins trying to defuse the situation. I instantly realize that it's probably Hallie on the other line. I listen closely as Calla sweeps the covers back and gets out of bed. My eyes roam over her body and I smirk to myself, causing her to steal a glance at me and raise an eyebrow. I pretend like I'm not looking as she crosses the room.

 "Yes, ma'am, we're fine... I'm so sorry, we just lost track of time. I can bring her home, if you'd like..." Calla says, bringing her fingers to her lips as she waits for a response.

"Oh my god, really?" She perks up excitedly and I sit up in bed.

 "What?" I ask in a hushed voice.

 "That's so amazing! Can I tell her?" Calla asks.

 "What?" I whine again.

 "Okay, I will! Thank you so much... And once again, I'm so sorry!" She says, "Alright, goodnight."

 She hangs up the phone and returns to the bedside. She sets her phone down on the nightstand and sits down on the edge of the bed, a stupid grin on her face. I tilt my head at her, raising my eyebrows.

 "Well? Are you gonna tell me what's going on?"

 "Two things." Calla hints, "The first one is that Hallie was totally cool with you sleeping over."

 I wiggle my brows at her and she shakes her head, "The second one... I'm not sure if you're ready to hear it."

 "Come on, Calla, please." I urge.

 "I don't know," She teases.

 "Calla!" I demand.

 "Fine, fine... So, Hallie got a call today, right?"

 "Right." I nod.

 "Sloan, somebody wants to adopt you."