Chances

Tears

"Callie are you a lesbian?"

Stef's words caused the brunette to freeze up. She looked over at her brother, who shook his head.

"I can't get into this right now." She sighed, parting through the crowd.

"Sweetie, I know that coming out can be hard. But we saw the way you've been acting around Ximena, and that's way different than you've acted with any of your other friends." Said Lena.

"Stop talking." Callie ordered.

"Baby, we don't want you to feel like we're pressuring you."

The brunette whipped around, "But that's exactly what you're doing, isn't it? You're painting me into a corner to confess something that isn't even true!"

"Baby—"

"I'm bisexual, okay? Not a lesbian." She shouted angrily, "Are you happy? I just came out to you in a way I never wanted to do. Thanks a lot." Reaching her bedroom, she went inside and shut the door in their faces.

"Oh, my." Stef said, turning around to face Callie's little brother, who didn't even look them in the eye. He shook his head and followed Callie to her own bedroom, mad at his parents for forcing Callie to say that. Jesus followed his little brother up, Mariana walked past her Moms without saying a word.

Callie sat on her bed crisscross applesauce, hands resting on her knees. Her younger sister and 13-year-old brother, Jude, sitting on either side of her.

"I told them you weren't gay." He confessed, "But Moms didn't believe me."

"Clearly." The brunette whispered, resting her head in her hands. Mariana rested her head on her older sister's shoulder, "I'm sorry, this is all such bull."

Callie merely smiled at her sister.

"Why didn't you tell me, though? I thought we told each other everything. Were you afraid I'd narc on you or something?"

"No. I was going to tell you tonight, actually, but then—"

"But then Moms got in the way." The Latina shook her head, "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault." The brunette assured.

The door creaked open, and in came Lena and Stef. They stared at their daughter who was being comforted by her two younger siblings.

"Honey, we're sorry. We never should have put you under so much pressure." Lena apologized, walking over to the foot of the bed.

The girl tapped her knee and stared into the eyes of her Moms, "I was going to tell you. I just wanted to wait until I had feelings for a girl again."

Stef nodded in understanding, "Well, we're sorry sweets."

Callie wiped a few tears away, "I kissed Ximena today." She confessed.

"What?" Mariana and Jude said at the same time.

"An-And when was this?" Lena asked.

"When I left the house earlier today. I saw you two watching me everywhere I went, and I-I-I felt judged and I-I wanted to get out of here. So, I called Ximena and went to her house. Sh-she made this joke that made me mad. B-But then she g-go-got all close to me and told me that she was fine, that everything was going to be okay. Then I-I-I..." Callie bent over, holding her face in her hands as she bawled.

"Callie, Cal. I need you to look at me, love."

The girl lifted her head and the two Moms' hearts broke in half when they saw Callie's puffy-eyed, tear-stained face.

Stef placed a hand on the girl's knee as she continued to wail.

"W-W-Why do I always have to mess everything up?" She shouted, collapsing onto Mariana's lap.

"I'm a lost cause. I ruin everything." She said, "I finally got a second chance at having a best friend and I blew it up again!" She shouted.

"That's not true." Mariana said as she stroked her sister's hair, "You're my best friend, Callie."

"Yeah?" The brunette asked, looking up at her sister.

"Yeah. And it's an extra bonus of you being my sister." She looked up and fluttered her eyelashes which made her older sister smile.

"There you go, baby." Lena smiled at her daughter, "So, if I may...would it appropriate to ask whether you have feelings for Ximena, honey?"

"I'd rather not talk about it, actually."

Nodding their heads, Callie's Moms got up and left the bedroom along with Jude. Mariana turned to her older sister and smiled.

"What?" The brunette asked uncomfortably, leaning back a little.

"You totally like Ximena." The Latina confirmed, "No denying it. You are so into her." She bumped the older girl's shoulder.

The brunette laughed, "Okay, okay, maybe I like her a little bit."

Mariana clapped her hands, "I knew it!"

"But it's not like it's gonna make a difference. She's not into me."

"And how would you know that?"

"Because when I pulled away...the look on her face...she was horrified."

"Well it's her loss." Mariana said, "And speaking of girls, I would love to hear the story of Ms. Callie's first crush on a girl."

"Mariana!"

"No, seriously. Tell me who it was!"

"Ugh, fine!" Callie cleared her throat, "It was back in middle school. Seventh grade, I think. And there was this girl...Molly Debrot. She was one of the most popular girls at my school. She never talked to me. I pretended to be cool with it, but I wasn't. And that's when I realized what I was. I told Jude first thing. He was really supportive about the whole thing, and it's not like I had anyone else to talk too." She shrugged, "So I kept it a secret."

Mariana nodded and wrapped her sister in another hug before making her way into her own bed. Clicking off the lights, both girls drifted off to sleep, Callie pushing her worries out of her mind.