Med School Chemistry - 7/?
Your comments have been great so far and I'm trying to keep up the quick posting but I have exams tomorrow and the next day so I apologise in advance if things over the next couple of days are a little slow (or entries are rather short again). But, after that I'm free for the whoooole summer, so I might even try my hand at another fic once this one is done!
Anyway, enough with the looking ahead, a lot of revision still to cram in before then.
And in the mean time, here's part 7
Erica woke up lying on top of her bed, sunlight streaming through her window where she had failed to draw the curtains, still wearing Callie’s dress from the night before. It was stupid, but she really didn’t want to take it off. Knowing it had been so closed to Callie made it special to her. That and the fact she didn’t think she was quite capable of taking it off right then. She was sure that she was in fact still pretty drunk, but as she rolled over to check the time on her alarm clock, she realised that drunk or not, she had a class in an hours time. It was with this thought in mind that she pushed herself out of bed and went in search of her Tylenol.
Finally parting with Callie’s dress to shower, she emerged in her towel to face her own closet again. It was as she crossed the room that she tripped over the bag containing the rest of the clothes Callie had brought over. Bending down, her hands fell on a pale blue v neck beaded strappy top. One she had seen Callie wear before. She wouldn’t mind, would she?
Callie awoke in a similar state, although she had somehow managed to find her pajamas and make an effort to get into them. Cradling the start of a major headache, she forced herself to shower and change, getting ready for class, which thanks to her empty medicine cabinet, was going to be a living hell.
*
Erica was finally caught wearing Callie’s top when the young latina flopped down beside her on the grass with a groan. “Kill me now.”
“I can do one better,” Erica laughed, rummaging through the bag beside her and coming out with a bottle of water and Tylenol. She held them out to Callie, who took them gratefully.
“I think you might just be my own personal savior!” Callie breathed, downing the much needed medicine. “How have you been feeling?”
Like a complete lovesick idiot every time you come near me? “Surprisingly okay considering the last time I was that drunk was first year,” Erica told her, putting the lid back on the water bottle as Callie handed it back to her, rolling onto her stomach to look at Erica in disbelief.
“You haven’t been that drunk in years? Wow, now I feel like an alcoholic.” She continued to look at Erica, narrowing her eyes. Something was different about her. “Is that my top?”
Erica couldn’t control the blush that crept over her cheeks. “I was still drunk when I got up this morning, it was the first thing I found,” Erica hurriedly tried to explain. Why had she ever thought it was a good idea?
“It suits you,” Callie said simply. “You should hang onto it.”
Erica smiled her thanks, her cheeks still bright red. She was glad Callie had rolled back over onto her back again and wasn’t looking at her to see her embarrassment.
“What are you doing this weekend?” Callie asked, her voice sounding almost sleepy.
Same as I always do…work. “Er, I usually don’t really have anything to do.”
“You want to do something? Watch a movie or something?”
Do I want to spend my weekend with Callie Torres? Is that even a question? ”Yeah sure.” Damn, that sounded way too eager. “Was there anything you wanted to see?”
“Why don’t you choose?” Callie suggested, rolling over once more till she was looking at Erica. “It looked like you had quite a few dvds. We could watch one of those or something.”
“They’re probably not your kinda thing, Callie. They’re kinda old movies,” Erica told her, the blush never leaving her face.
Callie shrugged. “Don’t know that till I watch one do I? Why don’t you pick your favourite?” Any answer from Erica was cut off by a group of guy calling Callie over. She quickly glanced at her watch. “Oh crap, I forgot I said I’d go to lunch with them.” She pushed herself up till she was standing. “Sorry, Erica, I need to go, but just leave me a message or call me about this weekend?” Callie turned to go, then paused again. “That top really suits you, by the way.”
**
Ever since their night out together, Erica and Callie had become more friends than workmates. Before, Callie would come over to ask about notes, lecturers and to study, but now, she came over to watch movies or help expand Erica’s rather limited musical knowledge. Erica had even ventured as far as Callie’s apartment, which had been tidied especially the young latina had assured her. It had turned out that Callie did, in fact, share Erica’s taste in film, and could often be found making her way to Erica’s room in the evening with popcorn and chips and dips where she liked to take over Erica’s bed, leaving the blonde to fight for a comfortable space. And in return, Callie had extended Erica’s musical horizons, introducing her to a little bit of everything from current chart hits to some of Callie’s favourite latin beats.
Their study sessions had become far more relaxed. It was no longer a case of Callie coming over to study then leave. Now, she could just relax in Erica’s company, whether it was at one of their places, the library gardens or the park. Now, they frequently asked about each other’s day, and Callie kept Erica up to date with campus gossip, both laughing over the antics of some of their fellow students.
Callie had even taken to finding Erica on her lunchbreaks from work, picking her up a coffee, or muffin on her way. “All you do is medicine, woman,” Callie laughed, grabbing Erica’s notes away from her. “You work part time in the campus pharmacy, and revise, what is this? Oh, the nervous system, in your lunch breaks.”
Erica shrugged, sitting down on the bench next to Callie. “It was just something to do in my breaks. I don’t always revise, sometimes I just, read.”
“Why do you have to do anything?” Callie asked, putting the notes down next to her. “It’s your break. You know, the time when you’re meant to stop working for a little while.”
Erica laughed. That was something she just didn’t do.
“Come here.” Callie tugged her hand, slipping off of the bench to lie down on the grass beside it. “Lie back.”
Erica stood, eyebrows raised, he free hand on her hips. She relented, however, when Callie tugged her hand again, lying down next to the Latina. “Callie, what are we doing?”
“We are doing nothing, Erica. That’s the point,” Callie laughed. “We’re going to lie here and look at the clouds for a little bit, and relax.”
Erica was doubtful at first. It seemed like a waste of time. But as she lay there, listening to Callie point out what the clouds looked like, she had to admit, it was sort of relaxing. She could feel the tension in her body ease, and the start of what would have been a tension headache fade away. Maybe it was good to just do nothing for a little while? She turned her head as Callie sat up.
“Just stay there, I’m not going anywhere,” Callie reassured her as she reached for her bag, pulling out her mp3. Settling herself back beside Erica on her side this time, she scrolled through the menu and found some of her relaxing, more classical tunes. Taking the earphones, she leaned over Erica, carefully putting one in her ear, and gently twirling one of Erica’s loose curls around her finger before realizing she was lingering and quickly lying back.
Erica tried not to tense with Callie so close, her fingers gently on the side of her face. It took everything she had to stay still and keep that gentle smile on her face rather than to take Callie’s face in her hands and kiss her like she had been longing to. Thankfully, Callie soon returned to her position, lying on her back beside her, the other earphone in her own ear.
“See, this is called relaxing,” Callie smiled. “It’s good isn’t it?”
Despite her body’s urges, Erica remained where she was, unable to not smile along with Callie. “Yeah, it is.” She let the music in her ears ease the remaining tension, closing her eyes, not allowing herself to stare at the beauty that lay so close beside her. “Since when did you listen to classical music?” she asked, remembering that it as Callie’s mp3 they were listening to.
“Since I was about 5,” Callie replied quietly. “My mom used to play it when she was out relaxing in the garden when my dad was out. He was more of guitar and bass kinda guy. I would be able to hear my mom’s music out on the balcony, and I would just sit there and relax. I guess it just stuck.”
Erica felt Callie shrug, their shoulders lightly brushing. “Your mom has good taste.”
“Of course she d--“ Callie’s reply was cut off by a shrill ringing from Erica’s bag. She turned to look at Erica, who seemed blissfully unaware, still lying with her eyes closed, the sun literally making her hair shine. She didn’t want to disturb her, but her bag was still ringing. “Erica?” she nudged her arm gently. Erica opened her eyes, her gaze instantly meeting Callie’s. “You bag doesn’t seem to understand the concept of relaxing.”
“Oh, crap,” Erica sat up, taking the earphone out and pushing herself to her feet. “That’ll be my alarm.”
“Alarm?” Callie asked. It was the middle of the day? Erica was up at the crack of dawn, why the hell did she need an alarm now?
“Er, yeah. I set an alarm on my phone for the end of my break.” She finally found her phone and shut up the offending noise.
“You set an alarm to tell you your break is over?” Callie tried not to laugh.
Erica shrugged nervously, her voice quiet. “I don’t like to be late.”
“You know something?” Callie smiled, imagining Erica setting alarms for everything from essay deadlines to dates just so she was never late and didn’t keep people waiting. “You really are adorable sometimes.” She watched the blush creep back into Erica face. “You better go if you don’t want to be late,” she teased.
Erica nodded, a smile creeping onto her features as she started to walk away.
“Come find me when you’re finished, though, and we can still watch that movie later, yeah?” Callie called.
“Where’ll you be?” Erica called back, her voice raised slightly to ensure Callie heard.
Callie smiled. “Well I don’t plan on moving anytime soon!”
Turning away and shaking her head again, Erica found a grin firmly in place on her face. Suddenly she had something to look forward to that night.