Here's chapter six for you all hihi!<3
Some changes were made in this chapter and also expect that the following chapters are also changed but don't worry, it wouldn't change the plot. The story will remain the way it was before and I hope you'll like it!:D
]|I{•------» CHAPTER SIX «------•}I|[
"Hey, you're with him? I thought you're busy?" Callie asked Scarlett as she placed her bag on the seat.
"Why? You don't want to see me here?"
Callie huffed a breath, "I didn't say that. You did."
Scarlett smiled at her through the rearview mirror. "How was your day?"
"The worst day ever. I've got a serious problem, it's really so big that I don't even know you guys would be able to fix it." Callie took a deep breath, "what is it?" Chris asked as he started to drive away from the place.
"I don't know. It's just, I have no idea if you guys could fix it. Will you--"
Scarlett interfered, "You made a scene, didn't you?"
"Damn! I didn't even have the time to explain my side and then you asked me that question?"
"Hey, watch your mouth." Chris recalled and the girl rolled her eyes, "You guys made a scene, do you know that? Everyone's been talking about it for the past few days... which I wouldn't have learned if the students didn't ask me those stupid questions."
The two furrowed their eyebrows, "Wait," Scarlett signaled a stop using her left hand. "What do you mean the 'students are talking about it'?" She then faced the girl at the backseat who was clearly pissed and irritated.
"I don't want this life. I don't like seeing cameras everywhere." Callie complained, "Oh god! People are suspecting me as your girlfriend at first! And then your daughter now!"
Chris laughed and shook his head. "Because you really are my daughter, you're my bub right?" The girl furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
Why the hell are they not seemed affected? Do they really think I'm lying?
Scarlett felt her heart raced so fast as if it was getting out of her ribcage. She felt like air was running out of her body and was slowly suffocating her. It was the thing she was scared to happen. She didn't want people to know her biggest secret, not that she doesn't like it but it wasn't the right time for it to be finally revealed.
"Are you guys absentmindedly? You seem so unbothered about it."
"I haven't seen any of those. How did it come out so fast? Those peeps are really--" Chris was cut-off when he heard Scarlett's worried mixed with irritation voice. "Chris, we have to deal with it thoroughly. This is the moment I always wish for the visible stars to not happen. And now, now... we're screwed."
Chris then narrowed his eyes on Scarlett. "What's wrong with it? As long as we don't confirm it, there's nothing to worry about. Why? Are you scared?"
"Them, taking pictures of us, no! But, them, asking us if it's true, a big problem! What are we gonna say? Tell them Rhislett's my niece and your goddaughter?"
Callie chuckled, "would they even believe that? It's all spread out now. People in my school are like chit chatting and you guys are the head of articles now. My pictures are all scattered all over social media. Of course you won't see it 'cause you don't have any of it."
Scarlett let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding, "The point is if you keep your mouth shut and let Chris and I think all of this through then we all gonna be good, right?"
Callie rolled her eyes, "where are we gonna go now?"
"Home." Chris replied, "My real home is in San Diego. Not here," The girl retorted.
She didn't mean to say it. She really didn't. But, she doesn't mind what line she crosses when she's annoyed, irritated and somehow pissed. The look on Scarlett and Chris' face was so readable and Callie could feel that they were hurt, but she didn't really care and just muttered the word, "sorry"
She cursed under her breath, but enough for both Scarlett and Chris to hear. And she put her hands on her face and puffed a breath. That was so disrespectful and so rude of her. She shouldn't have said those words so this deafening and awkward silence wouldn't have happened.
Chris focused his eyes on the road and Scarlett put her vision outside. Neither of them started a conversation and Callie was so enough of it.
God, did I hurt them that bad? She thought.
A few minutes had passed and the silence was unbearable anymore. But then an idea came to the girl's mind. It wasn't really an idea, it was more of a realization? Realization that what she just had said was clearly disrespectful and harsh.
There was again, a weird silence.
God, she didn't know how to start a conversation when she was the one who cut-it-off!
In order to stop it, she brought down her pride. "C'mon guys! I'm sorry. I really didn't mean it. I was just so caught up with the things that are happening now and I don't know how to deal with it. I'm sorry."
Chris shook his head and smiled a little, "It's okay, bub. I understand. Do you want to eat something? We can just stop by at a nearby fast food restaurant." He offered and that earned a grin from the young girl.
"Bub?" That callsign got a perplexed look from Scarlett whose head immediately turned left when she heard what Chris had said.
"Did I hear that right?" Scarlett asked again.
Chris smiled and nodded his head and the girl furrowed her eyebrows. This is crazy...
Scarlett shook her head and smiled. "What? You have some cringe nicknames for me too? " Callie asked abruptly. "Oh, please don't..." she murmured under her breath and that received a chuckle from Chris.
"Oh c'mon! It's not a bad nickname. It came from the heart, bub. It's cute." Chris winked through the rearview mirror.
"Ugh," Natalia grunted and shook her head, "stop with that. It's irritating."
Chris laughed, "Alright, enough of it. Anyway, do you want to go grab some food? How about pizza? Tacos?"
"Mac and cheese! I want that!" She said with full of energy.
Scarlett giggled, "Macaroni and cheese really are your favorite? Aren't they?"
"They are!"
A few minutes had passed and the three stopped by at a fastfood restaurant and got their orders done. "Mac and cheese or ice cream?" Chris challenged, "Ha! Are you threatening me, Chris?"
"If that's what you think then yeah. I'm threatening you, Miss Callie."
Callie laughed, "I would still choose mac and cheese over an ice cream." She admitted and Chris smiled.
Scarlett witnessed it in her own eyes. The closeness of her daughter and her father is just different. How come Rhislett easily got closer to Chris?
"You should've brought your dog Chris. I miss Dodger."
Chris smiled, "He misses you too, I swear."
"It took me a full revolution of the earth to realise you have a dog. I mean, it took me long enough. But, Dodger's cute though." Callie said as she munched the pizza.
Scarlett, again, rolled her eyes. "Oh god, when are you gonna stop with that science thing?"
"I love science more than Tony Stark. Ha ha! Just kidding! I love Thor the most." She admitted and took a sip of the lemonade she had ordered.
"How about Black Widow and Captain America?" Scarlett asked, really anticipating the girl's answer but Rhislett only shook her head while giggling.
It wasn't long enough since they arrived at Scarlett's place, though, the girl had nearly fallen asleep in the car due to her exhaustion at school.
Mathematics and Physics all on the same day can really tire you up, right?
♡
"Ha ha, that's insane. I don't think your family will like me, Scarlett. I have no freakin' idea how to get along with them and furthermore I aint an extrovert person. Sooo..."
Callie wasn't sure about the idea of her meeting her mom's family. She didn't know what to say if that actually happened but now? It actually does happen. "You'll like them, I swear. They're pretty great peeps." Scarlett optimistically replied.
"Callie hasn't met your family yet, babe?" The man on SNL, Colin in fact, asked as he kept eyes on the road.
"Nope,"
The girl took a deep breath. "My god, this is actually happening, isn't it?" Callie murmured in the air and she leaned her back on the seat.
"We actually have to hurry up now 'cause I'm the one in charge of the turkey." Scarlett said as if it was an embarrassing fact.
The other part of the car ride was silent and no one spoke till they reached their exact destination. Callie wasn't her true self whenever she's with this man... and sometimes Scarlett.
The four got out of the car when they arrived at a white colored house in a very secluded area also. Callie didn't know what to do nor to act because she was again out of place.
She trailed behind Scarlett's back, hands fidgeting and she was shaking like crazy in anxiousness. Scarlett seemed to have noticed it too and looked back to see her daughter's pale face. "Hey, are you okay?"
The girl exhaled sharply, "Do I look like that?" Callie whispered, "I feel like air is running out of my body." She added.
Scarlett's face was filled with worry and even her eyebrows knitted. "Don't be pessimistic, yeah? It's gonna be fine."
Scarlett held her daughter's hand and made circles on it. "They aren't cannibals, right? I'm afraid they'll eat me alive-"
Scarlett chuckled and she pulled the girl towards the door. "They're actually cannibals if you don't join them. But they're good peeps."
Colin and Rose had already entered the house and the two blonde heads followed afterwards with Callie still hiding behind her mother's back.
As soon as they walked into the house, a pregnant woman in her 40's came to Scarlett and Callie. And then here's the most embarrassing(this word is somehow an understatement) thing that happened, the woman approached Callie and the girl was a bit hesitant on answering!
She was shy as hell!
"You must be, Rhislett." The woman greeted in her sweet voice.
Callie nodded her head, "Uhm.. mayb- uh.. Yeah." The girl smiled awkwardly and then the woman caressed Callie's face and smiled. "You've gotten so big now. The most times I saw you was when you were still a baby crying over your mommy's milk even though you had enough of her tiddies-"
"Vanessa!" Scarlett exclaimed and Callie scrunched her nose in embarrassment and cringed though her face was turning red at the statement.
Weird...
"What? It's true, 'kay.. alright I'm sorry." Vanessa apologized.
And then a woman in her sixties came on sight, eyes were already watered. It was none other than Melanie Sloan the mother of J's.
Callie was about to hide, but it was hiding no more 'cause Scarlett immediately wrapped her arms around her mother's back leaving Callie no one to go to. Now, this is great!
"I'm glad you guys came." Melanie whispered and her eyes caught the girl who was also looking somewhere, not them.
"Rhis, come here." Scarlett called out, her eyes showing an assurance in which the girl took as a great sign.
Rhislett walked towards the two women and shyly hid behind Scarlett's back, yet again. "Oh my god. Rhisy you've grown so much. I missed you so much." Melanie with teary-eyed eyes said and looked at the young girl at the back before she took her in a heartwarming hug which made Scarlett and Callie smile.
At least her grandma loves her, right?
♡
"You know how to cook a turkey?" Callie asked as she poured water into her glass.
"Trying," was the only reply of Scarlett as she was busy measuring the total amount of ingredients for the gravy.
Callie nodded her head, "Ah! I thought the only dishes that you know how to cook are eggs, hams, bacon, and of course mac and cheese."
Scarlett shook her head and said, "you really think so?"
The girl only shrugged her shoulders, "Yeah, maybe." And she finished the small amount of water and put the glass on the sink.
"You've only got two siblings? A sis and a bro?"
"Nope. I have three siblings actually. Hunter, my twin brother, Vanessa and Adrian." Scarlett informed and set aside everything.
Callie furrowed her eyebrows, "I only see one."
Scarlett chuckled, "The other two will be coming later on."
The girl nodded, "That's cool."
Scarlett took a tissue and patted her sweaty forehead. She then smiled at the girl whose blue orbs were so mesmerizing. Just a photocopy of Chris.
"She's here? Omg, she's here!"
A voice rang in everyone's ears and a girl came running into the kitchen of the Johansson residence. She was about 11 to 12 year old, but maybe 12? She has black hair and brown eyes and a really nice chocolate skin. She's beautiful.
Scarlett's eyes immediately lit up at the sight, "Fenan!"
"Scarly!"
And then Scarlett gladly welcomed the girl in a tight embrace. The beautiful girl seemed so happy and Scarlett was too. And Callie? She felt out of place.
"I thought you weren't gonna come." Fenan admitted and they broke off the hug. Scarlett laughed, "Why wouldn't I be? I won't miss this family gathering every year just because I'm a busy person." Fenan smiled and her eyes darted to Callie whose face was unreadable.
"Oh, before you go out..." Scarlett paused and went to hold her daughter's hand, "I'd like you to meet, Rhislett."
Callie let out an awkward smile, "Hi,"
"Hello you! I'm Fenan by the way." The girl introduced with a big smile.
"It's nice meeting you, Fenan." Callie also smiled.
Scarlett grinned at the two girls, "So, since everything's well, how about you guys help me with these things?"
"Yeah, sure!" Fenan cheerfully exclaimed, "I'll just go change my clothes." And she left, leaving the two blonde heads in the kitchen. Scarlett was literally the one in charge of the foods 'cause her sister can't do it since she was heavily pregnant.
Callie ran a hand through her sandy hair and Scarlett chuckled. "I know that look, Rhisy." Scarlett smirked and faced the girl.
Callie raised a brow, "Huh?"
"Are you jealous?" Scarlett teased, her eyes never left the girl.
But, Callie can't be fooled nor is she that stubborn 'cause in fact, she really was. She played along, "I ain't jealous, ew! Why would I be? Oh my god- you know what? That's so crazy of you to assume. I'm not jealous!" And she took a step back.
Scarlett let out a small laugh, "really?"
"Yeah, of course. It's not like I care if you hug her or whatever." Callie replied smugly.
Scarlett didn't actually expect the growing jealousness in her eldest. She thought she'd never care but she witnessed how Rhislett looked and she somehow felt bad and at the same time quite amused by it.
"Come here," Scarlett pulled the girl into a hug to make her point. "I love Fenan because of course she's my sister but my love for you and your sister is different because you guys came from me and you're my children. And you made me a whole, a person and a mother." But Callie only knitted her eyebrows and retracted herself from the hug.
"You're being so cheesy and emotional. And don't hug me." She complained, sounding annoyed at the gesture but Scarlett only chuckled though the statement alone crashed her heart.
A few minutes had passed and the three started cooking. The others were in the living room and the kids were upstairs watching a movie. It was fun and somehow exhausting.
Callie couldn't help herself but to always glance at Fenan and notice how close the girl and her mother are. And she, somehow, felt envious of it. Because in all seriousness, that's how Scarlett felt about Chris and Rhislett too.
"Rhis, could you pass me the pepper please." Scarlett instructed as both her and Fenan were busy doing the gravy.
Callie nodded, searching for the black pepper and handed it to Scarlett. "Thanks,"
"Should I flip the stuffing?" Callie asked and moved over to the gas stove, "Uh- yeah, can you do that?"
"Sure," the girl replied and grabbed the turner and flipped the stuffing in the casserole pan.
But, an accident happened during that time and it was Callie who had burnt her left hand. She was about to put on the other ingredients but the flames unexpectedly lit up and it reached the blond's hand and a loud screech was heard all throughout the house.
Scarlett was surprised and got so scared. She didn't even know what to do because all she saw was a crimson hand of her daughter who was crying in so much pain.
"Oh god!" Scarlett shouted, quickly grabbing Callie's hand and placed it in the sink, turning on the faucet and letting the water rinse over the girl's hand.
Callie winced, her mouth opened a little as she tried to ease the pain on her hand. "Wait, hold on. Just breathe, it's gonna be fine." Scarlett assured in her motherly tone, worry evident in her voice.
And everything was a blur when Callie woke up from her sleep. She had fallen asleep on the bed because the pain was too much and when she opened up her eyes that's when she saw her purple-ish slash crimson hand.
She travelled her eyes around the room and decided to get out of bed and go downstairs to see the people in the house but when she made her way out of the room, something caught her attention. It was Scarlett and her mom arguing over something… that sounded like her…?
"Why did you even let her join you in the first place!"
"I didn't know it was gonna happen, mom! If I only knew, then I wouldn't have let her join me and Fenan!" Scarlett defended, sounding irritated.
"It was so unwary of you. Oh, that poor girl. The burn's gonna leave a mark on her hand." Callie slightly pushed the door and she saw her grandmother's disappointed face.
Scarlett shook her head and covered her face with her hands. "Mom, can you stop putting the blame on me? I never wanted it to happen, you know? It's now-"
She was stopped when the door creaked open, revealing a concerned Callie. "Sorry, I heard you guys from the other room. I guess I gotta go. Sorry again."
Scarlett sighed and looked at her mom. Melanie sent her an encouraging nod and that's when she followed Rhislett outside. "Hey, you're awake. How's your hand?"
Scarlett asked in her soft voice. And there was something in those green orbs... it was worry and disappointment.
"It doesn't hurt anymore, thanks to your babe's antics." Callie turned to face Scarlett and smirked but Scarlett rolled her eyes in cringe though it was clear that she was fresh from crying.
"I'm sorry," she apologized, "I shouldn't have let you join me."
Callie shook her head and displayed a small smile. "No, it's okay. It wasn't your fault." she paused for a moment, "it was me who was not being so wary about it. I should've done better."
Scarlett's eyes softened, "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, of course."
Scarlett withdrew a sigh, "do you want to go downstairs with me? I mean, the dinner's gonna start any minute now."
The girl shrugged her shoulders, "okay."
They both went downstairs and Callie was welcomed by Scarlett's twin brother Hunter and her older brother Adrian. "Hey, is that Rhislett?" Adrian asked, his eyes showing excitement.
"Yeah," Scarlett replied and watched as Adrian hugged Callie .
"Oh, don't worry. Your hand is gonna heal pretty soon." Said Hunter as he walked towards Callie with a big smile on his face.
The fourteen-year-old felt shy and uneasy at the unfamiliar people in the living room but she told herself that it's gonna be fine, and those people weren't just some random strangers, they were Scarlett's family.
Hunter enveloped Callie in a hug and pulled away afterwards. "You're so tall!" He complimented, and it alone, made a smile on Scarlett's lips.
"Right? Scarlett looks like a tiny potato beside Rhislett." Adrian added up, causing Scarlett to roll her eyes and making Callie smile.
"Will you guys stop? I know I'm short but that doesn't give you the right to judge my height!" Scarlett irritatingly said, but the two brothers knew it was her joking around.
The boys laughed and Adrian ruffled Rhislett's hair and sent her a genuine smile. "Welcome to the family, Rhisy."
Family…? They're her family now. At least she knows that Scarlett's family loves her and it's really really okay.
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-that was chapter six guys!
-Thank you again for reading and for being so extremely patient on waiting for the next chapters. Huhu you guys are the best!<3
And as you've noticed, I rewrote this chapter HAHA!