██████████ 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. . .
✰ ᑕᕼᗩᑭTEᖇ TᗯEᑎTY EIGᕼT ✰
⋘ 𝑃𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑖𝑡... ⋙
Callie was on her way to the kitchen with Liam when the fire alarm went off. The two looked at each other confused before they began to make there way out.
"Is this a drill?" Tee asked Gina whilst holding Mr hamsters cage.
Rick, who was walking behind her scoffed. "It wasn't at Burnywood.
"But all our stuffs up there." Tee complained.
Callie sighed before pushing her along. "Come on, Tee."
"Right!" Dennis yelled. Callie rolled her eyes at his tone, whilst moving to stand next to Tracy. "Who set off the fire alarm?"
"Me." Elektra said raising her hand. "I just thought I'd let you know that the attic is on fire."
Dennis's angered face morphed into a confused one. He turned his head quickly to the direction of the roof to see smoke coming from it.
Gina turned to count everyone. "Where's Harry?" She asked concern lacing her tone.
"He has a den in the attic!" Tyler announced.
Callie and Tracy looked at each other before they both rushed into the house, Tracy in the lead.
"Harry, are you up here?" Callie yelled once they got to the attic, trying to see through all the smoke.
Tracy looked around, seemingly having the same problem as Callie. "Harry!"
"Harry!" They yelled together, though they got no answer.
Callie knew breathing in this amount of smoke probably wasn't good, she didn't care though, her main concern was making sure Harry was safe.
She moved forward, trying to dodge the fire, closely followed by Tracy who had taken her bandage off and covered her face with it.
"Harry!" Callie yelled before coughing.
Callie searched behind the box's whilst Tracy searched behind all the clothes that were hung up. Still neither of them saw him.
Meanwhile outside:
"Here he is." Mike announced holding Harry's shoulders and walking him out.
Gina let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, where were you?" She asked hugging the younger boy.
"He was in the garden." Mike told her. "Have we got everyone?"
"Yeah." Gina reassured before looking around. "Where's Gus?"
"Where's Tracy?" Mike asked.
Liam looked around. "Callie's not here either." Everyone turned to look at the burning house, a look of realization covering their faces.
Liam didn't waste any time in running forward, though Mike caught him before he could enter the house, dragging him back. Still Liam continued to try and fight him off. "No, Liam!" Mike yelled tightening his hold. "You mustn't, it's not safe!"
Back inside Callie looked over when she heard a familiar yell. "My notebooks! My notebooks! My notebooks!" Gus cried.
Callie managed to grab ahold of his top, and drag him away from the fire. "Gus, no!" She yelled.
"It's not safe!" Tracy told him.
Dennis soon came over pulling Gus harshly out of Callie's arms. "Don't touch him!" She yelled.
"Just let him go!" Tracy shouted. "Gus, just calm down, it's all right!"
The four soon manages to get out the house, each of them covered in smoke. The moment Liam saw Callie he rushed forward holding her tightly. "Fucking hell Callie." He sniffed. "Why'd you do that?"
"Where's Harry?" She asked ignoring his question. He turned and pointed over to the boy who was stood in front of Mike. Callie let out a sigh of relief and walked over to him, closely followed by Liam.
"Callie!" Harry exclaimed jumping on her. Callie made sure to catch him. "Oh, you're okay!" She smiled.
"We thought you were up there." Tracy told him coming over as well.
"I was." He confessed.
"You're okay though?" Callie asked whilst checking him over.
"I'm fine." He said cuddling into her.
"That's good." She sighed placing a kiss on his head before handing him over to Tracy before sitting down on the floor.
Liam sat down next to her rubbing her back. "Are you alright?" She said nothing but nodded her head. "One of these days, you're going to kill my Callie."
Callie looked up at him and cupped his face. "I'm okay, I promise." He nodded his head before kissing her. The kiss was short, but it said more then words ever could.
"Don't do that again." He told her, their foreheads leaning against one another's. "Just, please don't do that again."
"I'll try my best, my love." She told him.
"I love you." He sighed. "I really love you."
"I love you." She smiled. "More then you'd ever know."
They turned around when they heard Tee letting out a yelp of pain, to see her on the floor.
"What happened?" Johnny asked.
Tee looked up at Dennis. "He pushed me."
Johnny walked over to her, helping her up. "You all right?"
"Yeah." She sighed.
"I didn't touch her!" Dennis said once he realized everyone was starting at him. "Silly girl slipped in the mud." The group still didn't look convinced. "It's been raining all night, what do you expect?"
✧.*
Callie was with Liam and Frank watching them play pool. Liam didn't really want to leave her side, not after what had happened.
"Hey guys, how are you doing? Lizanne asked walking over.
"All right?" Frank said blushing.
"Well, I'm grand Lizanne, there's nothing like getting into a fire." Callie told her sarcastically.
Liam, who was glaring at the blonde girl turned to Frank. "Frank, it's your shot." He checked his watch. "Come on, ten minutes till Dennis kicks us out."
"It won't take long." Lizzanne reassured. "Look, I'm sorry to ask, but I really need to borrow some cash."
"No." Liam shook his head. "Hey, you're right, it didn't take long."
Callie laughed at him before turning to the girl. "Why don't you just use the money you stole off Johnny?"
"Please." She begged ignoring Callie. "My mum's supposed to be getting out of hospital, and I've run out of credit on my mobile."
Callie stood up and walked towards Liam, the two sharing a look of disbelief.
"Like Callie said, use the cash you nicked from Johnny." Liam told her.
"That wasn't me." The blonde glared at the couple.
"Frank, it's your shot." Liam said ignoring Lizanne.
Lizanne walked closer, her eyes trained on Frank. "You believe me, don't you, Frank?" She asked softly.
"Yeah." Frank smiled pushing in front of Liam and Callie. "You didn't end up calling us up."
Callie and Liam both stared at him absolutely baffled.
"Thanks, Frank." Lizanne said taken the money off him. "I owe you a big one." She kissed his cheek. "See you later."
Callie and Liam slowly turned to each other, both their faces mirroring looks of shock and disgust. "What are you going?" Liam asked turning to Frank. "You're meant to be a scammer, not a mark."
"I know." He shrugged looking like a love sick puppy.
"Seriously, she's a user, mate, bad news!" Liam told him.
Frank shook his head. "She's alright."
"No." Callie sighed. "No, she's not Frank. She's not the type you want to get yourself involved in."
"You don't know that!" Frank told her annoyed.
"I'm just trying to protect you, okay." Callie said frowning. "I just don't want her hurting you, she's already hurt Johnny."
✧.*
Callie, Liam, and Frank were in Franks room, since they had been kicked out of the living room. Callie was on the floor reading her book, whilst Frank and Liam played table football.
"Yes!" Frank cheered when his ball went into the goals.
"What were you doing?" Liam asked. Earlier, when they were being questioned about their whereabouts when the fire started, it was revealed Frank was with Lizanne.
Frank shrugged. "We were just talking."
"About what?" Liam asked looking at his best friend curiously.
Frank stayed quiet for a minute before looking away from him. "Nothing." Callie rolled her eyes, it was clear he was lying.
It was later on in the day, Callie and Liam were now alone in his room. "I don't trust Lizanne." Callie told him. "She's just using Frank, I don't know how he can't see it."
Liam stayed quiet before he stood up. "Come on." He said holding his hand out for her to take. "I think there's a way we can prove it."
The two made their way into the kitchen where Frank and Lizzane were sat together, whilst Gina was cleaning the island.
"Lizanne, can I borrow your phone?" Liam asked. "I need to make an urgent call."
"So now you want a favor from me?" She asked glaring at him.
Callie glared at the blonde, who had turned to glare at her whilst Liam shook his head, turning to Frank. "Okay, Frank, can I use the credit you paid for?"
"Mate, don't make me take sides." Frank sighed. Callie scoffed at him.
"We won't." Lizanne told him. "Just take it."
Liam opened the phone to contacts. Lizanne looked at him annoyed. "What are you doing?"
"I thought your mum was getting out of hospital?" Liam asked.
Lizzane nodded her head. "She is."
Callie raised an eyebrow "I thought you wanted to call her?"
"Why haven't you called her?" Liam asked. "Why have you made loads of calls to someone called Romeo?"
"My brother." She told the pair. "He's picking her up."
Liam chucked. "Course he is." Whilst Callie rolled her eyes at the girl.
"You really want to know?" Lizzane asked.
"Yes." Callie told her. "We really want to know."
"My mum is getting out of hospital. The psychiatric ward." She sighed. "She's been sectioned again."
"Why didn't you say that before?" Liam asked confused.
"Being a care kid's bad enough." She shrugged. "I don't want to be the care kid with a mental mum."
"Yeah, well join the club." Callie laughed. "Believe me you wouldn't be the only one."
Liam turned to Frank. "You buying any of this?"
"Leave her alone!" Frank said angrily.
Liam scrunched his face up in confusion. "Frank!"
"It's okay." Frank said putting his arm around Lizanne.
"So, now you know the truth.." she turned to him. "Do you still like me?"
Frank said nothing, instead he kissed her cheek. Lizanne looked at the couple with a smug look. Liam shook his head, throwing her phone down on the table and walked off, dragging Callie with him.
✧.*
Callie had just gotten back from visiting Betty, she shrugged her coat off, before hanging it up and walking to the group that had formed outside the office. "What's going on?" She asked curiously, making her way through the group to stand next to Liam.
Before anyone could answer her, the loud voice of Dennis cut them off. "I've reviewed your record over the past two years, and to be honest I can't believe you're kept your job this long!"
Liam turned to Callie with a sigh. "Tracy and Gus were in the attic trying to find out how the fire started, Gus ended up fallen through the roof."
"What?" Callie hissed. "Are you okay?" She asked turning to Gus who nodded his head. "Why would you do that? One of you could of gotten seriously hurt, you almost did!" She rubbed her head before muttering. "I leave for an hour, and this is what happens."
Liam wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and pulled her closer. She noticeably relaxed.
It was only a couple of minutes before before Gus decided to make his way into the office. The group shared a curios look.
"Mike, we were investigating, and we found the forensic evidence." They heard Gus say.
"What's he going on about?" Dennis asked.
"These." Tracy said. "We found these in the attic."
"What did they find in the attic?" Callie whispered but everyone just shrugged being just as confused as she was.
"The sack of sawdust was full of them." Tracy announced
"Cigarette butts can smolder for hours." Gus informed making the groups eyes go wide. As far as anyone was aware, no one in the house smoked.
"So that's what happened." Mike said. "Harry didn't start the fire at all. It was a smoker up there." Everyone turned to each other, none of them knowing what to do. "This changes everything."
"It changes nothing." Dennis said. Callie scrunched her face up in a mix of confusion and annoyance. "The issue is that you are a danger to young people."
"So you don't care who started the fire?" Tracy asked.
"Well, of course I do!" Dennis exclaimed. "I'm going to search this place from top to bottom till I find the smoker!" He continued. "But it's no longer your problem. ID." There was a pause. "Keys." Another pause. "Now go and get the rest of your things together. I want you gone within the hour."
Everyone's eyes turned to the floor. Dennis had just sacked Tracy.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye." Tracy said half an hour later.
"Not goodbye." Callie told her. "Just... see you later?"
"You'll be back." Lilly agreed. "You always are."
Tracy looked around at everyone. "I don't know. I've really messed up this time."
"Come on, you've done worst then that." Liam told her.
"Thanks, guys." Tracy chuckled. "Glad to know you're all on my side." Dennis came over, and cleared his throat, Tracy glared at him. "Don't worry.
I'm going."
"You'll come back to visit, right?" Tee asked.
Tracy smiled. "Of course I will."
"All visits will need to be pre approved by the head care worker." Dennis told her. "And your social workers."
"I didn't do it, Tracy." Harry cried whilst hugging her.
"Oh, I know." She said hugging him back. Once again Dennis cleared his throat.
Once Harry stepped back, Callie pulled Tracy into a hug. "Don't worry, he'll be gone soon, we'll make sure of it." She whispered. "I love you, Trac."
"I love you, Cal." She smiled. "Be safe."
Once Callie stepped away, Tracy looked around once more. "Bye, guys."
Callie sighed and leaned closer into Liam, who placed a kiss on top of her head.
It was only a few moments later the doorbell began to buzz.
"Rick!" Tracy yelled walking through the door, confusing everyone. "Rick!"
"What?" He asked making his way down the stairs, followed by Kitty.
"Yours, I believe." She said holding up a packet of cigarettes. "Someone just chucked them these out your window. Grantham's full strength." She looked around. "The attic smoker's choice."
"What's going on?" Kitty asked.
Rick turned to her. "Nothing, it's okay." He reassured.
"Kitty, do you know anything about these?" Tracy asked her.
Kitty nervously played with her fingers. "I found them in my room." She explained.
"Someone put them there." Rick continued. "Kitty gave them to me and I threw them out."
"So you admit it." Dennis began whilst Gus wrote everything down in his notebook. "Kitty had cigarettes and you helped her hide them."
"No, that's not what I said." Rick argued.
"Shh!" Dennis hushed him. "Give me those." He took the cigarettes off of Tracy before turning back to the pair. "You're both on sanctions. You don't leave the house until further notice, and I'll be passing these on to the fire investigators."
"How's that fair?" Callie cut him off. "They're saying they didn't do anything, someone's obviously tried to frame Kitty." Callie scoffed. "I mean, their not even eighteen, how would they buy the cigarettes in the first place?"
"How should I know?" Dennis asked her annoyed.
"Exactly, you wouldn't know. You're so quick to point fingers, first Harry, and now Kitty and Rick, I'm beginning to think you were the smoker." Callie said raising her eyebrow.
Dennis tensed, his face turning red from anger. "Right, you're grounded." He said glaring at her.
"Dennis!" Mike exclaimed.
"Hang on, Mike. We'll talk in my office." He turned to Tracy. "You, get out. The rest of you go to your rooms."
Callie and Liam walked into Franks room to see him sitting next to Lizanne, showing her photos. "Fancy sneaking out, going into town?" Liam asked.
Frank turned to look at him before going back to pictures. "Not right now."
Callie and Liam both moved so they were lying across his bed, their heads In between Frank and Lizzane.
"It'll be fun." Callie smiled.
Liam nodded his head in agreement. "Come on, we'll go diving for burgers, cheer us up." He said patting Frank on the back.
"We've already done that." Lizzane told the couple smugly.
"You did our scam?" Liam asked annoyed. "With her?"
"She's my girlfriend." Frank sighed.
"I'm Liam's, and I've never even done that, and we've been dating for more then two years." Callie scoffed. Granted it's because every time they offered she turned them down since it was there thing, but the point still stood.
Liam sighed. "You think she won't dump you when someone better comes along?" He asked annoyed. "Never thought you were such a mug."
Liam stood up, walking off angrily, Callie following closely behind.
"Liam." Johnny said stopping the pair from going any further. "You can't let Frank get ripped off and hurt."
"What can I do?" Liam asked.
Johnny looked at him blankly. "Scam her." He simply said.
Liam shrugged. "How?"
"I thought you were supposed to be the expect." Johnny said.
"No, wait." Callie cut him off, her face lightening up. "I think I have an idea."
Callie walked into the living room, Carman, Lilly, and Tee waiting outside for their signal. She sat down on the table in front of Lizanne who was straightening her hair.
"Here." Callie smiled. Lizanne hastily passed the straighter's over confused.
"You have such nice hair." Callie told her whilst straightening it. "Goes with your pretty face."
Lizanne's face heated up. "Thanks?" She said.
"You know.." Callie began. "We're a lot alike you and me."
"How so?" The blonde asked confused.
"Well, you're only with Frank for his money, right?" She asked. "Like I am with Liam." She set the straighter's down on the table next to her.
"You are?" Lizanne asked shocked.
"God yes." Callie snorted. "I might of gone with Frank, but Liam seemed to be a bit.. obsessed with me, I have him wrapped around my finger."
Lizanne chuckled. "I can see that. Why are you telling me this?"
"Well, I thought we could.. work together. We can get enough money to buy a flat together, start a life together, you know?" She said taken the blondes hand who blushed.
"I like that idea." Lizanne smiled, leaning forward and placing a kiss on Callies cheek. At least they knew for certain the next part of their plan would work.
It was at the moment Carman, Lilly, and Tee walked in. "Lizanne, can I borrow your new straighteners, please?" Carman asked moving to sit next to Callie.
"Get your own." She glared.
"Come on, we're not all as rich as Liam, you know." Carman signed.
Lizanne looked at Callie with a small smirk before playing dumb. "What do you mean?" She asked. "Liam's not rich."
"That's what he makes out, but his uncles totally minted, isn't he Callie?"
Callie laughed. "Very, very minted."
"He's always buying new stuff for Liam." Lilly added on. "Gives him cash every month, though a good half of it goes on Callie."
"It's true, he's like a total zillionaire!" Carman exclaimed.
"Right." Lizzane said looking over at Callie who nodded her head.
"You alright, girls?" Liam said walking into the living room smirking flirtatiously. Callie had to bite her lip.
"Hey Liam." Carman, Lilly, and Tee said in sync.
Lizanne smiled at him flirtatiously. "Hey, Liam!"
"Anyways, Callie, you promised us you'd show us your new dress." Carman said pulling Callie up.
"See you later." Liam said licking his lips. Callie sent him a wink, without Lizanne noticing.
"So, how's it going with your new boyfriend?" Liam asked whilst the girls waited outside.
"If you mean Frank," she began. "He's not my boyfriend." She continued. "How's it going with Callie?"
"Dunno, she's seemed distant since you lot came." He shrugged. "Feels like her attentions on someone else." He shook his head. "I thought Frank called you his girlfriend?"
"Franks really sweet, but we're not exclusive or anything." She told him.
Liam looked at her up and down before standing up. "Dose that mean you're open to other offers?"
She stood up as well. "Maybe."
Callie had to bite her tongue. She knew he was only acting, but she also knew Lizanne wasn't.
Lizanne walked forward and kissed him on the cheek. Liam grimaced but tried to hide it. He didn't like it when other people kissed him, that's one thing he learned.
"Liam!" Frank exclaimed walking into the room, next to Callie who had texted him to come to the living room. Frank shook his head before leaving.
"Frank, wait!" Lizanne called following after him.
Liam glanced at Callie before quickly making his way out of the room to follow Frank.
Callie blinked a couple of times, still dazed. "Well that just happened." She said before following the two boys.
When Callie walked in, Frank had Liam pinned to the wall. "I did it for you, I don't even like her." Liam was saying. "You know that I love Callie, I wouldn't do that to either of you. I was just trying to show you..."
"I know." Frank said cutting him off.
Liam looked at him blankly. "What do you mean, you know?"
"Look, I don't need protecting." He told him. Callie who wanted to butt in, decided to stay quiet. "I know exactly what she's like, but I like her."
"Then you're crazy." Liam said pushing Frank away. "Look what she did to Johnny, she stole his money and broke his heart."
"We don't know she stole the money!" Frank argued.
Liam rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, who else could it be?" He asked. "She'll mess you up big time, Frank."
"You don't deserve that, Frank." Callie said finally letting the two know she was there. "I know you think you can handle it, but trust me you can't, no one can. Why would you want to be with someone who doesn't love you, when you could find someone who dose?"
"I can handle it." Frank told her.
"Really?" Liam asked grabbing his shoulders. "Look me in the eye and tell me you trust her." Frank looked away. "Seriously, mate, you can do better."
"Can I?" Frank asked.
Liam put his head back sighing. "Don't be a muppet!" He told him. "There's a billion girls out there, girls who want more then just your wallet. Trust me."
"You'll find a girl Frank, and they're going to love you for you, not because of how much money you have." Callie began. "And when you find her, lizanne wont matter, she won't even be close to your mind, she'll be nothing but a memory. If you think she's going to give you what you want, you're sadly mistaken." She continued. "You said you don't trust her, a relationship is built on trust, if there's no trust then what do you have? You don't want to be in that situation."
✧.*
Callie and Liam walked outside to see Frank watching Lizanne getting in the car. Her mum was taken her home, which meant she was leaving.
"Look, I was just trying to look out for a mate." Liam said.
Frank turned to look at him, before his attention went back to the car. "I know." He sighed.
"Look, look!" Johnny yelled running up the the three. "I found it! It was in my room, and it's all there!"
"That's great, Johnny." Callie smiled.
Johnny turned to Frank. "Do you know something about this?"
"Haven't a clue, mate." He shrugged.
The car began to drive away, Callie took both Liam and Johnny inside figuring it would be best to give Frank a minute.
The three, plus Frank when he came in watched as Dennis put his coat on, and turned to Tracy. "Stacey." He began before correcting himself. "Tracy, sorry."
"What?" She asked.
"Do you know if Mike..." he paused. "Would he tell anyone about what we discussed?"
Tracy gestured for the four to leave, which they did.
"Do you think he's leaving?" Callie asked excitedly, swinging her and Liam's conjoined hands.
"Can only hope, can't we?" Liam laughed.
"Oh trust me, I'm hoping." Callie told the three.
Dennis had left, like Callie said, he was the smoker. She always seemed to the right when it came to things like this, she doesn't even mean to be half the time.
Everyone was in the kitchen, either dancing the conga or taken the chains off, then joining in on the dancing. For the first time in the past few days, everyone was happy, and smiling, together. It was safe to say, Callie finally had her family back, with a couple of extra members now.