Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Everyone hears what you say, Friends listen to what you say, Best friends listen to what you don’t say.

– Anonymous Gisele got Callie prepared and was ready to go already. Mr. Suresh, the driver took them there and she had quite an enlightening conversation with him.

He spoke to her of his country, India and praised it. It was very obvious he loved it and was feeling nostalgic.

Finally, he dropped them off at Lizzie’s apartment and he left off with a, “Call me if you need me, beti”

Daughter. Gisele beamed, happy that he held her in such high esteem to call her daughter. Gisele smiled and thanked him before he drove off. Gisele let herself and Callie into Lizzie’s apartment with her key and shouted, “Hey damselle”

“Hey, bi…atch”, Lizzie said coming out of the room, and faltered a bit when she saw Callie.

“And who is this adorable bunch of cuteness we have here?”, Lizzie asked, smiling.

Lizzie looked nice, with jeans and a tank top. Her naturally curly black hair was a bit in control.

Callie who had been dozing on and off during the ride, was now wide awake.

“Hello, I’m Callie. Are you reality the good wish of Oz ’cause Gigi said you was and Gigi don’t lie”, Callie said, very cutely.

“Yeah, I am.”

Callie scrutinized her and shrugged then said, “Where’s your wand?”, she asked sus***iously.

“I left it in my witch’s chamber”, Lizzie replied.

Callie pouted and said, “So I don’t get any wishes and fairy stuff?”

“You will, mon chou, just tell me your wish in my ear and it’ll be accomplished.”, Lizzie said with a soft smile.

Callie stood on tiptoe while Lizzie bent down and the adorable kid whispered something in Lizzie’s ear.

ADVERTISEMENT Gisele glared at Lizzie but she shrugged lightly and said, “Her wish will definitely come true”

“Callie, mon chou, are you up for some ice cream”, Gisele asked.

Callie giggled and said, “You’re so silly! I love ice cream so much. One day, Daddy and I had ice cream and I ate so much, my tummy hurt”, then the little princess pouted.

Gisele and Lizzie tried and succeeded to hide their grins from Callie.

“Okay, we’re going to get ice cream”, Lizzie concluded.

“Yaay! We’ll have so much fun!”, Callie said, clapping her hands excitedly.

They went to the ice cream parlor and installed themselves in a booth. Callie ordered a big scoop of chocolate flavored ice cream and started eating it happily. Gisele and Callie on their part settled with vanilla.

They finished their ice cream and headed to a park for kids, a playground actually. They sat on a bench before Callie spoke up, “Gisele, can I go play on the slide?”

“Of course, honey. But let me come with you”, Gisele answered smiling “No, I’m not a baby. I can play alone like them”, Callie replied, pouting “But you can get hurt–“, Gisele started but Callie interrupted her “I promise, I will not. Look, they’re not hurt”, she said and the adults smiled at her clever logic.

“Okay honey. But be careful, okay?”

“Yeah, Gigi. I’ll be careful.”, Callie said impatiently, and ran off quickly.

“So”, Lizzie started wiggling her eyebrows playfully, “How was your first ever kiss?”

“It was… electrifying”, Gisele answered with a small smile.

ADVERTISEMENT “Hmmm, ma cherie, this is getting more and more interesting by the minute. Did you go second base?”, Lizzie asked.

“Second base?”, Gisele asked, intrigued.

“Sometimes I forget you’re too innocent for your own good. Anyway, did you touch each other?”

“Well, he kissed me all over my face and my neck. Does that count?”

“Nope”, Lizzie said, popping the ‘p’, “It doesn’t.”

“Oh!”, Gisele replied dismally, embarra**ed at her own ignorance.

Lizzie burst out laughing, “Gisele, you’re 22 but you act 10 sometimes! Even a girl of 12 surely knows more about kissing than you”

Gisele searched for a witty comeback but when she couldn’t find one, she smiled and said, “I s’pose that’s true”

They laughed together before Gisele sobered up a bit and asked quietly, “Liz, have you ever felt like the whole world hates you?”

Lizzie opened her arms and Gisele scooted into them.

“Why do you ask that, ma belle”, Lizzie asked, quietly too.

“Do you know Ella Hepburn?”, Gisele asked instead of giving a direct answer.

“Yeah, of course! She’s that Victoria’s Secret model and–“, Lizzie started.

“I don’t give a f_ck.”, Gisele said quietly so that the kids around her couldn’t hear.

“Uhm… mon coeur, what’s gotten into you? You never cuss.”

“Well, I hate obnoxious people, that’s why!”, Gisele said vehemently.

ADVERTISEMENT “Uhm, hon, you’ve lost me”, Lizzie said.

“I’m talking about that Ella woman! She’s very unpleasant. She may have a great body and all but she is Her Royal Highness of b****iness. She came and she called me a b****. What an irony! And she did that in front of Callie. I would have let it go but seriously, who cusses in front of kids, and a four year old at that.”, Gisele said, breathing heavily.

“Wait… so she came to Slate’s house”, Lizzie asked, a bit confused.

“Yeah, she did. She even pretended to be Slate’s fiancée but he told me it wasn’t the case”

“Goodness! That’s pathetic!”, Lizzie said, laughing.

“Exactly! Then that… that woman… that… Edith told me to leave Slate alone ’cause he and Ella belong together. Then she called me a b**** and a w****. I a-always go out of my way t-to be nice to others and she calls me a b****. And a w****. I’ve never even had s** and I’m branded a w****”, she said, sniffing a little.

“You know, don’t let them get to you, okay? You’re a nice person and no one should tell you otherwise.

Now stop with that sniffing if not I’ll beat your as- beat you up”, Lizzie said, and they grinned like mad women.

Callie ran towards them at that moment and said, “I have a new friend, Callie. She’s called Ms. Pan.

She says she’s Peter Pan’s sister.”

“Where is she? I don’t see anyone”, Gisele said, making Callie laugh.

“You’re so silly! You can’t see her but you can talk to her. Here! She says hello”, Callie said.

“Well, hi there Ms. Pan. How are you?”, Gisele asked.

Callie giggled and said, “She says she’s fine but to stop speaking to her in that way”

They laughed then Gisele said, “Let’s get going. Did you have fun Callie?”

“Yes! I had much fun!”, Callie said exuberantly, “But I’m very tired and hungry.”

The adults laughed and said, “It’s all right, we’re going to get something to eat real soon”