Always Mine *Cali and James*

wet dream

Cali's p.o.v

"You know they say to get over someone you have to get under someone else" Dallas tells me. She arrived this morning and the first thing she did was come and pick Austyn, Virginia and I up. She says she has a surprise for us. Ella had to go to the hospital for a check up since she has been having contractions lately. We arrive to this empty lot of land. We jump out the jeep. We wait for Dallas to grab Austyn. Seeing her become and be a mom makes me so happy. I know we all help her now that she is older and in head start, but she did it all alone for 3 years. Being a mom, making music, going to college and touring. I don't know how she did it, but she is a complete badass. A teenage single mother. I have no idea why Benjamin left her and decided he didn't love her or want to be a father to his child, but Dallas and Austyn have all of us. Dad, me, Virginia and Beckham who babysits all of the time, Tyler, Adeline and of course, James who some people even think is Austyn's dad. I mean he was there when she was born. Dallas has a great support system. "This is where her house is going to be built" she tells us and that pulls me from my thoughts. "Who's house?" I ask. She points at Austyn. By the time she is done with head start, this house should be built. It will be her present." she tells us. Virginia laughs. "You are gifting your child a house for graduating from headstart?" she asks and Dallas nods. "I know it seems crazy, but I am going to have my daughter set for life. By the time she turns 18, she will own multiple properties and have money saved up for college or whatever she wants to do." she tells us and that sounds amazing. Dallas helps everyone and she takes such good care of Austyn. She makes sure she and whoever is keeping her, mostly dad and I have everything we need. "Austyn is going to choose exactly how she wants this house built, aren't you Belle?" Dallas asks her and she smiles. "I want pink flowers" she says. "You got it babe" Dallas tells her and my niece jumps up and down. Cutest little girl ever. Not just cause she is my niece, because she totally is the cutest child ever. We spend sister time together, then head home for dad's Sunday get together. I know James will be there and although I don't want to see him, I know that eventually I have to and after crying myself to sleep and having many pep talks with myself, I got over it quickly. I just keep telling myself that I want him to be happy.

We walk into dad's house and there he is. The first person I see. F*ck why is he so handsome? "Cali, I've been looking for you" he tells me. "What's up?" I say, keeping busy, grabbing a water from the fridge to keep from having to look at him. "You left the party early yesterday. I came to your house to look for you." he says. "Yeah, I had to leave. As you can tell, Dallas had an emergency and I had to save her." I say, and point to my sister, telling this lie, but Dallas isn't paying attention and she will lie for me if she has to anyway, so it doesn't matter. What he won't know won't hurt him. "Yeah, I have a bone to pick with her, but that's for later." he says. "Yeah, well I'm going to go swimming with my sisters, see ya," I say and head to my old bedroom. Dad hasn't changed any of our rooms. He kept them all as they are and Virginia still lives here. We all keep some clothes here and, of course, swim wear since he has a pool. I put on a red bikini. It is so s3xy. It even makes my butt look bigger. No, no, I am not comparing myself to anyone else. Especially that big booty female. I scold myself. I'm over it. It isn't a big deal. I tell myself.

I walk out and can feel eyes on me. These firemen are flirts and are always trying to ask one of us out. They love trolling my father too. I sit by the edge of the pool. I put my feet inside and two seconds later, James drops down beside me, putting his feet in the water. "Cali, is everything alright? Why do I feel you different towards me?" he asks. "Cause you are weird," I say, trying to joke and, at the same time, set some distance between us. I laugh at the face he makes. "Cali, yesterday something happened," he says, and jumps in the pool. He goes underwater and comes up and wipes his face and shakes his head like a damn dog before he sits back down next to me. "Yesterday something happened that has been bothering me tremendously. Everything about my birthday was wrong, so wrong. You still haven't told me who you said I love you to," he says and I frown. "what?" I ask. "Yesterday when you were on the phone. Who did you say I love you to?" he asks me. Is he serious right now? What does that have to do with anything? "Oh, Dallas needed me. I told you already" I say and he nods. "Oh, it was Dallas. Your sister over does everything, doesn't she?" he laughs awkwardly and rubs the back of his neck. "Well, you were on the phone with her and then I left you there and as soon as I stepped inside they were all singing happy birthday to me and I asked them to wait for you. Ask your dad. He was there and asked them to wait too, but Charity said she wanted cake, and then she cut it and ate it and everyone wanted to take shots. It was a mess. I finally got away from everyone and Ella told me that you had left. I got your gift though. The floatiest for the lake are hilarious and thanks for upgrading my coffee maker. Leave it to you to give me a coffee maker with all that extra fancy sh!t." he says and I laugh. "Hey, you love the coffees I make. Now you can make your own" I tell him and he frowns. "Nah, yours taste so good because you make them. Your hands make everything you touch taste good. I am sure I will f*ck it all up" he says. "I will teach you how to make the coffee" I say.

We stay quiet and just sit there. I wiggle my toes in the water, not knowing what to say. Now I wonder if he went home with her. "Hey, Cali, I know you, something is wrong," he whispers now that people jumped in the pool. I am sure he doesn't want anyone to hear our conversation. He even scoots closer to me. I shrug. Do I ask him? I said I would act like it isn't bothering me, but f*ck it does bother me. Do I ask him if he took her home? Do I follow my sister's advice and try to date other people instead? I don't know what to do. Do I sleep with someone to try to forget James? I just shrug since I don't know what to say.

James's p.o.v

"I can't read your mind Cali, you have to tell me what you are thinking. You can't just shrug and expect me to know what that means." I tell her because I can tell that something is clearly bothering her. "It's stup!d" she says. "Tell me Cali. Nothing is stup!d when it comes to you." I say. "I walked in to your party last night and I saw you and Charity all hugged up and then you gave her the first slice of cake and I just.. I don't know I got all of these feelings and I just... hate it." she tells me and looks away. I stay quiet, I feel bad because I am sure if she gave her slice of cake to someone else, or they took it, I would flip the f*ck out. I know it is just cake, but it's the meaning behind it, so I totally understand the feelings. I even freaked out knowing that Cali didn't get the first slice. It just felt wrong a$$ h3ll and it is about time we talk about it and get over it for the sake of our friendship. "I didn't give her the slice, Cali, please tell me you believe me. She took it and after everyone went home, I came to look for you. I felt so bad about it. I'm sorry" I tell her, but she doesn't say anything. "I also wasn't all hugged up with Charity. She was all over me and wanted me to take her home, but that will never happen." I say and her head shoots up. "You didn't hook up with her?" she asks me and I shake my head. "No, never. I am not interested in her," I say, and I don't miss the small smile that she gives me. She jumps into the pool. She goes underwater, then comes up and then lays on her back and floats around. She looks like an angel, so freaking beautiful. Exactly what my wet dreams consist of.