𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐞

"Hey, wake up." Harry poked her side. "Let's go home." he muttered as he started packing up his books.

It was already 11 in the evening and the two law students were still inside the library studying for their recitations. They've been at this since their class ended at 4 in the afternoon. Callie and Harry were devoted to being the top of their classes.

Callie yawned as she stretched. "Is it already ten minutes?" she asked and the blonde haired man nodded. "Damn, that power nap sucks." she huffed.

Harry shook his head. "Just pack up. I wanna eat since we didn't eat dinner."

"Who's fault is that?" Callie shot back, her brown eyes piercing into his blue ones.

"Well, I wanted to study for civil law. It's quite difficult, you know." he said, rising from his seat and walking out of the library with the brunette beside him.

Callie snorted. "You are just dumb, Harrison Lincoln."

Harry scoffed, pinching her cheeks. "I honestly hate you, Ali."

Callie pushed him playfully, rolling her eyes. "Please. I'm your best friend. You can never hate me and I can never hate you."

"You say that now, but you'll hate me once midterms are over and you'll see that I'm better than you." Harry said with a smug look on his face.

"Whatever." she huffed. "Let's eat, then go home. I'm exhausted."

After going through the drive-thru, the blonde and brunette happily ate in the car while reviewing for their recitations on Monday. After that, Harry drove her home.

This was their routine every school day since the first year of law school. Harry picks her up around six in the morning, they go straight to a coffee shop to study before heading to class. They were always together, people started assuming they were together and Callie and Harry always shrugged off those rumors by saying they are just close friends.

"I'm going to go to the law firm tomorrow. Wanna come?" Callie asked, unbuckling the seatbelt before swinging her bag over her shoulder. "It's my nephew's birthday."

Harry shook his head. "I'm going to the hospital tomorrow. Going to need a check up. I don't want to get the flu."

Callie snorted. "Get well soon. I'll see you on Monday." she said. Callie was about to hop out of the car, but the next words that came out of her best friend's mouth made her froze.

"I saw him the other day." Said Harry, quietly.

"Where?" Callie asked, her brows slightly furrowed.

"Just somewhere. You were with me that day. I didn't point it out because I know you don't like it." he said, running his hands through his dirty blonde hair. "Plus, I'm sure he didn't see us."

Callie nodded. "I'll see you on Monday." she gave him a small wave before exiting the car.

She sighed deeply. It still hurt her. Even by thinking about him, it made her heart ache. Fidgeting on her fingers, she entered the apartment building. Callie greeted the lobbyist before heading up to her apartment. She hopped into the shower before changing into something comfortable. She set her alarm to exactly 10 am before drifting into sleep.

When morning came and her alarm blaring loudly. She groaned, turning off her alarm before heading to the bathroom. After she took a shower, she wore a matching black blazer and black slacks with a white blouse inside. She wore wedges instead of stilettos because wedges were comfortable in her opinion.

She dried her hair before curling her short brown hair. She wore minimal make up before going to the kitchen to make some coffee, placing it into her hydro flask.

As she left her apartment, her phone rang. Callie automatically answered it as she got on the elevator.

"Cole?" Callie questioned. "If you are going to ask where I am, I'm on my way. I am not missing my favorite nephew's birthday."

Cole rolled his eyes. "Cedrick is your only nephew, Ali." the oldest Walker addressed. "You aren't late. I'm calling if you could pick up Charlotte from daycare. Vinna is stuck at work." Cole requested.

"You left my favorite niece at daycare?" Callie asked, sounding unimpressed.

"Again, she's your only niece." Cole grinned. "And yes. I forgot. Sue me."

"I'll get back to you on that." Callie said before ending the call and getting inside her car.

The drive to the city and to the day care took exactly an hour and a half. She huffed, parking her car in front of the daycare before turning off her ignition.

"Good Afternoon, Miss. Are you here to pick someone up?" the security guard asked.

Callie nodded. "Charlotte Walker. I'm here to pick her up." she answered with a small smile on her face. "Is she here?"

"Is she the girl with pigtails?"

"Yes. That's her." Callie chuckled, remembering that Cole was the one who tied her pigtails. "Is she inside?"

The guard gave her instructions on where to go and where to find the little girl. Callie thanked him

before walking inside. Her phone rang again and she automatically answered it the call, knowing it was important.

"What?" Callie asked, huffing as she walked towards the playground. "I don't have all day, Harrison. What do you want?"

"Professor Callahan changed the schedule for the quiz and recitation. It'll be next week since he won't be around on Monday." Harry informed. "I'm going out for drinks at Monday, wanna come?"

She narrowed her eyes, seeing her niece talking to a stranger, a man. "Hold on. I'll call you back." Callie whispered, ending the phone call. "Charlotte! Come on now. We need to.... " Callie trailed off upon seeing the man turn around.

"Mommy Callie, look! This man helped me." Charlotte yelled, enthusiastically as she run towards her aunt, showing her cleaned wound.

"It was no big deal." the man answered, nonchalantly. His deep voice sends goosebumps all over her skin.

Callie's chuckled nervously, avoiding the gaze of the familiar man that stood in front of her. It must have been seven, eight years since they've last seen each other.

"Where's your bag, baby?" Callie asked the little girl.

"I'll get it!" Charlotte said before running towards her classroom.

"Don't run, Charlotte!" Callie hollered before facing the man she has been trying to avoid for years. "Thanks for helping her. I'll see you around then. " she said before turning around.

He scoffed, pulling her wrist to make her face him. "Eight years. You haven't seen me in eight years and that's all you have to say to me?" he snarled. "You haven't changed one bit, Calistine."

Callie smiled, sarcastically, waking her wrist back from the raven haired man. "Maybe that's because you've changed even more so than before." she said, calmer than she should be before walking away.

She stopped in her tracks, side glancing at the man. "Don't call me Calistine. You've lost the privilege to call me that all those years ago."

He scoffed. "Yeah. Who's fault is that?"