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Callie was only at her local pride parade to support her best friend, Arizona. That was what she’d told her dad, who’d frowned as she shut the front door behind her and jumped in the frontseat of the blonde’s beat-up ford truck that she’d inherited from her brother, who’d had it from their father.
Arizona grinned “Hey, Calliope!” She beamed as Callie slammed the door behind her. She was wearing bootcut jeans and a checked flannel shirt, which was unbuttoned a little to reveal a white vest beneath, which was low cut enough to show off her some of her sun-kissed chest. “Hi, Zona.” Callie smiled, buckling in.
“Today is going to be awesome.” Arizona chirped eagerly as they drove down the winding country road that lead away from the small village Callie and Arizona had grown up in and into the neighbouring town. “I’m going to do drag, I think. There’s a tent where they’ll get you into it, it’s new this year.” Arizona continued as she took an un-necessarily hard left. Callie scoffed, and then realised Arizona wasn’t joking. “Really?” She asked.
“Why not? You should do it too.” Arizona said casually. “You’ve got to loosen up a bit, Cal. Your dad isn’t gonna be there.”
“I know.” Callie said flushing. “It’s not that, Arizona. I love you so much, but I’m not gay. I’m coming for you, and the free food.” She said. Arizona just shrugged, turning her gaze back to the road, smirking as if she knew something Callie didn’t.
The parade was heaving, and Callie barely even had the capacity to grab onto Arizona’s arm and let her guide her through the crowd, weaving in and out of various couples, flag-bearers and pride groups. “See, is this not cool?” Arizona said, and the beam on her face and light in her eyes almost made Callie smile. “Yeah, it’s alright.” She offered.
The tent Arizona had been raving about was decked in rainbow decorations and there was Madonna blasting from a speaker somewhere. A tall queen with bold silver eyeshadow and a bubblegum pink wig that was piled high on her head greeted the girls, gushing over them as if they’d known eachother forever. “Come, sit!” She said, beaming. “So, are you two together?”
Arizona laughed how she always did, in the way that sounded like birdsong in a sunlit forest on a spring morning, and Callie flushed. “No, no. I’m Arizona and this is my best friend, Calliope.” Arizona said, still smiling. “Come sit, Callie.” She said eagerly.
“You know what, I’ll leave it to you today, Arizona. I’m happy to watch.” Callie said, situating herself close enough to be near Arizona but far away enough to indicate that she was a mere spectator. “Are you ready to be a king?” Said the Queen, her energy matching Arizona’s perfectly. “Hell yeah.” Arizona said, pushing her hair back and out of her face.
Callie had eventually wandered outside of the tent to find a decent corndog, braving the crowds and even feeling slightly influenced by the pure joy of the people around her. She smiled slightly as she made her way back to the tent, letting her guard down a little.
She almost dropped her corndog when she re-entered. Arizona had made a shocking transformation. Her blonde hair was pinned up to look shorter, her blue eyes had been surrounding by dark, defining liner. She had cheekbones contoured on and a striking jawline with painted stubble on the chin. Callie’s face must’ve looked how she felt.
“No need to stare, Callie.” Arizona laughed, and Callie felt herself burn crimson. “I’m not, you just look…”
“Fucking hot? I know.” Arizona said, grinning. Callie didn’t dare nod, afraid of the way her heart was beating a little faster, the twisting of her stomach and the way her eyes kept wanting to wander towards her bestfriend. “Sure.” She said, her throat dry. “You look.. great.”