Greeting everyone! So this is the first fanfiction I have written in a LONG time since I got busy with a whole bunch of things in life. But now that things have slowed down, I decided to finally get back into the swing of writing them with the first one being a Caldia fic. While I do like Rayllum, I also like Caldia and I feel that it's kind of underrated. Though I decided to have it take place in a modern-day AU since there really is no way within the actual events of the series that I could see Caldia happening considering everything that has happened. I hope you enjoy!

Samantha, why are you so scared?

Th-the Ouija board! I-It's trying to kill us!

A Ouija board that was dripping was clearly fake blood floated as it charged toward Samantha as her companion as both let out unconvincing terrified screams before the scene cut to black and the credits started to play.

While Claudia roared with laughter from the incredibly cheesy line from the old school horror movie the two were watching, Callum couldn't help but smile at her. After all, the sound of her laughter was like music to his ears and the way her face would scrunch up was the cutest thing to him. It was one of his favorite things about watching these movies with her. The two have been friends for as long as Callum remembered due to living down the street from each other. Growing up, the pair did all kinds of things together such as skipping rocks in the creek, catching fireflies and pulling pranks on Soren, especially when he pranked one of them. Yet just like how Callum has always enjoyed drawing, Claudia always seemed to have a love for all things horror with her being more intrigued by them rather than scared. The latter of which however applied to Callum since he had nightmares for a week after watching one with her when they were kids. Luckily for him though, Claudia also grew a love for cheesy horror movies that were more comedic than scary which soon lead the two having weekly movie nights where the two would make fun of how terrible they were.

Over the years, others have joined in on their movie nights such as Soren, Rayla and sometimes even Ezran as they all sat together and enjoyed the cheesiness of the movies. Now Callum didn't mind the extra company, after all, riffing on terrible movies with his friends and little brother were tons of fun, but he wouldn't' be lying if he didn't enjoy those times in which it was just him and Claudia alone together. Tonight, was one of those lucky nights with the two watching a movie at Claudia's house. Callum's parents decided to take Ezran out to see a new movie, Viren was away for the weekend on a business trip, Soren was out partying with his friends and Rayla was spending the night at the track training for her upcoming track meet. This would be the perfect time for Callum to take the next step in his and Claudia's relationship and become more than friends since his feeling of happiness when he hung out with her has transformed into something more romantic over the years. Yet despite constant egging from Rayla over just confessing to Claudia his feelings, he always got nervous and anxious whenever he tried to do so since he was afraid of what would happen if Claudia didn't feel the same way. The last thing he wanted was for their friendship with each other to get all awkward due to Callum misreading their relationship. It also didn't help matters that Claudia flirted with him a lot and he could never tell if she was serious or just being her playful self. He was so lost in thought that he didn't even realize that Claudia has stopped laughing long ago and was smiling back him in the flirtatious way that made his heart flutter.

"What are you grinning about silly?" Claudia asked in an amusing tone.

"Oh-I-um-." Callum stuttered as he tried to desperately think what to say without coming off awkward which he was already failing to do. "I was just smiling about how-um, that we don't have any homework this weekend and that we can just take it easy. Yep, that's what I'm smiling about. Heh."

Claudia moved closer to Callum as she looked at him unconvinced. It took all of Callum will power not to sigh heavily since she was wearing that earthy fragrance that she always seemed to put on when the two watched movies together. "Is that so? Are you sure it had nothing to do with the fact that you thought I looked pretty?"

Callum chuckled nervously. This was one of those examples where Callum wasn't sure how to respond since he couldn't' tell if she was messing with him of flirting with him. Though Callum wouldn't admit that to her out loud. "Whaaaat? Pffft. No. I mean, not that I don't think you're not pretty, I mean I really was just thinking about school, certainly not that the sound of your laughter is music to my ears." Callum mentally did a facepalm over that last comment. Why is it that when the two talked to each other normally, he could keep his composure, but the second Claudia started teasing him, he became an idiot?

Claudia stroked her chin in thought for a few seconds before her eyes widened as if she just got an idea as she stood up and pulled Callum to his feet without warning. "Let's go to my bedroom!"

Callum's face grew a brilliant shade of beet red as Callum felt the heat rising in his face over Claudia's line. Sure, he has been in Claudia's room with her plenty of times before, but normally with Soren or Viren being home and the door always being open, especially to the former insistence/threats. This would be the first time he would be in the room with her with no one else around in years. "Um, Claudia, are you sure that's a good idea? It's just the two of us here and I'd rather not have Soren kill me."

Claudia waved her hand dismissively at Callum's concern. "Oh come on, Soren isn't here and he'll never find out unless one of us tells him. Besides, we used to hang out in my bedroom with close doors all the time as kids, I don't see what's the difference is now."

Probably because I'm a 15-year-old boy and the idea of you and me in a room together with the door closed triggers a bunch of big brother alarms. Callum thought to himself. Obviously, he would never try to do what Soren thought he would do since while he has feelings for Claudia, he wasn't ready for, well, that! But Soren apparently thought otherwise, hence why the door was always kept open. "Still Claudia, I'm not sure if that's such a good idea."

"Come on Callum," Claudia pleaded as she looked at him with those big green eyes that Callum would find himself lost in time and time again. "Please?"

Like a soda can being crumpled, Callum's resolve was broken and he let out a defeated sigh. Even after all these years, he could never say no that face of hers. "Okay, let's go to your bedroom."

Claudia let out an excited squeal as she pulls Callum so hard that it felt like his arm was almost ripped off as she eagerly took him up the steps and down the hall to her bedroom. Once she opened the door, she released Callum's hand and turned on the light with it becoming illuminated. Despite Claudia's bubbly and fun personality, her love for horror and heavy metal clearly showed given her room décor. It was a spacious room with the walls and carpeted floor being a dark shade of purple and posters of Claudia's favorite bands and horror movies being plastered all over the walls. In the center of the room laid a queen size bed that was up against the back wall which was where Claudia headed to and got on her knees before going partly under the bed for something. Callum stared confusingly at what Claudia was doing for the first couple of seconds before he realized where his eyes have drifted given Claudia's current position and hastily turning around as he felt the heat in his cheeks rise. If Soren was there, he would no doubt have accused him of wandering eyes.

"Aha!" Claudia cried triumphantly for an unknown reason. I found it! Callum, why are you looking away?"

Letting out a silent breath to calm his nerves Callum turned around to face Claudia who was now sitting on the floor with a wooden board in her hands. "Ah, I was just, distracted by a fly. You know how annoying flies can be. Heh."

"Well forget about the fly," Claudia replied as she laid down the board. "Close the door and sit across from me."

Callum nodded as he did as such before sitting across from Claudia. It wasn't until he looked down at the board did he realize what Claudia wanted to do, which helped calm his nerves. "Is that a ouija board Claudia?"

"Yep. I figured that after watching a movie about teenagers asking spirits questions, it would be fun if the two of us did it as well.

"What kind of questions do you have in mind?" Callum asked, his interest now rising. Sure, it would be fun to goof around and ask "spirits" questions when in reality it, would just be their fingers moving the eyeglass, but he didn't get Claudia high excitement for the thing.

"You'll see soon," Claudia teased as she placed the planchette on the board and put her middle finger and ring finger on one side of it. "Now you place two fingers on the planchette."

Callum did as he was instructed with him then looking at Claudia. "Okay, now what do we do?"

"Well now we ask the spirts a question," Claudia answered. "Let's see, what would be a good question. Hmmm. Oh! I know! Spirits, hear my question, does Callum look particularly cute tonight?"

Callum's eyes widened in nervous shock over such a suggestion. "Uh, why- why do you want to ask the spirts such a question. Do we really need to ask them something like that?"

"Aren't you curious if the spirits have good taste?" Claudia asked slyly. "After all, it's not every day we get to ask if they think funny and talented artists also have good looks, right?"

Just like many times before, Callum couldn't tell if she was being serious or pulling his leg. But it was too late to back out now, so he would have to make do and deal with the whirlwind of emotions she tended to give him "I suppose."

"That's the spirit!" Claudia snickers over what she said. "Get it? Spirit? Cause we're talking to spirits."

Callum smiled at the joke. While others may groan at Claudia jokes, Callum personally found them funny. Then again, those same people claimed that his jokes were also terrible, so that could be why. "Okay, so what do we do now?"

"Simple, we just let the spirits guide our hands to what they want to say," Claudia answered. "So just relax and let your fingers guide the planchette."

Callum relaxed his body and slowly sighed to calm himself down as Claudia instructed as the planchette started to move. It honestly felt more like the two of them were moving it instead of spirits but that did make sense considering the fact that they weren't actually talking to spirits. What did come as a surprise however was when the planchette stopped on the word "yes."

"Hmmm," Claudia hummed as she smiled at Callum. "It seems like the spirits do have a good taste after all. Now it's your turn to ask the spirits a question. What do you want to ask them?"

Still reeling from the fact that the answer to Claudia's question was "yes," Callum gulped at the question he was supposed to ask. It was clear now that Claudia was up to something between the answer they got to her question and the mischievous look she was giving him as she waited to hear what question he would ask. But if Claudia was going to tease him, who said he couldn't tease her back.

"Spirits, hear my question, does Claudia always put on a specific type of perfume when its just the two of us?"

Claudia's coy smile turns to that of shock quickly as it was clear that she didn't expect such a question from him. Despite that though, their fingers moved the planchette around before it landed on "Yes" once again.

"I got to say Claudia, I had my doubts, but you were right," Callum remarked in an all but playful tone. "I am curious to hear and even learn what the spirits have to say."

Claudia's shocked expression turned to playful once more as she now smirked at Callum. "Yeah, I guess we have plenty of more questions to ask the spirits."

And so that for the next half hour, that what went on. The two friends would take turn asking the spirits things about the other such as if one of them was responsible for breaking Soren action figure when they were younger, if the other jokes were hilarious and what were the other best qualities with Callum becoming more at ease and having fun with each question asked with him also becoming more bold with them.

"Well I think I'm about all done with talking for the spirits," Claudia said. "Unless if there's one more question you want to ask the spirits?"

Callum pondered over Claudia's question. If he was going to ask a question, it had to be a good one. Yet what would be the perfect question to end the game on? Suddenly, as if a lightbulb went on in his head, he realized what would be the perfect one.

"Spirits hear my question," Callum exclaimed. "Should I kiss Claudia?"

Claudia's cool and playful expression turned to surprise as she stared at Callum which only made him realize what he just asked and had him internally freak out. What on earth was he thinking?! It was one thing to flirt and be playful with one another, but to ask a question like that was insane! How could he let the game get to his head? He should have just played it safe and ask a simple question. Yet his anxiety was put on halt when he felt the planchette moving from the middle to the board and landed on yes. His eyes wandered from the board to Claudia who was wearing an enthusiastic expression.

"Seems like the spirits think you should do that," Claudia said as he begins to lean forward.

Callum smiled nervously as he begins to mirror Claudia movement with each inch closer making his heart beat faster and faster. Callum couldn't help but think a million things. Did his breath stink? Was there anything stuck in his teeth? Was he moving things to fast? Yet all of those complaints were put to rest as the two embraced in a kiss that put his heart at ease with him fully enjoying the kiss. Despite picturing this moment dozens of times, it was nothing compared to the real thing. Claudia's lips were as soft as a marshmallow and her breath tasted like that of peanut butter, one of their favorite foods. The two remained like that for what felt like hours before both slowly pulled away with their faces burning in fluster.

"Well," Claudia said as she continued to smile at Callum. "I'm glad talking to the spirits lead us to kiss each other."

"Yeah," Callum let out dreamingly as he smiled back at Claudia. "I'm glad they did too."

The two would no doubt have smiled at each other all night and would have kissed once more…if it wasn't for the sound of a car door slamming shut and Soren yelling goodbye to his friends.

"Oh no!" Callum and Claudia said in union.