Brandon's Story #Wattys2016

Picking Up The Pieces

After school was the hardest because I knew that I would have to see Callie soon, there really was no way of avoiding her. School days would be the worst, but the weekends, I could disappear the whole day without bumping into her. As I make my way out to my car, I hear Callie and Mariana calling my name.

"Brandon, wait up" said Mariana. "why did you leave so early this morning?"

"Oh, I just wanted to get an early practice in."

Marianna replied "well, Are you at least going to give us a ride home?"

"Sure" I say as I glance up at Callie.

To my surprise she looks stunned, she knows I'm avoiding her. We all jump in the car and of course Mariana wants to stretch out in the back, so that leaves Callie riding shot gun right next to me. The exact position I was trying to avoid, I was now in.

"So Brandon, How is practice going?"

I pause for a minute and then reply. "It's going well" I say with a slight smirk. I quickly turned the radio up so the awkwardness will dissipate. Callie gets the message and we ride in silence all the way home.

As soon as we pull into the driveway I rush up stairs to avoid anymore interaction with her and bury myself in math homework and music. After hours of studying I hear moms call me down for dinner. I head down stairs and see that everyone is already seated and the only spot left is by Callie. I reluctantly slide in beside her and she gives me a sordid look.

"Hey B! how was school today?" mom asked with a genuine curiosity.

"Pretty much the usual." I reply.

Mariana then interrupts with "He had to leave super early this morning so he could practice."

Mom then chirps in saying "Oh, is that why I had to carpool with everyone today Brandon?"

"Yeah! sorry I really needed the time on the schools piano. I just want to make sure that I don't start slacking after Idyllwild"

"Ok!" I know its important, just please try to stay after school to practice instead."

"Sure thing" I say, thinking, that since I completely lied I will now have to start lingering around school a little longer to save face. Dinner smells amazing and I am starving, so I immediately dig in. Mom made her famous homemade potato chips with hot dogs. I go to reach for the ketchup bottle when my hand brushes against Callie's. I suddenly get a current of chills, like electricity running through my veins. She notices and quickly pulls back.

"Go ahead " I say trying to be a gentleman. She looks at me with a smile, that same smile she had the whole time we where alone in that cabin soaking in the bliss of our actions. I quickly avert my gaze so I'm not caught staring.

Mom notices and ask? "Is everything ok with the two of you, you're acting stranger than usual toward each other?"

"Yeah!" we say in unison as if we are thinking the same thing, that they can never know. That was the promise we made the day before the adoption, only a day after Callie snuck into my room and said she loved me. Thinking about this makes me really upset and I excuse my self from the table. I head back to my room, and do the one thing I have become so good at, drowning my sadness in music and closing my eyes, where I dream of the one thing I can never have.

Friday came and went and before I knew it I was setting up the garage for Someones Little Sister, I really hated that name, but I didn't start the band so I didn't really get a say. As I was doing a mic check, I heard Lou come in and say "Hey you, glad you decided to come back, it just wasn't the same on the road without your magic fingers." As soon as she said it, I could see she wished she could have chosen her words more carefully. Sure, I had some fun times with Lou, but it got old really fast. When she pushed me to sale my grandpas autographed baseball just so I could go on tour with her, it kind of made me see her in a different light. Callie would have never ask me to give up a family heirloom that held more than monetary value. As I'm tuning my keys Lou leans over my keyboard and says, "So brandon! It has been a while since we have hung out; we should totally get together again and chill sometime."

"Sure! yeah! maybe, " I say knowing exactly what she means by chill. Lou isn't someone who exactly guards her virtue if you know what I mean. Just then Callie walks in and it looks like Lou is leaning so far over my keyboard that she is about to kiss me.

"Sorry am I interrupting?"

"Not at all" replies Lou with a deliberate sting.

I can see the annoyance on Callie's face so I interject with "whats up".

"Not much, just kind of board, Mariana went to the mall with Jude and Conner." She says.

"Oh" I reply.

She then ask "Do you mind if I Listen to you guys practice?"

I really wish she wouldn't, but I can't exactly say that without sounding like a jerk, so I answer "Yea, Sure."

Just then Matt walks in with his guitar case and says, "Dude I am so stoked you are back in the band."

"I am too" I reply, actually glad I have some distraction in my life at the moment. After saying Hi! to everyone, Matt takes his place.
Lou looks at me and says "Brandon! We should play Outlaws for the show tonight. Since the gig is such short notice, it's the perfect song because we know it by heart." I look over at Callie and I can see the hurt in her Eyes.

"I don't know Lou," I said I would never play that song again.

" Why not"? Lou pushes.

I really don't want to, but before I can put up an argument, Callie jumps in, "You should do it brandon, you guys will sound amazing." I can't believe that Callie is ok with us playing this song; the same song that I wrote for her. It was hard enough playing this in front of her before, but if she really doesn't care then I guess I shouldn't either. Although, I know Callie and she cares more than she lets on. Still, I start playing, and as I sing I couldn't help but let my eyes drift to her's. She looks so beautiful, but their is a sadness hidden underneath that is revealed with each verse. As the song is coming to a close, I belt out the final verse with more emotion then I intend to show. 

"I love you every day and every night." Glancing up at Callie, we become locked in a wounded gaze. As we both stand there frozen in that moment, I realize that I don't care who notices. This is our song and if we can't have more, we will always have this.