away // brallie

three

brandon's perspective

As I was padding down the steps, I could hear Callie coming down behind me and Lena and Stef also. I panicked, and ran out the door. Callie slipped out with me and I ran for my car, but then I felt a hand grab my wrist and I was taken to a sudden halt. Step had grabbed me and Lena has grabbed Callie. Callie's face was ghostly; her eyes gone. Stef and Lena's eyebrows were furrowed together and their eyes were burning holes through Callie and me.

Stef was the first to speak, "What the hell was that? Why are you two kissing? Brandon, you know we want to adopt Callie and Jude, and Callie, you know we want to adopt you! Why on Earth would you think this is okay?" Stef questioned. Callie looked like she wasn't breathing. I felt like I didn't want to breath anymore. Why was I so dumb? I imagined it would go over much better than this.

I twisted my wrist free from Mom's grip, "I'm sorry. I just really love Callie. I don't want to ruin her adoption, I promise." I snapped. Mom's eyes widened at my harsh tone. Callie pulled her wrist away from Lena's, and she has a dark red mark around her wrist. I didn't have a mark; was Lena really this mad?

Callie's breath quickened, "I'm sorry, we didn't mean to - we didn't want this to happen, we're sorry, I just..." Callie stammered, her words crashing into each other. She rubbed her wrist, and the mark began to grow darker. Lena was never the angry parent, so it shocked me that she would even have the willpower to hurt Callie.

Stef massaged the back of her neck, "We just thought you knew the rules. But there will be consequences to this. Major ones. We can discuss later, but you all need to move along and get to school." Stef said, storming back inside. Lena lingered for a second, then walked off in a huff.

Brandon threw his arms around me, "I am so sorry. I shouldn't have done that, it was so insens-" I started, until Callie stuck her finger on my lips.

She quickly started to head for my car, because now I was driving everyone to school instead of Mom, "It's fine. We can just drop it, Brandon." She said, slamming the car door shut. Everyone started to come out and pile into my car, and I got into the driver seat. The car ride was silent, except for the gentle classical music playing through the radio.

———

I spotted Callie at lunch, sitting all alone. Her brown waves were blowing carelessly in the wind as she ate her PB&J sandwich. I sat down right next to her, thighs touching. She scooted away with a deep breath.

I rolled my eyes, "What's the matter Callie?" I asked, resisting my every thought to move back close to her.

Anger clouded her features, "Look, Brandon. I love you a lot and you have helped and saved me in so many ways. I can't thank you enough for everything you have done for me. But, I want to get adopted so bad. I've been in the system for years and years on end, and I want to get out. I love the Foster's. Your family has given me so much, more than any other family I have been in. I wish I could choose you, Brandon. I wish we could run away together and move far, far from here. But life doesn't work like that. So I choose the Foster's. I choose you as a brother." Callie said, her eyes welling with tears. She dropped her sandwich and rubbed her eyes. Her makeup was smearing all over her face.

I scooted back close to her and wrapped my arm around her, "I understand, Callie. I love you, and I want you to be happy. So, if being a part of this family means this much to you, then I will love you enough to let you go." I said, realizing that the last thing I wanted was for us to be adoptive brother and sister.

Callie dropped her head onto my shoulder, "Thank you Brandon." Callie said, her soft eyes looking into mine. Everything about her made me want her even more; how was I going to be able to do this?