Just go
"I just need you to know how serious this is, Brandon." Stef began as she clasped her hands together.
"I do." He replied with guilt.
"No, I don't think you do."
Brandon still sat on the bench chair outside. Lena had left Stef all alone with him so she could go talk to Callie.
They been out there for about an hour, Stef did most of the talking, more ranting about how he basically just messed up everything.
He was like a pot of boiling water waiting to spill. He was so mad and frustrated. Especially at the fact that Callie had just left him there to fend for himself. They were meant to be in it together.
"Callie could be taken from this house, Jude-"
"Mom I get it" He snapped back as he slammed his hand down on his knee.
Stef looked to him.
Brandon shook his head in sadness. "God, you have no idea how much I get it."
Stef looked at him, all sad and broken, she felt bad for him. Seeing him so sad and alone about something that basically shaped the past year of his life. It wasn't a lie, it just wasn't the truth either.
"I'll move back in with dad." He shrugged exhaustedly. "I'll take all responsibility for it."
"Brandon" Stef muttered as she tilted her head.
"No, I'm serious. If you wanna blame me, yell at me, whatever." He stood up from the bench. "I just can't be here when that happens."
Tears filled Stef's eyes as he walked away and back into the house.
She hadn't felt such sadness since she found out it was Jesus and Mariana in the car crash. Almost like she had just lost her child.
Dinner wasn't too eventful either. Brandon didn't come down so he just sat in his room. Mariana asked what was happening but Stef just cut her off and told her to just eat her spaghetti. Everyone knew there was something wrong, like the family was growing darker. Jesus and Mariana both thought that maybe it was because of the shooting, but Brandon hadn't been that close to nick to put himself in such isolation. If anyone was going to do that it was Mariana or Jesus.
After dinner Callie found herself at Brandon's bedroom door. It was shut, it was never shut.
Callie knocked once as she twisted the handle and pushed open the door.
Brandon sat at his piano banging on the keys softly, but he kept messing up and it frustrated him.
Once he heard a knock he turned to his door and was relieved when it was Callie he saw.
"Hey." He said like there was no more enthusiasm or happiness left in him.
Callie smiled gently then wandered into his room and shut the door behind her. That was already one rule she had broken.
"You didn't come down for dinner." She stated as he got up from his piano and began walking over to her.
"Yeah, I wasn't hungry."
Brandon sat down on the little couch in front of his bed facing his back to her.
Callie nodded slowly.
She continue to walk closer to him, more to his desk where a seat was placed. She figured if she was gonna tell him she wanted to be facing him.
"Mom basically hates me now." He tried to laugh but all that came out was a little airy breath.
Callie sat down on the seat at his desk sideways and rested her arm along the back of it.
"She doesn't hate you, Brandon."
Brandon shook his head in annoyance.
"What?" Callie frowned.
"Where did you go?" He asked looking up to her. "Huh?"
Callie looked at him confused.
"I thought we were in it together, like you said?"
Callie could hear the frustration in his voice.
"Yeah, then you said we had to move on." She replied getting fired up by his temper.
"We have." He replied raising his hand. "We have moved on. And now we're right back at the start."
Brandon stood up from the bench and ran his fingers through his wavy brown hair messing it up a little.
"What were you talking to mama about anyway?" He sounded angry.
"Can you just calm down, please." She replied.
Brandon breathed in deeply trying to calm himself.
"What did she say?" He asked more calmly as he sat back down.
"Uh, she told me that she still wanted me, and that Mariana will always be my sister and..."
Brandon looked up to her. "And what?"
Callie sucked on her bottom lip gently.
"And that adoptions can be reversed"
Brandon's eyes grew wide with interest and nerve of what she might say next.
"She's giving me an option. Family or.. Or you."
Brandon looked down. He didn't want to be the reason Callie got unadopted.
"What did you say?" He asked nervously as he felt his heart begin to pound.
"Well nothing yet." She replied resting her head down on her hands.
"What do you think you'll say?"
Callie swallowed nervously. "Um, I don't know."
Brandon looked away. "I think, I think I'm gonna move out."
Callie shot a look to him in shock.
"What?"
"I don't think I can stay here anymore."
Callie looked at him stunned and confused.
"What happened to 'were in this together'?"
Brandon shifted himself on the couch. "I just, if it's just you here then it'll be fine. They will keep you."
"Well, what" she mumbled trying to think of something to say.
"Where are you gonna live? Cause your dad will give you the same lecture as mom"
"I'm not stupid, Callie."
"Well you are if you think you can just move out of home with no where to go and no job"
"I'll live with Courtney." He replied instantly.
Callie's eyes widened feeling more anger and frustration than jealousy.
"You think she'll just let you move in with her in her house?"
Brandon shook his head getting frustrated by her.
"Why should she? I own the damn thing."
Callie frowned. "You what?"
"I bought Courtney a house." He reported as he stood up from the seat once again.
"Why the hell would you do that?" Callie too stood up. She didn't want to have an argument with someone who was standing almost a metre taller than her.
"Eddie kicked her out of her apartment, she didn't have any money I-"
"What about Juilliard? Huh? You just gonna give that up to play happy families with her and her son?!"
Brandon clenched down on his teeth and clenched his hands into fists.
Callie breathed in suddenly taking a breath from all her yelling.
"If you wanna give away everything" she began her voice beginning to calm.
"Then do it."
She shook her head slightly as she was still made with fire.
"Have fun with mason." She said as she walked out of his room leaving Brandon once again alone.