Three
Brandon entered the house and stood in the centre of room and gazed around. No one was in view, he couldn't hear anyone either. He contemplated if anyone was even home, school wasn't on and none of the children had jobs or really places they needed to be.
Brandon let out the breath out air he had been holding in and then stepped up the staircase and disappeared into the shade.
Once he was almost at the top of the stairs it was so dark and dim lighted that he almost missed the final step. He looked down making sure his foot was where it needed to be and then he looked back up, and certainly didn't see the oncoming body that crashed into him.
Brandon stepped back in instinct as the mysterious body had fallen against him.
He looked up and could see Callie. Her face wasn't that close to his but he still could still see her distinct features in the dim light. Like her little button nose and her eyes that seemed to glow in the dark.
"Sorry." She muttered pulling herself always from him as she gripped the wall with her hand.
Brandon stepped down another step and just looked at her in almost shock.
He looked away suddenly. "Sorry, it was...dark."
Callie nodded awkwardly then stepped back to the top of the stairs and flicked the light on.
Brandon quieted as the sudden burst of light stung his eyes.
"Thank you." He replied more like he had to, pushing back the fact that she just lightly burnt his retina.
"So, you're back huh?" Callie replied as Brandon stepped up a few steps until he was in an appropriate conversation distance.
"Yeah, I..." His voice trailed off. "I don't know yet."
Callie nodded slowly. She didn't want to argue again.
Brandon shifted his eyes as he felt the tension and awkward silence get to him.
"So where is everyone?"
"Uh," Callie crossed her arms casually. "Well moms are at work and-"
"Lena? She's at work? I thought school was closed today?"
"Yeah, no it's not. There's just some she has to do, I was half asleep when she told me."
Brandon grinned gently.
"Oh Jesus is out with Emma, I think, I don't know if they're back together or..."
Brandon nodded being interested in what everyone had down with their lives over the past few days then he had ever been.
"Jude's at Taylor's and Mariana's here."
Callie gave a small concluding smile then uncrossed her arms.
There was another painful awkward pause then Callie spoke.
"I was getting water." She breathed out, cringing slightly inside as the worst conversation ending line came from her mouth.
She stepped down the steps and grew closer to him.
Brandon stepped to the side, but when she stepped down on to the same step he was on he noticed something. Something about her eyes.
"Have you been crying?" He asked suddenly.
Callie stopped then looked to him not sure what to say.
"No." She lied.
"Oh." He nodded gently realising she was lying. "Sorry."
Callie continued to walk past him until she was gone.
Brandon listened as her shoes faded out on the wooden floors and then he made his way up stairs.
He was about to open the room to his door when he heard another voice.
"You're back?"
Brandon turned to see Mariana gazing at his in mild shock mixed with confusion.
Brandon gave a small smile and nodded slightly.
A grin stretched across Mariana's face as she leaped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. It was the only thing she could reach.
Brandon smiled harder then wrapped his arms around the back of her neck leaning over.
Mariana pulled back and looked at him closely almost as if she was examining him.
"you have a...a beard.." She frowned. "I've never seen such a thing."
Brandon grinned as he ran the tips of his fingers along his chin feeling the rough stubble.
"It will disappear don't worry."
Mariana squinted her eyes and looked at it more closely.
"I mean I kinda like it. But then I don't."
Brandon looked away and chuckled softly.
"It makes you look so old."
Brandon raised his eyebrows at her then shook his head.
"I gotta go unpack." He declared at the same time he thought about how he had nothing to unpack. How he left all his stuff at Courtney's house.
Brandon let out deep sigh.
"What?" Mariana questioned.
"Nothing I just left all my stuff at Courtney's."
Mariana almost rolled her eyes at her name.
"I have to go get it."
"No, you can get it later, right? Mama is gonna be home soon anyway."
Brandon nodded. Ok.
"Me and Callie were gonna watch a movie. Wanna join?"
Brandon's mouth opened as he thought.
"Uh..."
"Come on. It's a movie."
Brandon looked down on her and nodded gently. "Ok, what the hell."
Brandon sat down on one of the small sofas. Callie was already sitting comfortably on the couch a little behind him.
Mariana was on the floor in front of the TV scattering though the movies.
"Ok, since Brandon, hey, is back he can choose."
Brandon adjusted his position on the couch feeling a little at the fact that it was just him, Mariana and Callie.
"Ok. What do we have?"
Brandon looked to the side slowly and peeked at Callie who was sitting on the couch.
Her eyes scanned to his and he looked away quickly.
"Ok, Firstly why do we have 'Happy Feet'? No one watches Happy Feet."
"Connor got it for Jude." Callie explained.
Mariana placed it down gently then flipped through the other titles.
"Runaway Bride, The Notebook, When Harry Met Sally,"
It seemed like Mariana was just reading or to movies that were classified as romantic.
"Oh my god can we watch titanic."
Mariana held it next to her face and stuck out her bottom lip to Brandon.
"No, I though i was choosing the movie. No way."
Mariana rolled her eyes then placed it down int he small pile she had created.
"Ooh, another young Leo movie" Mariana held up the movie next to her face and showed the two. "Romeo and Juliet."
Callie quickly looked to her as she felt her insides tense.
Brandon stared at her and frowned.
"There's nothing more romantic than forbidden love."
Callie straightened herself on the couch and stared down at her as if she was mentally telling her to shut up, she knows what she is doing. It's not gonna work.
Brandon looked from Mariana to Callie confused and a little nervous.
"Mariana." Callie whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.
Mariana looked to her and raised her eyebrows.
"What?"
Brandon panned back and forth from the two girls trying to decipher what was happening.
"Is, is everything ok?" He asked.
Mariana looked from Callie to Brandon and gave a small sassy pout.
"Callie told me."
Brandon tilted his head confused.
"About you two."
Brandon's eyes widened.
Callie's heart dropped. "Mariana"
"What, it's not like he wasn't going to know that I know especially now that moms know."
Callie frowned in confusion.
"What?"
Brandon looked to her then something came to Mariana and she looked like she had just been hit with an epiphany.
"Wait..is that why you did Romeo and Juliet? Oh my god."
Brandon bit the inside of his lip frustrated that Callie told her.
"Did you really have to tell?" He said as he looked over to Callie. Callie was already sitting up staring between the two with wide and interested eyes.
"And Mariana really?" Brandon continued as he raised his hand.
"She would've found out anyway."
"Really?" Brandon turned his body and faced her. "Now that Mariana knows everyone knows."
"Everyone already does know." Callie snapped back.
Mariana pouted awkwardly realising the situation she had just created.
"Yeah, if you didn't tell then know one would've known."
"It's no wonder you guys broke up." Mariana said under her breath. But Brandon heard.
"What?" Brandon said to her.
Callie heard it as well.
"We didn't even-" before Callie could finish the door opened and Lena walked in.
The three kids turned and looked at her like they were guilty of something.
Once Lena saw Brandon she stopped and stared at him for a second.
"Brandon? You're back?"
Brandon gave a small put on smile then looked away.
Calls looked to Lena and Lena gave her a little look. She couldn't really work out what it meant but it made her feel nervous. So nervous that she looked to Brandon like it was the last time she would look at him like that.