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Chapter 17

Callie's POV:

"Brandon, I- I can't do this" I say quietly.

"Why not? Look at me and tell me you don't feel something special"

"No really, I can't do this" I say holding back the tears.

He gives me a confused, sad look.

"Okay" I say sighing, "there was kid, a few years older than me, in one of my foster homes. It was one of the best ones we had ever had and we became friends and started hanging out. When his parents found out, they kicked me and Jude out that night and called family services and they made up some lie so it wouldn't seem like their nice son was hanging out with the trashy foster girl."

"Is that Liam?" He asked me.

"Yeah" I whisper, not making eye contact.

"Okay well what's so bad about it? Why is Talya telling people about you and him?"

I'm silent for a while but I know that he won't let it go until I tell him.

After what feels like hours of him watching me, waiting for me to tell him, I finally say, "he kissed me and wanted to go further. He was too strong and-"

"Callie-" Brandon begins.

"He raped me" I say in a small whisper.

He stands there, surprised and furious at the same time, "you know I would never do that! I'm not like him. You wouldn't get kicked out!"

"Brandon, even having this conversation could get me and Jude kicked out of the house" I say gritting my teeth.

"Moms aren't like that. They would never do that! They wouldn't leave you guys out on the street!"

"Well yeah, they would keep Jude" I say quietly.

"Callie-" Brandon begins.

"No, I have to go do homework." I say opening the door and running straight up to my room.

•••

"Hey! Mariana says walking happily into our room and dropping her backpack onto her bed after she gets back from school.

"Hi" I say, trying to act equally as happy as her, "what's got you all excited? Or should I say who?"

"Chase asked me out" she squeals.

"Chase, the theater guy, the one that's a senior?" I ask worried.

"Yep! Well it's kind of a date. He said we should go to the cast party together on Friday night. But that's a date, right?"

"Mariana, I heard bad things about him. Are you sure?" I ask her, trying not to make her angry.

"Well I know bad things that Wyatt has done but I'm not judging your boyfriend"

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"Well everyone at school seems to think so. Word got around that you guys ditched and went out"

"Hardly" I say laughing. "His car broke down and Brandon had to come pick us up" I pause at Brandon's name, thinking about our conversation just hours before.

"Brandon skipped school and came and picked you up?! Woah. He's never ditched" she says in amazement.

"He hasn't...?"

"Wow. He would never ditch for me. He must really like you."

I laugh at her joke, but on the inside, I'm freaking out.

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Hope you liked this chapter! Should I start writing from other people in the family's POV? Maybe Marianas when she goes to that party? 10 votes and 3 comments for the next chapter!!