Brallie - Season 3B

Chapter 3 - Secrets

Rita eyed Brandon and I carefully, glaring dangerously at us, back and forth. Our awkward behaviour was obviously very noticeable and I stood there, my feet locked to the ground, lost with words. I snapped out of it when Brandon said
"Nothing's going on?"
"Yeah sorry, I'm bit clumsy today" I added with a little laugh at the end whilst indicating to the broken glass on the ground. I quickly swept up the last few pieces and chucked them in the bin.
Rita looked very disbelieving and was about to interrogate us more when she looked at the time and regretfully said goodbye. She had to rush off quickly, something at Girls United, she said. Brandon and I sighed with relief as the front door closed behind her. I tried to catch Brandon's eye but he escaped through the back door without saying another word.
I tried to understand how he must be feeling. He had told me that I should get adopted, and that family is what I needed. But now he was hardly talking to me. Maybe it was best, if we just left each other alone for a while.
*
For the next few weeks, I was kept busy by the constant distraction school provided, loaded with homework each night. With Jesus back at home now, and seven people in the house meant crowded chaos like usual and I found myself sinking into a routine of dinner and dishes and homework and school. These weeks, despite my love for the family, I just couldn't get past the hard patch I was going through. With the business of the days, I was fine until at night, where I would be sleepless thinking of Brandon, just down the hall. My dreams consisted of him a lot and soon he was engulfing my every thought. The fact that he was now my brother had me feeling very very melancholic and for the few hours I was feeling up and happy, I only had to think of him and my heart just sank right back down.
I hardly saw Brandon as we avoided each other at all costs, but for things like Dinner and family-time, Brandon seemed to ignore my total presence. On one occasion we both reached for the monopoly dice, and when our hands touched I felt my heart pound and for a second I swear I felt the happiest I had felt in a while, and all the memories of me and Brandon came pouring in. But we both pulled our hands back immediately and we rushed to remove our hands from any contact. The family all stared at us but Brandon quickly rolled the dice and kept playing.
It had been 2 weeks since the adoption and I had just finished doing the dinner dishes, and the sun was setting behind me through the window. Just as I was drying the last plate, Mom's came in. They asked me to come into their bedroom and I followed them in nervously wondering what this was about. They sat me down next to them and Stef started to speak.
"Callie, we need to talk to you." she said slowly with an encouraging smile. "We've been noticing you haven't quite seemed yourself recently. Is something wrong?"  
She waited for me to reply and when I stayed silent she continued.
"Callie, is it something at school? Is it the adoption? Please tell us Cal." She added desperately. Stef put her arm around me, and looked at me desperately with tears in her eyes.
"Callie, we love you. I'll give you two some time alone." Lena whispered before hugging me and leaving the room. 
I felt myself tear up as Stef wrapped her arms around me and held me close.
"Callie, you have to tell me what it is. Please Callie" 
Suddenly it was all too much. I whimpered into Stefs shoulder and let all my tears come out. Stef held me tight as I cried and cried into her shoulder. My body was shaking and I couldn't stop.
"I can't tell you" I sobbed "I cant tell."
"Oh Callie." Stef said as she pulled me even tighter and then looked me in the eyes. "Callie you can tell me anything. Please Callie. Did you do something wrong?"
I looked at her and sobbed harder. 
"I don't know. I guess, yeah." I whispered 
"Callie" Stef said "No matter what you did Callie, we still love you" 
I felt all the emotion just burst out of me. All the pain I had held in for the last weeks came out, and the secret that I had been holding... I just wanted it out. I sobbed and sobbed 
"Stef you're going to be so mad" I cried "I'm sorry. I thought I wasn't going to be adopted."
Stef looked at me and nodded for me to go on.

"Brandon... " I stuttered "Brandon and I had sex."