Forever (and ever, and ever): BRALLIE

Chapter 6

Sorry it's taken me forever (and ever, and ever?) to update. I've been super busy (I'm working on college applications at the moment, so my updates probably won't be as frequent.

Idek what this is to be honest

Read and Review! :)

For the next few hours after she chatted with Lena, Callie put off telling Jude that she was no longer getting adopted. She knew it would break his heart, and she dreaded having to do such a thing, but he had to find out sooner rather than later.

Knocking on the door to his bedroom, Callie heard her brother call from the other side of the door, "come in!"

"Hey, buddy," Callie noticed a suit lain neatly across Jude's bed, "what's this?"

"I'm just trying to figure out what to wear for your adoption," he gushed excitedly, and Callie's heart ached with sadness.

"Jude, can we, um...sit and talk for a minute?"

Jude was skeptical, but he nodded and hung the suit back up in his closet so that the two of them could sit on the bed.

"Don't freak out, please, but it looks like I'm not going to be adopted after all."

Jude frowned. "I don't understand. Didn't Rita recommend your adoption? I thought you were in the clear."

"I am, bud. I know you probably won't understand this, but," she grabbed her brother's hand, "I chose not to be adopted. I've been doing some thinking and I just don't think it's what I want anymore."

Jude hastily retracted his hand from Callie's. "After all this time? After Stef and Lena fought so long and so hard, you decide now that you don't want to be adopted?" He was beyond angry, and he didn't even know about the reason behind her decision, yet. After he found out that this was because of Brandon, he was bound to be furious.

"It's complicated, and I get that you're angry with me, but this is what I want. I love Stef and Lena very much, and it's not that I don't want them to be my moms, because I do. I really do, Jude. And I want Jesus and Mariana to be my siblings and—"

"Brandon."

"What about Brandon?" Callie gulped nervously.

"This is about Brandon, isn't it? You're giving up getting adopted, your dream, for some boy?"

"Dreams change," Callie replied, trying to stay calm as her brother yelled at her, "and Brandon isn't just some boy."

"Yes, he is. And when you realize that, you're going to regret not being adopted. I don't understand why you keep ruining everything good that comes to you."

Taking a deep breath, Callie sighed, trying her best not to be angry. "I'm not ruining everything good that comes to me. It's taken me some time to realize this, but Brandon is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. He makes me feel happy, and special, and loved, and I'm not willing to give that up. I can be a part of this family without the paper to say so, but with that paper, Brandon and I have to be done. I can't do that to him again. I can't do that to me again."

"I can't believe you. You're seventeen, Callie. This is some stupid teenage crush that you're going to get over and you're making a major life decision because of it."

"For the last time, this isn't just some crush. I really love Brandon, and I'm positive of that."

"And how are you so sure, exactly? You thought you loved Liam, too."

"Don't you dare compare them," Callie said through gritted teeth, "You know Brandon is nothing like Liam. He's been nothing but kind and welcoming to both of us since the minute we stepped into this house. He's pushed his feelings aside for my sake so many times, too many times, and it's time for me to step up and show him that I'm in this for the long run. He shouldn't have to sacrifice his happiness."

"And how can you be sure that he isn't using you, like Liam? What if he just abandons you once he gets what he wants? What would you do then?"

Callie gasped, and was shocked that Jude could possibly make such an assumption.

"Brandon isn't like that. He isn't just some guy who will use me and then act like I don't exist. He loves me, and I love him. And besides," Callie admitted, embarrassed to be talking about such a thing with her little brother, "Brandon and I already...you know... and it was a mutual decision that came from a place of love. He didn't just want that out of me. He's not that kind of guy."

Jude scoffed. "Get out," he muttered quietly.

"Excuse me?"

"I said get out. I can't talk to you right now. I can't even begin to think that you'd choose a boyfriend over your brother, and a chance at a family. You're not the Callie I know."

Callie stood up, tears threatening to spill from her eyes as she looked at her brother.

"I'm sorry."

"You're not, that's the thing," Jude said, closing his door behind Callie.

A few tears slipped down her face as she stood in the hall, contemplating everything that had taken place that day, and boy, had it been a hell of a day.

Was she making the right decision? The last thing Callie wanted was to hurt her family, but she couldn't stand to hurt the boy she loved, either. The guilt seemed to eat her alive.

"Cal?" Brandon softly called to her, seeing her standing sadly outside his door. "You ok, love?" She shook her head weakly, more tears falling over her cheeks.

"Come here," Brandon stretched his arms out to her, taking her into a much needed hug and pressing a light kiss to her temple.

"I love you," he whispered as he stroked her hair, letting her cry to him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He questioned cautiously, and Callie nodded. Grabbing her hand and lacing their fingers together, Brandon led Callie into his room and shut the door behind them. The two lied on Brandon's bed, still holding hands as Callie leaned her head on Brandon's shoulder.

"Jude hates me," Callie admitted after a few moments of silence.

"No he doesn't, Callie."

"Yes, he does. I told him about us and he didn't take it well. He thinks that we're going to break up and ruin everything."

"I'll talk to him."

"That's a bad idea, Brandon. He knows that we...you know," she lowered her voice down to a whisper, "had sex, and I'm pretty sure he hates your guts. Probably even more than he hates me. If you go in there, he'll probably try to kill you," the two laughed lightly, despite the stressful atmosphere.

"But seriously though, he does hate both of us."

"He'll come around," Brandon said, "he's going to have to. Once he sees you in a good place and realizes that you being with me isn't going to keep you from being with the rest of the family, he'll get over it. I promise." Callie sighed, hoping that Brandon was right.

"Hate to say it, baby, but you should probably get going before moms kill you for being in here."

"In a little while," she whined, "we can't possibly get in any more trouble than we're already in, so I'd rather just stay here with you."

She rested her forehead against Brandon's, and their noses brushed gently.

"I'd rather stay with you, too." Brandon kissed her softly on the lips, and then Callie rested her head back on his shoulder, snuggling against him.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, B. You're all I've got."

Sorry for the random-ish chapter, I've been distracted. Stay tuned for more, whenever that may be :)