Begin Again

Chapter 2: Stormy

Brandon nervously waited in the car as Callie clocked out of her shift at work. It's been fifteen days since Callie and Brandon said one word to one another. They've avoided one another at all costs. Some would think that the family would notice something so off but they didn't.

Callie walked out the door and made her way over to the car. She sighed heavily before opening the door. Brandon remained silent as Callie got situated and buckled her seatbelt. She bit her lower lip as Brandon put the car into drive.

"I uh, I wasn't sure if you'd be okay with me and you on our own for the trip but I wasn't exactly sure how I'd tell moms that we aren't really speaking." Brandon mumbled out quietly but loud enough for Callie to hear him.

"Yeah. It's fine." They paused. Callie silenced the radio and glanced over to Brandon. Callie's mouth opened, ready to say something, but no words came out. She didn't know what to say. Another pause. "I heard you playing last night. You're going to be amazing." As hard as it was, Callie was always one of Brandon's biggest supporters in getting back into classical music. She wasn't going to let that change. Brandon had a talent and Callie wanted to remind him whenever she could.

"Thanks." Brandon cracked a half smile. "I was up later than usual. I was just trying to make sure everything was perfect." He glanced over to Callie for a short second. "I uh, I saw the light on last night before I went to bed. Was that you?"

"Yeah. Um, I haven't been able to sleep lately." Callie shrugged it off. Knowing that Brandon saw the light but didn't come down hurt Callie. But why would he come downstairs? She knew he's suffering just as much as she is. It would only hurt more. "Look, we don't have to do this whole speaking thing." Callie blurted out after a moments pause.

"Wh-what?" Brandon glanced over to Callie, confused.

"Look, things are awkward. We don't need to try this small talk thing. What's the point if nothing comes from it?" Callie turned away from Brandon as his face dropped slightly.

Brandon drove for a short period of time before pulling over to the first open spot on the side of the road. "Callie, I want to talk to you. I-I just..." He sighed. "...it hurts. I'm trying to help you have what's best for you but that doesn't mean that it isn't hurting me."

"I'm sorry." Callie fiddled with the hem of her shirt without looking up. "I don't like that you're hurt. I wish there was a different way we could have went about this." Callie lifted her head for a moment and turned to Brandon, who was staring out the window.

Maybe there was another way to go about it. Maybe it wasn't as black and white as everyone may have thought it to be. But it would be too late for that. Wouldn't it? Callie glanced down into her bag to see the plastic shopping bag peering out from under a pair of her shorts. She quickly covered it and threw it into the back seat. Brandon didn't seem to notice.

"Let's just go. I told moms we would be there by 9 so we need to keep going." Brandon put the car into drive and just drove. Callie was quiet, spending the time staring out the window. Brandon didn't look away from the road. Not once.

Callie's mind was all over the place. She wanted her best friend back. But more importantly, she thought about the pregnancy test that was in the back seat. Being pregnant would ruin everything. It would interfere with school and work. It would definitely mess up the adoption. It would also leave Brandon and Callie in a spot that they weren't ready for. But Callie would be lying to herself if she said that not even a small piece of her wishes that test were positive. It would give her a reason to be with Brandon. A lot of hell would come with it but maybe things would turn out okay? But Callie couldn't think like that. Being pregnant at seventeen would never be a good thing.