Brallie Metropolis AU | In This Together

Chapter 27 | One Year Forward

**One year has past**

Everyone is gathered around the kitchen table, eating lunch during a hot summer's day. There is a plate of sandwiches being passed around from person to person. A pitcher of blue Kool-Aid and a bowl of fruit is occupying the center.

"So, Callie, want to do anything special for your birthday?" Stef asks enthusiastically.

"Other than the adoption papers, of course!" Jude blurts with a big smile on his face before Callie has the chance to answer Stef's question. Callie lets out a nervous laugh and smile and Brandon scowls his eyes without anyone noticing.

"Uh, no. Not really." Callie says hesitantly.

"C'mon, Callie. It's your 18th! Don't you wanna have a big party of something?" Mariana tried to convince her.

"Even if I wanted to have a party, it would be too late notice, but I don't. And who would I invite anyway? Just a dinner with all of you is good enough." Callie smiled.

"Ok, honey. Whatever you want. We will make sure you have the best day ever before you leave!" Lena cheered. Maybe, Callie thought.

"It will be great when we go to one place and we visit two people. That makes things so much easier! I can't wait to see New York!" Stef pointed out. In Brandon and Callie's senior year, Brandon got into Juilliard and Callie got into a photography school in New York. They didn't purposely try to be close to each other, but it was definitely a plus how it all worked out for them.

"Yeah," Brandon and Callie nervously laughed.

"What time's are your flights again?" Jude wondered.

"Mine's at 6:30 am." Brandon replied. Stef and Lena got a plane ticket to New York for his 18th birthday.

"Mine's at 8:00 am," Callie hissed. "Hopefully there won't be any delays or else I'll be late for orientation for sure."

"What time's orientation?" Stef asked, sipping on a glass of water.

"3:30. The flight's about five and half hours give or take."

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Lena encouraged.

"I hope so." Callie muttered under her breath so softly that only Brandon could hear her, talking about more than just the timing of a flight. They exchanged the same worried look then continued with the family's conversations.

"Mariana and Jesus, are you excited for senior year next month?" Jude asked.

Later that night, everyone was in the backyard planning something for Callie's birthday. Callie is sitting on her bed with her laptop on her lap. She sees a figure lean against the door frame.

"Hey," She intones as she looks up to see Brandon walking towards her.

"Hey, you alright?" Brandon asks. "The conversation at the table earlier today was kind of hard to hear." He sits down on Callie's bed.

"What do you mean?" She closed her laptop and placed it on her night stand.

"Mentioning the adoption papers-" He got interrupted.

"I knew as soon I turned 18 they would draw up the papers so fast, our heads would spin. That was inevitable. I just...don't want to hurt them. What are we supposed to say? Just blind side them?"

A frown took over Brandon's face. "You still wanna do this?"

"Yes." She answered slowly.

"Doesn't sound like it." He mumbled.