Callie's POV
I walk out of Brandon's tent, straightening the bottom of my shirt and buttoning it up as fast as I can. "We can't tell anyone what just happened," I say, trying not to look at him. One look leads to one kiss, and one kiss leads to what we just did. Which can't happen again. He's with Lou, and I'm working on the adoption. Just like we agreed to do the day we decided not to give up on our dreams. Although, I always thought his dream was classical music, not Lou. But I guess I was wrong. I've been wrong about a lot when it comes to Brandon lately. This was a slip up, and it definitely can't happen again. "Definitely not," he agrees, nodding his head at me. A slip up that was a big mistake. One minute we're on the dock talking and the next minute we're walking into his tent having sex. "Why did it happen in the first place?" I blurt out. I was supposed to be asking myself that in my head; instead, it comes out for him to hear. Idiot. "I don't know. We were talking about Lou and Jude and us and then it just happened," he replies, shaking his head. "Well there can't be an us. We both know that. So let's make sure this doesn't happen again," I say. "Totally," he replies. We stand across from each other in an awkward silence, and I start worrying that no one is coming back. When we came up here from the dock, everyone was off somewhere and we were here alone. That was the first mistake. Being on the dock alone with him. I know how I feel when I'm near him, and I know I need to distance myself from him. But he's hard to stay away from. My love for him can't just go away, and Lou isn't going to make me stop loving him. I just have to keep my love for him in the back of my head and remember that he doesn't trust me. He said so himself. He can't trust me and we have to be done. So that's what we are. Done. Today was a very bad slip up that I will make sure never happens again. "Well I guess I better go find Mariana or something," I say. "Okay stop. We can't have this awkward tension between us. They'll know that something's up, and we don't need that again," he replies. "There is no awkward tension. What we just did was a mistake that never should've happened. You don't trust me, and you made it very clear that we're over. So let's just forget that it ever happened and move on with our lives," I say. I don't give him time to reply. I just walk away from him as fast as I can, off to find someone. Anyone.
Brandon's POV
I don't know what I was thinking. One minute I'm talking to Callie about my relationship with Lou, and the next thing I know, I'm leading her to my tent as we're kissing. I know it shouldn't have happened, but then again, maybe it happened for a reason. I mean, are we really done? I only told her we have to be done because I remembered how much she wants to be adopted and the promise I made to her on Christmas. That damn promise that ruined my life. Being with Callie is the best thing for me, and I know it's always going to be her. But when she brought up the whole promise thing, I couldn't say no to her. I can never say no to her. But today, in the tent, I felt more alive than I ever have with Lou. I don't feel the same connection with Lou that I have with Callie, and I know I never will. No girl will ever be Callie, and I'll never stop loving her. I can try to stop loving her. And god have I tried too. But I just can't. And now, as she walks away from me, I realize just how badly I've screwed everything up. I backed out of the kiss at Robert's. I didn't tell her I love her too when she told me she loves me. I walked away from her. And then a few days ago I told her that I don't trust her and that we have to be over. Clearly she took that to heart, and there's no way I can take it back now. All I can think about is her hands running across my body, and her lips on mine, the warmth of them soaring through my veins. I've screwed up badly, and I don't think I can fix it. Even if I tried to fix it, she would probably never forgive me. And I don't blame her one bit.
Callie's POV
"We need to talk." I knew he'd catch up to me sooner or later, but I honestly thought it'd take him longer than this. "Everything that needs to be said was already said," I say. "Really," he replies. Careful, my mind tells me. You can't let it show that you still love him. He has to believe that you're totally fine with him being with Lou even though it's not true. "Yes really," I say, turning around to look at him. "I think you're lying to me," he says, crossing his arms. "Why would I lie to you?" I ask, crossing my arms as well. Two can play this game. If anyone's been dishonest, it's him. "I think you're keeping something from me," he replies. "Like what?" "Like what you're really thinking right now," he says. "And you're not going anywhere until you tell me what you're thinking." "I thought you didn't trust me," I say. "How long are you going to hold that against me? I had to say that. Okay? Everything I said that night I had to say," he says. But from the look on his face, he's said something he didn't want me knowing. "Looks like you're the one who's lying," I say. "Tell me what you feel right now," he says. "Fine, I'll tell you," I say, rolling my eyes. "I think you're running from your feelings for me. I think the only reason you're with Lou right now is so you can try to get over me, and I think the only reason you said that we have to be over is because you remembered our promise. I think you still have feelings for me, or maybe you're starting to have feelings for me again but the promise is holding you back." "You're wrong about one thing," he says, smiling. "Oh? What's that?" I ask. "I'm not running from my feelings. I'm trying to give you what you want by pushing you away. I still love you and I always have. I've tried getting over you, but I can't. But when we made that promise, I knew how badly you wanted to be adopted, and I can't take that away from you. I'd be taking that away from you if we were together and I can't do that to you," he says. "Don't I get a say in all this?" I ask. "Well yeah, but I already know what you're going to say," he replies. "I still love you too. But you already know that. I want to do this. I want to be with you. For real this time. No more playing around, no more seeing other people. Just you and I being together and acting like a real couple. No sneaking around or pushing each other away. I love you, and I always have. Don't be with Lou. She's not the girl for you. I am," I say. "Callie, we've tried this so many times before and it's never worked out. We can't keep putting ourselves through this. We have to be sure that this is what we want," he replies. "You're right. This is it. It's now or never, and we have to be sure," I say. "I know this is what I want." "I want this too," he says, stepping closer to me. "But we have to promise each other that it's the last time we give it a shot. If it doesn't work out this time, then we do have to be over for good." "I think we should stop making promises to each other. They've never worked out well for us," I reply. "I think you are absolutely right," he says. "So this is it. One last time. If it doesn't work out, we have to move on," I say. We keep stepping closer to one another, and right now we're nose to nose. "Right," he says, his hot breath hitting my cheeks. His lips brush agaisnt mine as he talks, and it's making my knees weak. I kiss him before someone comes, and he shoves me against a tree, deepening the kiss. He picks me up and I wrap my legs around his waist. He plays with the end of my shirt and I curl my fingers in his hair like I always do. A twig snaps behind us and I quickly jump down, breaking the kiss in the process. I straighten my shirt and flatten Brandon's hair just as Jesus walks toward us from the woods. "Moms said its time for dinner," he says. "Great," Brandon says, smiling. "I'm starving."
