Callie's POV
I zip up my duffel bag and wait for Brandon outside of his room. Telling his moms about us went worse than I thought it would, and my worst fear came true. Stef kicked us out, and now we have nowhere to go. I will never regret my decision to stay with Brandon, but I'm really going to miss this place. Brandon has been silent ever since Stef kicked us out, and Jesus, Mariana, and Jude have been watching us pack our things silently. None of them know what to say. They all know there's no reasoning with Stef and Lena, so there's nothing to say anymore. "Are you ready?" Brandon asks. "Where are we going to go?" I ask. "I texted my dad and told him everything," he replies. "He said we can stay there." "Why don't you look happy about that?" I ask. "I'm not going to look happy about anything, Callie. My moms kicked us out, and now I have to go live with my dad, who I barely speak too. What would you like me to be happy about?" "I'm sorry," I say. "I'm just upset." "Yeah, so am I," he replies. He turns to Jesus and places a hand on his shoulder. "Take care of Jude okay? Make sure he's alright after Callie and I leave," he says. "I will," Jesus says. He hugs his brother and then his sister, and then it's my turn to say goodbye. "Keep in touch," Mariana says. "I will," I say. "And we'll see each other at school." Jude locked himself in his room as we finished up packing, and I know he won't come out for a while. "Tell Jude I love him and I'm sorry about all of this," I say. "I will," Jesus says. I give him a quick hug, and then Brandon and I head downstairs. Stef and Lena are waiting for us in the kitchen. "I hope the two of you realize that this is a mistake," Stef says as we reach the front door. "No," Brandon says. "The mistake is not accepting our relationship. You of all people should know that you can't help who you fall in love with. So if anyone is going to regret their decision, it's you."
Brandon's POV
The car ride to my dad's house is silent, and I know I'm not being fair to Callie. I've been snapping at her because I'm pissed off at my moms. This isn't her fault, and I know that. I've been looking for someone to take the blame because I know my moms won't, and I've been blaming Callie, even though it isn't her fault. I reach across the console and take Callie's hand in mine. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. This isn't your fault, and I know that," I say. "You don't need to apologize," she says, squeezing my hand. "This is hard for me too, you know." "I know, and that's why I shouldn't be taking it out on you. I'm just pissed off at my moms, and you were here and I started blaming you. I was wrong to do that," I reply. "It's fine," she says. "I want you to know that I'm going to take care of you. I promise. I'll prove that you made the right choice when you chose me over a family," I say. "You don't have to prove anything to me. I already know I made the right choice," she replies. "I love you," I say. I give her hand a soft kiss, and I smile at her. "I love you too," she replies. "It's just you and I from now on, and that's all I need for the rest of my life," I say. "Well, we do have your dad now," she replies. "I know," I say. "But things between him and I are still pretty rocky ever since the whole Dani thing." "I thought you didn't tell him?" she asks. "I kind of told him before I asked him if we could stay with him. I honestly didn't think he would let us stay with him after I told him, but he told me that all of her things would be gone by the time we got there," I reply. "I'm proud of you for telling him. I know you were worried about telling him," she says. "Now I'm worried about his first day back at work. I know how stressful his job can get, and I don't want him to turn back to drinking like he did before," I say. "He's going to be fine, Brandon. He went to rehab, and I think it really made a difference in his life. He knows what's important and what isn't important. He changed, and you have to give him time to show you that he has." "Thank you," I say. "For what?" she asks. "For always supporting me, and my family, even though we don't always make the best decisions. I don't know what I would do without you," I reply. "Well, let's hope you never have to find out," she says. I don't know how our new living situation is going to work out, but I know that as long as Callie and I have each other, everything will be fine. She's all I'll ever need to be happy, and I would do anything for her. And who knows? Maybe my dad and I will become closer from this. It sucks that it has to come to this, but I still have a hope in the back of my head that one day my moms will accept the relationship I have with Callie and everything will work out. And if it doesn't, I don't care. I have Callie, and she's all I'll ever need.
