i still need you // jude & callie

part four; callie & brandon??

They're going to suspect something eventually.

Callie was sitting on Brandon's bed in his room. He was the only Foster kid who didn't have to share his room with anyone else, hence it being the only place they could find privacy in the entire house. It was the next morning, a Friday... but it didn't feel like there was the relief of the weekend in sight for Callie. She bounced her knee nervously, picking at her finger nails. Them being an item was so complicated, and the fact that it had to be kept a secret forever was even more difficult.

Brandon sat next to her, studying her face in silence. He saw how much tension was built up inside her... she was usually so free willed and empowered with a positive light, but right now she seemed different... ever since she'd seen Jude with those bullies.

"Callie..."

"I am not thinking about Jude! I'm just thinking about..." Her voice drifted off, leaving the impression that she definitely was thinking about her brother. She hadn't meant to blurt out anything like that, but she knew what Brandon was thinking and now deliberately, but accidentally confirmed his thoughts.

"Callie I know that he's going through a rough time but there's no use in you worrying. He's a big kid now. He's not five." Those words did not come out in the way he wanted them to.

"You expect me to just not worry about him???"

"No, Callie that's not-"

"Shut up Brandon! You need to understand that I can't just let him be. Something happened today! He's not telling me anything anymore!! He was all I had for the years after my mom passed away. We told each other everything! For him not to come to me about this serious situation is more than just a little thing to me!!"

Callie's voice rose as she continued to speak. Her tone was so forceful, as so many emotions were just flying out of her mouth. He wasn't understanding anything about this situation... Brandon just wasn't letting her be there for her little brother.

"Callie... I'm guessing that he doesn't want to tell you what's going on because he's ashamed of it all... Worrying is normal, but please don't get angry about it all. He will come to you when he's ready."

Brandon put his arm around Callie gently, looking at her with his soft, dark eyes. She intertwined her fingers with his, her head on his shoulder.

They had the door closed, so they didn't have to worry about anyone walking in without notice. Callie felt like Brandon was the only person that she could talk to about... personal feelings she was having, but right now she didn't want to have him say anything else about Jude. He was making her feel worse.

"Brandon... What happens if somebody finds out...?"

"About Jude?"

"No. I'm not talking about him right now. I mean... us."

Callie moved away from him so that she could look at him. He made a face, running his fingers through his hair.

"I guess we'd have to deny everything. This stuff isn't... what we're supposed to be doing."

"But Brandon.. we can't prevent these feelings."

He shrugged his shoulders and then nodded, agreeing with her.

Ever since she'd been living in the Foster's household, Brandon had caught her eye. The music that he played for her on her first day at Anchor Beach had made her realize how much his family meant, and how much he cared about the people around him... This was the quality that couldn't quite be placed with anyone else she knew... Maybe Jude, but now she wasn't too sure about him.

"I just can't stop thinking about what we saw yesterday... with Jude..."

"Callie... See what he's like today... Maybe he needed to sleep on it. I barely know the kid, and he doesn't seem to like me very much so..."

"It's not that he doesn't like you Brandon. It's just that he doesn't want you to be taking away from my time spent with him.."

Callie's voice drifted off again. That's what was happening. Jude didn't want to talk to her because of Brandon...

"Maybe I will just back off. Leave the both of you alone."

Brandon got up abruptly, seemingly upset about what Callie had said... for one reason or another. It was moments like these that she couldn't read him. He got all tensed and almost emotional and suddenly his face was set so that his emotions were blocked off.

"Brandon...."

There was bustle occurring downstairs now. The bathroom door was opening and closing. The stairs were creaking ever so slightly as someone walked up and down them. It was time for school on that Friday morning. The two were already dressed in their outfits of the day, and silently agreed that they would make their way downstairs as well. They opened Brandon's door to Mariana.

"Jesus!! Give me back my hairdryer!! If I go to school with wet hair, I will look like a complete basket case!"

Both Callie and Brandon chuckled, thankful that the twins hadn't seen them come out of the room together. They would've definitely suspected something. The tiny creaks on the stairs sounded as they jogged down the stairs, and walked into the kitchen, almost forgetting to let go of each other's hands before they were in sight, but remembered to at the last second.

Jude was already downstairs, his bed head still causing some problems, and his shirt a little wrinkled. The bags under his eyes were very noticeable. He didn't look as put together as usual... and that was not a good sign that today would be a better day for Callie trying to talk to him, nor was it a good sign for the little boy in general.

The two greeted Stef and Lena, giving them each a hug good morning, before taking their seats at the island table that was in the center of the sunlight filled kitchen. As Callie sat next to Jude, he didn't say anything, but she noticed his left cheek had a dark colored bruise located under his eye... That hadn't been their after the boys had pushed him the previous morning.... She exchanged a nervous look with the dark haired boy sitting across from her before the twins came rushing into the kitchen, conversation sprouting about Jesus stealing some of Mariana's very expensive hair product.... Oh what a morning... Callie thought, laughing at the argument around her, trying not to place her focus on her baby brother.. like Brandon had said.. he would come to her.