Chapter 4.

"Go for someone who is not only proud to have you, but will also take every risk just to be with you."
-Unknown

Brandon closed his eyes momentarily, before answering. He knew Callie would be upset by what she would hear. "The first month's rent is taken care of," he told her. "I had some money saved, and I've been... holding back the money my dad gives me for piano."

"What?" Callie cried, pressing her hands to his chest. "I didn't want you to do that!" Her face crumpled, and she burst into tears. "Brandon, those lessons mean the world to you!"

"Hey, now, don't cry about it," he whispered, pulling her into his arms, and cradling her head. "You mean the world to me. I love you, and I would give up anything I have so we can be together. Trust me... it's worth it." He brushed her tears away with his thumb. "Okay?" He leaned down, and pressed his lips to hers.

Callie nodded, sniffling. "I love you too, Brandon." She hugged him closer, kissing him once more. "I'll never forget that you did this for me. But where do we go from here?" she asked. "What's our plan?"

"Well," Brandon began, laying back, and resting his head on his bent arm. "I've thought a lot about this. If we're very careful, we can live on the rest of the money I brought for this month. But we'll have to get jobs right away. This apartment is three-hundred and fifty dollars a month, and if we're both working, we can split it."

"Three-hundred and fifty!" Callie breathed. She'd never had that much money in her life, let alone seen it all at once. It might as well have been a million, to her.

"It's really not that much," Brandon explained. "Considering this place is furnished. Each of us will only have to pay one-hundred and seventy-five, and I think that's doable. Things might be lean for a while, though."

"I know how to be poor," she told him. "I learned from my mom. We'll be okay." What she said was true. Living in poverty as a young child, she watched her mother's thrifty ways. How to save, and scrimp, and somehow get by. And she was now thankful that her mom passed that knowledge onto her.

"That's good," he replied. "And we won't be poor forever. We're just starting out. As for the rest of our lives..." he continued. "You turn seventeen in a few weeks, right?"

"Yeah," Callie nodded. "July 27th."

"And I turn seventeen in September," he continued. "We'll live off the grid for a while, work hard, get our GEDS, and as soon as we're both eighteen, we'll get married. Then... we'll go home. I love our family, and I know you do, too. I don't think either of us wants to lose them forever. If moms accept us again, that will be great. But if not, we'll already have our own life together."

Callie picked up on the sorrow in Brandon's voice as he spoke. His plans were bittersweet, but full of hope, and it occurred to her how premeditated the whole scheme to leave was, from their escape, to their eventual marriage. To an outsider, she and Brandon running away together might sound half-baked and impulsive, but it was clear to her that he had put a lot of thought into their future together, and was determined to make it work, whatever the cost. "There's one flaw in your plan," she smirked, playfully."

"Oh yeah?" he chuckled. "And what's that?"

"When you say we'll get married... how do you know I'll say yes?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his waist.

He bent his head, so their foreheads touched. "I don't. But I'm counting on it."

"Presumptuous, aren't we?" she teased, her eyes shining. She brushed his dark waves from his forehead with her fingertips. He is so gorgeous, she thought to herself.

"How's this for presumptuous?" he laughed, drawing her closer and kissing her over and over.

"I'll expect a proper proposal," she winked, as she deepened the kiss. His lips were incredibly soft, and she pressed her mouth to his as hard as she could, savoring him. When she pulled away, his lips were pink and swollen. He watched her intensely, his eyes the color of the walls, and smashed his lips against hers again.

As she and Brandon kissed, Callie parted her lips so he could gain entrance. He pulled her closer, massaging her mouth with his tongue, and she gripped his shoulders for stability. Their make-out session was growing more and more heated by each passing second, and between them, Callie could feel his arousal, hard against her belly. It turned her on and scared her at the same time. She wanted him in the worst way, but she was afraid to let herself have him. Cautiously, as to test the waters, she pressed her hips against him, and moaned softly into her mouth. He reached under her shirt, and cupped one of her breasts in his hand, caressing the tip with his thumb. "Wait," she whispered, her voice coming out higher than normal. He withdrew his hand, and pulled away. "Where is this going?" she asked. "Are we... going to... have sex?"

Brandon looked into her eyes as he held her. "I want you, Cal," he admitted. "As you've probably noticed." He blushed slightly at that statement. "But how far we go is your choice. I would never make you do anything you didn't want to do. You're safe with me."

"I can't do it right now," she whispered in a throaty voice. "Not yet, anyway. I'm sorry, Brandon. I love you, and I do want to be with you, but I'm not... ready yet. Maybe soon, but not today."

"It's okay, Cal," he told her. "You don't have to apologize to me. I understand."

"It's just kind of scary for me still, you know?" she told him, her voice shaking. She knew she didn't have to fear Brandon. He loved her, and he was gentle and tender. He would never hurt her. But her memories of Liam were strong, and they lurked in the dark shadows of her mind to that day.

"I know," he replied. He pressed a soft, light kiss to her forehead. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I love you, too. And I'll wait for however long it takes. You are worth it." He sat up, and slid out of bed. "I'll be right back. I have to, uh, take care of something." He crossed the apartment and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

To Be Continued