Hello again, here's chapter 7 of How Can Wrong, Feel So Right. Thank you to everyone who has favourited, followed or reviewed this story. It has meant so much to me. The next episode is gonna be epic; can't wait to see what happens when Liam comes and causes trouble. I hoping there will be some great Brallie moments ahead

Anyway, enjoy xx

Callie and Brandon hadn't spoken in days. Apart from with the family, they seemed to avoid each other; not meeting in the music room or studying together. Their developed understanding of each other knew that they needed a bit of space and time, to process what was announced to them a few days ago.

Jude had responded with an immediate and enthusiastic yes to Stef and Lena's proposal. It would have been a lie to say Stef and Lena weren't concerned and confused by Callie's request to think it over, but they figured she was owed that much, after all she was deciding on getting new parents, when she hadn't had even one in years.

Callie looked out the kitchen window, having finished the dishes, to see a figure, alone in the darkness. Brandon was sitting outside, on the back porch, with his head in his hands, deep in stressful thought. Callie knew Stef and Lena were watching TV in the lounge room, completely out of view, and the siblings were upstairs, all about their own business. She figured, as much as she didn't want to, as much as she would have preferred to probably just ignore the whole matter, she knew they would have to discuss it eventually, and now was as gooder time as any.

"Hey," said Callie as she took a seat next to him.

"Hey," Brandon replied, his head still in his hands.

"How've you been?"

"I've been…" started Brandon, looking up. And then he stopped. "Honestly? I don't know how I've been," he said truthfully.

"Me too," Callie replied. Neither spoke for a moment as they just breathed with each other. "So, what are we gonna do?"
"I don't know," said Brandon. "I mean, they can't adopt you."

"What?" Callie asked, with a degree of shock.

"Callie, c'mon," he said standing up. "My moms can't adopt you because than you and I will be actual siblings."

"I'm quite aware of that Brandon," she replied.

"Exactly, so I'll just tell them that I don't approve or I disagree or whatever. I'll make up some excuse."

"Brandon, what if I want to be adopted?"

"What?" he asked, seeming confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you know how long it's been since I had a home? Or something remotely close to a real family?" Callie tried to explain, standing to make herself on a similar level with him. "And I could have that."

"But if they adopt you then there really can't be anything going on between you and me-"

"I know," Callie said, unable to look him in the eye.

Silence filled the air as they both looked at each other. Callie saw it in Brandon's eyes as he registered what she had meant.

"No."

"Brandon," she began to plead.

"No, Callie. You are not doing this. You are not letting us go," said Brandon, determined. Although, even he, the apparent golden child who always had the answers to everything, wasn't sure how to fix this. "We'll tell them," he suggested.

"Really, and what good will that do?"

"I don't know, but it's gotta be a lot better than this," he told her.

"No it won't Brandon; it'll make everything worse," Callie said, feeling her voice start to rise.

"You don't know that," Brandon rebutted.

What Brandon didn't know was that she did. She did know what would happen. And she couldn't let history repeat itself. Not again.

"That's easy for you to say Brandon; you have nothing to lose in this!"

Her words cut into Brandon like a knife, and Callie could feel it, as soon as they did. "That is not true!"

"Maybe not," she said, trying to amend her earlier words. "But I could lose everything! Your moms, the twins, a home, school-"

"What about me? What about losing me!?" Brandon finally exclaimed.

They both stood, facing each other, eyes locked, unable to waver for what felt like a lifetime. Their breathing increased, as if in sync with one another. Callie could see the hurt filling Brandon's eyes and wondered if he could see the same in hers. He had to know that this was hurting her, just as much as it was hurting him.

"What about Jude?" Callie finally said. "What about what he could lose?"

Jude.

Brandon suddenly began to see a bigger picture, despite not really wanting to. Everything Callie did was for Jude. He was everything to her. Brandon could never really be angry with her for that.

"This isn't just about me. This is about him as well. This is the first time in a long time we've ever been happy and safe and we could make this permanent. I can't jeopardise that for him!" she said firmly. "Or for me."

The frailty of her final words took him a bit by surprise, looking up at her face and sensing the tears forming behind her eyes.

"I want a home Brandon," she said, almost like a prayer.

He inhaled deeply, still holding her gaze. "So what about us? It's over? Just like that?"

Callie did not respond. She couldn't say it aloud or she knew she would break down. So she just stared at him, hoping he would somehow understand.

"Never mind, forget I asked," Brandon replied in a moment of bitterness

"Brandon, I'm so sorr-" she said stepping towards him, to touch his arm comfortingly.

"It's okay. Really," said Brandon lifting his face to look at her, and feeling the resentment wash away. "I mean, I don't like it, but I get it."

Neither moved for minutes. They just stood there, in the backyard looking into each other's eyes, with Brandon's hand now over the top of Callie's. Something inside each of them, knew that once they left there, left that moment, that was it. It was over. And neither really wanted to accept that. Looking at Brandon's loving face, Callie wasn't sure she could ever leave. As if he knew, Brandon lent down and tenderly caressed her cheek with his lips, before slowly walking away and heading back into the house. He had to be strong for her, and do what she couldn't, despite it taking all the strength he had. Unable to watch, Callie turned away and let the tears fall from her eyes, hoping Brandon wouldn't see. Despite her attempts to muffle herself, he could hear her start to cry, and as he did, felt his heart break even more, if that was even possible. Callie could feel the tears slide down her face, and listened intently as she heard the door eventually close behind her.

After steadying herself and interrupting Jude from his homework, Callie lead him into the lounge room where she stood with her little brother, face to face to their foster parents as they looked up from the TV screen.

"Stef? Lena?"

"Yes, Callie?" replied Lena, looking at her attentively, like she knew, or hoped what was to come.

"I- We," Callie said correcting herself and draping her arm around Jude. "Would really love to be a family of your family, if you'll have us?"

Stef and Lena jumped off the couch excitedly and ran to wrap their arms around Jude and Callie. Callie felt some form of a smile spread across her face. For the first time, in a long time, they were going to have a Mom. And two at that! It would never be a replacement for the mother they lost, but they were they best second parents either Jude or herself could ever ask for. Stef and Lena called out to all the other siblings in the house, to come to the lounge room where they announced the official news. As Callie went between being squeezed to death by her soon to be parents and twin siblings, she stole a look at Brandon. He was grinning as he wrapped Jude in an affectionate headlock, despite the fact that the celebration was really killing him inside. It was for this selflessness, and so much more, that she knew she was in love with him. And she would continue to be. Even with everything.

It was the strangest, bittersweet moment that Brandon had ever experienced. He was happy for Callie and Jude, truly he was. He wanted a family for them, and he wanted to be a part of that family. But he just couldn't help but feel… he wasn't sure; broken? Bruised? Burnt? Brandon had to come to the conclusion that Callie's happiness was what was most important. He would do anything for her, and if this was what she wanted, he would oblige. That unfortunately didn't stop the aching feeling in his heart. It was like a sunburn; painful and scarring. But beyond that, what a sunburn really does is make you rethink ever going out in the sun again. Because, will it ever be as good as that first moment in the sun? Brandon doubted it.

Don't drop me in

It's not my turn

If you cut deep

Then I might learn

That you scarred and left me

Like a sunburn

Song: Sunburn by Ed Sheeran

:'( But don't worry, it's not over yet... You'll just have to stick around and see xx