-Flashback August 2014-
Callie generally made it a rule never to share her music with anyone, including Brandon. She kept her sheet music in a locked book under her bed where not even Mariana could find it. In fact, Mariana spent a whole two weeks after the family found out looking for said book. Callie was happy she was unable to find it because her song book is like her diary. It was her own personal kept secret of the story of her life. Whenever something happened, she would write a song about it. Due to the way Callie's life seemed to go, the book was mostly filled with songs of sadness, rather than happiness. Fortunately, the book was beginning to be filled with more happy thoughts as her time with the Fosters lengthened.
Currently, Callie was laying in the back yard looking at the clouds thinking. Her guitar was laying next to her, along with her song book which was opened to a blank page. She was beyond frustrated. First off, she couldn't find the flow to write and the day's events were not pleasant ones either. Her, Stef and Lena had gotten back from the court house only about twenty minutes ago. They found out this morning that the judge decided on joint custody between the two households. She didn't have a problem with having time with her dad and sister but, she had a problem with being forced to do so. She would have loved it if they had gotten to this point on her terms but, that was the thing they weren't in her terms. And that is what made Callie the most frustrated.
Callie was so lost in thought she didn't even realize that she had been outside for two hours and now everyone was home from school. Once the others had gotten home, the moms sat them down and filled them in on the events from the day. They also advised them to give Callie some space. Brandon knew his mothers had the best intentions with giving her space but, he knew better. What Callie really needed right now was to talk everything out with her best friend. And he just so happened to have the role of being her best friend.
After standing in the glass door for a while watching her, Brandon decided that it was time to step in. He figured that two hours of deep thought was enough. He didn't want her to lose her head over this.
"Mom, I'm going to take Callie out for a while."
Stef turned around from her place at the sink, wiping her hands on a towel. "Are you sure that's a good idea Brandon? I don't want her to freak and run because she feels crowded. This news was rough on her." Staf responded as she frowned a little.
Brandon finally turned from his place of watching at the door to look at his mother. "She won't. I think she just needs to get out for a while and talk it out with some one that will listen and understand. We won't be long. I'll have her home for dinner."
"Ok. You know I always admired how much the two of you know the other. You're a really good brother Brandon, I hope you know that." Stef responded with a small smile.
Brandon tried not to visibly cringe at the word brother as he walked pass his mom to grab his car keys. He gave his mom a quick kiss on the cheek before walking out back to his girl.
As he approached her on the lawn, Callie looked up at him surprised. "Oh hey. When did you get home?" She asked as she lifted her sunglasses to her head. She must have been zoned out for longer than she thought.
"Oh about an hour ago." He replied as he watched her eyes go wide. He put his hand out to help her stand up. "Come on, I want to take you somewhere. Bring your book and guitar, you might find some inspiration."
Callie sighed as she replied. "Oh thank god. I need to get away, I was going to lose my mind." They started to walk to the car via the back gate. Brandon had hold of her guitar while she carried her note book. She spoke again as she opened the car door and got in. "So where are we going mister?"
"I found this cool place a few weeks ago. I think you will really like it. Maybe we could make it our new secret club house since our last one was compromised." Brandon said as he started the car and pulled onto the road.
"Okay, that was all your fault. Why would you pick the most obvious spot for a secret hang out. I mean the garage Brandon, really? Any one could find out about it and they did!" She laughed at the memory of their secret hang out being found out a few weeks ago. They weren't doing anything bad or against the rules back there but, it was nice to have a place that they could simply be just Brandon and Callie.
The two joked around until Brandon pulled up to an old warehouse ten minutes later. The outside showed wear of the building and complete over growth of weeds. As they got inside the ground was covered with dirt and there were plenty of beams for the pair to sit on. Callie spun around as she looked at the metal cover building.
"Wow. You really know how to find cool places B. I'm impressed." She directed towards Brandon, who was currently sitting on one of the beams watching her yet again. He patted the spot next to him for her to come join. As she sat down he played a few cords on the guitar.
"You know, I sing you songs all the time. Why don't you ever sing me any of your's? I bet they are just as brilliant." He teased while asking the question.
She smiled softly before replying. "Well first off, brilliant is not the word I would use to describe your music."
"Ow, Callie I'm hurt." Brandon placed a hand over his heart for extra effect.
"You know I'm just kidding." She bumped his shoulder with hers. "And honestly I never played you anything of mine because it's really the only thing I have left to keep to myself. I either have to give up everything or share it with Jude or some one else and I don't know. It's the only thing that's just mine and I like having that right now. But, one day Brandon, when I'm ready, you will be the first person I sing all my songs to promise."
Brandon smiled at her knowing she was being truthful. "When you're ready, I'll always listen. But for now, I have all at time in the world for you."
He continued to strum as he glanced at her, gathering the inspiration for a song he will write when he gets home later. For now though, the two spent the rest of the afternoon laughing, talking and playing music. They were just being Callie and Brandon, best friends. Just as it should be.
-Present Time July 2016-
"Brandon have you seen my song book?"
Brandon laughs at her question. He knew she had been looking for the book for over an hour now. "Babe, our apartment isn't huge. How could you have lost it?" He asks as he makes his way over to her from the kitchen.
"Well I don't know Brandon, okay. Just help me find it, please. I need to work on my orientation song." Callie exclaims from her position on the floor, looking under the bed. She honestly has no idea where it is and its freaking her out. All of her deepest thoughts and secrets were in that book, a place she thought would always be safe from the eyes of others. Well until now.
Brandon reaches down and helps her off the ground. Once she is standing in front of him, he puts his hands on her shoulders and tells her to close her eyes. "Okay, deep breath. Think. Where was the last place you had it? Where was the last place you saw it? Just relax and think."
Callie tries her hardest to remember. She knew she had it yesterday afternoon. She had gone down to the park across from their apartment building to play for a bit outside. Afterwards she knew she came back into the building with both book and guitar. But what she didn't remember was if she had her guitar case or not. Wait a minute, she did and she put her book in the case.
Without another word she ran over to their music corner in their living room to grab her guitar case. The second she sits on the floor and opens the case she is met with her book. As Callie hugs it tight to her chest she is so grateful she had found it.
"So I know your book is important to you but, I have never seen you freak out like that before when you lost it. I mean yeah you have been frantic but, never down right terrified. Are you okay?" Brandon asks from his place leaning on the wall above her. A total look of concern and affection is on his face as he once again picks her off the ground to leeds her to the couch.
Callie sits for a few minutes staring at the book before she opens to the from page. To Brandon's surprise, there are at least twenty old photos stacked in there. The top one is a picture of a beautiful young woman holding a baby girl in a hospital bed. The woman isn't looking at the camera but that the baby with a face splitting grin. The second he saw them he knew these are Callie's most treasured possessions, the only photos she has of her mother.
He looks up at her to study her facial expression. He could tell she was struggling with what she should say to him, so he makes the first move. "You mind if I look?"
She responds by handing him the stack of photographs. As he flips though he notices that these are not just photos of her mom but, of all the people important to her. There is a photograph of what looks like Jude blowing out the candles on a cup cake when he was five. A photo of Mariana and Callie hugging at the twins sixteenth birthday last year, not knowing the photo was being taken. There was also a photo of all three brothers in the lake on last years vacation. The rest were similar in style. Moments in time captured, rather then posed snapshots.
Brandon's favorite is the one of him and Callie sitting in the back yard playing guitar. They both had their backs to the camera. She was strumming something while he was leaning back on his elbows next to her. Her smile light up her face as she looked at him, something he never knew could be captured so elegantly the way it was in this photo. He stays staring at the photo for a while, tracing the edges of it.
"That's my favorite too. Mama took it a few days before moms wedding. I can never get over how the photo was able to capture you so at ease." Callie says at she leans her head on his shoulder, hugging his arm.
"I don't even know how you can notice me, when you have a smile like that." He mumbles into her hair.
"You're a suck up." She says just as quietly. If she spoke too loud, she felt as if she would disturb the peace.
"Me? Never."
And with that the couple sits in complete peace and look at photographs. They don't speak of how much they miss the people in them. They don't say how much they wish things could be different than it was. They don't need to say how much they love each other, it is just understood like everything is between the them. So it is no surprise to Callie when she finds the photo framed on her night stand the next day. A constant reminder of where they started and how far they have come.
IM SO SORRY THAT I HADNT POSTED THIS SOONER. I HAD A CASE OF WRITERS BLOCK AND I NEEDED TIME TO THINK OUT MY BEXT MOVE. THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE UP SOONER THAN THIS ONE. UNTIL THEN, HAPPY READING!
