in which brandon and callie go on their first (very secret) date (prompted by anon!)


"You know, I kind of feel like we're spies."

Callie looked up from the menu, raising an eyebrow at Brandon. "Spies?"

"Yeah! You know, we're sneaking around, trying not to get caught.." Brandon said. "Its exciting, I feel like we're in a spy movie."

"You're such an idiot."

"You like it though." Brandon grinned.

"Apparently." Callie said, closing her menu.

"Decided?"

"Mhm." Callie confirmed, looking around the little cafe they were sitting it. It was Friday evening, and Brandon had dragged her to some French cafe on the other side of town he couldn't stop raving about.

If it had been up to her, Callie would have bought them a take out pizza and hit the beach, but Brandon had given her puppy eyes at lunch time in the music room, and she couldn't say no.

They'd been trying to go on a first date for almost three weeks now, and for one reason or another they'd always had to cancel. Tonight however, Stef and Lena were on their own date night, Marianna was over at Lexi's, Jude was at Connor's house, and Jesus was over at another friend's house. They had until at least eleven thirty to have the best first date ever (Brandon's words, not hers.)

"I'm starving." She commented as Brandon closed his menu.

"Me too." Brandon said. "You want some water?"

Callie nodded. "Thanks."

"You look kind of uncomfortable Cal." Brandon commented.

"I kind of am." Callie wrinkled her nose. "This place is kind of fancy.. Its not me, is it?"

"Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"I don't, no you picked.." Callie trailed off. "Actually, I have an idea."

"Should I be worried?"

"You don't mind not eating here, do you?"

Brandon shook his head. "I just want to spend time with you Cal."

Callie grinned, grabbing her bag. "Lets go then."

Her smile was infectious, and Brandon couldn't help but laugh as she grabbed his hand, and pulled him out of the cafe, into the cool evening air.

"Do I get to know this plan?"

"Nope." Callie grinned. "You'll just have to wait and see."

"I'm not going to lie, I'm a little worried."

"Don't you trust me?"

"Yeah.."

"Then shut up, and enjoy this." Callie said, coming to a stop outside a pizza parlour.

"This is your great idea?"

"Part of it, Mr Skeptical. Any toppings you don't like?"

Brandon shook his head. "I don't care."

"Good." Callie said brightly, letting go of his hand, leaving Brandon feeling almost lonely as he stood outside the pizza parlour. He liked being with Callie. Now they were actually together, they had fallen into an easy relationship.

OK, they had to hide their relationship about ninety nine percent of the time, but the moments when they could be Brandon and Callie, and they didn't have to lie or sneak around. He could hold her hand or pull her in a kiss and not worry about being caught.

There was always an element of worry, but they figured they were far enough away from everyone they knew to be a little more lax when they were a half an hour bus ride away from where the Foster family lived.

"I come bearing pizza, coke and sweets." Callie said, holding up the box.

"The meal of Kings." Brandon grinned.

"I can eat this all by myself if you don't be quiet."

Brandon held up his hands in defeat. "I'm shutting up."

"Good." Callie grinned. "Come on, we're almost there."

"Almost where?"

"You know the day I went off for the whole day, and completely freaked Stef and Lena out?"

Brandon nodded. "They weren't very happy."

"Well, I was over this side of town, and I found this amazing spot.." Callie said, leading him down a set of steps onto the beach. "Its over here."

Brandon followed her along the shifting sand, slipping slightly in his converse.

"It'll be worth it, I promise." Callie reassured, climbing over a rock.

Brandon clambered over behind her, looking around the small enclosed space she had brought him too. It almost looked like a cave, a small part of the cliff worn away to create a private space, almost a private beach.

"Its amazing `Callie." Brandon said, looking around.

"Its kind of us, isn't it?" Callie grinned. "A secret beach for our secret relationship."

Brandon laughed. "Yeah, it's kind of perfect, isn't it?"

Callie simply smiled, flopping down on the sand, pulling two cans of coke out of her bag, setting them down on the sand.

"I can't believe I've lived in San Diego my whole life, and I've never found anywhere like this." Brandon said, taking a slice of the steaming hot pizza.

"You obviously weren't looking hard enough." Callie grinned.

"Obviously not." Brandon said, looking around. "There's something so relaxing about the beach, isn't there?"

Callie nodded. "It kind of puts everything into perspective, doesn't it?"

Brandon looked at her, slightly confused.

"I mean.. The ocean, and the beach.. They work, right? They just work together, no matter how many people are on the beach, or how many interruptions that might happen." Callie said. "It makes me think that maybe we can work."

"You didn't think that before?"

"No, I mean.." Callie said. "The circumstances don't allow this to be easy. I can't.. We can't be a normal couple. We have to sneak around, and keep it all a secret, or else we could get into a hell of a lot of trouble. But we'll figure it out. We'll make it work."

"Like how the beach and the ocean work." Brandon said.

"However cheesy, yes." Callie said.

"Well, I'm in this for the long run Cal."

"Brandon, don't-"

"No, I'm serious." Brandon said. "I'm in this for the long run, and however long its going to take for us to not be an issue anymore, that's okay. Because I don't mind having to keep us a secret for now. It'll be worth it in the end."

Callie leaned over and kissed him softly, not knowing how else to respond.

"Anyway," Brandon continued as they broke apart. "All this sneaking around is kind of exciting."

"Like we're spies?" Callie repeated his earlier statement.

"Like we're spies." Brandon laughed. "I think its making us more creative, too."

"What?"

"We have to think of creative new ways to sneak around behind everyone's back." Brandon grinned.

"Like hanging out in a cave?"

Brandon nodded.

"You don't.. I mean, do you feel bad about lying to your mom and `Lena?" Callie said. "They've been so good to Jude and I, I feel bad for doing this behind their backs."

Brandon looked thoughtful. "Mom would want me to be happy. Mom and Lena would want us both to be happy. They're not going to be happy we lied to them, but I think they'll be able to understand why. They know whats it like to be told who you can, and can't date."

"I think being gay is a lot different to our situation."

"Same idea though." Brandon said.

"I guess.."

"Don't worry about it. Not now, at least." Brandon said. "This is way too heavy for a first date."

Callie laughed. "It kind of is, isn't it?"

"Definitely." Brandon said. "You talk about your interests, and your favourite movies on a first date - not how you feel about lying to your entire family."

"Well, I know your interests." Callie said. "Piano, piano ,oh, and piano."

"Hey, I'm not that one sided!" Brandon protested.

"Yeah, you are." Callie laughed.

"I like guitar too!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Your interests are music, music and music."

"You like music too."

"Your piano skills are actually the only reason I like you."

"I'll deal with that." Brandon shrugged, pulling her into a hug, the two of them leaning against the rock, talking happily.

Hours passed as they sat on the beach, talking, (kissing), ignoring their cellphones until they figured four missed calls from Lena and eight angry texts from Stef were reason enough to go home.

"Best first date ever." Callie said quietly as they stood on the front porch of the Foster's home, the two of them revelling in the quiet before they went inside to face Lena and Stef's wrath.

Brandon leaned down, and kissed her softly, his lips barely brushing against hers. "Best first date ever." He echoed.

Callie gave him one more soft, bright smile before Brandon pushed the front door open, he and Callie greeted by Stef's annoyed shouts of 'where were you guys? we've been ringing you for the past half hour!" and Lena's signature "I'm disappointed in you face", but neither Callie or Brandon cared all that much.

One Saturday night being grounded wasn't such a big price to pay for the best first (secret) date.