Here's the next chapter. I think this one is the one of the better so far. Please review, they help me so much.

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Chapter 4: Changes

That night, while I was studying at my desk in my bedroom, there was a knock at my door. It was Christian.

"Becca, I need to talk to you," he said, kneeling beside me. I noticed the serious expression on his face. I couldn't remember a time when Christian looked so serious. I knew something was going on.

"Alright," I said, put my pen down, and turned to face him.

"I...I'm..." he stuttered, wringing his hands nervously. "I'm leaving."

I stared at him, not sure what he meant. He waited for my reaction, and when I gave him none, he continued.

"Father and I have had an...argument. A very...bad argument, and I've been thinking about what to do. I can't stay here. I'm going to Paris."

"Oh." I smiled. That wasn't such a big deal. "For how long? A few days? A week?"

"No, you don't understand. I'm not coming back." He let the words sink in. "Well, I might come back for holidays and such, but..." He trailed off.

I was filled with dread. He was leaving...for good? Before I could say anything, he went on and on about how he was going to join the Bohemians, live a penniless existence away from Father, write about truth, beauty, freedom, and love, find real inspiration. He described everything with such passion, his eyes shining with desire. His hands gestured around wildly; I had never seen him this excited in my entire life.

"It's everything I've ever wanted!" He paused and waited for my response.

I was speechless. His description of everything sounded wonderful. He would finally be free: free to write, free to dream, free to love.

But what about me?

"Christian, you're acting ridiculous," I stated, even though I didn't really mean it. I would say anything to keep him home. "You can't just leave! There's no way. Father will not accept this." I crossed my arms across my chest defiantly.

He grinned mischievously. "Father's not going to find out...until it's too late."

I gasped, but before I could say anything, he went on.

"I tried discussing it with him and it ended up turning into a huge fight. 'It's a village of sin! You'll end up wasting your life at the Moulin Rouge with a can-can dancer!'" He imitated Father quite accurately. "He's so stubborn and unreasonable. He'd never let me go in a million years. So I pretended to agree with him and promised him I wouldn't go. But I'm going, and there's nothing that man can do about it," he proclaimed proudly.

"I don't believe this." I stood up and started pacing around my room. "Everything will be ruined. What about Father? The company? All that business school you went through? Sarah?!"

"Those are exactly the reasons I'm leaving. You should know that. I will not spend my life sitting in an office, and I will not marry someone I don't love," he declared.

"What about me?" I asked, plopping back down on the chair.

He put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry. I honestly don't want to leave you." He looked at me with a terribly sad look in his eyes that made my heart melt. "But don't you want me to be happy? I'm finally going after my dreams. I'll...I'll die if I stay here."

I sighed. He always made me give in to anything, no matter what. "Alright," I said.

He kissed my forehead and wrapped me in his embrace.

"Thank you!" He cried. "You're the best sister ever!"

I laughed and hugged him back. "When are you going?"

He hesitated. "Tomorrow night..."

"Tomorrow night?!" I cried.

"Shh!" He covered my mouth with his hand. "Someone will hear you!"

"That's way too soon, Christian!" I whispered.

"I have to go before I have another argument with Father," he stated. I knew then that there was nothing I could do to stop him. He longed for this too much. "Well, I'm going the day after tomorrow, in the early morning. Will you walk me to the train station? Please?"

"Yes," I answered.

We made the rest of our escape plans and he left my room shortly after. I laid in my bed to take everything in. I was losing my brother and my best friend in one night. I tried to imagine life without him, but I couldn't bear to think about it. So I tried to think about how happy Christian would be. He would finally be able to write, and share his work with the world. And most importantly to him, he would be free to love. But I couldn't help thinking about myself being trapped here while he was gone doing whatever he wanted. What was I going to do while he was gone? But doesn't he deserve to be happy? I asked myself. Yes, I kept telling myself, he deserves it. Of course he deserves it.

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I hope you enjoyed it and please please please review! Thank you!