The week went by quick. I've been eating lunch with Tyler everyday and we're becoming pretty good friends. He's slowly earning my trust, which is hard to do. I still haven't told him about Brandon, and I don't think I will ever tell him about Liam. Some things are just too painful and complicated to share with friends. It's been good having Tyler to hang out with at lunch. I rant to him about Robert and me wanting to get adopted and he complains about how annoying he thinks his foster siblings are. It works. Now it's Saturday and I've had a long day. Breakfast shift at work then a shift at the center. It's almost dinnertime. I walk up the walkway and onto the porch. "Oh wow." I say startled when I see Brandon and Lou embracing each other and kissing. Brandon quickly breaks away from her looking surprised. Last I new Lou was mad at him. I guess they made up. My heart is sinking to the pit of my stomach. "Sorry." I say. I almost run into the house getting away from the heartbreaking awkward moment. I wash my hands for dinner and sit at the table, waiting.

"Hey sweets." Stef says when I sit down. "How was your day?" she asks as she sets the table.

"Fine." I mumble sadly.

"You okay?" she asks noticing my gloomy mood.

"Yeah I'm just tired. It was a long day." I lie. Lena walks into the kitchen.

"Hey sweetheart." Lena says when she notices me sitting at the table.

"Hey."

"Okay so I just want to update you on what's going on. As you know tomorrow is your visitation day with Robert."

"Yeah I know." I say, unintentionally interrupting her.

"Okay. Tuesday you have your parole hearing." Lena says.

"And we talked to you P.O. and he sees there's no reason that you wouldn't pass. So after Tuesday it'll be one step closer to getting you emancipated." Stef says.

"Right." Lena comments. "And you have to spend next weekend with Robert." Great.

"Okay." I sigh.

"Are you okay sweetheart? You seem a little down." Lena asks.

"Yeah I'm just tired." I tell Lena what I told Stef.

...

I walk down the stairs with my backpack hanging on my shoulder Monday morning and head into the kitchen. Everyone is at the table eating breakfast. I pour myself some juice and quietly sip the liquid out of the cup. "Good morning Callie." Lena says. "You wanna sit down, have some breakfast?" she suggests as I finish my juice.

"I'm actually gonna walk to school today." I say to her.

"Um, okay." Lena says, a little confused.

"I'm gonna get going." I say. I walk out of the kitchen and leave the house. I walk down the sidewalk, putting one foot in front of the other. Seeing Brandon kissing Lou affected me more than I thought. I think about yesterday, spending time with Robert. He took me to his house and showed me what would be my room. I'd share a bathroom with Sophia, but she's still at the treatment center. The room was big, so big it felt empty, even though there was furniture in it. Robert says I can decorate it any way I like. I can't believe I have to spend the weekend there, and now I have to lie to him about Stef and Lena's idea to get emancipated. I hate lying. It would be a lot of work to get emancipated, and I have no idea how long it will take. The waiting period is counting down day by day, and it feels like it's counting down to my doom. My mind travels back to Brandon. How much it hurt when he says he doesn't trust me, how much it hurts even seen him now. If I go live with Robert, I wouldn't have to seem him. It would give me a chance to actually get some real distance between us, which will be good. He's made it clear that we have to be done, that we can't be together. I love Stef and Lena, I love the Fosters, I love living in that house, it's my home, but I'm also in love with Brandon. I realize that if I go live with Robert, or stay with the Fosters, either way I'll hurt. I guess I have to decide what's going to hurt more. Of all the reflecting I had done I find myself at school surprisingly fast. I head to my first class of the day and sit at my desk, waiting for the school day to begin.

...

The bell rings for lunch. I head to the quad and sit at one of the tables. There's so much going on in my life, it's just one thing after another. When will it end? It is so tiring being on this never ending roller coaster. I realized I haven't really talked to Tyler since Friday. I know he's here today. We made plans to eat lunch together again.

"Callie?" I hear my name being called. I turn around and my hear clenches when I see Brandon walk over and sit at the table. Why must he come over to me know?

"Hi." I say quietly.

"So how've you been?" he asks. "We haven't really talked in a while." He states.

"Yeah, it's just I've been, I've been busy. You know, with stuff." I say nervously.

"Are you okay? You've seemed a little down this weekend." He says.

"I'm fine." I lie. "How are you? You and Lou patch things up?" I ask, steering the conversation away from me, even though I think it would kill me a little inside talking about him and Lou.

"Yeah we did. Or still are, I don't really know." He says.

"Well I'm sure you two will work things out." I say.

"Thanks." He smiles. I look away and take a deep breath. I hate this, I feel so weak. It's like all the walls I have built to protect me are all crumbling down at the same time, leaving me vulnerable. I'm just so tired of being strong all the time. "Hey are you sure you're okay?" he asks, gently placing his hand on my wrist. I'm literally about to melt down. I look away from him, starring at the kids eating lunch, the trees, the grass, anything but him. "Callie, talk to me." he says soothingly.

"Callie!" I hear Tyler shout. He's walking over to the table. I yank my hand away from Brandon and leave the table. I run up to him. At first Tyler was smiling but now after seen my face I guess, he looks concerned. I run up to him. "Hey is everything all right?" he asks.

"Not really. I'm just; I'm so tired of everything. I'm so tired of being strong." I tell him, tears swelling in my eyes. I sob. He wraps his arms around me in a protective, comforting hug. I haven't felt safe in a guy's arms since Brandon.

"Hey, come one. Let's take a walk." He suggests. I nod my head and he lets go of me. We mosey over to the sidewalk next to the beach and just walk.

Brandon's POV

"Hey, are you sure you're okay?" I ask placing my hand on her wrist. She looks like she's going to break down crying any minute now. She's been looking like she's depressed for the past couple of days. I'm worried about her, and I feel really bad she saw me kissing Lou. I don't want to shove the fact that I'm with Lou in her face. I haven't really had the chance to talk to her in a while. She's been busy with work and she's been eating lunch with that new guy. Is there something going on between them? No, I doubt it. They've only known each other for like a week. "Callie, talk to me." I plead. I miss talking to her, and it looks like she needs someone to talk to.

"Callie!" I hear someone shot her name. I turn around and see that guy Tyler. She yanks her hand away from mine. She then stands up, runs over to him and easily starts talking to him, which kind of hurts me a little. She used to talk to me all the time. What changed? I watch as she begins to cry. Tyler embraces her in a protective hug, and my heart feels heavy. So many emotions run through my veins: guilt, anger, concern, sadness, and jealousy. Ever since I told Callie that we have to be done, my heart has been tingling with grief, but now, seeing her so sad and seeking comfort from someone else, my heart is pounding with regret. Plus the fact that another guy is holding her, letting her cry in his arms just pisses me off. I'm the one who she would go to for comfort. I'm the one who used to wipe away her tears. I'm the one who would tell her everything would be okay. I'm the one that loves her.