Thanks for reviews/PMs guys - still keen to know any thoughts on interactions and such for the later chapters. I finally started the next episode so hopefully can stay just about enough ahead to keep up dailies. These next two chapters are not gonna be good for Brandon (or Michelle for that matter...)
Oh and thanks to TheTBone for her last minute beta-ing for these chapters.
OK - on with it. Would love to know thoughts/opinions as always!
Kasey and Lena arrived back to the house a little while after Jesus snuck back from his confrontation. He had slinked to his room almost immediately, via a telling off from Stef for not coming straight home. It rolled off him though, he was far too wrought with guilt and regret for getting himself in this position. He wished he had never let Evan cover for him, now he couldn't use it at all in Evan's defense. Coming clean would only induce wrath from Kasey and his Moms as well as potentially getting himself and Evan into an even more compromising position. What was worse, Michelle had practically confessed her being up to something - if he knew and this was bigger than it already was he would feel even more guilt. He had no idea what to do he had no way of contacting the one person he could confide in.
"Hey loved ones." Stef shouted over from her position reading on the sofa. "What have you been up to?" she asked removing her glasses as Kasey slipped down next to her.
"Oh you know, stayed a little later at school. SATs are on Saturday after all." she replied quietly but slightly too loudly to escape Lena hearing.
"I love how you can completely lie without actually telling a lie..." she remarked as Stef raised an eyebrow at a slightly guilty looking Kasey. "Kasey and I were just having a little chat."
"OK, so I wasn't studying, I was in detention - but it really is the last time. I realise I still have a lot of progress to make in getting over Evan and I'm going to stop trying to bottle it up."
Stef looked across at Lena to get some silent confirmation as to whether she had sorted it or not. She was relieved to see that she had from a nod and she rubbed Kasey's knee, grateful she didn't have to worry about the disciplining. "Hooray! You fixed our baby." she said kissing Kasey's head. "But it really better had be the last detention or I'll bottle you up." Stef threatened playfully squeezing her into a hug.
Kasey smiled with a small sigh. "I just really miss him."
Stef pulled her head onto her shoulder.
"I know baby, I miss him being around too. But we'll get through it. All of us."
Kasey returned her a smile as Stef slapped her knee.
"I do hope you're planning on making up for trying to badly get away with detention by actually doing some SATs study tonight however."
"OK, OK." Kasey sighed as Stef sprung off the sofa.
"Very good. But now - dinner time."
Brandon came down and sped past, phone firmly to his ear, waiting for Michelle to pick up before grabbing a drink and storming past again, deep with concentration as if it would make the phone pick up faster.
"Wanna fix our other children?" Stef whispered to Lena. "Jesus came home late today too. I read him the riot act so he's sulking as well. Seemed a little shaken, I hope he wasn't looking for Evan again."
Lena sighed. "One at a time." she whispered.
The next day Brandon's worry grew as Michelle was nowhere to be found at school. He had stopped his futile efforts of trying to contact her the night before, assuming she needed more time to cool, but her not being at school began to panic him that something might really be wrong. His concern hadn't gone unnoticed by his siblings. As Callie, Jesus and Brandon cleared up after dinner the room had been tension filled and snappy and eventually had just ended in silence with both Jesus and Brandon miserable. Callie was growing tired and eventually called both of them out.
"Brandon will you tell us what's bothering you? I'm not sure I can stand one more huff and if you break a plate it won't be pretty."
"He's probably worried about what Michelle is up to not being at school." Jesus snarked, at first not realising he was saying it out loud.
"You know you could do with an attitude adjustment too. You've been weird since yesterday afternoon." Callie scolded him.
"Yeah well..." Jesus voice trailed off. "Look I'm finished." He threw his dishcloth down and strode off to his room. Callie shook her head. She'd try and figure him out later - right now she was more concerned about Brandon.
"So - let me guess, you've still not heard from her." She asked trying to hide her frustration in the hopes it may help him open up a little more.
He huffed his shoulders down.
"She still hadn't properly spoken to me since the other night. I'm really worried - I mean I get she's pissed at me for not sticking up for her but she won't answer her phone, now she's not even at school."
"Ugh - Brandon." Callie sighed.
"What?" He asked, confused.
"Do you even hear yourself. She's putting you through hell here..."
"Right, right, right - she's an evil bitch and I deserve better. For God's sake Callie - you're as bad as everyone else." He threw his towel down as Callie shook her head in frustration. She'd had enough of this.
"Will you just let me talk! You think everyone is against you because you won't let anyone even try and take your side..."
"Why? Would you take my side? We all know you think the same as everyone else." he slammed his hand down on the counter
"How can you say that?" Callie recoiled, offended. She had done her best to stay neutral and had no idea where this latest bout of aggression had come from.
"Don't tell me you two are fighting too - is there going to be any end to this any time soon because I have to say I am getting tired of it...Brandon you need to..." Stef intervened hearing the argument from the next room.
"God! What is with the women in this house? At least Jesus is just not talking to me. Why are you all nagging me all the time!" Brandon's anger had clearly replced his memory of the advice he had given Evan.
Callie saw the anger in Stef's eyes flare up and realised anything she could say would pale in comparison.
Stef took a deep breath.
"OK - that's enough. I get that you're mad, I get that you're worried about your relationship..." she raised a finger to stop Brandon's imminent defense. "but until you can be civil with the other members of this family I think it's best you stay up in your room and think about the way you're acting."
Brandon shook his head and strode off upstairs as Stef directed her anger towards Callie.
"Don't tell me you're getting involved in this too?" Stef asked frustrated.
Callie raised her palms in her defense.
"I'm sorry - I just - I'd just had enough of it. I don't care if he stays with her, I really don't - but she's treating him like crap. This is going way beyond that stupid kiss."
Stef nodded. "OK - just can we please try and avoid any more of these blow outs. I need every sane kid I can get at the moment, Callie. We've just about calmed Kasey down we don't need..."
"I know, I'm sorry. I'll sort it." Stef folded her arms as Callie passed her.
She went up the stairs to Brandon's room and poked her head around the door.
"Can I come in?" She asked. He shrugged his shoulders reluctantly giving his approval.
"I'm sorry how that turned out - that's not what I was trying to say." He stared at her for a moment before taking a deep breath.
"I'm sorry too - I guess I have been too sensitive. I just hate this so much." He rubbed his face as his voice dropped off into a whisper.
"Brandon please don't fly off the handle at me, just hear me out." Callie began as he turned to look at her. "Look -I know that you think the whole family are against this relationship - and I probably can't argue with that. But you need to get a grip. If you like this girl then go for it - but don't let her treat you like crap just because you feel guilty about the family not accepting her. That's not a relationship. You've done nothing wrong - you've defended her from the beginning and if she can't accept that then -"
"I know." He conceded calmly, slightly to Callie's surprise. "I guess that's why I'm being an ass about it. I'm mad at her as much as anyone else."
"I'm not saying that you should leave her - I'm just saying that you have the right to defend yourself - whether she was at fault for the kiss or for whatever else - she is at fault for putting you through this endless guilt trip. Don't feel you can't stand up for yourself - just as much as you stand up for her."
"But how can I tell her that if she won't talk to me?" He moaned.
"I don't know Brandon, but this isn't the way it's meant to be. Maybe you need to just go round - she can't run away from you there."
"Right, like Mom will let me go out tonight."
Callie shrugged. "I think she'll welcome the peace - and she may not even notice you're gone if you're careful."
Brandon nodded lightly and looked up at Callie with a guilty frown.
"I'm sorry." He replied. "I really - I shouldn't have acted like that...before."
Callie Punched him lightly on the arm. "Nope. You shouldn't." She said as he let out a small laugh.
"OK - I'm gonna go see what's eating Jesus." Callie pushed herself off the bed as Brandon sat staring at the ceiling for a few minutes. He looked across at the big bear in the corner of his room that Michelle had brought him to make up for the last time they fought. She had joked that he could use it to pad his sheets out to sneak around to hers - maybe it was the perfect time to use it.
Callie walked into Jesus' room and went straight over to where he lay dozing on his bed amongs his disregarded homework. She flicked his forehead with her middle finger forcing him awake. He looked up at her annoyed before realising it was Callie.
"What is it?" He asked sitting up, slightly confused.
Callie wasn't in a mood to be messed around.
"What is going on with you?" She asked coolly with her arms folded. It frightened Jesus how many of his Moms' mannerisms Callie had begun to pick up since she had been with them.
"What do you..."
"The last couple days. You've been just as cut off and grouchy as Brandon - I thought this was all sorted since the bar thing and you were letting this go?"
"How did..."
"You don't think Kasey tells me everything?"
Jesus stuttered. This was like having both of his older sisters ganging up on him at once.
Callie took a seat next to him. "So come on, what's upset you?"
Jesus gulped down. This was the last thing he expected. Could he tell Callie? Maybe she would know what to do - but she had just said her and Kasey tell each other everything.
"I just - I..." Her face was unyielding.
"I was late back yesterday because I had a bit of a confrontation with Michelle. I dunno, maybe I made things worse for Brandon."
Callie sighed. "What about?"
"The..." Jesus paused as Jude came in the room. Both looked towards him as he interrupted.
"Callie, Kasey wanted to know if you had her math book. She's downstairs studying but Lena thought she was just wanting an excuse to come up and get out of doing more work so she sent me."
Callie looked between the two. "Uhm...I'll look."
Jesus used the distraction to think more. Another reminder of Kasey and Callie's closeness. He still had to figure this out - it was eating him up - but he would wait a little longer. At least till Kasey had finished her test.
"Well?" Callie asked gently as Jude left.
"Just the way she's been treating him. It didn't end well anyway." Jesus looked down at his bed nervously. She could tell he was still hiding something but could also tell that he was staying tight-lipped.
"OK." She responded. "But look - if you want to talk about it...talk about it. Don't go poking Brandon with sticks." She added calmly before leaving, giving him one more lingering look. She wondered if this had anything to do with the weed. It had never left the back of her mind how strange both Evan and Jesus had acted after it and the more things unfolded the more she began to think there was more to it.
"Michelle in?" Brandon asked as Porter looked him up and down.
He shrugged through a drunken daze and walked into another room leaving the door open for Brandon to find his own way in.
Brandon followed him out with his eyes as he closed the door behind him. He clearly had no idea what had been going on in Michelle's life which angered him even more. He found it so hard to stay mad at her when he felt like he was the only support that she had.
He made his way up the stairs to her room and knocked quietly on the door.
"Come in?" She responded sounding confused. Her father would never knock...
"Hey..." Brandon said quietly as she sprung off her bed feeling intensely vulnerable.
"Brandon! What are...?! Why did you?" She was flustered and wrapped her jumper sleeves tightly around her body protectively. Her agitation was clear - she was slightly high having smoked a few hours earlier in the day but Brandon couldn't pick up on the subtleties. Michelle didn't take many drugs herself these days but occasionally she felt the need to escape.
"Look I'm sorry for just coming over but you weren't taking my calls - you weren't at school. I was worried."
She was about to yell at him but the concern in his eyes stopped her from doing so. She gulped down trying to stay composed. She couldn't face school. She had had two of the most stressful days since it all began and was losing her grip. She had been scared to face anyone in case she slipped up like she had with Jesus. Jesus! What if he had told him - what if that was why Brandon was here. To try and trick her into giving him information. No. Brandon wasn't like that. She realised she had been silent for a suspiciously long time.
"I wasn't feeling well." She said bluntly. "Look Brandon, I'm sorry for how I've been I just...I needed some space."
He huffed slightly. "That's OK Michelle, but I wish you'd talk to me and tell me these things."
She couldn't help her eyes from floating to a package on the desk and hoping that he wouldn't notice it. The last thing she expected was people coming into her room.
"If you need some time to figure things out that's OK - I just need to know where we stand. I am fed up of fighting with my family - I want to include you in it but I can't cope with it If it's going to be constantly like this."
"I get that. You're right - look I...really I will be back tomorrow and we can talk. Just please not now. Please." She gulped, inadvertently looking over to the desk again before correcting her vision. This time Brandon caught it however and followed where her gaze had been.
"Oh my God..." He gasped before swinging his head back to her as she stumbled back onto the bed in horror.
"You're not...are you pregnant?" He picked up the empty packet on the desk and read the back as if it would have the answer.
He put it back down and went over to her pulling her off the bed with her hands on her arms. She began to cry, overwhelmed.
"It's OK - look we can figure this out."
She pushed him off her and stormed over to the other side of the room.
"How could we figure that out?!" His immediately considerate response stirred the now permanent guilt and fear in her gut all over again.
"What do you expect would happen?" She cried through her tears. "We going to have Kasey and Jesus as godparents? Are our parents going to sit together at the wedding?" Brandon gawped in shock at her outburst.
"How could this have ever worked, Brandon? Your family hates me and yet - you're still here? Still trying to pull me back in and I..."
"Hey hold on - look I know this is scary but there's nothing more important to my family than - well family. They will help us, really."
"Of course they would." She wiped her eyes and nose with her sleeve. "They would do anything for you - even for me despite everything." What Brandon didn't realise was that Michelle's reaction had nothing to do with any pregnancy but to do with her utter confusion and guilt about what she had done and continued to do. She had been lying to him this whole time. Taking advantage of every sweet and trusting part of his nature. She was still shafting him and his whole family. She didn't deserve this love - she deserved a thug like Carl. She just wanted this all to be done with so that she could crawl out of Brandon's life and lose the constant reminder that there was a better way to live life that she couldn't have.
"I can't do this now. Just please - just get out." She stormed past him and out of the room into the bathroom across the hall.
She curled up on the floor next to the bin holding her face in her hands. She heard Brandon leave and rocked herself gently. How had this all got so complicated? She opened the bin and pulled out the white stick with the blue strips. It was negative. It always had been. She had been relieved but it had been a wake up call as to what could have happened. What if she hadn't have been able to just leave Brandon behind - what if she had carried his baby? She needed to get out of this house. She needed to get back to her real life. She needed to see Carl. She hated him but she needed him. He was the person she had grown to go to in times of desperation. She wanted to immerse herself in her world so that she would stop yearning for another.
Brandon hadn't left her road yet - he had simply been transfixed in his own trying to process. As far as he knew Michelle was pregnant. He was going to be a father. His Moms were going to kill him. Kasey was going to freak. How did this happen? They were always so careful. Michelle was barely communicating - he had never seen such a messed up side of her before. So terrified. He snapped awake from his own overwhelming and complex thoughts seeing her leave her house and get into her car. Where could she possibly be going at this time? He waited until she pulled away before snaking after her a few cars behind.
Uh-oh! Poor Brandon. Bright side for some though - look out for the return of everyone's favourite college boy next chapter!
Chapter 44 Preview: Kasey tries to make amends with Brandon but a shocking revelation about Michelle lands him in trouble with Carl. Stef reaches out to Evan.
He pushed one of the men again as they pushed him back. He didn't process much else but his arm was hauled up onto someone's shoulder and he felt himself being dragged down the stairs and out, faster and faster with shouts behind him. He had no clue what was going on. He tried to say something but only tearful babbling came out as he felt his keys come out of his pocket and felt himself hauled into the passenger seat of his car.