Author's Note: Thank you SO much for the reviews, they are really helpful. I tried to streamline the dialogue this time, although I did keep the conversation with Jude, because, really, didn't you want to know what was on the other end of her phone call? It was bugging me the whole time I watched the episode...
Anyway, after this chapter we're out of the dialogue-heavy parts and into the action. Stay with it. And please keep reviewing.
I turn and head toward the back entrance, and almost immediately run into Lena giving a tour to some parents. I run through a whole list of curse words in my head as I smile at her and pretend to be examining my class schedule like I'm trying to figure out where to go next. I follow the wave of people headed to classes as the bell rings, and promptly cut around the other side of the school. My legs are jumping, wanting me to run all the way to the bus stop, but I've snuck out of enough schools to know that I have to walk normally so I don't attract attention. I see a trash can and promptly throw in my notebook, with all its useless doodles of men changing into bugs. I doubt I'll be coming back to this school.
I'm across the road and nearly home free when I hear someone coming up behind me. I don't look to see who it is, but then I hear his voice and I want to hit something because I know he's going to drag me back or sound the alarm and I am way too close to let that happen.
"So…where you going?" Brandon asks me.
I'm in no mood for a conversation. I swear if he tries to stop me I will lay him out and gag him with the strap of his own backpack.
He keeps hurrying to match my pace, trying to tell me that his cop mom will track me down.
"Ugh, could you just mind your own damn business?" I burst out.
I am sick to death of this; Jude is waiting and this stupid boy thinks that his cop mom is going to come after me and save the day. Idiot. No one comes after me. The ones who notice I'm gone just pack my bag and shove me out the door into Bill's custody when I get home.
"We're just trying to help you," he says, sounding wounded.
"Stop." I tell him, and he finally goes quiet, but he's still matching my fast pace. His phone vibrates and I think good; maybe it's his girlfriend and he'll realize he has things to do that are more fun than following me. But then he says, "Someone's been calling me from this number all day," and my heart jumps into my throat. He protests as I snatch the phone out of his hand, but I immediately forget that he's there.
"Hey, baby, it's me, what's going on?" I stop walking and clutch the phone to my ear.
"Callie, he found out about you," Jude's crying.
"What do you mean?"
"He's so mad, Callie!" My stomach hurts and my heart is pounding and a shower of ice falls around my brain.
"Jude, what are you saying?"
There's a scuffle on the other end of the line, and then I hear Frank's voice.
"Let me talk to Jude." My voice is so low I don't recognize it.
"Call here again, and you'll wish you'd never been born."
His voice is deadly.
"Put him back on the phone!" I say desperately.
The phone just disconnects in reply.
I try to call back but the busy single blares in my ear. I wince. He probably ripped it out of the wall. I feel sick. What if he's using it on Jude?
Brandon wants to know why I got a call on his phone, but I'm not really paying attention.
"I borrowed your phone last night." I'm tearing up again and I refuse to let him see it, so I thrust the phone at his chest and keep walking.
"So who was that? Was that, like, your boyfriend?" He asks.
"No!' I practically spit the word at him.
He keeps pestering me, until I finally stop and burst out,
"It's my brother." I'm seriously fighting back tears now. I take off, fighting the urge to run all the way to San Ysidro.
I can tell he wasn't expecting that, because he starts floundering for words.
"Let me call my mom!" He says, finally. That breaks into my thoughts.
"If you call your mom, she's going to look in the system and find all these complaints my foster father made against me," I tell him, fighting to stay calm. My voice is rising now, and I can't stop it, "You're gonna get me sent back to Juvie, and Jude is going to be stuck in that house!"
He's floundering for words again, and I don't have time to wait for him to process it, so I walk away. Brandon's footsteps stop and I think he's finally let it go and stopped chasing me. I'm halfway to the bus stop before I hear him running up behind me. He looks straight into my eyes.
"I'm coming with you."
I know I shouldn't let him. But I do. I don't have time to argue with him.
And maybe I can use him.