Chapter 2

When I snapped out of it both Mr. Avery and Braden were holding me down to the ground, tears threatening to spill at any moment. "M-Braden?" I forced out, sounding like a sob. He quickly let go of his hold on me and I jumped into his arms. He rubbed my back up and down in a soothing voice telling me everything was okay. The only problem was that everything wasn't okay. What was going on with me? Braden escorted me to the office where he waited with me before my dad came. "Callie." My father looked disappointed and worried at me. I could only hang my head down in shame. I didn't know what overcame me. "Mr. Black can I talk to you real quick?" My father nodded and slowly walked away with Braden speaking too low for me to hear. I had no idea what they were talking about but realization seemed to hit my father. Braden noticed too but seemed just as lost as to what exactly my dad discovered. "Callie, let's go." I just nodded my head and followed my dad out of the school, ignoring Braden's silent plea for me to look at him. The ride home was tense and neither of us talked. I'm used to getting in trouble. I was the wilder one between Nick and me, but never like this. When we made it home I ran up the stairs and into my room. I laid face down on the bed and cried. What was happening to me? I heard a faint knocking on the door, waking me up from my sleep. I must have fallen asleep while crying. I quickly got up and opened the door to see Nick. I quickly jumped into his arms and squeezed him as tight as I could. "What happened?" "I don't know. I was fine, next thing I know I was so angry I saw red." Nick tensed when I said that causing me to look at him in confusion. "Callie. You know if you were of age that means you would have shifted…and at school." I gasped when I realized what he said. I could have put everyone in danger. My eyes grew in the realization that I screwed up big time. "I have to talk to dad." Nick tried to grab my arm but I just moved it to make my way downstairs. I could hear him arguing with my mom in his study. I stopped when I heard my mother. "I will not send her away to live with strangers! It wasn't even her fault!" "But no one knows that! She has to go unless we want the pack to turn on us!" I covered my mouth to muffle the cry that threatened to escape. I felt as Nick wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer to his chest. I turned around in his arms so I could cry into his chest. "Callie, list-" "NO!" I ran back up to my room and onto my bed. I wasn't shocked when Nick came into my room lying down with me. I turned to face him and we linked our fingers. "You can't leave me sis. What would I do without you?" I just sighed as the tears started to flow again. What would I do without him? Or Leo? What about Braden? I was the only friend he had. I couldn't abandon him. I scooted closer to Nick before I finally fell asleep from exhaustion. When I woke up in the morning, Nick was looking at me with his dark blue eyes filled with worry. "What happened while I was asleep?" I knew he had to know something to look this worried. "They bought your ticket. You leave tonight at 6pm." I stared at him, not really looking at him but past him. My family was really shipping me off to an unknown location to live with people I didn't even know. "So I'm not going to school today. Am I?" Nick shook his head no. I sighed as I let go of Nick's hand and rolled over to grab my phone that was on my nightstand. I quickly texted Braden. I wanted to see him before I left. *Hey Braden. Come over after school.* I got up to go to the bathroom and hung my shoulders when I saw that my parents had already brought up my luggage to my room. How long would I be gone? Where was I going? What should I pack? I had so many questions but no answer to them. My phone interrupted my thoughts and my heart stopped seeing that Braden had texted me back. He knows better than to text in school. *Alright sweetheart. I'll be there. I missed you at gym today.* I smiled and shook my head. Braden always knew how to make me feel better. *I always miss you. And don't text in school!* I threw my phone on my bed by Nick before I went to take my shower. I know I took longer than usual, just enjoying the hot water relaxing my overstressed body. Eventually the water turned cold, so I turned off the shower and stepped out to see that I had dark circles under my eyes. That's what I get for crying so much. There was a knock on the door that made me quickly look at the door. "You didn't save me any hot water, did you?" I just laughed at how annoyed Nick had sounded, knowing that he couldn't stay mad at me. I opened the door with a half-smile and he growled. "I knew it!" I laughed a little before I got serious. "Nicky. Do you know where I'm going?" He tensed and lost the playfulness in his eyes. "Europe to stay with our eldest uncle, that's all I know." I nodded at him and opened my closet. "You don't know how long?" He shook his head at me and I sighed. "So what should I pack for Europe?" I was asking myself but Nick took it upon himself to come into my closet and look thorough the other side of my closet. I smirked as I watched him look through all my clothes, no doubt looking for the things he bought me. We were actually having so much fun packing. I didn't even notice that hours had passed until I heard the light knock on my door. I came out of the closet to see Braden leaning in my doorway. "You rang sweetheart?" His gaze quickly left my face and landed on the luggage on my bed. "Where are you going?" His face looked emotionless as he asked me. "I'm going to Europe." "For how long?" I could hear the irritation growing in his voice. "I don't know." As soon as I answered he roared causing my dad and Leo to come up to my room. "What do you mean you don't know?! Why are you even leaving?!" I didn't say anything to him. I knew he had to get this off of his chest. I didn't want to leave Nick, Braden, my friends, my family. I wanted to stay here but I couldn't. I couldn't be selfish. "Answer me!" He yelled so loud that I flinched back before slowly looking up at him. "Look. I told you to come because I wanted to spend what little time I have left with you. I'm sorry that I have to leave. I don't want to." "Then don't." His face softened and I felt him pleading with his eyes for me to stay. "She can't. Her plane leaves at 6." I was scared that Braden would do something he would regret later, so I quickly ran and wrapped my arms around him. "I want you to stay, but I understand if you can't." I looked up at him hopeful, but I knew he would leave. "Sorry. I can't just watch as you leave." He pulled away from me and pushed through Leo and my dad before disappearing. A tear fell before I quickly went back into the closet and saw that Nick was waiting for me with open arms. I seriously have the best brother. After I was all packed up we waited in the living room until it was time to leave. It was just Nick, Leo, and me sitting in silence until Leo broke it. "I can't believe we won't be the three musketeers no more." I smiled at him and then at Nick. That started us telling all of our favorite memories. Most of them involved me getting in trouble of course. Like I said, I was the bad twin. "Or how about the time you lined your uncle's bed with firecrackers before lighting them?" We all looked up at my dad and saw he had a smirk on his face but sadness behind his eyes. "Time to go?" He nodded as he quickly took my bags out to the car. Leo and Nick escorted me out both hooking my arms as we walked. I tried to think of how this was helping everyone and not thinking of my own selfishness. The car ride was silent except for music that was lowly playing. My mom didn't even come with us. I knew she didn't want to cause a scene at the airport. Pulling up to the airport made my stomach drop. It was real now. I would be leaving the only home I've ever known. I decided to text Braden one last time. *At the airport. I'll miss you :(* I placed my phone in my back pocket before I went to check in. After they took my bags and gave me my ticket I made my way to security where the boys couldn't follow me anymore. I stopped and grabbed Nicky squeezing him as tight as I could. He lifted me off the ground swinging me back and forth before my dad cleared his throat. I laughed as I wiped away my stray tears and hugged my dad. He cleared his throat again and I pulled away seeing the tears that he refused to shed. Finally I gave Leo a hug and sighed as I thought about how I wished Braden was here. After we pulled apart I placed my hand on his cheek and smiled. "Take care of my brother for me." They all laughed as I walked to the security line. After I cleared I turned around one more time to wave at them before walking to my terminal. While waiting for my flight to board I checked and saw that I had 5 text messages. *Love you baby girl. I want you home sooner than later. Be good for your uncle.* Mom *I can't believe you are leaving. Please come back soon.* Raven *Text me as soon as you land.* Nick *Why?* *Don't forget me sweetheart.* I sighed looking at Braden's text. There was no way I could ever forget him. *I could never forget you. I should be the one to tell you that though. So many girls after all.* I turned off my phone as they called for us to start boarding our flight to Budapest, Hungary. I was going to Hungary. *** After 17 hours I finally landed in Budapest. I followed the crowd of people and went through customs before I went to baggage claim. It was then that I realized I had no idea who was picking me up. "Excuse me?"