One Year Ago*

Callie*

"Eat up, bud! We're gonna be late, and I don't need Robert up my ass again for getting you to school late again!"

My little brother, Jude, is staying with me a few days much to our argument that it would be okay. Of course, Robert insists on sending the town car with Ague to take us to school, but what he doesn't know is that I dropped out as soon as I left home.

Almost two months now, I've been on my own, and after several arguments, Robert and Jill didn't try to stop me even agreeing to sign the papers for the emancipation. What they didn't know was that I was already on a downward spiral and had been for some time. No one but Jude knew about any of this, and even though he was sort of mad at me, he missed me. He really did miss spending time with me. It also helped that Maddie and I weren't talking at the moment; so, he came around more and more.

But what had hurt the absolute worst out of everything in my entire lifetime was the day Robert decided to try and replace my mother with a bimbo named Jill. Jill and I never did get along, and she was one of the major reasons, Robert finally gave in, giving me what I demanded...even if I was barely 16.

Flashback*

"I will not respect her, Robert!" I fold my arms in front of me, staring him down as Jill just fled the room after I openly defied her in front of him.

"I am not Robert to you, young lady! Now, you go and apologize to her! She's done nothing wrong here!"

I dig in a little more as I glare hard at him. "No."

"Excuse me?"

"Did I stutter? I said NO! No, I will not apologize! She's not my mother, and she never will be! So you can take your precious little woman and leave!" I shout now as I stand up to him, and he is just as mad as I am, face red, hands clenched. I am just now 11, and as fiery as ever, speaking my mind more and more to him and any adult who crosses my path.

"Both of you! Stop it!"

We both turn to see my little brother, Jude, standing in the doorway in his pj's, tears running down his face. "Why do you have to be so mean, Callie? Jill seems nice, and you scared her! I never had a mother like you did! Never! And, Dad, why do you have to yell, too? You're scaring Davey!" He wipes his tears as he referred to our little poodle, Davey.

I move to kneel in front of him as I wipe the streaming tears from his cheek. "I'm sorry, Jude. I really am. I'll try to do better," I lean in and kiss his forehead now as we both hear Robert's booming voice behind us.

"Go to your room, Callie! NOW!"

I scrunch my now red face, but Jude in his little 6 year old self gives me a warning look, and I clench my fists as I slowly stand. I am now breathing harder as I refuse to look at Robert, and storm off to my room. I'm over him and her. The only person in this entire world that matters to me now is Jude.

Flashback Ends*

Jude gets up from the small table and heads to the sink to wash his bowl. Spotting some ash in the sink, he doesn't look at me, but after he washes his bowl, he stands in front of me, folding his arms. It doesn't matter that he's taller than me now. He's 11, and he's still my little brother in my eyes.

"What?"I half smile as he just glares at me.

"Don't what me, Callie. Are you smoking again?"

I thought I had hidden all of the evidence, but somehow he always knew. I'm embarrassed to say the least because I had promised him I would stop as he had threatened to skip coming to stay with me this week if I didn't.

"Jude..." I sigh, but he digs in a little more.

"Callie! You promised! And are you smoking more than cigarettes, huh? You are such a liar! I knew you were a liar!" He storms past me now to grab his bag and back pack for school, and I follow close behind.

"Jude! Wait!"

"No, Callie! Leave me alone! I'm done with your dramatic ass!"

"But JUDE!"

He whirls around now to look me in the eyes. "When you decide to get your life together, then call me! Until then, leave me alone! I'm done with you! First you leave home, and then you lie to me about your habits! Do you even attend school?" His voice squeaks at the end as it's now changing, but I don't tease him like I usually would. Instead, my heart is breaking into a thousand pieces.

"You don't understand, Jude. I am a nervous wreck these days, and you're all I have. Please, Jude," tears stream down my face as he turns to walk towards my front door.

"Jude, please!" I call after him as he opens the door into the hallway and heads towards the elevator. I follow close behind him still and make it into the elevator with him. He refuses to look at me, and we ride the elevator down to the first floor in icy silence.

As soon as the door opens, he practically runs towards the front door where Ague is waiting, and I chase him. "Jude! Don't do this! Please, Jude!"

Ague looks at me with sad eyes as Jude brushes past him and gets into the front seat this time. This is new, and if Robert found out, Ague could get into trouble. But I'm not worried about that. I'm worried that Jude will never ever come back into my life again, and at this rate, I can't NOT have him in it.

"Miss Quinn," Ague tips his hat as he walks around to the driver's seat, and I ignore him as I pound on the window right by Jude's head.

"JUDE!"

He ignores me, turning to say something to Ague, and before I know it, the town car drives out into the city traffic, leaving me to fall to my knees on the curb, crying my eyes out, not caring that people are looking at me strangely and pointing. I don't know how long I stay in this position, but the next thing I know, an officer is calling my name, slowly pulling me to my feet, while I'm in a high stooper and daze from not only crying so much but also from smoking way more weed than I should have.