Mariana is eating lunch when she's interrupted.

"Hey," says Talya.

"Hey," says Mariana, confused. Brandon and Talya have been dating for a long time, and a lot of that time was spent in Mariana's own house, but she'd never once had a conversation with her brother's girlfriend. Their few interactions were short and impersonal - Talya wanted know where the bathroom was, Talya wanted the salt, Talya was just wondering if Brandon was home, Talya forgot her coat at the Fosters' and would it be okay if she came to pick it up later? When they'd broken up Mariana hadn't been sad for Talya's sake, or even really for Brandon. Talya hadn't seemed particularly interesting, however nice and polite she might be.

"So, um, how are you?" asks Talya.

"Oh," says Mariana. If Talya wants to know what's up with Callie, why doesn't she just ask Bran? They're back together now, aren't they? "Well, everyone's kind of freaking out."

"I can imagine," says Talya, tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear. "It's so weird. Wyatt, Lexi, and now Callie." She shakes her head and shrugs. "I guess people are getting fed up with Anchor Beach," she jokes. Mariana doesn't laugh. She's thinking.

"You said Lexi, Callie, and who?" Mariana asks, just to make sure.

"Wyatt. You know, long hair, weird taste in music, and nice biceps?" says Talya. "If I wasn't dating Brandon, who's perfect, by the way, I would've been all over Wyatt. But I hear he moved to Indiana, so that ship's sailed." Mariana does not humor her with a laugh. Talya smiles uncertainly. "Um, speaking of Brandon. He's back at school, right? I mean, he's not staying at home or anything?"

Mariana looks over at her, momentarily distracted. "Yeah. He started on Monday, just like me."

Talya's brows furrow, and her eyes fill with tears. "He did? Oh."

Mariana doesn't know what to do with herself. Whatever's going on between Talya and Brandon is no business of her own. She doesn't have a good track record in that respect. "Um, yeah. If...if you want, I'll tell him you've been looking for him. I'm sure he's just busy or something. He's got schoolwork to catch up on." Mariana picks up her things. "See you later, I guess."

Talya blinks sadly, and Mariana leaves her. That was so uncomfortable.

Wyatt. She remembers him, if only vaguely. Didn't he have some party?

And then it comes back to her. Yeah, and I went with Callie. Callie and Wyatt were going out.

Mariana can't believe she forgot. What if? It's the first time she's so desperately loved a hypothetical, the first time she's completely given herself over to hope since her own adoption. What if Wyatt knows where to find Callie? Better yet, what if Wyatt is where to find Callie?

But the more Mariana considers, the more she finds her idea ridiculous. Wyatt had been planning to move long before Callie planned to run away. He probably left before she did. She stops and wonders, and with each passing second and each fleeting theory her hope fades a little faster and her heart breaks a little more. She could be anywhere.

But then she remembers. Callie wasn't taken away. She took herself away. She didn't want to be here.

It's all Mariana can do not to sit down and start sobbing in the middle of the hallway.