Misunderstood [ON HOLD]

Chapter One [Part Two]

 I took the drinks and snacks into the living-room. Di and Angie were sitting in the corner of the room, chatting to each other- probably about their studies or boys. Archie, Harry and Kev had the TV on in spite of the music and were shouting at a football game. Nick and Cal were talking about music in some form, and me and Jason were standing next to each other trying to look like it was completely natural to hold hands in front of my older brother.

Callum seemed to flinch when he saw me and Jason like that. Nick's phone started ringing and he left the room. There was an awkward atmosphere as Callum was left with nothing to do but look at anywhere but me and Jason. Nick suddenly came running back into the room.

 "Dude we got it!" he exclaimed. Cal's hands immediately flew to the back of his head and he exhaled loudly.

 "No way!" said Angie, jumping up and down.

 "Are you serious? You're not serious... oh shut up! We actually got it?" gabbled Di. Even Jason let go of my hand, grabbed Angie and started jumping up and down with her. They all had a group hug whilst I was pushed into the doorway. I had no idea what was going on- but there was a knock at the door.

 "Err guys? The parents are home!" I hissed. They all froze. Cal ran silently out of the living-room to find somewhere to briefly hide somewhere, whilst I helped everyone grab their stuff and sneak out of the back door to the garden fence where they waited.

 "I'm coming!" I called to my parents. I went and opened the door, leading my dad into the kitchen whilst mum hung up her coat.

 "Jade why were Callum's... friends here?" she asked me. I frowned.

 "They weren't here mum." I replied.

 "Oh really? Then why are there lots of empty glasses in the living-room and why is Nick's car in the driveway?" she asked.

 I traced my finger under my eye and tapped my ear twice- the signal to Nick outside that my parents were inside.

 "A few of my friends stopped round for a few minutes." I lied.

 "Oh sweetie, you don't have any friends!" dad said.

 "Thanks dad..."

 "If that's so, Jade, why is there a car in the driveway?" mum repeated.

 "That must belong to a friend of Mrs Warren's."

 "Then why is it the same as Nick's car?"

 "How do you know they don't have the same car?"

 "How do you know they do have the same car?"

 "Err... how do you know they don't?" I repeated. Mum chuckled like she'd won anyway.

 "Then why is Callum hiding?"

 "Cal is... Cal is..." I heard the water running. "Cal is taking a shower."

 Mum raised her eyebrows but dropped the conversation. Dad went into the living-room and started watching the football, whilst mum followed me up to my room.

 "You were such a sweet child, Jade..." she started.

 "And I'm not sweet anymore? Gee, you and dad are just so full of compliments today!"

 "Let me finish! You used to be as close to Callum as you are now, but you never used to lie for him." she said.

 "His friends weren't here." I repeated coldly.

 "Oh really? Not even... Jason?" she asked me. Her eyes flashed up from her fingernails as she watched for my reaction.

 "Nope. Not even Jason." I said, struggling to keep a pokerface.

 "Oh come on Jade, I know you like him."

 "You don't know anything about me anymore." I told her. I got up and opened my door, gesturing for her to leave. She was just out the doorway when she turned on her heel.

 "Get changed out of those ridiculous clothes, you look like a depressed youth." she snapped. I sighed and shut the door. I groaned and threw myself down on my bed. I got out a notepad and wrote a letter to Cal.

 We have this thing that every time we feel angry or sad, we write a letter to each other, and then on the last day of every month we give each other the letters.

 I wrote my letter about how much mum was annoying me lately.

 Everything I did I got a 'Stop mimmicking Callum.' Everything I wore I got a 'Stop dressing like Callum.'

 After a long time I heard the water in the shower cut off. I waited in my room. I waited.

 Waited.

 I crept outside and knocked on Callum's door.

 "Cal? Are you in there?" I asked. The door opened a little and he pulled me inside. "Cal- OH MY GOSH!"

 "Well thanks, Jade, don't you think it looks cool?" he asked me, flipping his newly blue fringe out of his face.

 "Well of course! Oh hell, Cal! What will mum and dad say?" I gasped.

 "Who cares?" he said. He put his arm round me.

 "I can't listen to them shouting at you again."

 "I know. I'll handle it Jade, I swear, it'll be ok." he said, kissing my forehead. Then he left the room. I looked around at his posters, remembering what he had said last night. He wanted to be a rockstar so badly... not if mum and dad killed him first.

 I heard the shouting start. I ran to the landing to listen, tears already in my eyes.

 "HOW DARE YOU!" dad was shouting. I didn't hear what mum was saying, but it was loud.

 "Mum, jeez, calm down-" Callum was saying. I ran downstairs and burst into the living room.

 "Mum, dad, leave him alone." I barked at them.

 "Don't you dare talk to us like that Jade, did you know that Callum was going to do this?" mum asked me.

 "I... Yes. I did know." I said quietly.

 "Sit down now. Both of you." she ordered. We obeyed. "Jade, why didn't you tell us Callum was going to do this to himself."

 "Don't bring her into this, it has nothing to do with her! Would you just calm down? It's not like my fringe is going to be like this forever. But I like it!" Cal snapped.

 "Why don't you ever just listen to us?" dad yelled at him. "You're such a bad influence on Jade!"

 That made my insides burn.

 "Hey! Cal is the best brother ever!" I shouted back. Dad stared at me; I don't yell at my parents.

 "You always pay more attention to Jade than to us, surely you can see what your influence is doing to her-" mum started, but Callum interrupted her with the thing that we all knew but thought he'd never say.

 "THAT'S BECAUSE I LOVE HER MORE THAN YOU!" he screamed.

 Dad flinched and a tear rolled down mum's cheek. She flicked it away.

 "Yes, well. You are twenty-three years old now, Callum. You're a grown man. If you don't need us, if you think you can disobey our rules... you can get out of my house." mum hissed. Then she walked out of the room. Dad stood up.

 "You have a week to go, Cal." he said, and then he followed mum.

 I stared at Callum.

 No matter how much he insisted he hated our parents, he was shocked. And scared. All he could do was open his arms so I could collapse into them.

 "They want me gone in a week..." he whispered. "...I'll be gone by tomorrow."