Jess's POV~
"I'm engaged" Callum grinned.
"What?!" Jack and Claire shouted, standing up.
"I'm engaged"
"Yes we heard that, but who is she?" Claire asked.
"Well, three years ago, I was in a bar and there was this girl that forgot her purse and she couldn't pay for her drink. So me being the gentlemen I am" He smirked, "I bought her the drink and we got talking. Then three years later I proposed and we're moving back near home. Turns out her parents only live about thirty five minutes away from here" He said shrugging.
"Oh honey I'm so happy for you. I want to meet her as soon as possible"
"Yes Mom" Callum saluted.
"Congrats bro. I'm happy for you" Jack and Callum shook hands before pulling each other into a one armed hug, while Jack patted Callum's back.
"Congratulations Callum" I got up and gave him a hug followed by Beth and Danny.
"Thanks guys".
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Jack's POV~
I saw the tall, male figure stood with my group of friends and I assumed it was the person Jess was talking about. Jess coughed and then the male turned round.
I felt my heart stop.
Callum?
Why is my brother here?
I stood there frozen to the spot. Unwilling to move or speak. I was completely dumbstruck. He was not a person I was expecting to see any time soon.
"Hey bro, how you been?" Callum was first to speak.
"Um, good, yeah umm... good" I could barely form the words to make a sentence.
"Good to hear it. Anyway you were on fire in that game. Didn't know you were that good" Callum nodded his head in approval.
"You watched me play?"
"Yeah just like old times" He always used to watch me play. I smiled internally at that memory.
"Lets give you two some privacy" Ryan suggested and everyone nodded. I realised I was still holding onto Jess' hand when she tried to pull away. I gave her a pleading look, hoping she'd stay. I needed her by my side. I felt complete... stronger... better, when she was next to me.
She nodded her head, signalling she'd stay and I gave the others a smile as they walked off warily.
"So is this all I get? Silence. I thought you'd be more excited to see me" Callum smirked.
"Well I wouldn't need to be excited, if you'd have just listened and stayed when I told you to five years ago" It was true. I tried to convince him to stay but nooo he had to leave.
"Listen you know I had to. Anyway don't I get a hug or anything?" Callum chuckled. I grimaced and then walked slowly towards my older brother. I opened my arms and we both hugged each other. It felt good to hug him again after this long. I started to tear up a bit and so did Callum from what I heard.
Hey just because we're men, doesn't mean we don't cry! Don't judge.
"I missed you Jack. And Mom" Callum said between sobs.
"I missed you too Cal, so does Mom" I cried.
"Can we go see her?"
"Yeah" I replied. "Jess come, please?"
"Yeah Jess, call Danny and Beth and tell them to come aswell. I have some interesting news to tell all of you and Mom" Callum said.
She let the other two know and we hopped into the car. There was an awkward silence. Jess turned the radio on and 'Talking Bodies KREAM remix by Tove Lo' came on and Jess started to sing at the top of her voice causing Callum and I to laugh and join in. This was just like old times. Us all having a good time together. I miss those times.
When we arrived home I pulled out my keys and unlocked the door, allowing them in before me.
"Wow, this place hasn't changed" Callum said, admiring my home. Our home.
"Naa we haven't done anything to it really" I said shrugging.
"Jack!" We all heard Claire, our Mom shouting. "Jack honey is that you?" She came into the room on her phone and when she looked up, she dropped it to the floor. Her mouth formed the shape of an 'o' and her eyes were bulging out of her head.
"Ca-Callum?" She whimpered. "Oh my gosh Callum, you're here" she ran over and hugged my brother and he soon followed suit.
"Hey Mom" he whispered back.
Jess pulled out a tissue from her bag and handed it to my Mom. I smiled at her preparedness.
"Oh thank you Jess" she said offering her a small, half smile.
"I'm so sorry Mom. I'm sorry for leaving, I'm sorry for my actions that night. I'm sorry I never called. I'm just sorry for every bad thing I've done in my life" Callum said with tears in his eyes.
"Its ok Callum. I forgive you. I love you honey, and you Jack" she pulled them both in for another hug.
"I love you too Mom" Callum and I replied. I looked over my shoulder and saw Jess just stood there, kinda looking lost and a little left out so I gestured my head in a come here motion so she could join in; and she gladly did.
A little while later Danny and Beth got here and we all sat in the living room, waiting for Callum to tell us his news.
"Come onnn. Just tell us already!" Beth whined. "You know I'm impacient!"
Callum chuckled. "Still the same old Beth. But I guess I have kept you in suspense for quite a while. So I'll just tell you" he smiled.
"Come on spit it out" Claire demanded.
"Ok guys well here it goes..."
A long pause.
He just stood there playing with his hands.
"Hurry up!" Jess moaned.
He sighed and smiled a humongous smile.
"I'm engaged" Callum said with one of the brightest smiles I've ever seen.
Shocked. That's what I was. Truly. Completely. And utterly shocked. Mom must have felt the same as me as we both stood up and shouted,
"What?!"
"I'm engaged" he said so casually. Cus this totally isn't a big deal or anything!
I wanted to reply with a sarcastic remark, but my Mom beat me to it.
"Yes we heard that, but who is she?" She asked.
"Well, three years ago, I was in a bar and there was this girl that forgot her purse and she couldn't pay for her drink. So me being the gentlemen I am" He smirked, "I bought her the drink and we got talking. Then three years later I proposed and we're moving back near home. Turns out her parents only live about thirty five minutes away from here" He said shrugging.
"Oh honey I'm so happy for you. I want to meet her as soon as possible" Mom demanded with a huge grin.
"Yes Mom" Callum saluted.
"Congrats bro. I'm happy for you" I pulled him into a hug and patted him on the back. I truly was happy for him. I may have been a bit upset he has been away for so long and we've missed some of an important part of his life. But I'm just happy he's coming back. I missed him a lot; and I know that may sound soppy for a boy to say, but I don't care because it's true. We were really close when we were kids.
Callum walked into the kitchen a little while later and I followed.
"Hey Cal" I said hopping up onto the counter.
"Hey, what you doing out here?"
"Just came to have a catch up"
"Oh ok. So you going out with Jess yet?" He smirked. I blushed.
"What? No! Why would you think that?" My voice went a little higher than usual.
"Come on Jack. I'm not stupid. I saw the way you looked at her when you were kids and I've been away for five years and that look hasn't changed. Give me some credit. I know my little brother" he said with a smile.
"Ugghh fine"
"So you do like her?" I nodded. "Then grow a pair and ask her out" He said sipping on his recently poured drink.
"I can't"
"Why not?"
"She has a boyfriend" I scowled, thinking of him.
"Oh shit. What you gonna do about it?"
"Nothing. She's my friend, I'd rather her be happy with someone else, than miserable because of me" I shrugged.
"Oh ok"
"But there's something else" I said, wincing at the memory.
"Ooohh what?" He said like a kid that had just walked into a sweet shop.
"He's umm, he's cheating on her" I said rubbing the back of my neck.
"What?! Where's that bastard? Let me go fuck his face up!" He yelled with an angry expression spread all over his face. I loved how Callum was protective over Jess. He was like a brother to her, and a sister to him.
"No stop!" I put a hand on his chest stopping him from going on a rampage.
"Why? She knows right? Why does she stay with him?" he growled. I winced again. "She does know right Jack?"
"Noo" I said looking at the floor.
"What? Why haven't you told her?" he demanded.
"Believe me, I want to. And it would give me no greater pleasure to help you kick his face in because of what he's done. But I can't. He said if I told her, he'd say it was all a lie and he said he'd ruin our friendship. I know it sounds selfish, but I can't lose her Callum. I can't". He sighed and wiped his hand over his face.
"Ok. Ok I understand".
"Thank you". He nodded. "Oh and there's one more thing..."
"Oh do tell" he said eagerly. I swear he's worse than a hormone crazed teenage girl.
"We kissed"
He gasped. "Oh my god when?"
"On Christmas day"
"How and why?"
So I told him about Jess' parents and the accident and how she had nowhere to go for Christmas, which resulted in her coming here. Then how we danced and then how we got caught under the mistletoe in front of our family.
"Aaaww, it sounds magical" Callum cooed in a girly voice.
"Oh shut up" I said. But he was right. It was magical.
"So is she a good kisser?" He smirked.
"Yeah" I admitted sheepishly.
"I always thought she would be" he winked.
"Anyway enough about me. How are you getting on?"
"Yeah I'm good. I'm engaged to Lizzie, got a great job in advertising. I'm doing well little bro"
"That's good. But what about the other stuff?" I noticed his face pale dramatically.
"Yeah, I'm clean. Haven't touched any of the stuff since. Don't plan on it ever again to be honest. I mean I still have the occasional drink, but never too much" His face gained more colour again. I guess it was just the memory.
I nodded. "That's good"
"Thanks for caring J. It means a lot" he smiled.
I shrugged. "Well I am your brother, and no problem man" I patted his shoulder.
He smiled, hopping off the counter we were both sat on.
"Thanks Jack"
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A/N Hiya guys!!
How are you all?
I hope you all feel special because this is the 3rd update in 3 days!
Anyway hope you enjoyed the chapter. Did you like the protective side of Callum?
What about the jokey side of him?
In fact do you like him in general?
Did you like the banter between Jack and Callum when it came to talking about a certain blonde haired girl?
Let me know...
Anyway probably won't update for a few days. Probably next week if I'm honest. Tell you what if I can get 5 votes and 1 comment, I will update earlier, if not then it will be next week.
Love to you all ❤️❤️❤️
B- Xx