Callum

Rose was...quite something.

I’d never met anyone like her. I hadn’t met a lot of people, but I was sure she was the only one capable of stirring up certain feelings within me that I didn’t even know existed. She challenged me to think about concepts I never thought of before, while still accepting who I was. She was a storm, starting a rise to alter perceptions, but still vulnerable to the perceptions of those she cared about deeply. Regardless of it all, she stood tall and proud, relentless when it came to her goals.

I envied and admired her the same way a moth was drawn to light. In this case, the light that was her boldness, persistence, her spirited lively nature; the light that I wanted wrapped around me for as long as I could handle it.

Would I...would I be able to handle it – handle her? Or would I end up getting seared because the light got too hot?

“So what are you going to do about it, Callum Vaughn?”

Hand it to Rose to pose a question that left me tossing and turning that very night. It wasn’t the first time I’d lost sleep at night just from thinking about her – whether it was blissful thoughts or ponders that caused my heart to wrench in dejection.

Whichever emotion I felt that surrounded her, I couldn’t deny that I was completely and utterly enamoured by her. So enamoured, that the thought of being seared by her seemed like a sweet pleasure.

*****

“So when are you going to confess?”

Ben’s question made my hands freeze and the hairs at the back of my neck stand up. It was Friday afternoon, and I was seated with my brothers at the dining table. I was sorting the rice for supper on a platter. Ben sat across from me, apparently reading a book on medical procedures. He had always wanted to be a doctor, and would soon start internship at Richard Hospital.

Next to him was Abe. He pretended to be doing a crossword puzzle in the newspapers but he was clearly interested in my answer.

I had had to spill the beans to them the previous night after they cornered me and demanded why I was so flustered. As expected, they were excited and teasing at the same time, but I had made it clear that I would sort this out on my own.

And now here they were.

“You are going to confess, right?” Ben prodded.   

His way of giving me advice wasn’t subtle.

I kept my eyes on the rice I was sorting, occasionally taking out small stones I saw. “Yes,” I mumbled, already feeling my face warm up.

“Finally!” Ben groaned as Abe snickered. “We’ve been waiting for this for more than two months and it still took the girl to make the first move.”

I flushed in embarrassment. Sure I’d been crushing on Rose since three months ago, but I hadn’t expected her to end up returning my feelings. “She’s a bold one.”

“And thank God for that because otherwise, we’d have to wait three more months just for you to grow a pair,” Abe stated, his puzzle long forgotten. In fact, he tossed it aside so he could focus on me. He nodded, piercing me with his hard green gaze. “So how are you going to confess, baby brother?”

Ben nudged him. “Come now, Abe. He can figure that part out himself. Can’t you, Cal?”

I simply stared at each of them, and they collectively sighed. That meant they were about to tell me what to do.

“Take charge,” said Abe.

“It’s been her leading this whole time so now it’s your turn,” said Ben.

“Man up,” Abe ordered.

“Say what you want and say it with conviction,” Ben added.

“Give her no time or opening to dissent and-”

“-and kiss her,” both said at the same time.

My eyes had been darting back and forth between them as they laid out their connected thoughts, and at the last spoken thought, my heart jumped and heat flooded my face.

“A-already?” I stuttered in a squeaky voice.

Ben waved a dismissive hand. “Oh no. Just wait till you’re both ninety and have teeth falling out.”

I frowned. “That sounds horrible.”

“Exactly,” said Abe. “What, you think you’ll just hold hands and smile? Don’t be so naive, Cal. I can tell from Rose’s character that it isn’t what she expects from you.”

My heart raced – but in a way that indicated my blood pressure was rising from panic. I gulped. Was that really what she expected so soon? I had never done such a thing in my life! How was I supposed to take charge and not...and not disappoint her?

Unease overwhelmed me as well as the fear of disappointing her and ultimately embarrassing myself like I’d done so many times before her.

“B-but how...” I trailed off, not quite sure how to phrase the question. Asking for kissing advice sounded embarrassing as well. Was I even allowed to do that?

Granted my brothers definitely knew all about it. Abe already had a partner whom he planned to marry. In fact, he planned to move out of the house by the start of next year and live with her in LightHouse. I’d seen Ben flirt with plenty of girls, and he’d courted a few. I was the only one still green in that area.

“Oh, that’s right.” Ben snapped his fingers and shook his head. “You’ve never kissed a girl before.”

Finally, he remembered. It would be easier if they brought up the issue themselves.

“That is a predicament.” Abe nodded in agreement. “But one that can be easily solved.”

Ben slammed his hand into the table and declared with a cheer, “By practice!”

I almost fell out of my chair.

“You can practise with us.” Ben grinned at me.

“What!” Abe and I chorused, staring at our brother like he’d escaped from a mental asylum.

I shook my head vehemently in horror as Abe barked, “What nonsense are you blabbering, heathen!”

Before Ben could explain, a familiar voice called from the sitting room, “Hello hello! Anybody home!”

We all fell silent as we registered to whom the voice belonged.

“Dining!” Ben hollered.

In a few seconds, Ed came waltzing into the dining room with a vibrant beam on her face. She always looked so perky despite causing a ruckus wherever she went. She was always herself no matter her surroundings and I liked that about her. She’d dressed in grey slacks and braces, with a light blue button-up whose sleeves were folded to the elbows. Her pixie cut blonde hair looked neat and short, like she’d recently got a trim.

So Rose replaced her braids while Ed got a trim. How cute.

“Fancy seeing you here, Ed,” Ben said. “Lovely afternoon?”

“Lovely afternoon,” she replied.

I stood up and smiled at her. “Let me get you a drink.”

“No, no, no, don’t break yourself!” Ed waved her hands in refusal. “I’m only here for a short while as I have two pieces of news to deliver.”

I took my seat once more as Ed clasped her hands in front of her.

“Firstly, I’m here to personally invite you two to my birthday dinner next week,” she announced.

“Oh yes, Cal told us about it,” Abe remarked.

“And I’m adding a little more detail to the invite,” Ed explained. “8th July, my home at 6:00pm. Abe, I heard you have a plus one so feel free to bring her as well. So will I see you all there?”

“Definitely,” Abe replied.

“Of course,” said Ben. “Our parents aren’t home, though.”

“That’s alright. I already invited them.”

“Great then.” Ben grinned. “What’s the second piece of news?”

“The second piece of news-” Ed’s eyes landed on me. “-Is for Callum Vaughn specifically.”

Oh-kay.

My brothers looked back at me in suspicion and I in turn looked at Ed with perplexity. There was some mischief gleaming in her eyes, and she was smirking.

“I just wanted to let you know that my darling dear beautiful Nkwanzi Rose, whom you already know so well, shall be performing at Aries pub tomorrow night,” she announced. “Perhaps you could come watch her sing?”

All eyes turned to me at once, and I felt that pressure build up in me once more.

“Uh...” I stammered.

“He’ll 100% be there,” Abe replied on my behalf. “What time will the darling Rose be performing?”

“Show starts at eight,” Ed replied.

“He’ll be there at eight,” Abe concluded.

Ed’s eyes twinkled as she beamed. “Splendid! You two delightful chaps can feel free to attend as well. Have a good evening, then.”

With a gentleman’s bow, she turned and pranced out of the house.

Ben smirked at me, wiggling his eyebrows. “Looks like you’ve got your chance to take charge, baby brother.”

I felt like my life force had just gotten sucked out of me.

A/N:

Poor Callum. Will he be able to pull it off?

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