Chapter Twelve | Like Twinkling Stars

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Josh's POV
Like Twinkling Stars
*edited*

"So, you know your cousin, Jaclyn?" My mom asks suddenly at the dinner table.

My sister and I shared a glance.

Jaclyn Hills: literal definition of brat. I mean, yeah, I got what I want often, but her... if she asked her dad for the world he'd probably go down in history book for actually being able to get it.

"Uh-huh. What about her?" I asked shoving some broccoli into my mouth.

"Weelll." My mom drawls out, "Turns out my sister is going on a business trip with uncle Michael for a month."

I almost spit out my broccoli, I knew what was coming next.

"And they asked us to look after her."

My sisters fork literally dropped down to the plate.

Now you might be thinking 'josh, hold up a bit, she can't be that bad.'

And you're right, she is more than that bad.

Summer of 2014 she came up behind me while I was eating breakfast (Note that my parents were literally sitting in front of me and didn't warn me). And she cut. My. Hair.

And I'm not saying a little shake of the blades I'm talking cut-so-short-she-scraped-my-ear-and-made-my-scalp-bleed kinda cut.

My parents scolded her so delicately, as if she was made out of glass and they weren't allowed to raise their voices.

My sister and I pleaded with our parents.

"Can I stay at Callum's?" I ask in utter desperation.

My mom sent me a look, "No, besides, I'd hate to give Callum anymore trouble at home." She shook her head in pity, "You are going to suffer at the house and behave."

It could've just died at that very moment, maybe melting away would be better, I wasn't sure.

"Anyway, I just wanted you to know before she came." My mom smiled innocently. "Make sure to wash the dishes after dinner."

I fought off a scowl as my mother made her way to her bedroom. My dad was still at work and I couldn't believe that I had to spend the next month with my awful cousin.

~~~

"Ow!" I yelped gripping my arm and angrily shoving my cousin.

She stumbled onto the ground, no, she had balance fine. I made sure not to shove her hard enough so that she wouldn't fall. She fell on purpose.

And then this... this 13 year old girl, starts to bawl.

I almost lost all sense of self control.

Of course my parents came charging in as if I had just decided to go on a mass murder spree.

I could see the scolding in the eyes before they even said anything.

I prepared myself for the worst and waited.

And then suddenly.

"Honey! I'm home!"

I almost died of relief.

Callum is seriously a damn god.

The expression on my parents faces changed into happier ones, the 'my-son's-funeral-is-this-weekend' scolding speech had disappeared from their eyes and the new look in there eyes was one I seriously enjoyed more.

Everybody filed into the living room, and everybody gawked at how much food Callum had.

McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, you name it, he had it.

Callum set the food down on the coffee table and walked over to me, he smiled.

"Can I ask you a question?" He said, still smiling down at me.

I nodded my head, "Shoot."

He tilted his head in the direction of his left arm.

"Why is there a child clinging to me?"

I glanced down at his left arm.

Honestly, I didn't even really notice Jaclyn clinging onto Callum, I was focused on him.

"I'm not a child." Jaclyn stated clearly, "Turned thirteen two months ago."

She still acted like one.

Callum blinked one... twice... three times.

"Hi."

I laughed randomly.

In all honesty it wasn't as funny as I felt it was, but you should've seen the look on his face, the confusion, the loss of words.

Jaclyn lead him over to the couch and that's what started the most boring conversation in the universe.

It started out simple. "So... how's school?" And then ended with Jaclyn talking and Callum fighting to stay awake.

"But you see, she also told me that when you touch something germs spread all over your fingers, and that made me wonder about hand sanitizer, I mean, it kills 99.99% of all germs, yeah?"

Callum wasn't even looking at her.

"Uh-huh."

"So, do you think the other one percent is a lot, if you have millions of germs on you, isn't one percent still a bunch of germs."

Callum send me a glance and the message was clearer that a newly cleaned window.

Help me.

I shot him a wink and strolled over to my mom, making pleasant talk with her.

I could hear Callum scoff from behind me.

"Oh! I want to show you a picture I drew, it's pretty. Come on." My cousin tugged, no, pulled hella hard, on Callum sleeve.

Callum followed with a groan at the gleeful thirteen year old.

"She sure likes Callum." My mom said, laughing at Callums misery.

"Poor guy." My dad piped up.

I heard the sound of my cousins laugh, then I heard Callum's.

My heart did a little skip and my face felt hot, I felt frustrated he was hanging out with her for so long.

And then it hit me.

I was jealous... because of a thirteen year old?

~~~

"Any way, so then the dog came up to me 'ruff ruff ruff' he told me. But I didn't understand him- oh wait- I forgot something, let me start over. So, this turtle told me that I was probably going to die soon and I wanted to know a lot about the turtle so I said, 'That's okay Mr. turtle, let me ask you some questions- dang it- I forgot something again. I'll start over, from the very beginning-"

It was almost impossible to keep from laughing at this stupid story.

My cousin had been ranting hours upon hours about her stupid dream she had last night, out of desperation to get her to be over it, Callum asked what it was about.

Wrong decision.

This was the 20th time she decided to start the whole story over.

It was funny, my cousin was 13 years old and here she was, acting like a 6 year old.

Callum shot me a glance, this one not of some sort of message. There really wasn't any kind of message in his eyes, he just looked at me before turning back to my cousin.

"Jaclyn, why don't we leave callum alone, yeah?" My mom suggested. "Come help me finish making dinner." My mom attempted to pry the clingy girl off of my Callum.

"But my story isn't-"

"No excuses, come on."

Jaclyn huffed but got up anyway.

The second Callum saw she was gone, he fell on his back onto the couch.

I went behind the couch and leaned over so that my head was over his.

"Damn, does that girl ever shut up? It was like when your phone isn't working and the loading button just keeps going." He sighs, his hands covering his face.

"I'm surprise you lasted that long, I know I probably would've died." I say, remembering the time when she did blabber off my ears and I almost did die.

Callum brings down his hand, my breath hitches.

Callum has always had stunning eyes, always. But the way the light was shining in them, And from this angle too, took my breath away.

This sounds corny, cliche, and makes me cringe. But that's my whole life so this doesn't affect me much, but his eyes... they looked like stars.

Glossy like when you first woke up and your eyes were covered in that thin layer of gloss.

Callum stares straight back into mine.

How could he stare so gently? Was that a thing? His eyes weren't gentle like a kittens or a puppies, but they looked at me so... softly.

I realized I was probably just ogling at him and that it was weird so, with a red face, I pulled away and moved his feet, sitting where they used to be.

He quickly placed home foot in my lap right after and the other went off the ground, hanging off the couch.

"So... I was hoping I could crash here for the night, you know?" Callum says, holding his hand straight in the air for no reason at all.

"Yeah. You can sleep in the guest bedroom or in my room and I can sleep on the floor." I suggest.

"I'll sleep in the guest bedroom," he says, his foot suddenly kicking mine.

I glanced down.

"Hey." I said, kicking him back.

Callum raised an eyebrow.

"You really want to play that game?" He asks, a smile on his lips and playful sparkle in his eyes.

"I'm not playing a game, you kicked me, I kicked you back." I defended.

"I nudged you. Not kicked." He corrected, pulling himself into a sitting position.

I glared at him, Callum glared back.

"Fight me." I said, pushing two fists up as if I'm about to fight him, in all honesty, I just said that for fun.

"I'll do you one better." He says, crossing his arms.

"Huh-"

And then suddenly, Callum was tickling me like crazy.

Callum stopped and I smiled at him.

"Oh it's game on now."

~~~

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile.

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