My Brother's Best Friends // 5sos

Chapter40

A/N ~ If you're looking for a Michael fanfic, check out The Only Reason by ClumsyMeggie, its absolutely brilliant! It deserves way more recognition! I've dedicated this chapter to you bc the FEELS in this fanfic god damn it xD

"C-Calum!" I choke out. It feels as if all the air has left my lungs and I'm struggling to breathe. I haven't been this close to him in ages and its too overwhelming. I feel like I deserved preparation for this moment but got none.

"Are you okay?" He looks concerned but it must just be an act. "What happened to your face?"

"Leave me alone." I blurt out before rushing past him.

"NO! Wait up! I'm sorry!" He calls.

"Why should I wait on you? Just go away, Calum." I spit.

"I'll show you why!" He shouts. I hear his footsteps behind me and try to pick up the pace. Unfortunately a hand clamps around my arm. "You're not gonna walk away." He says.

"What, are you threatening me as well now? Couldn't just leave it at the bet?" My words seem to have a strange effect on him, his face crumples in what I would have thought was guilt and he lets my arm go quickly. He's even a better actor than Ash.

"No," He says. "No I'm sorry if it came across that way."

"Well...It did. Now leave me alone, please." I walk down the street with the intention of walking alone but Calum walks into step beside me. My house is only a few minutes walk away but if its a few minutes with Calum, its a few minutes too long.

"Would you just listen to me?"

"You expect me to listen after what you did to me?" I say in outrage, coming to a stop and turning to face him with a glare. "You used me! I thought you liked me and all the time you were- you were trying to- to-" I can feel myself becoming hysterical, as I always do when talking about Calum or Jarvis, so I cut myself off and begin to walk again. I had gotten much better with the matter in the few months I barely caught a glimpse of him but the fact that he's right in front of me and we're talking about the subject makes it all the worse, causing all the memories to resurface. The ones I had tried so desperately to rid my mind of.

"Fuck." He grumbles. "Don't you wonder why I did it?"

I stop walking, confused. "What?"

"Don't you wonder why I did it? Agreed to the bet?"

"No because I already know." I sigh. "You cared about Jarvis's stupid car more than me. You couldn't afford to lose your money an-"

"BECAUSE I LOVE MY SISTER OKAY?!" He yells, his face flushed with rage. I stand in silence, unsure of what to make of this.

"It was either Jarvis sleep with you or my sister, Mali. When I tried to call the bet off he threatened to start flirting with her and-" He shakes his head. "Look, I didn't want him touching my sister and if it was you or her-"

"Then it would be me." I say, my voice sounding small.

"I figured that if I could get you to lose your-"

"DON'T SAY IT. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT." I shout, cutting him off and shaking my head. By the frown on his face, its clear he doesn't understand my outburst. Although Paige and Ashton have agreed never to talk about the subject again, I don't think either of them understood either.

Its too hard to explain. Its almost as if I don't think about it, it never happened. When people talk about it...it seems too real. I try to shove the memory of my brother's best friends into a small part of my brain - excluding Ash - and lock the door behind it. The fear of opening up that door again and facing the drama with Calum and Jarvis head first makes me feel sick. The thought of seeing Luke again has the same effect.