Finding 4

Chapter 8

Callum

Those messages were not something that you send to your girlfriend. You don't get mad at her like that for making another girl cry. Why does he even care about other girls?

But whatever.

It's none of my business.

That's Marley's life. It's her boyfriend. I highly doubt she wants to hear what I have to say about him, even if I've only seen a few messages.

Finley picks up his drum sticks and I plop down on the couch that sits in his garage. The tv is already on, and a random show playing on it.

"All right," Niall walks in, rubbing his hands together.

I chuckle at him, watching as he walks over to his guitar. It's very clear that music is Niall's passion. Whether it's something he enjoys, or something that gives him an escape. Either way, it's clear that kid will never love anything like he loves music.

For the next hour, I sit on the couch, listening to my two best friends play the drums and guitar, occasionally arguing whenever something doesn't sound right, and then going back to being lovers like nothing ever happened whenever something sounds good.

<>

"Hey Dellie," I smile as my grandmother engulfs me into a hug. Her warm smell and presence washes over me, and it feels like nothing could ever go wrong.

"Oh how I missed you," she pats my cheek with one of her hands. "You're growing too fast."

I slightly laugh, shaking my head as I do. "It's been two weeks."

"Two weeks too long," she adds as I sidestep her into the house and she bends down to hug Kennedy.

As I walk away from the front door, where Dellie and the rest of my family are conversing, I search for a few faces in particular. I push open the kitchen door and step inside, my eyes landing on my Uncle Johnny and Aunt Shannon.

And then they land on Connor, and we both smile.

"Cally Wally," my cousin beams as he walks over to me. He sticks his hand out and we dap up.

"Conny Wonny," I reply as we hug, still smiling.

I haven't seen my cousins since July, and it's been painful. They're like my best friends, especially Connor.

"God you two are weird," Caoimhe rolls her eyes as she walks past us and sets herself into a stool.

"You're just upset because you don't have a bond like me and Cally Wally do." Connor teases her, twisting his body to face his younger sister.

"Exactly," I reply as I move for my Aunt Shannon. "Hi."

She smiles and wraps me into a hug "How are you?"

"Grand," I reply, "yourself?"

"Good," she smiles and cups my face. "You look older than when I last saw you."

I chuckle and Uncle Johnny claps me on the shoulder "His balls finally dropped."

Both Connor and Rory burst out into laughter, almost crumpling over to the floor. I don't find it funny, instead I glare at my uncle, who's still snickering to himself. Even Shannon has her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh.

"That's not funny," I defend.

"It is funny," a familiar deep voice says.

When I turn around and my eyes land on Gibsie, a smile spreads across my face. Walking over to him, I stick out my hand and he daps me up, mirroring my smile.

"Wow you really are getting tall," he says as he eyes me up and down. "Almost as tall as me."

I playfully roll my eyes at his comment. "Yeah, yeah."

Gibsie chuckles and then the curly headed girl steps into my view, a smile on her face.

"Claire," I say still smiling. "It's good to see ya."

"You too," she chuckles as she pulls me down into a hug. "Alright there, yeah?"

"Yeah, how about you?"

"I'm grand," she beams.

I haven't seen most of my extended family since the summer, so this is like one big reunion. The door swings open, and the sound of talking and laughing fills the kitchen as the rest of the clan piles in.

Moments later, we are all seated in the back yard around a big bonfire. The adults are all off on the drink, and the kids are watching back and laughing...and taking the occasional steal of a drink when nobody is looking.

"You're a big softie Kav," Feely slurs, "admit it."

"I am not!" Johnny slurs back at his long-time friend.

"Oh but you are," Gibsie chimes in, tossing an arm around Patrick's shoulders. "A big ole soft softie."

"I'm not a big ole soft softie," Johnny mumbles quietly as he lowers himself back next to Shannon.

I snicker to myself as I watch the interaction. The load of them have been friends for forever, and yet they still keep things interesting every single hang out.

"Callum," someone whispering behind me catches my attention, and I twist around to find the source. My eyes land on Connor, and he lifts up his hand wheres he's fisting a whiskey bottle. "Come on."

Looking back at the fire I make sure nobody is watching before I stand up and follow after my cousin. He leads us to the treehouse, where Aidan Feely, Brannon Biggs, and Sadie Gibson sit.

"Did you get it?" Brannon asks Connor when the two of us make it the top of the wooden treehouse.

Connor smiles and holds up the whiskey bottle, earning a loud cheer from the three sitting on the floor. Aidan, who's wrapped himself up in a big, bright pink paw patrol blanket, with the Sky dog on it, is the first to grab ahold of the drink.

"Thanks lad." He claps Connor on the back as he lowers himself down next to him.

I sit down too, and we all accidentally form a circle.

"We look like a cult," Sadie snickers to herself, taking the bottle from Aidan when he passes it to her.

"Well we can just use that as a cover up if someone finds us," I reply, watching as her face morphs when she takes a huge swig out of the bottle.

"Jesus Sadie," Brannon laughs "slow down before your body goes into shock."

She rolls her eyes, a playful smile on her face. "Sorry that I like to have fun."

"Yeah because puking your brains out is just a grand ole time." Connor replies, watching me as I take the bottle from Sadie.

Sadie and Connor are like Johnny and Gibsie reincarnated. Literally, the two are attached at the hip. Even a crowbar wouldn't tear the two bollocks apart. They even have the same personalities as their father's, bickering and joking like an old married couple.

The whiskey stings against my tongue as I take a swig, and it burns down my throat as I swallow said swig.

"When did the two of you become a pair of alcoholics?" Aidan chokes out with a laugh.

"We aren't alcoholics," Sadie and I defend at the same time, and without even looking at each other we high five for being on cue.

"God you're a bunch of eejits," Brannon shakes his head.

A/N

Hey guys! Sorry this took so long to get out and it's kind of plain, it's been a rough week lol.