Disclaimer: No 'real' men depicted in this chapter. All are fictionalised beings from the mind of a woman who has watched and read WAY TOO MANY romance movies/novels.

Don't expect to find a Flynn. They don't exist.

Anyhoo... enjoy.

Ps. Didn't proofread. Will do in the morning.

_____

"Look at you," mum hooted as I walked into the living room, dressed head to toe in formal clothing. "You look like those white fellas from those American teen movies!" From her spot on the couch, mum turned away from me and the TV, calling out as loudly as she could, "Deb! Come look at your nephew! He's looking real good, aye."

Not long after, my aunt emerged. And not far behind her came Charlie and Hunter, running into the room.

Immediately, the tie began to feel too tight on my neck, like it was cutting my oxygen. I tugged at my collar, and my aunt crossed the room, swatting at my hand until my arm fell limp by your side.

"You look great, Flynn," she quickly said, small smile taking hold of her face. "So don't play with your collar. You'll stretch your clothes." Then she took a step back, gaze going over me. "That Callie girl don't know what's coming for her."

I barked a scoff, feeling my cheeks turn to flames as I turned away from her. "Yeah, sure. Whatever." With that, I walked over to the kitchen, picking up my car keys—Uncle Jimmy's old car keys. "See you later," I muttered.

"Oi, Flynn," mum called as I passed the living room, eager to escape this mortifying situation.

"What?" I groaned, wishing I could just leave already.

"Treat her right, okay? Don't be taking advantage of her tonight or anything."

"Duh, mum."

"I'm serious. Keep it in your pa—"

"Oh my gosh, yes. It's just the formal. We aren't going to any parties after, alright? I'm picking her up. We're going to an event chaperoned by teachers and parents. And then I'm taking her home and I'll come back here."

Her eyes narrowed at me. "Mhmm. Just... don't be scaring her away. She makes you better."

"I know that..." I mumbled back before heading out the door. Though what really had me stumped was that she knew that.

I thought this whole time my mum had been too intoxicated to notice anything about me.

As I pulled into her driveway, my heart began to hammer in my chest. While meeting up with Callie sometimes still overwhelmed me as we got used to the newness of each other all over again, wearing this penguin costume while knocking on her door (with most likely her father answering) was bringing back the beads of sweat.

I took a couple of deep breaths before climbing out of the car.

And, with shaky knees, walked up to the door.

Then raised my trembling hand to knock.

But the door swung open before my knuckles had the chance to collide with the wood.

"We heard you pull up," Callie's mum said with a knowing smile as she evidently noted my surprise.

"Damn, Flynn!" Lexi called from inside, stepping around Sara who was standing next to her in the living room while Cory was in the midst of taking photos of them. "You wash up real good!"

With a slight groan, I said, "You sound like my mum."

Sara took a step closer—both girls in awkward fumbling movements in response to the heels they were evidently not used to—leaning around Lily to get a better look at me. "Did you get a hair cut?" she asked.

Hand instinctively shooting up to twirl a bit of my hair, I mumbled a, "Yeah," and averted my eyes as I stepped into the house, closing the door behind me.

"It looks good," she quickly said.

"Though I think Callie will be mad," Lexi muttered under her breath, as though she hadn't intended for me to hear it.

"Mad?" I responded. "Why?"

Lexi's eyes grew wide in surprise, clearly not expecting me to have heard her previous statement. "Oh... um... it's one of her favourite features of you."

It was impossible to stop the grin (quickly followed by the heat slamming through my face) to know that Callie even talks about me or my 'features' to others... Let alone her sister of all people.

But then the smile quickly dropped as I realised she was about to hate—

Stopping me in my tracks was a figure exiting a room down the hallway. "Mum," she called out. "Have you seen where I put my—"

But as she walked down the hallway, eyes turned to the ground for the most part, ever so slowly she lifted her gaze.

Pausing in step as her eyes landed on me, her face was blank for a couple of beats of my heart.

Making my stomach churn at the idea of what she thought about how I looked. About the suit. About the haircut.

But distracting me immediately from that worry was her.

Wearing a dress the colour of the sky that cascaded down her body like a waterfall—bringing me right back to the time at the creek—a long slit ran up the edge of the dress, revealing her prosthetic leg with each step. The dress hugged her in all the right places. The sleeves hung loosely off her shoulders in a purposeful design. Her breasts only slightly peeked out from the neckline. And where the dress cinched at her waist, the fabric flew down.

She hadn't put her shoes on yet.

But her curly brown longs had been thrown into a bun, a few intentionally escaping the updo to frame her face and accentuate her delicate neck.

Had her parents not been in the room, I would have allowed myself to imagine just what it would be like to pull her into my arms, to run my hands all over that dress that hugged her body in all the right places, and to press my lips in the hollow of her neck.

But alas, those thoughts were best saved for times her father wasn't dissecting every part of me.

"You... Y... Callie... You..." I tried and fumbled to find the words, but what even were the words to describe her.

At that moment, Lexi and Sara snuck up on either side of me, whispering in my ear, "Beautiful? Stunning? Breath-taking?"

"You look deadly gorgeous," I finally got out.

Callie's nervous face immediately rid itself of its worries, an even more beautiful smile taking her face hostage. And, without even saying a word, her gorgeous grey eyes trailed me up and down.

A move that would have made me churn in awkwardness was lost as I stood there, gawking at her.

"You look very handsome yourself," she said softly, one side of her mouth turning up in a coy smile. "Though what on earth did you do with your hair?"

Coming back to reality, my hand shot up, playing with the styled locks. "Is it bad?" I asked.

She shook her head and closed the distance between us, peering up at me through her mascara-coated lashes, her frangipani and rose-scented perfume hitting me with full-force, making me go weak at the knees and tempted to carry her straight out of here. "It's nice... but I prefer my Flynn in all his ruggedness if I'm being honest," she smiled at me.

And while it did still make me a little insecure, the fact that Callie liked me just as I am... well... "I'll grow it back."

Her brows came together as she whispered, just for me to hear, "You better."

"Okay, okay," Cory interrupted us. "Now that we're all here and ready, let's take a group—"

"Hold on," Callie interrupted. "I was looking for my necklace." And, with that, Callie darted off again, Lily not far behind her to help her find it.

"What's so important about the necklace?" I asked the group.

Though Sara rolled her eyes. "Accessories are important, Flynn," she responded, withholding the 'duh'.

It seemed they found it with little effort. Emerging from Lily's room, Callie hurried back down the hallway, joining Lexi, Sara, and myself as we ushered in for the photo. Sneaking one final glance down at my beautiful girl as I snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her even closer, I let my eyes glance down at the silver chain adorning her neck. Immediately, I went to turn away. But as what I saw as the pendant finally registered in my brain, I quickly turned to look back.

"Hey, Flynn, you're supposed to look at the camera," Cory called out.

Feeling my eyes on her, Callie turned her gaze upwards, cocking an eyebrow that said 'what'. But as her gaze searched my face, she quickly realised where I was looking.

"Like it?" she then whispered, a knowing smile on her face that hinted she already knew my answer.

"Where'd you find it?"

"In one of the many cheap jewellery shops. It will probably rust quickly and may turn my neck blue but... I had to get it."

"It suits you," I breathed.

"I know," she whispered back.

With that, I pulled my eyes away from hers and the frog pendant gracing her collar bone. Little effort needed, the four of us smiled at the camera, capturing this part of our lives in digital form forever.

If writer's block doesn't hit me too hard... I might finish this book tomorrow.