Jude Bellingham

Jude hadn't expected to see you here.

You'd come with your older brother—as you always had whenever the families crossed paths—but tonight felt... different. Somewhere between the last time he'd seen you and now, the kid who used to trail behind him and your brother had quietly disappeared.

He noticed.

He wished he hadn't.

"Oi, Jude." One of the boys nudged him with an elbow before subtly nodding in your direction. "Your mate's little sibling's here."

"Don't start," Jude muttered without even looking over. "What? We're just saying they've grown up."

"Yeah," another laughed. "Bet your best mate would love hearing we've been catching you looking."

Jude clicked his tongue, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck before shooting them a flat look.

"You lot ever shut up?"

"So you were looking."

"Didn't say that."

"Didn't have to."

A few of them burst into laughter while your brother looked up from across the room, immediately sensing something was happening. "What're you idiots laughing at?"

*"Nothing!" Someone answered far too quickly.

"They're winding themselves up," Jude replied dryly before anyone else could speak.

"Mm." Your brother narrowed his eyes. "Good. Keep it that way."

Another chorus of snickers spread through the room, earning a glare from Jude that was enough to make two of them raise their hands in surrender.

"Hopeless..." he muttered under his breath.

Shaking his head, he stepped away from the noise and wandered toward the quieter hallway, hoping for thirty seconds of peace.

...Only to stop when he noticed someone else had escaped the party too.

You.

Of course.

He leaned against the wall with a quiet sigh, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Congratulations." A faint, tired smirk tugged at one corner of his mouth. "Apparently we're tonight's entertainment."