Cruel Summer - Conrad Fisher

twenty-nine

I sat in the living room, my notebook in my lap, writing while Jeremiah, Isla and Steven played video games on the TV. Isla might look tiny and sweet, but playing games with her is dangerous. She's mouthy and violent, not afraid to shove Jeremiah to win. Currently, she was pushing his side, trying to get him to swerve his car in the game out of the way, "Flo, control your best friend," Jere says, although he's laughing, enjoying her antics more than he'll admit.

"She's a free spirit," I shrug, tapping the end of my pencil against my paper in thought, "she can't be controlled."

"Except by my parents," She rolls her eyes. To be honest, I'm still shocked her parents let her stay a week here. I'm sure they were going crazy right now. She'd tried asking them to stay longer, and neither budged.

"You mean the same parents I called a few hours ago and said you could stay for the rest of the summer?" Jeremiah asked. He said it so casually it took Isla and I a minute to comprehend what he said, his smirk growing at our shocked expressions.

"Y-you called me parents?" Isla asks him, stuttering, "I can stay?" Jeremiah nods, and it takes less than a second for Isla to drop her remote, jumping onto Jeremiah's lap and tackling him into a hug, her face buried in the crook of his neck.

"It was nothing," Jeremiah's cheeks are bright red as he wraps his arms around my best friend's torso.

"This is not nothing, Jere," She uses his nickname so effortlessly like she's known him for longer than she actually has, "thank you." She pulls back, and I think they both realize just how close they are because their eyes go wide, and Isla climbs off his lap, her cheeks bright red.

"What's going on in here?" Conrad walks into the room, noticing how Jere and Isla completely disregarded their remote controls, both wearing matching blushes. He looks at me, and I have to bite my lip to control the grin that wants to spread across my lips. When I woke up after my nap, the two of us didn't say much, everyone else coming home shortly after.

In unison, both Jere and Isla answer his question, "Nothing."

"Isla's staying for the rest of the summer," Steven explains, pausing the TV, "and we're going out to celebrate, Shayla's throwing a party, and you're all coming."

I point to my head with my pencil, "I'm concussed," I remind him, tapping my temple lightly, "so no partying for me."

"Yeah," Isla kicks my brother lightly, rolling her eyes at his forgetfulness, "and I am hanging out with my best friend because I feel extremely guilty about ditching her all afternoon."

I bite my tongue, refraining myself from saying she shouldn't feel guilty. I had a great afternoon, knowing she'll find that suspicious and question both Conrad and I. Which I'd typically be fine with, but not in front of Jeremiah and Steven. I feel guilty for wanting her to go, guilty that I want more time with Conrad, alone.

I also selfishly want her to spend more time with Jeremiah. They don't know it yet, but they'd be perfect together, and I'm determined for the two of them to see that.

"I'm just going to be writing tonight," I tell Isla, raising my notebook, "I've got a lot of work to get done. You should go. Let me live vicariously through you."

Isla glances at Jeremiah and Steven, who are both looking at her for a response, sighing before she says, "okay, I'm in."

"Conrad?" Steven asks, looking back at the other boy. Conrad eyes me out of the corner of his eye, and I look back down at my book, trying not to catch his gaze.

"I think I might hang back tonight," Conrad says nonchalantly, his gaze flickering back over to me, "I'm pretty tired."

I watch out of the corner of my eye as Isla looks between Conrad and me, her eyes widening in realization, "wait-"I kick her from where I'm sitting a few feet away, glaring. Shooting her a look that says we'll talk about this later, "shouldn't we be leaving now?" At that, both Steven and Jeremiah both stand, getting their phones and keys before leaving, all waving goodbye to Conrad and I before going, "have a good time writing, Flo." Isla winks before closing the door behind her.