𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆 ; tsitp

01. i was riding shotgun with my hair undone

" IT'S MAGICAL "

<3

Charlie Fisher had been counting down the days until summer ever since the last school bell rang. For as long as she could remember, Cousins Beach had been her favorite place to spend the summer. She loved the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, the smell of saltwater in the air, and the feeling of sand between her toes. It was her happy place, the one spot where she could let go of all of her worries and just be herself.

Normally, a long drive would tire Charlie out. But her excitement never seemed to die out on the drive to Cousins. As she gazed out the window, watching the scenery go by, she couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. She had made this trip so many times before, yet it never lost its magic. Every year, Cousins Beach seemed to hold new surprises and adventures, and Charlie was eager to discover what this summer had in store for her.

As they arrived at the beach house, Charlie felt a rush of excitement. She hopped out of the car and breathed in the salty air, taking in the familiar sights and sounds of the beach. The house had been in her family for generations, and it held a special place in her heart. She ran up the steps and burst through the door, eager to explore the house and see what had changed since last summer.

Inside, the house was just as she remembered it. The walls were adorned with seashells and driftwood, and the air was filled with the sound of seagulls and crashing waves. Charlie couldn't help but smile as she ran her fingers over the old wooden furniture, feeling the history and memories that were ingrained in every inch of the house.

"I don't know how you still looked shocked every time you see the house even though we've been going here for years." Jeremiah remarked, stepping into the house with several of their bags in tow.

"That's because it's magical." Charlie joked, shoving her brothers shoulder lightly.

"Magical indeed, Ellie." her mother Susannah walked in, Conrad right behind her with the rest of their luggage. Her mother had always called her Ellie. When she was younger she always asked why she was called Ellie. Susannah said it was because her middle name was Eloise, but Charlie still wondered why she chose to call her by her middle name rather than her first.

Susannah extended her arms out in a motherly manner. "Come here my babies." Charlie and Jeremiah looked to each other with amusement before bouncing over to their mother. The enveloped her in a big hug, Conrad joining in soon after.

"I have a good feeling about this summer." Susannah whispered with a smile. The four withdrew from their hug and began to go around the house as if they always lived there.

Charlie couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging as she walked through the rooms, memories flooding back to her. She remembered all the summers spent with her family, the endless days spent on the beach, and the nights spent laughing and talking on the porch. This was her home away from home, her sanctuary, and she was excited to see what adventures this summer would bring.

Charlie found herself in her room, which hadn't changed since last summer. The same baby blue walls were littered with photographs and old posters. She smiled as she saw her favorite poster of the Spice Girls still hanging above her bed. Charlie walked over to her desk and saw that her journal was still there, waiting for her to fill it with new memories.

She sat down on her bed and looked around the room. It was just as she remembered it, cozy and familiar. Charlie felt a sense of calm wash over her, knowing that she was back in this room, in this house, with her family.

As she sat there, Charlie heard the sound of waves crashing against the shore. She got up from her bed and walked over to the window. She looked out and saw the tide gently crashing against the shore. Charlie couldn't wait to get down to the beach and feel the sand between her toes.

Suddenly, there was a honk from outside.

"They're here!" Susannah screamed from downstairs. A smile crept its way onto Charlie's face. They were all together again. She ran down the stairs and out of the house, eager to see the Conklin trio.

Jeremiah was already outside, hugging Steven tightly. Belly had just stepped out of the car, and Charlie was instantly in awe of how beautiful she looked.

"Belly!" she shouted, running to her best friend. As soon as Belly saw her, she ran full speed to the already running Charlie. The two collided into a joyful hug, squealing and jumping in excitement.

"Oh my god, I missed you so much." Charlie beamed. She squeezed Belly into another quick hug before releasing her. Belly just laughed, she was used to her antics.

"I missed you too, Charlie." Belly smiled fondly at her blonde friend. "You look so pretty." she added.

"Me? Honey, have you seen yourself?" Charlie grasped Belly's face between her and hands and shook her a little bit. "You're fucking gorgeous."

Belly blushed, putting her hands on top of Charlie's.

"Look who came back all grown up." Jere came over to Belly picking her up and spinning her around. Charlie turned to see Steven and her smile grew even more. She jumped into his arms, causing him to use one arm to support her leg.

"Hey, Stevie." she laughed at the nickname she knew he hated. Steven gave her a look, "Hey, Char Char." he mocked. Charlie stuck her tongue out at the him, and jumped out of his arms.

The two walked over to the moms, Steven hugging Susannah and Charlie hugging Laurel. "Hi, Laurel." she hugged her tightly, having missed her second mom dearly.

"Hi, sweetie. How have you been?" Laurel asked sweetly. Laurel was always someone Charlie went to her advice, or just a talk. She always felt comfortable sharing things with her.

"I've been great. Super excited for summer though." Laurel just smiled at that, because she too couldn't wait for summer.

The moms had walked into the house, and Steven, Jeremiah, and Charlie walked over to Belly and Conrad. "Hey, guys, guys. I mean, I don't know about you, but I think it's time," Steven paused to look at his pretend watch, along with Jeremiah. "for a belly flop!"

Belly's eyes widened. She sprinted away, and Steven caught her, but she wiggled out of his grip. She managed to escape for a second, but the boys quickly caught up to her. Conrad grabbed her upper body, while Steven and Jeremiah grabbed her legs.

They went over to the pool and counted off before tossing Belly into the pool. She resurfaced quickly, "Guys, I hurt my ankle." Charlie was concerned until Belly winked at her, telling her that it was fake.

Charlie smirked, tapping Jeremiah chest, telling him to stand back. Conrad went to go help her up, but she wasted no time in pulling him into the pool with her.

"Did your mom get that fancy cheese or whatever?" Steven asked out of the blue.

"Dude, don't worry. She went out yesterday and got all of that." Jeremiah reassured him.

"Ooh, yeah she also got those garlic crackers that Belly and I really liked." Charlie added. The trio continued to talk about cheeses and crackers, and how they should make a cheese board. They walked up the stairs and soon separated when they came to their own rooms.

It was falling into place. Charlie thought to herself. It was finally beginning to feel like summer.

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