When August Ends

Chapter 28

I walk into Jeremiah's room when Conrad and I arrived back at the house.

"Hey" Jeremiah sits up when he sees me. "Honestly I haven't been paying much attention to the movie. I've been researching the trial. I think she really has a chance Y/N"

I smile at him and go sit down on the bed. "That's great Jere!"

He wraps his arm around me and pulls me closer to him. "I was also thinking" he starts. "We should probably tell everyone about us. Like I know they kind of know but you know make it an official announcement"

"Oh uhm" I start and Jere looks at me. "Oh if you aren't ready I completely understand"

"No-I-well okay so" I start and Jere looks at me and I turn to look at him. He removes his arm from around my shoulder and moves it to my hand.

"So I was actually just at the beach, like a few minutes ago" I say and Jeremiah nods. "Yeah and uh well Conrad came with me"

Jeremiah scrunches his face at the thought of me alone with Conrad.

"And we were walking and talking you know about this summer and your mom and everything" I say. "And we kissed"

Jeremiah draws his hand away from mine immediately. "You kissed my brother? My brother? I shouldn't have left you two alone. You said you were over him!"

"No-Jere- we didn't want too upset you so" I begin to say but Jeremiah cuts me off.

"You're already a we? You guys are official?" Jeremiah asks his face turning red.

"Yes-no-Jeremiah if I could just explain" I start.

"No. Get out" he says harshly. "Now"

"Jere- you don't mean that" I say and he nods. "Yes I do. Get out"

I get up from the bed with tears in my eyes.

"You know I should've known I was just a distraction until you could have Conrad. You've always loved him more and cared for him more then you ever did me." Jeremiah says. "This was a low blow. You know my mom has cancer right?"

"Jeremiah I didn't plan for it like this. I love you too!" I say back.

"Congratulations on your fucking relationship" his face his fully red with anger.

I begin to walk out of the room.

"Just so you know" Jeremiah starts again. "I've loved you and cared for you way longer than Conrad has"

I bite my lip and another tear slips. "I would've never broken your heart the way he did multiple times. He'll continue to do it too" Jeremiah says and I open the door leaving. I'm sobbing once I close the door behind me.

I head towards my bedroom and try to go in quickly but I hear Conrad's voice. "How'd it go?"

I turn into his bedroom and he gets up immediately coming to engulf me in a hug.

"He was so angry" I sob harder.

"Shhhh" Conrad rubs his hand on my back and shuts his room door. "Let's sit down"

He leads us to the bed closing the door.

I sit on his bed wiping my eyes as more tears fall. He sits down next to me.

He slowly brings his hand up to my face. "He's a mess of emotions right now. We all are. He probably didn't mean anything he said"

He wipes his thumb over my cheek catching a tear.

"Here, this is yours" Conrad pulls a box out from the drawer on the side of his bed.

He pulls out the necklace that he presented to me when he asked me to the dance. The day I rejected him.

He pulls it out of the box and I move closer to him. He places the rose gold chain around my neck as a pearl lays in the middle.

He clips it together and backs away slowly admiring me. "It looks beautiful on you"

"Thank you. I love it" I say quietly placing my hand on it for a moment.

I look up at Conrad and move closer. I lean in and we hover over each others lips for a moment before kissing.

He brings his hand up to my hair and I move even closer to him.

He slides his hand down to my waist and places his other one on my side. He pulls me on top of him.

He moves down to kissing my jawline and neck.

"Conrad-I don't think we should do this" I say. He stops immediately and looks at me.

"What do you mean? We don't have to go further then this-I'm not trying to make you do anything you don't want too" he says shaking his head.

"No-I mean us. This is wrong. You and Jeremiah need each other right now and me and you being together would make that possible" I say.

"What-no. Don't worry about what Jeremiah said. He'll get over it" Conrad says pushing my hair out of my face.

"And when he does then we can be together" I say holding his hand.

We sit quietly for a moment.

"I just want you guys to be able to get along right now. You need each other and Susannah is going to need you too" I say. "And us being together would make everything so much more complicated when it doesn't have to be"

He squeezes my hand. "It doesn't have to be. Jeremiah will understand, he'll come around"

I look at him again and sigh. "I'm sorry Connie"

He nods his head. "I understand. I want whatever you want"

I lean in and hug him. He holds me close.

"I'm going to head into my room" I say quietly.

"Okay-yeah. Have a goodnight" he says.

I climb off of him and go towards the door.

"Goodnight Conrad" I say before walking out.