august, conrad fisher

two

"how could you be so irresponsible?" laurel was really pissed.
"mom, it wasn't a big deal, alright? they were breaking up the bonfire anyway" steven tried to calm the situation down but only made it worse.
"not a big deal?! i would say being picked up by the cops for underage drinking is a huge deal, steven."

"were you guys smoking?"
and we all could smell it.
"keep your voice down, susannah is asleep on the couch"
"i wasn't yelling"

"you're the oldest. what has gotten into you?" she said to conrad who couldn't be less bothered.
"and you? what were you doing there? how did you get there? and what on earth are you wearing?"
belly looked like she just saw a ghost.
"it's taylor's. and i walked there"

"just so you know, our driver wasn't drunk"
i think Jeremiah didn't know that with that the focus was on me after that exclamation.
"don't even let me get started on you. tonight you disappointed me the most. maybe you weren't drinking, but you picked them up without telling anyone where you were going. i don't know how to trust you with bigger things when you can't even handle this. you should've been a better example for belly. you fucked up, i'm sorry"
wow. that hurt. i felt my guts twisting.

"maybe if you want us to act like adults, then you should act like them too" conrad said.
"i just want you to know that tonight could've ended different if your family wasn't your family"
"sorry laur"
"just go to bed already"
with that we went upstairs cause no one wanted to be here a second longer.
i stayed on the staircase when i heard that she was talking to conrad.
"what's going on with you this summer?"
"nothing"
"you know you can always talk to me connie"
"i know"
conrad brushed past me on the stairs but looked down when he saw that i didn't went after him.
"come lane, tonight was enough trouble, you should go and sleep"

   ✩★✩

we were sitting all around in the kitchen eating breakfast. well everyone besides susannah and conrad.
i didn't knew were susannah was, but conrad was laying on the couch with headache.

"do we really have to physically sit for our portraits? can't she just, like, look at a picture on her phone or something?" jeremiah said while mixing his hangover smoothie.
"she needs to see you in the flesh in order to capture your essence. while you're still young and full of hope." laurel meant looking up from her laptop.
"her words" that made more sense.
"well conrad doesn't have any hope. look at him, he looks shitty" jere said laughing.
"don't get confused by that. it's his natural look" i spoke up.
conrad groaned from the couch
"Just hurry"

susannah brushed in swiftly.
"belly is going to be a debutant!"
"i'm sorry? like belly? my sister belly? like that thing right there?"
"shut up, cretin"
she clearly wasn't so happy that it got that much attention.
"okay, this is gonna be so much fun. just you wait. there is, uh... there's the tea, the auction, the ball, of course, the rehearsal. i got to write this down."
she  gasps.
"we need to go shopping. are you sure you don't wanna do it, lane?"
"oh, no i'm good. but thanks. i'm gonna go to my room."

when i was on the upper floor i saw conrad coming out of my room.
"what were you doing?"
"i just gave you something i don't need anymore" he said, leaning on the door frame while i walked in.

i saw small paper cutouts and something that looked like tea in a plastic bag.
"what's that?"
i felt him coming up behind me so i felt his breath on my neck.
"it's my cigarettes"
"i don't smoke"
i turned around and faced him.
"i know. but i got something for quitting. a deal is a deal"
i hate to admit how nervous i was with him so close.
he turned to go out.

"do you remember yesterday? the car? i mean you were pretty wasted"
"i remember everything when i'm drinking"
he was on his way out when i said more.
"belly told me you have something like a girlfriend. nicole?"
i couldn't help but being jealous.
"oh, yea. i'm gonna break up with her"
"how?"
"why do you care?" he asked almost upset.
"you are cold hearted conrad. you break people's hearts"
without a word he left.