august, conrad fisher

ten

"connie? are you awake?" i asked almost whispering when i entered his room in the middle of the night.
"hm?" he groaned from his bed.
"so, uh i kinda have a meltdown right now. the ball is today and i don't have a dress, i don't know how to wear my hair, i don't know what jewelry to wear, i don't what make up to do, i don't know if i'm gonna remember the dance, because even though i've been to all rehearsals i have the feeling to have two left feet and can't memorize anything, the only thing i have are shoes"
"come here" he sat up and made some space so i could sit.

"you'll be fine" he rubbed my back softly and brushed through my hair.
"bow would you know? i don't mean to sound mean, but how would you know?" i asked desperately.

"i wanted to save this for when you woke up but i think you need this now" conrad got up and went across his room opening his closet and pulling a big black bag out.
"c'mon, open"
i went after him and opened the bag.
"you didn't."
"i did."

in the bag was the dress i saw at the vintage store store a few days ago.
"but it was way to expensive, h-how could you, no why would you afford this?" i still couldn't take my eyes off it.
"i told my mom about it so she paid and i picked it up. no big deal"
"duh, yes it is. thank you so much" i took my eyes off the dress and kissed him.

"so you can't dance?" he asked teasingly.
"hey, i never said i CAN'T dance, i said i'm not sure if i remember it. that's a huge difference."

he got his phone from the night stand, tipped on it until music started quietly to play.
"well, however, i can help you" he offered his hands to me.
"but not like this"
"huh?" he lowered his hands beside his body and looked confused.
"one second" i quickly ran out the door.

i returned after 5 minutes with a small basket full of stuff.
"what is that?" conrad asked even more confused than 5 minutes ago.
"i won't practice dancing in a flashlight."
i quickly set up some fairy lights and a few candles.
"you're so cheesy" he hugged me from behind.
"mhm, yea, yea. you know i don't mind"

we started dancing, while in the beginning i stepped a lot on his feet, i got pretty good at the end.
after repeating the routine for like five times we sat back down onto his bed and started talking.

"feel better about later?" he asked while stroking through my hair.
"yea, definitely. thank you. i think i should go back to my room and catch some sleep. i already know now that i'll die when i get up"

i stood up and put the candles back into the basket.
"you can sleep here. i mean only if you want, you don't have to"
"i really would, but laurel or belly or your mom is gonna wake me tomorrow, and i think it might seem a little weird. not because this is weird, it is not, but because i think we should tell them before they find out on their own."
"yea, no, makes totally sense. good night then"
"good night"
"wait, you forgot your lights"
"keep them. your room needed a warm touch anyway."

✩★✩

"are you ready for the big day?" susannah said when she woke me up in the morning and sat next to me in the bed.
"honestly, i think i am. i mean i was really nervous before but conrad really helped me with that"
"of course he did. just hold on to him and nothings gonna go wrong tonight"

"oh my god, am i late?" belly asked when she ran in my door.
"nah, you're fine" i lifted the blanket so she could slip under.
"you ready?"
"not at all"
"oh, yes, you are." susannah wanted to cheer her up.

"what if i trip?"
"you won't. just hold on to jeremiah's arm. he won't let you fall."
belly laughed softly. god, how i adore her laugh.
"that's true."