Another Summer | C.F

Chapter one

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ADDISON ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

"Oh my god, Steven. If I had known you would drive like a grandma, I would have asked Addi to drive," I heard Belly say from behind. Steven was driving, and I was next to him. Belly and my mom were in the back seats. "Look, that bike just passed us. Come on, drive a little faster. I will die before we get to Cousins, and I will haunt you in the other life until your last day. You heard me?" Belly continued.

"Oh, just shut the fuck up-"

"Steven, language," Mom didn't let him finish. "And Belly, stop teasing your brother. Let him drive. At least he can. You would kill us all. Now, please let me sleep."

The best I could do was to turn on the radio, hoping that would distract Belly for the rest of the ride. Summer had officially started two weeks ago, and now we were heading to Cousins, just as every year since I could recall. We would spend the next three months in the fishers' house. The Fisher brothers, Jeremiah, my best friend, the only man I could trust everything with, besides Steven. I just loved Jere. He was sweet and kind, and he would be the perfect boyfriend, but he wasn't Conrad. Conrad was the typical book boy that every girl fell for. He was mysterious without being rude. There was something about him that was just attractive. But I would never let my desire win this battle. I preferred leaving this just as it is. Just friends.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

After some hours of driving, we finally arrived at the house. As always, Belly went ahead to honk the car horn twice, announcing our arrival. The first to leave the house was Jere, who came running to greet my mother, then Steven and Belly, and finally me. He hugged me so tight that he got up from the ground with no effort. "Apparently, someone has been working out this year," I said with a smile. Two years ago, Jere started practicing soccer just like his brother, and since then, he had been determined to be as good as his brother.

"These muscles? They're nothing. Do you want to touch them?"

"I didn't think you could give me a chance like this, and I know I'll regret for the rest of my days for turning it down, but no, thanks."

"You will regret this decision. These are things that happen very rarely in life." Releasing the hug, he finally looked me up and down, more than once, until he took my hand and with the other one gave me a thumbs up. "You look incredibly beautiful, as always." And there it was the smile I've always loved. 

"Thanks, Jere. You look great too." And it was true. Jere was handsome and now muscular. He had light brown hair, and before it used to be curlier, but over time, it had become wavier, marking his facial features. Those blue eyes that caught you and gave you security were the best. For my part, I had changed since last year. I tried to focus more on my health. I started eating healthier but without stopping eating, just as I started exercising. They took my braces off a month ago, and I cut my hair a little longer than the height of my shoulders, which according to my mother, highlighted my eyes more. "Don't you think the Belly looks amazing? I mean, she's always been beautiful, but now she looks more confident, and now that she's stopped wearing her glasses, her eyes shine."

"Yeah, both of you look so hot this summer," he says, looking directly at Belly, who was now talking to Susannah."Jere, go talk to her. I know how you've always felt about her, and this summer, everything will be different. Trust me."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he tells me, now turning to face me.

"Yeah, whatever." I rolled my eyes making him know what a terrible liar he is. After that he starts telling me about his years, but once my eyes lay on him, I stop listening to whatever Jere was saying. Conrad just comes from the house and is looking at me with those beautiful blue eyes that make my legs shake and my heart pound so fast. "Hey, Adds," Jere waves a hand in front of my face, "Are you listening to me?" He just turns to what I was staring at. "Oh, right, Conrad. Now, I think it's time to follow your own advice and go talk to him. Adds, even if you deny it, I know how you feel about him. Whenever he enters the room, you just stop listening to others and focus on him. And trust me, I think he feels the same way."

And now it was my turn to deny. "I don't know what you're talking about" I answer just like she did seconds ago. "Conrad is just a friend, my friend, and I'm happy to see him again after a year. That's it. Stop creating a whole story in your head."

"Oh, yeah, and I was born yesterday. Now, I'll leave you, so he can come, and you guys can talk."

"Go talk to Belly," I tell him once he starts leaving. I follow him with my eyes until I feel someone next to me, which makes me turn. "Oh, hi, Con. How have you been?" He just turns to face me and hugs me without any warning. And without even hesitating, I hug him back. We just stay there, hugging each other for what seemed like hours, but in reality, it was just a couple of minutes.

"I've really missed you," I heard him say, with his mouth next to my ear. My relationship with Conrad has been changing with the years. At the beginning, I always saw him as a big brother. He was always protecting me. But three years ago, our relationship changed. We became really close. He knows things that not even Jere knows. So many nights, we just walk on the beach and talk.

"Me too, Con. I've missed our late-night talks." We step apart. Just as his brother was, he's now staring at me.

"You look so..." He stops, scratching his neck and breathing like he's nervous. Could Conrad Fisher be nervous about talking to me? Nah, I'm just exaggerating. "You look so fucking beautiful, Adds. Really, you've changed in a good way since last summer, and you got your braces off."

"Yep, even if no one believes it, I wanted to be healthy. I started eating better and going to the gym, and these were the results. Now, for the first time in years, I feel good with my own body." A sad smile appears on my face. Conrad is the only one who truly knows how much I have to fight with myself. I've always hated my body so much that even looking in a mirror was hard. But now, it doesn't hurt anymore.

"I'm really happy for you, really. But if you ever feel like you need somebody to listen to you, I'm here."

"Thanks, Con. Same here. I'm here for you whenever you need me." We kept staring at each other until we heard Steven call out for the belly flop of the year. It's a tradition - every first day of summer, they throw Belly into the pool, and I'm in charge of taking her phone away. Once Belly's in the pool asking for help to get out, I give her phone to Jere and head inside. In the kitchen, I hugged Susannah and greeted her. She's been like a mother to me. I hope to have a friendship like my mom and hers one day.

"Hi honey, you look stunning. Laurel, what beautiful daughters you have. All this beauty comes from you - you look just like her when she was your age. And oh! Sweetie, before I forget, I know that last year you couldn't be here for the dance due to college stuff, but you know you can participate this year. I was planning to ask Belly too, so you two can participate this year. It's your last year before college. Would you like to?"

"Yeah, sure. I promised myself this year would be different, and I think this is a great way to start. I have no doubt that Belly will agree too, she would do whatever you want just to see you happy," I told her with a sweet smile, then left to organize my clothes in the room.