Cruel Summer| Cam Cameron (1)

Big Sister

I woke up, looking at my phone to see it was already eleven. I threw my hair in a ponytail, popped my contacts in, and walked down the steps to see Laurel sitting at the table. Jeremiah was making eggs and some kind of smoothie. "Whatcha making, Jere?" I asked, sitting on the counter.

"My famous hangover smoothie," he said proudly.

"Can you hurry up with that already?" Conrad yelled from the couch with his hands on his head.

I hopped off the counter to give Jere some space, knowing he gets nervous when people watch him cook. "Just go back to bed," he told Conrad as Steven got closer watching him make the eggs. "Dude get out. It's a delicate science and you are gonna make me break the yolk with your heavy breathing."

"She hasn't painted you since you were little," Laurel said.

I turned around and looked at her confused, "Mom is painting us again? I love her but when does she see me having time to sit for this?"

Jeremiah turned on the blender, causing Conrad to jump. I laughed, "See this is payback for the migraine you gave me last night."

"Just sit still for your portraits. I don't see Conrad complaining," Laurel told us.

"He will complain when he's conscious," Jere walked over to Conrad with the smoothie and tapped his head, "Hey, here," he said, giving him the smoothie. He walked over to me and brushed my hair away from the side of my face, "Still hurt?"

I shrugged, "doesn't feel the best, but I'll manage."

Conrad sat up slowly and looked at the smoothie, "Thank you," he whispered.

"Hurry up," Steven yelled, as I sat down next to Conrad. "We can't be late."

"Belly!" I said, excitedly as she walked into the house. "Where were you?"

She smiled, "Uh just a bike ride."

I raised an eyebrow at her, "Oh-kay. Sure."

"Oh my God," mom yelled, practically flying down the stairs. "Belly is going to be a debutante."

My jaw dropped and all the guys and I shared shocked glances. "I'm sorry," Steven said. "Like Belly? Like my sister? Like that thing right there."

"That thing right there did it last year, remember?" Jere said, pointing to me.

"Yeah because mom wanted me to," I laughed. "Hours and hours of my summer I will never get back."

Conrad smirked, "At least Belly won't break her partner's toe."

I slapped his arm and rolled my eyes, "Your toes were fine don't be such a baby."

Conrad and I have quite a bit in common when it comes to the skills we have. We can both surf, play volleyball, go sailing... but he dances and I sing. On the other hand, when he tries to sing, he sounds like a dying cat... but when I try to dance I can't tell the difference between left and right. Jere can do it all. He can't sing the best but he can definitely make people smile with his voice. And he is the only person I've ever danced with without making a full of myself. 

"So which one of you boys is going to take Belly?" Mom asked, with a smile.

Conrad shook his head, "Not me, I went last year, remember."

"And I swore off balls," Jere added, still working on his eggs.

We all laughed, "Like dances you guys," he pouted. "Come on."

Belly shook her head and looked down, "Guys, stop fighting over me, wow. No, I don't need you guys. I'm going to find my own date."

"You should ask Cam," I told her.

She shook her head, "I think he likes someone else."

I rolled my eyes, "Well if he doesn't want to go to the ball with you, that's his loss. Anyone would be lucky to go with you, Button."

"We need to go shopping!" Mom said, with a smile on her face.

"Can't I just use some of Em's from last year?" Belly asked.

I smiled at her, "Of course. Anything you need. And mom roped me into being a Deb big sister... so I'll be on your team for all of it."

Laurel shook her head, "This just doesn't feel like you."

"It's not!" Conrad added.

Mom shot a hurt look at Conrad, "Could you try to be more supportive, please?"

"I mean, the only part of it that was my thing was the volleyball tourney. Which by the way... Connie and I kicked ass during. What I mean is... if you do it, you do it. If you don't then you don't. Do whatever you want Bells."

"I'm going for a swim," Conrad said bluntly, walking out of the kitchen.

I watched him walk out the door and shook my head, "I don't get why he doesn't have to work."

Mom looked at me with stern eyes, "I will handle it, not you."

"Yeah, I know," I said, putting my hands up in defense. "Are you guys ready?"

We all loaded into the car for work with Jere driving us. "Where do you think you are gonna get stuck today, big sister?" He asked with a laugh.

I shook my head, "Either ice shack where I am supposed to be, the top of the slide, or the childcare room. I really shouldn't have gotten certified for those two."

"I mean you get paid double every time they move you," he told me with a smile.

I laughed, "Yeah, yeah. Then I get to help at the Deb ball... yay."

"Can you believe Belly is doing it?" Steven asked, with a fake gaging sound.

I rolled my eyes, "Stop being dramatic. She wants to do it for mom. It's really nice of her... just remember how gross you think it is when you see some of the girls around the club without dates."

"I'm not being some Deb girls date," he stated.

"You begged me to be my date last year."

Jeremiah started laughing uncontrollably, "she got you there."

I dug into my backpack and took out a bottle of sunscreen, "Put this on," I told Jere. 

He looked at me like I had just asked him to give up swimming or kissing, "I'm not wearing that."

"Yeah," Steven laughed. "Listen to mom junior, you don't wanna get skin cancer."

Hearing that word sent pins through my jaw and chest. Taking in a breath felt like I was breathing fire. I  couldn't react, couldn't speak or I could give it away. "Yeah, just wear it. Please?"

"What is going on with the twins this summer?" Steven laughed, as Jere parked the car. 

"What the fuck do you mean"

He raised an eyebrow at me, "You are even more overprotective and Conrad is being a dick."

I bit my tongue, "I don't know. Maybe it's just part of growing up. Who knows. But we are going to be late. Let's go."