Our Summer

2

After dinner, I went to my room and put on a swimsuit, and grabbed a towel to go night swimming. When I got outside I saw Conrad smoking.

"I thought you said smoking pot changes the way your brain processes information." "So does your cell phone." I put my towel down and dived into the pool.

I swam up to Conrad, "You said marijuana messes with white matter." He laughed. "Do you even know what white matter is?"

"You said our brains are still developing and that..." "God, do you memorize every single thing that I've ever said?"

Yes

I didn't answer him and I went back underwater. I came back up and turned to him.

"I mean, Conrad, you're the one who said that-that smoking's dumb and that real athletes don't put shit in their bodies."

"I said a lot of stuff, and I'm not an athlete anymore, so..."

"Well, I still think you should quit." I smiled at him.

"What'll you give me if I do?" The world stopped. I would give Conrad anything in the world, but I can't.

"Nothing. I think you should quit for yourself."

"Are you and Belly really considering this debutante thing?"

"I mean, it's not like we have anything else going on."

"But it's not you. Belly, maybe but it's not you. Don't let my mom make you her little doll just because she never had a daughter."

"Conrad, I'm doing it because I want to. Plus I don't mind it. Sometimes I wish I was her daughter."

"You're better off with your mom. Trust me."

"Why are you acting so different?" "I'm not."

"Conrad, I know you. I mean, something's going on. Just... just tell me."

"Y/N..."

"First bonfire of the summer!" Jeremiah and Steven yelled.

"Can Belly and I come, too?" "Uh, no." Steven said.

"The moms are getting everything set up for your movie night."

Right our movie night that Belly and I used to do with the moms. I walked into Belly's room and knocked on her door.

"Bells?"

"Yeah?" "How do you feel about skipping movie night and going to the bonfire?"

"Amazing. But why now?"

"So Conrad and I were talking by the pool, just the two of us, and it... felt different."

"Good different? See, I told you. He's acting weird."

"I don't, I don't know. I mean, Jeremiah and Steven came down, and then they all just left and went to the bonfire on the beach. And it's not like they invited us either."

"Well, I-I did talk to this one guy, before we got here, um, who asked me to come."

"Yes Bells! Come on, girl, let's have fun."

"Yeah, but... I don't like that guy."

"It's fine Belly. Im sure you find a cuter, better guy there."

"I'm sure they don't want us there though."

"Bells, we can't let our new hot selves go to waste. Look we get there, get in the Fisher boy's eye line and let them see us all dressed up and looking cute. And boom they're not gonna know what hit them."