dylan ivy conklin went back to cousins beach every year hoping to see that one familiar face from seventh grade latin convention. but when she does, he's into her fraternal twin sister isabel.
"and then he left me for someone who looks just like me...
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— 006. but not kiss —
AFTER DYLAN HAD PUSHED PAST belly she made her way downstairs. she dismissed the looks she earned from jeremiah as she entered the guest bathroom and put on her two piece bathing suit.
"where are you going?" jeremiah asks as dylan exits the bathroom. "the beach. tell connie i'm using his surfboard." dylan says as jeremiah scoffs, "you can't surf this late lannie." he says as she groans.
"it's nine o'clock at night jere." she says as she opens the back door, shutting it quietly. as she took the path down to the beach she couldn't stop thinking about what belly said. "you don't even know what love looks like dylan."
she knew belly didn't mean dylan had no clue about love from family, because she had lots of it. but she knew belly meant romantically and to dylan, that was a low blow.
all of dylan's bad thoughts immediately washed away as she heard the sounds of the waves crushing together. she then rushed to the water as she struggled to catch a wave. she remembered that jere was the one who taught her to surf.
it was one of the core memories the two shared together. jere couldn't keep himself from laughing every time dylan slipped on the board and it was one of her favorite days in cousins. it was like nothing in the world could've stopped her laughter, and she loved it.
dylan then sighed as she emerged from the water, the warmth surrounding her disappearing as she walked over and sat on her towel. she then gently lay conrad's board down as she scrolled on her phone, looking for good songs on her playlist.
as she was doing so she felt a figure hovering behind her. she instantly snapped in that direction as she sighed with relief. "jesus cam." she mutters as he takes a seat next to the girl.
"hey dylan." he mumbles as she turns to him. "what are you doing out here so late?" she asks as he laughs. "i should be asking you." he mumbles as she rolls her eyes. "i was surfing.. well trying to." she says.
"are- are you cold?" cam asks awkwardly as he notices dylan slightly shivering. "no, i'll be fine." she says with a short smile. "no here. take my jacket. i insist." he says as she thanks him.
as she puts on the jacket, warmth immediately engulfs her as the warm smell of cam radiates off of it. she doesn't know what it is but she knows he always smells like it. and she loves it.
they then sat in uncomfortable silence for a bit before dylan spoke up. "i wanna ask you something." she says straightforwardly. "shoot." cam says as she takes a deep breath in. "why'd you cut me off?" she asks as cam's breath hitches.
"it's stupid honestly-." he begins. "i just want the truth." dylan says as cam nods. "i just didn't think any versions of me were good enough for you." cam says as dylan turns to face him.
"cam.. you broke my heart because you thought you weren't good enough for me?" she asks with a laugh. "it's more than that dylan.. you were- are a pretty girl and then there's me. and i just felt like i was taking things like your time, attention and more and i wasn't giving you anything in return." cam explains.
"you gave me everything cam." dylan says as she sighs. "it was the first time i allowed myself to fall like that. to.. have fun. to be vulnerable. but then you left. and popped back into my life dating my sister." dylan says with a sigh as cam rubs his eyes.
"i know. and i'm sorry. but we never dated so i-." cam begins but is cut off by dylan's light laughter. "what?" cam asks confused. "i know we never dated cameron.. but it's only been a year. and we shared things.. that are kinda hard to forget." dylan says as she fiddles with her nails.
"you were my first kiss- with something other than a figment of my imagination." dylan says as cam gives a small laugh. "i know that the whole getting with your sister was kinda a shitty move but in all fairness you were my first kiss too." cam says as dylan laughs.
"do you like my sister?" dylan asks. "i- i think so," cam says as dylan nods, more to herself. "then let's put all this behind ourselves?" dylan asks. and as much as that pained her to say.. she did it for belly.
"yeah... friends?" cam asks as he extends his hand out to dylan. that alone made her heart ache but she just simply nodded as she shook his hand. "would you care to listen to music friend cameron?" dylan asks as she hands cam an airpod.
"why yes friend dylan." he says as he places it in his ear. as a few songs played cam always asked dylan what she thought they were about. she'd always give him a lengthy answer, the song playing in the back as he listened ever so carefully.
"what's this one about?" he asks as 'but not kiss' by faye webster begins to play. "i think it's about a girl who is always around him. him as in who she loves. but she knows she can't have him." dylan says as her and cameron are facing each other, the waves crashing in the distance.
"is it hard for her?" he asks, interested in dylan's opinion. "i think so. very hard. because they can do anything... but not kiss." dylan says as cam nods. "and that's all she wants to do. she just wants him back." dylan says, absentmindedly looking into cams eyes.
"do you think she ever gets to.. have him?" cam asks as the tune plays in both teens ears. "if she broke a few bonds, hearts, and rules.. then yeah. she could have him all to herself." she says as he nods.
they then sit in a mere second of silence before they both feel themselves leaning in. as their faces are just centimeters apart, their minty breaths in each other's noses and the song playing in their ears, dylan clears her throat before getting up. "uh. i gotta go." she says quickly ask she gathers up the towel and the surfboard.
"are you um.. ok?" cam asks as nervously as he dusts off his shorts. "yeah. i'm fine." dylan says to fast for cams liking as she begins walking away. "dylan wait." cam says as she keeps walking. "dylan i'm sorry!" he calls out but it's too late.
her figure had already disappeared going the direction to the path back to the fisher house.
