The Summer It All Changed ~ Jeremiah Fisher

9 • Debutante Ball ????

Today was the day. It was the debutante hall. I could tell Belly was nervous. Who wouldn't be.

"What do you think?" She twirled around in her beautiful white dress. "I love it. You look stunning." I smiled. "Thanks. You're the best sister ever!" She hugged me tight. I nodded, "Yeah..."

I couldn't help but think about how much she'd hate me if she found out that Susannahs cancer is back, or how I knew about it and didn't tell her.

I also couldn't help but think about how much Jeremiah would hate me. He would distance himself from me because I kept this secret. Susannah and him have an unspeakable bond. This would break him.

"Ellie?" Belly broke me out of my trance. "Sorry? What'd you say?" I shook my head. "Do you think I should wear my white butterfly bracelet or my dolphin one?" She asked. I sighed in confusion. "Never mind, it doesn't matter." She laughed it off.

"Belly?" I caught her attention. "Yeah, El's?" She smiled. "If you knew something important about someone you loved, but you promised not to tell someone else who needed to know more because they're even closer with them. What would you do?" I asked her. "Well... I guess it depends." She frowned. "I would find the right time and if it's that urgent, as in life or death, then they should know." She explained. I frowned, "Thanks, Bell's." She smiled, "Of course."

🌸🌼🌸🌼🌸🌼🌸🌼🌸🌼🌸🌼🌸🌼

I sat down at the table with Susannah, my mom, and Jeremiah. Conrad was Belly's chauffeur, and Steven was a chauffeur to some girl named Shayla. They had been dating for a while this summer.

"Hey, you seem off today. Are you alright?" Jeremiah asked holding my hand under the table. "Yeah. I'm fine." I smiled slightly and looked down. "Are you sure?" He asked. "Yes. I'm alright, Jere." I kissed his cheek. He smiled.

"Belly Conklin and Conrad Fisher!" The woman said as she welcomed my sister and her future boyfriend. They took pictures and went to the dance floor. I smiled. Belly looked so beautiful.

The ball went on and Jeremiah excused himself halfway through.

About 30 minutes later, Jeremiah came back to the table with tears staining his cheeks. "Jere? What happened?!" I grabbed his face. "Did you know?" He asked. "Know what?" I got confused. "Did you know?!" He said it more aggressively and louder that time. "Jeremiah-" he cut me off, "My mom, her cancers back. Did you know?"

I stuttered in shock, "Jeremiah, she told me not to tell you-" he cut me off again, "How could you keep something like this from me?!" He shouted. Jeremiah's never yelled at me before. "I-" tears brimmed my eyes as I shook. "Jeremiah. Stop, your making a scene." Conrad walked up to us. "You knew too?" Jeremiah sighed as he realized.

"What's going on here?!" Susannah and my mom bursted back into the room. Everyone was now staring. "Your cancers back and you didn't tell us!" Jeremiah sobbed. "Jeremiah, I wanted to tell you-" he cut her off, "And you're rejecting chemo?!" He added. "You're not doing chemo?" I said quietly. "Let's go, we all need to talk alone. Not in front of everyone." Susannah said grabbing her boys.

Me, Belly, and Steven left with our mom and drove back to the house.

We all laid on Belly's bed snuggling close. "I can't believe this... why didn't she tell us?" Belly sobbed. My mom and Steven hugged her tight as I stared into the distance. "She was scared." I said. "She was scared of losing us." I added. Belly cried harder and tears slowly made their way out and down my cheeks.

"She has to try." Steven said. "We'll convince her." Belly sobbed. "It's all going to be okay, my babies..." my mom hugged us all tight.

Everything was not going to be okay...