𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐮𝐧, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 (𝟐)

parties & posers

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

"im so sorry guys," skye walked back inside the house, sulking lower than her usual posture, "i tried to get her to call off the deal, but she left. i refused to go with her but-"

"its not on you skye." conrad muttered.

"i know, but shes my mom. i wouldnt blame you guys for being pissed at me too."

there was a moment of silence, so i stepped forward, "no ones mad at you skye." i gave her a tight hug, and felt her exhale against me. my eye caught conrads, who slightly shook his head.

it felt as if it was over, then.

"our last memory here cannot be this." belly was shaking her head too, "everyone miserable and defeated. this place deserves a better goodbye than that!"

my head tilted to the side as something came to mind, and conrad caught it. he squinted at me from across the room.

"mace?"

i took a deep breath, "just something susannah had told me." i said it warily, not knowing if this sensitive material would track well, but when both her boys heads picked up, i carried on, "right when she got really sick, and her nurse would come and prick and prod her with all the things she needed, she would be in a lot of pain. i would have her think of a memory or story she loved," another thing i had learned in ms grundys health class, doctors often have young patients think of something happy while getting a shot. because emotional wellbeing can overpower physical pain, especially one so minimal like the sting of a needle, "so, this one day, she told me about when her dad died, and she took ms conklin here with her for the first time." i glanced over at belly, "but the house felt empty, and sad, and so did she." i stood up straighter, placing my palms on the cold, empty island of the kitchen, "so they threw a party." i nodded, knowing what we had to do, looking over at belly, "she said it was the best way to say goodbye to anything she ever had."

belly smiled, but it was conrad who spoke next.

"i think its exactly what my mom wouldve wanted." he let out a brief chuckle, "you were always so good with her macee." he slung his arm over my shoulders, kissing my temple, "shed love it. im in."

i gleamed as everyone else said the same.

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

later that day, i found myself sweating through my shirt in the back of the jeremiahs jeep. in the parking lot of a gas station.

after a shower and a power nap, belly had called us two girls and our lovers to a drink run. however, the fact that none of us were legal hadnt crossed our minds until conrad put the car in park.

"dont worry yall," conrad smirked, "i'll take care of this guys." he reached for his wallet.

"shouldnt the oldest of the group give it a shot?" you raised a brow, "i am 20, turning 21 very soon!" you always loved holding the fact that you were older than him over his head, because he hated it.

his smirk didn't fade though, as he flicked a fake id between his fingers, and i swear jeremiahs brow lifted with my own, "you don't have one of these, though."

"you're gonna use that?" jeremiah asked.

conrad ignored him, smiling at me, "and you are no poser, macedonia." i rolled my eyes, and he hopped out of the car.

"i give him five minutes in there." i leaned back in my seat, pulling my shades down my nose to eye the double doors.

and just like that, a defeated, frowning conrad came sulking out of them.

"record timing," i muttered to my friends, smirking, "watch this."

"go get 'em macee." jeremiah huffed, rolling down his window to watch. i turned the car, and conrad shifted his weight on his feet.

"didnt buy the guam gig, babe?" i smirked bigger, and conrad just shook his head.

"hold this." i gave him my phone, shades, and wallet, and he squinted over at me.

"what do you think youre doing?" he asked.

i hiked up my denim shorts, and the bra underneath my already low v tank top, and fluffed up my hair. conrads eyes widened.

"posing." i said it in a sickly sweet way. now, the fact that i was older was about to mean something.

"are you trying to get beer or him mace." he asked, and i laughed.

"beer, promise." i stuck out my pinky, and his clung to mine, then we both snapped.

"watch and learn conrad fisher."

i walked into the gas station like i owned it, picking out the beer and other drinks needed for tonight, and walked over to the young boy behind the desk, popping my bubble gum loudly.

the sweat on my nose from the heat made my pink shades slid down my nose slowly, and my eyes caught his.

for a second, he didnt move. then, before i knew it, he was ringing up the drinks. and hadn't even ask for an id.

i winked at him before walking away.

"no way." i heard jeremiah mutter, jumping out of the car. the boy followed me with a cart as i held two slurpees in my hand.

conrad just gawked at me. i winked at him too.

jeremiah and belly quickly helped load the drinks in the car, and conrad stood next to me.

"so," the boy looked over my way, "are you guys having a party or something?" the way he spoke, and stood, screamed flirtation. but he only held eye contact with me.

"yeah," conrad spoke fast, but not smoothly, "yeah, we are." his arm also immediately went around my waist, and i knew he was jealous.

however, the boys eyes hadnt broken from my own yet.

"sounds like fun." he smirk dropped, and he stepped slowly backwards, then turned away. i leaned my head on conrads chest.

conrads head shook, "what did you do in there?"

i shrugged, "just used my natural charm and mature like behavior." i popped my gum again, and turned to belly. i handed her a slurpee, "people have always told me i seem older than my age."

"where are our slurpees?" conrad whined, jeremiah crossed his arms too, like a toddler.

"slurpees arent for losers." i hit my hip against conrads, fist bumping belly, and got in the back seat, "they're for posers."