What Could I Do? - The Summer I Turned Pretty

7.

Season 2 important scenes now

The next year happened, end of Junior year. Conrad, Jeremiah and Belly stopped texting me ever since the funeral. It was as if we were all strangers.

I don't blame Belly for the issues, but I couldn't help but to think if Belly stayed with Jeremiah then none of us wouldn't be texting anymore.

School was fine, everything was fine. Once Susannah died it was as if a light in our lives went out.

This year had to be one of the most intense. It was mostly just my mom and I a month after Susannah died.

Even my mom became unreachable once she died. Steven was the only person all summer who text me constantly. He would send me updates on his feelings for his senior year.

He even asked me to prom. I said yes of course, but we just went as friends. I got to watch Conrad and Belly at prom as well. It was kind of awkward to see them there, but I still asked how Conrad was doing since his mom suddenly started to become worse.

Here I am now, in Belly and Stevens house getting ready for Stevens graduation party. Looking constantly at my phone in hopes that one of the Fisher boys would reply to me.

I decided to send them both a picture of me in my outfit I was going to wear to Stevens party.

Within minutes I got a reply from Jeremiah. "Wish I was the one taking you there Allie. You look amazing. But you already knew that." I almost instantly replied back to him.

He never failed to compliment me even if we weren't talking. That's just how Jeremiah is, if he could he would flirt with any living thing.

I replied back with "haha, why can't you? I miss you Jere." I felt kind of pathetic as I sent it, but it was there. I can't delete it, it's too late.

I watched as the bubbles show up, but no reply ever came out of it. I sighed and put my phone away. I looked myself in the mirror one more time and smiled.

I walked out of Belly's room and went downstairs to a dressed out Laurel and anxious Steven.

"There you are Allie, where's Belly?" Steven says to me as he looks at me and I shrug.

Relief is shown in his eyes as he looks beyond me. "Alright guys, let's go before I'm late to my own party." Steven says as I turn around and see Belly in a really cute outfit.

We both smile at each other and then head our way to the party.

-

I sat down with Taylor, Belly and her volleyball friends. Steven left us to be with all his guests.

He told me to save a seat for him when he gets back.

"So do you got a boo back home Atlas?" Taylor asks me as she takes a swig of her drink. All eyes were on me and even Belly was curious. So I lied giving into peer pressure.

"Yeah, totally." I reply with and Taylor nods her head in approval.

"You have a boyfriend? Since when?" Belly asks me and I shrug at her.

"Maybe if you texted me more, or replied to my calls you would know." I say to her coldly and I get up to go to the swing sets.

As I sat down on the swing set I kept my eyes on the stars. I couldn't help but wonder if the boys were looking up at it too.

I like to think that the brightest star is Susannah looking down at me. I find myself constantly wondering if Susannah would be happy with me right now.

Would she want me to be alone at a party? Would my mom want me to be?

I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't even hear Steven take the seat next to me.

"So, I heard you have a boyfriend now.. was that before or after I asked you to prom?" Steven asks me and I look at him surprised.

"Belly told me." He adds and it made sense to me.

"Oh, Steven. I lied.. I-I panicked and I said I did, but I don't.. I've never had one actually." I confess to him and he nods his head and looks at the ground.

"Enjoying your party? Graduate?" I ask him as I look at his made up hair.

He looks up at me which causes me to avert my gaze to the floor. "Why do you do that?" Steven asks me.

"Do what?" I say as I look at my shoes.

"Why don't you ever make eye contact with me?" He asks and I shrug.

Before I could reply he tilts my head to look at him and for a split second I matched eye level with him.

I hated making long eye contact with people. Especially the Fishers and Steven. Truly I didn't know why I couldn't make eye contact with him.

"Look at me Atlas. Please." He says to me and I finally hold his gaze for a few seconds before looking away.

"I'm sorry." I whisper to him and he sighs.

"I am enjoying my party, but honestly I wish Jere and Conrad were here. Then I wouldn't be watching Taylor and her boyfriend trying to swallow each other." Steven says as he makes a fake body shutter. I chuckle at that response.

"Jealous much." Is all I say and he rolls his eyes at me. "No, PDA is just gross." He says and that causes me to laugh more.

"Yeah, okay." I reply back with.

-

After the party I stayed in Belly's room. Where she contemplated calling Jeremiah. I told her to go for it and so she did, she put it on speaker so I would be able to hear him too.

He picked up on the fourth ring, "Belly? Is Conrad with you?" He asks in some sort of panic.

Belly and I both looked at each other confused. "No, why? I'm just with Allie." She replies back with and I awkwardly say hi.

I then check my phone to see Jeremiah texted me a few hours ago asking if I had talked to Conrad in the past 48 hours. This made me worried now.

"What's wrong Jere?" I ask him as I talk closer to Belly's phone.

"Conrad isn't picking up any texts or calls, this isn't like him." He replies with and we both look at each other shocked.

After the call we knew we should go with Jeremiah to find Conrad. It was my attempt to feel like normal again with my best friends. We both agreed to not tell anyone about this, especially my mom since she thinks staying with Belly for awhile.