𝐔𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 | J. Fisher

𝟬𝟯, a date for a dollar

❁...... chapter three ......❁
| UG: a date for a dollar |

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   JEREMIAH wasn't sure when in the last three years Serena had become so perfect. They were friends as kids, very good friends, but after third grade, that went away.

The summer between third and fourth grade, Serena committed her first offense at the Fourth of July barbecue when she tossed Jeremiah's hotdog in the pool and pushed him in after it. He cried to Susannah that night about how mean she had been but Susannah didn't listen. She claimed it was because Serena liked him and that was just how she expressed her feelings but Jeremiah was almost sure it was supposed to be the other way around.

To get back at her, he snuck into their backyard and threw colorful smoke bombs into her room while she was sleeping. It might've been overdoing it because her skin was stained blue for the rest of the summer but she started it. Serena, after the fact, gave him a victim lecture and declared war until the end of time.

The pranking stopped after seventh grade, by then they just couldn't stand each other and threw out insults whenever they could.

The summer between eighth and ninth grade was when they finally dropped their weapons and became civil, not friendly.

That was when Jeremiah's crush began to bloom.

The first time he realized he was into Serena was when they were paired together for a swim test in the country club pool.

Serena showed up in her brand-new one-piece with cutouts at the side because her mother believed a two-piece was too much. Her hair was in giant waves down her back and she wore a shiny lipgloss Jeremiah couldn't look away from. It smelled like cherries and he only knew that because when she said 'hi' to him, the smell wafted in his face, followed by the scent of blueberry oatmeal.

The boy smiled dazedly as he watched her cannonball into the pool and emerge from the water looking like something from another planet. She was metaphysical, an enigma to be studied. Something so unbelievably beautiful, it didn't look like it belonged.

His heart completely melted when she waved him over to get in, however, he didn't know they were being timed and the lifeguard was actively watching them.

Quickly, Jeremiah jumped in after her and they both began swimming side by side.

When the test was over, Serena pulled herself onto the side of the pool and called out to him. Hearing his name from her, knowing that she knew he existed, made Jeremiah's head spin.

She whispered a joke to him about the instructor that wasn't as funny as he made it out to be. Still, he laughed as if Dave Chapelle was in the room.

He came back with a joke of his own and when she laughed at it, every screw in his brain fell loose and he flipped. Completely and totally flipped.

Now, exactly three years later, standing beside that very same pool, Jeremiah watched that girl whom he could freely refer to as his girlfriend because that was what she was. His girlfriend. His.

And he would be damned if he didn't make the most of it, even if he had to pretend not to enjoy it.

"Date Night. Yes or no?" Jeremiah began, catching Serena as she turned around from the cart of napkins and silverware she'd been stocking.