✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩ TODAY ✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩
Jeremiah had always been sweet.
This was what Rose focused on as she walked down to the beach, the hot sand sifting between her toes. He had a natural affinity for helping others, for being a good person, for being there for people when they needed it the most. Underneath the bravado and the performative smiles, Jeremiah was secretly incredibly sensitive. She felt blessed to know that side of him, the side that would do something so nice for her and expect nothing in return. The sun had only just come up, and still left a trace of bright watercolour splattered across the sky in a soft orange. Small ripples brushed atop the crystal water, contrasting the golden gleam of both the sun and the sand.
Jeremiah was sitting on the shore, with his feet dipping in and out of the ocean when the tide came and went. People were much like the tide in that way, they were transient, a liminal phase; they never stayed. But Jeremiah's head wasn't hung—he seemed at peace, almost.
Rose approached him with a small grin.
"Boo!" she yelled, smacking his shoulders lightly with her palms.
Jeremiah shot upwards; eyes wide. "Fuck off! Christ, Rose, you scared the absolute shit out of me. Do you want me to die prematurely?"
She laughed. "I'm sorry."
"No, you're not."
"No, I'm not."
Jeremiah grinned. "Of course, you're not."
"That was really funny, you can't deny it."
"Speaking of, you do realise we need to restart the prank wars this summer, right?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
Rose dropped onto the sand and ran the tips of her fingers over the course surface of the grains, watching with a feigned intensity as the sand shifted under her gentle touch.
For a while, neither of them said a thing. His presence was enough for her, and it certainly was enough for him, too. It was more than enough. He'd been convinced once that Belly was enough, that she was everything life had to offer, that she was the girl of his dreams, the one he'd been looking for...but she wasn't. Maybe some things had been with him from the beginning. He was just too blinded to see it. Maybe he still was. But perhaps, the blindfold was slowly starting to lift.
"I know it's not the same," Jeremiah began, sucking in a small, nervous breath, "but I thought it could be...I don't know. It's not the same, but it's close. I think. It was also oddly therapeutic. It was like she was talking to me, I guess, even though it was meant for you."
Rose felt a tug at her heart.
"It wasn't just meant for me," she whispered. "She would've wanted everyone to see it. I'm glad you read it, Jere."
He hummed in understanding. "I'm really sorry."
"It was an accident."
"I'm still sorry."
"I don't think you have anything to be sorry for, but you're forgiven anyway," said Rose softly, looking at Jeremiah for the first time during their conversation. Every time, she became lost in those blue eyes of his. But perhaps the word 'lost' isn't the correct term to use. Because being lost implies that you desperately want to be found, to be placed back on the right path, away from the unknown of the woods. But the thing was...when she looked in his eyes, she was perfectly content.
How could you be lost when you never want to be found?
"Now, come on," she said suddenly. "What seashell looks the best? We didn't pick one at the end of last summer."
Jeremiah's lips curved into a soft smile. "We didn't."
Every summer since they were toddlers, Jeremiah and Rose would pick one seashell each to remember that summer when it came to an end. They couldn't remember how it had started at all, really; it was just as though they'd been doing it for their entire lives. And they had. Sometimes they'd paint them, paint over hardships and trials, but equally as often, they'd leave the shells completely blank. Sometimes they were more beautiful like that.
Rose cast her gaze to the ocean; to the smooth, rolling tide coated in a deep azure. "Do you want to remember it?"
Jeremiah looked down; eyebrows knitted together. After a while, he lifted his head, and his eyes met hers.
"I think I do," he admitted. But then, his eyes brightened. "I also want to remember this."
In one swift motion, Jeremiah scooped her up into his arms and dashed into the waves before Rose had a chance to protest. She screamed, "Jeremiah Fisher put me down right now!"
He laughed. "Not a chance."
"I swear to god—"
"Don't take the Lord's name in vain, Rosie," he said seriously, before dropping her into the sea.
Salt water clouded her vision as a deep blue surrounded her, and she shot out of the water immediately, teeth chattering and clinging to Jeremiah. "Fuck you!"
And with that, she pushed him hard enough that he went toppling backwards into the waves. Rose spluttered while Jeremiah burst from the waves, choking on laughter.
"That went up my nose."
She chuckled. "Karma."
"I thought karma only affected people who deserved it? I do not deserve it."
"And that is exactly why you have it."
Jeremiah sent her a mock frown, and was heavily debating throwing her back under the waves when her eyes lit up, and she dived under, anyway. Her deep brown hair fanned around her head in a halo as her hands skimmed the seabed. She emerged a moment later, with two golden seashells that gleamed bright, but never so compellingly as her smile.
"I think those are perfect," said Jeremiah.
"They are, aren't they?" she said enthusiastically, turning over the seashell to reveal a cracked outer shell. "Look. Even better."
"Yeah."
The seashell really was perfect—a bright golden gleam concealed by jagged, imperfect edges. A summer of love hidden by a darker future. The two only just seemed to really comprehend just how cold the sea was, and they dashed out of it as quickly as Jeremiah had carried her in. She was shivering slightly, but Rose didn't really mind that much, even though she would have much preferred to have been wrapped in a blanket. They began to walk back in silence, until Rose cast a worried look in his direction to find him regarding her with the very same expression.
Rose smiled. "You fancy a movie night?"
"It's not night yet."
"Fine," she said with a light eye roll. "Movie day?"
"Can we watch Ocean's 11?"
"I'd rather be sick."
Jeremiah laughed—not one of the small ones that he'd been forcing out so far, but a real deep laugh that was contagious in nature. "Well, we're not watching a rom com."
"They're the best!"
"Says who?"
"Everyone!"
"We could watch Ocean's 8, then," he finally agreed.
There was only one thing left to do—race back to the house. Her limbs jolted to a start, and her and Jeremiah dashed back, neck and neck, until he began to pick up speed. It was the stupid sand, she swore. It wasn't her fault. There was no way she was going to lose to Jeremiah.
"You're so slow," he called over his shoulder.
"Yeah?" She challenged, making her legs power her even faster, and she managed to overtake Jeremiah as they navigated the small leaf-strewn pathway that led to the house.
"That's not fair!"
"Neither is you not liking rom coms!"
"I do like them!"
"No way?" she said suddenly, spinning around to meet his eye. Her chest rose up and down. "Really?"
But Jeremiah raced past her with a wink and continued running.
"Jere, I will literally kill you."
"Catch up to me and then you can!"
And she did. She didn't kill him, but she did get the choice of sweet or salty popcorn, which was always good enough in her books. The two fell asleep during the movie, both blissfully unaware of how they naturally leaned against the other in their sleep...something that would certainly be a surprise when they awakened in the late afternoon to Steven and Conrad taking a picture of them and humming the wedding march tune.
✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩ 💌 A LETTER FROM SOPH 💌 ✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩
Dear Reader,
I apologise for the two/three day wait for this chapter—I've had covid and I'ms till not feeling the best, but I promise updates will be more frequent from now! Thank you so much for the love on this story, its only five chapters in and we're already on 10K? THATS MAD I LOVE YOU ALL <3
Lovefromsoph <3