⊹ Chapter 14 ⊹
Birthday Dinner
⊹• ━━━━༺•❁•༻━━━━ •⊹
"Does it hurt?" The Fisher boy asked for the millionth time. The two were in Conrad's room sitting on his bed, as he held an ice pack against Violet's cheek.
"Conrad, I told you I was fine." Violet giggled at the worried look on his face.
"I know. I just... care." He stuttered blushing,
"Well, thank you for taking care of me." Violet smiled lifting her hand to push a stray piece of hair out of Conrad's eyes.
"Any time." The boy smiled back leaning in to kiss her. Their lips were so close to touching when Conrad's phone began to beep.
"We've got to stop being interrupted." He sighed picking up his phone. When Conrad read the messages from Cleveland he almost passed out. How could he have forgotten? "Oh, fսck. Oh, God. Um, I'm sorry, I got to, I got to go."
"Uh...okay?" Violet mumbled confused.
"I promised Cleveland I'd be there for his interview and I forgot." He quickly explained leaning down to kiss her forehead. "I'm late. I have to go."
"It's okay Connie." The girl smiled reassuringly.
"I love you!" Conrad yelled rushing out of the room. Violet chuckled shaking her head at her boyfriend.
"I love you too!" She yelled back knowing he heard her because a moment later she heard him yell bye and then the front door was slammed shut.
♒︎
"I don't know what to think about you this summer." Taylor spoke up catching Belly off guard.
After the whole volleyball fiasco everyone pretty much retreated into the house. Taylor and Belly were in her room getting changed for Belly's birthday dinner. While Steven and Jeremiah disappeared to play video games. Violet was downstairs helping Susannah hang the last couple of decorations.
"What do you mean?" Belly questioned turning to look at Taylor.
"Suddenly, you care about clothes. You have new friends. You have a boyfriend." The blonde ranted as she sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Yeah, well, I told you this summer would be different."
"I know. I have to admit... I'm kind of freaked out by your glow-up." Taylor laughed.
"Oh, don't you always say, Belly, don't be so afraid of change?"
"No, I know, I know." She sighed. "Can you just promise me one thing?"
"Yeah, anything." Belly agreed.
"We'll always be best friends?"
"That'll never change." The Conklin girl smiled pulling Taylor in for a hug, "Best friends forever."
♒︎
Violet was sitting in the living room when the doorbell rang. When no one else in the house moved to open it she stood up. Her hands smoothed at the fabric of her floral dress as she walked to the door.
"Hey!" A boy with brown curly hair greeted Violet from the other side. "I'm-"
"Cameron." Violet smiled cutting him off. "Come on in Cam Cameron!"
"Okay." Cameron chuckled following the girl's order.
"I'm Violet!" She introduced herself holding out her hand for him to shake.
"Right, you're dating-" Cameron was cut off again but this time by Conrad who had just stalked down the stairs in a blue flannel. The sight of him made Violet want to drool. He looked hot.
"Me." Conrad said coldly wrapping an arm around Violet's waist. Cameron awkwardly smiled noticing that the boy was a little possessive.
"This is Conrad my boyfriend and Jeremiah's brother. I'm sure you remember Jere." The Montgomery girl joked.
"How could I not?" Cameron laughed. "After all he gave me my new nickname."
"You guys talking about how awesome I am?" Jeremiah questioned as he descended the stairs.
"Definitely man." Cameron nodded earning a giggle from Violet and an eye roll from Conrad.
"Belly!" Jeremiah shouted eyeing Cameron up and down. "Your boyfriend is here!" He then threw his arm around Cameron's shoulder with a smirk whispering. "Watch this!"
The next thing everyone knew Belly was racing out of her room and down the stairs. Her loud footsteps could probably be heard from a mile away. She wasn't expecting for everyone to be at the bottom of the stairs watching her.
"Happy birthday Belly." Cameron smiled pulling the girl in for a hug.
"Thanks Cam." She blushed not noticing Taylor walking down the stairs.
"Belly!" The blonde gasped. "You didn't tell me he was so hot."
Cameron blushed while Belly rolled her eyes at her friend. She knew Taylor was just messing around.
"So?" Jeremiah cut in. "Should we go eat?"
♒︎
"This is delicious." Cameron complimented as he shoveled more food into his mouth.
"Yeah." Belly nodded agreeing.
Everyone was seated around the table eating the meal that Susannah, Laurel, and Violet prepared. The seating arrangement was a tight squeeze but everyone still fit.
Violet was seated in between Jeremiah and Conrad. Across from her was Belly who was sitting in between Taylor and Cameron. The moms were at the heads of the table.
And Steven. Poor Steven had to sit on a fold out chair. He was squeezed right in between Jeremiah and Laurel at the very corner of the table.
"Of course it is." Susannah boasted. "I had Violet as my helper."
Violet blushed looking down at her plate. She wasn't the best at receiving compliments. They always made her nervous and awkward.
From beside her Conrad let a smile form on his face. He truly loved how much she got along with his mom.
It was also bittersweet because he knew she was going to be crushed when she found out.
And Conrad wanted to delay that day as long as he could.
"So, Cam. You mind if I call you Cam Cameron?" Jeremiah questioned the boy.
"Mm-hmm." Cameron nodded quickly. "Yeah, man. Feel free. That's funny."
"Cool." Jeremiah smirked.
"I'm glad you're here, Cameron." Susannah then said to the boy with a smile. She loved seeing Belly so happy. She was so excited that the girl finally had her first boyfriend. "I know your mom, Denise, from the club. I have heard a lot about you."
"Thank you so much for having me, Susannah." He smiled back. "My mom says hi."
"Cam, have you ever had miyeok-guk before?" Laurel asked holding a bowel towards him. "It's a Korean birthday tradition."
"No. Looks so good."
"Thank you." The Conklin mother smiled looking at her daughter with a raised brow. So far she liked the boy that her daughter was seeing. "Belly told me you're vegetarian, so I didn't put any meat in it." She explained as he put some on his plate. "Oh, Violet you'll have to try it too. Please let me know what you think!"
"Thank you, Laurel." Cameron replied at the same time that Violet mumbled a 'sounds good'.
"Oh, geez." Jeremiah shook his head with a faux look of confusion. "Why don't you eat meat, Cam Cameron?"
"Uh, the meat industry is, like, the number one contributor to global warming." The boy began explaining. "Mm. And I just, I like animals."
"Just don't come for my leather jacket." Taylor suddenly spoke up.
"I'm pretty sure you mean pleather." Steven laughed at the girl.
"Ooh." Jeremiah trailed off pretending to think. "You know, uh, actually, Belly eats meat. So, you let her kiss you with those lips?"
"Guys." Laurel sighed.
"Stop." Belly scolded Jeremiah kicking his leg under the table.
"No, I don't judge people for eating meat. It's just, like, a personal choice." Cameron shrugged with a laugh. "I don't care."
"So you don't mind if, uh, like, her lips touch a dead animal, and then those dead animal lips touch your lips, right?"
Belly's eyes were wide as Jeremiah finished his sentence. She couldn't believe he was saying this stuff. She was completely mortified.
"I don't mind at all. Um, in fact..." Cameron mumbled looking at Belly before leaning in and placing a quick peck on her lips.
"Aw." Violet and Susannah gushed looking at the young couple. Conrad rolled his eyes at both his mother and girlfriend's dramatics.
Both Jeremiah and Steven pretended to puke at the sight of Belly kissing a boy. Conrad couldn't help but subtly smile at their actions.
"All right. All right, all right." Laurel said stopping the two boys. "Belly's allowed to kiss, but that's it." She ordered looking at Cameron with a pointed look.
"Mom, please." Belly groaned. Everyone was embarrassing her in front of Cameron. "You're so not funny. No more wine for you, okay?"
Laurel just rolled her eyes at her daughter as the young girl took the wine glass from her hand.
"I'm sorry. I just don't understand why anybody would want to kiss somebody who once fully shat in the bathtub." Steven stated with wide eyes.
"I was like two years old." Belly defended herself.
"Two? More like six." Steven snapped back.
"Shut up, Steven." Belly grumbled.
"Aw, I remember that." Susannah laughed. "God, that feels like a lifetime ago."
"I remember when I visited last summer, and you and you dared him to pee in the fireplace, and you stunk up the entire house for days." Taylor suddenly spoke up pointing between the three boys. "Do you remember that?"
"That did not happen!" Violet shook her head laughing as she looked at the boys.
"I blamed the neighbor's cat!" Susannah exclaimed shocked.
"We were drunk." Steven defended himself.
"On like half a White Claw." Taylor smirked at him.
"She got you there." Jeremiah nodded patting Steven on the back.
"You know, um, I'm thinking maybe we should go to Nicole's party." Belly spoke up causing Taylor to freak out.
"Yes. Oh, my God!" The blonde shouted happily. "I love you. I'm so excited!"
⊹• ━━━━༺•❁•༻━━━━ •⊹
^ Violet's Dress ^