People were too excited for the volleyball tournament, if you ask Sara. She felt weird knowing well that all her friends were gonna enter the competition or, at least, they had an opportunity to enter. She, herself, tolerated ball games only while swimming, on dry land it was her biggest fear due to the group of older girls who broke her nose with one of these balls back in the elementary school.
So, Edwards was spending time with Jeremiah who, fortunately, wasn't anybody's partner, and Susannah didn't ask him for help as she asked Conrad. The pair was watching their friends preparing, making bets. The younger Fisher tried to convince the girl that Belly was gonna win, that Theo and Cameron couldn't make it, couldn't win the Conklin girl. Sara would be ready to believe him if she didn't know how extremely good her best friend was in volleyball.
"By the way, I'm almost sure your lover girl and Taylor'll win," she said.
"She's not..."
Sara glanced at him with a sly grin on her lips. "You sure?" he nodded hesitantly. "Right, I'll pretend I didn't recieve that text."
The girl showed him her phone. She tried her best to stay calm, to not start laughing, but the boyish reaction broke her. His eyes widened when he saw the message he sent her a couple of days ago. How could he forget about telling Sara about the pool makeout session?
"You're adorable, Jere," ruffling his hair, Edwards said between chuckles. "I fully support Jelly, even if you didn't want me to know, love."
Jeremiah shook his head. "I'm in shock, S, that's all. How could I forget?" they laughed together. "Well, I think I wanted you to know, I told you, didn't I?"
"You did," she spun towards the opposite side of the field and caught Conrad already staring at her. They smiled at each other shily, both quickly turning away.
The boy burst with laughter, receiving the look of confusion from his friend. "You act like little kids act when they develop their first crush, S. I thought you were a badass."
"Don't call me badass ever, Jeremiah, my grandma calls me that way."
"I want to meet her, then. We have so much in common. She surfs?"
"Shove off, idiot!"
Sara felt too comfortable with the younger Fisher. It was too easy with him, it seemed like he understood evey single stupid idea she had in her head. He was up to everything she was up to, they didn't need to speak about their wishes, the other read the emotions of the first without any difficulty.
Was it even possible to visit the town for good surfing with family and get much more than she could ever expected to get? She developed that she could be the naive teenager, clearly believing she was in love with the person she knew for two months. She found the platonic connection with the boy who literally was the incarnation of the Sun for her. She started to call the boy she knew for years, who wasn't her family, her best friend.
Watching Susannah Fisher telling her speech about the goals of the tournament, she thought about that summer being her dream. She remember her meeting with Nicole earlier today, how sweet her and ther deb girls were. Sara remembered the way Steven was looking at her and Shayla while they were teasing him endlessly. He looked at them with love she had no idea he had inside of him. It was impossible to believe that life was real at the moment. Edwards had to pinch her arm due to the people that she was surrounded by.
"What do you think, what're they talkin' bout?" Jeremiah interrupted her daydreaming, indicating Belly and Conrad with a motion of his head.
Ignoring the itching feeling they both, obviously, had, Sara smiled and tried to imitate Conrad's voice which sounded absurdly hilarious. "Oh, Bells, you're amazing player, of course, but Theo and Cam are gonna wipe you and Taylor out!"
"Nah, I'll win, it's the only right answer. The trophy is already mine," girlish voice Jeremiah tried to mimic was even worse than Sara's attempt. "Well, you were saying something about girls victory before, weren't you, S?"
She shrugged. "Theo's doin' it for fun while the trophy is very important for Belly. Both T and Cam are the biggest gentlemen I've ever met, so, I have all reasons to think they'll yield."
"I feel so much offended. I'm not the biggest gentleman?"
"No. You didn't yield last week!"
"You suck in Mortal Combat!"
"That's the whole point of yielding, idiot!"
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Sara had always ended up in horrible situations because of the worst habit she had. She had always put people first, she had always cared about people around her more than about Sara Edwards, herself.
And that was the reason of her and Jeremiah running away from the volleyball tournament, being unable to watch the view they had right after Taylor's move towards Jelly team. At first, all of them were happy with the fact that the younger Fisher managed to be Belly's partner. But then, he became the main reason of their near failure.
Seeing Conrad, without any hesitation, agreeing to be Belly's partner, to take Jere's place, to leave Sara alone near the field, caused too much uncomfortable emotions.
Of course, she knew that she was the biggest enthusiast of Conrad and Belly, she, basically, made the boy invite the Conklin girl to the ball. And nobody, but her and Theo, knew that it was her ordinary reaction, coping mechanism, if you will. Plan, fruition of which was no longer in the girlish power, she couldn't help her words or actions.
Without knowing, Sara Edwards kept trying to find reasons to push people away. Every single thing she had with boys or girls ended terribly. Because of her insecurities, because of the thoughts that every person on the planet was much better option than her, because other people deserved to be happy, while she, herself, didn't.
In case Theo knew about everything Conrad and Sara had, starting with their deal, finishing with her wish of Conrad being Belly's escort, the Haden boy would stop it days, weeks ago. But Sara told him nothing, on purpose, so, she didn't have a single opportunity to prevent her suffering.
Edwards looked in Jeremiah's heartbroken eyes as Conrad and Belly made their little handshake, she took him by arm and took as far as she could. Joking. She guided him towards his own car, so he could take them home.
The Fisher house was empty, and it seemed to be too unusual. Sara still hadn't been there too often, boys preferred to come at hers, they were hanging out at Fishers only when moms were making dinners where Edwards and Haden were invited, too.
Soon enough, the pair reached to Jeremiah's stash and started drinking. Actually, the day of the tournament turned out to be the first day these two spent so much time together, alone. Being drunk as hell helped them to nbe introduced to each other for the second time.
"Why you keep doing this, S?"
Jeremiah's question wasn't the most unexpected she'd ever recieved. But, honestly, it was out of place. They were talking about something radically different, however, for some reasons, the boy decided to get back to the theme that brought them there.
"What?"
"Hurting yourself," he emptied the glass in one galp and looked at the girl. "I mean, Connie's clearly into you, you seem to love him."
"Not...love," Sara had no idea why she was saying that. When she was sober, she was one hundred percent positive about being in love with Conrad Fisher, not less.
"Alright, not love. Doesn't matter. Why you push him away?"
She buried her face in palms of her hands. "It's easier that way."
"Pain is easier?"
"I don't understand myself anymore, Jere, that's it. One day I'm in love with Conrad, another day I have a slight crush on him, now I want to break up." She stood up abruptly. "Right, I'm gonna break up with Conrad."
Jeremiah grabbed her hand, making her collapse on the coach next to him again. "No-no-no, S, you're not gonna break up with my brother. You're drunk, we're drunk, honesty. Honestly. Hones---"
"I knew that relationship was a bad news in my condition, Jere," she exhales powerlessly. "I can't take responsibility for somebody when I can't take responsibility for myself. I'm sabotaging my own relationship, I'm the only barrier between me and Conrad."
"Drop it, S. You're not gonna break up with Connie, you started dating today, you smarter than that!" he laughed loudly while the girl kept quiet.
It didn't take long for the pair to fall asleep right next to each other, not thinking about other family members' returning, about somebody finding them on the couch, sleeping and hugging each other.
And, of course, they didn't think about Conrad and Belly being that 'somebody', about Conrad finding his girlfriend in his brother's hands, about Belly whose head was full of thoughts about Jeremiah and feelings she developed after their pool kiss.
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"You have to come to the party tonight, dudes, it's gonna be sick."
Sara, Steven and Jeremiah were sitting in the room the two fell asleep hours before. Boys were playing some racing videogames while the girl was trying to defeat her headache, drinking the third glass of Jere's hangover smoothie in a row.
"Shayla told me Liam ordered an ice luge."
"Sounds cool," the pair responded in unison, without any enthusiasm in their voices.
Steven hesitated for some time. Did he miss something again? After the tournament he spent some time with Shayla and returned home much later than others. He found Jeremiah and Sara in the kitchen, he had no idea about their drinking session in the middle of the day. "What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing," Sara mumbled.
"As for me, I just don't really feel like going out tonight."
Sara grumbled through the drink she had in her mouth. "Same," the smoothie splattered a little in front of the girl, which made the Fisher boy chuckle.
"What?" they could hear the panic while the boy was speaking. "No. No, no, no. Dude, I need you, man. And you, S! It's not gonna be fun without you!"
"Isn't Shayla going?" Sara asked, looking at Jeremiah. He nodded.
"Dude, Shayla will be there, alright? And everyone's scared shitless of her." the boy turned to the girl. She was shaking her head, smirking. "What?" he mouthed.
"You scared of Shayla? Really?"
Due to Jeremiah was more interested in talking to Sara, Steven easily won his friend in the race. "Yes, man! See what happens when you don't concentrate?" he said, laughing.
The boyish reaction made Edwards feel better, she started laughing too. The Fisher boy was still defending himself.
In that noise the group didn't notice the Conrad's appearance in the room, at first. Sara, giggling, tilted her head and met the elder boy's eyes. She became serious immediately, straightened and mumbled some excuses before she left. Jeremiah quickly followed her. "Alright, I've got some stuff to do," he said. "Have fun."
He caught up with Sara on the stairs. He took her hand and make her face him. "You have to speak to Connie."
Edwards groaned. "Why you remember everything when you're drunk?"
He shrugged. "I'm being serious."
"Yeah, me too. It would be much easier if you didn't remember shit." Sara sat on the step, looking at the boy upwards. "I'll talk to him. Later."
"Now. I give you ten minutes, then we leave."
"Leave?"
"The party's gonna be sick, remember?"
Sara widened her eyes. "We go?" he nodded. "No way! I'm done with booze tonight."
"Just don't drink."
He offered her his hand to help Edwards stand up. She accepted it. "Not fun, gentleman."
"I'm a gentleman! Finally!" they laughed. "I meant it, S. Go get your man or I'll never give your bracelet back."
"Blackmailing? Gross, Jere."
"I love you too."
With that been said, the pair separated. The hardest part of the day was getting closer and closer. Conrad Fisher didn't deserve anything he'd already gor from her, he didn't deserve anything he would get with Sara being with him. Whatever Jeremiah thought, she was going to make everything the way she wanted. The way she thought was right.
She was going to cut things off with Conrad.
A/N:
there's nothing easy with sara edwards.
my beloved drama queen.
it's been a long, i know. SORRY!!
tysm for almost 7k views and 134 votes, it's INSANE!!
i'm thinking about rewriting some parts of the story, btw