ɪɴ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴀᴡᴀɪᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ ꜰɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴀʀʀɪᴠᴇꜱ...
𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 in her room when she heard a small crash outside her window. Curious as to what the sound was, she peeked out her window to see the brown-haired eldest Fisher boy. The boy she'd waited on her whole life. The boy she wanted to fall in love with. The boy whose sister was making her question if she really loved him at all.
Belly took in a deep breath before walking downstairs to confront Conrad Fisher.
"You're back." Belly spoke, gaining Conrad's attention. She wiped her nervous palms on her jeans.
"Hey." He said giving a quick smile and nothing more.
"Let me help you." Belly smiled awkwardly, going to help clean up. She couldn't help but think about how nothing was awkward with Flory, and how things came easily with Flory even if Belly couldn't help but get butterflies around her. She shook the feeling off, Conrad had been the boy she'd been waiting for her entire life, so if there was even the slightest chance, she could have what she always wanted, she should take the chance... right? What she wanted couldn't have changed... had it?
"How's you and your mom?" Conrad asked, casually, catching Belly off guard.
"Uh- my- we'r- we're good." Belly stuttered.
"Cool." Conrad responded.
"I-I broke up with Cam." Belly stated to Conrad's back as he faced away from her.
"Why?" Conrad said, almost in a sigh.
"Last night, you and I almost kissed. And Conrad, all summer I feel like there's been all these signals you send me when it's just us."
"Did we? I was pretty wasted last night, and I don't remember much." Conrad blatantly lied.
"Wait uhm- are you serious?" Belly said, anger and hurt flashing through her eyes and voice. Conrad sighed, opening his mouth to speak, but closing it. Finally, after a thick silence, he spoke.
"Okay. We almost kissed last night. And sure, I've probably been sending you signals too much." Belly just stared at him. "What do you want me to say? I'm sorry?" Conrad said, quietly.
"Are you sorry?" Belly asked, hurt and a bit of anger still evident in her voice.
"I dont- I dont know. Belly, I think about you. You know I do." Conrad mumbled. "I just... can't." There was a silence between them.
"I'm not waiting for you anymore." Belly spoke. That was it. With that, Belly made no other remark and walked away. Conrad didn't try to stop her.
----///----
The sky was completely dark outside, her surroundings only lit by the light of the pool. Flora felt calm as she swam, back and forth, touching the edge, flipping over and swimming laps. After a while, Flora simply laid back, floating in the water, feeling serene and calm.
Meanwhile, Belly trudged down to the glowing pool, towel in hand. Belly stopped momentarily to stare at the Fisher girl in awe. Flory had just resurfaced, pushing her wet hair back from her face. Even in the night light, lit by the pool, she never ceased looking so beautiful to Belly.
"Hey." Flora spoke, catching Belly's attention.
"Hey." Belly smiled back, feeling the sparks in her stomach again. Belly dove into the pool next to Flora, resurfacing to face the girl.
"I'm sorry you and Cam are over, and you know, sorry about the Conrad stuff, I know it's probably tough." Flora said, genuinely. Belly gave a small smile.
"Eh, it was the right thing to do with Cam. The whole Conrad situation is so confusing, you know? I don't even know if I'm really still in love and infatuated with him like I used to be, I guess I've wanted him my whole life, so I'm used to it almost? It's all confusing." Belly spoke.
"I get that." Flora said.
"I just don't know what to do." Belly chuckled sadly. "What- what do you think I should do?" Belly asked, hesitantly. Flora and she sat in silence for a bit, Flora thinking.
"In this situation, I feel like you should trust yourself, don't let anyone else's judgement effect your choices, I know it's hard but all you can do is trust yourself, and know that you need to be honest with yourself, I know Conrad is complicated so it can be hard." Flora said. A small part of her wanted to tell Belly how she felt, but she knew she couldn't get in the way of Belly's feelings, in the end, all Flora wanted was to see Belly happy.
Belly thought about Flora's advice. Belly had suspected her feelings for Flory were beginning to bloom into something more, but the Conklin girl hadn't ever seen the depth and reality to them, hadn't fully faced them. All her life, Conrad was the one she wanted, he was the only boy she ever thought about. So why was this summer different?
"Have you-" Belly began, trying to find the words. "Have you ever felt like, in love?" She asked. If only you knew.. Flora thought.
"I think so. I'm not really 100 percent sure." Flora said. Belly smiled slightly, deep down inside, without even realizing it, Belly wanted to be the person Flora was talking about.
"Have you ever been in love... with a girl?" Belly whispered. Flora sighed.
"That's the thing though. I don't think I could ever really fall in love with a guy." Flora said. "With Callum or any of the guys I've tried to like, at first it was like... if there were all my favorite foods I could ever want, sat on a table in front of me, but I'm not hungry." She explained. "And then, I just kind of force myself to like it, try to make myself like it." Flory said. Belly nodded, understanding it. Relating to it in a way.
"I understand. I get it." Belly nodded. Belly felt a surge on need, it was like a magnetic force pulling her towards Flora as if her life depended on it. Belly swam forward, their bodies dangerously close to each other. Their lips dangerously close.
Conrad is the boy I've wanted my entire life. The only boy I've ever thought about. So why is it his sister I want to kiss? Why is she now, the only girl I've ever thought about. The girl I want. Belly thought to herself, her voice narrating the moment.
"Do you still love Conrad?" Flora asked, in almost a whisper.
"I did. But I don't think I do anymore. I stopped waiting for him." Belly spoke. Suddenly, Flora began to realize the proximity of the two girl's faces. Flora's heart was racing, this wasn't something two best friends did or felt. "My feelings have been really confusing lately, but I think I know something for sure." Belly said, inching closer and closer.
"And what's that you know?" Flora asked softly.
"I think I want to do this." Belly spoke. And before Flory could even process what was happening, she felt Belly's soft lips crash onto hers. Flora's eyes widened when she realized what was happening, but quickly melted into the kiss, both their lips moving in sync. Belly's hand cupping her face, the other gently cupping the back on her neck shoulder area. Flora's arms loosely hanging on her shoulders and the two sunk into the kiss both had been wanting desperately.
The two jumped apart when they saw a light turn on inside the house, realizing to the person in the kitchen, they were in full view.
"Shit." Flora muttered. Belly quickly shushed her freezing in the spot. flora thought quickly and suddenly, the two held their breath, diving down under the water, out of sight. In the cool blue of the pool, Flora felt Belly's hands return and this time, Flora placed her lips onto Belly's sinking into the kiss once again as the water swirled around them.
The girls resurfaced and split apart the passionate longing kiss, taking a moment to look into each other's eyes and take in the moment. Belly couldn't believe how confident she was to initiate the first kiss, and Flora couldn't believe how speechless she was, she couldn't believe it ever even happened.
"Flory you're my best friend, but there have been times where I think I've wanted to be more." Belly spoke truthfully. "Do you think there's any way you could share... my feelings?" Belly asked.
"I do share them." Flory spoke softly. "I don't want to pressure or confuse you, but yeah, you're my best friend, I just like you more than that. But I just want you to be happy." She said honestly. Belly pressed a quick gentle kiss to Flory's lips.
"Is this okay?" She asked. Flory smiled and nodded.
"Only if it's okay with you." Flory said with a smile.
"I'm happy when I'm with you." Belly whispered.
"I'm happy with you too, Bells." Flory said.
Susannah had always said that Belly was destined for a Fisher, Belly had always hoped it would be Conrad, but here Belly Conklin was, kissing Florence Fisher, and head over heels for Florence Fisher.
𝕊𝕠𝕟𝕘: 𝕀 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕒 𝕓𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕤-𝔸𝕣𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕜𝕖𝕪𝕤 𝕆ℝ 𝔸𝕣𝕖 𝕨𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕤-𝕋𝕪𝕝𝕖𝕣, 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕠𝕣