୨⎯ ｆｏｒｅｖｅｒ ⎯୧
ˢʰᵒᵖᵖⁱⁿᵍ
THIRD PERSON ...
conrad and layla walked into the house to see jeremiah, steven, and laurel in the kitchen.
"well, well, well, where we you guys?" jeremiah asks as conrad drags himself to the couch and layla takes a seat at the island.
"we went on a mini date," layla smiled watching her boyfriend throw himself onto the couch.
"at 8 in the morning?"
"we got muffins!"
"did you bring any home?" steven jokingly asked as he walked over to jeremiah.
"no sorry, i promise next time i will."
"it's fine, i was just messing."
"i'm gonna go upstairs, i'll be right back," layla excused herself from the kitchen.
as the blonde girl was walked up the stairs she bumped into laurel. they gave each a little smile and layla finished her way into her boyfriends bedroom. the blonde girl decided she was too tired to do anything and she hopped in bed falling right asleep.
"so, layla huh," steven smirked as he sat down on the couch next to conrad.
"mhm."
"she's hot bro," steven hit his best friend and sank back into his seat.
"you think i don't know that sherlock?" conrad asked as he set the 'hangover smoothie' on the coffee table.
"i'm just saying what everyone is thinking."
"don't care, i don't want to hear how attractive you think my girlfriend is."
"fine," steven sighed. "but you have to answer this one question for me."
"what?" conrad looked at the conklin brother ready to go upstairs to see layla.
"how good is she in bed?"
"steven!" jeremiah finally spoke up.
"what the fuck bro?" the older fisher brother stood up and started to walk away.
"that was so not cool," jeremiah looked at steven. "we all know layla is smoking hot, but dude, why would you say that in front of her boyfriend?"
steven shrugged. "you can't tell me you weren't thinking the same."
"even if i was that was mad disrespectful," jeremiah stood up from the couch and walked outside to the pool leaving the conklin boy alone in the living room.
"layla, get up," conrad shook his girlfriend awake from her sleep. "you're going shopping with my mom, belly, and laurel for the deb ball."
"mmmm, can you come with me?" the blonde girl groaned as she sat up in the bed looking at her boyfriend.
"you know i can't," conrad looked sadly at his girlfriend. "but there is a drive in movie tonight, we can go on our first date here in cousins."
layla shook her head happily hugging her boyfriend. "okay i'll go get ready now."
"bye layla," conrad kissed his girlfriend goodbye.
"bye connie!"
that morning, susannah, layla, laurel, and belly spent the morning shopping. later that afternoon the two teen girls have to go to their first deb meeting.
the four of them were currently in a store finding outfits for their meeting. belly and layla were both shoved in the dressing room with tons of different outfits to try on. they took turns walking out and posing for the moms in front of them.
"okay, they're called 'fascinators' and all the girls will be wearing them," susannah told the group as everyone stopped in front of a store that held little hats.
"seriously?" laurel asked her best friend.
"seriously."
"i don't know about this susannah," layla said as she bit her lip examining whats in front of her.
"come on," the older woman broght the others in the store excitedly. "come on!"
now belly and layla were stuck trying on white dresses. layla was super into this part always dreaming of shopping for a big white gown, even if it was for another occasion.
the two girls tried on tons of white dresses not falling in love with any yet. they were currently in their last dress and while belly couldn't tell how she felt in hers, layla was crazy about the one she had on. it was her favorite by far. it was a white spaghetti dress with lace on the top and trailing down the dress.
as layla stood in her dressing room she could hear the commotion of the others outside. presumably belly had just walked out and the moms love her dress.
"everybody's eyes will fall out of their head when they see our girl," layla heard susannah say as she walked out of her own dressing room.
"i love you so much but you're ridiculous."
"i love you so much, and i know i'm ridiculous."
"or what about this one," the worker who has been helping them out held up a simple plain white dress.
"oh. no, no, no, that one's much too simple," susannah quickly shut down the idea.
"i don't know, i've only known belly for like two days if that, and it seems much more her style," layla spoke for the first time after walking out the dressing room.
"oh my baby!" the fisher mom gushed. "you look so pretty! conrad's going to melt when he sees you. do you love it?"
"i do," layla smiled.
as belly heard them interact, her attention stayed on the much simpler dress she wish she could just put on.
CONRADs POV ...
i just got back from taking a surf break and all i want to do is go in bed and text layla. my mom has been wanting to paint all of us plus layla but i'm just not in the mood right now.
it's so hard having to look at my mom knowing that i won't be able to look at her forever. she has no idea i know about her cancer, and i'd like to keep it that way.
but i know i was done for when i heard her call out, "honey? hey, hon?"
"yeah?"
" would you change and meet me out back? i want to paint your portrait first."
there it is. "why me?"
"cause everyone else has things to do," when my mom said that i walked over to her so she could see me.
"i have things to do too, mom."
"texting your girlfriend who is currently occupied and won't be able to answer, doesn't count. i think you could spare a few hours for your mother, hm?"
"sure, mom you're right," i looked down and i could almost hear her smile.
"great. i'll see you outside in ten?"
LAYLAs POV ...
"thanks mom," belly said as her and i got out of the car.
"girls, i just want you to know that if you both decide you hate this or if the girls are mean or even if the food is bad, you can text me. i promise i won't say 'i told you so'."
"thanks, laurel."
"i'll be fine," belly mumbles.
"humor me. use our code phrase and i'll be right there."
"mom," belly lightly shakes her head.
"you remember it from when you were little right?" laurel asked right before the mother and daughter said it together.
lemon jelly belly
"have fun!"
me and belly walk away from the car and towards the building of the country club. as we were walking it was kinda awkward and silent but then we found jeremiah.
"hey!" belly and i greeted together. "jeremiah."
"oh my god. uh layla, wow. i didn't even recognize you. does connie know how stupid you look right now?" jeremiah laughed flicking the white little hat on the top of my head.
"shut up jere," i said as i pushed his arm away.
he turned his attention to the girl next to me. "you too bells you look so different."
"so, do we look like fools?" belly asked walking forward a little bit.
"no uh- you look good, layla on the other hand."
"shut up you bitch," i rolled my eyes at tge curly haired boy in front of me.
"let me walk you guys over."
"i still never thought i'd see the day where you both were wearing fascinators."
jeremiah was leading us to the area where our first deb meeting was being held. me and belly had our arms linked together with the boy.
once we walked in we could tell we're late and everyone looked at us.
"jeremiah."
"paige."
"where's your shirt?" that paige woman asked him.
"it's always a pleasure," jeremiah skipped the question trying to charm the woman. "this is belly- i mean, uh isabel conklin. and layla richie. my future wife and future sister-in-law."
"they're late."
"w-we're so sorry," belly was quick to apologize.
"you both are at table two."
as soon as the paige lady said that i made my way over to the table leaving jeremiah and belly behind me.
there was two seats in between two girls so i chose the one closer to the girl with the striped dress and red fascinator. a second lated belly sat next to me.
"hi," me and belly both greeted. everyone collectively said hi back looking at the two of us.
"i'm shayla," the girl next to me introduced.
"i'm layla! you're super pretty."
"thank you! you're gorgeous."
"i told my mom the only way i would do this is if i could bring my girlfriend. 'cause i thought it would be a deal killer, but the club has been surprisingly chill about the whole thing," tjis girl marrisa told us. as she was speaking steven came over to fill our cups and i noticed shayla kept looking at him.
i zoned out of the conversation after seeing shayla and steven because it reminded of conrad. i really miss him. i take out my phone and click on his contact.
CONRADs POV ...
i was sat on the back deck facing my mom. she has been painting me for a little while now and neither one of us spoke. i was spacing out thinking of my girlfriend when my phone dinged. i took it out of my pocket to see that layla texted me. i quickly responded smiling when my mom spoke up.
"can you please put your phone down you know you have to stay still."
"sorry mom," i said as i continued to text layla before putting my phone down. "it was layla."
"she's a sweet girl con."
"i know mom, i love her."
she stopped painting in shock. "you do?"
"yeah."
"you have to tell her."
"i know mom, i want to."
"she definitely loves you too. and she looked gorgeous in her dress you'll love it."
"she looks gorgeous in everything mom," i smiled knowing how lucky i am.
"i know, now sit up."
connie 🙈💕
my girl 🫶
hi con
connie 🙈💕
hi baby
my girl 🫶
i miss you
connie 🙈💕
i miss you more
my girl 🫶
what are you doing
connie 🙈💕
my mom's painting me
connie 🙈💕
she's scolding me for
looking at my phone
my girl 🫶
:(
my girl 🫶
okay then i'll see you
when this is done
connie 🙈💕
bye layla
my girl 🫶
bye connie 😽
LAYLAs POV
"what about you guys?" i heard as i looked up.
"hm? i'm sorry what?" i asked looking around the table.
"what college are you applying for?" shayla resated the question.
"oh uhm i'm going into senior year but i'm gonna apply to brown to be with my boyfriend. that's where he's going this year. and belly's a junior."
"so is this your first summer here in cousins?"
"no i've been coming here for my entire life," belly laughs. "family friends with ths fishers."
"yeah, but it's my first year!" i smiled looking at everyone.
"so are you and jeremiah like a thing? or are you going to take him to the ball?"
"oh my gosh back off geeg," nicole laughed. "stop worrying."
"i'm not worried."
"gigi has had this thing for jeremiah."
"ever since he got abs," shayla added looking at the girl. "relax i'm not into jeremiah fisher."
"yeah and you're noticing his abs?" gigi shot.
"she's too busy eye-fucking the waiter."
"dude, that belly's brother!" shayla gestured to the girl on my right.
"so what's it like to live with jeremiah and conrad?" someone asked belly. "conrad's so mysterious."
"not really," i butted in.
"how do you know him?" nicole asked.
"he's my boyfriend."
"oh," nicole tightly smiled as it got quiet.
"nicole kinda has a thing for conrad," shayla whispered in my ear. "they hooked up like two years ago after the bonfire and she's been obsessed with him ever since."
"great."
"hello debutants," paige greeted. "a few small housekeeping bits i'd like to go over. we have a lot to look forward to this season. now i understand some of you might think that debbing is outdated. it's something you're doing to appease your families. but the cousins debutante ball is a part of history."
as paige kept talking i noticed shayla take out a flask and open it. she poured some in her cup before asking if i wanted some. i shook my head yes and poured it in my cup until it was at the rim. i passed it back and it was passed to gigi. it continued to be passed around the table as paige kept talking.
"debs, at each table there is a sister who will guide you through the season. so please introduce yourselves."
"hey little sis," nicole said to belly. "and other little sis. honestly my parents made me do it last year because, you know, like, all the woman in my family have done it. but my big sis was great, and i actually ended up having a lot of fun. so just don't be nervous."
i focused my attention on shayla and started talking to her when all of a sudden belly shot up and ran to the doors.
THIRD PERSON ...
layla was in conrads room sitting at his desk doing her makeup. he was waiting for her downstairs playing video games with his brother and steven.
belly was in susannah's room getting ready for her date. neither of the girls knew about each others date.
layla had music playing lightly in the background as she was finishing up her hair. it was simply curled. she stopped the music and walked down the stairs spotting jeremiah talking with belly while conrad and steven were still on the couch.
the blonde girl walked over to her boyfriend and sat on his lap straddling him. conrad quickly abandoned the gane and wrapped his arms around layla.
"you too man?"
conrad and layla were silently talking to each other not paying attention to the others around them.
"you look so good," conrad whispered in layla's ear.
"yeah? well you look really hot."
they leaned in and were about to kiss when jeremiah threw a pillow at them.
"c'mon let's go," jeremiah said trying to get the couple plus steven off the couch.
"we should leave anyways," layla said as she climbed off conrad and pulled him up.
୨⎯ ｆｏｒｅｖｅｒ ⎯୧
²⁴⁷⁷ ʷᵒʳᵈˢ