Everyone got out the car when we got there, Laurel honking the car before getting out. Jeremiah was the first to run out the house. God does he look handsome. His blue eyes really make him irresistible. He hugged Steven and Laurel first before looking at Belly. "Look who came back all grown up." He picked her up spinning her around shortly before looking at her. His eyes finally catching mine. "Lila." Oh how the name sounds leaving his mouth makes me weak. He walked over and gently picked me up slowly spinning me around. "You look beautiful as always."
"Same to you. Hey... um, this bonfire tonight, are you going?"
"Yeah, yeah totally. You should come."
"Is that an invite?"
"Yeah, yeah it is."
"Then I'll be there." The boys looked at Belly smiling widely. "Guys, guys, I don't mean to interrupt anything but... I think it's time."
"Time for-"
"A Belly flop!" Belly's eyes widen, I smiled at their crazy childish actions. Belly ran like usual but the boys caught her. Conrad has her arms while Jeremiah and Steven had her legs. The counted down before throwing her in, I smiled at the smiles they had s on their faces.
"Hows the water?"
"Guys, I hurt my ankle." Conrad reached out to help her up thinking she was being sincere but, she pulled him in with her, Jeremiah looked at me wrapping me up in his arms.
"Whatcha doin?"
"Looking at you."
"Uh huh, you push me in, I'm taking you with me." I said wrapping my arms around his torso. I gasped as I felt cold water hit my face, Jeremiahs arms pulling me up to the surface.
"Really Steven!"
"Yep." Jeremiah looked at me smiling as Belly and Conrad got out, Steven following them. He got out helping me up.
"Sorry, I didn't know he'd push us."
"It's fine, just glad my phones waterproof." I answered taking my phone out my back pocket. "It was fun."
"It always is with you." He winked before walking inside up to his room. I walked to the kitchen smiling.
"Not you too." Susannah looked at me and gasped.
"Oh my god, what have you done to my Lye."
"I grew up." One thing I love about Susannah she never plays favorites.
"Beautifully, the both of you are gonna own this summer." We both laugh.
"Where's Mr. Fisher?"
"Oh, he's in London. They got him going back and forth. He'll join us later in the summer. For now, it's just the women and the children. Just the way we like it."
"Nice, well I'm gonna go unpack. And change. I'll mop up the water when I'm back down."
"No, no. Don't worry about it."
"You sure? I don't mind."
"No, it's fine." I nodded my head walking up the stairs. I love this house. I walked passed Jeremiahs room smiling.
"I see you." He laughed looking at me smiling softly.
"hi, Lila."
"Did I ever tell you I love that nickname, Jere."
"Yeah you've mentioned it a couple times." He copied my smile walking over to me, playing with my wet hair. "You do look beautiful."
"Thank you." I looked up at him smiling softly, he was so close. If I leaned up we'd kiss. Oh how I've always wondered what he taste like. His lightly placed his hand on my cheek, I sunk into the warmth. "So warm."
"Hey." We pulled away looking at Conrad. "You're dripping water, I didn't say hi earlier. You look good Lye." I smiled lightly at Conrad nodding my head.
"So I've been told. I'm gonna go get out of these clothes before I catch a cold." I looked back at Jere who was frowning. I walked into my room placing my suitcase down before getting my stuff out. When nighttime came around Jeremiah knocked on my door, smiling down at me.
"You ready for dinner?"
"Oh, yeah." I put my phone down following him downstairs. I sat beside Conrad.
"Steven, I swear to God, if you look at that phone one more time, I'm putting it in the screen basket."
"It's just, we want to see your beautiful faces. Can dinner be a screen-free zone? You know like the golden days."
"Steven." Jeremiah looked at him as his face was still in the screen. "Dude are you kidding me?" He took his phone from his hands and threw it in the screen basket perfectly. "boom! Nailed it."
"Okay, okay, okay, we get it, you've been working out."
"Oh, you're just jealous because Jere has a better body than you."
"Uh, no, actually, it's all about the lean look now. Otheerwise you can't wear tailored suits."
"Sure, keep telling yourself that."
"When are you leaving for trailing camp, man?" The room suddenly went quiet.
"Uh, he quit football."
"Wait, really? You quit?"
"mh-hmm."
"Are you kidding me, man? I'd-I'd kill to play college ball."
"Dude, not about you right now. Sure Conrad has his reasons." I told Steven kicking his leg lightly.
"He can always change his mind."
"I'm not gonna change my mind. I was just gonna sit on the bench all season anyways."
"Well, if you're not playing football anymore, what are you gonna do all summer?"
"Oh, dude, you can work at the club. Yeah with me and Jere."
"Wait, you guys got jobs this year?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah, I'm lifeguarding, and Steven's working at the snack shop."
"Huh."
"Oh, Belly, Lye, I almost forgot. I have a surprise for you two."
"So this is why you had to stop by the country club." She handed us envelopes.
"What, uh, wh-wh-what is that?"
"I wrangled Belly and Lye an invitation
to be a debutante."
"Is that the thing where the girls wear white dresses and curtsy?" I ask kind of curious.
"It's when a girl comes of age and is presented to society. I-I know it sounds silly, but I swear it's fun. Girls come from all over New England to Cousins just to be a part of it. You'll make so many new friends. Both of you."
"I cannot believe you are still holding on to this archaic dream."
"No, it used to be about finding a husband, but now it's about networking. They teach you leadership skills, like how to market yourself, and it benefits charity. It's, um, like a bat mitzvah." Laurel got up laughing as she grabbed a bottle of wine.
"It is not like a bat mitzvah. There is nothing religious about a debutante ball."
"The whole deb scene is bullshit. It's for sheep. Yeah." Conrad spoke up.
"No, it's not. It's when a girl has a coming out, it's a formal recognition she's reached maturity." Steven laughed making us look at him.
"Oh, sorry. I'm sorry. Mature?"
"Yes."
"Belly?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Lye yes, but Belly? A-a couple months ago you had a cat funeral. You made us all wear black."
"Shut up, Steven. I saw you crying in your room."
"And that was my idea."
"Wait, Mochi died? Dang. I'm sorry, Bells."
"Belly. Don't you want to get all dressed up?"
"It's just not Belly's kind of thing. She's our feral little alley cat." The boys snickered again.
"Alley cat."
"I'll think about it."
"She'll think about it. Lye? You've been quiet." Jeremiah looked at me then the invitation in my hands.
"Um... yeah, yeah. Count me in."
"Yes, one down."
"Are you sure? I mean it doesn't seem like your scene."
"I mean... what's the harm in going. It could be fun." Jeremiah smiled at you nodding his head. Belly got up and went to put her bathing suit on. I stood up as well heading for the stairs when Jeremiah called out for me. "Yeah?"
"Um... we're about to leave."
"Yeah, okay, let me just get dress real quick."
"Um, just head to the car, I told my mom you're coming with. Steven didn't like that I invited you but... oh well,."
"What about Belly?"
"Yeah, I don't know. You should still come... I'd like to hang with you."
"Same... thanks for inviting me again. I appreciate being thought of."
"I always think about you."
"Jere, you got everything?" We looked at Steven who walked in on our moment.
"Yeah, just waiting on Conrad." I walked up stairs shutting my door grabbing a cute black crop top and my other jean shorts I slipped on my sandals and headed down stairs throwing y hair into a pony tail. I did as Jere said and walked to his car getting in the passenger seat. Steven was the first to get in, sitting comfortably in the back. Then Conrad and then Jere, he smiled at me as he started the car.
"No Belly?"
"She didn't want to come."
"Oh. Okay." I looked out the window the whole ride there. The stars looked so beautiful over the sea. Nothing could beat this moment. When we got there Conrad immediately went to a girl, oh boy. Jeremiah dragged me with him to meet some girls.
"Guys, this is Lila. My bad, uh, Lyra. She's gonna be a debutant with you guys. Treat her well, I'm gonna get something to drink, you want something?"
"Sure."
"We will, so are you two like... together?"
"Who me and Jere? No, no... just grew up together."
"Here." He placed his hand on my lower back smiling at me as he handed me a drink.
"You didn't want anything?"
"Nah, I'd thought we could share, I'm DD of the night so splits?"
"Sure." I could feel the burning glares of the two girls but I didn't care and neither did Jere. We ended up walking away for a bit sitting by the water relaxing. "Hey, Jere... do you... like Belly?"
"No, she's not really my type... plus I think she's into Conrad."
"What is your type then?" I looked over a him, he was already looking at me.
"Y- shit is that Belly?" I turned around seeing her talking to Conrad and that girl.
"Shit, I'll be right back." I got up walking over to her. "Hey, what are you wear- taylor?" She nodded her head. "Great, come on."
"No, no. I'm taking her home."
"What? No, she's fine she can hang with me and Jere."
"No."
"Dude, just hang out with... sorry what's your name?"
"Shayla."
"Lyra." I smiled at the girl before looking at Steven. "See you have a beautiful girl on your arm, dude. Just go with Shayla and leave Belly with me. She's fine." He looked between all three of us and sighed.
"Fine." I grabbed Belly's hand leading us back to Jeremiah who looked at us with a sad smile.
"Hey, I'm gonna go sit near the water."
"You sure? Do you want us to come with?"
"No. No. I'll be fine." I watched her leave near the water before sitting back down almost on Jeremiah.
"Sorry."
"It's fine." He pulled me closer making me smile.
"This is nice."
"You remember when we use to do this after everyone as asleep?"
"Yeah, we use to just watch the water."
"Hm. I use to never watch the water. It was you I was looking at."
"I remember. Jeremiah Fisher the biggest flirt at 10." I smiling watching a guy walk over to Belly.
"Only to you."
"Jere, you flirt with everyone."
"Eh."
"Kiss too."
"OK. Before you got here there was a couple, but.... you weren't here."
"And if I was... how many would've still got kissed?"
"None. I only wanna kiss you..."
"Jere that's not funny."
"I'm not laughing. Shit." I turned around to see Conrad fighting a guy.
"Seriously." We got up and ran to them.
"Hey, calm down." I stood behind Jere making sure I didn't get hit, but then the dude elbowed Belly.
"Shit, Belly." I let out a yelp as someone backed into me, stepping on my foot making me fall. I scooted to Belly and checked her head along with the guy she was with. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I think I hurt my head."
"Bells." I closed my eyes at the bright light now flashing towards us.
"Cops."
"Shit." Jeremiah grabbed my hand as the guy grabbed Bellys. I winced everytime I took a step. I made it halfway to the car before I stopped. "You okay?"
"I think I twisted my ankle." Jeremiah looked behind me for cops before scooping me up. He placed me on the passenger seat before getting Conrad into the back. Belly was talking to the guy smiling softly.
"Belly. Let's go. Get in."
"Cam can give me a ride home. Right, Cam?"
"Yes. That's no problem."
"No, you're not gonna get in a car with a guy you just met."
"I'm Cam. Cameron." He reached his hand over me to Jere, who just looked at him weird.
"Your name is Cam Cameron?"
"No, it's ju-just Cam."
"He knows he's just fucking with you." I told him as he withdrew his hand.
"But we actually, we know each other."
"Seventh grade. Latin convention."
"So, like, we're not total strangers."
"Okay. No offense, but no. Belly, get in the car."
"Just get in the car."
"Uh, you should probably go. But, um, the whaling boat that I intern on, it leaves at dawn every morning from the piers. I was wondering if you would, uh, want to come."
"Uh, yeah, yes, sure. I mean, how else will you get your hoodie back, right?"
"That's true." I closed my eyes at the two as Belly gave him a quick kiss.
"I'll just..."
"Oh, yeah. Bye." Jeremiah started the car as she got in about to take off before hitting the gas. "Fuck! Steven!" He got out the car.
"Shit, don't leave me here." I got out to, dealing with the pain as I chased him. No way was I leaving myself with those two. When we got back, cops were at the car talking to Conrad and Belly. Well, shit.