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Summer Blues ✷ 2022
𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇 𝐆𝐖𝐄𝐍 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 didn't just change physically after her father's death—she transformed in ways she never expected. After losing him to cancer, the once-vibrant, carefree girl has become a shadow of herself. Where there was once laughter and light, now there's only a quiet, sorrowful presence. Gone are the days when she would fill a room with energy, her smiles bright and easy. These days, Gwen can be found alone, her expressions muted, her thoughts heavy. When she does smile, it's barely a glimmer of the joy she used to carry. Her perception of life has been permanently altered, and it's as though the world has shifted beneath her feet.
But her family, concerned for her, has decided it's time for her to get out of her comfort zone. Gwen is pressured to leave the safety of her room and the cocoon of her grief to join the Fishers and the Conklin family at Cousins Beach for the summer. It's not an easy decision. These families have been a part of her life for as long as she can remember, all the mothers being best friends, and she's known their children since childhood. It should feel familiar, but the thought of returning to a place that holds so many memories only reminds her of everything she's lost.
Still, a part of Gwen can't help but feel a flicker of excitement. She's looking forward to reuniting with Belly, the girl who's been a constant in her life despite the changes. She's also curious about seeing Jeremiah and Steven again, but it's Conrad Fisher who has been on her mind, both unknowingly and relentlessly, for years. He's the boy who's made her heart race ever since she was twelve—the one who has made her feel butterflies in her stomach whenever he's near. But she knows better than to expect anything in return. They've always been friends, and Gwen has never allowed herself to believe he could feel the same way. Besides, Belly has always had feelings for him too, and Gwen would never risk their friendship for something that could never happen.
Still, this summer holds a kind of magic for Gwen, a promise of something different, something that could bring change. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but she can't shake the feeling that this summer will feel endless, like a time suspended between memories and possibilities. It's a summer of firsts and lasts, of confronting old feelings and discovering new ones. The world at Cousins Beach may be just as it always has been, but for Gwen, it feels like everything is about to change.
