YOU CAN'T DO BETTER! [conrad fisher]

TOURISTS. [1]

i hate how tourists think cousins beach is the happiest place on earth. they compare it to disneyland in the way that it has sunshine and memories, but in all my experiences, cousins is the worst place to be in the summertime. i've lived here my whole life, and every summer is nothing more than mediocre. my only memories are falling off my bike, getting sticky from a popsicle and my mom... you know.. dying. when i think summertime, i think of that. when i think cousins beach, i think of that.

it's just me and my dad now, and i'm thankful he didn't become a raging meth addict but he doesn't understand how horrible summer feels for me. now that it's july, everyone's here. in a way, i'm jealous that cousins is their escape to happiness, when it's my prison. i hardly leave cousins. i leave a couple times a year for family reunions or the annual father-daughter dance a couple towns away, but unless i'm gone for months at a time... cousins is a prison cell. the few times where i enjoy it is the days when i hang out with belly conklin, who only visits for a summer but, regardless, is my favorite tourist there is.

my phone lights up my whole bedroom, and i pause the tv before i get up and check what the notification was. i sigh as i unplug it and unlock it, and belly's name flashes on my screen.

i grin as i walk over to my closet and try to find an outfit to wear. when belly comes, i'm a totally different person. from september to june, i'm a grumpy girl, but from july to august, i'm somewhat happier. i hate summertime, unless i'm spending the summer with isabel conklin. most days she hangs out with conrad, jeremiah, and steven as well as susannah and laurel, but the few days i have her to myself, it's the best. she's the highlight of my summer.

—

the smell of campfire smoke and beer surrounds me, and at this moment, i know that it's summer. most days i dread this feeling, but it's different. because i have belly today.

i anxiously pull down my white dress a little bit, in attempt to lengthen it. it's short, and i'm fine with provocative, but not at a party. not at a party like this. my eyes scan the beach for a sign of belly, and i'm shocked to see belly sitting down talking with a boy i've never seen before. i decide to leave her be, because belly deserves it. i awkwardly sit down on the sand, adjusting my dress as i do.

well, this sucks.

i look up and make eye contact with belly, her eyes glimmering with excitement. she slightly moves her head towards the boy, then smiles. i know what she means by that. i grin and nod, before looking down at my phone. i feel a presence near me, to which i look back up, only to see jeremiah fisher with a girl by his side.

i stand up and lightly smile, "hey!"

"hey. have you seen belly?" he asks.