This Love: Conrad Fisher

chapter two: bonfire

  We were all sitting at the table for dinner. Each of us engaged in are own conversations until Steven took out his phone. "Steven I swear to god if you look at that phone one more time Im putting it in the phone basket" Laurel said as she gestured to her son. Susannah didn't want a fight to rise up so she decided to step in, "it's just that we want to see your beautiful faces." She smiled. "Steven has a beautiful face?" I questioned with a laugh, followed by a fist bump from Belly who was seated beside me. "Shut up Lizzy" Steven rolled his eyes and just went right back to his phone. Jeremiah tried to get his attention by calling his name, but soon gave up and threw his phone into the basket. "Boom nailed it!" Jer laughed with the rest of us. "Okay, Okay we get it, you've been working out" Steven said, I laughed due to the embarrassment radiating off of him right now. It was obvious. "Your just jealous because Jeremiah has a better body than you" Belly added, "Nice one" it was then my turn to fist bump my younger sister. "Uh actually it's all about the lean look now, otherwise you can't wear tailored suits" Steven retorted. Everyone laughed at Stevens remark, until he turned the attention to Conrad.

   "So when are you leaving for training camp?" I turned my head to Conrad forgetting all about it. Every summer Connie went to training camp for football. "Uh he quit football..." Jeremiah said as he looked back down at his plate. "Wait when did you quit" I asked with a surprised tone. Why wouldn't he tell me? "Recently" He added, he looked annoyed now. "Okay but I thought you would have told me?" I pushed further. "Maybe I don't need to tell you everything" he snapped. Before I could fire back Susannah cut in to prevent an argument, "He can always change his mind" she smiled. "Im not going to change my mind I was just going to sit on the bench anyways" Conrad added. "Well if your not playing football anymore, what are you going to do all summer?" My mom decided to question to get the topic off of it. "Dude you could work at the club with me and Jer" Steven said hopefully while Jeremiah nodded his head in excitement. Conrad let out a surly laugh "Im not gonna work at the club. "Wait you guys are working this summer?" Belly asked curiously. "Yeah I'm life guarding and Stevens working at the snack shop" Jeremiah said as he and Steven fist bumped. "So Jer can you save me if I drown?" I laughed, "Oh definitely" Jeremiah said as he brushed his leg with mine under the table. I felt his leg get shoved away from under the table. I looked up to see Conrad giving him a look and Jeremiah smiling back at him in a sarcastic way in response.

   "Oh belly I almost forgot" Susannah handed belly a white card. I glanced over to see what it was and saw it was and invitation for the deb ball. Belly in a deb ball? "What is that?" Steven asked. "Looks like Beck wants Belly to be a deb" I laughed, my mom smacked my hand in response. I mouthed a what and she just gave me a look. What did I do? Belly asked questions as Susannah explained and the rest of dinner was basically Steven and Belly arguing back and forth as usual. "Can I be excused?" I asked my mom. "Yes take your plate to the sink!" She shouted after me. After I put my plate in the sink and I made my way upstairs to get ready for the bonfire. I grabbed my towel and went into the bathroom to take a shower, so I would look somewhat presentable for tonight.

   I got out of the shower, wrapped a towel around my hair and then my head. I opened the door and stepped out only to run straight into Conrad. I started to fall but he quickly caught my arm that wasn't holding my towel, so that I wouldn't fall. "Sorry, I-, Sorry Liz" He quickly apologized. "Conrad it's fine I should have watched where I was going" I responded as I tried to move my way past him to get to my room. He quickly blocked my way by stepping to the side. "May I help you?" I questioned him. "Can we talk? About dinner?" He asked as he scratched the back of his neck. "Yes, just let me put clothes on and then you can come into my room" I laughed as I saw his face turn read. We laughed awkwardly as he moved out of my way.

  I closed the door to my room and began the search of what I was going to wear. I decided on a green knit crop top, accompanied by some light washed, ripped jean shorts. I dried my blonde hair and put on some light makeup. I heard a knock on my door an knew it was Connie who was waiting to talk to me. "Come in " I called as I tried to find my Birkenstocks to wear. He came into my room and sat on my bed and started to apologize. "Hey I'm sorry for not telling you about football." I sighed and made my way over to sit beside him. Conrad sat up against my headboard while I sat across from him. "It's okay I just wish you would have told me" I gave him a small smile as I reached for his hand. "Is it about your mom?" I asked, Conrad sighed and squeezed my hand tighter. Conrad looked up "I just want to spend the whole summer with her" He said. "Yeah that's understandable, I'm hear if you need to tell me anything, weather we are on good terms or bad terms C." he smiled at the nickname I had just called him. When we were little I used to call him C and he was the one who came up with Lizzy. I haven't used the nickname in a while. "Im gonna go outside and smoke until we leave for the party." Conrad got up and made his way to my door before turning around and giving me a small smirk. "Thanks for talking to me Lizzy." He left and all I could think about was how upset he was. We were the only kids to know about Susannah's cancer returning. On the night Conrad found out he called me. He was upset and needed someone and I was there. We cried together. Susannah is the strongest women I know. I hate to see her go through what she's going through.