the summer you noticed me ↠ conrad fisher {1}

f o u r

     "Claire-Bear!" Belly squealing running towards me.

     The confusing feelings I just got from Conrad completely evaporated into thin air. My radiantly beautiful best friend, who I haven't seen in person in too long is running straight at me. A warm smile on her face that reminded me home is where the heart is, and my heart is right here surrounded by my people.

My heart is beating so fast. The happiness swirling through my body at the realization that she chose to say hi to me before Jeremiah.

     "Belly!" I say in exactly the same squeal she did.

     I can see Steven and Jeremiah mocking us behind her, but I chose to blissfully ignore their ignorance.

     Now we are both running at each other full force when our bodies collide and we topple over into the grass laughing. "I missed you, so so much. I know I saw you like last month but it was such a short visit, we can't keep going months without seeing each other. I miss you too much," Belly rambled in my ear.

     I squeeze her as tightly as humanly possible and nod. "We really do. There's so much we have to catch up on."

     "Catch up? You act like we haven't spent everyday FaceTiming, what could you possibly catch me up on?" She laughs, rolling onto her back. She's staring up at the sky for a fraction of a second before Jeremiah's interests was peaked.

     "We'll, what a sight to see," Jere smirks looking between the two of us.

"Ew Jere," Conrad scoffs before disappearing back into the house.

     I try not to show how his absence effects me. It ripples through my body, as I stare at the spot he was just at. He didn't even stop to say hi to Belly, and that proves even more he isn't who he used to be. A pain cracks my chest, and I force a smile to cover up what I am feeling.

     Belly's attention is now caught, thankfully not noticing that Conrad forgot to say hi to her. She got up quickly, holding out a hand to me and lifting me up. I rub her arm slightly, giving her a shove in Jeremiah's direction. Not noticeable to anyone around us, but she definitely got the hint because she sent a glare in my direction.

     "I liked you better with glasses," Jere teases.

     I roll my eyes at his comment, and choose to say hi to Steven. "Hi Steve," I say. I hit my shoulder against his, earning a small chuckle.

     "Hello, Clara. See you still forgot my name is actually Steven, and not Steve." He mumbles.

I look up at him, "no Steve. I didn't forget, jeez you must of woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." I tease and ruffle his hair.

He groans, "Clara!" He shouts backing away. "Don't. Touch. The. Hair." He says backing away.

     "It's better to not touch the hair, he spent 30 minutes in the bathroom to get it to look like that," Laurel, Belly and Stevens mom, says wrapping an arm around my shoulder. Steven groans at his moms comment, and storms away towards the house, his suitcase in hand. "Hi sweetheart, how are you?" She asks, directing her attention at me.

     "Hi, I'm great now. I missed you guys," I smile, pulling her in for a real hug.

     She gives me a tight squeeze before moving away from me to loop her arm around Susannah. I smile at them, imaging that's me and Belly in the future. Two best friends, with families and children who come together every year for a tradition. Those two warm my heart.

     Belly comes up behind me and wraps an arm around my neck, just like her mom did with Susannah. "You know," I say still looking at her mom and Susannah. "That's going to be us one day," I grin.

     She smiles, and nods agreeing. "Yes, yes it will. With our husbands Conrad and Jeremiah," she whispers, winking. It was just then I noticed we were the last two outside. "Come on, help me unpack!"

*   *   *

     I lean my elbows on the railing and look out at the water. It's the first night here in Cousins. It's always a special time for me and my mom. Just like Belly has with her mom and Susannah, we have — had, our own traditions; we'd get ice cream, and sit on the beach and just talk.

     It doesn't sound like much but it meant a lot to me, and sitting here looking at the beach as night starts to join us the sadness feels a little overwhelming right now.

     I pull out my phone, and decide to call Mom. Her phone is off and it sends me directly to voicemail, so I leave her one. "Hi Mom, I made it to Cousins around 2. Everyone's here, Susannah says hi. It's just nightfall and it reminds me of our tradition of talking with ice cream on the beach our first night. I don't have ice cream, and I'm not on the beach but I just wanted to say I miss you. I hope you have a great summer, and manage to find time away from work for a little while and find time to enjoy the sun a bit. All my love, goodnight Mom. Talk to you soon."