It's finally the time I have been waiting for a year. It's summer. I love summer. My family has been going to Susannah's beach house, in Cousins, every summer since I was a baby. Since before I was even born. All year, my twin sister, Belly, and I count the days until we go there again. And I'm sure we're not the only ones.
We all go there but the dads don't belong there. Not the way we do. The mothers and us kids. The beach house is made up of lots of things. The beach, the swimming pool, the movie nights with the moms. And the boys. The boys most of all. It's the same every summer and that's something I've always loved. The best things that happen to me, take place there. Between June and August.
PRESENT
I was in Belly's room with Belly and Taylor. We were helping Belly to pack her things for the summer holidays.
" Uh! This guy Drew texted me again. He's asking about the volleyball tournament." I said.
" He doesn't care about volleyball. He probably doesn't even know what it is." Taylor said.
" He doesn't know what it is. He's just trying to find an excuse to text you Y/n," Belly said and we laughed.
" Are you excited to go to the beach house?" Taylor asked me and Belly.
" Of course I am! I have been waiting to go there since we left." Belly said, answering Taylor's question.
" Of course you are! You will see Conrad again and he is finally gonna confess his feelings for you." I said to Belly.
I knew how excited she was. She can't wait to arrive at the beach house, so she can see Conrad. Belly likes him since we were 12. She always wanted Conrad to ask her on a date and even kiss her.
" You know Y/n, he doesn't like me. He probably sees me as his little sister." My twin sister said kinda sad.
" Oh, he'll see you. Whether he wants to or not." Taylor said.
" You look a lot different than last summer Belly." I said remembering when Belly complained about how " ugly" she was last summer.
She was beautiful. She has always been. And I don't say this cause she's my sister, I truly believe that.
" You guys are supposed to help me pack my things!" She said trying to change the topic.
" Okay! Want my advice? Don't take this Speedo with you and pack cute things." Taylor said to Belly who was holding a swimsuit.
" I always buy a new swimsuit when we go there." Belly said while putting her swimsuit in her suitcase.
" Just try to buy a swimsuit that doesn't look like you're trying for the swimming team," I said to my sister before our mom tell us that we leave in 10 minutes.
" Okay, so before you go, you have to tell me your summer wishes," Taylor said.
" I don't really have a summer wish. I just want to have fun like the other summers." Belly said while blushing a little. Both Taylor and I know that she wants to hook up with Conrad.
" You're lying Belly. We all know your summer wish which is Conrad." Taylor smirked.
" Well, I just want to find a cute, hot boy and hook up with him. Also, I want to have fun and go to the bonfires with Belly." I answered Taylor's question.
" And especially if this cute, hot boy is Jeremiah Fisher!" Belly said and she and Taylor started laughing.
Now, we were in the car. Steven is driving, Belly is in the passenger seat and I'm in the backseat with our mom. We are listening to music and I almost had fallen asleep. The "Can't do better" by Kim Petras started playing on the radio. I love this song. So does Belly. Belly and I always sing it to each other when one of us is sad. But we love to sing it in general. We started singing until mom interrupted us.
" This summer I want you guys to help more with the cleaning. And Steven, I don't mean to just take your plate and put it into the sink." Mom said to us. Every year, Belly and I help with the cleaning a little. Steven is what you call lazy. He only likes going out and having fun with the boys. But mostly with Jeremiah. Most of the time we're included in the "boys" activities just because of Conrad. He's the one who taught me and Belly how to dance.
" But Susannah has people to clean the house. Doesn't she?" Steven said.
" Yes, she does. But that's not the point Steven. I want you to be good guests." Mom said to our older brother.
After a while, we stopped at a gas station. Belly and I went inside the little store to buy snacks. Belly grabbed her favourite Cheetos and I grabbed some sour patches. Belly took a coca-cola from the freezer and I took a lemonade. We went to the cash desk to pay. The cashier started flirting with me and Belly. He seemed like he was in his middle 20s.
" Are you new here?" He asked us.
" No. Actually, we come here every summer. Since we were babies." Belly said.
" Weird. I thought I knew every beautiful girl in here." The gas station boy said.
" Anyways. Tonight there's a bonfire and I would love to see you there." The boy said again.
" Okay. Maybe." Belly said smiling.
We were almost at the beach house now. I love this feeling. It feels like you're arriving home after a 12 hours drive. It smells the same. It feels the same. Like it has been waiting for us to come back here. The Fishers must have heard our car coming because they were coming outside. The first person I notice is Jeremiah. You can say he's the most energetic person in the two families. He even ran outside. Of course, Susannah came to me, Steven and Belly first so she can hug our mother last and longer. After we were done greeting each other, Steven and Jeremiah looked down at the fake watches on their wrists.
" I think it's time for a .......... belly flop." They said in unison and then all three boys started chasing.
You could say belly flop it's a tradition of Belly and the boys. I was left out in this activity of them, but I wasn't upset at all. However, something was different. The Conrad I knew had changed. He was all moody. I think he wasn't even happy to see us. I guess I will talk to him later.
My thoughts were interrupted as someone threw me into the pool. Jeremiah must have been the one who did it because when I popped my head out of the water I heard Steven telling " Good one Jeremiah!"
