ONLY ONE SUMMER - Conrad Fisher | tsitp

I. twizzler

CHAPTER ONE, twizzler.

The heat of the room was unbearable or maybe it was the heavy blanket draped over Alyssa Parker's sleeping body that caused the heat. A rhythmic buzz sounded through the room as the girl stirred in her sleep. Groaning, she searched her nightstand for her phone and, once she had found it, lazily declined the call. A few moment of peace passed before the aggravating buzz rung again. This time, Alyssa sat up, her eyes half closed as she rubbed them.

"What?" She grumpily asked into the phone.

"Are you at to the train station?" A female voice asked through the speaker.

Train station? What train statio—

Oh. Oh!

Alyssa was now wide awake, on her feet, running towards her unpacked suitcase and throwing in anything and everything closest to her.

"Yes, mum. Im the bathroom. I'll call you later. Bye!" She had spoken so rapidly she wasn't sure her own mother had understood a word she had just said.

What time was it?

16:03

What time was the train leaving?

16:40

Shit.

. . .

Somehow, Alyssa Parker was the luckiest girl on earth. The train ended up leaving 30 minutes later than scheduled and the girl was early. Now, she exited the taxi that had dropped her off before the infamous summer beach house Jeremiah was always on about at any given chance. He had told her it was a special place like no other and Alyssa always told him that a house could not be any different from the one next to it, but now, as she gazed up at the beach house, she found herself forgetting anything negative she had ever said about it.

Before she could look at the house any longer, arms wrapped around her body and lifted her up into one of the most awaited hugs. Alyssa Parker had counted down the days since Jeremiah Fisher had asked her if she wanted to stay at the beach house for the summer and finally it was happening.

"Put me down, Jere!" But, in fact, she did not want to be let down by one of her best friends. She hadn't seen him for a year, where they had met at a summer camp and stayed inseparable for almost the whole time. A huge smile had plastered its way onto her face as she laughed.

"I've missed you, Ali." He said, putting her down, mirroring her smile. "Come on. You've got to meet mum!" He said excitedly, taking her suitcase from behind her and motioning for her to follow behind him.

. . .

"Your mum is like one of the sweetest people I've ever met, Jere." Alyssa said as she trailed behind him towards the guest room, where she would be staying at. Chewing on a twizzler Susannah, Jeremiah's mum, had given her.

"I think Belly and Steven are coming in a week. Wait until you meet them." Jeremiah told her, opening a door revealing a mint green themed bedroom with a window view of the Cousin's Beach and the outdoor pool. He set down her suitcase before flopping onto her bed. "How was the train ride?"

"I nearly overslept it." Alyssa told him as she laid down onto the free space he had left on the bed.

"I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I'm not." Jeremiah said to which the girl playfully threw a twizzler from the packet at him. He caught it and said, "Thanks." with a small laugh.

"Ass." She said with a roll of her eyes.

"A nice ass whilst you're at it."

And at that, the two of them had erupted into a mess of uncontrollable laughter, wheezing like little kids and almost choking on the sugary twizzlers. After a while, Alyssa had left to use the bathroom. Following Jeremiah's directions, she had made it to a door, but, opening it had made her realise she had managed to mess up and ended up in another bedroom.

"Who are you?" A voice spoke from inside the room and Alyssa's eyes darted to the source of the sound. She found a boy around her age, laying on what she supposed was his bed. He looked confusedly at her.

"Oh, sorry. I was looking for the bathroom." She told him and quickly turned around, trying to leave the awkward situation as fast as she could.

"Wait!" He called after her, stepping out of his room to stand in front of her. "You didn't answer my question." He said, leaning against the door frame.

From the position on his bed, she hadn't noticed the fact that he was really tall or that a few hair strands gently fell over his eyes, which owned one of the prettiest shades of blue she had ever seen — like seawater illuminated by pure moonlight,

He must be Conrad, Jere's older brother.

"I'm Alyssa."

"Jeremiah's friend?" He asks.

"Yeah." She replies, staring into his sea-like eyes. "Do you want a twizzler?" Alyssa asks, taking the pack out of her pocket.

"Sure." He says, taking one from her with a gentle smile. "The bathroom is behind you, by the way."