Swim Until You Love Me

Part III

I was always jealous of Belly for having her birthday in the beach house. We all had our birthday traditions, but only she got to have them with the Fishers in the beach house- it was unfair.

Every year we would make her Mickey Mouse pancakes with syrup instead of cake. She would open her presents and then we would spend the day however she wanted it. And then of course, Susannah went all out for dinner.

This year, I knew Belly wanted to go driving with me, and I was looking forward to it. Plus, Taylor was coming. I wasn't sure why Belly had okayed that, she hated mixing home life and summer life. So did I. But it was her birthday, I would go along with it.

"Good morning, everyone," Belly said, coming into the kitchen.

"Hey, there's the birthday girl, looking like a vision in floral," Susannah said as she hugged her.

"Happy birthday, Bells," I said, giving her a hug too. Everyone else did the same. Except Conrad of course. Ugh.

"Your mickey mouse pancakes are ready," Mom smiled.

"Actually, I'm not really hungry," Belly replied.

"Should we open presents?" Susannah asked.

Everyone gave her their gifts. Susannah got her a pearl necklace; a similar one I had received from her on my 16th birthday. Mom got her a book and Steven got her a Princeton sweater. Jeremiah got her a charm for her driving test, which was adorable. Conrad- forgot. Bullshit. I knew he couldn't have, but then why didn't he give her his gift?

"Madi?" Belly asked, looking hopeful. I smiled and gave her my gift. It was a coffee brown leather jacket that I had seen her eyeing at the store back home. She jumped up and hugged me.

"Hey, why don't we get my car and practice driving before we have to pick up Taylor from the bus station?" Jeremiah asked.

"Yeah, sure. Let's go," Belly replied.

I couldn't believe it. She had been begging me to teach her, and now she was just going with Jeremiah? Ugh, I would just go see what Conrad was up to.

*****

He was smiling. At Cleveland. Well, that's new.

"Hey," I greeted him as I walked onto the pier.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" He smiled. It was unsettling.

"Umm, can we talk?"

He looked at Cleveland. "Can it wait?" he asked me.

"No, I don't wanna do this in front of everyone."

He nodded and stepped out of the boat. "What's up?"

"I should ask you. What is going on Conrad? Why are you acting so weird this summer?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

I scoffed. "Seriously? I mean you quit football. You're smoking. You're never around the house. You're getting into fights and making out with Nicole? What's that about?"

"Just because you don't like her doesn't mean I can't hang out with her."

I pressed on. "I know you got Belly a gift. You're totally into her. Why didn't you give it to her?"

"I'm not into Belly," he said.

"Yeah right. So you're telling me you didn't crash her date because you were jealous of Cam?"

He looked away.

I smirked knowing I had won that one. "Why didn't you give her your gift?" I asked.

"I-" He started and then stopped, looking deep into my eyes. I thought he was going to tell me what was going on, but then he looked away, "Its none of your business."