That's the way I loved you ~Jeremiah Fisher~

Sweet Sixteen

Song of the chapter
  Moment - vierre cloud

"Bells wake up!" I yell. "It's your sweet sixteen come on!"
"Ugh, I'm up, " Belly says rolling over. "You couldn't let you sleep longer?"
"Nope," I say standing up and starting out the door. "Get dressed and come downstairs, Happy Birthday by the way"
Once I get to the kitchen laurel asks me,
"Wheres belly?"
"I woke her up she's coming" I answer then sit down next to Jeremiah. He looks at me with a smile. It's been a few weeks since my date but he's still treating me like he did that night. It's the same way he acted the first time he saw me cry. It was when his dad screamed at is for getting kool-aid everywhere. Oh, so that's why he brought it up. I smile at him quickly before turning my head to face Belly who just came downstairs.
"Your Mickey Mouse pancakes are almost ready" laurel states.
"Oh, I'm not really hungry right now sorry" Belly says. I look at her confused. Her eyes quickly flash to Conrad who's sitting at the island. Oh, I mouth to her. She told me what happened between them  last night. I don't know what's wrong with Conrad this summer.
"Time for presents then!" Susannah says and shoos everyone into the living room. I sit on the floor next to Jeremiah.
"Here's mine," laurel says handing Belly a square wrapped parcel. She tears it open.
"Oh it's a book" She says. I laugh a little and Jere hits my leg.
"What" I whisper to him. He mouths shush to me and I open my mouth in fake offense.
"Yeah it's a first edition" Laurel says. "Go to the book-marked page" Belly opens the book and begins reading the poem Susannah taught all of us as children,
"For what ever we lose"
"Like a you or a me" Jeremiah and I say.
"We always find ourselves in the sea" Everyone finishes the last line together.
"It's your favorite poem," My mom says to Susannah.
"Heres mine Belly" Susannah says giving belly a small velvet box. She opens it and pulls out a pearl necklace.
"My mom gave me those for my sixteenth birthday" Susannah says. Belly clips on the necklace.
"They look beautiful on you Bells" I exclaim. "Also here's my gift" I hand her a small gift bag. She takes off the tissue paper and grabs the a white t-shirt that says Cousins Beach out of the bag. She smiles then folds it and sets it on her lap. She reaches back into the baggie and pulls out a bracelet.
"I made it the colors of junior mints scarf" I explain. "So you can have him all year round"
"Thank you, Sophie I love it," She says putting it on her wrist. I see her eyes dart behind me to Conrad but they quickly go to Jeremiah who's now handing her his gift.

"Why don't you practice driving for a little before we pick up Taylor," Jeremiah says after Belly finishes opening all her gifts.
"Ok cool," Bellys says standing up, "Sophie you coming?"
"Yeah of course I love watching you nearly crash every four seconds" I reply. Jeremiah who's standing up now drops his hand down to help me up. I grab it and shoot myself up.
"Let's go," He says and we all go off to the car.

"Are you excited about Taylor coming?" Jere asks.
"Yeah but you know Taylor" Belly answers.
"Yes she's like a hurricane," I say from the back seat.
"Yup hurricane Taylor" Jeremiah says.
"You think she'll call you Jeremy again?" I ask.
"No I think she'll remember from last time," Jeremiah says.
"Nah, that's how she flirts with you," Belly says while swerving. I wasn't expecting the sudden movement so I grip the seat I was leaning on harder, accidentally grabbing some of Jeremiah's hair.
"Ow?" he says turning around and laughing.
"Sorry," I say taking my hands off the seat. "Belly I think you're gonna need a part two of this driving lesson."
"And part three and four" Jeremiah adds.

"Ugh I live" Taylor says scooping ice cream onto her spoon. "If I could eat this every day I would"
"Same" Bellys moans taking another bite, this time she gets whip cream on her nose. I laugh and throw a napkin at her.
~Ding~ my phone lights up with a text. From Ben.
Hey, I'm sorry for what happened can we talk? I really like you
I don't pick up my phone I just wait till the screen turns off. When I look up I see Jeremiah looking at my phone. Did he see the text? Our eyes catch each other. I wait for him to break away but he doesn't.
"Can you two stop looking at each other for just a second, I'm giving belly her present" Taylor says. I look across the table and see Taylor handing Belly a gift bag. Belly pulls out a small dark purple bikini from the bag.
"Belly would never wear that," Jeremiah says.
"Uh yes, I would, " Belly says scoffing.
"Oh I almost forgot I brought something for you too Sophie," Taylor says then takes a hot pink bikini from her bag and hands it to me.
"It was mine but I thought it would look better on you," Taylor says, "Also, I grew out of it"
That's what I thought. No way Taylor would give me this just to be nice. I feel like there may be another motive as well.
"Thank you, Taylor I love it," I tell her but I can see her eyes trail from the swimsuit to me, then to Jeremiah. I knew it. I give Belly and her a death stare. Taylor smiles that evil little Taylor smile. Jeremiah looks at me confused about what the hell is going on. Taylor then changes the conversation to what our plans are for tonight. Thank God.
"Let's go home, I wanna throw on my bikini and get in the pool," She says ending the party talk and standing up.

"I don't know about this," I say looking at myself in the mirror. The suit was hot pink, the bottoms tied at each side and the top is pretty small too. Bellys is just a little better than mine.
"You look great," Belly says. "Jeremiah's gonna flip"
"Stop," I say. "I'll meet you guys outside," I tell them then walk out of the room. Once I get to the pool I see Jeremiah and Steven already in and talking by the side of it. I say a quick thanks to the universe for my brother not being there.
"That swimsuit looks nice on you," Jeremiah says I can see him looking at my body.
"Thank you," I say getting into the water. I splash around for a little bit before Belly and Taylor come out and get in. We talk for a bit, Belly fills Taylor in on the Conrad situation.
"Wow Conrad is such a little bitch" Taylor says. I don't want to agree but Conrad has been acting weird this summer. I want to change the subject.
"Hey you guys wanna play chicken," I say loud enough for the guys to hear.
"Um yes," Taylor says and starts swimming over to the boys.
"Sure i'll play but there's five of us," Steven says.
"Oh, I'll sit out the first round," Belly says.
"No it's your birthday I'll sit out," I say and go to the edge of the pool.
"I call Jeremy," Taylor says.
"Ah no then I'm with Steven " Belly says.
"No I don't want her she's massive," Steven whines.
"Oh wow, I'm sorry I'm so huge." Belly says mockingly," I wouldn't wanna break you delicate little shoulders"
"Fine, we'll just switch," Taylor says and walks over to Steven. Once everyone's ready I callout,
"One, two, three, Go!"
Taylor and belly began trying to push each other off and neither is successful until Belly hits Taylor just hard enough and she falls backward.
"That was all your fault!" Taylor yells at Steven.
"Was not!" He retaliates.
"Ok shut up it's my turn," I say to them jokingly while I walk to the middle of the pool.
"Ok ill go with Steven this time," Belly says and Jeremiah flips her off of him.
"Ugh" Steven groans.
"Oh shush," Belly says splashing him.
"Ready?" Jeremiah asks once I'm adjusted on his shoulders. His hands are holding my thighs tightly but still in a gentle manner. I rest my arms on his head and curl and uncurl pieces of his hair in my fingers while I wait for Belly and Steven to get ready. Once they are Taylor yells,
"Go"
I lean forward and grab belly's shoulders in an attempt to knock her back but she pushes my stomach and I fall into the water. I come up and move my hair away from my face
"You good?" Jeremiah asks me sliding his hand up my forearm.
"Yeah I'm good," I say then move my arm back so that our hands are touching.
"Good job," I say high fiving him. I look behind him to see Belly, Taylor, and Steven staring at us. Taylor and Belly share a look and Steven just smiles. What the fuck? I suddenly get flustered and feel my face turning red so I turn and dive into the water. What was that?