The Summer I Fell

a delicate science

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Jewel had awoken later than the others, taking noticing of Jeremiah's disappearance from the bed. She made her way down the staircase, seeing Jeremiah and Steven in front of the stove and Laura sitting at the island. The sun shining through the living room windows was almost unbearable for Conrad and her, making their heads throb from the hangover. Jeremiah saw her walk in out of the corner of his eye, seeing his jacket still draped over her shoulders.
"Good morning." He smiled, already know the pressurizing headache she had.
"Good morning." Jewel replied, squishing together on the couch with Conrad, the boy groaning in response to the weight on his leg.
"Do we really have to physically sit for our portraits? Can't she just, like, look at a picture on her phone or something? Okay, get out." Jeremiah asked, frying an egg as he pushed Steven back.
"What? Why?" Steven questioned, offended by his need for space.
"She needs to see you in the flesh in order to capture your essence. While you're still young and full of hope. Her words." Laura recited, sparking a laugh from both boys.
"Well, They do not have hope, actually. They're hopeless, but my hangover smoothie... it cures all." Jeremiah reminded them, Conrad rolling his eyes.
"Can you please just hurry up?" Conrad called out, Jewel reaching up to cover his mouth.
"Don't yell, please." She groaned, the volume of his voice causing her headache to pound harder.
"You're crushing my leg." Conrad complained, earning a scoff from the girl.
"I am not." She fought, Conrad grabbing onto her arm.
"Just move up." He directed, pulling her further up the couch to lay beside him. His arm draped itself over her waist lazily, the action nothing more than a need for comfortability on the small couch. Jeremiah watched from the kitchen as the interaction played out, his jaw clenching out of jealousy. He forced himself to look away from the two, turning his attention back to the eggs.
"Just go back to bed, all right? All right, seriously, Steven, get out." Jeremiah scolded, pushing Steven back from over his shoulder once more.
"Oh, come on." Steven retaliated, wanting to watch his cooking.
"This is a delicate science, and your heavy breathing is gonna break the yolk." Jeremiah explained, Steven reluctantly agreeing.
"She hasn't painted you since you were little. I think it'd be nice to have these portraits for when you're older." Laura told the boys, earning a scoff from Steven.
"Old. No. When I'm older, I'm sure there'll be, like, like, holograms or something I can watch of myself, you know?" He corrected, his voice soon drown out by the sound of the blender whirring. Jewel peaked up from her spot on the couch, shooting Jere a harsh glare for the loud noise.
"Just sit for your portraits. I don't see Conrad and Jewel complaining." Laura told the two, Jeremiah forcing out a laugh. 
"They'll complain when they're conscious." He told Laura, carrying the two smoothies over to the pair.
"Thank you." The pair thanked as Jere handed them the drinks.
"Come on, man. Hurry your ass up. All right? I can't be late for my first day of work." Steven rushed, Jeremiah rolling his eyes as he moved back into the kitchen.
"We won't. We're good." He reminded Steven, the boy smacking him on the butt as he passed by.
"Ooh! Those old country club boomers are gonna tip me so hard, man, they won't know what hit 'em." Steven cheered, earning a scolding glare and comment from Laura.
"Come on, Laurel. My boy's got to get that bread." Jeremiah reminded her, Steven thanking him for the support. Jewel and Conrad placed their drinks on the coffee table in front of them, laying back down together on the couch.
"Good morning. Belly, where have you been? Is that a bruise?" Laura asked, seeing the dark mark on her daughter's face.
"Um, I-I bumped into someone." The girl excused, despite her mom questioning it.
"Doesn't look that bad." Conrad undermined, Belly finally looking up to him. She could see his arm wrapped around Jewel, a slight jealousy overtaking her.
"Um, cereal?" Jeremiah offered, Belly accepting. Footsteps sounded from down the hallway, Susannah coming into the room excitedly.
"Oh, my God! Our girl's gonna are gonna be debutantes." She laughed excitedly, announcing the news to the others.
"It's really not that big of a deal." Belly excused, not wanting to make a big deal over the news.
"I'm sorry. Like, Belly? Like, my sister? Like, that thing right there?" Steven insulted, Belly snapping at him for the comment.
"Okay, this is gonna be so much fun. Just you girls wait. There is, uh... there's the tea, the auction, the ball, of course, the rehearsal. I got to write this down." Susannah rambled excitedly, walking toward the fridge to write everything down. A gasp left the woman's lips immediately after, turning to face Belly.
"We need to go shopping." She told Belly, knowing she needed the right clothing.
"This sounds... expensive." Laura spoke hesitantly, Susannah quickly brushing it off.
"Oh, don't worry, Laur. It's on me. It was my idea after all, and we still need to style you for your book party, so..." She reasoned, Laura's unsure eyes landing back on Belly.
"Belly, are you sure you want to do this? It doesn't seem very you." She asked, wondering why Belly had made the out of character decision.
"It's not." Conrad spat from beside Jewel.
"Conrad, could you please be a little more supportive? Now, which one of you is gonna be Belly's and Jewel's escort to the ball?" Susannah asked, Jewel wincing at the question.
"Not me. I went last year." Conrad shut down, not wanting to be wrapped into the event for another summer.
"Yeah, and I swore off balls." Jeremiah reminded them, earning a chuckle from Steven. 
"The dances, dude." He corrected, Belly clearing her throat from the table.
"Wow, guys. Stop fighting over me. Um, I'm not going with either of you. I am going to find my own date." She informed Susannah.
"Wikipedia says debutante balls require instruction in morals and social etiquette." Laura read to them, Conrad pushing himself up from the couch, careful not to crush the girl beside him.
"I'm going for a swim, you coming?" He asked Jewel, the girl nodding in response. Both moved toward the back door, needing to grab their bathing suits from the shower.