The Summer I Fell

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The water felt cool against Jewel's burning skin, helping to relax her body from its hungover state. While Jeremiah's smoothie helped drastically, the ghost of the sickness still lingered in her body.
"You told me you didn't want to do the deb ball." Conrad finally spoke, pushing his wet hair back from in front of his face.
"I didn't...I don't." Jewel admitted, causing Conrad's eyebrows to furrow.
"Then why are you?" He questioned, Jewel rolling her eyes amused.
"You try telling your mom no. She makes it impossible. Laura and her are already walking on eggshells around me, I don't want to make that worse." She shrugged, knowing that her mom's death had made them constantly concerned.
"It's just because they're worried." He reminded the girl, looking over to her small frame.
"I know." She confirmed, meeting Conrad's eyes from a couple of feet over.
"They're worried about you too, you know?" She reminded him, watching as he bit his lip.
"I know." He copied, earning a small smile from the girl. His eyes turned back toward the water around them, his mind wandering to Jeremiah and her.
"Do you like Jeremiah?" Conrad asked out of the blue, Jewel's eyebrows furrowing at his words.
"No." She half lied, Conrad nodding in response. Jewel honestly didn't know how she had felt for the other Fisher brother.
"I think he likes you." Conrad confessed, not quite knowing for sure though.
"What do you mean?" She questioned, finding herself more intrigued with his words than she thought.
"I mean we see everything he does for you when he thinks the rest of us aren't looking. He denies it every time we ask but we still see it." Conrad explained, a small shrug accompanying his words.
"I don't think he likes me. We're just...close." She excused, refusing to believe that Jeremiah had caught feelings for her at some point in their friendship.
"No, we're close. What you and Jeremiah have is different." Conrad corrected, a hint of a smile on Jewel's face.
"Well if we're putting our two cents in, then why don't you tell Nicole you're not interested in her?" Jewel asked, Conrad's eyebrows furrowing at her question.
"I am interested." He corrected, a small laugh escaping Jewel's mouth.
"Alright, whatever you say." She laughed, adjusting the leash around her wrist.
"Just come on, let's catch this next wave." He told her, laying his stomach back down against the board as Jewel followed suit.