✔️| 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒆𝒓 ─ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒓𝒂𝒅 𝒇𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓

FIFTY-FIVE

Lucky for Briella, there was a 5 minute time out. The first-aid team was looking over her face to see if it was anything serious. It wasn't. The girl knew nothing was broken. But they had to do their job so she let them.

Briella caught Conrad looking over her direction from time to time. No doubt he felt bad at what happened. But what can he do about it? There was nothing to do. All he could do was stare at her, ignoring everything Belly was telling him. He wanted so bad to go over there and tell his girlfriend how sorry he was. But he didn't.

"Are you sure nothing's broken? How would you know? Do you have x-ray powers or something?" Drew has been arguing with the first-aid team for a good 2 minutes. He was worried something happened that they needed to treat immediately or something worse would happen. He is just being an over protective dad.

"Dad I'm fine." Briella said reassuring him.

"You'll be fine once I see the X-rays."

Briella rolled her eyes as she chugged the rest of her water. "I told him to stop staring at me." The girl told Jeremiah as both of them looked over to see Conrad indeed staring at the pair.

"He's probably worried." Jeremiah stated.

"This wouldn't have happened if he were to just say no to Belly. Am I crazy to think Belly did this on purpose?"

Jeremiah chuckled. "It's a stretch but..."

"She knew she couldn't win this set unless she took me out. Unfortunately for her, I'm still well and alive to play." The girl threw the towel on the seat and stood up. "And ready for my vengeance."

Jeremiah chuckled again as he too threw his towel on the chair and followed the girl onto the court. Everyone cheered as the whistle blew to resume the game.

18-15.

Belly served the ball towards the girl which she received. Jeremiah moved to set up the girl as she jumped to spike the ball. Belly dug it as Conrad moved closer to the net to set the girl. Briella was playing front row this time so she waited until Belly jumped up to spike to jump up to block it.

The whistle blew awarding the point to Team Briella.

Briella glared at her friend. "Not this time."

Belly was angry. Yeah what she did was shitty, but it was an accident. She didn't mean to hit her friend in the face. And now she felt embarrassed that she blocked her ball. But whatever. Conrad chose to be on her team, which indirectly meant he chose her.

But did it?

Jeremiah served into the deep corner which ended up being in. Briella squealed as she hugged the boy. 1 more point. Team Briella needed one more point before they won the entire tournament.

Jeremiah served it again which Belly received. Conrad set her and she hit it hard, but unlucky for her, Briella was able to dig it. Jeremiah saw the girl was on the floor so he ended up hitting it over. Smart play Jere, Briella thought as she got off the sand and played front row defense.

Conrad passed it to Belly who got ready to set the boy. Briella stood there waiting for Conrad to spike the ball only for it to land right back down in front of him.

Briella blocked the ball... again.

Conrad looked at the girl again. It felt like time stopped for them. Like they were the only ones here. As she started into his blue-green eyes, she saw the regret and guilt. But she wasn't a mind reader. Conrad needed to tell her how he truly feels. She couldn't assume it.

"The winners are Briella Swift and Jeremiah Fisher!" Susannah said as a bunch of cheers and claps were heard.

The girl was pulled away from their staring contest from Jeremiah lifting her up. She totally forgot they were here for a second. "Little Brie. We did it!"

Briella chuckled. "All thanks to you JereBear."

"I was pretty good huh?"

"Little Brie you were so good." Susannah said hugging the girl.

"Thanks Auntie Susan."

"I'm so sorry." The woman apologized causing the girl to be confused. 

"For what?" Briella asked.

"I knew it was wrong of me to ask Conrad to ask Belly to be her escort. I didn't know you meant so much to him."

"What?"

"He didn't tell you?" Briella shook her head. "Well it was a hard no from him so don't worry about it sweetie."

And that left Briella to think. The girl tends to overthink things. But how could she not? Everything that happened today and what Susannah just told her was just the beginning of this chaotic day. 

✄-----------------------------

i know a lot and i mean A LOT of you guys will be upset with conrad's actions. not only did he not play with his girlfriend but he didn't even ask if she was ok when she got hit by a ball. but if any of you have read the book, conrad is a coward or at least that's how i saw him as. he isn't the type of person to go up to someone he cares about and ask if they're ok. he's more of a reserved, show his affection to them in a more private way.

and i didn't want to take that away from his character. jenny han wrote conrad like that and as much as i wanted to change him to be better, to show that he cares for briella, that's just not who conrad is.