Lover (Conrad Fisher)

11

We finished up in Belly's room right when everyone got there. We all moved to the dining room and set out all the food. On the heads of the table sit Susannah and Laurel. Conrad, Carson, Steven, and Jeremiah all sit on one side of the table, while I sit across from Conrad next to Taylor, Belly, and Cam on the other side of the table. We all laugh and talk during dinner.

When I'm with big groups of people I like to sit back and observe everyone. I look next to me at Taylor who's eating. Next to her I see Belly and Cam giving each other googoo eyes. Laurel is talking to Steven about how good the food is. Then I see Jeremiah, who's staring at Belly and Cam with an unreadable face. Before I can observe anymore, Jeremiah says to Cam, "So Cam, mind if I call you Cam-Cameron?"

Cam nods his head laughing "Yeah man, feel free, it's funny."

"I'm glad you're here Cameron," Susannah says. "I know your mom Denise from the club and I've heard a lot about you." Cam gives her a smile and says, "Thank you so much for having me Susannah. My mom says hi." Laurel finishes serving Cam a bowl asking, "Cam have you ever had miyeok-guk before? It's a Korean birthday tradition."

"No it looks so good thank you," Cam says to Laurel. "Belly told me you're vegetarian, so I didn't put any meat in it," Laurel replies. "Thank you Laurel. Oh geez."

I look back to Jeremiah to see his reaction to Cam and Laurel's interaction. He has a mysterious look on his face as he asks, "Why don't you eat meat Cam-Cameron?" Cam replies, "The meat industry is like the number one contributor to global warming." Jeremiah let's out an "mm." "And I just, I like animals."

"Just don't come for my leather jacket." Taylor says with a chuckle. "I'm pretty sure you mean pleather." Steven says from across the table. She just shoots him the bird. "You know, uh, actually Belly eats meat." Jeremiah says to Cam. "So you let her kiss you with those lips?" Steven and Jeremiah start chuckling. "Guys, stop." Belly says.

"No I don't judge people for eating meat," Cam says. "It's just like a personal choice. I don't care." Jeremiah pushes it even further by asking, "So you don't mind if, uh, like, her lips touch a dead animal, and then those dead animal lips touch your lips?" Belly, clearly getting fed up with the situation, kicks Jeremiah under the table, who lets out an "ow." Cam lets out a chuckle and says, "I don't mind at all. Um, in fact," and leans in and gives a kiss to Belly on her lips.

Susannah lets out an "aw" while Jeremiah and Steven start gagging and pretending to throw up. Laurel starts saying, "Alright, alright, Belly's allowed to kiss, but that's it." She starts laughing while Belly says, "Mom, please, no. You're so not funny. No more wine for you, okay?" Steven then joins in on the conversation saying, "I'm sorry. I just don't understand why anybody would want to kiss somebody who once fully shat in the bathtub."

Belly makes an angry face as she says, "I was like two years old." Steven and Jeremiah both look at each other and say, "Two? More like six." Belly gets even angrier and yells, "Shut up Steven!" Laurel gets onto her son as Susannah says, "Aw, I remember that. God that feels like a lifetime ago."

"I remember when I visited last summer," Taylor says. "And you, and you," She says pointing to Conrad and Jeremiah. "Dared him to pee in the fireplace and you stunk up the entire house for days. Do you remember that?" Everyone breaks into laughter. "I blamed the neighbor's cat," Susannah says.

 "We were drunk. We were drunk," Steven says to defend himself. "Off like half a white claw," Belly says, making everyone laugh again. "You know, um, I'm thinking maybe we should go to Nicole's party," She says, turning to Taylor and I. "Yes!" Taylor says with excitement. "Do you wanna come Hails?" I nod my head agreeing to go. Conrad looks up at me and we hold eye contact for a few seconds before I turn my head.