Jeremiah and Belly | You're my Best Friend

Chapter Two: The First Night

     Normally, on the first night, the moms set up a movie night for us. And they did tonight too. Except... I decided to go to the bonfire. I keep telling myself it's because that cute guy invited me, but really, I know it's because Conrad will be there. The boys already left and I ran upstairs to change. I needed to look hot, so I threw on Taylor's (my best friend from home) short, pink dress and did my hair and makeup. I looked hot... Like.. Hot hot. Jeremiah would say so, at least. He always flirts with me. With anyone, really. Enough about Jeremiah, tonight is about me and this boy. And more importantly, Conrad seeing me dressed up.

     After I manage to sneak past the moms, I walk down to the beach to the party. It's not too far. I am there after 10 miutes of walking, and already I run into Steven. "What the hell are you doing here Belly?" He asks me, drink in hand. "I was invited." I say as I push past him. "Hold- Belly by who??" He asks protectively. I walk away. He grabs my arm and I fall to the ground. "Steven!" I yell and I dust the sand off my legs. Jeremiah runs over to me. "Bells!" He exclaims, holding out his hand for me to grab. I grab his hand and suspend myself up and almost touch noses with Jeremiah. I felt weird in that moment... Like I haven't before. I shake it off. "You came." He swallows hard. I nod. Still holding my hand, he drags me away from Steven and I laugh. "Just hang out with Shayla." He tells Steven. "I'll keep her safe.". "What are you doing?" I laugh as Jere finally releases my hand from his grip. "We're partying, come on!" He smiles and spins me around. "You look... hot." He stutters. I smile. "Thanks Jere. So do you." I laugh as I give him a friendly yet awkward punch on the shoulder. Jeremiah smiles for a minute, gazing in my eyes, before Conrad appears behind me. "Belly what the hell are you doing here?" Conrad asked, holding a girl's hand. The girl was dark skinned, and beautiful. Way more beautiful than me. "I-.." I start talking but I don't know what to say. Jeremiah grabs my hand again. "She is here with me." He speaks up. Conrad rolls his eyes and walks away. Jere spins me again. "Well we got him off our back." He says, and we both laugh. Jeremiah and I sit on the beach just talking for almost an hour when we hear yelling from behind us. I get up and turn around to see Conrad and some guys yelling back and forth about a stolen beer. I immediately run over there. "Bells- Wait Bells stop!" Jeremiah yells as he follows behind me. I run up to the boys "What's going o-" I start, but I didn't get to finish because all of a sudden I am on the ground, my left eye throbbing in pain. That jerk really hit me! "Belly!" I hear a muffled version of Jeremiah's voice as I see him get up and punch the guy fighting with Connie straight in the mouth. He lunges towards Jere but Conrad hits him first. "What the fuck is wrong with you?! Hitting a girl?" Jere yells as Conrad beats the shit out of this guy. I feel my hearing and sight start to go away as everything goes dark.

     I wake up in a car I recognize too well. Jeremiah's car. He looks over to see me waking. "Careful, that bruise is pretty bad." Jeremiah says as he gestures towards my bruised eye. I wince as I touch it. He looks over at me, concerned. "Are you okay, Bells?" He asks me, as he turns his eyes back to the road. I sit up carefully. "Yeah.. Yeah I'm alright I think." I manage to say. He brushes my hair down my neck with his hand before I hear a coughing from the backseat. Steven. "Are you two lovebirds ever gonna acknowledge our existence?" Steven asks, gesturing towards him and Conrad. I turn around to see them both. "I- I didn't even know you guys were here." I say tiredly. "Glad you're okay Belly." Conrad mumbles. My heart warms. I didn't think he'd even care I was hurt. I smile at what he said, and I see Jere's face fall out of the corner of my eye. Weird. I wonder if he's okay. I turn back around in my seat and try to rest my eyes, but we are already back to the house.

     When we get inside my mom is pissed at all 4 of us. Me specifically. "How could you leave the house without telling anyone?" She asks me sternly. "And what are you wearing?" The boys look at my dress up and down and I feel myself blush. "It's Taylor's." I say. My tone changes. "And how come I'm the only one not allowed to go out?" I ask. She looks at me funny and Conrad rolls his eyes. "It's not that you can't go out it's that you should have asked me first!" She answers. I sigh. "I-in Belly's defense, Laurel," Jeremiah starts to say. "She didn't do anything wrong. She didn't drink, or talk to strangers. We just sat on the beach and talked.". I smile at him. My mom sighs. "Well that's relieving. Thank you, Jeremiah. Now get to bed. All of you." She states sternly. Steven and Conrad go straight to their rooms while Jeremiah and I wait for them to leave and walk up together. I stop him on the stairs. "Hey thanks for telling my mom the truth about tonight." I say as I stroke his arm. He looks down at my hand and then back to my eyes. "Yeah yeah.. of course." He answers. "Anything for you, Bells." He says. We gaze for a few minutes again before he lifts up my hand and places a soft kiss on it. "Night, Belly." He says to me, walking up the rest of the stairs.

     Weirdly, that kiss seemed to linger on my hand... Like I wanted it to.