DOWNWARD SPIRAL- C.F

03

The table was set and everyone was seated around the table in their designated seats. My seat was between Belly and my mom.

"Steven, I swear to god, if you look at that phone one more time, I'm putting it in the screen basket," my mom said.

Susannah answered quickly," it's just we want to see your beautiful faces. Can dinner be a screen-free zone?"

Steven continued to be on his phone so then Jeremiah stood up swiping Steven's phone away and shooting to a chair in the corner of the room.

" Boom! Nailed it," Jeremiah yelled.

" Okay, okay we get it you've been working out," Steven said agitated about his phone.

" Your just jealous because Jere has a better body than you," Belly added.

" No, actually, it's all about the lean look now. Otherwise, you can't wear tailored suits," Steven responded to Belly's insult.

Everyone started laughing as both Sophie and Conrad mumbled," tailored suits."

" When are you leaving for training camp, man," Steven asked Conrad.

The mood immediately changed. Everyone got quiet.

Jeremiah then answered for Conrad," Uh, he quit football."

"Wait, really? You quit?" Steven asked.

"Mm-hmm" was the only response Conrad gave.

As I looked at him, I could just tell something was wrong he seemed weird. Not acting like the Conrad she remembered from last year.

" Well, if you're not playing football anymore, what are you gonna do all summer," Laurel asked Conrad.

Conrad just shook his head silently saying he had no idea.

Steven then said," you can work at the club, yeah. With me and Jere."

"I'm not gonna work at the club," Conrad said with a very definite tone.

" Wait are you all working this summer," Belly looking at all the teenagers.

"Well, I'm lifeguarding and Stevens working at the snack bar," Jere answered, nodding his head to Sophie," I don't know about her."

" I chose not to work this year, I just want to enjoy this summer before senior year," I said.

"Oh, Sophie, Belly I almost forgot," Susannah said as she got up to get something from the kitchen," I have a surprise for you."

" So this is why you wanted to stop by the club," my mom said.

"What, uh, what is that?" Steven asked.

" I wrangled up Belly and Sophie an invitation to be a debutante," Susannah answered clearly very excited.

" Isn't that where the girls wear white dresses and look for a husband?" Sophie asked on the fence about the whole thing.

"Yeah and curtesy," Belly added.

"It's when a girl comes of age and is presented to society," Susannah answered," I know it sounds silly. I swear it's fun. Girls come from all over New England to Cousins just to be a part of it. You'll make so many, new friends."

" I cannot believe you are still holding on to this archaic dream," my mom said.

" No, it used to be about finding a husband, but now it is about networking. They teach you leadership skills, like how to market yourself and it benefits charity. It's, um, like a bat mitzvah," Susannah said.

I laughed and said," It's nothing like a bat mitzvah."

"There's nothing religious about a debutante ball," my mom said.

"The whole deb scene is bullshit," Conrad said making everyone quiet," It's for sheep."

" No, it's not. It's when a girl has a coming out, it's a formal recognition she's reached maturity," Susannah said defending the idea.

The boys all started laughing.

"Oh, sorry. I'm sorry, mature?" Steven asked.

Susannah just hummed a response.

"Okay, maybe Sophie, but Belly," Steven said," a couple of months ago you had a cat funeral. You made us wear all black." He said looking straight at Belly.

"Shut up," Belly and I said together.

"I saw you crying in your room Steven," I added.

" Wait, Mochi died? Dang. I'm sorry, Bells," Jeremiah said empathetically.

"Belly, Soph, don't you want to get all dressed up?" Susannah asked us.

"It's just not their type of thing. They are out feral little alley cats," mom said.

Everyone laughed as I said," mom please don't say that."

" I'll think about it," Belly said.

Then Susannah turned to me," and you?"

" I'll think about it I guess."