soul surfer ; jf & cf

summer nights

three

after dinner had ended, belly and i decided to change into our bathing suits to go for a night swim. i had finished changing and headed for belly's room, "you almost done, belly?"

"you can go, i'll meet you outside."

i shrugged and walked down the stairs with my towel. i opened the back door and saw someone i didn't expect to see.

conrad.

a smile found its way to my lips as i placed down my towel and jumped into the pool. once i resurfaced, i swam over to conrad, noticing he was smoking, "i thought you said smoking pot changes the way your brain processes information."

"so does your cellphone."

i rolled my eyes, grabbing the joint from him, "you said marijuana messes with white matter." i placed the joint in my mouth and took a blow then blew the smoke out.

conrad raised his eyebrows, "since when did you smoke? also do you even know what white matter is."

"no, but remember you explained it all to me. and since the day my father died." i handed the joint back to conrad, going under the water again.

"todays the 5 year anniversary, did you know that?" i asked him the moment i came back up.

he shook his head as he blew out some smoke then handed the joint back to me, "how are you dealing?"

"being here with you and jeremiah is how i'm dealing with it all." i tell him. holy shit, he looks amazing in this lighting.

"you're better off with jere, not me." he says, making me confused. what does he mean?

"no, i need you as well, conrad." i said, now floating on my back in the water, while he just stared down at me, "i need both fisher boys."

there was a few moments of silence, except the sound of the water moving, conrad spoke up and says, "hey, why are you considering this debutante thing?"

"i don't know. im kind of shocked you think this isn't something i would want to do." i tell him.

"but it's not you. don't let my mom make you her little doll just because she never had a daughter." conrad says, looking down at his hands.

"i don't mind it. i mean, sometimes i wish i was her daughter." i tell him. it was true, susannah was the mom i always wanted but now that i think of it, it sounded weird.

like, sweet home alabama, no way.

"you're better off with laurel. trust me." he says, smoking.

"why're you acting so different?" i asked, feeling confused and concerned.

"im not," he said, blowing out some smoke.

"i know you," i say with a laugh, "i mean, somethings going on. just, just tell me. you know you can."

he stares into my eyes, "rory.."

but before he could say anything else, steven, dean and jeremiah run outside, shouting, "first bonfire of the summer!"

i quickly hand conrad the joint back, now seeing the way my brother is staring at him and i.

"all right, we're totally taking my car. you're not driving." jere tells steven while dean laughs.

"come on, man, we're leaving. you ready?" dean asked connie.

"can i come?" i asked. i planned to meet up with tyler at this bonfire and i was really hoping they'd allow me to go.