OCEAN EYES ━ steven conklin ✓

𝟭𝟵 fire for you

The aching scream in her head after her father told her to stop calling was the worst, it worsened day, by day, hearing the absolute terror in that deep, painful shout-sometimes it worked like white noise, canceling out every other thought and giving her the anxious and off-putting feeling. It was absolutely dreadful.

Solange picked up the phone, seeing Ezra's name flash across the screen, they'd only texted a few times so the call was unexpected "hello?" a deep-sounding voice came through her phone, she inhaled deeply as she put the phone on speaker, sitting it on the bed "hi dad" the wet girl responded, looking for clothes.

Her damped hair laid on her shoulders, dripping, she used the towel to wipe the water out of her eyes, calling him dad felt weird considering he hadn't been one to her "Solange? hey, how are you?" Ezra said, she slid on her underwear "I'm fine...you?"

It was awkwardly, extremely awkward, the whole thing felt out of place "I'm great, so, I was thinking maybe you can come to Boston, not now obviously but uh, I think it would be a good idea in the future and your sisters and brother really wanna meet you-" she tuned out his voice after the 'sibling' part was said.

He went on to say his wife would be happy too, see, Susannah said that he just wasn't ready for kids alone and that's why he probably didn't reach out as often or come when he said he would, she always blamed some kind of unsorted trauma but no, he had kids around her age, a wife, probably a big happy family, he left her. "That's great" Solange stuttered.

That screaming, the screaming was back, louder than ever the sound of her voice buried deep inside of her was coming back, more painful, screeching almost, Solange felt the burning sensation hit her throat as her eyes teared up, "um, can I call you back? Susannah's calling me to help her" she lied.

"Oh yea, most definitely-"

⁂

Solange reached out, her hand hitting the boys' room door-Conrad wasn't in his room, Angela wasn't answering, and Belly wasn't home either, she was somewhere with Taylor and Laurel probably buying her early birthday gift since they usually weren't there for the day, tears hit her cousins' t-shirt as the door opened, a tired Steven stood in the doorway, he stared, her arms crossed around her chest, bottom lip quivering as she cried "I'm sorry to bother you but I-" she tried "don't say that, you aren't bothering me" he stepped closer to her.

Tears continued to fall, she felt stupid, that unwanted feeling creeping back on her. Ezra didn't need her, he didn't want her, he had a new family, an entirely new life without the daughter he chose to leave at Susannah's house not even a day after Morgan died "can I have that hug now?" Solange asked, thinking back to the fourth of July weekend.

Steven came closer to her, his arms wrapped around her body as she cried into his chest, the boys' hands rubbed up and down her back, doing whatever it took to comfort her. She felt safe in his arms, relaxed, not a single sound could be heard but her painful cries, the hallway was dark, every door but his being closed, hurt, was all she felt.

Her feelings were hurt, by Steven, by Belly, by Jeremiah, by Ezra, and most importantly, by Ezra, the girl didn't like to admit when things made her feel a certain way but all the comments had been getting to her. He was the first man to ever break her heart and that would sting even worse than any boy she liked, Solange pulled away, wiping her eyes "do you wanna talk about it?" he mumbled "no, but I don't wanna be alone right now" she responded.

⁂

The two sat in silence in the parking lot of Putt putt, eating the mystery meat sandwich, it was Solange's favorite thing on the menu "I'm sorry to be the person to ruin this but this is most definitely goat meat, and it's too salty" Steven's lip turned up to the taste of the burger, Solange dipped hers into an orange-ish sauce, holding it up "try it like this" she said.