𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐅 𝐀 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓, jeremiah fisher

ten. the necklace

THE PARTY IS in full swing by the time we get back. We see Victoria while we're heading back, and she grins when she sees us.

"Dani!" She's holding two glasses of what probably contain some sort of alcohol.

"Hey, Victoria," I greet and then gesture towards Adrian. "This is my friend, Adrian."

He waves at her politely. She turns her head and smiles warmly at him. "Nice to meet you. Oh, Dani, Belly's inside with some other drinks if you wanna go in and help her out."

I turn to Adrian and he shrugs. "Okay, we'll go."

Victoria starts walking away toward Dad, so we head into the house. When she's out of sight, Adrian turns to me with an overdramatic expression.

"She looks like she can be your sister."

I let out a laugh and shove his shoulder. "Shut up."

As we head inside, I see Conrad approaching us. He greets Adrian with a bro handshake and pokes the side of my stomach, making me squeal and inch away from him. When he goes to do it again, I slap his hand away but Adrian pokes my other side. They laugh loudly together when I scream again, so I pinch the underside of both of their biceps. They instantly shut up after that, and I cackle at their pained expressions.

We turn the corner into the kitchen, and my heart drops. What Victoria failed to mention is that Belly isn't the only one here. Staring down at the counter and holding a glass of red liquid, is Jeremiah. There's a slight smile on his face, just barely showing his dimple. Sometimes I forget just how much he affects me until I'm actually right there in the room next to him.

"What are you guys making?" Conrad asks as we walk into the kitchen, both Belly and Jeremiah's attentions snapping to us. Jeremiah's eyes quickly find mine, but he looks away when I maintain the contact.

"Pomegranate margaritas, but with a twist!" Belly excitedly announces.

I smile and let out a soft chuckle. "You have to use the good blender," I say.

Conrad nods vigorously. "Right. It won't be good if you don't use it."

Belly and Jeremiah share a look and then let reminiscing smiles cross their faces.

"Oh, I haven't used that thing since the great Kool-Aid Debacle of 2011," Jeremiah states, his eyes wide.

"I remember the counters were sticky for... two summers?"

Adrian quirks an amused brow at me, and I just grin while I nudge him towards the counter. He comes to sit next to Jeremiah, and I see the way Jeremiah's body immediately tenses. He doesn't say anything or even look in our direction, but I've known him long enough to know when something is bothering him.

"Won't he be mad if he finds out?" Belly frowns as Conrad opens the blender and starts pouring the ingredients in. He as in Mr. Fisher.

"Well, he's not gonna find out," Conrad states firmly. "He's not coming."

Belly hesitates for a second before she laughs and just gives in. I walk over to the head of the counter where Belly is standing on one side and Jeremiah is sitting on the other. I try not to focus on the blonde boy to my left as I laugh along with Belly, Conrad, and Adrian—who seems to be enjoying himself fairly well as he makes jokes and plays around.

Once Belly is adding the final ingredient, I reach over the counter to grab the bottle of alcohol. I don't think anyone else hears it—I probably wouldn't have if I wasn't so aware of the boy next to me—but I suddenly hear Jeremiah's breath hitch. As I'm leaning back with the bottle in my hand, I find his gaze fixed on something just eye-level with him.