the summer you noticed me ↠ conrad fisher {1}

f o r t y

     "Wait guys! Stop it! They're coming!" I scream, yanking Conrad by the back of his shirt away from Steven.

      "Go, go, go, go!" Jeremiah mumbles, shoving me and Conrad forward while Belly and Steven stand awkwardly behind.

     "Just go outside. We'll give them some time to mingle with one another," I say in a loud whisper.

      "Mingle?" Conrad giggles.

     I shove his shoulder and give him a playful eye-roll. "Shut up."

      I take a seat on the steps, and Conrad does as well. His knee bumps mine as he sits, but he quickly recovers the bump by grabbing my thigh when he sits down. I feel my cheeks burning, as I grin and lay my head on his shoulder.

      It takes me all of two minutes in my little Conrad world to realize that Jeremiah is pacing.

      "Hey Jere?" I say, covering my hands to block the sun while I look up at him.

     "Yeah, what's up?" He asks.

     "Are you okay?" I say chuckling lightly.

     "Your pacing is freaking me out, man," Conrad joins in.

     "Yeah, I just— yeah, I'm good," he says.

     I stand up quickly, stopping in front of him. I grab his shoulders and force him to face me. "Jeremiah Fisher. What is up with you?" He looks at me, then his eyes flash to Conrad. "Well?" I encourage.

"I," he won't make eye contact. He's playing with his knuckles, which he does when he's nervous.

I grab his hand to calm him. I give him a squeeze, and a soft smile. "Whenever you're ready."

He lets out a loud sigh, and nods. "IwanttotellBellyIlikehertoday," he says out in one breathe.

I blink slowly processing his words before I squeal and jump up to hug him. "Jeremiah! That's great!" I cheer.

"Conrad shut her up! She's gonna announce her to the world before I even have a chance to tell Belly myself!" Jeremiah groans, falling into the closest lawn-chair.

      I ignore his rude comment, because I'm so excited that I follow him grabbing his face forcing him to look at me. "This is great. Seriously Jere!" I say, in a whisper this time.

      His face goes cherry red under my palms, before he sighs batting my hands away. "What do you know?" He asks quietly.

     I scrunch my eyebrows up I'm confused. "I'm sorry I don't understand the question," I say.

      "What do you know, like, does she like me? Does she like Cam Cameron? What's going on in her head? What do you know," he sounded frustrated and I try not to take it personal.

      I slump back into the seat. That feeling in my chest starts to happen again, and I feel a pout form on my lips. "Jeremiah I have no idea what's going on in her head," I admit.

      I guess it's in the way I said it because he doesn't press the issue. He just nods and accepts my comment. I remain quiet in my seat, completely lost in my thoughts.

     I seriously miss Belly so much, I truly don't know what's going on in her head. Not only do I feel somewhat responsible and maybe even a little but selfish for the way my world has been revolving around Conrad, but Belly had been distant too. With all this debutant stuff I feel like I never see her, and she's always with people from there. A hint of jealously claws at my stomach and I sink farther into the lawn chair till my chin is tucked onto my chest.

      Conrad and Jere continue to talk for awhile, until everyone slowly starts filtering their way outside around us. I see Belly walking out with Steven and I decided today is the day that we'll be Belly and Claire again. I will know what's going on inside my best friends head again if it's the last thing I do.