"Can I tell you something?" Conrad asked.
I only nodded.
"You're the strongest person I know."
To this day, I still think he lied to me. I should be the least strongest person he knows. How did he consider me strong when I could list dozens of peop...
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AGE: NOW
I LAID DOWN, underneath the blinding sun, trying to block out the pleading yells of Belly and Taylor. They were playing chicken. They had begged me to play but I kindly said absolutely not. I don't trust Steven or Jeremiah enough to let them have the power of breaking my skull open. Never since the incident of 2014.
No one noticed the slight change in my mood because it was clear that there was none. I acted as if nothing happened. As if my dad wasn't pushing me away, further than what we already were. That moment was a moment of devastating realization. No matter how close we are... were distance is something not even some of the strongest relationships can overcome.
I heard light footsteps coming in my direction. I continued to stay still with my hands resting on my stomach. I wanted to be alone and do something about this stupid feeling I had, but I knew I couldn't because I would never ditch Belly on her birthday. There was a part of me that wanted to completely ignore what happened. To pretend that everything was alright. For some reason, this time was different. I couldn't fake a smile as easily as the other times. This one was weighing on me more than anything has.
The light footsteps became louder, so I assumed they were getting closer. "Sonny?" They whispered. It's Kenny. With everything that has happened this past hour, I completely forgot that I had invited him.He tapped my shoulder gently, trying to "wake" me up.
He had almost given up when I pretended to wake. "You're late." I said, pretending that I had been keeping track of the time.
"Actually, I'm just on time." He stared down at me. "Are you okay? Why aren't you swimming?" Kenny sat down on the chair next to mine. There was one thing about him, he was an observer, which was something I wished I had known before befriending him. Joke.
"I'm fine." I sat up and placed the sunglasses on top of my head instead. "I was just taking a quick nap. Who knows what Taylor is going to have us do later."
Kenny watched me closely, that's when he recognized my sunglasses. "I can't believe you still have those," he laughed. He was just as surprised as I was. I'm just glad that I haven't grown much after Susannah gifted me and Belly them. If I had grown, I'm not sure if they would have still fit.
"Susannah gave them to me. I will never toss them and wait for the dust to get to them." I hid them from Kenny, knowing that he was going to ask if he could wear them. I didn't want to risk him making them big. These sunglasses were my favorite thing Susannah has ever given me. Apart from maybe all those disposable cameras, I'm still unsure about who was the one sending them.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Kenny asked again. This time he looked at me in a weird way. Like he was worried about me.
