Seaglass Promises in the Midnight Sky

The Fisher Boys

Lorraine Michaels was not the kind of girl people talked about. She was, for all intent and purposes, mind-numbingly normal. Packing a bag and heading to Cousins Beach for the summer was not anywhere near her to-do list.

That isn't to say she isn't excited, spending the summer without one of her best friends was never easy. And the reports of the infamous Fisher boys always leaves her dying to match fact to fiction.

Taylor found them amusing but ultimately uninspiring, but this is the same girl who's been harboring an enemies-to-lovers romance with her best friend's brother so she isn't exactly the most trustworthy source. Lorraine is the level-headed one, not too obsessed with having the perfect high school experience, but also not one to turn down a fun experience.

It became clear that the real danger was not the potentially underwhelming appearance of the boys, it was not making it there in the first place. Belly was hell-bent on annoying Steven, nearly dropping his phone out of the moving vehicle at one point and belting out the lyrics to a pop song at the next.

It was definitely more interesting than waiting and coming up for only a week, but Taylor's parents were diligent, they knew their daughter. And she had just gotten in trouble for trying to sneak out and go to an end-of-the-year party. Lorraine waited at that party for ages before Taylor managed to convince her parents she needed her phone for college stuff.

"Lorraine, we're here!" Belly exclaimed as the car slowed in front of a giant beach house. It was the kind of home that was never quiet, with two stories and a wrap-around porch. Practically the American dream.

"Wow." She said, at a loss of how else to explain the disbelief she felt. If she had been going to Cousins for years this house would have been something she mentioned. A part of her was convinced the boys must be better than Taylor implied for both girls to neglect to mention such a massive detail.

Then again, her friends were of the comfortable financial class, it could just be that this is normal for them, having summer homes and new cars for their birthdays.

The Conklins beat her out of the car and were already heading toward the porch. As Lorraine got out she realized that the seat in front of her blocked the Fisher family from her sight.

She shut the car door, watching the families reunite and feeling somewhat out of place. Steven high-fived the taller of the two brothers, while the younger was hugging Belly, the adults hugging as well, though for a shorter period of time. Lorraine walked toward the group, trying not to make her discomfort clear.

"You're not Taylor." The younger, Jeremiah, announced as she came to a stop a foot from the steps.

"Nope, I'm Lorraine." She offered, wondering if the Fishers weren't told she was coming. Well, the ocean was right there she could always drown herself.

"Idiot." The older brother, Conrad said hitting the back of Jeremiah's head.

"Hey, I'm Conrad." He said turning to me with a smile. She did her best to return it with one of her own.

"I know. All Belly ever talks about is this place."

"Hey!" Belly yells, offended in a way Lorraine knows won't last, besides she's sure that Taylor said all the same things and probably some worse ones.

"Speaking off, you know what we have to do?" Jeremiah asked, looking between his brother and Steven.

"It is tradition after all." Steven agreed solemnly. Belly's eyes widened and she took a step back, whispering "no," under her breath.

"Belly flop!" Both boys yelled leaping at Belly, who took off down the driveway. The boys followed chasing her around the front yard.

The adults had moved to the car to start unpacking, leaving only Lorraine and Conrad at the porch.

"Is this like a whole thing?" She asked, looking at the older Fisher boy.

"I thought Belly told you everything about Cousins." He said, smirking. She couldn't decide if he was cool or not. He had to be pretty great to inspire such devotion in Belly, who claimed to love him her whole life.

"Yeah, but I kinda wanted to see the place, Belly said she would give me a tour and I don't think that's happening if she's soaked."

"I can, if you want." He offered, surprising her when she had just been trying to make conversation and complain about the small injustices of the world.

"Sure, if it's not too much trouble."

"C'mon, I'll even show you where the good stuff is." He said heading up the steps and opening the door. Lorraine cast one last look at the others, seeing that Belly had gotten caught and was being carried across the lawn, before walking up the steps and following Conrad.