happier ⇒ the summer i turned pretty

SIXTEEN!

the next morning, jeremiah was outside getting ready to leave for work.

"hey jere! wait for me!" avalon shouted, running over to the car.

"oh, are you going with me?" he chuckled, catching her as she jumped into his arms. he spun her around then set her down carefully.

"no, i just wanted to see you before you left for work." she smiled big.

he smiled back at her, "i'm glad i get to see this beautiful face."

she held in her laugh. she knew he was being sweet but she couldn't take him seriously. she was never one to be all 'cutesy'.

"don't you have deb training today?" he asked her.

"yup, sadly." she fake smiled.

"why don't you just quit? if you don't like it, you shouldn't do it."

"i know but, i don't want to upset susannah." she looked down. "i already made the commitment. i can't just quit." she looked back up at him and moved her lips to the side.

he sighed and held both her hands. "she won't be upset av. she wouldn't want you to be miserable."

"well, i'm not miserable..." she tilted her head.

"mhm." he smirked.

"i'm serious." she giggled, "it's not THAT bad, it's just not my cup of tea." she shrugged her shoulders.

"not your cup of tea?" he laughed. "you're cute." he rested his hand on her face and leaned in. the two connected lips.

he pulled away slowly and smiled at her, "see you later avie." he backed away and got into his car.

they waved goodbye to each other as he drove off.

on her way back inside, somebody caught her off guard. it was conrad.

"what the fuck avalon?!" he yelled, walking fast up to her with his arms out wide.

she jumped, "what?"

"you and jeremiah?" he pointed to where jeremiah's car was previously parked.

she looked over, then back at him. "oh... you saw."

"yeah. yeah i saw!" he yelled once again.

"okay, chill conrad!" she yelled back.

he rolled his eyes and moved around anxiously. "so this is why jere got all pissed when he found out about us!"

"well yes but, no, this... this is all new! yeah he might've been jealous then but we just started this." she explained.

"and what exactly is 'this?" he put up quotation marks with his hands.

"i- i don't know." she shrugged her shoulders, scratching her arm nervously.

he sighed loudly and nodded his head side to side. "so you like jeremiah now?" he asked calmly, but she could tell he was still upset.

she looked at him for a moment. she didn't know what to say. she honestly didn't have much of an answer. she did have feelings for jeremiah, but there was still something there for conrad.