Summer Lovin |Jeremiah Fisher

thirteen

"Hey Del toss me the charger."

"No"

Delilah, Liam, and Jeremiah had retreated to the girl's room in Susannah's house. The three of them were lazing around on her bed while they all did their own thing.

The "Made in the AM" album was playing from Delilah's phone as she sat against her pillows and read a book, Liam and Jeremiah took up the rest of the bed as they shared Jeremiah's phone to watch TikTok's.

The boys laughed at the screen now and then as Delilah peacefully read her book, it had been so long since all the kids hung out together.

There was a soft knock on the door and Delilah hollered "come in!"

Conrad's head peaked through and he gazed at Delilah pointedly.

"Can I talk to you?"

The boys looked between the two teenagers as Delilah searched Corads eyes carefully. Conrad's eyes suddenly turned into pleading ones and she paused her playlist and looked at Liam and Jeremiah.

'Im sorry, duty calls."

Jeremiah and Liam groaned as they climbed off the bed and walked out the door. Once they left Conrads shut the door and sighed.

"Thanks," Conrad muttered as she clambered onto the bed, taking a seat beside her.

"Did something happen? You were in such a good mood, what changed?"

"Belly," Conrad muttered before he told her what had happened when he had returned and the conversation they had. Delilah kept quiet as Conrad explained and she sighed once he was done.

"Con you know I love you but that was mad harsh, obviously she's gonna be hurt." Delilah sighed and Conrad pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I know, god I hate that I hurt her but i had to," Conrad said. Delilah frowned as she faced him.

"Conrad is this about Susannah...?" Delilah whispered, Conrad locked his jaw and looked away.

"Moms gonna need support. It is only going to get worse and even with chemo she gonna need people around her. I need to be there for her." Conrad muttered. Delilah didn't know how to respond.

"Belly is... she deserves someone who isn't a dick, someone who doesn't almost kiss her and completely pretends it doesn't happen." Conrad sighed.

"I can't tell you what to do, especially since I have no idea what you're going through but can I say what I think?" Delilah smiled softly. Conrad nodded.

"I know you love your mom, and it sucks absolute ass that her cancer came back. And I know you think it's your job to look after her all the time but Conrad, you can take time for yourself. Susannah would agree with me that she wouldn't want you tied down because of this. Of course you can look after Suz, you know that's not what im saying, what im saying is you do not have to shut out Bells because of this. Belly would understand. Don't let our fears stop you from being happy." Delilah squeezed his shoulder and Conrad inhaled shakily.

"Im scared for her Del," Conrad whispered, Delilah held back tears as the two of them wrapped their arms around each other tightly,

"I know Con, I am too."

🌊🌊

Delilah needed a night swim.

That night the whole Collins family was crashing in the Fisher house and Delilah had changed into her swimsuit and quietly made her way down the stairs.

All the summer kids loved the beach and swimming. Delilah didn't do it as much as Belly nor was she anywhere as good as her but sometimes night swims helped her clear her mind and that's what she needed.

She couldn't help but let thoughts of Susannah cloud her mind, the fear of losing the closest mother figure in her life was enough to give her goosebumps.

Delilah quietly shut the back door and placed her towel and phone on one of the pool chairs. Delilah took in a deep breath and dived swiftly into the water.

The moment the cool water hit her skin she immediately felt better. Delilah swam back and forth in the pool, practicing different strokes Belly had thought her that summer as she started to think again.

What would happen if Susannah did die? The boys would live with their dad and the summer house would be his. That felt wrong, it was wrong. She thought about Conrad and Jeremiah living with their dad, she had a gut feeling Conrad was gonna have a fit.

Delilah had stopped swimming at that point and was just holding her breath underwater, staring at the floor in front of her. She was so deep in thought she did a double take when she saw two familiar blue eyes staring at her.

Percy Jackson's eyes.

She smiled as Jeremiah grinned at her, the two of them surfaced and the girl gasped for air.

"What are you doing here?" Delilah smiled as Jeremiah cocked his head to the side with a grin.

"You promised me a swim remember?" Delilah rolled her eyes and splashed him.

"You remember everything." Delilah shook her head as the two of them floated in the water, circling each other.

Jeremiah couldn't hold it back anymore. The boy stared at the girl in pure awe, her hair glistened in the moonlight and her smile made Jeremiah's heart burst,

Delilah's heart rate sped up at the way Jeremiah stared at her and her smiled wavered.

"What?" Delilah laughed nervously and Jeremiah just shook his head.

"Nothing." Jeremiah smiled.

Beat.

"Everything."

Delilah's breath hitched and Jeremiah slowly swam closer to her.

"You are my best friend Lilah, but I've always wanted us to be so much more."

Delilah had lost all ability to breathe.

"I think I've loved you since we were 7 when I first saw you. No, I know I love you because  godammit Delilah you drive me crazy I swear to god. What I feel for you is something I've never felt for anyone else, no matter how much I try it's you Lilah. It's always and will be you.

"I love you so much that I carved you a wooden ballerina even though I knew nothing about wood carving. And even though the painting of the designs were horrible you still kept it. I love you so much, that no matter how many times I trip and fall trying to climb over to your window I will still do it just to see you. I love you so much that I get so angry whenever I see another guy touch you or kiss you cause Delilah the thought of you with someone else rips me apart. The thought of you getting hurt makes me want to hit something. That's the way  love you."

Jeremiah was right in front of her and Delilah was breathless. He had loved her all this time, all this fucking time and she kept telling herself hadn't. The things he said made Delilah's heart swell and her eyes water.

Jeremiah Fisher loved her.

And oh how Delilah Collins loved him too.

Jeremiah slowly slid his arms around her waist as Delilah hooked her legs around his. Her arms slid around his neck and she leaned forward.

The kiss set off something in the teenagers. Jeremiah couldn't help but grin into this kiss and Delilah couldn't get enough of him. The two of them had waited so long, too long, for this exact moment and it was everything and more.

If Delilah was being honest, she didn't have a clue what she was doing. But as she tightened her grip around Jeremiah, as Jeremiah squeezed her hip and groaned softly into her mouth, as she ran her hand through the boy's damp hair, they both knew one thing.

This, them?

It was just so right

can we be friends? are we still friends 😏