❛ i don't want to go to go think i'll make it worse,
everything i know brings me back to us. ❜
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･☼
❛ cousins felt like a second home to the brooke family, year after year they would return to the same place every summer. but this year felt diff...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
chapter two — dinners and debutantes
It was now dinner time and everyone was sitting at the table as Susannah brought out the food, it looked delicious. I always liked the first dinner because it was our chance to catch up on all the lost time since last summer and see what everyone was doing.
"Steven, I swear to God, if you look at that phone one more time, I'm putting it in the screen basket," Laurel complained.
I was opposite Steven so I kicked him under the table, trying to gain his attention but it was no use. He was glued to his phone which made me want to roll my eyes. I think Jere felt the same way because he quickly snatched the phone from his hand and launched it into the basket.
"Okay, okay, okay, we get it, you've been working out." Steven huffed.
"Oh, you're just jealous because Jere has a better body than you." My eyes widened at Belly's words and I could see Conrad choke on his water.
I was surprised that he still sat next to me, I mean we always sat next to one another but the way he's been acting I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't. At the table, we would always nudge one another or give each other a look if we were both thinking the same thing.
"Uh, no, actually, it's all about the lean look now, otherwise, you can't wear tailored suits." Steven defended which made me raise an eyebrow.
The others continued to tease him about the suit but I chose not to get involved. Another thing about this dinner was that we weren't afraid to throw each other under the bus. That sounds dramatic but if you tease someone then it's highly likely that someone will have some dirt on you to bring up; Steven has way too much on me, and I'm not prepared for that on the first night.
"When are you leaving for training camp, man?" Steven quickly changed the subject to take the heat off him.
I looked a Conrad waiting for his reply but he just continued to play with his food. I could sense the tension and that's when Jeremiah chipped in:
"Uh, he quit football." Jere swallowed.
"Wait, really? You quit? Steven voiced my thoughts.
"He can always change his mind," Susannah reassured but I don't think Connie was on the same page.
Conrad had been playing football since like, forever. I don't remember there ever being a time when he didn't. Sometimes he would invite me to his games, I was his number one supporter but he didn't enjoy football as much as he let on. He mainly did it to please his dad who was certain that his son would be a player but Conrad lost the passion way before that.
"I'm not gonna change my mind, I was just gonna sit on the bench all season anyways." He muttered the last parts but I could just about hear him.
I looked at him with sorrow laced in my eyes; He glanced at me but swiftly looked away whilst swallowing.
