𝗠𝗘𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘 // 𝗖.𝗙

𝖭 𝖤 𝖤 𝖣

SYLVIA DOESN'T SAY A WORD, instead she let her eyes go over every feature on his face. From his nose, to his eyes, to the very light freckles that were lathered on his cheeks. They were so light and you would only see them if you were as intimate as they once were. Her eyes went over everything she missed.

"So, this is why you haven't answered any of my phone calls and texts?" Jeremiah breaks the silence, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Conrad's eyes stay on the oldest Conklin's face. His eyes roam over her face, taking in everything in. Everything that haunted his mind in the time they were apart. They then trail over her body.

Sylvia felt shy under his eyes, Conrad was looking at her as if everything about her belonged to him. Beau seeing this, he pushes his best friend behind him and glares at Conrad, making him look away and towards his brother.

"Jere. Jere." Conrad tries to stop his brother's rambling. "Did you not hear what I just said? We're going to lose this house. Mom's house."

"Why would your dad sell this house?" Beau asks, the same question that ran through Sylvia's mind.

"He's not." Conrad answers, not even glancing their way. "Our Aunt Julia is."

"S-Susannah's sister." Sylvia says in realization. She remembers Susannah venting to her about her sister. They were never on the best of terms.

"Half sister." Conrad corrects, his heart thumping at the sound of her voice. "Apparently, the house belonged to the both of them. And then when Mom...Now Aunt Julia owns everything."

Sylvia wraps her arms around Beau's torso and digs her head into his back. There were so many things happening in one moment and it was getting overwhelming for the Conklin. She could feel her hands start to shake. Beau places his hands on top of her arms and rubs softly, trying to calm her.

"Okay, we'll just call Dad and figure something out—." Jeremiah tries.

"You think I haven't already done that?" Conrad retorts. "Legally the house is hers."

"Okay, then he'll buy it."

"He doesn't have the money to buy it." Conrad exclaims. "Between Brown and the medical bills and the..."

"Yeah, I know how much the medical bills cost because I was there." Jeremiah points at himself. Conrad lets out a breath, tilting his head just a bit. "How long did you know about this and not tell me, us?"

"Jere." Conrad momentarily looks away. "Jere, this was all happening so fast, I was going to tell you after I'd taken care of it."

Jeremiah lets a chuckle escape pass his lips. "And this is you taking care of it? Going awol, breaking up with Sylvia, ditching school, not talking to us—."

"Fuck school!" Conrad says in a whiny tone, that made Beau fight back a laugh. Sylvia only digging her head further in her best friends back. "I don't care!"

"Connie, you have to go back." Sylvia starts, moving from behind Beau, her hands still intertwined with his. She doesn't meet his eyes. "You're going to fail and if you don't, how are you going to become a doctor?"

Conrad gulps, he keeps his eyes ahead of him, not wanting to glance at his lover. He simply couldn't. "You-You have no idea what you're talking about."

Sylvia's jaw slacks, she looks at him in betrayal. Jeremiah clenches his jaw, his eyes on his sister. "Are you serious? We went to Brown to check on your ass. She knew where you would be. You know what? I didn't think you'd pull this shit again. But you don't give a shit about anyone but yourself."