MOLTEN HEART ♱ BELLY CONKLIN

09. Birthday Dinner Regrets

ILLICIT BLUES.
09. ╱   Birthday Dinner Regrets

   LAUGHTER CARRIED THROUGHOUT THE ROOM, SMALL CHATS SCATTERED AROUND THEM. The sound of dishes clinking through throughout followed shortly, as they all dished theirselves up. It was Belly's birthday dinner, and Marigold was anything but happy. Of course, Marigold is going to put on an act for the girl, not wanting to break the good path they were on again

She tried to avoid looking at him. She tried to stare at her food or pay attention to the conversation she kept with the boys. But she couldn't help but glance every so often, watching as the boy and her laughed. Marigold wanted to be in Cam's seat, she wanted to be the one to make Belly laugh.

She wanted her all to myself, no matter how selfish that was.

But Cam was the boy Belly liked. Cam Cameron was the boy she wanted it. Marigold wished she was Cam. She allowed these thoughts to cloud her mind for the entire dinner, Marigold couldn't get it out her mind. She's not the one that Belly wants but Marigold wants to be.

   "So, Cam," Jeremiah started, the entirety of the table quieting down. "You mind if I call you Cam Cameron?"

   "Mm-hmm. Yeah, man. Feel free. That's funny," Cam declared, a smile curving onto his lips. He was so kind it made Marigold nauseous.

   "I'm glad you're here, Cameron," Susannah announced. The youngest Fisher played with the food on her plate nervously. "I know your mom, Denise, from the club. I've heard a lot about you."

   "Thank you so much for having me, Susannah," Cam thanked her. God, why was he so sweet? Shoot me, Marigold thought as retained her groan. "My mom says hi."

   "Cam, have you ever had Miyeok-Guk before? It's a Korean birthday tradition," Laurel said, passing a plate of the food to the younger boy.

   "No," he answered, grabbing the plate from her. "Looks so good. Thank you."

   "Belly told me you're vegetarian so I didn't put any meat in it," Laurel assured the boy who instantly thanked her.

   "Why don't you eat meat, Cam Cameron?" Jeremiah abruptly asked, tilting his head in wonder.

   "Uh, the meat industry is, like, the number one contributor to global warming," he explained, Jeremiah nodding thoughtfully. "And I just, I like animals."

Belly and Laurel smiled at the boy's words. Taylor leaned forward to look at him. "Just don't come for my leather jacket."

Steven scoffed out a chuckle, "I'm pretty sure you mean pleather," to which the girl flipped him off.

   "You know, uh, actually, Belly eats meat," Jeremiah said to the boy. Marigold tapped his foot, sending a confused glare but he only glanced at her before turning back to the boy. "So, you let her kiss you with those lips?"

   "Guys," Belly warned. Marigold felt like she was going to be sick. "Guys, stop."

Cam stopped his laughter to answer the boy. "No, I don't judge people for eating meat. It's just a personal choice. I don't care."