𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 • steven conklin

𝐭𝐰𝐨

"hi."

eden looked up to see belly sitting at the counter.

"you're dripping water all over the place." laurel pointed out to her daughter.

susannah turned to laurel and whispered, "she's gorgeous."

eden half-smiled and went back to cutting the lemons.

she got this strange feeling when her mother called belly gorgeous, but she couldn't tell what it was. was it jealousy? but why would she be jealous? her whole life everyone's told her she was beautiful, she had no reason to be jealous of belly's new beauty.

"you have always been lovely, but oh honey, look at you." susannah smiled and picked up belly's arms while the black-haired girl giggled.

"i think i look pretty much the same." belly replied.

eden looked up and tilted her head ever so slightly. "come on, bells, who are we kidding? you had a total glow-up." eden said.

belly giggled again.

"she's right. you do not look the same at all. you're growing up." susannah added and gave belly a hug.

susannah pulled away and kept her hand on belly's cheek.

"you're in bloom."

"well, the lemons are all cut, i think i'm going to check on the boys." eden informed.

"oh my daughter. always a boy's girl." susannah said.

"wonder where she got that from." laurel muttered, teasingly.

"oh stop. i just mean she always liked to talk to guys more." susannah shrugged.

"you are right about that, mom. see you gals in a bit."

she then skipped off to the backyard where all the boys were.

"hello, boys." she greeted.

"hello, stalker." steven said, folding his arms.

"come again, steven?" she raised her eyebrows.

"you're a stalker. i mean, watching us from the window? what a weird-do." steven joked.

"oh i'm a weird-o? says the one who dips his doritos in ketchup." she retorted.

jace made a face. "you dip your doritos in ketchup?"

"aw, dude." jeremiah cringed.

conrad shook his head. "gross."

steven pointed at the girl. "i told you not to tell anyone."

"and i told you not to tell anyone i was a stalker." she rebutted.

"see! see! she is a stalker!" steven exclaimed.

"at least i don't make weird food combinations!" she yelled back.

"oh yeah?" he raised his eyebrows.

"yup!"

he then ran for her and she let out a shriek before running around the pool.

when she got back to the other side she was originally on, he was able to catch her and scooped her up.

"steven! steven, no!" she screamed.

he cradled her back and forth, threatening to throw her in the pool.

"no! steven! steven, no!" she screamed.

she then closed her eyes, bracing herself.

she heard a splash, but when she opened her eyes she was still on land.