Ch.1~ We'll always have the memories

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(The summer I turned pretty bk.1 flashback story setting)

   I think I was thirteen years old when it happened. It was your typical 82 degree, seashell breezy day in Cousins and I was lounging on the front deck by the pool reading Jenny Han's 'To all the boys I loved before.'  I couldn't understand how someone could have their heart inter-tangled with more than one boy. I always thought once you saw him, your heart was set.  But here was Lara Jean Covey proving me wrong. I was about to turn the page when Jeremiah and Steven full blown cannonballed into the pool completely soaking me and my book in the process.

"What the heck, Steven? I was reading and now my pages are all wet, " I annoyingly replied as I shook my book off. 

"Hey, it wasn't just me, you butthead jere jumped in too he's equally as guilty for disturbing your dumb reading," Steven reciprocally annoyed  stated.

"Sorry belly button," Jeremiah smirked with one of his killer smiles as he rose to the surface of the pool.

I rolled my eyes and dried  off my book with my fluffy teddy bear towel as best as I could and lowered my sunglasses.

"Actually Jere, could you get me some more kool-aid for me por favor?" I said playfully lowering my lip and waving my empty water bottle around.

" Why me? I just got in the water and besides all that sugars not good for you, you know belly button," Jeremiah said as he did a backflip in the pool. 

"Payment for wetting my book and distributing my peace," I simply stated.

"Fine. For you, I'll gladly fill up your diabetes bottle," Jeremiah replied with a smirk as he got out of the pool and ran over to me.

As Jeremiah ran inside for my kool-aid I noticed Conrad by the window playing his guitar. He was slowly strumming the cords with his eyes hard pressed shut, as if the harder his eyes were shut the clearer his music would define itself. As the sun glittered upon his sweet golden skin and his eyes finally opened in the daylight shine, it revealed a jeweled light within his deep blue ocean eyes. I felt my myself gasp as I barely remembered how to breath.
      I don't know why but my heart has always been intertwined with Conrad Fisher. Even now remembering back, it's moments like those that make myself wanna kiss him and love him forever. My feelings never really wavered with my age, since I was younger till now it just always was. Love is ageless neither does it forget, but it's not till I'm older I realize the heart-throbbing truth of the latter.

When Jeremiah returned with my kool-aid I guess I was caught in a trance because he had squirted me in the face with a water gun.

"Jere!" I replied in surprise rubbing my eyes.

"You were off in a trace smiling off at your beloved Conrad," Jeremiah mocked with a smirk as he added sing-song emphasis on Conrad.

"Ooo, Belly and Conrad sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g first comes love than comes marriage than comes a baby in a baby carriage," Steven began to sing with Jeremiah joining in.

"Guys shut up!" I exclaimed angry and embarrassed, I could feel my face blush as they teased me.

"Are you gonna go crying to mom and Susannah," Steven said obnoxiously. "Don't be such a tattletale."

"Oh Steven, you know belly buttons  just sensitive maybe she just needs a belly flop to make her feel  better," Jeremiah replied with a smirk and a sneaky glitter in his ocean eyes as he slowly approached me.

"Hey, hey alright alright I'll chill okay" I uselessly negotiated. Once they had their mind set on  a belly flop that was it. 

"Connie, it's belly flop time!" Jeremiah excitedly exclaimed  while he attempted to grab my ankles.

Conrad must've heard from the kitchen window all the ruckus because he was already running over with a smile on his face.

"Did I hear it was someone's belly flop time?" Conrad replied with a teasing  smirk.

It was too late. Once they had Conrad as their backup in this unruly cult it was over for me. I quit resisting, and allowed them to bellyflop me. If I'm being honest, I don't completely hate it.

" you guys are such jerks" I said with a smile.

"One," Steven began as they started to swing me towards the pool.

"Two," Jeremiah continued.

"Three!" Conrad finished.

On the count of three they released me and I plummeted to the bottom of the cold pool.

As I bobbled back to the surface, Jeremiah and Steven were already flying over me as they jumped into the pool, screaming and holding hands like two little girls.

"Weirdos," I laughed.

"Oh, I'm sorry what was that?" Jeremiah laughed as he splashed me.

I tried to save myself but It turned into a water war zone with Conrad and Steven joining in splashing me all at once.

"I'm sorry okay, okay" I laughed as I attempted to splash them back.

Jeremiah dived towards me and pushed my head under. I returned the favor and as we were underwater i opened my eyes to see Jeremiah's. All within two seconds we shared this moment, our  hands on  each other laughing like children but my  heart seemed aged as it felt something more.  Something strange. I've never though of Jeremiah as anything more than a brother figure but in this moment, in this second, all my feelings faded and reboiled into something else.

I quickly returned to the surface in a rush to get away from him. I felt my self overwhelm with emotions. I was almost scared to think of him other than what I always had. What would that mean for us if I caught feelings?

I quickly walked over to the lounge chair and tightly wrapped myself in my fluffy teddy bear towel. Even then as a thirteen and a half year old, I found pleasure in the slightest things such as the comfort of wrapping yourself in a towel that's been warmed in the sun after a swim. I felt safe and sure wrapped in my towel and for a second I wasn't confused. For a second.

"Bells, you okay?" Jeremiah asked.

"Yeah I'm okay just need s breather from you hooligans," I replied with a slight laugh.

  Looking at him from this distance, watching him smiling and laughing as he play wrestling with Steven and as I observed how the a blazing  sun shone down on him and glittered his honey skin, it was made evident that I loved Jeremiah Fisher. 

"Want some more kool-aid bells?" Conrad asked with a smile as he motioned over to my water bottle.

"No that's alright,  Jere already filled it up," I replied looking up at him and observed as he  shined in the glittered sunlight.

"Okay," he replied with a smile as he walked back inside ruffling his hair through with a towel.

Within those last 90 minutes of that day I had become sure of two things. First, I realized that it  was certainly not  completely bizarre  of Lara Jean Covey to be in love with more than one soul. It was made evident to me now the confusing  reality of it.  And secondly, I was completely sure that I was wholly and utterly in love with Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher. 

AUTHORS NOTE: Heyyy ml's ik this chapter is kinda short but hopefully as I keep writing the creativity flows along  and more story plots come along. It might take a bit for more upcoming chapters but tysm for reading and pls lmk if u have any ideas for anything!!
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