dark paradise•conrad fisher

six

ANGELA CORTEZ WAS WALKING ALONG THE BEACH AT SUNSET, thinking about what just happened with her and the Fisher boys.

She was "dating" Jeremiah, and she had just kissed him for the first time. Conrad Fisher was her first kiss, and Jeremiah Fisher was her most recent.

She knew their relationship wasn't real, but it felt so weird. And Conrad just stood there watching, his face dropping and his hands shaking.

And what he had said after. Conrad had gotten close and had said that he's better. He seemed jealous enough.

All of this was a mess. Angela was stuck in the middle of a mess with the Fisher boys, the summer house was for sale, Susannah was dead, and everything was going downhill so quickly.

Her finger hovered over both Steven and Belly's contacts. She decided to call Belly. Steven had just got into Princeton, and Angela was proud of him, but not sure if he was busy preparing.

Calling Belly Conklin.

Angela waited as Belly finally answered. She sat on the sand, watching the sunset fade into the blue waves.

"Hi? Angie, where have you been? Taylor said you just left right after the party."

Steven's graduation party. Belly wasn't in a good mood at all that night. Some guy tried to hit on Angela the whole party, but she got a bit too angry just thinking about what had happened with Conrad months ago.

Her and Taylor had to comfort Belly a lot of the time. After Susannah's death, Belly had pretty much bailed on the volleyball team (which Angela and Taylor were on). She was trying to get her life back together and play again, but not everybody was as welcoming as her two best friends.

"It's a really long story. Please don't be mad, but I'm in Cousins. I'm at the beach house," Angela confessed.

There was a gasp from the other line. "What are you doing there?! Why didn't you tell me before, Angie?"

"I know you're going to be mad he didn't ask you, but Jeremiah asked me to help him. Conrad was missing. We found him at Cousins-"

"What's going on-"

Belly wasn't letting her finish. "Belly, listen. The house is for sale."

There was a deathly silence. "What?"

Angela may have heard a sniffle from Belly.

"It can't- I can't believe it."

"Belly, you should come. Steven and Taylor too. The boys will want to see you, and we need your help."

"Ok, ok. We're going to come. I'll see you soon, Angie."

Angela hung up. She was glad her friends were coming. She needed their help, and she knew that the Fisher boys would want them to come too.

Steven had barely been in contact with Conrad and Jeremiah, and he missed them so much.

The sun had set, and Angela just needed to get her mind off everything. She needed to get her mind off Susannah and how devastated she would be if she knew this happened.

Angela was in her room, wincing when she saw Junior Mint sitting there on her dresser. He was a stuffed polar bear that Conrad had won her at the boardwalk all of those years ago. It brought back memories.

Angela put on her swimsuit and walked to the pool at the beach house. It was worth it to go for a swim- she may never get to again if the house is sold.

She was underwater, swimming gracefully and swiftly. All of her worries were fading away as the water brushed against her soft skin.

It was like the beach house was never up for sale. Like Susannah never died. Like her and Conrad never broke up.