SUMMER CAN LAST FOREVER

BROWN

BELLY
Jeremiah and I are in the car waiting for conrad to finish his last exam. Without thinking, I blurt out the burning question in my head

"Does he ever ask about me"? I say to Jeremiah, I watch as his whole body tenses up.

"Dont" he says firm.

"Dont what" i say.

"Dont ask me about him," he responds trying to hide his anger. Hes failing miserably though. In the next instant, Jeremiah kisses me, and after a second, I push him back.

"Jere, what the hell was that?!" I say, getting out of the car.

"Oh yeah run back to him, to the guy who breaks your heart, dont expect me to pick up the pieces again. " Jere says coldly.

I dont know what to say, or think. I feel the hot tears on my face. "We came here to help conrad together. Ive told you lots of times before, I dont love you like that, Jere youre my best friend, and like another brother. Sure we kissed a couple times, when i was confused last summer, but that didnt mean anything, it wasnt like..." I trail off, not wanting to hurt him further.

"Finish that sentence belly" he looks at me.

I hear footsteps approach beside me. "Hey guys, I finished the exam" I hear conrads voice say happy, but I can feel his expression drop.

"Just in time, belly was about to confess her undying love for you, yet again even though you ruined her." jere states angry.

"Okay back up, what the fuck happened while i was gone?" conrad says trying to be calm.

I turn so im standing in the middle of them.

"Ill tell you, belly and I were sitting talking, when all of a sudden she asks me if you ever ask about her" Jeremiah starts, the anger still fresh and evident.

Tears stream down my face again. Conrad remains emotionless, but he glances my way.

"You wanna finish the story belly, or should i?" jeremiah glares. Now its conrad, whose whole body tenses up.

Between steven, jeremiah, and conrad. Conrad was always the most defensive over me. One of the reasons I fell for him so hard.

"Breathe, stay calm" conrad mutters.

Conrad steps forward and looks jeremiah dead in the eyes. "Dont yell at her again" conrad says, in his low voice. The voice you dont want to mess with.

Another thing about conrad, his anger is quick to strike like a match. Especially lately.

"I told belly not to ask me about you, and then i kissed her, she pushed me and got out of the car. I followed her, and yet again she told me she wasnt in love with me, that we were never anything than friends. She was about to say kissing me wasnt like kissing you. Its always you, you always win. Even when you fuck it all up, ill never win her from you." Jeremiah fires back.

"Dont hit him hes your brother, dont hit him hes your brother" i hear conrad whisper repeat.

Ill admit though jeres words sting im just a prize to him. Nothing more than a way to one up his brother.

"Belly is not a prize, she is a human. A treasure neither of us will ever deserve. An unobtainable infinity" conrad says and my whole insides fight the urge to melt.

"You know what screw you, im so over all of your bullshit. Fuck you, both of you" jere sends us daggers.

"Go before you lose control, go before I hit you" conrads voice was shaky.

"Fine" jeremiah backs down.

"im calling a taxi" he glares again

"I dont ever want to see you again, youre dead to me" jeremiah looks at us, then leaves.