dark paradise•conrad fisher

fourteen

EVERYONE ARRIVED BACK AT THE BEACH HOUSE.  They got out of the two cars they had taken to drive back, and Angela and Conrad immediately found each other again.

Angela was holding "Junior Mint #2" protectively in her arms.

Conrad was smiling. "What are you going to name him this time?"

Angela thought hard. She looked him in the eyes lovingly. "Hm.... How about Connie?

Conrad chuckled, fully embracing his sweet moment with Angela. He even paused in his steps, just to look at her.

"You're going to name him after me, Angel?"

"Mhm. Why wouldn't I?"

They began to walk again, the others at an even pace. Jeremiah cut ahead, opening the door and practically running into the next room.

"What the hell?"

Angela immediately became concerned when she heard Jeremiah yell. Conrad and Angela were the last into the house.

Everyone was just standing there in disbelief.

The house was empty.

All of the furniture was gone.

Everything about Susannah was almost gone.

Julia. There was something wrong with her. While they were out finally having fun, she got the movers to fully empty the house to make it ready for a buyer.

There was no saving the house anymore, was there? Tears began to well up in Angela's eyes. Her lips quivered, hardly able to believe the sight.

The house even felt empty. Even Susannah's paintings she did of them every summer were gone. All of her belongs were gone.

It was so plain. And so disturbing to see. Angela's heart ached as she turned to the person next to her for comfort. Conrad.

She didn't even have to ask for a hug. Conrad tightly embraced her as she buried her head into his chest.

He seemed to be tearing up a bit too. Everyone was upset. Angela wrapped her arms around him too. They needed to be there for each other.

Julia came down the stairs and Conrad immediately broke apart from Angela.

"What the hell, Julia?"

"I-I'm sorry this much be such a shock. I spoke to your father about this afternoon."

Conrad stepped closer and closer, aggressively getting into her face. He was steaming with fury. "You have no right to touch anything in this house! Those were her things!"

Jeremiah stood sternly behind Conrad. "Connie, stop."

"I kept everything in storage and I made sure everyone was very careful with every single thing. I'm just doing what I have to do to sell this house," Julia tried to explain.

Conrad was silent.

"You're not the only one who's hurting here. I'm not the one you should be angry with. She just wanted to make me the bad guy as usual."

Conrad could barely hold back. So he wasn't. "I'm so sorry that she was too busy dying to make your life a little easier. You know, it sucks that our grandfather loved her more than you, but I'm not surprised."

Julia gasped a little, but just chose to give up. She was talking to Skye in the other room.

Taylor, Belly, and Angela were just looking at each other in disbelief. "I can't believe she'd do this," Belly sighed.

"I can. She's terrible," Angela argued.

Steven, Cam, Conrad, and Jeremiah were all together. Jeremiah approached Angela softly. "Let's go outside."

Everyone stood by the front porch steps and the door suddenly opened to reveal Skye. They looked guilty.

Conrad couldn't even control himself anymore. He speed walked towards Skye angrily. "Did you know about this? I'm serious, did you know about this?"

Skye sounded innocent enough. "No, I didn't. I swear, I would have told you!"

"Would you have, really?"

Skye continued to try and explain themselves, but Jeremiah was already settled on the fact that they were innocent.

"Thank you, Skye. Also where are we gonna sleep tonight?" Jeremiah asked.

"No clue," Angela shrugged.

Jeremiah paused, seeming to have an idea. "What about the country club?"

"How are we gonna get in?" Taylor asked.

Steven was already playfully at her side. "We're gonna sneak in, Tay Tay."

She blushed, looking up at him and laughing. "Shush, Steven."

They arrived at the country club, and Jeremiah took out a keycard, trying to swipe it in order to get in.

"You kept that?" Conrad asked with a chuckle.

"Yeah."

It wasn't working. It continued to deny Jere access. Skye scratched her head, sighing. "Not a great plan."

There was silence.

"It's from Avengers, RDJ."

Cam let out a snort. "I understood that reference!"

They both giggled, looking each other in the eyes. Angela furrowed her brows. Did they just have a moment?

"Can you guys like, not?" Jeremiah requested, annoyed.

"You and Angie are like making out every second, Jeremy," Taylor teased.

"We are not," Angela insisted, looking over at Conrad's angry face.

Belly was clearly trying to change the subject. "There's got to be another way to get in."

"We can use my mom's key code," Cam offered.

"Are you sure?"

"It's fine, she's the manager. So as long as we don't make a mess, like at all, we should be good."

Angela let out a small giggle at Cameron's "rules". He was always a rule-follower and such a sweet soul.

He let them in, holding the door for everybody.

The group entered, looking around at the nice furniture and clean white aesthetic. "Can we scavenge for food? I need something in my system other then sugar," Skye said.

"Yes, allow me to escort you to the kitchen," Cam replied generously.

Taylor began trailing behind them. "Can I come with? I have very specific snack requirements."

Steven was already blocking her from going with them. "Nuh uh, Taylor. I need you to come with me and I need your loud voice to scare of all the murderers."

"I'm team murders."

Jeremiah laughed as Taylor decided to follow him anyways. "Why do you even need my help with this?" she exclaimed, picking up her pace to keep up with Steven.

Jeremiah was whispering into Angela's ear, "Go with Conrad, I'll go with Cam and Skye. Now's your time."

Angela nodded. Was now the time though? Was she really ready to be alone with Conrad when anything could happen?

Angela took a deep breath, walking over to Conrad. "Let's find somewhere for us to sleep."

"Whatever you want, Angel."