|Not You|
Summer always meant a five hour drive and three months in Cousins. The six kids had grown up together facing love, laughter, heartbreak, pain, and joy together. But this summer was different, with new feelings emerging, and an ever loomin...
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"Oh my god, Conrad, man you look like you got run over by a bus," Mateo laughed, walking over to the couch and smacking Conrad's feet.
June followed her brother into the brightly lit beach house, her hair pulled back loosely into a ponytail. Pieces falling out to frame her face.
"He's going to be good as new in three minutes," Jeremiah said, looking over his shoulder and sending June a dashing smile. She nodded back towards him, making her way into the kitchen to see Laurel.
"Just sit for your portraits," The older woman said, focusing back on her laptop.
"Are they complaining about getting painted again?" June asked, leaning over to see what Laurel was working on. She only nodded her head in response.
"It's not that big a deal, you only have to sit there for like an hour," June shrugged, looking up to see Steven, Jeremiah, and Mateo giving her a dirty look.
She rolled her eyes, reaching across the table to grab an apple that was in the bowl.
"I don't see Conrad complaining," Laurel said, motioning to the boy on the couch. He jumped as Jeremiah flipped on the blender, the sound echoing through the kitchen and into the living room.
"He'll complain when he's conscious," Jeremiah said, taking the freshly poured smoothie to his brother. "Here."
"Let's go Jere," Steven said, smacking Jeremiah's butt as he walked past, and back into the kitchen.
"Yeah man, we can't be late for our first day of work," Mateo added, somehow sitting on the counter, jumping up there when no one was paying attention.
"Those old country club boomers are going to tip me so hard, they aren't going to know what hit them," Steven gloated, grabbing onto his crotch and thrusting forward.
"Ew Steven, that's disgusting," June exclaimed, gagging to emphasize her point.
"Steven, I swear," Laurel agreed, stitching her eyebrows together and shaking her head.
"Come on Laurel, your boy has to get that bread," Jeremiah interjected.
"Thank you," Steven said, coming behind Laurel and June, and throwing his arms over their shoulders. June shrugged him off, getting up to go help Jeremiah set up breakfast. Just as Belly came walking around the corner, an obvious discoloring was under her eye.
"Good morning," Jeremiah uttered, as Belly caught the attention of her mother.
"Belly, where have you been? Is that a bruise?" Laurel asked, moving some hair out of Belly's face.
"Um--I bumped into someone," Belly lied, looking to June to help her convince her mom.
"You bumped into someone?" Laurel questioned further. June bumped Jeremiah, signaling him to change the subject.
