Uncertainty| Conrad Fisher

E I G H T E E N .

A/N: I'm gonna skip most of the ball... I don't really feel like I need to put it all in. <3

It was the day of the Deb ball. Belly was already at the club getting ready, and Ana happened to just tag along with Jere to the club. She ended up asking Jere to be her escort.

'Ironic she asked the boy I was just with.' Ana thought, but she quickly pushed those feelings deep down.

She was happy for belly. The young girl was so excited for this event. Ana wanted belly's day to be perfect. Even though they didnt start off on the right foot.

Ana had gotten the girl a necklace that had a small engraved S on the back of it. She got it thinking of Susannah, obviously. She thought that since the woman had gotten her into the whole Deb thing, had paid for everything, and helped get her where she is now, that it was a cute gift.

Also, because if Susannah ever isn't with her anymore, she can always still be 'with' her in some way. Even though belly didnt know about that yet.

"Knock, knock." She said, walking into the green room where all the girls were getting ready.

Belly had seen the girl walk in, but quickly looked away. Already annoyed by her presence.

"Hey, belly." She said, walking up to the girl. But belly just ignored her, "listen, I know you hate me. And honestly, I can understand why."

Belly gave her a 'really' look and continued ignoring her.

"No, seriously. I can. I dated Conrad, your first true love. Then we broke up and I started to have a thing with Jere... which definitely didnt look good on my part.. and I've completely neglected you. I should've tried harder to get to know you... it's funny cause at the beginning of the trip, I told Conrad that it would be cool if you and I had a girls night." She laughed remembering the car ride to cousins.

Belly chuckled a little, not in a mean way. But she thought it was funny as well. Because that's definitely the exact opposite of how it was turning out.

"Really?" She asked, smiling at the girl.

"Yes, and I am so embarrassed to admit it. But you had every right to be upset with me. I've been so stuck up my own ass this summer that I didnt even think to try and understand how you were feeling.."

Belly looked at the girl.. 'she's too nice to hate.' She though.

"I uh, I got you something. I saw it at a store downtown, and I thought it was perfect for your special night." She pulled out the case, and handed it to belly.

When belly opened it her eyes started to tear up instantly, "S for Susannah?"

Ana nodded her head with a sad smile on it, "do you like it?"

"Of course I do. Susannah is like my second mom.. I don't know what I'd do without her." She sniffled.

"Here, let me put it on." She smiled, helping the young girl.

"I'm so sorry, Ana. I've been so cruel to you this summer."

"No, stop that. Don't apologize. You have nothing to apologize for. This is your night anyway, no hard feelings." She laughed.

"Can I, like, hug you? Is that okay?"

"Oh my god! Yes, I have been waiting for this day since we first arrived at cousins." She laughed, only half kidding, "you look beautiful belly.." she smiled, before saying her goodbyes and walking out of the dressing room.

~

"You look beautiful." Conrad spoke, as the girl walked up to him and his mother.

"Thank you." She blushed, "it's your mom's."

She was wearing a tight dark green dress. She didnt have one, and Susannah tried to buy the girl one but she kept refusing. But the woman remebered Ana's favorite color was green, so she rummaged through her closet and found an old dress.

The one she was wearing.

And it fit the girl perfectly. Her small frame was perfectly shaped by the dress, and because she was so short it was long on her. She loved it. And so did everyone else.

"Look at us." Susannah smiled happily as she looked between Conrad, Jere, laurel, Steven, and Ana, "it's perfect."

"Mom, you're not gonna cry, are you?" Jere asked, making Ana giggle.

"What, and ruin my make up? No way. It's just.. everythings gonna be different next year." She started, "Conrad and Ana are going off to college. It may be the last summer we're all together."

Ana's smile dropped, and turned into a sad look. She knew what the woman meant, and she hated it. She wished bad things didnt happen to such amazing people.

"Just don't forget I get a dance from you tonight." Jere smiled, pulling his mom into him, lightly dipping her as she laughed.

The woman got light headed when she stood up straight again, and stumbled a little, both boys rushing to her aid.

"Oh..."

"Mom, are you okay?" Jere asked.

"Yeah, no, it's just, uh.. it's been way too long since I danced." She lied, looking over to Ana.

She looked down at the ground quickly, she couldn't say anything to Jere... but she wanted to. She wished she could just tell the boys now.

"Come on... we should get inside." Ana spoke softly. Susannah looped her arm through the young girls as she helped the woman walk in, Conrad on their tail.

They all walked in and found their seats. Ana sitting next to Conrad, Susannah on the other side of him.

"You look beautiful, sweetheart. And so will belly, I'm so excited to see her." She said happily.

"Thank you... so am I." She smiled back at the woman.