ephemeral [ Conrad Fisher ]

33

EVERYONE had disappeared to their corners of the summer house, some even sat outside as the fireworks lit the sky. Jeremiah and I had taken over kitchen duty so Susannah could just take a moment and breath.

The clatter of dishes echoed in the kitchen as Jeremiah and I set about the task of cleaning up. He flicked soap suds my way, and I retaliated with a spritz from the sink hose.

"Watch it, Jere," I warned, grinning. "I've got dish duty ninja skills."

He chuckled, scrubbing a plate with mock seriousness. "We'll see about that."

As we worked, the banter flowed effortlessly. Jeremiah tossed a soapy sponge my way, and I caught it with a flourish. "See? Ninja skills."

He rolled his eyes playfully. "You've been practicing."

I nudged him with my elbow. "You know it."

The rhythm of our conversation mirrored the clinking of dishes being washed, creating a symphony of domesticity. Jeremiah glanced out the window. "They look pretty cozy out there."

I followed his gaze to the dock where Conrad and Belly sat side by side, watching the fireworks illuminate the night sky. The sight was oddly comforting, a tableau of serenity against the backdrop of exploding colors.

"Yeah, they do," I acknowledged, a small frown tugging on my lips as I shake my head "I'm glad they're okay now, I know how much she means to him."

Jeremiah's eyes danced with mischief. "What about us? Could we pull off a cozy moment by the sink?"

I feigned shock. "Jeremiah Fisher, are you suggesting we become the main event in the great Summer House Soap Opera?"

He held up a dish for emphasis. "Why not? Drama and a bit of comedy – it's a winning formula."

I playfully gasped. "My reputation will be forever tarnished!"

Jeremiah grinned, leaning against the counter. "Or it could be enhanced. You'd be the dishwashing queen."

I threw a soapy sponge at him. "Watch it, Fisher. No tarnishing my royal status."

He caught the sponge with a smirk. "Your majesty, I'd never."

Our laughter mingled with the fading echoes of fireworks as we continued our kitchen duty, the easy banter cocooning us in a protective warmth that I would do anything to have stayed in.

The night air felt thick with tension as Jeremiah and I finished the last of the dishes. The echoes of laughter from earlier were replaced with an uneasy quiet. I glanced out the window, catching sight of Conrad and Belly on the dock, their faces mere inches apart. Jeremiah's grip tightened on a plate in his hand, the strain in his jaw evident.

"What the hell?" he muttered under his breath.

"They're just talking, Jere. It's probably nothing." I wasn't sure if I was trying to convince him, or myself. It was surely nothing right? Just talking like they had been earlier? A line had surely been drawn, the way he held me, kissed me... It wasn't for nothing right?

Jeremiah's eyes flickered with frustration. "No, Lennox. It's not nothing."

As if to emphasize his point, he stormed outside, and I reluctantly followed. He reached for a firework, his movements sharp and angry. Without a word, he aimed at an empty space beside Conrad and Belly and lit the fuse. The firework shot into the air, bursting into a shower of sparks.

I winced at the loud explosion, the colorful display doing little to mask the underlying tension. Jeremiah's frustration hung in the air as the remnants of the firework drifted away.

"Jeremiah, was that necessary?"

He turned to me, the anger in his eyes fading to something closer to hurt. "Yeah, Len, it was. I can't stand seeing her with him."

"Come on, let's go back inside." I sighed, recognizing the pain in his voice, that same pain had begun to settle in my stomach, and in my heart.

We left Conrad and Belly behind, the remnants of a once-promising summer night scattered on the dock. Inside, the atmosphere was heavy with unspoken words. Jeremiah began to pace, frustration etched on his face.

"What the hell, Lennox? I can't believe she'd do that."

"Jeremiah, seriously?" I scolded, "You can't just—"

"They're playing with fire, Lennox," he interrupted, his tone sharp. "And I'm not just going to stand there and watch. I'm tired of watching him hurt you and I'm tired of being hurt too."

"Jeremiah, we weren't really anything. Not officially, anyway." The lied rolled off my tongue easily but the hurt that radiated from my heart left unshed tears welling in my eyes

He stopped, his eyes softening. "Are you okay, Lennie?"

"I'm fine. Just tired. I think I'm going to head up."

I left the room before he could say anything more, the façade of strength I'd worn cracking as I climbed the stairs. The door to my room closed softly behind me, and I sank onto the bed, feeling the weight of disappointment settle in my chest. The unshed tears blurred my vision, and I let them fall, silent witnesses to a summer that was turning out to be more complicated than I'd ever imagined. I made sure to lock my door, double checking it before I let my sadness fully consume me. 

Short chapter just to get back into the flow of writing during finals!! Hopefully I'll have the second part of this out tonight and we can say bye bye to the Fourth of July from hell!! I have a TikTok up with a bunch of silly tweets like the one above:) (@harrysrealbowp)