𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 • steven conklin

𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

belly entered the kitchen in a cute little floral dress that morning.

the morning of her sixteenth birthday.

"happy birthday!" everyone cheered.

belly looked around and saw eden with her arms out and hugged the girl first.

"you look so pretty, birthday girl." eden said. "now, you're only sixteen once. enjoy it."

belly pulled away and smiled at eden.

"thank you, edes."

she then went over to susannah who wrapped her into a hug.

"there's the birthday girl, looking like a vision in floral. happy birthday."

she then pulled away and jeremiah went up to her.

"happy sweet 16, bells." he said as he hugged her.

she giggled and he pulled away.

"wow, belly button's getting old, finally. happy birthday." steven said as he ate some bacon, then placed it down on the table.

"uh, didn't anyone ever tell you you're not supposed to eat something until it's served?" eden raised her eyebrows at the boy, jokingly.

"and didn't anyone ever tell you that it's not nice to comment on what others do?" steven retorted.

"no, actually. i was always told to speak my truth." eden shrugged.

steven sighed. "you got me there."

eden laughed and nudged him causing him to smile at her.

jace then came over and wrapped his arm around her shoulder and steven moved away from them.

"you're mickey mouse pancakes are ready." laurel informed her daughter after hugging her.

"actually, i'm not really, uh, hungry." belly replied.

"oh."

"shall we open gifts?" susannah raised her eyebrows.

"ooh, you're gonna love mine." jere said.

belly smiled widely, then looked to conrad who was just eating his cereal.

she then frowned at him.

eden noticed this and went over to belly.

"come on, let's get you all ready for your gifts."

she then ushered belly out of the room.

"okay. so what's going on between you and conrad?" eden asked.

belly sighed. "he's just...he's just been being an asshole."

eden nodded. "i know. i don't disagree. i just think...he's going through something. i don't know exactly what it is. i'm trying to figure it out, but he won't budge."

"this summer just feels so different." belly shook her head.

"i know. i just—."

"is everything good in here?"

they turned to see jace.

"yeah, baby, everything's good." eden replied.

"cool. can we all come out now?"

eden looked to belly who nodded.

"yeah. yeah, sure."

belly sat down in her usual spot and they all filed in.

eden, susannah and eden took the couch, steven was sitting in a chair, conrad in another chair, and jere and jace were on the floor.

belly opened her mom's gift to reveal a book of poems.