｡ﾟ𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 | 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 ﾟ｡

eight, 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

"Happy birthday Bells." Saige said to her sister as Belly made her way down the stairs. Saige still hadn't forgiven or talked to Belly about their bonfire "drama" yet, but decided to leave the thought of it out of her mind for the time being. 

"Thanks." Belly reluctantly said to her sister. Okay, so she's not over the bonfire. Saige thought to herself, but was too tired at the moment to care, she would've spit in Belly's pancakes if she knew this was how she was going to act. 

"Are you sure those aren't done?" Steven asked his twin, causing her to roll her eyes.

"Um yes, they're perfect! Golden brown and crisp."

"Sure.." Steven replied before getting hit with a spatula. "Jeez, okay."

"Stop it you two!" Laurel yelled at her two oldest children. 

"Okay here you go Belly Button, you're finally a big girl now." Saige said, handing her sister a plate with her Mickey Mouse pancakes, a tradition for Belly's birthday since they were young. 

"Oh I'm actually not that hungry." Belly responded.

Okay, bitch. Saige thought as her mom suggested they just open presents instead. 

Everyone sat in a circle in the living room to watch Belly open her presents. She opened Laurel's first, seeming a bit dissapointed that it was a book.

"It's a first edition, I got it from a rare book dealer." Laurel said, smiling/proud of herself. Belly put on a fake smile and thanked her mother, whom caught on and rolled her eyes. 

"Turn to the bookmarked page." She turned to Susannah. "It's your favorite poem." The pair smiled. 

"Oh yeah! I remember Susannah teaching us to recite this!" 

"Oh my God, we spent that whole day learning it and Susannah wouldn't let us go swimming until we had it memorized!" Saige exclaimed, causing everyone to laugh and Belly started reading the poem from her book.

"For whatever we loose.."

"Like you or me.." Jeremiah had now joined in.

"It's always ourselves we find in the sea." Everyone had started reciting it. 

"Thank you! I love it." Belly said to her mom. 

"You're welcome." Laurel looked at her fondly. 

"Okay, open mine now Belly." Susannah smiled and handed her a small box. Belly unwrapped it to reveal a small black velvet box. Belly opened it with a surprising look on her face and looked at Susannah. 

"Oh wow, they're gorgeous. Thank you!" 

Susannah got up from her seat and took the pearl necklace out of the box, putting in around Belly's neck and told her how she had come to get the pearls.

"My mom gave me these pearls for my  sweet sixteen." Susannah had the proudest look on her face. Saige looked at her with a smile, and saw Conrad pull something out of his pocket in the corner of her eye, but didn't think much of it. 

"They look great on you sweetheart." Laurel looked at Belly with pride and fondness, a look Saige hadn't ever gotten and couldn't help but to feel jealous, but knew that it was nothing new. Her thoughts were cut off by Jeremiah.

"Oh! My turn!" He exclaimed and handed her a small box.

 Belly opened it and inside was a gold keychain of a key, for her charm bracelet. 

"It's a good-luck charm, to help you pass your driving test." 

Belly bit her lip and smiled, immediately attaching it onto her bracelet. 

"Perfect! Thank you!"

"Think fast Belly!" Steven interrupted and threw Belly's gift at her.

"Steven!" Laurel protested.

Steven had gotten Belly a Princeton crewneck, which she was surprised by. 

"Wow Steven, I can't believe you actually  spent money on me." Belly seemed estatic.

"Relax, I just didn't want you stealing mine next year when I get in." Steven stated proudly. 

"I didn't know you were still considering Princeton." Laurel chimed in. 

"You know I-I think I'm gonna apply for some scholarships and Dad thinks I can get some financial aid." Steven's proud demeanor seemed to have vanished. "I- I don't know, we'll see if I get in." 

"Okay um-" Laurel started to speak, before Susannah interrupted her, probably for the best. 

"Conrad do you want to give Belly her present?" Susannah said as Belly looked to Conrad with a wide smile on her face. 

"Sorry, I forgot." Conrad said sheepishly, taking away the smile from Belly's face. 

"Uh that's-that's cool, um, I wasn't really expecting anything anyways so.." Belly did a horrible job at trying to hide her disappointment.

"Okay, well I guess I'll go." Saige said, trying to cut the tension. She gave Belly a neatly wrapped present, with coral paper, Belly's favorite. Saige watched her younger sister open the gift, still slightly distraught from Conrad not remembering her gift. Her mood changed when she saw her gift.

"Oh my GOD! Saige I-" Belly exclaimed at the sight of the The Eras Tour  crewneck Saige had gotten for her.

"It's no problem kid." Saige smiled and Belly came over to hug her and for a second, everything felt like it used to, simple. Just for a second. When Saige released herself from Belly's embrace, she'd noticed Conrad had left. 

"Oh shit I forgot I was gonna go get my uniform and stuff for work today! I'll be back soon. Happy Birthday Belly!" Saige lied as she ran out the door, ignoring the 'language' warning from her mother. Saige just hoped she could catch Conrad before he'd left. 

Once she made her way outside, Saige saw Conrad sitting in his car, about to pull out, but stopped when he saw Saige and rolled his window down. 

"Hey?" He looked puzzled as to why Saige had come to get him. 

"Hey. Where are you going?" 

"I told Cleveland I'd show him some knots today so I'm heading down to the docks." Conrad tried avoiding making eye contact. 

"Oh that's nice..so one more question: how come you "forgot" Belly's present?"

"I don't know, I just forgot about it this year." He shrugged.

"C'mon Conrad. You and I both know you couldn't forget her birthday, what's going on. I mean I know she's been a little bitch lately but, it's her sweet sixteen and whatever."

"Yeah I know I just, I didn't know if I should- I don't know. I have to go." Conrad seemed secretive with Saige, which was more than unusual, but she didn't know what she could do as she watched his car leave the driveway. She decided just to not think or worry about it which has been her mindset about too many things lately, and texted Shayla. Her brain was too full of thoughts right now, and needed something to clear it all.