Ever since Eleanor Clark and Belly Conklin became friends, she has went to Cousins Beach with her. She loves Cousins Beach, and looks forward to it every year. She loves because of nostalgia, and because it gives her a break from her family life. Sh...
I unpack my bathing suits into the top drawer, and Belly picks up Junior Mint. "Hello, Junior Mint!" She says with a smile. I smile at her and walk over. "Who got you Junior mint anyway?" I say, with a laugh.
"Conrad." She says with a certain tone that sounds like she's in love with him. I raise a brow at this, I've never heard this tone from her before. She turns around and sees my face and hee dreamy look drops.
"It was a while ago, no big deal." She says as she puts Junior mint down and starts unpacking her stuff. I heard a know and saw Jeremiah walking into the room.
"Hey!" I said as I went over and tapped Belly on the shoulder. Belly turned around and looked at Jeremiah. "Surfing?" Jeremiah says in Belly's direction.
"I have to unpack!" She says. Jeremiah picks up Junior mint and says, "Please!"
"Fine!" She says. She walks out the room and I'm left alone. I sigh and sit on the bed, I hope this summer is different, no, I'll make this summer different.
We're all sat down for dinner and I'm sitting next to Belly as Susannah hands out the food.
I play with the food with my fork until Susannah says she has a toast. I instantly give her my full attention and so does everyone else. "Girls, you two are coming of age, and I have a great opportunity for you." Susannah says with a huge smile.
I look at belly and she shrugs in my direction. "What is it?" Steven says. She takes a deep breath and gives us another big smile. "A Debutant Ball!" She says.
"Isn't that when they were white dresses and curtsy?" Belly says. Susannah sighs, "Yes, but since you guys are mature now, it would just be great." Susannah says.
"Mature? Belly and Nora?" Steven laughs. Jeremiah and Steven giggle. "Yes! Susannah says.
"It's for sheep." Conrad says. This is the first time since we got here I've heard him speak. I actually considered declining the debutant opportunity whenever he said this, but I held back.
"Just think about it." She says as she sits down. I whisper to Belly, "What do you think?"
She shrugs and takes a bite of her food. I look out the window and think, would a Debutante Ball be so bad? It just a Ball, but Conrad's kind of right. It seems like it may be for sheep.
I walked down the stairs and saw Steven in the kitchen. I sat down at the island, "What are you doing tonight?" I say, trying to spark a conversation. "There's the bonfire tonight." He says, grabbing a soda from the fridge.
They always have the bonfire every year, and me and Belly have stayed home every time. We watch movies with Susannah and Laurel, and it's a great night. I was thinking we would do the same.
"Cool." I say as I get up from the counter to grab a soda. He starts to walk to the sliding door and Jeremiah goes behind him. I grab a Dr Pepper, and look behind me to see why they are walking out the back way. I look outside and see Belly and Conrad by the pool. Why are they talking? I immediately think. I quickly take those thoughts out my head because Belly wouldn't do that, she wouldn't.
Susannah and Laurel get in the kitchen and start working on the brownies. I step out of their way and wait for Belly. She comes inside and looks, more sad, when she sees them. "Movie night!" Susannah says. "I'm a little tired, I'm gonna skip tonight." Belly says. This is weird, this movie night is a tradition, and it's u likely for her to miss it. I sometimes join, but I'm not part of the tradition.
"Oh, ok that's fine." Susannah says, disappointed. Belly goes upstairs and I follow her up. "Hey, Nora, I have an idea." She says as she closes our bedroom door. "What..?" I say with a voice that shows that this could be anything, and Belly doesn't have the best ideas sometimes. "Let's go to the bonfire." She says.
"I can't believe we're actually going to the bonfire!" I say as I move the mascara wand, up and down in the bottle. Belly applies her lipgloss, and calls Taylor. "I know, this summer is gonna be different, I know it." She says back.
"Hi Taylor!" I say as she answers. "Hey, what are y'all getting ready for, don't you have the movie thing with Susannah's and Laurel?" She says through Belly's glitchy phone.
"We're ditching that and going to the bonfire." Belly says as she pouts in the mirror. "Wow, so what are you wearing?" Taylor says. Taylor loves makeup and clothes, like me. Belly has never cared about that stuff and it's ok, but we still make her look cute. "Can I just wear this?" She says.
"I can't wear this Taylor!" Belly says as she hold up a tiny pink dress. Taylor slipped it in Belly's bag. I didn't know what to wear to the bonfire, so I just wore something casual.
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THIS DOESNT HAVE TO BE THE OUTFIT!!
"Oh come on! It's hot!" Taylor says. Belly rolls her eyes and gets off the phone with Taylor. "Well..are you gonna wear it?" I say as I slip the sandals on my feet. "I think so." She says as she holds it up. I laugh, "Meet me downstairs."
I walk down and hide from Laurel and Susannah until Belly comes down. She walks down in sandals, and the dress is much shorter than I thought it would be. I have never seen her in this, and it felt weird. "Let's go." She whispers as we make our way to the front door. She opens it carefully and we make our way out.
