chapter 1

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by Poppet217

by Poppet217

A/N Most characters and scenes belong to Jenny Han

Chapter 1
We had been driving for about 7 thousand years. Well, thats how it felt at least. Steven drive slower than a turtle with a broken leg. I was sitting in the backseat, next to my cousin Belly, and Laurel was sleeping in the front seat.
"Go faster!" I urged Steven. "Let's pass that kid on the bike!"
Steven sighed. "Do you want us to crash? And quit kicking my seat!"
I put my feet up on the centre console. "Better?"
"It's gonna be my car soon!" Said Belly.
"If you ever get your licence" he scoffed. "People like you shouldn't be allowed to drive."
"Hey look!" I interrupted, pointed out the window. "That guy in the wheelchair just lapped us!"
Steven ignored me, and I fiddled with the radio, connecting it to my phone. I found my favourite playlist, with plenty of Taylor Swift, of course. 'All too well' came on, and I started singing at the top of my lungs. "I walked through the door with you, the air was cold. But something bout it felt like home somehow"
Steven reached over to turn it off, but I slapped his hand away. "Indi, your voice makes me want to drive off a cliff." He pretended to swerve right.
'August' came on, and I sang even louder, waking up Laurel. She started to sing to. We both had terrible voices, and Steven shook his head in disgust.
We drove slowly through town, and even though I'd just teased Steven about it, I didn't really mind. I loved this drive, this moment. Seeing the town again, Jimmy's crab shack, the putt putt, all the surf shops. It was like coming home after you'd been away for a long time.
As we got closer to the house, I could feel that familiar flutter in my chest. We were almost there.
I rolled down the window and took it all in. The air tasted just the same, smelled the same. The wind made my hair feel sticky, the salty sea breeze, all of it felt just right. Like it had been waiting for me.
Belly elbowed me. "Are you thinking about Jeremiah?" She asked mockingly.
"No!" I answered. It wasn't necessary true, but oh well.
Laurel stuck her head back between the seats. "Indi do you still like Jere? I thought you had a boyfriend back home? Sam, I think his name was?"
"WHAT!" Exclaimed Belly. "How come you never told me about this?!"
I glared at Laurel. Of course my mother would have told her. "It was nothing. We broke up anyway. A couple weeks ago." I could feel the flush rising up my face. "Anyway, Belly, were YOU thinking about a certain Conrad Fisher?"
She blushed bright red. "Uh, well, hm," she stuttered. "No?"
I laughed. "You so were!"
She turned away from me and turned up the music.
Conrad and Jeremiah were Beck's boys. Beck was Susannah Fisher, formerly Susannah Beck. Laurel was the only one who called her Beck, and that was because they were like sisters. They know each other better than they did their actual sisters.
Laurel, Steven and Belly had been going to Susannah's beach house every summer for as long as I could remember. The first time I came, I was 12. My parents were going out of town for a couple weeks, and didn't want to take me. So, Aunty Laurel offered to bring me to the beach house. I've been tagging along on their summer trips ever since.
The summer house was made up of lots of things. The wraparound porch we used to run around on, jugs of iced tea, the swimming pool at night, but the boys. The boys most of all.

A/N This is my first story, so if you have any ideas or feedback, I'd love to hear it! Please comment and vote. I will release new chapters whenever I can, so expect a couple a week. Thanks for reading!! -Piper <3