Black & White [Jeremiah Fisher]

fourteen (part 2)

JEREMIAH

"Find a new partner, Steven." Her tone isn't cold, nor is it elevated. Her voice is soft, a little shaky, and it quivers.

I watch her set down her bags nicely and then she turns around in one swift movement to head back towards the path which leads to the beach house.

Fuck.

"Way to go, Jeremiah." It's Steven. Somehow he is standing right in front of me, blocking my view of the one girl who has had my heart in shambles this entire summer.

"You're a fucking asshole, bro." His shove caused me to leave the trance I was in. Nobody noticed her exit, except for my brother who was now trying to discreetly follow her.

My heart rate began to accelerate and the inside of my hands began to sting as my fingernails dug deep into my palms. I want to follow them, but as I take a step, I feel Steven's hand grip onto my t-shirt.

"Let me go, Steven." I deadpan, trying to shake his hand off of me. His hold only tightens, slightly pulling harder. Steven and I have fought before. Never over anything serious. And when we did fight, we both knew we were being stupid.

Right now though, he seems more serious than anything.

"What is your problem? You've been treating Rowan like absolute garbage this past week and a half." He's infuriated with me. He has every right to be because I have been a dick to Rowan. For reasons that I can't help.

From the second I saw her, I knew I needed to make her mine. Not just because of her looks, but because of everything that makes her, her.

It's her terrible jokes that she makes when she is uncomfortable or doesn't know how to react. It's her bright white teeth that accompany her smile which can easily light up anyone's mood. It's her laugh, her heartwarming laugh that comes straight from her belly. It's her confidence when she walks into a room, eyeing everyone before going to do what she needs to do. It's the way she tucks only one side of her hair behind her ear, forgets she did tuck it behind her ear, and then untucks it so both sides frame her face effortlessly.

It's the way she can talk to my mom as if she's known her for years. It warms my soul, to watch their connection grow. My mom is the sweetest person I know and can see the good in almost everyone. My whole life she has treated Belly like her own daughter. Belly is her girl, there's no doubting that, but it's the fact that my mom has never treated any of my ex-girlfriends like she does with Rowan. My mother's approval is everything and just seeing her react with Rowan makes me want to make her mine forever.

It's those damn glasses. The glasses that I have only seen her in one time, but completely made me fold. It's her legs and arms when they wrap around me in the pool, making me never want to let go of her. It's her lips, her soft plump lips. The same lips that were once against mine.

Then everything fell apart.

"What's going on?" It's Belly. She's standing next to Steven, scowling at both of us behind her glossy eyes. She's drunk, I'm surprised.

"You tell me, what the hell is going on?" Steven looks down at his sister. Belly is holding onto her drink which spills a little as she tries to stand up straight.

She closes her eyes, thinking for a second before opening them again. Her eyes fall onto me. "Jeremiah, do you realize you made Rowan cry? Do you not realize everything she has been through?" Her words confuse me at first. I'm not sure what she means by everything Rowan's been through. She also does not make total sense due to her being intoxicated.

"Belly, shut up." Steven says as if he does not want me to hear what she has to say. I look away from the two of them, unable to see Rowan or Conrad anymore.