♡Cruel Summer♥︎ Steven Coklin

Deja Vu (SOUR - Olivia Rodrigo)

Belly and Danielle agreed to being a Debutant at this years Deb Ball at the local country club. Her Deb sister, Nicole, decide to throw a sweet sixteen birthday party for Belly and Danielle later tonight. Many kids are going to be there. Not exactally Danielle's thing, but she figured she might have some fun tonight.

Danielle walked downstairs to everyone talking to Belly.

"Hey, there's the other birthday girl. Happy birthday, Dani!" Jeremiah said as he pulled his twin sister into a hug.

"Thanks, Jere. Belly, happy birthday to us!" Danielle ran up to Belly and wrapped her arms around the girl. The girl was already dressed in her bright yellow top with small sunflowers all over, paired with denim shorts and light makeup to match.

"Happy sweet 16th, my dear!" Susannah walked into the dinning area with flower crown for both girls.

Danielle and Belly placed them on their heads, making their looks complete. Both the mothers hugged their daughters.

"Someone's hungry?"

"I'm starving." Danielle spoke up. She scratched the nape of her neck to se if Laurel made the traditional birthday pancakes.

"I'm not really hungry." Belly said.

"Oh, then shall we open gifts? And, yell Dani. You can still eat your breakfast."

"Yay!" Laurel handed Danielle a plate of pancakes garnished with honey drizzle. She grabbed a fork and took a bite out of one side of the stack. Now she was really happy.

They all moved into the living room and sat on each couch. Conrad sat next to his sister, seeming nervous for some reason. He had asked Danielle prior to today for help on Belly's birthday gift, and Belly for Danielle's.

Laurel gifted both girls an exclusive edition of a book filled with poems. There was a marked page with the poem that Susannah would always teach everyone to recite.

"For what we lose,

like a you or a me,

it's always ourselves we find in the sea" Everyone recited together at the end.

"You're going to love mine." Jeremiah handed both girls his present. He gifted Belly a lucky charm for her driving test. As for Danielle, he gifted her a rose gold ring she's been begging him for the past few months.

"Think fast, August!" Steven threw the girl his gift acting as if nothing had happened the two nights before. Danielle didn't say anything since she didn't want to ruin her's and Belly's birthday. The gift from Steven to both girls was a Princton hoodie. "So you won't have to steal mine when I get in."

"I thought you weren't considering Princton." Danielle said, "But, thanks Stevie."

"Dad said I could try for some scholarships or get financial aid or something."

"Oh, but-" Laurel was cut off by Susannah, "Conrad, it's your turn."

"I- I forgot,' Conrad mumbled. Everyone stared at where he was next to Danielle. The girl tried to make eye contact with him, but he was too into his shoes.

Danielle knew he put his mind and soul into his gift for both the girls.

"Uh, Belly, I didn't get you anything just because I don't know you that well. But, Dani, happy birthday." Autumn said as she handed Danielle her gift. Danielle opened it to see a friendship bracelet for herself and for Autumn. She hugged the girl in greatfulness for her gift. "Thank you, Autumn. They're beautiful." She gave Autumn the blue bracelet while she took the purple.

"Alright, so it's my turn!" Susannah gave the two girls a small black velvet box. In Belly's, there was a gold necklace. As for Danielle, there was a pearl necklace in the box.

"Your grandma gifted it to me when I was sixteen. Now, it's yours." Susannah helped her daughter put the necklase on before Danielle hugged her mother tight.

______

Danielle was left at home with Conrad, Steven, and the mothers since Jere offered Belly to drive the two to get muffins. Danielle decided to spend some time in her room. As she was walking in, she noticed Conrad sitting on the girls bed.

"Yo, what did I tell you about asking permission to go in my room!"

"Danielle, just close the door. I want to talk to you."

Danielle noticed Conrad's tone in voice. So, she closed the door behind her before sitting on the floor infront of him.

Conrad looked at the girl before speaking and grabbing something behind his back. "Danielle, I'm sorry about this morning. I feel like a complete asshole about the way I handled things. So, happy birthday." Conrad gave the girl a pair of earrings that matched the girl's personality very well.

"Connie, their beautiful, thank you." She said before she embraced the boy into a quick but sentimental hug.

"Now, what did you want to talk about?" Danielle asked.

"Okay, well, it's about Belly. While doing the gift exchanges I was going to give her the necklace you helped me get her, but I chickened on on doing it. Now, I feel like an ass and I have to go soon to help Cleveland do knots." Conrad didn't give Belly the necklase. He's had it for months, thought.

"Connie, she's probably really hurt. Try and give it to her later."

Conrad nodded at his sister and got up from his place on her bed and joined the girl on the floor. "Now, It's my time to give you some advice, my lovely sister."

"What? Why do I need advice?" Danielle nervously asked.

"Steven told me what happened the night of the bonfire."

"Conrad-"

"Danielle, no. i need you to listen to me this once. Look, I might not be the best with relatinships, but I know you better than anyone. And I also know Steven. He's been really nervous to see you since last summer. Everyone in the house knows that you both like each other, even Autumn knows the shit that goes on around here. It' something that doesn't need to be said, it's just true. Just try talking to him again, please. For me."

Conrad did make a good point. Maybe the two needed to actually sit down and talk about things. "Fine, I'll try and talk with him." Conrad smiled at his sister as he kissed her temple before walking out the door. When Danielle saw his car drive away from the house, she walked over to Steven's room to talk things out.