The First Summer of Forever

Chapter 1- Finally Belly Fisher

THE FIRST SUMMER

OF FOREVER

∞

∞We run toward the water, tripping in the sand, screaming and laughing like little kids. At the last second, he picks me up like he is carrying me across a threshold. "If you dare try to belly flop me right now, you're going down with me", I warn, my arms tight around his neck. "I go where you go", he says, launching us into the water. This is our start. This is the moment it becomes real. We are married. We are infinite. Me and Conrad. The first boy I ever slow danced with, ever cried over. Ever loved. We'll always have summer." ∞

(We'll Always Have Summer, Jenny Han)

Chapter 1

Belly

We plunged in the water, my arms still locked tight around his neck. It was cold. As soon as we went down, a strong wave crashed right into us pulling us around in the water a little. The salt was stinging my eyes, the cold water prickling my skin. I wiped my eyes and mascara smeared on my hands. Why did we do this again? For a brief moment I immediately regret this decision. But the words that just escaped Conrad's lips echo, and I realize that yes- this crazy, but romantic. So romantic. And entirely us. A nod to our past, and a celebration toast to our future. It's no secret that I am the definition of a hopeless romantic, and Conrad knows that. He knows just how to indulge my romantic fantasies from time to time while also grounding me like he's my gravity. I think because maybe, deep down he is also a romantic himself. He's just always kept that part of him locked away for only one person to see. Sometimes it's hard to believe that that person is me.

And I mean, I've always thought Conrad looks romantic when his hair is wet, kind of like he just stepped out of a 90's romcom. He is the epitome of a 90's heart throb with his long brown floppy hair that falls in all the right places, framing his blue-green eyes that know how to do their fair share of smoldering. And his full, rosy, smirky lips with the mole that sits right above the corner of his upper lip- like it's just waiting there to be kissed. Whenever he makes that one distinct smile, the ones that make my insides melt, I just want to smooth the smirkiness right out of his lips- to use my warm breath as a hot iron to smooth out that smirk. Not to mention his tall frame and tan skin, the perfect shade of summer brown. Everything about Conrad is tall. Just the sight of his towering frame sends me reeling. His legs are miles long, but not the usual scrawny bird legs on a tall guy. They are muscular from all of his years of playing football and surfing, as well as his present pastime of running. His hands, strong... the way his fingers are long, but sturdy. The way they curl around the neck of his guitar when he's playing, and apply just the right amount of pressure to form the chords. The way they carefully tie nautical knots when he's sailing. Precise and intricate, but filled with strength when he pulls them tight.

Conrad found my hands and pulled me towards him, wrapping his arms tightly around me, his cool touch snapping me out of my thoughts and back into reality. I looked up and found his lips. They were soft and warm, a welcome sensation to my cool skin. The raindrops were still prickling my goose bumped skin, but softly-not too hard. He slowly slid his hands down my back until they found my hips. He was kneeling in the sand, the water up to his chest. When his hands glided down and softly gripped my hips, I reached up and around his neck, and pressed myself as close as I possibly could to him while wrapping my legs around his. I wanted to melt right into him.

It was a feat in my dress, even though I had picked a fairly plain wedding dress compared to the others in the store. It had a very simple bodice, made of lace-the kind where a little skin shows through, but there was mesh behind it. It has a chiffon A-line hem with a low back, satin buttons, and dainty lace cap sleeves. We stayed like this for a few minutes, kissing each other gently, but passionately. Because it was raining, there was no one on the beach to witness this heated exchange between us. Although we weren't usually the couple to be into a lot of heavy PDA, I don't think I would have minded at all or paid them any attention today, because today was the happiest day of my life. The day my girlhood dreams became true, and I was finally Belly Fisher.