𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 • steven conklin

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐱

"hey."

"it's us."

eden looked up to see her brothers.

"oh. hi."

"you mind if we sit with you?" conrad asked.

"go ahead."

they took a seat on each side of her so that she was in the middle.

"it's weird seeing steven, isn't it?" conrad asked.

"no."

"no?" jeremiah furrowed his eyebrows.

"no, i don't feel weird, i feel guilty. i also feel surprised and hurt. i feel guilty because i hurt him, but surprised and hurt because he seemed so...excited to be here. like nothing happened. and he was with taylor who used to have a little schoolgirl crush on him. it's just a lot adding up. but most of all, i'm confused. i just...i told conrad i don't want a relationship right now, but what if i do?"

"that's how i felt with belly. guilty. i know i hurt her and i feel like shit for it, so i understand. what you need to know is that him and taylor are never gonna happen. he sees her like another little sister." conrad said.

"yeah, and he's just excited to be back in cousins and see the house and all of us. he didn't know that the house was for sale. not until he got here, anyway." jeremiah added.

"so what you're saying is i need to forgive myself and realize that steven is always going to be steven no matter what?" she raised her eyebrows.

"yup."

"basically."

she sighed. "you guys are right."

"we know." conrad nodded.

she nudged him.

"don't nudge him, it's true. we're always right." jeremiah agreed.

he then gave conrad a high-five and eden nudged him after.

they laughed and eden smiled.

"i love you guys. and i'm glad you worked out your differences."

"me too."

"same."

they then had a sibling hug before going back inside.

eden took a breath before going back in.

"sorry, eden, you've been demoted to the floor." steven said.

"this is my house. well, until tomorrow, but still. up." eden pointed.

"me?" steven interrupted.

"no, your twin." she said, sarcastically. "yes, you, obviously."

"why can't taylor move?" steven questioned.

"ugh, me? why?" taylor rolled her eyes.

"uh, because i said so." steven retorted.

she groaned. "whatever."

she slid to the floor and belly went next to her. eden sat between conrad and steven with jeremiah on the end.

eden looked between steven and taylor.

was there something going on between them?

she shouldn't care, they weren't together anymore. he could do whatever he wanted. plus, she wasn't ready for a relationship again.

but she still did. she still cared.

they put the movie on and they all began watching.

eden found herself cuddling up against steven. she didn't do it on purpose, it was just instinct.