JEWEL -𝘛𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘳 𝘑𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘭

𓇼 PROLOGUE

Serena was FaceTiming with Belly while they were both packing for Cousins.

"I can't wait to see you again. I miss you so much." Belly smiled into the camera. "Me too; we are going to have so much fun this summer." Serena smiled back while folding her favorite floral bathing suit.

"Maybe this will be the summer for you, and you know who." Serena winked into the camera, giggling at Belly's flushed face.

"Shut up." Belly murmured, embarrassed. Serena knew about Belly's crush before Belly even did. She could see the way she looked at Conrad with hearts in her eyes. "You know what my mom says: you are destined for one of her sons." Serena laughed, smiling at the thought of Belly being her sister.

"I can't wait for you to be my sister, Bell." Serena voiced her thoughts. Belly just rolled her eyes and giggled.

"Shit, I forgot my clothes in the dryer. Be right back." Serena excused herself, walking out of the room. She was walking down the hall when she heard muffled sobs from her twin brothers' room. She knocked on the door.

"Conrad?' she asked with concern in her voice. She heard a quiet "Come in." from the other side of the door. She opened the door and saw Conrad sitting on the bed with tear-stained cheeks. She immediately ran to him and pulled him into a hug.

"What happened?" she asked, searching his face for answers. He hesitated before speaking. "Moms, cancer came back." He sobbed. Serena's heart dropped. She could already feel tears pooling in her eyes.

Serena remembered the first time her mom was diagnosed. Her mom made her promise that if anything were to happen, she would always take care of her younger brothers. So she did.

"It'll be okay, I promise." Serena tried to comfort him with her words. She pulled him into another hug, trying to give him any sense of comfort she could. She cried silently into his hair while holding him.

She held him until he calmed down. "Should we tell Jere?" he asked. "No let him have this one last summer." She wanted to tell him, but she knew her mom would tell him when the time was right.

"Okay," she sighed out, agreeing with him. "Can you stay with me tonight?" he asked her. "Yes, of course, I just left Belly on the phone. Let me go say goodbye to her. He nodded. She opened his door and walked out of his room, wiping her cheeks.

"Bell?" Serena asked, walking back into her room. "Yes?" she hummed. "I got to go. I promised Conrad I would watch a movie with him tonight.

"Okay, see you tomorrow. Love you." Belly chirped. "Love you too." Serena spoke as she hung up the phone. She went ahead, put on her pajamas, and brushed her teeth before heading back to Conrad's room.

She walked in and jumped on the bed beside him. She reached over to him and grabbed the remote. "50 first dates?" she asked. He smiled and nodded. Serena was always able to cheer up Conrad. Their mom was convinced it was some twin thing. They both watched the movie, falling asleep in the middle of it.