JEWEL -𝘛𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘳 𝘑𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘭

𓇼ii. bonfire

                                  JEWEL
                                chapter two

☼𓇼࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ☼𓇼࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ☼𓇼࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ
Everyone was sitting around the table eating dinner. Jeremiah and Steven laughing at something on Steven's phone.

"Steven, I swear to God if you look at that phone one more time, I'm putting it in the screen basket." Laurel intruppted their laughing.

Serena giggled at his offended face. "It's just we want to see your beautiful faces." Susannah smiled. "Can dinner be a screen-free zone?" She asked.

Steven still didn't look up from his phone, so Jeremiah took it and threw it on a chair. "Dude, are you serious?" Steven questioned.

"Okay, we get it; you've been working out," he joked. As Jeremiah flexed his muscles.

"Oh, you're just jealous because Jere has a better body than you." Belly spoke. "Uh no, it's actually all about the lean look now." Steven defended himself. "Right Serena?" He asked the girl sitting next to him.

"Oh definitely," she laughed out, patting his shoulder in mock sympathy. "When are you leaving for training camp?" Steven asked Conrad, trying to change the subject.

"Uh, he quit football." Jeremiah spoke. Serena put her head down. She knew why he quit, but she wouldn't tell anyone. She saw Belly looking at her from across the table. Serena just quietly listened to the conversation while they talked about football.

"Oh I have a gift for Belly" Susannah spoke changing the conversation from football. Her mom pulled out her "gift" for Belly. "What is it?" Steven asked. "I wrangled Belly an invitation to be a debutante." Susannah squealed. Susannah began to explain what it was to Belly.

"I'm going, Belly; you should come." Serena smiled over to the girl. "You're a debutante?" Steven laughed. Serena rolled her eyes swatting at him. "I'll think about it." She offered. Susannah nodded and smiled at her.

☼𓇼࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

Serena was in her room applying her final touches to her makeup. Belly came in still wet from the pool. "You're going to the bonfire?" she asked. "Yeah, sorry, I forgot to tell you. I promised a friend I would go, and I already ran it by our moms," Serena muttered awkwardly feeling bad she forgot to mention it.

"Why don't you come?" She asked her best friend. "The boys said I couldn't, and I guess it's too late." Belly sighed. "Whatever screw that meets us there," the older girl winked.

"Okay, I gotta go." Serena spoke checking the time. She walked over to the younger girl giving her a kiss goodbye on the head. "Cya." Belly muttered dejectedly.

Once they arrived at the beach, Serena sprinted out of the car to her friend.

"Cammie!" she squealed, jumping into his arms and giving him a hug. "Sea!" Cam spoke, his voice muffled by her curly hair.

"How have you been?" Serena asked while being set down. "I've been good. Come on, let's go find a place to sit." Cam spoke grabbing her hand and leading her.

They grabbed some drinks then walked to an empty spot on the beach far enough away to have a private conversation.

"I've missed you." Serena muttered, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I've missed you too Sea," he muttered against her head.

They had some small talk catching up before Cameron asked."How's your family been?" He wondered. Serena started tearing up, not knowing if she should share what had been weighing on her mind. She gets emotional drinking sometimes. She was starting to regret the beers she had.

Cam heard her sniffle and turned to face her. "Hey, hey, hey, what's going on?" he questioned, turning to face her.

"it's nothing." Serena said, wiping her eyes. "Clearly, it's not nothing. You know you can tell me anything," he assured trying to let her know she was free to let go.

"My mom." Serena paused, trying to mentally encourage herself to say the words. "Her cancer came back," she sniffed. Cam had a shocked look on his face.

"Conrad, he saw an email or something I don't know," she cried. "Hey, it will be okay," he said, trying to give her comfort. He pulled her into a hug and let her cry it out. "Your mom is brave; she beat it before she can again," he soothed, running his hand along her head.

They sat in that position for a while, and Serena felt she was composed enough to let go. She looked at him through puffy eyes. "Thanks," she croaked. "Of course you know I'm always here for you," he smiled.

Serena was lucky to have Cam as a friend she doesn't know what she would do without him.

Serena was about to speak when she saw Belly out of the corner of her eye. "Belly!" she called out, in surprise waving her hand and beckoning the girl over. She hadn't expected her to actually show up.

Belly's face lit up excited to see someone she knew she walked over. "Flavia!" Cam beamed. "Excuse me?" Belly questioned, "Flavia, right, it's me, Sextus." Cam spoke awkwardly. That didn't help the confusion on Belly's face.

Serena just paused looking between them. "Seventh grade Latin convention. You placed second." He tried one last time.

"Oh yeah." Belly laughed, the confusion leaving her face. Serena looked between the two of them. "I'm going to grab another drink I'll be back." The fisher girl spoke, getting up. She wasn't really going back; she could tell they would hit it off.

She looked around spotting her blonde haired brother. She decided to just chill with him and his fan girls for the rest of the time.

She was sitting next to Jeremiah, sipping on her beer, trying not to pay any attention to the blatant flirting that was happening. Looking around she saw Conrad picking a fight with some guy, so she excused herself to go break it up.

She ran over in time to see Belly get hit in the eye. "Belly!" She called out in concern, squating down to the girl lying on the ground in pain. Jeremiah came over to help her up, so she stood up to get Conrad.

"Conrad!" she yelled, but that didn't seem to get his attention. She searched the crowd and saw Steven. She called his name, and he came running over to split up the fight. Just as he got them split up, a kid yelled, "Cops!"

All of them went running, trying to get to their respective cars. Serena helped Conrad get in the car, his head lying in her lap. She heard Jeremaih trying to get Belly in the car, but she couldn't care enough to help; at this point, her head was banging from all the crying and alcohol.

A police officer knocked on Serena's window. She rolled it down, and the officer questioned them.

They eventually got escorted home. Laurel talking to the officers at the door.

Serena just wanted to curl up in bed; she was tired of everything. Laurel was giving everyone a lecture, but she was hardly paying attention. "You guys are the oldest; what the hell has gotten into you?" she spoke to the twins. Serena just sat there guilty as Laurel began to question Belly.

She sent everyone to bed, stopping the twins before they could leave. "I don't understand what is going on with you guys," she said with concern. "It's nothing," Serena said at the same time as Conrad. Serena walked away before she could be interrogated anymore. She went up stairs to her room and crashed into her bed immediately.