SUNKISSED - Jeremiah Fisher

- 6 -

- Sarah -

I drove down the quiet, winding road back to the house, the windows cracked just enough for the cool night air to slip in. Music blared from the speakers, filling the car with a thumping beat that matched the rhythm of my thoughts. The night had been a rollercoaster, and I was still processing everything when my phone buzzed on the dashboard, its screen lighting up the dark interior. The sudden flash startled me, but I managed to stay calm as I glanced at the name lighting up the screen: Jearbear.

I smiled to myself, shaking my head as I picked up the call. "Hello?"

"Goldie, how far are you?" Jeremiah's voice came through the speaker, sounding a little more tense than usual.

"Not far. I'm literally down the street, like a minute away," I replied, turning the music down slightly as I took the last turn onto our street.

Jeremiah let out a loud sigh of relief, the tension in his voice melting a bit. "Great, thank God. Please hurry—we all just got in trouble. Cops busted us for underage drinking."

A laugh escaped my lips despite the situation, my mind instantly picturing the chaos. "I bet Laurel was livid," I said, dragging out the word for emphasis as I pulled into the familiar driveway. "But I'm pulling in now. Can you open the door?"

"On it," Jere said, and the line clicked off.

As I parked the car and killed the engine, the front door swung open before I could even step out. Jeremiah stood in the doorway, looking both relieved and a little amused as I hopped out of the driver's seat. I grabbed my bag from the passenger side and headed toward the house, the cool night air hitting me as I shut the car door behind me.

"Did Belly put anything on her cheek yet?" I asked as I approached the front door.

"Yeah, I gave her a bag of frozen peas," Jeremiah nodded, stepping aside to let me in. "I figured if she didn't, you'd definitely call me out for it."

I laughed, because he wasn't wrong. "You know me too well."

We stepped into the house, and the overwhelming scent of vanilla candles hit me immediately, the sweetness almost cloying. I wrinkled my nose slightly as I looked around. The living room was dimly lit, a soft glow from several candles scattered around. It was obvious the moms had been busy trying to cover up the smell of their earlier activities.

"The moms were smoking, weren't they?" I asked, shooting Jeremiah a knowing look.

"Oh yeah," he said, chuckling as he closed the door behind us. "Steven totally called Laurel out for it. After she freaked out and sent us all to our rooms, she went into candle-lighting overdrive to hide the evidence."

I couldn't help but giggle at the thought of Steven being brave enough to call out his mom. "Classic Steven," I muttered, shaking my head. The house was a stark contrast to the chaos we'd left behind at the beach, and I was more than grateful for the calm.

Jeremiah plopped down on the couch with a dramatic sigh, sprawling out like he was about to collapse from sheer exhaustion. "I swear, tonight aged me ten years," he joked, closing his eyes and resting his head against the cushions.

I laughed softly, dropping into the armchair across from him. "You and me both. Honestly, I still can't believe how everything went down. One minute we're having fun by the fire, the next... chaos."

Jeremiah peeked an eye open, smirking. "Yeah, no kidding. It felt like every five minutes there was some new disaster."

I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. "At least we didn't end up in the back of a cop car. Conrad was this close to getting himself arrested. I'm surprised they let us go with just a warning."

Jeremiah sat up slightly, resting his arm along the back of the couch. "It's because Laurel was so calm and understanding."

I raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Wait, she actually talked to the cops?" Jeremiah nodded, grinning. "Oh yeah. Told them she'd handle us herself".

I couldn't help but laugh, picturing Laurel in full mom mode. "That sounds so much like her. She's scary when she wants to be."

Jeremiah chuckled, his smile softening as he leaned back into the couch. "You should've seen Conrad. He had no emotion honestly, I don't know if it was because he was drunk but I've never seen him that blunt before."

I bit my lip, my mind drifting back to Conrad. Despite everything, I couldn't help but worry about him. He'd been drinking a lot, and tonight... something just felt off. "I hope he's okay," I murmured, almost to myself.

Jeremiah glanced at me, his expression growing a little more serious. "Conrad's tougher than he looks, you know? He'll be fine."

"Yeah, I know," I said, my voice trailing off. "It's just... I don't know. He's been really distant lately. Drinking more, keeping to himself. Tonight felt... different."

Jeremiah sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "He's going through some stuff. But you know how he is—he won't talk about it unless you practically pry it out of him."

I nodded, though a knot of worry still sat heavy in my chest. "I just wish he'd let someone in. I don't want him to feel like he's dealing with everything alone."

Jeremiah smiled gently, his eyes softening. "He's lucky to have you. You've always been there for him, even when he pushes people away."

I gave him a small smile, though my mind was still on Conrad. The night had been full of unexpected twists, and part of me couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something bigger, something I wasn't entirely ready to face.

But for now, at least, the house was quiet, and the chaos of the beach felt like a distant memory. I leaned back in the chair, letting out a soft sigh. "Let's just hope tomorrow is less eventful."

Jeremiah chuckled softly. "Yeah, no more drama, right?"

I nodded, though deep down, I knew better.