Lover // the fisher brothers

022

Conrad 🏈

"You're early," Cleveland remarks as he enters the boat. I don't reply immediately, prompting him to continue, "So, what knots are you gonna torture with me today, hmm?"

"You gonna tell me I fucked up?" I ask, referring to the other night when he asked me to come over, and I arrived late.

"That's more the role of a parent, and, uh... you know, I'm not one for a reason," he responds casually.

"So I'm not, like, fired?" I probe.

"Look, you were supposed to help me prep. Is it the end of the world that you showed up late and I made up some crap about sailing on national television? Not really," he reassures me.

"Well, thanks for not being pissed," I say, relieved.

"So, be real with me. Why were you late?" he asks, getting straight to the point.

"Um... I was with a girl. We lost track of time," I admit reluctantly. I wish it was Eleanor, not Nicole. Eleanor means everything to me, but Nicole... she's just not Eleanor.

"Oh, man, to be 17 again," he muses.

"No, it wasn't like that," I protest.

"Sure, if you say so," he responds skeptically. "Just be on time from now on. Cool?"

"Cool," I agree, grateful for his understanding.

Eleanor 🎀

Belly and I went to drop Isla and Taylor at the bus stop. Taylor sat in the back with us since Belly and Taylor weren't on speaking terms. Isla and I chatted the whole time.

"You're not going to say goodbye?" my mom asks Belly.

"I don't feel like it," Belly replies tersely.

"She's your best friend, Belly," I interject. "If you want, I can come with you."

"Fine," she concedes reluctantly. I reach out to Taylor first.

"Taylor," I call out. She stops walking and looks behind.

"What's wrong? Did you forget something?" she asks.

"Nope, I just wanted to say sorry for the other day," I explain.

"It's okay," she replies with a small smile.

"I don't know why Belly is angry with you, but I know deep down you two will find a way to fix your friendship," I reassure her. Belly joins us, and I give Isla a hug before heading back to the car to let Belly talk to Taylor. I couldn't hear what they said, but I know they made up.

My mom waits for Belly to get in the car before speaking. "You know, boys might come and go, but a best friend is once in a lifetime. We have to hold tight to our friendships because we never know what the future will hold."

🌊

As we pull into the driveway, relief washes over me. My stomach has been rumbling the entire car ride home, practically begging for something to eat. Hurrying into the kitchen, I head straight for the fridge. A smile creeps across my face as I spot the stack of Mickey Mouse pancakes waiting for me. Without wasting a moment, I grab a plate and load it up with the warm, fluffy pancakes, savoring the aroma that fills the air. Taking a seat at the table, I dig in eagerly, the familiar taste bringing a sense of comfort. As I devour my meal, I make sure to leave a few pancakes behind for Belly, just in case she wants some too. After all, sharing is caring, right?

Word count: 564 words