Shameless x Jeremiah Fisher (1)

Chapter Two

He watched them. He watched them from the porch of his beach house. He watched Angelina and Conrad sitting beside each other smoking on the roof of the Flores beach house. He watched as Conrad got up and extended his hand for her to grab. And he watched as Conrad left while the Flores girl stayed behind.

Everyday last summer, he looked over towards the Flores beach house waiting to see if Angelina would show up but she never did. And everyday for the past week, he did the same, waiting, hoping, she would show her face again.

And now, there she was. A silhouette on the rooftop looking out towards the beach. And now, all Jeremiah could do was watch.

~~~

Belly and Steven had arrived and everyone had gathered outside to greet them. Conrad came out eventually from inside the house rather slowly saying hi to Belly and Steven. Jeremiah looked up towards the Flores beach house noticing Angelina was no longer sitting up there. He peaked his head like a hopeless child looking around thinking maybe she did come down with Conrad and was somewhere here. But, there was no sign of the Flores girl.

Jeremiah stared at Conrad as he chatted with Belly and Steven not even mentioning to them that he was just with her. Was he keeping her a secret from them? Jeremiah's jaw clinched slightly.

He felt a hand brush his back, hearing Steven call, "hey, hey guys. I don't know about you but I think it's time..." Jeremiah's smiled returned to his face knowing what Steven was about to imply. Jeremiah and Steven approached Belly and Conrad, both yelling out with excitement, "a belly flop!"

~~~

After Belly pulled Conrad into the pool, Steven and Belly went inside to unpack. Jeremiah stood leaning against the pillar waiting for Conrad to get out of the pool. He needed to know why Conrad hadn't told them Angelina was here.

Conrad grabbed a towel off the near by chair and began drying his hair. He looked up towards the house and noticed Jeremiah just standing there waiting for him. Conrad rolled his eyes and began walking past him as Jeremiah grasped onto his arm.

"So you really weren't going to tell any of us?" He questioned.

Conrad's jaw clinched and inhaled. Jeremiah couldn't know, how could he? Conrad pulled his arm away releasing his hold from him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb. Angelina. I saw you two on the roof," Jeremiah exclaimed.

Conrad let a sigh of relief. So he doesn't know about their mom.

"Did she text you she was here?" Jeremiah let out with a crack in his voice. Conrad caught onto it, the slight yearn still lingering whenever he spoke of Angelina. A childhood crush he thought Jeremiah had gotten over by now.

"No," was all Conrad answered as he began walking towards the house.

"No? But she has been texting you?" Jeremiah called out.

Conrad abruptly stopped outside the door before heading in and turned to look his younger brother. Desperation in his deep blue eyes, hoping he would hear the answer he wanted. Conrad simply shook his head, "don't ask questions, you don't want to hear the answers too."

Jeremiah stood there alone watching Conrad walk into the beach house. The younger Fisher boy always knew that Angelina and Conrad had a closer friendship but he thought after the last summer she was here, that him and her developed a relationship.

But everything changed when she didn't returned the following summer.

~~~

Angelina was helping her dad unpack some of their groceries they purchased for the summer beach house. Ramiro Flores always came well prepared for these trips every summer. Ramiro Flores was a professor at a prestigious Ivy League school, Brown University. It was why the Conklin's and Fisher's always called her dad professor, as a sign of respect. Being a professor at such a prestigious university also caused him to be overly prepared for everything. Buying way more then what was needed for a family of three, and this summer was no different, especially since that family of three was now just a family of two.

"Thank you for putting the car in the garage," Angelina spoke softly.

Ramiro Flores turned to look at his daughter, "of course but you know you will have to face them sooner or later. Maybe sooner, since Conrad already knows we are here."

Angelina continued placing groceries into the fridge as she answered, "Con won't tell anyone we are here, you don't have to worry about that." She turned back towards the counter pulling out more food from the grocery bags.

Ramiro let out sigh and walked over towards Angelina placing his hands on her shoulders, "I'm not the one that's worry about the Fishers finding out we are here, darling."

Angelina scoffed leaning her back against the counter watching her dad head into the living room, her eyes lingering on his fatigue movements. She crossed her arms against her chest taking a deep breath. How can her dad not notice her change in appearance and attitude, how can he not catch on that she's desperately trying to hide the fact that she knows. Maybe he's choosing to ignore it, thinking if he shows some discipline to her underage drinking and smoking she'll leave him and go live with her mother. But Angelina would never leave him, especially not for her cheating mother. No, she won't leave him cause she knows, she knows he's dying.