ᴍʏ ɢɪʀʟ || ᴄᴏɴʀᴀᴅ ғɪsʜᴇʀ

steven

It was the next day, and the whole house was silent in the morning.

My mom had stayed over at her new little fling Cleveland's house, and Susannah was asleep in her room.

Taylor had left after last night, and Belly and Steven weren't exactly talking.

Jeremiah was asleep, and I could hear Conrad in the shower.

I went downstairs to make breakfast, and not too long after I came down, Conrad did too.

"Morning Vee." He smiles.

"Hey Connie." I smile as I turn to him, and see how bad his black eye is.

"Don't freak out." He laughs.

"Connie jesus christ!" I gasp as I walk over to him and start moving his head around with my hands.

"It's fine." He laughs.

"No it's not." I say.

"What happened to you?" Steven asks as he walks downstairs.

"What happened to you staying loyal to Shayla?" Conrad asks as I laugh.

"What happened to you minding your own business?" Steven scoffs.

"Steven." I say. "Don't be an asshole after you hooked up with Belly's best friend on her birthday."

"Oh fuck off Val." Steven says.

"The fuck did you say?" Conrad asks as he looks at Steven.

"Oh my god Conrad shut the fuck up!" Steven groans. "All you care about at this point is Valarie, you don't take anyone else's feelings into consideration! You only worry about her!"

"Well maybe if you weren't such an asshole I would have a reason to care!" Conrad yells.

I stand there silently as they continue to yell. I was the reason everyone was fighting with Conrad. I was the reason for his black eye, now this. I was the reason Belly was caught underage drinking.

"Just stop trying to defend Valarie so much! She's the reason half of the fucked up shit that's happened this summer has happened!" Steven yells as my stomach drops. I was right.

Steven walks out the front door and slams it shut, and Conrad turns to me.

"Vee, i'm so sorry he-" Conrad starts.

"Don't be sorry." I say. "He's right."

"What?" Conrad asks.

"He's right. It's mostly been my fault. I'm sorry Connie." I say before walking away from him, and going out the back door to the beach.

"Val wait-" Conrad says as he follows behind me.

"Conrad I don't want to hurt you anymore." I say. "I'll be back later."

He protests me leaving but I ignore him and walk down the beach.

I walk for about a mile down the shoreline of the beach, and eventually sit down.

I hated that I dragged Conrad into so much shit when all I wanted to do was help him.

I hated that Belly was going through so much because I didn't prepare her.

I hated the feeling of my own older brother hating me.

I sat there thinking for what was possibly hours, before someone sits down beside me, startling.

Though it wasn't who I expected. It was Jeremiah.

"Hey." I say softly with a smile.

"Hey." He sighs. "Connie's worried about you. Like, really worried."

"I don't want him to be." I say.

"I know." Jeremiah smiles. "You both have always wanted the best for each other, but in my opinion I think the best for you guys is to just be together."

"I don't think he sees me like that." I sigh.

"Do you see him like that?" He asks.

"Have I not made it obvious since I was like ten?" I say as we both laugh.

"You guys have always been flirty, but recently I feel like it's different between you two. Like you crave each other." He says. "Your sister and I are going to the deb together."

"What?" I gasp.

"Yeah." He smiles. "She dumped Cam Cameron, we made out once or twice, now i'm her escort." He smiles. "You get to be a thing with my brother, I get to be a thing with your sister. It's like revenge but with a splash of me being madly in love with Belly."

"I really need to talk to her more." I giggle.

"Yeah, oh and your mom got railed by that guy Cleveland in her car last night." Jeremiah says as I choke on my words.

"W-what?" I cough out as we start laughing.

"Yeah." He laughs. "But Connie's really worried about you Val, and I know you know why he's been so upset."

"Do you know why?" I ask.

"No." He says. "We don't tell each other our feelings, only about girls and parties."

"Does he talk about me?" I ask.

"Yeah, a lot." He laughs as I gasp.

"I feel like a twelve year old with a crush again." I laugh.

"He's so excited for the deb with you." He smiles.

"Do you think he could...never mind." I sigh.

"See you as more than a friend?" He asks as I look at him. "I think he already does."

Conrad POV

"I like her so much Laurel!" I groan.

"I know you do, and I think she does too!" Laurel says.

"Why do you think that?" I ask.

"She's my daughter. I can't tell you all of our secrets." Laurel laughs.

"Laurel i've liked her for five years now, and at this point I feel like i'm falling in love with her." I sigh.

"I think you should go down to the beach and talk to her, not about your feelings for her if you're not ready, but just tell her what you told me, that you don't care about getting in fights if it's for her." Laurel says.

"Okay." I smile. "Thanks Laurel."

"Any time." She smiles as I get up and start walking to the back door of the house.