dylan ivy conklin went back to cousins beach every year hoping to see that one familiar face from seventh grade latin convention. but when she does, he's into her fraternal twin sister isabel.
"and then he left me for someone who looks just like me...
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— 002. 'donlad the koala' —
ABOUT AN HOUR HAD PASSED after dylan and belly had gotten thrown into the pool. she took a quick shower before dressing in a sage green sun dress and making her way down the hall.
as she came to a familiar door she softly knocked as she heard a faint "come in". "hey conrad." she mumbles as she takes a seat on the edge of his bed. "why are you holding donlad?" conrad says with a laugh as he takes notice to the stuffed koala dylan had in her hand.
...
it was the day dylan had her first panic attack. conrad had taken her to the fair because belly was still in boston for a week due to volleyball and steven and jere wanted to spend time together.
they got to a certain booth where dylan spotted the cutest koala but she just couldn't seem to beat the game. conrad then tried for twenty minutes until he won her the stuffed animal. as she gave him a hug as a thanks, a boy dylan didn't know that well walked up to her.
"are you serious?" he asks. "hi?" dylan says innocently as he scoffs. "you know i thought you cool... and cute yesterday on the beach, but i guess you're like every other girl.. just chasing after conrad fisher." he mumbles as he walks away.
conrad then wanted to go after him but dylan stopped him as she handed conrad the stuffed animal and ran after him. "hayden wait!" thirteen year old dylan yells as she catches up with him.
"what?" he asks annoyed. "i'm not with conrad. nor am i chasing after him.." she explains, "bullshit." he says as tears well up in dylan's eyes. dylan was a sensitive girl. the slightest thing mean you could say would set off waterworks in her eyes.
"i'm not lying. conrad's my brother.." she says as he rolls his eyes. "then how come people say your sister has a thing for him?" he asks as dylan quickly wipes a stray tear. "i don't know what belly and conrad have going on. but he's my brother same as jere." she says as he sighs.
"you know i almost believed you for a second. that shows how much of a lying skank you really are." he says harshly as he begins to walk away. "what did you just call me?" dylan asks as he turns back around.
"a lying sk-." he begins as dylan's fist collides with his nose making a sickening crack sound. he then gets up, holding his nose that's dripping with blood. "you're gonna fucking pay conklin." he threatened as he walks away.
dylan couldn't even be bothered by the pain in her fist as she took a seat on the sand, her heart beating extremely fast. she thought she was just maybe in shock but then suddenly it felt almost as if she was struggling to breathe.
"holy shit d, did you break his nose!?" conrad asks with a proud laugh as he takes notice to her on the ground. "dylan?" he asks as he bends down. "i- i don't know what's happening connie." she says with short breaths as she's panicking.
"calm down dylan. just breathe ok?" he says not really sure in what to do. "i'm trying!" she says as she's hyperventilating. she then grabs onto conrad's shirt as he pulls her in, laying her head on his chest.
"breathe dylan, please." he says softly as she tries to steady her breaths. soon her breathing is almost back to normal and she is sitting beside conrad, her head on his arm since she was a bit short to reach his shoulder.
"what happened?" conrad asks after a moment of silence. "i don't know. he called me a skank. so i punched him.. i didn't think it would break his nose. then he said i'd fucking pay and he left." dylan explains as conrad sighs.
"he's an asshole, but i meant... what happened just now?" he asks once more as he fiddles with his nails. "i still don't know- but can we not tell anyone? please. you have have to promise you won't tell anyone?" dylan begs as he grabs her hand.
"i won't tell anyone d, i promise." he says reassuring her as she sighs. "what should we name this?" conrad asks as he pulls the koala from dylan's tote bag she left behind. "how about conlan?" she asks as he bursts into a fit of laughs.
"what!? i just wanted to combine our names." she whines. "fine how about.. donlad?" he asks as she thinks for a minute. "i like it. donlad fitzgerald conklin fisher." dylan says as she gives conrad a hug.
...
"i just wanted to talk.." she mumbles looking up at conrad as she's wondering why she had that sudden flashback. "about what?" he asks messing with his shaggy hair. "susannah? your dad? just anything. i know you connie. you keep it bottled up then it just explodes one day." she says as he scoffs.
"kids dinner!" laurel and susannah call out from the bottom of the stairs. "we can talk later, they're calling us for dinner." conrad says as he stands up. "don't do this now con." dylan begs as she stands up, looking up at conrad.
"do what dylan? they're waiting. stop fooling around." he says angrily. "you're shutting me out! again... and i'm not just gonna let it happen." she says raising her voice.
"dylan i never asked you to be there for me!" conrad says a bit to loud. "you didn't have to. i'm your little sister. and i care about you. enough to keep those secrets from jere, from steven, from belly." she says as conrad's breath hitches.
"don't go there." conrad says. "conrad do you think i picked up the phone every night and talked, and listened and guided you through those problems because i didn't care?" she asks as he rubs his eyes.
"i cared. i still do. and you know it." she says as conrad gently pushes past her and swings his door open, making his way downstairs.
n,
y'all are gonna love conrad and dylan's siblingship likeeeee
