right in front of you- Jeremiah FIsher

summer time ball

"Drive safe."

"You two are cute." Bells said to me as she started the car.

"So you going with Conrad?"

"Yeah. Guess I have to. So wanna talk about why I saw marks on Jere's neck? And similar ones on yours."

"I may of had sex in the car last night..."

"What no way?"

"Yeah way."

"Oh my god, finally." I laughed at her as she drove off. "I mean it's about time."

"I know, I know." We got there in time, walking to the room looking at all the other girls getting ready.

"Belly, Lye, you're here." Shayla walked over grabbing our hands. "Come, I saved you a spot." She sat us down each on opposite sides of Nicole. "Hey. You guys should really talk."

"Nicole, I'm-I'm really sorry."

"About what? Conrad? I'm over it. I'm here with somebody else."

"Can I just explain what happened? I've had a crush on Conrad for, like, my whole life, and he's always just seen me as-as his little sister. And then I thought that, this summer, maybe he could like me back. But the thing is, what he liked was that I liked him. You know, he never actually liked me. And I'm sorry I was stupid enough to think that he ever could."

"It's not your fault Conrad's a fuckboy. But you're kind of a fuckgirl, too. Cam, Conrad. You're playing with a lot of hearts, Belly."

"Okay, maybe I was being a little fuck-ish, but I-I swear to you, Nicole, I am completely over Conrad. Like, so, so over him."

"No one ever really gets over their first love." She looked at the both of us and sighed. "And I'm sorry for ditching y'all, it wasn't right."
—
"Isabel Conklin, daughter of John Conklin and Laurel Park. A student at Chesterbrook High School where she is captain of the varsity volleyball team. Isabel is also an avid swimmer, and this summer raised $50,000, for the county women's shelter." I stepped up seeing Jer on the other side made my stomach turn. "Lyra Rivers, daughter of Ryan and Skyler Rivers. Lyra is also a student at Chesterbrook High School where she taken a liking into photography and art." I walked out lynching my arm with Jeremiahs before walking out we stopped letting them take photos before we continued to walk, stopping in front of our table, curtsying the moms and stood next to Belly.

"You look like a goddess." I smiled to myself feeling lucky to have Jeremiah to be here with me.

"Shayla Wang...daughter of Robert and Melissa Wang. A student at Nightingale-Bamford and an avid equestrian and emerging fashion influencer. Shayla raised $40,000 for Heart of Dinner, which delivers food to the elderly East Asian community in New York City. Marisa Pelzner, daughter of Harold and Sylvia Pelzner. Marissa is a student at Cherry Hill Academy. She plays center forward on her school's soccer team and started her school's first LGTBQ Student Union. She raised $70,000 to establish gender-neutral bathrooms on campus. It is my honor to introduce this year's Cousins Beach Country Club debutantes." I laughed sitting down next to Belly as the boys stood in line. Jere rushed back in line after fetching Laurels mom. "And now introducing this year's debutante escorts." I hollered and cheered for Jere as they danced.

"Hot stuff!"

"Just incredible." I walked over to Jere pulling in for a kiss "You. That was incredible. You were incredible. You guys killed it."

"You know, this room, the room looks stunning. I just... I really want to thank you." Jere looked at his mom and excused himself, I saw him look around before taking her phone.

"Jer?" I followed him outside, he stopped making me catch up. "Jere?" He slumped down looking at the phone as tears fell. "Jere? What's going on?"

"She's sick..." My eyes traveled to the phone seeing an email about the treatments.

"You mean?"

"My mom... Lila she's sick." I felt my heart break at the sight. I sat down throwing my arms around him. Letting him cry into me. "I'm sorry, we should be in there dancing."

"I don't care about the ball right now. I care about you. I'll stay out here as long as you need me to."

"Conrad should know."

"Jere."

"He should know." He got up and walked inside.

"Shit." I stood up chasing him. "Jere."

"Jeremiah, honey, where were you?"

"I-I ate something. I think maybe the shrimp was bad."

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry. You know, the caterer is gonna be hearing from me."

"Okay, Karen."

"I'll get you some ginger ale. Excuse me" The dance stopped making people applaud. I looked at Jere as he began to make his way to Belly and Con. Shit.

"I'll be right back."

"Oh, no, honey, are you gonna be sick again? Where is that ginger ale? I'm gonna get you one from the bar."

"Hey."

"Hey, Jeremiah, where were you?"

"Conrad, we need to talk, all right? It's important. It's about Mom. I found something out."

"Um... Yeah... We'll-we'll talk about this later, okay?"

"No, it's important."

"It's okay." He touched Jeremiahs chest making him back away.

"You already know, don't you? You've known this whole fucking time and didn't tell me?"

"Jere..." I gasped covering my mouth as Jeremiah punched Conrad. "Jeremiah!"

"Oh, my God!"

"What're you doing? Stop it. Both of you, stop it." They both kicked away from each other, I walked over helping Jere up as Belly did Conrad. "What is going on?"

"Mom... We know, Mom. We both know. So does Lyra.."

"Know what?" I hid into Jere as the tears fell. He held me close as he looked at his mom. Belly took off running making Conrad follow her. Jere took us back home. Once everyone was home Belly and Steven talked to their mom and the boys with theirs. I stayed outside crying at the thought of loosing Susannah.

I heard the door open and the boys came out both hugging me as I cried. Steven and Belly eventually found me as well. We all cried into each others arms just sitting there holding onto one another. We eventually got up and went inside, me and Belly changed out of our dresses. I laid in Jeremiahs bed emotionless as he played with my hair.

"All right, everybody down here. We still have to eat." We all sat around the table eating in silence at first, then someone started conversation and it went on from there. I was silent during the dinner. There were times this summer when I felt like I didn't know my own heart.But one thing I do know for sure is that, no matter what happens next, I will always come back to this place and these people.

After dinner I ended up back in Jere's bed, smiling at him. "You knew didn't you. When I found out."

"I had a hunch... I didn't want to believe it though."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I... I wanted to. I almost did a couple of times. I just didn't want to have to tell you, you're moms dying... I'm sorry."

"No, I get it."

"Come here." He smiled down at me before climbing into the bed. "I love you, and no matter what. I always will be here for you."

"I know thank you. I love you too." I leaned up and kissed him before kissing his tired eyes. "Let's get some sleep."

"Yessir." I snuggled closer to him, cuddling up as I let sleep take over.

This is definitely a summer I'll always remember.