in which...
Valarie Conklin goes to a certain house in a town on the ocean named Cousins with her mom Laurel, older brother Steven, and little sister Belly, with a certain boy named Conrad Fisher.
It was the next morning, and Julia and Skye were at the house getting ready for the open house.
"Jesus, how many people are in this house?" Julia sighs as she walks upstairs after almost running into Steven.
I sat at the table looking at my phone, specifically the texts from my mom.
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We couldn't tell her where we really are. She would freak out.
My mom had written a book about Susannah after she passed, and Steven finally convinced her to advertise it at a book meeting.
"Everything alright Val?" Jeremiah asks as he walks up to me.
"Uh," I say. "Yeah, just texting with my mom."
"Does she know you're here?" Jeremiah asks.
"No, she thinks we're all at Taylors house comforting her after her supposed break up." I say. I hear Conrad get out of the shower and go into his room. "I'm gonna go get some stuff I left with Connie."
"Alright." Jer sighs.
I go upstairs and go into Conrads room.
"Oh, hey." Conrad says as he pulls a shirt over his body, his hair dripping wet.
"Hey, I just wanted to give these back." I say as I hand him his hoodies and shirts I collected over the months we were together. "And I figured you wanted me to take my stuff back."
"Oh, yeah." He sighs. "Thanks."
"This used to be my room." Julia says as she walks into Conrads room, and I exchange a look with him. "I'm guessing this is your room Conrad?"
"Well not for long apparently." He scoffs as I hold in a laugh.
"Oh please, I'm not the bad guy." Julia scoffs.
"For selling his dead moms house?" I laugh.
As she goes to respond, there's a loud noise, and then the ac dies.
"What was that?" Julia asks.
"Sounds like an Aunt Julia problem to me." Conrad smiles as I giggle.
She leaves, and Conrad and I burst out laughing.
After a little bit, I start grabbing my things.
"Wait." Conrad says as I reach for a travel size bottle of my perfume I left here last summer. "Please don't take that."
I smile at him. "Only if I can keep one hoodie."
"Deal." He smiles.
Suddenly, there's a knock on the door. Conrad and I look at each other before running downstairs.
I open a door, and there's a lady standing there.
"I'm Sandy uh, who are you?" Sandy the realtor asks.
"She's my girlfriend." Conrad says as He walks over and stands beside me with an arm across my shoulder, his words both shocking us.
"Oh, Conrad." Sandy sighs. "I'm sorry about your mom."
"Yeah, makes it a whole lot worse that you're stealing her house." Conrad says.
"I'm just doing my job." Sandy sighs.
"Well there's no open house today." I say. "Julia put off the sale."
"No no no, don't listen to them." Julia rushes as she walks over to us, and pushing herself in front of us. "There will still be an open house."
"Great." Sandy smiles.
"There's one small issue, it appears that the ac isn't working." Julia says stressfully.
"That is not a small problem Julia!" Sandy scoffs. "It's supposed to be ninety degrees today!"
"I know I know, it should be fine though." Julia says.
"No. I can't do an open house with no ac." Sandy says as Conrad and I smile at each other.
We go back inside, and Julia rushes back into the kitchen, leaving Conrad and I in the entryway.
"Sorry for calling you my girlfriend." Conrad says quietly.
"It's fine." I smile.
We go into the kitchen with everyone else, and Julia looks around all the cabinets.
"What are you looking for?" Jeremiah asks.
"Knowing Susannah she has a preferred ac mechanic." Julia says as she pulls out a binder. "And it should be in here."
"We should go to the boardwalk." Belly suggests. "It'll give us something to do."
"That sounds great!" Steven smiles.
"Skye, how about you come with?" I ask.
"I don't know," Skye hesitates. "I should really stay here and help my mom."
"No, you should go. It'll be easier if everyone is out of the house." Julia says.
"You sure?" Skye asks.
"Yes. Go." Julia says.
We all go outside and split into different cars.
in one car was Conrad driving, me in the passenger seat, and Skye in the back, while the others were in Jer's car.
"I'm sorry if I'm getting the wrong idea, but are you two dating?" Skye asks as Conrad and I tense up.
"Used to." Conrad says.
"Oh, i'm sorry for bringing it up." They say.
"Don't worry about it." I smile.
We get to the boardwalk, and all meet up and get ice cream.
