SUNKISSED - Jeremiah Fisher

- 20 -

- Sarah -

As Conrad, Jade, and I burst through the back door and into the kitchen, laughter echoes around us. Belly and Jeremiah are at the counter, grinning with martini glasses in hand. I raise a brow, eyeing the drinks.

Jade's eyes light up as she squeals, "I didn't know we were drinking today, but I'm so down!" She practically skips over, excitement bubbling over.

Conrad chuckles, reaching out to tousle her hair. "Oh, no, I'm not watching her tonight. She's your problem now," he teases, giving us a knowing smirk.

I laugh, nudging Jade. "You're already on thin ice, missy. Don't go testing your limits!"

She sticks her tongue out, unbothered. "No promises!"

Conrad leans on the counter and eyes the drinks. "So, what concoction are you guys making?"

Belly beams, holding up a can of powdered fruit punch with a flourish. "Pomegranate margaritas—with a twist!"

Conrad smirk slightly. "Well, you got to use the good blender?"

Everyone goes silent for a moment, staring at Conrad in disbelief. We all remember the last time we dared to use the prized, forbidden blender.

"Oh no. I'm not risking it. Not after the great Kool-Aid debacle of 2011," Jeremiah says, his voice dramatic as he shoots Conrad a warning look. The memory hangs heavy in the air before we all dissolve into laughter.

"Oh my god," I snicker, clutching my stomach. "The counters were sticky for... what, two summers?"

Jeremiah shakes his head, still laughing. "At least. And don't forget that my dad put his precious briefcase in my room for a whole year—'as a reminder that some mistakes aren't reversible.'" He adopts his dad's stern, parental voice, mimicking him perfectly.

"Wait, but won't he be mad if he finds out we used the blender?" Belly suddenly whispers, her face falling a bit.

Conrad waves it off with a grin. "He's not gonna find out. He's not coming, remember?"

Jade and I erupt into a little victory cheer, high-fiving each other.

"This is why I love hanging out over here!" Jade laughs, and we all gather around the counter, watching Belly and Conrad prepare the ingredients as if they're our entertainment for the night. Belly starts pouring everything into the blender, and we exchange glances, mentally preparing for what could go wrong.

Jeremiah grins mischievously. "All right, hands on deck. No room for accidents this time!"

The four of us press our hands on the lid as Conrad starts the blender, and we laugh, our hands practically vibrating along with it. "We've got this!" Conrad jokes, raising his hands in mock surrender just as the mixture starts to whirl.

"Hey, I haven't seen everyone this coordinated since, like, ever!" I shout over the roar of the blender.

Conrad chuckles as he finally turns it off, and we all let go, relief flooding our faces as no mess seems to be imminent. "You know what I miss?" he says, a bit more contemplatively.

Jeremiah quirks a brow. "What?"

Conrad's expression softens. "Watching Laurel put my dad in his place." He leans against the counter, chuckling to himself. "She'd walk in, hands on her hips, and just go, 'Adam.' Just like that, and he'd know he was done for."

We all laugh, nodding knowingly. I open my mouth to share a memory too, but suddenly the room goes quiet. Laurel's voice chimes from the doorway, and she's not alone.

"Adam." She says his name cheerfully. "You made it!"

"Happy Fourth!" Adam's voice is a bit too cheerful as he steps into the kitchen, and while Jeremiah greets his dad happily, Conrad's smile fades. He stiffens and stares down at the floor.

Adam's eyes land on the drinks. "I'll take a little of whatever you're making over there!" He tries to sound casual, but I can't help the flash of irritation that rushes through me. I know what he did to Susannah, and seeing him here, playing the doting dad, makes my stomach twist. I force a tight-lipped smile, my fingers gripping the edge of the counter.

"Where did everyone go?" Susannah's soft voice breaks the tension, and she steps into the kitchen with my mom by her side.

"Oh, hey," Adam greets her with an easy smile, like there's nothing between them.

Susannah hesitates, a flicker of surprise crossing her face, but she keeps her expression neutral. "Adam," she replies, her tone careful. "You managed to get away from work."

"Yeah," he says, oblivious to the stiffness in the air. "Couldn't miss the Fourth with my family."

The room feels suffocating, each of us caught in the thickness of the tension. I glance at my mom, mouthing, "I thought he wasn't coming?"

She shrugs, just as baffled as I am.

Susannah forces a smile, trying to break the silence. "All right, well, let's get back to the party."

"Good idea. Let's go, kids," Laurel says, gently steering us outside.

We all get up and start heading toward the patio, but I notice Conrad slowing down. Adam catches him, reaching out as if to stop him. "Conrad," he starts, but Conrad just shrugs off his touch.

"I'm going to the beach," he mutters, pushing past his dad, his mood darkening by the second.

I feel a pang in my chest watching him walk away, so I follow after him, quickening my steps until I'm nearly running to catch up. "CONRAD FISHER!" I call out, frustrated from being ignored.

Finally, he stops and turns around, and I can see the hurt in his eyes. "What?" he says, his voice barely above a whisper.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself. "Look, I know things with your dad are... complicated. But that doesn't mean you get to shut me out." My voice cracks slightly, but I keep going. "You're my best friend, and it's not fair to me to be pushed aside."

His expression softens, and the guilt is clear in his eyes. He looks down, scuffing his shoe against the sand. "I'm sorry, Sarah. It's just... hard."

Without another word, I pull him into a hug, holding him tightly. "Don't let him ruin your day, okay? Not today. Not ever."

Conrad sighs, nodding against my shoulder. "Okay..." he whispers, his voice barely audible.

I pull back, brushing his hair out of his face and placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Now go. I'll send the others down in a bit. Make it look nice out there, would you?"

He chuckles faintly, nodding before turning back towards the beach. I watch him go, a small smile on my face.