My family's been going to Susannah's beach house in Cousins for as long as I can remember. It was a tradition between mom and Susannah, one that they never stopped after having kids. I can distinctly remember learning to swim in the pool out back and teaching Belly how to ride her bike on the front driveway. The beach house isn't our home, but sometimes, it feels more like it than the one I live at during the rest of the year. Susannah told me once that it's not the physical house that makes it feel that way. It's the people. Susannah, mom, Belly, Steven Jeremiah and Conrad. These people are my home, and all year it felt like I was just waiting, counting down the days until we'd get to go back. Until we'd finally be home again.

    "You look like a puppy," I push Belly's shoulder as she leans her head out the window, a smile making its way onto her lips. She looked absolutely radiant, though, Belly has grown a lot this year. It was odd to see my little sister looking so mature. I've always thought she looked beautiful, whether she had braces and glasses or not, but Belly was finally figuring it out herself, I could see her confidence coming in, and I couldn't be more proud.

    She looked over at me, sticking her tongue out at me, "like you wouldn't be doing the same thing if you weren't driving." She remarked, leaning over to look out the window again. Cousins came into view, and excited butterflies erupted in my stomach.

     "She's got a point, Flo." Steven playfully kicks the back of my chair. He'd chosen to sit in the back solely because when Belly and I are in the car together, it's always a performance. No matter if it's the long drive to cousins or the short drive to the grocery store, her phone is always plugged in, and we're always singing.

    I'm a year older than Steven and two years older than Belly. Technically though, the two of them are my half-siblings. Mom had me with a different guy, a guy she'd slept with a few times before she met John, Belly and Stevens's dad. My father flaked as soon as she got pregnant, leaving her to care for me on her own. Before I was even a year old, she got pregnant with Steven. The two of them are my siblings. The word half never seemed applicable to them, and growing up, John never treated me like I wasn't his child. Still, sometimes, the differences between us are staggering. Mom and Susannah always liked to say that I grew up faster than Belly and the boys and that I was a mini adult by the time I was twelve.

    I pull into the driveway a few minutes later, pressing my hand against the horn to signal our arrival to Susannah and the boys. She and Jeremiah are both quick to run out of the house, my mom pulling her best friend into a tight hug. I've always loved their friendship. It was pure and strong, they've always had one another backs, and nothing could ever get in the way of that.

    I hoped Isla- my best friend, and I would be like that. She was coming up to the house for a few days this summer for the first time ever, and I was ecstatic for her to meet Susannah, the woman I considered my second mother. "Flo," Jeremiah greeted me as I stepped out of the car, placing Belly, who he'd been hugging, back on the ground before rushing over to me.

    Jeremiah's always reminded me of a golden retriever puppy. He's energetic, loyal and affectionate, with curly blonde hair that grows lighter in the sun, "Hey, Jere," I greet him, chuckling as she squeezes me tight, "how have you gotten taller?" I ask. He'd grown since I'd last seen him, not towering several feet over my short frame.

    "I think you've gotten shorter, Flo," He remarks, ruffling my hair with his hand.

     I laugh, swatting his hand away, "I am not that short."

"Are you kidding?" He asks, his bright blue eyes wide, "if you're not short, then why can I do this?" Before I can question what he means, Jeremiah scoops me up, pulling me over his shoulder with a single motion. I roll my eyes, punching my fist against the younger boy's back.

    "Put me down," I don't sound very threatening as I laugh. It feels like I haven't done that in ages, like my true happiness doesn't start until I'm here.

    "What are you doing?" Steven asks, his brows furrowing together out of confusion. I can see both of our moms share a look of amusement, their eyes full of warmth. They loved how close we were, like actual siblings.

    "Proving that she's short," Jere shrugs like it's no big deal.

     "Jeremiah, Flo's been here a minute, and you're already torturing her, but the poor girl down so I can hug her." Susannah laughed, upside down. I can see her shaking her head, amused with her youngest boy.

    As soon as I'm back on the ground, I rush over to Susannah, allowing the much taller woman to engulf me in her arms. Her perfume greets me, she's been wearing the same one for as long as I've known her, and the scent immediately made me feel like a little kid again, reminding me of times she comforted me when I'd gotten hurt as a kid, or when I'd gotten back from some date that didn't go well. Citrus and lilies, I took in a deep breath as she held me tightly in her arms. "How are you, my beautiful girl?" She questioned, tucking a piece of my black hair behind my ear as she pulled away from the hug.

    "Better now that we're here," I tell her. Susannah smiles at me fondly one more time before moving over to Steven and engulfing him in one of her world-famous hugs. I turn around to find Conrad greeting Belly, ruffling her hair much like Jeremiah had ruffled mine.

    "What is with you, Fisher boys and messing up our hair?" I walk up behind him, nudging his arm with my own. Conrad turns to look at me, and for a brief second, I'm shocked. It seems Belly isn't the only one who's changed over the year. He's grown his hair out, allowing his brown locks to brush past his forehead more, parted down the middle. I'm only a few months older than Conrad, but I'd grown up quite quickly compared to him and Steven. He looked older this summer... different.

    "Florence," He greets me, stammering slightly. Conrad's always been much more stoic than his brother. While Jeremiah was a hurricane of energy, he was quieter and more introverted. We used to be close, but a few years ago, things just changed. Conrad got all awkward and weird around me, and our friendship just kind of ended. "Uh, hi."

    I nod at him, I'd hoped he'd reply with some snarky comment, that he'd miraculously gotten over whatever I did to make him awkward around me, but nope, "it's good to see you."

    Conrad looks me up and down. I'm wearing denim shorts and a white puffed sleeve top. My hair pulled half up with a claw clip I'd borrowed from Belly. He doesn't look back at my eyes as he says, "yeah, you too," keeping his gaze on the ground.

    "Hey, hey, guys, guys." Steven and Jeremiah walk over, breaking the weird silence between Conrad and me. I look over at Belly. She's looking at me. Typically, I can read my little sister like a book, but right now, I have no idea what's running through her mind... she quickly replaces her odd expression with a smile, looking back over at the boys. Weird. "I mean, I don't know about you, but I...." Jere and Steven both share smirks, looking at imaginary watches on their wrists, "Well, I think it's time."

    "For a..." He and Jere speak in unison, "Belly flop!"

     "And that is my cue to leave," I say, holding my hands up. As Belly makes a mad dash, the younger two boys start to chase her, and Conrad follows behind.

    "Do you need some help?" I ask mom at the front door, taking the box of groceries she's carrying out of her hands so that she can open the door.

    "You're not going out back with the others?" She asks, walking into the house with me.

    "They're doing the belly flop," I explain to her, walking into the kitchen where Susannah is making iced tea. Both moms nod in understanding. I was never included in their little tradition, mainly because the boys were way more intimidated than me than they were Belly. Being the oldest wasn't always the best, but it did have perks, like not getting thrown in the pool fully clothed.

    "Flo," Jeremiah runs into the house, "you've gotta come see Belly, her mascara ran, and now she looks like a raccoon."

    "I'll see her when she gets in," I tell him, shaking my head as I take a box of lucky charms out of the box I'd brought in.

    Jeremiah grabs my wrist, tugging me towards the door with a pout, "C'mon, please." He's such a little kid sometimes, I think as I sigh, following Jeremiah out to the backyard. The pool is glistening, waving slightly due to the impact of Belly being thrown in. She's laughing along with Conrad and Steven, who're both standing a few feet away from the pool.

    "You guys are children. You know that?" I say, but I'm laughing too. At Belly's eyes rimmed with black mascara, she did kind of look like a raccoon.

    "You're not even a whole year older than us," Steven reminds me, gesturing between himself and Conrad. He and Steven were still seventeen, while I turned 18 in a few weeks. "You know, guys. I think we should change tradition up this summer."

    I raise my brow at my brother, stepping back, only for Jeremiah to stand behind me, grasping my shoulders between his hands, "I will kill you," I threaten, shooting my brother a glare as he inches forward. Conrad watches, and I can tell he's amused. 

    "You know, you're not as scary as when we were kids," Jeremiah says. Before I can protest further, he picks me under my arms while Steven reaches for my legs, holding them together so I can't kick him.

    "Jeremiah, Steven, I swear to god if you don't put me down, I will-"my threat gets cut off by a squeal escaping my lips, my body splashing into the water below me. When I swim back up to the top, Jeremiah and Steven are in hysterics, tears pouring down their cheeks from laughing so hard. Belly, who's pushed herself up to sit on the edge of the pool, is laughing too, her smile so bright it's blinding.

    "Ow," I cry out, contouring my face into mock hurt, "I think you twisted my ankle or something," I say; Steven and Jeremiah both immediately stop laughing, their brows furrowing together.

    "Uh, here, let me help," Conrad steps forward. I was hoping it'd be one of the other two, but he'd always had a bit more common sense than the other two; even if we weren't close anymore, he wouldn't leave me injured in the pool. He extends his hand, and I can tell by the way he's avoiding eye contact that he really doesn't want to do this. I hesitate, before pulling him into the pool.

    Steven and Jeremiah are both laughing again. This time though, Belly just watches, her eyes flickering between Conrad and I, "I didn't even throw you in," Conrad says once he's up for air.

    "Yeah, but you didn't help," I shrug. Conrad doesn't seem irritated in the slightest. For once, he is smiling at me genuinely, not the weird, awkward smile I usually receive. He hasn't looked at me like this in forever. My heart skips a beat at the sight of him smiling alone, "and you threw my little sister in, so... payback."

    "Fair enough," He shrugs, swimming over to the edge. Jeremiah and Steven have both made their way inside, leaving only the three of us out here. He strips his grey hoodie off his back once he's out of the water, showing off his white t-shirt that's gone entirely see-through. I follow him out, wringing water out of my soaked hair.

    Conrad turns to face me, opening his mouth to say something before shutting it. His eyes drift downward and then over to Belly, his cheeks red, "There should be towels inside," he tells her before walking inside the house.

    I sigh, running my fingers through my hair. He hates me. Conrad Fisher, the boy I grew up with and used to be so close with up until like two summers ago, hates me. He can barely look at or speak to me anymore, and I have no clue what I did to deserve it. "Nice bra," Belly breaks me out of my thoughts. She's still sitting with her feet in the water, a smirk on her face. She's rubbed the mascara under her eyes, too, returning her eyes back to normal.

    "W-what?" I stutter, looking down. My white shirt is clinging to my skin and completely see-through now, showing off my bra underneath... great.

    "Come on," Belly stands up, holding her hand out to me, "Susannah's got iced tea."

    I link hands with my little sister, pushing away any thought of Conrad Fisher. I will not let him and his weirdness ruin my summer at my favourite place. I've got my sister, mom, and Susannah. Hell, I've even got Steven and Jeremiah, no matter how annoying they may get. Still, I just wish I knew what I did to make Conrad hate me so much, maybe if I did, I could fix it all and things could go finally go back to normal between us.

I'm sure some of you have already figured out why Conrad's being so weird towards Florence... but I wanna hear your guesses. So... comment your thoughts below.

I need your opinion as well, should Florence be deb too? The age for debs is 16-18 so she is still of age to be one... would that be something you'd want to see?

Hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Cruel Summer!!