THIS SUMMER

THE singing of Belly nearly made Dalilah stab themselves with their pencil, the second Steven pulled up to the gas station that was all it took for Belly and Lilah to run off into the station. They saw Belly head right for the chips while they stood in the candy aisle touching their sunken cheekbones and feeling their fatigue hitting Dalilah in full force, skipping out on candy and just grabbing some almonds and water, and set on the counter while Laurel paid for all the snacks.

Dalilah kissed Laurel's cheek before grabbing their things not hearing the cashier ask both Conklin kids to a random bonfire, they skipped off their raven half up half down bouncing with them.

When Belly finally walked out of the gas station, Steven was already in the car ready to go Dalilah saw her put on chapstick while messing with her hair when the car started moving. They forgot all about the bonfire when the scent of cousin's beach filled Lilah's senses, they rolled down their window breathing in the salty air.

The car halts to a stop there it is. The Fisher house. The only place Delilah belongs and always will, the Conklin family jumped out of the car, Jeremiah came running out of the house Susannah right behind him a smile on her face.

Susannah hugged Delilah tightly, "Su I can't breathe," they muttered to the blonde woman, she let go, "look how beautiful you are, you grew up so much baby look at you," Lilah smiled at Susannah as Jeremiah and Belly hugged.

Conrad came out from the back running toward Delilah, he stopped for a second a look of shock on his face, "what's wrong?" Delilah asked, staring at him.

"Nothing it's just weird to see you without your short hair and braces," Conrad told them, "thanks Connie very kind, I miss your glasses though you looked better with them." They told him honestly.

"You look really good though," Conrad told Delilah as he left to go say hello to Belly.

"Jeremiah! Get your ass over here and say hello to me you dick!" Delilah yelled running over to Jeremiah laughing lightly, he hugged them tightly swinging them around, "look at you! You look amazing Lil," he told her blushing, "look at you though Jer when did you get so hot, I'm kinda jealous."

"Can you help me with my bags Jer? Or just leave me hanging?" they asked holding onto the four out of five bags, Jeremiah laughed snatching two suitcases and the last bag walked with the teenager who was already inside the house.

"Want me to take this to your room?" he asked nearly upstairs. "Sure, I'll be up in a second," Delilah told him dropping one of their bags onto the floor before grabbing a beverage from the fridge.

They quickly drank the lemonade before heading upstairs to see Jeremiah sitting on their pale yellow bedspread, "are you guys going to do the belly flop?" that question caused Jeremiah to run downstairs as every summer.

Delilah sat all their bags down hearing the ocean nearly made them pass out from tiredness, Lilah quickly changed into a white bikini and headed down to the pool to see Belly getting thrown in, Delilah laughed loudly causing Conrad to look over his eyes raking over their swimsuit-clad body just hearing Lilah laugh made his insides melt. Just hearing that little snort they make when they giggle nearly caused him to go into a panic the way Delilah glances at him longly just made him die.

Delilah watched as Conrad got pulled in by Belly making them laugh louder as Lilah sat down on one of the chairs slathering sunscreen on like no tomorrow.

"So? Wanna swim?" Conrad asked soaking wet as Delilah threw their towel at him. "Is that a yes?" he queried drying his hair. "Yes." Lilah jumped in making Conrad more soaked, "I'll be right back just let me change," he ran off possibly into his room when he came running full speed into the pool splashing Delilah until they went under. "Jesus Christ Con what are trying to do? Kill me on the first day again?" they laughed lightly splashing him as he swam closer to them.

"Yes," he said as they both wasted time for hours in the pool until dinner was ready.

{☀️}

"Steven I swear to God if you look at that phone one more time, I'm putting it in the screen basket," Mom said to Steven as Conrad and Lilah laughed silently to each other as he was getting a talking too.

"It's just we want to see your beautiful faces," Susannah told the kids as Jeremiah stole his phone throwing it onto a chair behind Delilah making them jump a little. Jeremiah flexing a little to the fact he is hotter now as Steven was envious of his body talking about tailored suits for some reason (Delilah zoned out after that can you blame them though?).

An awkward silence filled the table as the guys talked about football and how Conrad wasn't doing it anymore when Susannah stood up, "Oh, Belly, Lil, I almost forgot. I have a surprise for you two," she handed them two white envelopes that looked very expensive and smelled expensive too.

Delilah started opening their envelope, Belly right after them, "I wrangled Belly and Delilah to be debutantes." Susannah told the table, Lilah stared at the invitation with a small smile on their face as Su described the whole Deb scene.

"Will I get to pick out what to wear?" Delilah asked taking a small sip of water as Susannah nodded happily, "you can pick out whatever you want Lil so you'll do it?"

"Of course, I'll do it," that made Conrad look over, what happened to the Delilah that would go fishing and scoff at the thought of going to a debutante ball, did the person he knew change? or did he just remember a different version of Lilah who struggled with self-confidence and anything girlie to get a boy's attention?

That made Susannah clap as they all waited for Belly's answer, "I'll think about it." Dinner finished after that conversation with Belly running off to probably have a night swim and Delilah to go finish the current book they needed to finish.

The boys getting ready for the bonfire with Steven singing like nails on a chalkboard and Jeremiah joining right after, Delilah shut Legendborn by Tracy Deonn before going into the bathroom. "Do you two ever shut up or am I gonna have to duct tape your fucking mouths again as I did two summers ago?"

Steven and Jeremiah glanced at the Conklin teenager with wide eyes quickly shutting their mouths and quietly mumbling the lyrics as Delilah slammed the door.

Settling back onto the bed the clear framed glasses nearly fell off their nose, an idea forming in their brain as the boys got ready for the bonfire. Delilah quickly threw on a blue floral dress and some white converse the guys probably already have left and Belly is probably watching a movie with the moms which means the perfect time to leave.

Delilah as quietly as they could walked out of their room just as Belly came walking out of hers in a tight pink dress that looked like Taylor's, "What are you doing Bells?" Lilah whisper yelled to the girl.

"I could ask you the same thing, Lil!" Belly whispered back as they slowly went down the stairs trying not to hear a mom get up to check on them, "are you going to the bonfire too?" Belly asked glancing at the teenager's dress in jealousy, "no Belly I'm going to the strip club, of course, I'm going to the bonfire."

Belly laughed at the other Conklin teenager's sarcastic comment as they ran out the door, "so you going to the debutante ball? You know I can't be alone." Delilah questioned looping their arm through Belly's as they headed down to the beach.

"Maybe but I think so, it seems fun, Susannah looked so happy when you said yes. I wanna make her happy too," Belly told her sibling as they nodded along to what she was saying.

The second a sound of crackling fire and laughter filled the Conklin sibling's ears, they glanced at each other before running off closer to the party not realizing the drama that was about to go down.

{☀️}

LUNA CHATS!
HI! wow so that was the first chapter sorry it's a little sucky but next chapter I will be trying to include flashbacks and all that shit but don't be a ghost reader tell me what you thought about it! Love you all!

Word count: 1466 words

( made by the amazing folklorepoets  )