HAUNTED
୨⎯ chapter two ⎯୧

Bianca doesn't remember a dinner meal where they all didn't eat with each other.

even if they didn't want too, all the moms brought the kids down to the dinner table and eat until their plates are finished or until they're full. bianca loves that about the moms, that they made it their life's missions to make sure that they made the kids feel safe and at home during this time away.

this was their home. it was home to the moms and home to their kids. the dads were always there but they weren't as attached as their wife's and kids. well all expect blaise. he would shift between being with the dads and being with the moms. he loved cousins beach. he would always join dinner even if the dads went out to the bar. that was something everyone grew to love about blaise, he loved his family. he loved the people that weren't his blood family.

he loved hanging out with the boys, sometimes hanging out with the moms who would usually invite him to stuff since blaise was just that out going. he taught belly and bianca how to do a lot of things. blaise loved all of the kids like his own. he really did make a huge impact in everyone's life.

bianca sat down in between laurel and belly thinking about her dad. jeremiah, steven and leo were all looking down at stevens phone laughing. conrad was talking with lena. belly was looking at the three boys laughing. and the three boys laughter interrupted the talk between laurel and susannah.

"steven i swear to go if you look at that phone one more time i'm putting it in the screen basket." laurel said this causing the three boys to stop laughing abruptly and steven quickly put his phone away.

"it's just that we want to see your beautiful faces." susannah said smiling softly at them and picking up her glass of champagne.

"can dinner be a screen free zone. you know like the olden days."

bianca and belly then watched as jeremiah called out to steven and then snatched his phone away. "dude are you kidding me?" steven snapped as jeremiah stood up and threw the phone over to the other seat. jeremiah cheered and all the moms laughed. "okay, okay, okay, we get it you've been working out.

belly laughed at her brother. "oh your just jealous because jere has a better body than you."

"uh no. it's all about the lean look now otherwise i can't wear tailored suits." steven said like if it was the most obvious thing ever. everyone laughed at that. steven glanced over at bianca who cracked a grin at him and shook her head. steven seemed proud of himself for that grin.

"tailored suits." conrad repeated with a laugh.

"what have you been doing at training camp?" steven asked genuinely but jeremiah, conrad, leo and bianca all gave each other a quick look.

"he, uh, quit football." jeremiah said.

lena placed a comforting hand on conrad's shoulder making the boy tense up but didn't move her hand away. bianca and conrad locked eyes. conrad seemed uncomfortable with the topic and bianca can see it.

"wait you quit? are you kidding me i'll kill to play college football." steven said.

"he can always change his mind." susannah said.

conrad snapped his head over to his mom. "i'm not going to change my mind. i was just going to sit on bench all season anyways." he felt bianca reach her hand from underneath the table. conrad glanced at bianca who was looking elsewhere. he reached forward and met her hand halfway.

"well if you're not going to play football anymore what are you going to do all summer?" laurel asked making conrad shrug his shoulders.

"oh dude you can work with me at the club!" jeremiah said excitedly and steve nodded his head.

"yeah with me, leo and jere!"

"yeah i'm not working at the club." conrad chuckled.

"wait you guys are working this summer?" belly asked frowning her eyebrows.

"yeah, i'm life guarding, leo is lifeguarding with ne too and steven is working at the snack shop." jeremiah said clicking his tongue and bumping fist with steven and leo.

bianca felt conrad squeeze her hand as he noticed the look that she gave mostly steven and jeremiah. bianca and belly looked at each other knowing that they wanted to work during the summer too since it'll keep them busy and earn them some money.

"oh! belly and bianca i almost forgot. i have a surprise." susannah said quickly standing up and grabbing two envelopes from the cabinet. she handed the two envelops over to the two girls.

"so this is why you had us stop at the country club." laurel said making susannah shrug her shoulders.

"we waited two hours for that?" lena asked and savannah's smiled innocently at her.

"what is that?" steven asked saying what all the boys were thinking as belly and bianca opened up the envelopes.

"i wrangled belly and bianca an invitation to be a debutante." savannah said.

bianca pulled out a fancy invitation. she's heard about these before. she's seen them in her favorite show glimore girls. she just never knew that people still did them. she thought only old people do them.

"is this the thing where the girls wear white dresses and curtsy?" belly asked putting down the invitation.

"it's when s girl comes of age and is presented to society." belly and bianca looked over at savannah. "i know it sounds silly, but i swear it's fun. girls come from all over new england to cousins just to be apart of it. you'll make so many new friends."

"didnt girls use this to find a husband?" bianca asked and savannah squinted her eyes still smiling.

"i can't believe you're still holding onto this archaic dream." laurel said standing up from her chair.

"im surprised that you were able to get two." lena said standing up as well to pour herself more wine on her glass. savannah laughed watching her two best friends disappear into the kitchen.

"yes, bianca. it used to be about finding a husband but now it's about networking. they teach you leadership skills, like how to market yourself and it benefits charity, it's, um, like a bat mitzvah."

"but won't this take time from my surfing lessons?" bianca asked worriedly. every summer, since she was 15 she volunteered to help the kids that wanted to learn how to surf. her and an adult that she grew to love.

"well, technically yes. but i promise you there will be time for your surfing lessons." susannah said.

"one: this is not like a bat mitzvah there is nothing religious about a debutante ball." laurel laughed coming back with champagne while lena had her wine. "and two: i highly doubt bianca is going to skip lessons over this."

"if belly does it i'll do it." bianca said shrugging her shoulders.

"the whole deb scene is bullshit. it's for sheep." conrad said.

"everyone is going to be eyeing my sister and i don't want to mess up my beautiful hands on punching boys in the face if they ever get close to bianca." leo said holding his hand and showing everyone his 'beautiful' hands. bianca gave him a mocked look which he stuck his tongue out to her.

"no, it's not. and even if bianca doesn't do this, everyone is still going to eye her. when s girl has a coming out it's a formal recognition she's reaching maturity." after savannah said this jeremiah, steven and leo all burst into laughter. and as their karma they started to chock due to the food inside of their mouth.

"i'm sorry, i'm sorry, mature?" steven laughed and savannah nodded her head which only made him laugh more. bianca squinted her eyes at him wondering how is this the same boy that was comforting her earlier. "belly? a couple months ago you had a cat funeral. you made us all wear black."

"that's cute." bianca laughed and belly smacked her hand lightly and then glared at at steven. bianca glanced over at conrad who smiled to himself causing bianca to raise suspicion.

"shut up steven i saw you crying in your room." belly snapped back.

"aw." bianca teased and steven secretly flipped her head and she did it back.

"wait, mochi died? dang, i'm sorry bells." jeremiah said.

"belly and bianca," savannah called out to the two girls. "don't you girls want to get all dressed up? and together? you'll grow up and tell your kids how you two girls did this. it'll be a story for a lifetime.

"it's just not belly's kind of thing. she's our feral little ally cat." laurel said pushing belly's hair to the side. the three boys laughed again.

"boys." lena said sternly.

"come on belly, prove them wrong. show them that you aren't a little girl anymore. show them who you truly are. make them apologize for ever laughing at you." bianca whispered to her disconnecting her hand from conrad and placing her hand on top of belly. belly turned her head over to bianca and sighed deeply.

"i'll think about it." belly said.

"she'll think about it." savannah's said triumphal.

"i'll do it." bianca said earning shocked looks from everyone.

"she'll do it!" savannah shrieked standing up from her chair and walking over to bianca. she leaned down and kissed her on the cheek repeatedly and then all over her face. "she'll do it! yes!"

└─── · 。゚☆ *.☽ .* ☆゚. ───┘

"you liked my singing?" steven asked as bianca walked past the bathroom.

"oh yeah." bianca said sarcastically. "hey are you going to the bonfire?"

"yes, me and the boys are. you and belly are staying." steven said like as if he was demanding that she was going to stay. "the moms have everything set up."

"okay. goodbye." bianca said waving her hand at him. steven went back to the room and came out with jeremiah and leo. they said their goodbyes to bianca who smiled at them. once they went downstairs bianca ran to the bedroom and looked out the window where belly was alone at the pool.

"belly!" bianca shouted opening up the window and calling for the girl. "belly!" she shouted one more time catching her attention. "come up here!" bianca said waving her hand rapidly at. "oh and make up and excuse with the moms. tell them i don't feel good."

"okay!" belly whispered shouting and entered the house. bianca smiled to herself and started to search through her clothes for something to wear. belly then came rushing inside while drying her hair with the towel. "what so urgent, bianca?"

"we're going to that bonfire." bianca said taking out two of her part dresses.

"really?" belly asked excitedly and closed the door. "but moms would let us go."

"we both know that they don't last longer than 30 minutes watching a movie before falling asleep. plus, why can the boys go and we can't?" bianca asked standing up and holding up the two dresses. "so, which one?"

"left." belly said and before bianca entered the bathroom she let out, "this is so exciting!"

bianca breathed out a laugh and entered the bathroom. bianca peeled off all of her clothes including her bra and underwear. she put on a bikini - just in case - and put on the dress. it was a tight sage green dress that reached up to her upper thighs. it's long sleeve but the ends were flared. the breast parts were shaped as a bra and held up her boobs perfectly. bianca quickly took off the dress and took off her bra before putting it back on.

for jewlery she wore her gold necklace that had the fingerprint of her dad and his name with his writing in the back of it. she wore her usual rings. for shoes she wore y2k green platform sandals. she did a half up and half down with her braids but instead of doing a singular ponytail she did two of them and let two front braids. she hardly ever wore makeup during the summer other than mascara and faint blush lipstick for her lips and for cheeks.

she looked at herself in the mirror at the guilt creeped back up. she frowned to herself as her thoughts were starting to get the best of her. if only you've stayed. if only you didn't talk back. if only you didn't snuck out. if only you got caught. if only you weren't out at a party with your friends. if only you weren't so reckless. if only-

"bianca," belly cut off her thoughts.

bianca blinked away her tears and smoothed out her dress. no, i'm doing this. she said to herself. bianca looked at herself in the mirror and practiced her smile one more time before going out to where belly was. bianca's eyes widen when belly was wearing a pink dress that hugged her newly formed body perfectly. her hair strands were tied back. she wasn't even wearing makeup and she was just so pretty.

that's the thing bianca always noticed about belly. she was so effortless even when belly doesn't know it. she just lacks of confidence. "you're beautiful, belly." bianca whispered. "here spray this on." bianca walked over to her vanity and picked up her famous perfume and the one she hides because she doesn't like anyone taking it.

"i don't want to waste it." belly said shaking her head and putting her hands behind her back. bianca rolled her eyes and sprayed on her neck, her wrist and one last stroke on her body. immediately the smell hit her nose and belly smiled. "it smells like you."

"it's signature. don't tell anyone." bianca joked and sprayed herself before settling it down. "now, ready to go and be a rebel isabela conklin?" bianca asked sticking her hand out for belly to grab.

"so ready to see the boys face." belly giggled intertwining her hand with bianca's.

▌ c. speaks . . . ˚. 𓄼
not edited!
stop bc why do they all look
so good in the season 2 teaser
OH GOD and taylor's hair... BEAUTIFUL.