one. it's summer already

"i thought i had you figured out"

A time long ago, Katherine Conklin used to paint an idyllic portrait of summer, envisioning it as a realm of enchantment. Summer held happiness for her, embodying the essence of all things meaningful. It was the one time in her life where she could pretend that her life had not changed from that day when her parents died.

Once upon a time, Katherine Conklin would have described summer as a dream. Summer, to her was everything.

It was an escape, something to help her remember that she was not alone. And she wasn't. Her cousins took her in as their own sister and she had always considered Laurel as a second mother. Family was everything to her and even after Katherine lost hers, she didn't really lose it.

While on the topic of family, the Fishers had always held a treasured place in her heart. Susannah, with her playful spirit, delighted in indulging in dress-up adventures with Katherine, forging a special bond. And within the Fisher siblings, Jeremiah reigned as her closest friend, their dynamic built upon unbreakable foundations.

As for Conrad, his presence resonated in a different realm altogether, weaving a tapestry of emotions that ran deeper than friendship could ever fathom. Conrad was always more than just her friend.

Being almost the same age, they both took leading their small friend group really seriously. Even when Belly wasn't allowed to go on and about with the rest, Katherine was always there claiming that she was "keeping an eye out for little Jere". Even when Steven refused to listen to his cousin, claiming that she was only a few months older than he was, Conrad would defuse the tension, saying that he wouldn't do things with them unless Katherine was also involved.

Summer was a dream come true. It was crazy and fun and happy. The happiness she felt in the summer was real. She didn't have to pretend, or act as if her world had never turned upside down. She let herself move on during the summer, find solace even in the darkness her life had eventually, unfortunately become.

Of course, that was not the case this summer. This summer, everything had changed.

The young Conklin sat in her cousin's room, trying everything she could to get her mind off Conrad. This summer was the first time she didn't want to go. Seeing him would remind her of her own heartbreak, tearing away the pieces of everything that she once had. Everything that they once had.

Taylor, Belly's best friend was sprawled against Belly's bad, her head on Katherine's lap. Looking up from the phone, she brought back both the Conklin's attention as she said, "Drew's bummed you're missing the beach matchup with the boys' team next weekend."

Belly turned around, still folding her shirt, "Um, make sure you tell Sophie to square up for the block."

Belly was the captain of the volleyball team, a title she had taken over from her cousin after the older girl decided to step down. Katherine felt that Belly was the most deserving of the position, especially since she was a much better player than her.

"Drew Martinez is texting me about you, and you're talking about volleyball?" Taylor chuckles in disbelief, "Like, are you serious right now?"

Belly shook her head, "Drew doesn't care if I'm there or not. He just wants an excuse to text you. And you better take this game against the guys seriously. I mean, team pride is on the line, Taylor. Please."

Katherine scoffed, "As if Taylor would ever let a boy beat her at anything."

Taylor threw her hands up, "Exactly!"

"I thought you came here to help me pack," she looked at her cousin, who she knew was done doing so last night, "You too, Kat."

"Fine. I'll help," Taylor sat up, "Here's a tip. Don't bring that Speedo. It doesn't do a thing for your new boobs." Katherine agreed.

"It's not a Speedo."

"I'm just saying, babes." The girl laughed, "Like, you need to pack cute things."

Just then Steven stood at the door, his eyes first nervously darting over to Taylor and then relaxing when they stop at Katherine. With a cough, he interrupts the girls, "Hey Kath, you got a sec?"

The older Conklin girl gets up at once, smiling and walks to the boy she considers her brother. Despite all of the fights the pair have had, nothing could compare to how close they were. Some people even considered them to be twins, considering how similar they acted. Katherine trusted Steven with her whole heart and maybe that was why, in the entire house and maybe the whole world, Steven was the only one who knew how much Katherine dreaded summer.

Katherine sat alone in her room, her shoulders trembling with silent sobs. Tears streaked down her face as she clutched her phone tightly in her hand. That was when her cousin, Steven, walked past her door and noticed her distress. Concern etched across his face, he paused and gently knocked on the door.

"Katherine, are you okay? Can I come in?"

Katherine sniffled and quickly wiped away her tears, not wanting to burden Steven with her heartache. But she knew deep down that she needed someone to talk to, someone who would understand. She composed herself as best she could and called out to him.

"Yeah, Steven," she took a deep breath, "you can come in."

Steven pushed open the door and entered the room, his brows furrowing at the sight of his cousin's red, puffy eyes. He walked over and sat down next to her on the bed, offering a comforting presence.

Gently, he asked, "What happened, Kath? You're upset. Is there something bothering you?"

The note on Steven's voice was one he rarely used with anyone other than his family.

Katherine took a deep breath, her voice quivering as she tried to find the right words to explain her pain.

"Steven, I... I just had a breakup with Conrad. It happened over a call, and I didn't see it coming. We were so close, or at least I thought we were."

Steven's eyes widened in surprise, having not a single clue that Katherine and Conrad had been dating over the summer. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.

"Oh, Katherine, I'm so sorry" he spoke, his voice full of concern. "I had no idea. Please, tell me
everything. I'm here for you."

He really meant that.

Katherine rested her head on Steven's shoulder, finding solace in his embrace. She poured out her heart, sharing the details of their summer romance and how it all fell apart one day, when she least expected. She spoke of the love she had thought they shared, the promises made, and the pain of feeling deceived and discarded.

Choked up, she said, "I don't understand, Steven. How could he just walk away? I thought what we had was real."

Steven tightened his grip around Katherine, understanding the depth of her hurt. He knew that sometimes people change, that relationships can be fragile and unpredictable. "Kathy, sometimes life takes unexpected turns, and people's feelings change. It's not a reflection of your worth or your ability to love. You deserve someone better."

Katherine's tears continued to flow, but Steven's words offered a glimmer of comfort. She clung to his words, desperately needing reassurance and support.

Even though Conrad was his best friend and despite now knowing what had happened with Katherine, Steven knew he wouldn't be able to treat Conrad any differently than before. So the best thing, in his eyes, was to help the girl he thought of as his sister as much as he could.

"You'll be okay, Kathy," he promised, as if he knew every answer in the world, "I know you will."

"Are you sure you're okay?" the Conklin boy asked his cousin, wary that the summer was here so soon even though a part of him was overjoyed. "Are you ready to see him again?"

Katherine thought for a minute before answering, "No, not really. But it's not like I have a choice, right? Jeremiah will be there and Susannah too. She is planning to add Belly to the Debutante business and wants me to help out since I did it last year–"

"–But still didn't let anyone but Susannah come and watch you at the ball." Steven noted.

"Conrad was there," she shrugged, "and it was embarrassing!"

Steven laughed before his expression became serious once again, "Any minute you feel sad, you come and talk to me okay?"

Katherine smiled up at him, "Always."

When they finally get moving, the Conklin family is in the car with Belly's feet up on the dashboard, singing along loudly and tunelessly. Steven is the one driving, switching with Katherine and Laurel every once in a while, the pair who is seated quite comfortably in the back.

"You can't do better..." The Conklin girls sang rather loudly, Katherine's voice mixing with Belly's off tune singing. Katherine was the music-theatre kid of the family, the dreamer out of all of them. She loved singing and dancing and pretending to be people she only ever read of in books.

Conrad loved playing the piano with her. They could sing every Taylor Swift duet by heart and would try their best to write their own songs.

"Uh, can you guys turn it down a little, please?" Laurel interrupted their singing, and thus, the girl's thoughts.

"Guys, I want you to be better about helping out this summer," The older woman says to the children, "Don't just leave your dishes in the sink. Load them into the dishwasher. And not just your own dish, either, Steven. I want you to be good houseguests."

Katherine bit back a laugh at the expression Steven made in the rear-view mirror. "But...I mean...Susannah has people who clean, doesn't she?"

Laurel lightly hit his head, "Just— be considerate and act like I raised you right. Steven, that means don't stay out too late. You too, Katherine."

"Mom, I'm about to be 18. We're too old for a curfew." Steven argued.

"And I always force them to come back home on time!" Katherine added, which was a complete lie.

"I'm not talking about a curfew. Just don't stay out all hours of the night and wake up the whole house."

Belly suddenly looks at her mother, "What about me? I don't have a curfew either, do I?"

Both Katherine and Steven snort at the question. Before Laurel can reply, her brother answers, "Why would you need a curfew? You don't go anywhere. You don't have any friends in Cousins."

"Don't be a jackass, Steven." Katherine laughs, but still offended on her cousin's behalf.

"Belly, we can talk about it when something comes up." To Katherine, it's clear Laurel is humoring Belly.

The closer they got to Cousin's beach, the more Katherine stopped paying attention to her family and gave more to her thoughts. This was the moment she had feared for—the reunion with Conrad, the boy who held a piece of her heart. A tumultuous wave of emotions crashed over her, filling her with anxiety and heartache.

In the hushed whispers of the passing wind, memories of their past echoed in her mind. They had once been inseparable, sharing stolen glances and stolen kisses beneath the starlit sky. Their love had felt invincible, a force that could conquer any obstacle.

But fate had a different plan. Over the course of the last summer, their relationship had unraveled, tearing through their hearts like a relentless storm. Their love, once a vibrant tapestry of affection, had frayed at the seams, leaving her broken and scarred.

As Katherine prepared to face Conrad again, a whirlwind of questions swirled within her. Would he look at her with the same longing in his eyes? Would their shared memories haunt their every interaction? And most importantly, would the pain of their past resurface, threatening to engulf them both?

'Only you, silly,' her brain argued, 'because it was only real to you.'

She felt the weight of her heartache, the ache of a love lost. It was a haunting melody that played in the depths of her soul, an incessant reminder of what once was. Each beat of her heart echoed the rhythm of their shattered dreams, reverberating through her every fiber.

Katherine's palms grew damp, her hands trembling with a mix of anticipation and trepidation. What if their encounter revealed to him that she hadn't moved on, that the scars still marred her heart? The fear of being vulnerable, of letting Conrad see the remnants of her shattered emotions, bothered her.

Taking a deep breath, Katherine steadied her trembling legs and gathered her courage. She knew that facing Conrad would be an emotional battlefield, where memories collided with reality. But she was determined to confront the pain head-on, to navigate the treacherous waters of the past and find solace in the present.

And with every second that passed, Katherine embraced the uncertainty, acknowledging that seeing Conrad again would be a bittersweet symphony of emotions.

Katherine smiled at Belly who had lowered her car window and stuck her head out, taking in a deep breath of the salty sea air. They drove past all the places she knew so well—the fast-food drive-thru, the seafood shacks, and the ice cream stand. She watched kids happily running around on the grass, their bare feet and melting ice cream cones adding to the carefree scene. The purple hydrangeas were in full bloom, and everywhere she looked, the vibrant green of nature surrounded her.

They stop at a gas station and Katherine watched as Belly gets asked out by the cute cashier guy. She knew the insecurities her cousin felt about how she looked, especially when Taylor was around and it gave her great joy to see the girl accept herself more.

When they got back to the car, Katherine decided to sleep for the rest of the ride, to dim out the thoughts that plagued her mind, never letting herself feel even a bit of hope.

"Kathy," Laurel shook her niece. Even though she wasn't biologically related to her, Laurel loved the young girl as if she had given her birth herself. "We are here, get up."

In a daze the girl woke up. They had arrived at the beach house, and the excitement in the car escalated as Susannah's son, Jeremiah, bounded out of the house with the enthusiasm of a golden retriever. With his easygoing nature, playful demeanor, and contagious laughter, Jeremiah was adored by all the girls at his  school. It was evident that he had been hitting the gym since the previous summer, his physique displaying the results of his efforts. He warmly embraced Laurel and playfully greeted Steven, showcasing his genuine affection for those around him.

As Katherine stepped out of the car, she noticed the look Jeremiah gave Belly. The same one the cashier had on his face. This one was going to be one exciting summer.

"Kat!" Jeremiah rushed up to pull Katherine in a hug, "Oh! I have missed you so much."

The girl laughed, finding peace in his arms, "I missed you too Jere, so much!"

She laughed as Susannah hugged her too, complimenting her hair cut, and as Katherine found herself back in familiarity, he appeared.

Katherine's laughter faded as her eyes met Conrad's penetrating gaze. He hung back, his expression inscrutable. Conrad had always been the responsible and serious one—a straight-A student... the star athlete. Something about him seemed different compared to the previous summer, as if time had etched maturity into his features.

He looked the same but he didn't. The light from his eyes seemed rather dimmed and when they met Katherine's eyes, they looked of regret before they turned cold. He gave her a small smile, one that never managed to reach the rest of his demeanor.

"Hey, Kathy," he said, and for one second the world stopped, the ticking synchronized, the chaos made sense.

"Hey, Conrad."

This one was going to be one exciting summer.