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Liz smiles as she finishes bringing her bags down the stairs. She jumps as she hears something drop down the steps. She looks to see her brother, Dakota, tossing his bags down the stairs.

"Seriously ?" She scoffs

"Shut up." He grumbles

"Excuse you ?"

"You're excused."

She rolls her eyes, "I don't know who pissed in your cereal this morning, but the attitude is unnecessary."

"I don't know who pissed in your cereal this morning-" He starts to mock

"Shut up, Dakota." She snaps

"You guys aren't even out of the house yet and you're already arguing." Their mom interrupts as she comes around the corner

"It's him. He's stupid."

He squints, "You're stupid."

"Your only response is to mock me. Come up with something else."

"I'm older."

"By a minute and a half, if that." She scoffs

"Doesn't matter." He shrugs before walking over and opening the door to put his bags outside

"Wha-" She starts as she turns to her mom

"Don't." Her mom says shaking her head and placing her hand on her shoulder to lead her outside.

She huffs as she steps onto the patio. Her irritation quickly diminishes as she sees her best friends pull into the driveway.

As soon as the car stops, a girls jumps out from the front seat.

"Belly !" Liz shouts as she drops her bags and runs towards the girl

"Liz !" Belly shouts back as she collides with the girl in a bone crushing hug

"I missed you so much." Liz says

"I missed you too." She smiles back

The girls giggle as they go to pick up Liz's bags. They walk to the trunk where they see Dakota and Belly's older brother, Steven, talking while Dakota loads his things.

"My god, Dakota, could you go any slower ?" Liz says

"I just got here, alright ? Relax."

"Relax." She mocks

He steps back as Liz and Belly start loading the other bags, "You're literally the most annoying person I've ever met in my entire life." He says as Belly giggles

"That's why you're getting the middle seat." He says as he walks around to the back seat

"What ? No !" Liz whines

"Yup." He says as he shuts the door

Liz groans as Belly laughs walking to the front seat while Steven gets in the driver's seat. Laurel stands by the other door and uses her hand to guide her in. Liz sighs as she gets in and slides over to the middle seat.

"At least you can sit by me." Laurel smiles

Liz can't help, but to smile back as Steven starts to back out.

Dakota rolls down the window as he shouts, "Bye, mom. Love you."

"I love you more." Liz shouts from beside him

Dakota frowns as he turns to her, "What ? No you don't."

"Yes, I do." Liz scoffs

"I love you both. Have fun and stop fighting." Their mom chuckles as they drive off

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The girls walk into a convenience store with Laurel. They walk around to grab snacks for the rest of the way to Cousins.

"Hey." Liz hears. She turns and sees the cashier looking at Belly, "Are you new this summer ?"

"Uh, me ? N-no." Belly stutters

"Really ? Hmm. Thought I knew every pretty girl in Cousins." He smirks

Liz internally cringes as she brings her items to the counter. His flirting sucked.

"Coming to the bonfire tonight ? First of the season."

"Uh, maybe."

"Come. I'll introduce you to some of my friends." He continues

"Maybe I will." Belly chuckles

"After we get settled, do you want to go to Whale of a Tale with me, so I can pre-sign stock before the signing tomorrow night ?" Laurel asks Belly as she walks up to the counter

"Uh." Belly stammers

"Remember how you used to sit on my lap when I did signings there? You insisted on drawing
a little whale on every book I signed." Laurel smiled as she twirls Belly's ponytail

Liz closes her eyes as she covers her face, "No, I don't remember that." Belly chuckles awkwardly

"I'll take that. Thank you." Laurel says as the cashier tries to hand Belly the credit card, "I'll make you a deal. I'll let you pick out tonight's dessert if you come with me and keep me company." Laurel continues as she walks to open the door

"I'll see you later." The cashier says

"What's later ?" Laurel asks

"Nothing." Belly says as she walks out

Laurel looks over at Liz who quickly shrugs and hurries out. Laurel and the girls get in the car as Steven finishes up with the gas.

"This isn't even the right flavor, dude." Dakota complains

"Who cares ? It all tastes the same." Liz scoffs

Dakota huffs as Liz looks up and sees Belly looking at herself in the mirror. As Belly smiles, Liz feels her heart get warm. Belly has always been like a little sister to her. She was also a gorgeous girl. While being hit on by a creepy cashier wasn't ideal, she was happy that Belly finally sees herself for her beauty.

Steven sighs and he gets in the car and starts the engine. Liz smiles as she starts to feel excited. Cousins was fingertips away.

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Liz can barely contain herself as they finally pull into the beach house driveway.

"What's up ?" Jeremiah smiles as he walks off of the porch

"Go, go, go. Hurry up." Liz says

"I'm going." Dakota says

"Hi. Oh my god." Laurel laughs as she hugs Jeremiah

"Long time no see." Jeremiah says

"Good to see you."

Steven and Jeremiah hug as Dakota runs up behind them and joins in.

"Dakota dude. How have you been, man ?"

Belly and Liz stand by the car smiling as they watch everyone hug. Jeremiah turns and looks over at the girls.

"Liz, oh my god." Jeremiah says walking up to hug her.

Liz laughs as she hugs him back. He lets her go and looks over at Belly.

"Look who came back all grown up." He smiles as he hugs Belly and twirls her around. Belly laughs as Liz turns and sees him.

𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝐹𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑟

The boy she's had a crush on for as long as she could remember. With her, Dakota, and Conrad being the oldest of the kids, they spent a lot of time together when they first started coming to Cousins. As they got older, they got closer and Liz's feelings for Conrad grew like crazy. He was the boy of her dreams and one of the many reasons she was always so excited to come back.

He walks up to Liz and smiles, "Hey."

"Hey." she chuckles

"You look different," He furrows his brows, but the smile is still present

Her smile slightly falters, "Good different or bad different ?" She says awkwardly

"Good." He says quietly, but she hears. She smiles as he looks over to Belly

"I liked you better with glasses." He says playfully

She shrugs, "Too bad. I like me better without them."

Belly laughs as Conrad ruffles her hair

"Hey, hey, guys, guys." Steven starts as he, Jeremiah, and Dakota walk up to the other three.

"I mean, I-I don't know about you, but I..." He continues as Liz smiles, "Well, I-I think it's time for a..."

"Belly flop !" Steven, Jeremiah, and Dakota yell

Belly screams as Jeremiah and Steven grab at her. They chase her around to the back gate as she runs to get away. Dakota and Conrad share a look as they smirk. They suddenly pick up Liz as she screams in shock.

"What ? No, I'm not apart of this tradition." She exclaims as she tries to fight her way down

"You are now." Dakota laughs

They bring her to the backyard where Jeremiah and Steven are holding Belly by her hands and feet.

"Right here. Right here." Jeremiah says as they scoot over to make space for Liz. They put Liz in the same position as Belly as they start to count down.

"One..."

"Two..."

"Three !" They shout as they toss the two girls in the pool. The girls scream before they finally land in the water. The boys laugh as the girls emerge from the water

"How's the water ?" Jeremiah jokes

The boys continue laughing as Liz swims to the edge with a frown.

"Guys, wait, I hurt my ankle." She says. Belly swims to the other side with a grin as she sees the boys start to worry.

"Bullshit." Dakota says

"No, I'm serious." She gasps

"Come on," Conrad says as he holds his hand out to her. Liz grabs his hand before she quickly pulls him in. Belly laughs as she gets out.

As the two teenagers are underwater, they grab each others arms. They open their eyes under water and look ar each other. Liz becomes flustered and quickly swims to the surface.

"Let go." She giggles

Conrad swims to the edge of the pool as Liz looks around. She sees the boys talking as Belly calls out to her.

"Hurry Liz. The water is freezing." She says. Liz swims to the edge and Belly helps her out.

______________________________________

The two girls make their way into the kitchen where they see Laurel, and the Fisher boys' mom, Susannah.

"Hi." Belly smiles as the two girls sit at the counter

"Girls. You're dripping water everywhere." Laurel sighs as she walks out to get towels

"You girls are absolutely stunning." Susannah gasps. Liz smiles as Belly starts to blush.

"You've always been lovely, but look at you guys." She says grabbing their hands

"I think I look pretty much the same." Belly chuckles

"You do not look the same at all." Susannah says

"You're growing up. You're in bloom." She finishes placing her hand on Belly's cheek

Belly smiles as Liz watches them. She smiles as Susannah turns to her.

"And you," Liz giggles as Susannah comes closer, "I don't even know where to start. You are absolutely gorgeous, honey. Truly." She says with a sweet smile.

"Thank you, Susannah." Liz smiles softly

As Susannah walks back around to the other side of the counter, Laurel comes back with two towels.

"Laur she's you all over." Susannah says as Laurel hands Liz a towel

Laurel wraps the other towel around Belly, "People always say I look like my dad."

"No, when your mom and I first met, she looked just like you."

"Except I had no boobs at all." Laurel smiles poking at Belly

"Gross, Mom." Belly grimaces as Liz laughs

"You should call your father and tell him we got in safely." Laurel says as she unpacks a box on the table

"Ugh, why don't you tell Steven to do it ?" Belly sighs

"Because I'm telling you." Laurel starts, "He misses you guys when you're gone."

"Yeah, but he'll see us at the end of the summer." Belly counters as Susannah hands the girls a cup of iced tea

"No, he'll be here for the Fourth."

"Wait, he's coming here ?" Belly says with raised brows

"Of course." Laurel says, "He always comes for the Fourth."

"He didn't come last summer."

Laurel sighs, "Because we'd just gotten divorced. We're good now."

"Where's Mr. Fisher ?" Liz asks

"Oh, he's in London." Susannah says quickly, "They got him going back and forth."

She turns to grab a pot of flowers, "He'll join us later in the summer."

"For now, it's just the women and the children." She smiles as she places the flowers down, "Just the way we like it."

Liz smiles as she turns to Belly, who watches her mother and Susannah laugh together.

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sᴏʀʀʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴋɪɴᴅᴀ ʟᴏɴɢ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ sᴛɪʟʟ sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴛᴏ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀsᴛ ᴇᴘɪsᴏᴅᴇ. ʜᴏᴘᴇꜰᴜʟʟʏ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏs :)