𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒊: 𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓
𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐍𝐄
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❨2021❩

it was dark outside now as the first night of summer in cousins rolled in. conrad had been avoiding willow since dinner but she had finally found him sitting on the edge of the pool with his legs in the water.

a brisk chill was sent down the blonde's spine as she exited the warmth of the house. while the night temperature was a little cold, it was still relatively comfortable being summer.

conrad heard the door shut and looked up to where willow was making her way over to him. it was only then that she noticed the small cloud of smoke that escaped his lips and the blunt in his hand.

"you hypocritical bitch," willow exclaimed which was surely heard by not only everyone inside but the neighbours too. "so, you smoke now too, huh?"

conrad ignored willow as she sat herself next to him, dipping her own legs in the water. he seemed nervous for some reason, perhaps cause he had an idea of what willow was wanting to talk about. "how many times did you give me shit about smoking pot. you used to grill me about how it would change the way my brain processed information and that it messes with white matter," willow recalled.

"you don't even know what white matter is," conrad replied with a small laugh, now seeming a little less tense and actually turning to face the girl on his right.

"that's not the point," willow knew he was right but didn't argue. "why are you smoking, connie?" she asked, now with a less playful tone, sounding more concerned for the boy. he went silent again, looking back down to the the water where their legs made small ripples.

"you quit football too. somethings going on," willow added but he remained silent, taking another puff of the blunt. willow watched him closely. she saw how the water was reflecting in his eyes and how, as he exhaled the cloud of smoke, his breath was rough and unsteady. she knew him better than anyone else and she could see that he wasn't okay.

"stop ignoring me. just tell me what's wrong," willow encouraged, trying to mask her impatience but she was growing more and more frustrated by the second.

"i just didn't wanna play football anymore. it's not a big deal," he shrugged, evidently getting annoyed with the blonde's questioning.

"so why didn't you tell me?" willow asked him though it seemed as though he didn't even know the answer himself.

"i don't have to tell you everything that goes in in my life," he responded rather harshly as he pulled the blunt back up to his lips but before he could take a hit, willow reached out and took it from him, bringing it to her own mouth and inhaling the drug.

"no, but you do anyway. or, at least you used to," she breathed out the gas as she spoke. and now conrad was watching her.

her hair was pushed behind her shoulders but a few loose strands fell forward, framing her face as the dim light from the moon shone onto her, illuminating her warm brown eyes. he could simply stare at her for hours and sometimes he'd catch himself doing exactly that. to him, she was perfect. everything about her provided a comfort he couldn't even begin to explain. her scent, her hair, her eyes, her mouth, her touch. with her, he always felt safe.

after a few seconds of silence, willow looked up to him, meeting his gaze. his eyes were heavy. tired. she didn't know how she didn't realise it before. he was exhausted and she had no idea why.

"you don't have to tell me what's wrong but don't pretend you're fine when you're clearly not," willow broke the thick silence for a single moment but then it returned.

they just stared at each other. neither of them spoke. neither of them moved. in his eyes she could tell something was burdening him and in hers he could see that she was concerned but still, they stayed silent.

it didn't take long for that sudden sense of calm to break as jeremiah and steven abruptly rushed out of the house. "come on, we're leaving!" steven shouted as willow and conrad pulled their gazes away from each other and towards the two boys.

"you ready?" jeremiah asked as conrad slowly stood up. conrad nodded in response so jeremiah and steven rushed back into the house to get to the front where jeremiah's car was parked.

"are you coming?" conrad asked her upon noticing she was still seated and now looking at the water as it broke around her swaying legs.

"you guys go ahead. i'll walk," willow replied.

"willow-" conrad began, concern racing through his mind at the thought of her walking to the bonfire alone in the middle of the night.

"i'll be fine," willow interrupted him, sending the boy a reassuring nod though he still seemed unconvinced but he knew that there was no point in arguing. if she'd already made up her mind, there was nothing anyone could say to change that.

"be careful, okay?" he said as he began to walk towards the door that jere and steven went through.

"i will," willow assured him, sending him a small smile as he left.

she sat there for about another ten minutes after conrad had left, making use of the blunt that he left with her as she leaned her head back and looked up at the stars. but after a while, she decided she should head inside so she did.

when she walked inside, she saw the moms getting snacks ready and making brownies to eat during the movie while laughing at one of susannah's jokes. when they noticed willow walk inside autumn asked her, "aren't you going to the bonfire? the boys just left."

"i am. i'm just going to go a little later," she told her, an immediate look of concern overcoming her face similarly to conrad's earlier.

"how will you get there? you can't walk by yourself at this time of night," her mother told her.

"you know, you could just join us for the movie," susannah suggested hopefully but willow was quick to shut down the suggestion.

"thanks, but i'm still going to go to the bonfire. conrad said he'll come back and drive me there when i call him and tell him i'm ready to leave," willow lied though it wasn't as much to deceive her mother but more so to settle her nerves.

"okay, just be safe," autumn kissed the top of her head and willow assured her she would before heading upstairs to get herself ready.

as she was heading to her room, she passed belly who had a rather upset look on her face. "hey," willow stopped the brunette. "are you okay?"

"i'm fine," belly replied though willow could tell she was lying and so she didn't move or let her gaze falter until belly sighed and told the truth, "the guys are just being assholes. i asked to go to the bonfire and they said no," she explained.

"seriously?" willow asked and belly nodded in response. "well, that's bullshit. and who cares what they say, you're going. you can come with me," willow told her causing the younger girl's face to light up.

willow always pitied belly. she was often left out and viewed as a little kid to the boys despite her being barely younger than the rest of them. willow tried her best to make sure belly was always involved but there was only so much she could do.

"really? thanks, wills," belly replied with a huge smile but that smile quickly faded as the realisation struck her. "my mom will never let me go. i'm supposed to be watching the movie with them."

"don't worry about that, okay? just go get changed," willow told her to which belly thanked her again before hurrying to her room.

willow then headed back downstairs to find the moms. they were all now sitting on the couch talking while they waited for belly and archer.

"lolo, where's your brother?" autumn asked her as she noticed her come down the stairs. willow simply shrugged to her question. "well, could you find him and ask him to come down? and belly too," her mother added.

"actually, i was hoping belly could come with me to the bonfire," willow told them hopefully though they each seemed confused at her request.

"belly wants to go to the bonfire?" laurel asked, surprised by her daughters sudden interest in parties.

"yeah," willow nodded and while susannah and autumn didn't seem to have a problem with it, laurel seemed unsure. "i'll be with her the entire time and the boys will all be there too. she'll be okay, i promise," willow sent her a reassuring smile.

"okay, fine. just don't be out too late," laurel agreed. "and keep an eye on her please."

"of course!" willow smiled. "thank you. i'll let archer know you're waiting if i see him. have fun watching your movie."

willow then rushed up the stairs and went into archer's room where he laid on his bed playing video games. "arch, the moms are waiting," willow told him but he didn't respond.

"archie!" willow yelled louder so that this time he heard her. he pulled off his headset and turned to his sister in the doorway.

"that's not my name," he glared at her. he always hated when willow called him archie which willow was well aware of, hence why she used the nickname so often.

"the movie is ready, everyone is waiting for you," willow told him though he seemed unimpressed.

"can't you take me with you? i don't wanna watch the movie. we watch the same one everytime, it's so boring," archer complained. "take me to the bonfire, please," archer pleaded, jokingly pouting his lip.

"not happening, i already have to keep an eye on belly and even if i didn't, i wouldn't bring you," willow told him.

"belly's going?" archer questioned, now even more annoyed.

"yep, have fun with the moms, archie!" willow said in a playful tone with a wink as she headed down the hallway but not before she heard archer's angry reply.

"i hope you fall in the fire!" he shouted after her causing her to laugh a little as she walked into belly's room.

the brunette was sitting on her bed messaging taylor, her best friend from back home in a long, purple shirt and shorts with her hair pulled back into a bun.

"bells, i love you but you cannot wear that," willow admitted to her.

"what? why not?" belly asked as she put down her phone and stood up, looking towards the mirror in her room.

"just trust me," willow told her before grabbing her hand and pulling her to the other end of the hall and into her room. "take your hair out. it looks good down," willow told her as she went through her suitcase that she had promised her mom she would empty before dinner but didn't.

"here," willow handed her a short, pink dress which made belly's eyes widen.

"i can't wear that!" belly immediately protested. she never worse dresses let alone owned one or any clothing the least bit revealing.

"why not? it would look great on you," willow told her, pulling her towards the mirror and holding the dress up against her as they both looked at her reflection.

"but-" belly began but quickly got cut off.

"no. no buts. at least try it on and if you really hate it, you don't have to wear it," willow told her and belly hesitated before agreeing and heading to the bathroom leaving and excited smile on willow's face.

a few minutes later, belly emerged from the bathroom wearing the light pink dress. it reached the middle of her thighs and hugged her figure nicely.

"you look amazing!" willow complemented, admiring the girl. she always wore oversized, unflattering clothes so it was certainly different seeing belly in her clothes.

"really?" belly asked as she tugged the dress down at the bottom.

"really," willow confirmed as belly looked in the mirror again and willow stood behind her. "you look hot. conrad would be an idiot not to see that," willow winked, mentioning the crush belly has had on her best friend for years now. belly sent her a playful glare for bringing up the boy in the first place. she always got embarrassed talking about him.

with the mention of conrad's name, belly blushed and a small smile appeared on her face. "you're smiling. that means you don't hate it. told you!" willow pointed out. "you're wearing the dress."

"fine," belly gave in causing willow to let out an excited squeal as she grabbed belly's hand and spun her around making both of the girls laugh.

"okay, give me a minute to change and then we can go," willow told her as she went through her suitcase again and this time grabbed at a blue and white, patterned, cropped tank top and a pair of black, denim shorts.

she then headed into the bathroom to change and fix up her hair. she left it down but brushed it as it was a complete mess.

after the girls were both ready to go, they headed downstairs and quickly said goodbye to the moms before heading straight for the door because they both knew that laurel would likely have a problem with the outfit belly was wearing.

the pair walked slowly towards the beach where the bonfire was taking place. they weren't in a huge rush to get there so they just talked as they followed the path. "you should just tell conrad you like him. what's the worst that could happen?" willow said, bringing up her longtime crush once again.

"uh, he could reject me and completely humiliate me and i won't ever be able to show my face her again so i'll have to summer back home without beaches and sun and you," belly exaggerated causing willow to laugh a little.

"he wouldn't do that," willow told her though belly didn't seem to believe her.

"i don't know if you've noticed but he has been a jerk all day," belly commented and willow couldn't argue with that. while he had appeared normal before dinner, he was avoiding her after and was acting really distant and cold. she'd tried to put it out of her mind but truthfully, it was bothering her.

"i've noticed. something's going on with him, he just won't tell me what it is," willow replied as she racked her brain for a possible reason why but continued to fall short.

"but he tells you everything." belly was just as confused as willow was. he was acting weird and it was killing willow knowing she couldn't help him.

"not anymore apparently," willow sighed. all she could do was hope conrad would eventually talk to her again because the last thing she wants is for him to be a jerk to everyone including her al summer.

the topic soon changed and the girls found themselves catching each other up to speed and what had happened over the last year since they had seen each other last and eventually made its way back to the boys as they got closer to their destination.

"they treat me like i'm still twelve. i hate it," belly complained. her frustration was evident on her face as she spoke.

"just make them hear you. the only reason they tell you what to do all the time is because you let them," willow told her but belly seemed confused.

"what do you mean?" she questioned. belly had no idea what the blonde was talking about but honestly, most people never did.

"tell them no every once in a while. hurt their egos a little. they can't control you if you don't let them. trust me, it works every time," willow told her to which belly let out a small laugh.

the two girls then heard loud chatting and music as they approached the beach. they were finally there.

𝒂 𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎
𝐋𝐈𝐕 <𝟑
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liv? publishing two chapters within 4 days? couldn't be me.

i never know what to write in these author's notes so this one will be short but you got some conrad and willow content and some belly and willow content as well as a little archer.

the bonfire will be in the next chapter in it's gonna be crazy so get ready!

❨04.08.2022❩
© livsluvrs