The Summer I Turned Pretty - The Years Later✔️

Bonus Chapter 2 (you don't wanna miss it)

Cold air hit my face as I walked towards the elevator. My skin in tan fro the months I've spent in Spain and now I feel like an outsider in my own country.

My mom insisted I return from Spain for Conrad's graduation party which she is hosting in this four start banquet. I must've tried a hundred times to get out of her request but she wouldn't budge. You see, I'm not a big fan of meeting my ex-boyfriend and ex-fiancé after the wedding broke off. That was the last time I saw both the Fisher boys.

Things change in two years. People change. I'm not the carefree Belly I used to be anymore. I'm not the little naive girl I used to be. Spain changed me. I'm Isabel now. But I think it was a good change. I was tired of being a baby and being treated like a kid.

I'm wearing a fancy cocktail dress I had bought in Spain. It's velvet black with a slit on my left leg and a semi-deep neck. I'm so not the girl in sundresses and pink T-shirts anymore.

The elevator door opened and I stepped out of it. Taking a deep breath I walked into the chaos that is the room filled with guests. Conrad graduating is a big deal all right. Specially when he was in the top three percent of his class.

The room full of strangers greeted me and I had a sudden wave of guilt hitting me. I completely disconnected from everyone after I left for Spain. I never bothered replying Conrad's letters with honesty. And now I have no clue how to react when I meet the boys.

"Belly." My mother's calm and contained voice met my ears and I turned around to see her in a well tailored suit standing with a glass of what I'm guessing is champagne.

"Mom," I smiled and wrap my arms around her. She gave my outfit a check but made no comments and I'm thankful for that.

"You look so different," she smiled, placing a hand on my cheek. "You look so grown," she said.

"I'm twenty one mom," I rolled my eyes. "Of course I'm grown." She simply nodded her head and grabbed a glass of shiny liquid for me as a server passed by.

"There are so many people," I observed.

"All of Con's medical friends, some high school friends, Jere's friends, neighbours, family," mom checked out on her fingers. As organised as ever.

She grabbed my arm and started introducing me to some of Susannah's friends from the place they actually lived at other than the summer house. I politely smiled and greeted all of them but a terrified feeling still lingered in my stomach.

"Belly!" Steven walked over to me and grabbed me in a hug. He smelled of cologne. Nice cologne.

"What are you wearing?" he asked, glancing at my dress.

"It's a cocktail dress Stevie," I said, glaring at him. "Women wear this." He raised his hands in surrender. I felt a delicate palm touch my arm and I was pulled in a hug by Taylor.

"Girl you look fine," she whistles. I chuckled and thanked her.

"Spain boys treating you good I see," she winked.

"Don't get me started with them," I teased playfully.

Taylor and I stuck together for the next hour or so. The food was great. Mainly the reason I was here. But Taylor drifted off somewhere in the middle and I was left alone to stand by the drinks counter. Not that I was a drink addict or anything p. I don't even drink much. I'm all about fruity mock tails.

"Hi." I turned my head to look at a man in a fancy black silk shirt standing beside me. Belly! You were so lost you didn't even see him stand beside you!

"Hi," I replied. "Do I know you?"

"No," he shook his blonde mop. He was literally a Ken doll. Blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes. Fair complexion, sinewy muscles. Tall. In other words, not my type. And I do have a type. The tan broody summer men with the body of a god and dark skin with a smirky kind of mouth.