as it was ~ conrad fisher

three.

𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊

"steven, i swear to god, if you look at that phone one more time, i'm putting it in the screen basket." mom tells steven after him and jere we're laughing at something on his phone. the first dinner of the summer is always my favorite thing. but this summer is different, it's not as lively as it usually is and that can't be a good sign.

"it's just, we want to see your beautiful faces. can dinner be a screen-free zone? you know, like the olden days." susannah says, moms the only one who laughed. the table set ups kind of weird with 7 of us, but us kids have had it situated for years. susannah at one end, jere and steven next to eachother across from belly and mom, and then conrad and i share the other end.

"steven." jeremiah says, grabbing stevens phone when he got no answer.

"dude, are you kidding me?" steven whines as jere shoots it like a basketball into an empty chair.

"boom! nailed it." he shoves in his face.

"okay, okay, okay, we get it, you've been working out." steven tells him. i mean, one look at jere and it's obvious he has. and no, i'm not stealing belly's man, but i cant lie and say he's not a nice sight.

"oh, you're just jealous because jere has a better body than you." i tell steven, belly nodding her head in agreement.

"uh, no, actually, it's all about the lean look now. otherwise; you can't wear tailored suits." he tells me, everyone starts laughing.

"sure, sure." jere tells him.

"tailored suits." conrad says nodding his head. i swear that's the first time i've heard him talk since i saw him this morning. somethings up with him this summer.

"when are you leaving for training camp, man?" steven asks him. oh yeah. training camp. my most dreaded thing during the summer. conrad always leaves early and it's just never the same.

"uh, he quit football." jeremiah tells us. the whole room goes silent. i know for a fact conrad never would've quit football unless something bad happened. definitely talking to him about this later.

"wh... wait, really? you quit?" steven asks him. conrad has this kind of 'disappointed' look on his face that i can't help but notice. i give him a look of sympathy.

"mm-hmm." he responds. maybe we should change the topic seeing as he doesn't have much to say...

"are you kidding me, man? i'd-i'd kill to play college ball." steven says. really steven? not. the. time.

"he can always change his mind." susannah tells us.

"i'm not gonna change my mind. i was just gonna sit on the bench all season anyways." he tells us. conrad's always been a 'i have to be doing something or i feel useless' kinda person, which i cant even blame him for because i feel like that sometimes. he's always been so into football, though.

"well, if you're not playing football anymore, what are you gonna do all summer?" mom asks. he kinda shrugs his shoulders.

"oh, dude, you can work at the club. yeah, with me and jere." steven tells him, getting all excited. i know for a fact working at the country club is probably the last thing he wants to do this summer.

"yeah." jere adds in.

"i'm not gonna work at the club." conrad scoffs. told youuu.

"wait, you guys are working this summer?" belly asks them. her and i were planning on trying to find a job but it's slim pickings on places that will hire us.