✔️| 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒆𝒓 ─ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒓𝒂𝒅 𝒇𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓

SIX

Briella woke up from a much needed nap. She was never drinking on an empty stomach ever again. Even if it was only 1 WhiteClaw.

"Steven I swear to God, if you look at that phone one more time, I'm putting it in the screen basket." Laurel warned her son as she was annoyed he was too busy laughing about something on his phone to enjoy the dinner her and Susannah cooked.

"It's just we want to see your beautiful faces." Susannah said. "Can dinner be a screen-free zone? You know like the olden days."

"Steven." Jeremiah said, the boy still not looking up from his phone. So the boy grabbed his phone and threw it across the room where the pillows were.

"Dude, are you kidding me?" Steven complained.

"Boom! Nailed it." Jeremiah cheered.

"Nice shot dude." Briella said.

"Thank you my little Brie." Jeremiah winked.

"Okay, okay, okay, we get it, you've been working out." Steven said, annoyed.

"Oh you're just jealous because Jere has a better body than you." Belly said.

Briella snorted as she took a sip of her tea. Her friend barely gave her any details with what happened between them going to the beach. But she can only assume it went well.

"Uh no, actually it's all about the lean look now. Otherwise you can't wear tailored suits." Steven explained causing everyone to laugh.

"Tailored suits." Conrad chuckled.

"When are you leaving for training camp, man?" Steven asked Conrad as he frowned.

"Uh he quit football." Jeremiah said.

Briella looked at the boy. As far as she knew, football has been Conrad's life. He loved playing the sport. What changed?

"Wait really? You quit?" Steven asked.

"Mmmh." Conrad said, not really interested in the conversation. 

"Are you kidding me man? I'd kill to play college ball."

"He can always change his mind." Susannah said.

"I'm not gonna change my mind. I was just gonna sit on the bench all season anyways."

"Well if you're not playing football anymore, what are you gonna do all summer?" Laurel asked.

"Oh dude you can work at the club." Steven said. "Yeah with me and Jere."

"Yeah." Jeremiah agreed. 

"I'm not gonna work at the club." Conrad shook his head. He would rather go fishing than work at the club. 

"Wait you guys are working this summer?" Belly asked.

"Yeah I'm lifeguarding and Steven's working at the snack shop." Jeremiah explained, fist pumping Steven.

Belly looked at Briella with a confused face. "What?" The girl mouthed only for the girl to shake her head.

No doubt Belly was upset the boys were working which meant no alone time with Jeremiah.

"Oh Belly, Briella I almost forgot." Susannah said, picking 2 envelopes and handing it to both girls. "I have a surprise for both of you."

"So this is why you had to stop by the country club." Laurel scoffed.

"Mm."

"What, uh what what is that?" Steven asked, curious.

Briella opened the envelope and started reading the paper inside. Her heart ached when she read it.

"I wrangled both Belly and Briella an invitation to be a debutante." Susannah explained.

It was always something Briella and her mom talked about when she turned 16. The girl tried to fight back the tears coming out. Thinking about her mom and how this was supposed to be their thing was too much.

Conrad watched the girl try to keep her cool. He knew something was up when she didn't say much during this exchange and no doubt it had to do something with her mom. All the boy wanted to do was pull the girl into a hug and tell her everything is gonna be ok. But he couldn't do that. Not now, not ever.

"Brie, what do you say?" Susannah asked.

"What?" Briella asked, snapping out of her thoughts.

"Don't you want to get all dressed up? I know it was something your mom and I talked about."

Briella smiled when she heard that. This ones for you mom. "Yeah I'll do it."