as it was ~ conrad fisher

eight.

𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊

"a few small housekeeping bits i'd like to go over. we have a lot to look forward to this season." the lady, paige, announces to us. i look over to see shayla picking up her purse, "now, i understand some of you might think that debbing is outdated. it's something you're doing to appease your families." gigi looks over to shayla as well, a flask being secretly displayed, "but the cousins debutante ball is a part of history." shayla brings her glass to her and pours some of the alcohol into it, passing it onto gigi once she finished, "venerated, yet ever evolving, it's a tradition you'll someday pass on to your own daughters. it's a formal marking of this passage of time between your teenage years and your adulthood. one ends, and the other begins." i look over at belly, scared that they're going to get caught, "it's a journey generations of women before you have taken." marisa passes the flask on and winks at belly and i, "women who you can learn from and who can inspire you. debs, at each table is a big sister who will guide you through the season. so, please introduce yourselves."

i skim my eyes over each person at the table, stopping once nicole is the only one to speak up, "hey, little sis." she says to belly and i.

"hey." i laugh.

"honestly, my parents made me do it last year because, you know, like, all the women in my family have done it. but my big sis was great, and i actually ended up having a lot of fun. so just don't be nervous. okay? do you want some?" she asks belly and i, when i feel belly lean towards me, i follow her line of sight, seeing mo and cam walking down the hall.

"um, no, thanks, we're good, but, uh, we'll be right back." belly says as her and i get up from our seats.

"oh. okay." nicole says blandly.

"sorry." i whisper, belly grabbing my hand and pulling me across the room.

"cam." belly shouts as she opens the door, pulling me with her.

cam turns around, walking back up the stairs, "belly. what are you doing here?"

"lilah?" mo smiles, running behind cam.

"uh..." belly whispers.

"wait. are you debs?" cam asks, walking towards us, mo right next to him.

"yeah, i guess, technically, yes." i say. belly pushes me away from her and towards mo. i was caught by surprise and tripped into him. i shut my eyes in fear and embarrassment, but after not feeling an impact with the ground i opened them to see him smiling down at me, hands planted on my waist.

"you alright?" he asks, his smile practically reaching from ear to ear.

"yeah." i begin as he removes his hands from their previous spot, "i-i went down to the boardwalk yesterday, but, uh, your shop was closed."

"seriously? man, yeah, we were closed. but, uh, we're open every other day. i just have today off." he laughs.

"yeah. good thing you weren't there, though. you would've seen a-a sweaty version of me looking longingly at the storefront." i laugh.

"well, we never was you to be longing." he says, using his hand for emphasis.

"you know, i think it's too late. the longingness has set in." i say smiling, too caught up in the moment to think if that was even a real word or not.