The Summers After

fifteen

BELLY
8 YEARS AGO

Belly can't believe it when he approaches her. Is this really happening?

"Congratulations, Belly." His voice is the same. The way it touches her soul is the same. Everything about the way he smiles makes her giddy is the same.

"What are you doing here?" She chokes out. She's suddenly very self-conscious about her dumb polyester graduation robe. He looks devilishly handsome in his navy blue pants and light blue button down.

He smirks. Oh man, that smirk. "Curb your enthusiasm."

Belly smiles, "I'm just surprised to see you." Why is she acting so stupid? This is Conrad. He's known her his whole life.

"Can I hug you?" He says hopefully.

"Of course." Belly responds and closes the gap between them.

As soon as he wraps her in his arm, she knows. She knows that no matter what, they will always find their way back to each other. Her heart rate speeds up as his scent engulfs her. Her brain is having trouble processing him being here. She hasn't seen him since her wedding day. But it doesn't matter, everything melts away.

"I missed you," Belly mumbles into his chest. She kind of hopes that he didn't hear her, but he tightens his grip on her so she knows he did.

"I missed you," he responds.

They stand there for what feels like forever, but somehow not long enough. People pass by talking and laughing. It doesn't matter, only Conrad and Belly exist in this moment.

Conrad doesn't stay long, they share a few words before he leaves.

She thinks about him during dinner with her parents and Steven, and impatiently waits for his name to appear on her phone. But nothing.

There's no way he didn't feel what she felt. The pull is still the same for her, but she's starting to wonder if maybe it isn't for him. Maybe he came just to be nice, just to please his mother one last time.

She's in her apartment by herself the night of graduation, it's her last night here and her roommates have already moved out. She's wearing fuzzy socks and one of her big Spain sweatshirts, even though it's June so she doesn't need any of it. She's munching on the food that she found in the pantry, goldfish, a brown sugar cinnamon pop-tart and the last Cherry Coke.

She's watching reruns of Friends and giggling to herself when Ross gets stuck in leather pants. The knock on her door makes her jump. She puts her snacks aside, wipes the crumbs off her face and walks to the door.

She's shocked to see him. Again. Twice in one day. He's still in his clothes he had this afternoon except his shirt is unbuttoned at the top.

"Hi," she says softly.

"I, um, forgot to give you your gift." He says quietly, and a little nervously. Conrad reaches into his pocket  and pulls out a black cardboard box. He hands it to her, "It's stupid, I just wanted you to have it."

Belly opens the box. There's a brass key sitting inside. Belly frowns at him, "What is this?"

"It's a key to the beach house," He says simply. "It's more symbolic than anything. I just wanted you to know that the house will always be yours."