✔️| 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒆𝒓 ─ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒓𝒂𝒅 𝒇𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓

SEVENTY-THREE

Today was finally the day of the deb ball. The girl wasn't as excited as she thought she would be. All her life, her and her mom talked about what this day would be like. How her dress would look, her hair, everything.

Now that it was finally happening, the girl wanted it to be over. But she had to stay positive. If she went into this day with a sour mood, she wouldn't enjoy it. And besides she's been doing a lot of reflecting. All her life, she's had a close knit of friends. And they were the only ones who were there for her at her darkest times.

Well some of them were. The one she wanted wasn't included in those people. Conrad stopped talking to her when she needed him the most. Yesterday proved to her how much he wasn't there for her. The only ones who truly were, were Belly, Taylor, and Jeremiah.

And that leads to her decision today. Belly is her best friend. Yes she did a lot of shady shit with Conrad and Grant. But she never even asked the girl why she did it. She only assumed the worst. She didn't even hear her out.

When the girl was freshly showered, she walked down stairs in some sweatshorts and a tank top. She was gonna change into her dress anyways. No need to dress up.

"Morning everyone."

"Little Brie." Susannah hugged the girl. "Big day. How do you feel?"

Briella shrugged. "Normal."

"Oh c'mon Brie. you gotta be a little more excited than that." Laurel chuckled.

"Here take my coffee Brie." Jeremiah smiled, handing her his coffee. "You look like you need it." 

Briella scrunched her face in disgust. "You drink this? It's so bitter."

Jeremiah shrugged. "Cream and sugar not good for this body."

"Oh and everyone please stay out of the family room. I've done all your paintings and tonight after the ball, we'll have a big unveiling." Susannah explained. "Uh can you put that in Laurel's car honey?"

"Yeah yeah sure." Jeremiah said, taking the dresses.

"Hurry hurry." Susannah demanded as she handed both Belly and Briella their heels. The woman was too excited.

"I'll wait in the car." Briella said, excusing herself. The stares from the older Fisher boy didn't go unnoticed by the girl. That's why she needed to get the hell out of there. Of course the universe is never on her side because she was stopped by the one person she hated the most.

"Hey Brie. Um good luck tonight." Conrad said.

Briella nodded. "Thanks."

Conrad wanted to talk to her ever since last night. They shared a moment. Well, at least to him they did. Even if she didn't say anything when he told her about the stars. "Look can we talk please?"

"There's nothing to talk about."

"You know there is."

Briella shook her head. "No there's not."

"I thought you know we shared a moment yesterday?" Conrad said. 

"We just looked at the stars."

Conrad nodded. "Yeah but... didn't you feel anything?"

Briella hesitated. Of course she felt something. Even if the only thing said were the boy telling her all the stars in the sky, it made the girl love the boy even more. Because underneath all that mysterious, bad boy façade, he can be sweet and loving. 

That was the boy Briella fell in love with. But she needed to stay strong. "I'm sorry."

Conrad sighed, defeated. He knew it'll be hard to convince her. Maybe he'll ask again later. "Ok. I'll meet you there later? I still need to pick up my tux."

The girl looked at the boy surprised. "You're still coming?"

Conrad nodded. "I promised you I would."

"You promise me a lot of things. Sorry if I have a hard time believing it."

"I deserve that. I really am sorry."

"Emmett's going..." Briella hesitated, before finally getting the courage to finish the sentence. "As my date."

"Oh." Conrad's heart shattered. What did he expect? Briella was a beautiful, smart girl. Who wouldn't want to take her to the deb ball? "Here. Just the way you like it." The boy handed her a to-go cup and walked away.

The girl looked down. She was now holding a to-go cup that smelt like coffee. She brought the cup to her lips to taste the contents inside. She smiled at the taste. He remembered how she likes her coffee. Now this made it all the more difficult.