Favorite Crime•The Summer I Turned Pretty

the start of the summer

It had been two years since I was at Cousins beach. My dad, Jay had begged Laurel to take me this year, said I needed a summer away to screw my head on straight. He was never happy with me lately, not that I blamed him.

So, this year had to be different.

"I'm so glad you decided to come, Vi." Belly said with a wide smile as she and her best friend Taylor packed her suitcase.

My dad moved us near Laurel after the accident, he wanted me to have a mother figure nearby, which I wish he knew how much I appreciate that. K

"It'll be nice to see the boys again."

"Oh, please like you aren't on FaceTime with Jeremey every night." Taylor said and I rolled my eyes.

"He's always been like in love with you." Belly said and I laughed.

"Oh, please once they get one look at this Belly Conklin, Beck's boys will forget all about me." I said and Belly shrugged.

"They really have missed you, we all have." She said and I just smiled as I stared off at her.

I always forgot how hard she took everything that had happened. My mom was Belly's rock, and my mom simply adored her. That's actually where she got the nickname Belly from, Shelly had always wanted a mini version of her, and I just wasn't like her.

"It's going to be great. Here, say your goodbyes, I'll take your bag down." I said picking up the suitcase and leaving her to say goodbye to Taylor.

•

Steven drove us to the beach house this year, which was already off to a bad start.

Belly had music blasting as I curled back another page of my book. She sang loudly off key, and Steven groaned loudly.

"Uh, can you guys turn it down a little, please?" Laurel asked and Steven nodded in agreement as Belly reached over and lowered it.

"I want you to be better about helping out this summer. Like, don't just leave your dishes in the sink. Load them into the dishwasher. And not just your own dish, either, Steven." Laurel said and Steven glanced at her in the mirror offended.

"What? But I-" He went to defend but, she stopped him.

"I want you to be good houseguests." She repeated.

"Mom, Susannah has people who clean, doesn't she?" Steven said and I scoffed

"Steven." Laurel warned as I leaned up and smacked the back of his head.

"Ow! All right. All right. Sorry."

Laurel was always weird when it came to stuff like money, and hired cleaners. It was something that mine and Susannah's families had grown up with, so to us we didn't know any different.

"Just be considerate and act like I raised you right. Steven and Violet, that means don't stay out too late." Laurel said and I gave her a nod.

"Mom, I'm too old for a curfew!" Steven whined.

"Wait, what about me? I don't have a curfew either, right?" Belly asked and Steven loudly laughed.

"What do you need a curfew for? You don't go anywhere." He said and Belly crossed her arms annoyed. 

"Don't be an ass, Belly's older now she's gonna wanna do the things we do." I said and she dropped her arms relieved.

I knew Belly never felt like I had her back when it came to her hanging out with us, but I did always try to include her.

"Oh, and don't forget, you promised you'd take me driving." Belly said and my eyes widened. Steven and I were supposed to take her, but we knew better than to say it in front of Laurel.