This Love (Belly's Version)

Will you be my escort?

"OH MY GOODNESS!"

Susannah's grip tightened around me and I watched my moms face stay in complete shock. No one had expected this. Luckily, that was the point. Susannah finally lets go and looks at me. Her face is completely lit up and her eyes are baring into mine. I felt a sense of pride. Susannah was happy and I was happy to make her happy.

"Oh my beautiful girl."

Susannah's eyes tear up a little and I give her a small smile.

"I just felt like it was time for me. I'm about to turn sixteen and growing up means trying new things."

I shrug and my moms face begins to slowly return to its natural state. The back door opens and all the boys come rushing inside.

"What's wrong? We heard screaming."

A fast pair of footsteps travel down the stairs and Jace comes into view. Her hair was still a mess. She looks cute. Even if she did just roll out of bed.

"What happened? Who died?"

Susannah laughs and shakes her head.

"Oh nothing, just Belly finally becoming a deb!"

Susannah does a little jump and clap. She seemed ecstatic. The boy all sigh in relief and take seats at the table. I look over to Jace and her eyebrows are raised in surprise.

"You're gonna deb?"

I nod and Jaces face only slightly drops before she's plastering on a smile.

"Cool. Sounds fun."

I feel my excitement disappear immediately. Why did she seem upset about me being a deb? Why did it bother me so much that she was upset? It shouldn't. It didn't. I force myself to look away and smile wider.

"Yep. Super fun. Now I just have to go shopping, learn dances, raise money for charity, and find a escort, all while trying to have a fun summer."

I let out a short laugh but Susannah just shakes her head.

"I promise you Belly. We'll make it work."

She winks at me and rubs my shoulders. Susannah always had the knack for making you believe what she said. Usually I let myself believe her. But for some reason, this promise already felt like it was falling apart. She turns back to my mom who's looking a little less pale than before.

"Laur, dress shopping tomorrow?"

My mom seems to realize she's being spoken too and slowly nods.

"Um, sure. Yes. Just..."

She looks past Susannah and to me. Her eyes are pleading and full of NO.

"Are you sure you wanna do this? I mean the history of deb balls are extremely problematic and you're-"

"Yes."

My mom looks surprised at my interruption and I force myself to give her a sweet smile.

"I would love to be a deb."

I drown my tone in passive aggressiveness and I see Jace hold back a smile behind her. Mom sighs and shrugs.

"Alright. As long as you're good, I'm good."

I nod and look back to Jace again. Her eyes snap away and I force myself to brush it off. I turn to the boys instead. I was about to do something extreme. And I really hope it works.

"Conrad."

He looks up from his phone and I hear Susannah softly gasp behind me. This was it. I was asking the boy I loved to accompany me to the ball. I could feel Susannah's joy radiating from behind me.

"Will you do me the honor of escorting me to the deb ball?"

The room is filled with shocked faces and "oh shits" by Steven and Jeremiah. Conrad's face doesn't change though. Almost like he expected this. He sets his phone down and his eyes travel to me and then behind me. He looks pitiful. Like he was apologizing to something. Or someone.

"Yes. I'll be your escort."

I smile and I hear Susannah squeal. It was happening. Ten year old Belly would be over the moon right now. And I was too. I totally was. Footsteps go racing back up the stairs and I turn to see that Jace has disappeared. It takes everything inside of me to not run after her. Susannah seems to pay no mind as she rushes over to Conrad to gush about the future ahead. Steven and Jeremiah share a look but don't say anything as they stand and head up the stairs aswell. I feel a wave of shame fall over me. But it was nothing. Absolutely nothing.