The Summer She Turned Pretty

Night Swims and Jeremiah Fisher

Usually, Belly's the one to swim in the pool at night, but she was nowhere in sight, and I needed some time to relax. So here I was, in the pool doing laps. I wasn't really thinking of anything, I wanted to forget. I was hoping for a great summer, and don't get me wrong this summer had great moments so far, but not what I wanted. I liked before-this-summer-Conrad, not this-summer-Conrad. Surprisingly there was someone in mind who was becoming more important in my heart. He was filling the void Conrad was slowly expanding. 

I decided to go completely underwater, the goal of this swim was to stop thinking, and  I don't know what it was but it calmed me, maybe the silence of it.  The only noise I could hear was the water. That's when I saw the person invading my void, Jeremiah Fisher swimming past me, smirking. I could literally feel my face light up and I quickly rose to the surface. I took a huge gasp of air and then Jere submerged right in front of me. 

"Is this a solo swim, or can I join?" He smirks and lightly plays with the pool water. A couple of seconds ago I didn't know who or what I needed and now it was right in front of me. 

"I thought I wanted it to be but I couldn't stop thinking about one person joining me."  I don't even look in the direction of Jeremiah as I say this. I wasn't even glancing at him but I felt his eyes burning through me.  I could feel my organs doing backflips. I felt like I could feel every single drop of water on me. 

"Oh, May." He whispered, and I slowly looked up at him. I hoped the darkness was enough to make my blush invisible, but probably not. His face said it all. I knew he was about to say something, and I needed him to. 

I let out a breathy sigh, "hmm?" I barely raise one of my eyebrows in question. I could kind of tell where this was going, and usually, I would be scared. Usually. 

"Are you sad you broke up with Devin?" I bit my lip at the unexpected question that came out of Jere's mouth. I slightly roll my eyes at the change of conversation, especially since it was about my cheating ex. 

I eventually shook my head, "No, it, um... had to be done."  He lightly chuckled and looked away. "What is it?" I laughed, suddenly nervous. 

He shook his head, laughing. "It's nothing." I didn't notice until now, but we were getting closer and closer to each other. "Everything." Jere finally continued. "You're my best friend." a long pause. "There are times... I wanted it to be more." 

"Really?" My face was burning. "Why.. uh, why didn't you say anything?" 

"Well, there was always Conrad, I knew you guys had something the last couple of summers. Then, this summer it was Devin. And I guess I was just.. waiting." He was looking away as he said this, but I was looking right at him. I inched a little bit closer.  He looked back at me. 

"For me?" I whisper. 

"Yeah," he whispers back. "Do you think you could ever...." he stops. 

I smile, "Yeah. Yes, yes." 

Susannah told me that when I was born she knew I was destined for one of her boys. I always thought it would be Conrad. But now, he wasn't even a possibility. 

I reached for Jeremiah's hand underwater. 

Here I am, about to kiss Jeremiah Fisher. 

With my hand, he pulled me a little closer. We both leaned in. When our lips connected I swear my whole body exploded. This whole summer I had ignored the signals my body was giving me, about Jere. About how his touch made me feel, his little comments, his smile.

Our lips never disconnected, Jeremiah led his hands under my legs and lifted me up so my legs were wrapped around his body. I was pulling the hair at the nape of his neck as his hands were roaming my body, we continued to make out for, I don't know how long. 

I can't believe I was so focused on the unreliable, toxic, bitch Conrad when the person I wish Conrad was, was right in front of me. 

Rewritten.