rosalie barton had been going to cousins every summer, staying at the fishers beach house.
conrad and jeremiah always had their eyes on her, neither taking any action. they just admired from afar. until this summer, where everything changed.
tw: se...
i sat in the kitchen with the moms and belly while i waited for jeremiah to get home from work.
"so, belly, who is going to be your escort to the deb ball?" my mother asked. "did you ask that boy you've been hanging around with?"
"yeah, cam, i did. he's going to be away that day with his whale internship. i asked jeremiah. he's going to take me." she said.
i felt my heart pinch a little bit when she said that. i was surprised that she asked him. i was more surprised he said yes.
"that's lovely bells! you and jere are going to have a great time." susannah said. "i'm really happy you're doing this."
"i am too." belly replied. "i wish you would have joined me, rosie."
i smiled at her, "this kind of thing really isn't me."
she nodded, "i know."
the moms and belly made small talk while i sat there staring out the window. i saw steven outside and went out to see him.
"hey man, where's jere?" i asked, sitting on the lounge chair next to his.
"he's working late; someone called out sick." he replied, putting his hands behind his head. "you know shayla, right?"
i nodded, "yeah."
"well," he started, "she's coming over tonight. i'm really nervous because i want to ask her to be my girlfriend."
i smiled at him, "so it's really that serious, hey?"
he smiled back and nodded, "yeah, it really is."
"i'm happy for you, steven."
"thanks, rosie. you got your eye on anybody?" he asked.
i shrug, "yeah, i do."
steven sat up, "who!"
i leaned forward, "you have to promise not to tell anybody, okay?"
he stuck out his pinky finger, interlocking it with mine. "i promise. now tell me!"
i waited a second before i said anything, nervous to tell someone other than maggie. "jere." i said quietly.
a big smile spread across stevens face, "thank god." steven said. "i was worried you didn't like jeremiah the way he likes you."
a smile grew on my face, "he likes me?"
steven laughed and shook his head, "obviously, you fool. i don't know how you didn't notice."
hearing those words come out of stevens mouth only solidified what i wanted to say to jeremiah when he came home. I wanted to tell him how i felt about him. steven and maggie both helped me build up the courage to do it.
shayla walked into the backyard. "hey, rosie! steven!" she said, coming over to us.
"have fun, you two!" i said, heading inside.
i went up to my room to throw on a hoodie. i grabbed a dark grey one from my closet. i sat on my bed to figure out what exactly i wanted to tell jeremiah.
i heard the front door close and his voice downstairs talking to all the moms. my heart started beating quickly, getting more nervous about talking to him. it was weird to feel this way about talking to jeremiah. he was my best friend, and i had never been nervous about talking to him before. i had always just been able to, and tonight i felt like i couldn't.
i heard the door to his bedroom close. i took a few deep breaths to compose myself before getting up. i paced around in a few circles before opening my door and going over to his. everything felt like i was in slow motion. i lifted my hand and knocked on his door.
"come in," he called from inside.
i twisted his door knob and entered his room. he was over by his desk in his red lifeguarding shorts, typing on his phone. his hair was messy, and he had his white lifeguarding shirt draped over his left shoulder.
"hey, rosie, what's up!" he said, putting his phone down and shutting it off.
i smiled as i felt my heart beat out of my chest, "just wanted to see how your shift went." i replied, sitting on the corner of his bed.
"it was really good, thanks for asking." he smiled at me while opening his closet door. he pulled a black hoodie over his head.
it was time. i was so nervous to say anything i almost got up to leave. but i imagined maggie standing there rooting me on.
"hey, jere?" i asked.
he turned around, "yeah?"
i bit down on my lip, taking a deep breath, "after the night when we were on the pier, i have been wanting to tell you this." i paused as he looked at me. "i really like you—"
he came up to me, his hands cupping my face, and he pressed his lips against mine. i felt like i was going to melt on the spot. i never wanted his lips to leave mine.
he pulled away and looked down at me.
"you didn't even let me finish."
he laughed. he looked so handsome.
"i didn't have to." he brushed a piece of hair away from my eyes. "i really like you too, rosie."
my heart felt so happy at this moment. i didn't know how to react. i wanted to jump up and down.
"you have no idea how long i have been waiting for you to say those words to me." jeremiah said, sitting on the bed next to me. "i have always liked you, from the day we met. you have always had my heart."
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