❝𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐒𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐃❞ - 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐑𝐀𝐃 𝐅𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐑.

𝟎𝟔: 𝐃𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐈𝐍'𝐒 & 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊 𝐈𝐍'𝐒:

THERE was only one, special person I wanted to talk to about Noah: Susannah. It fully hit me in the moment and the tears fell constantly as my life began to feel unaligned. I look around the summer room that was labelled mine, old family photos of my loved ones, but more importantly, photos of my summer family. Between blurry vision, my fingers trace the familiar frames that captured memories that have been built to last. I smile through the rapidly flowing streams when I see a photo of Conrad and I, glasses sitting on his face, wearing an black and white stripped tee, with his arms wrapped around my neck, pulling middle school me into a tightly knitted hug. I can't even fathom how he's feeling. His mom, the light in his life, the woman who's supposed to assist in paving his way, is slowly dying. I can't imagine being in his place, but I do know I would take this burden from him in an absolute heartbeat.

"Oh, God," I wipe tears from my eyes as footsteps approach down the hall. I take a glance in the mirror as mascara is smudged under my eyes from the moisture that hadn't evaporated.

There was a knock at the door and my heart froze. I didn't know who I didn't want it to be more, Conrad or Susannah. "Serena," a voice patiently called as my pulse quickened. Belly.

"Yeah, babe, let yourself in." I sucked in air quickly. Belly was the only person I'd feel comfortable with noticing my distraught appearance. Her bright, enthusiastic demeanor turned into a downturned smile as she opened the door. "It's Noah. That's all, I'm fine."

She closed the door behind her and sat on the other end of the bed. She doesn't know about the cancer and it's not my place to tell, I remind myself. "What happened, S?"

"He texted me while I was sitting at the Deb table. God, you know, just as I thought I was leaving that town for a little bit, it creeps back in like some bad rash." It's not a complete lie; but I didn't feel overly upset about the douchebag reaching out for the first time since it went down.

"Let me see, what'd he say?" I hand my phone over reluctantly as she keys in my password, and it would be creepy if it was anyone else, but not her. "Are you kidding me?" She rolls her eyes. "Just as you get here. He couldn't have said it before you left. He's a douchebag, Reen. You deserve better."

I wipe the remaining residue of tears, retracting my hands from my face as they're now covered in mascara streaks. "So, what did you need? Jeremiah finally work up the strengthening and surprising courage to ask the most gorgeous girl in Cousin's out yet?"

She half smiles. "Not him, and I pale in comparison to you," her discouraged tone made me feel awful.

"Do you own a mirror, Bells? Look in one of them for once, I beg. So, not him, but who?"

"Uhm, well, you remember Cameron, right?" She smiles fully this time, eyes filled with pure excitememt.

"You have a date with Sextus!" I shout loud enough for everyone in the summer house to hear, my speech quick and sentences running together. I grab both her arms, pulling her off the bed. "Do you want to borrow one of my dresses?" I open the closet, doors swinging open. "I have this new babydoll one, it's orange colored. Would a floral moment suit you better, maybe? I have off the shoulder and on the shoulder in those..."

She laughs. "I'm still processing the fact that he asked me out."

"Of course he did, Belly, you're you!" I look into my closet deeper. "Seriously, come pick something out before I select one for you."

Belly and I walk down the steps, her wearing one of my dresses, and I wore my favorite white dress. "You both look really cute." Susannah smiles largely, and I think my heart broke a little more as she spoke. "You're going to have so much fun tonight. Are you doing anything, Serena?"