𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 || 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗿𝗮𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘅 𝗬/𝗻 𝗟/𝗻

𝟙𝟙.

"There is uh, there's this tea- the auction, the ball... and of course, the rehearsal."

Pacing around a little whilst listing the activities we had in store for us, I was already regretting my decision. But oh well, whatever makes Susannah happy. "I gotta write this down!" She exclaims, unable to contain her excitement.

"Oh my god-" She then suddenly gasps. "We gotta go shopping!" She declares, making the two of us giggle a little at her enthusiasm. "This sounds... expensive." Laurel sighs. "Oh, don't worry Laur. It's on me." Susannah assures. "It was my idea after all." She shrugs.

"And, we still need to style you for your book party, so..." She reminds the raven. "Guys, are you sure you wanna do this?" Laurel asks, still pretty unsure of it. "It just doesn't seem very... you." She mumbles. "It's not." Conrad scoffs looking at me.

"Conrad, can you please be a little more... supportive?" The blonde requests, making him roll his eyes and look away. "Now, which one of you is gonna be Belly's escort to the ball?" She then asks. "Isn't y/n going too?" Jere reminds. "Well yeah, but she's keen on showing up alone." She replies.

"Like a boss sheep that she is, according to this small note she has written on her invitation." She adds, reading it out. "It's bleep* not sheep." I correct. "You said I couldn't swear, so I wrote that instead." I deadpan. "Is that even allowed?" Connie asks, amused.

"Well, according to the rules and regulations, they never specified anything against it." I shrug. "That's because no one has ever done it before." He scoffs. "Only one way to find out then." I muse, thanking Jere for the breakfast he just served me.

"Very well." Coco mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck, getting back to his usual sulky self. "Okay... Well, we still haven't found anyone to go with Belly though." Susannah changes the topic. "Not me. I went last year." Conrad calls, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, and I, hereby, swear off balls." Jere sighs, making us snort a little. "The dances, dude-" He elaborates, laughing himself. "Wow guys, stop fighting over me." Belly laughs wryly. "I'm not going with either of you." She then muses.

"In fact, I'm gonna find my own date. Just like y/n." She shrugs."Uh... I'm gonna be my OWN date. Not find one." I scoff. "Wikipedia says Debutante Balls require instruction in morals and social etiquette." Laurel reads aloud, changing the topic.

"I'm going for a swim." Conrad excuses himself, exiting the room, disgusted by the thought of the Debs. "Belly sure could use some etiquette, yeah." Steven comments. "No offense, Beck, but I don't feel like a Country Club is the best place to teach the girls about morals." Laurel sighs. 

"Laur, times have changed. There's a girl debbing this season, and she's bringing her girlfriend as her escort, and the club's totally fine with it." Susannah explains. "How very progressive of them." She rolls her eyes, still not completely convinced.

"Here you are, Belly Button." Jere serves Belly her meal, and I just hand him over my milk, which was basically the foundation rock our friendship was built upon, at this point. "Thanks!" He smiles, chugging it down.

"Well then, hurry up! We've got some shopping to do." The blonde grins.

"Oh well. It's not like I was getting any work done anyway..." Laurel sighs, shutting off her laptop. "What's his deal?" Belly then mumbles, taking a seat on the couch where Connie was sitting earlier, staring at him through the window as he removed his shirt, revealing his toned, chiseled body before diving into the pool.

"Eh, seems like average Coco behavior to me." I shrug, playing it cool, pretending not to notice the obvious change in his personality, convincing myself that it was just because of the time that had passed. But deep inside, I knew something was really really wrong. I could feel it in my gut.

"What were you guys talking about last night in the bathroom? I heard voices." She then interrogates. "Just fixing his wounds." I reply, feeling rather defensive and guilty for no reason whatsoever. It's not like we did something worth explaining. So why was I feeling like this?

"I saw him smoking again this morning." She then confesses.

"It was before I left to see Cam off on his boat." She adds. "That bad, huh?" I muse, wondering what led him to this. Smoking and drinking 24/7. It might be average teenage behavior, but Con has always been the most responsible out of us all.

He was the last person I expected to turn out like this. But then again, things are not always as they seem. I never expected my life to turn out like this either. "I just hope he talks to me soon..." She mumbles. "I never knew he had a girlfriend." She then adds, the jealousy visible in her onyx eyes.

"Because he doesn't." I shrug. "Pretty sure she was just a booty call or something. Nicole doesn't seem like the sorts to commit that easily." I deadpan. "How can you tell?" Bels questions. "Well, I mean, she's pretty and obviously popular and can basically pull anyone she wants..." I start.

"Connie's too messed up and distracted to be in a relationship." I add. "Since the two of them have barely known each other for a year, considering they meet only during the summer, I doubt she'd invest her true emotions in someone unless she sees potential." I explain.

"But what if Conrad is someone she sees potential in?" Belly asks.

"Then I guess you're running out of time? I don't know..." I shrug, unsure of how to reply to her now. "Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence." She scoffs. "But hey, at least you've got Cam-Cameron now, right?" I mock. "You're never gonna let that one go, are you?" She rolls her eyes.

"Never..."