in which...
Valarie Conklin goes to a certain house in a town on the ocean named Cousins with her mom Laurel, older brother Steven, and little sister Belly, with a certain boy named Conrad Fisher.
"One more picture!" I smile as I take multiple pictures of Jer and Belly, along with Taylor and her boyfriend Milo.
"Okay okay, I think that's enough." Conrad smiles.
"Fine." I laugh.
"You guys ready?" Steven asks. Steven was gonna drop off Jeremiah, Belly, Taylor, and Milo at the school for prom, while Conrad drove us to our dinner date.
"Yeah!" Belly smiles.
Belly had a beautiful, fluffy pastel purple dress on, and Taylor had a gorgeous soft green silk dress on.
"Have fun, you two look gorgeous." I smile at Taylor and Belly as they leave.
"You ready?" Conrad asks.
"Yeah." I smile.
We go get in the car, and Conrad starts driving.
But something was off with Conrad. He had been oddly distant today, and not very affectionate. He seemed awkward, like suddenly we were a middle school couple who didn't even know each other but are dating. He could barely look me in the eyes.
Suddenly, his phone goes off with a notifications
"You want me to check it?" I ask.
"Oh uh no, it's fine." He stutters with a slight confusing panic. "I'll check it later."
"Oh, alright." I smile.
We get to the restaurant and after a short wait, we sit down at our table.
"Thank you." Conrad smiles as the waiter sets down our drinks.
"Belly was so excited for prom." I laugh.
"I don't understand why they went together." Conrad says.
"They still have feelings for each other, they're just putting their relationship on hold." I reply.
"Yeah, but they're basically dating." Conrad says.
"A label can make a big difference." I shrug.
"Yeah, I just feel like she's playing with his feelings." Conrad scoffs.
"It was a mutual agreement between them Connie." I say.
Why was he being like this? I mean I thought him not saying I love you back last night could've been a mistake, but maybe not.
The last two weeks he had been putting in less and less effort.
"Yeah well maybe you'd think differently if you didn't only side with your family and put other peoples feelings into perspective." He says sternly as I flinch, feeling my eyes well with tears. His eyes go wide and he stutters, like he surprised himself. "I-I'm gonna use the bathroom I'll be right back."
He walks off to the bathroom and I watch him as my whole body shakes.
Suddenly, his phone goes off. It was a notification from a text, with the contact name 'Aubrey'. His first love, his ex girlfriend.
I've never been one to snoop though his phone, but this was different.
I open their texts and read the most recent ones.
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A tear runs down my cheek. I scroll through more and more messages, to see texts of them flirting.
"Val?"
I look up and see Conrad looking at me with fear.
"Conrad why?" I sniffle.
"Lets...let's talk outside." He sighs.
I throw his phone down onto the table, and start walking outside, wiping my tears as I walked, hearing him follow behind me.
We walk outside into the pouring rain, and I turn and look at him as my mascara runs down my face.
"So you've been flirting with her for how long Conrad?" I ask madly.
"She's just been helping me Val. With my mom." He says.
"Why Conrad? I understand that hoi need all the help right now but of all people why your ex girlfriend?" I cry. "I've given you everything I can! That's like if I went back to Alex!"
"She just staryed texting me one day!" He says loudly.
"And you couldn't of ignored her? Let alone tell me?" I cry out. "I'm sorry if I wasn't enough for you, but I didn't realize I was such a bad girlfriend that you had to run back to her."
"Val I want to stay with you!" He says.
"Conrad you haven't been saying I love you, you don't put in effort, you lash out, and I understand that you are going through a lot but you shouldn't of told your ex girlfriend! You've been making me feel like shit because you act like this but instead of telling me why you tell her!" I sob. "Conrad?"
"Yeah?" He asks.
"Do you even wanna stay with me?" I ask, seeing him stutter over his words.
"Y-yes! I love you Valarie!" He says.
"Not enough to tell me when we're not fighting." I say. "Maybe I'm not enough. Maybe Belly had the right idea."
"What?" He yells. "Valarie you're overreacting! Just calm your emotions down for fucking once! You're always taking things way out of proportion!"
"Fine." I say, as I pull the infinity necklace off of my neck.
"No, Val!" He cries. "I'm sorry!"
"Go complain to Aubrey." I cry as I put the necklace in his hands.
"Val please don't do this." He begs. "I need you."
"Clearly not. Clearly i'm too much for you." I cry, before turning around and walking away, as I sob uncontrollably.
It wasn't long until he gets in his car; and drives away.
I take out my phone, and call Steven.
"S-steven?"
"Val? Is everything alright?"
"Can you come pick me u-up?"
"Of course, is everything okay? what happened? are you hurt?"
"Please just come get me."
I sat on the curb sobbing as my hair drips of water, my makeup streams down my face, and I shiver in my soaking wet dress.
Stevens car pulls up; and he runs up to me.
All I can do is just hug him. And I hugged him the tightest I ever have.
