i can see you - tsitp

six.

NATE HAS A dilemma, that dilemma being Taylor Jewel. He's received plenty of texts from her, but he can't bring himself to respond to any of them. For whatever reason, that feels like the worst possible thing he can do. He knows Taylor is growing annoyed with him, but he can't care. He tries not to.

He heads downstairs that morning to see Conrad and Jeremiah standing by the coffee pot. Conrad sees Nate coming into the kitchen and beams at him.

"Good morning, Nate!" he says happily, which makes Nate frown at Jeremiah, who also seems to be pretty confused.

"Uh, morning, Connie." Nate returns with a lazy wave. "You almost ready to head out?" he looks at Jeremiah, who nods.

"Want some eggs?" Conrad asks abruptly, shrugging. "I'll make some."

"Uh, we gotta get to the club." Jeremiah and Nate look at one another before turning back to Conrad. The older boy hums, nodding. "So, uh... what's with the good mood?"

"I don't know, maybe I'm just happy to be alive," suggests Conrad with a slight smirk, "after you almost blew me up last night." Nate had heard the whole story; he and Steven had been playing video games (right after Steven had gotten home from officially asking Shayla to be his girlfriend) when Conrad, Belly, and Jeremiah barged into the house. Jeremiah had accidentally shot a firework at them.

Jeremiah laughs a little. "I said I was sorry. I didn't
know you guys were out there." they sit in silence for a moment.

"What were you guys doing out there without us last night?" Nate raises a brow suggestively at Conrad, who rolls his eyes. "We wanted to see the fireworks, too."

"I don't know." mumbles Conrad, although his smile doesn't fade. "Just talking."

"About...?" Jeremiah questions, his tone a little sullen and forceful. Nate tilts his head at his best friend, but Jeremiah doesn't notice.

"Don't you have a pool to vacuum?" jokes Conrad, although he doesn't look so humored.

Jeremiah pulls his phone out, nearly dropping his phone when he sees the time. He sets his coffee cup down. "Shit. We're already late."

"Hey, if you guys wait a minute, I'll take you." Conrad offers with a smile. "I'm heading over there."

"There's no time." Jeremiah downs a bowl of milk, which makes Nate gag.

"Thank you, though, Connie." Nate waves over his shoulder, grabbing Jeremiah. "Jesus Christ, Jere-"

"Yeah, no seriously," scoffs Conrad, "you gotta stop
with the milk thing. It's disgusting."

"You're gonna end up throwing up." Nate shakes his head as Jeremiah brushes him off, grinning to himself. "Just don't do it in the pool."

The boys get in Jeremiah's car, and for the first few minutes of the ride, it's silent— not counting the noise of SZA playing through Jeremiah's phone.

"Hey," Jeremiah breaks the silence, "can I tell you something that you have to promise not to tell anyone?"

Nate grins at him. "When have I ever betrayed you?"

Jeremiah laughs quietly, but the noise fades quite quickly. "I think I... I like Belly."

Nate stares at the side of Jeremiah's face. It's stressed, almost paled, as he thinks of the younger girl that the two of them have known their entire lives.

"You like Belly?" repeats Nate, trying to wrap his head around it— he'd always thought Jeremiah had only thought of Belly as a sister, and he knows Belly has only ever thought of Jeremiah as her best friend. She's been in love with Conrad for years. "Like... Like, crush? You have a crush on Belly?"