─── THE THIRD PROMISE (⌗ ♥︎! ) 一 the summer i turned pretty ❜
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As the first rays of dawn painted the sky, Avery sat in the passenger seat of Conrad's car—technically it was Jeremiah's car back home; in Cousins it was the car of whoever needed it—her heart dancing with anticipation. The summer air was filled with a salty tang, a promise of the adventure that awaited them. Conrad, with his unruly hair and mischievous grin, was at the wheel, navigating the l road that led to Cousins' Beach dock.
The Jeep rumbled along the coastal highway, the gentle hum of the engine harmonizing with the rhythmic crash of waves in the distance as Green Light by Lorde played in the background.
Avery couldn't help but steal glances at Conrad. His strong hands gripping the steering wheel, his gaze fixed on the road ahead, but he was singing along and smiling, which made her confident that he was just as excited as she was.
Conrad could feel her eyes on him. He was aware that she was glancing his way, just like he knew she could feel him doing the same thing—Conrad couldn't stop stealing glances at Avery, his heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and longing. She was singing along to whatever song she chose to play, laughing and smiling, which, to him, was like music to his ears.
"You seem awfully excited today," Conrad pointed out, simply to annoy her like he knew it would.
He flashed a crooked smile that made Avery wonder if he could hear how fast and hard her heart was racing.
She couldn't help but grin back, her cheeks tinged with a rosy flush. "I can't help it. These early morning drives with you are always the best part of my day," she responded, choosing to play along with him, instead of rolling her eyes at his cheesiness.
Conrad chuckled, his fingers lightly brushing her thigh for a fleeting moment before returning to the steering wheel. "Well, today is going to be extra special," he admitted—pretended to, since she knew where they were going—his eyes briefly leaving the road to lock onto hers. "I've got something planned."
Avery had to stop herself from laughing, instead, she pretended to be curious, leaned in closer, and whispered playfully. "Oh, do tell Mr. Fisher."
The boy winked and continued softly, "We're going to sail all day on my boat. You and me, just like I promised we would."
While Avery knew about their plan because she'd been the one who made him promise to take her sailing—on the exact day that Susannah asked her to spend the summer with them—she didn't know anything other than that. They were going sailing—that was all she knew because the boy decided to plan the rest all by himself.
If she was being honest she had thought that this wouldn't happen, after all, they had managed to break the other two promises they made—Conrad wasn't allowed to be an asshole to Avery, which was broken during the 4th of July party; and no romance, which they broke on their second night in town.
