truly mine

007. maroon

Belly

Two days after the party, Mom headed back home, and the summer house was back to its new normal. 

The boys went surfing early in the morning, and Taylor and I were left at home alone. We decided to go on an early morning muffin run to the store since it was only the first week. We got strawberry, double chocolate, and as always, dirt bombs.

When we got home, the boys still weren't back in yet so we got to eat the good ones first. When I was younger, I was always the last one up and never got the good ones, so this was a good change for once.

It wasn't until an hour after we got back that the boys finally came back from surfing. "How were the waves?" I asked the three of them. 

"Choppy. That's why we were gone so long," Jere said, dripping salt water all over the floor as he walked over to give me a kiss on the cheek. "Whoa, are those the good muffins?" He asked, pointing to the boxes. 

"Yeah, we went on a muffin run while you guys were out," I said with a smile. "You're the best, Bells," Jere said with a wink. "Do you guys have anything you wanna do today?"

Taylor

I was about to answer Jeremiah's question when Steven snuck behind me and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me tightly into his soaking wet chest. "Ew, why are you slimy and shiny?!" I exclaimed, attempting to fight my way out of his arms.

"I am not slimy!" He said in defense. "Board wax only makes you a little shiny when you get it on you!" Conrad shook his head. "We both know that's not true, Steven."

"Okay fine, well I don't have to explain myself because I'm not shiny or slimy," Steven said, looking at me for a response. I made a face, "Well, you're still soaking wet."

He grinned before wrapping his arms around me and holding me even tighter. "Oh, really, am I?" Steven asked, chuckling in my ear. I looked up at him and made a face as I said, "Just a little."

He leaned down and kissed me feverishly before Belly interrupted by saying, "Ewww, guys, no! Not with everyone else around!"

"Oh, grow up, she's my girlfriend," Steven said with an eye roll before kissing me again. I laughed as he waddled over to the island to grab some muffins before sitting down next to me to eat.

Jeremiah

"To answer your question," Taylor said, turning to me, "I think we should invite some people over. I don't mean a party or anything, but I'm sure we can catch up with someone like Cam or someone else."

I shrugged and looked up at Belly. "What do you think, Bells? You wanna invite some people over?"

She smiled the brightest smile and nodded. "Yeah! I haven't gotten to talk to Nicole much, and I'm sure Marissa and Gigi would love to come around too!" 

"Yeah, let's maybe not invite Gigi," Taylor muttered. "She's probably still obsessed with your boyfriend, Cinderbelly."

Belly shrugged. "Okay, fine. Marissa and Nicole, then." She turned to Conrad and Steven and asked, "Is there anyone you guys wanna invite?"

"I have work at twelve," Conrad said, grabbing a muffin and sitting down next to Steven. "I have everyone I wanna spend time with right here," He said, smugly taking Taylor's hand.

"I'll invite some people from my frat house," I suggested. "Braxton and Whit are in town."

"Sounds good," Taylor said. 

Belly

Nicole and Marissa came over before Jeremiah's friends and we decided that we'd just go our separate ways instead of hanging out all together as a large group. 

Thankfully, Conrad left before Nicole made it. They weren't sworn enemies or anything, but they weren't really on good terms considering what had happened two summers ago. 

"Aww, I'm glad you and Jeremiah are doing good. You guys are the sweetest couple," Marissa said after asking how things were. "Thanks. I mean, he's the best. I just wish he'd be more careful sometimes."

Nicole chuckled. "The Fisher boys really love to get themselves into trouble, don't they?" Taylor sighed. "Inevitably. But that's how all guys are, so you can't really blame them."

"Tay Tay, do you wanna go for a walk?" Steven asked as he barged into my bedroom. "Steven, go downstairs. Jere's friends are gonna be here soon," I said. 

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, they aren't here yet, and I wanna spend time with my girlfriend if you don't mind." Taylor smiled softly and said, "Steven, I'll see you later tonight. Go hang out with Jeremy and his friends. I'm sure you guys will get along."

Steven groaned. "Reallyyyy? Do I have to?" Taylor gave him a look and he sighed wistfully before walking away with his shoulders extremely slouched. "Dramatizing it won't help you!" Taylor called behind him. 

"I'm sorry about how Shayla acted the other day," Nicole said quietly to Taylor. "I get that she was upset and I understand why, but it's no excuse for the way she treated you or how she reacted. I'm glad you and Steven are in a good place."

Taylor shrugged. "I get it. I just wished she hadn't. I mean, she literally broke up with him two years ago. Did she expect him to just not move on?"

"I'm sure she did," Nicole said hesitantly, "just not into a relationship with you. She was probably just caught off guard." 

I made a face before saying, "I don't think she was that caught off guard, Nicole. She never unfollowed his insta... and Steven kind of posts Taylor obsessively on it." I said with a giggle.

"Belly!" Taylor exclaimed, whacking my thigh. "It's true! He's obsessed with you!" I exclaimed, giggling even more. 

"He does seem to be quite smitten with you," Marissa said with a heart-filled smile. "That's because he is!" I exclaimed. "You should have seen how pathetic he was when she was gone for vacation for two weeks at the end of last summer!"

Taylor rolled her eyes. "Okay, yeah, we're dating... and kinda in love. But that's not important! What about you? Who are you talking to?" She asked Marissa. Marissa smiled, "Just a guy from the country club. But it's nothing serious right now. I dated a really hot guy when I was in Korea though."

"Ahhh, Marissa! We want the details!" I exclaimed. She smiled and went on to tell us about Dae and how he had treated her better than any guy she's ever dated in the States.

After talking a while in me and Taylor's room, we went downstairs to see what the guys were doing. Steven and Whit were making some kind of weird-- extremely inedible looking-- cake while Braxton and Jeremiah were playing video games.

"Bells! Do you guys wanna go swimming after Steve-o and Whit finish their cake?" Jere asked. We all agreed we would, and we were going to spend the time together the rest of the day... at least until the drama started to take place.