the way I loved you | conrad fisher

eighteen

| 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻 |
𝙄'𝙢 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚, 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚

✧༝✧

It hadn't crossed her mind that seeing a red jeep sitting at the side of a road would activate so many memories. Riven could see the way Jeremiah's face had lit up when he'd first shown it to her. When she started learning to drive and he let her practice in it. The little trips to the store to grab snacks and sugary drinks.

Riven's trip down memory lane was cut short by a now older Jeremiah, who seemed to be both confused and fuming. He snatched the laptop from Riven's hands and placed it, along with Conrad's other belongings, into the back seat.

"Why would he take off like that to Cousins?" Jeremiah questioned but didn't let Riven answer, "I don't think he's missed a day of class in his life. Not even when Mom was sick. Who was he yelling at on the phone? I mean it had to have been Dad, right? What could they possibly be arguing about?"

He finally stopped, giving her chance to respond, "He and Adam were always disagreeing about something."

Jeremiah shook his head, "I really don't wanna get dragged into the middle of whatever bullshit Conrad's in right now, but if something were to happen to him I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."

"Hey, no." Riven almost dove forward to comfort him, like it was basic instinct to, but she stopped herself when she remembered she couldn't do that anymore, "Nothing has happened to Conrad, okay? He sent his roommate a text, so that signifies that he's alive and well, especially because it seems he's still worrying about his exams. He's probably just spending the day surfing and switched off his phone."

"Maybe." Jeremiah exhaled, his eyes finally shifting to meet hers, "But it's only been a month since..."

The funeral. Riven could feel heat pricking at the corners of her eyes at the thought.

"You know how he is." Jeremiah continued, "He just bottles up all that shit until at some point it explodes. I don't think he has anyone. He definitely hasn't been talking to me."

That hit Riven right in the chest. After Conrad broke up with her, the next time they spoke was at the funeral, and that was that. He could've had her, spoken to her about anything and she'd let him, but he clearly didn't want to.