My Summer Girl ( Steven Conklin x OC )

21.

When they got back to the beach house Cordelia went and hid in her room with her mom and they cried together. 

"I feel so stupid." Cordelia seethed. 

"Honey, why would you feel stupid?" she asked her daughter. Cordelia took a shuddering breath to explain "Because, all summer long, I've been thinking about myself and how great my summer was going to be, and Susannah was sick, and I didn't even know." 

Cordelia's mother stroked Cordelia's hair "That's how she wanted it. It's exactly how she wanted it." 

"How long have you known?" she asked her mom. 

"Me and Laurel have known since the spring. She didn't want to burden you kids with it. She wanted one last summer with you guys." Cordelia's mother explained comfortingly.  

She sniffled "But what about you?" 

"What about me?" he mom asked.  

"You and Laurel had to carry it all by yourselves." she explained, this made her Mom start crying all over again. 

"She's not gonna get better, is she?" Cordelia asked hopelessly. She felt her mom shake her head "No."

After a while they went downstairs "Okay, I know it's the end of time if you're cooking." Susannah joked with Laurel. She sat on a barstool and Cordelia sat next to her hugging her.

"Shut up. How'd it go with the boys?" Cordelia's mother asked. Susannah sighed "I told them I'd do the trial. I couldn't say no. I know it's gonna make things harder, but..." 

"I don't care what the doctors say. It's going to work. You're magic." Laurel said. 

Susannah chuckled "Since when do you believe in magic?"

"It's because we believe in you." Cordelia whispered. Susannah patted her head "I'm sorry for ruining your birthday Cordelia"

"No Susannah you're much more important that my birthday okay. I mean I'm going to have loads of birthdays, but I only have one of you"

They hugged until Laurel called the rest of them down "All right, everybody down here. We still have to eat." 

Everyone tried to act normal to be able to see the end of summer happily but no one could truly be happy after finding out about the cancer, but they still tried.

They chatted and laughed during the dinner laughing at Laurel terrible cooking. 

"You want some of your birthday cake?" Susannah asked after they had finished eating. 

"How could I say no" Cordelia said.

They stuck candles in the cake and everyone sung to her. Susannah smiled "Now make a wish" 

She nodded and Cordelia closed her eyes and blew them out hoping , dreamish, wishing desperately for Susannah's trial to work so she gets better. 

That night Steven texted Cordelia to come down to the beach. To the place where they had their first date.

"Hey love, you okay?" he asked curiously. She nodded wearily, all the crying had taken an emotional toll on her. 

They both went to speak at the same time. "You go first" she told him. He nodded and handed her a box, Inside was a beautiful blue sea glass pendant necklace.

"Oh Steven it's beautiful" she told him staring at it she suddenly stopped smiling and put the lid back on the box. 

"Is something wrong with it?" he asked worriedly. 

Cordelia sighed "No Steven- it's just- we need to talk." His face fell "I don't like the sound of that" his voice was jokey but there was a worried edge to it.

She sighed and explained "I think we should stop this" she gestured between the two of them "for a while and go back to being friends, I mean Summers coming to an end so we'd have to try long distance but I think we should just focus on Susannah right now, I mean we-don't-"

Steven hugged her "Please don't say it. You'll make it too real if you say it" As much as she wanted to stay in his hug forever she decided to step away "Steven we can't-"

"Please-" he begged voice cracking "Just for a bit" she agreed and the pair sat on the beach together for their last night. "Hey Lia"

"Hmm?" she asked.

"You'll always be my summer girl, no matter what?" he told her. She smiled sadly, he got up and she tried to give him the necklace back. "Here you should-"

Steven shook his head "No you should keep it, I mean it's only a gift from a friend".

She nodded and he left her on the beach. She looked out at the sapphire sea she had been wanting to see all year and it all seem so pointless. 

It was obvious this was not the best summer ever.