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Daphne finds herself sitting on the beach before the sun has even come up, she's not in D.C. and she won't be at all this summer. She wants to stay, she wanted to stay all along but after everything she knew she needed to.
"I can't believe the boys convinced her to say yes." She turned to Belly, she wasn't alone. She couldn't be alone, she wanted to be with Belly.
"Yeah, well we all know they can't live without her. None of us can." Belly rests her cheek on her knee, looking over at Daphne. "I thought about telling you, every time I saw you." Daphne's voice went soft, barely a whisper, the ocean breeze could silnce it completely. "I'm sorry you and Conrad had to carry it by yourselves. I could see you were closer this summer."
"Secrets have a way of bringing people together." a part of Daphne was scared it would drive them apart but their friendship seemed to strive in all the pain. "I've been such an asshole to you recently, I've never wanted to hurt you." Daphne felt herself move onto her knees in the sand, her body turning to Belly.
"I've only ever wanted to be with you."
"No, you're just saying this because you're hurt." Belly tried to get up but Daphne pulled her down on her knees, "I've been hurt all summer, I've been hurt all my life but when I'm with you it sort of simmers down. Belly, I'm not telling you this because I'm hurt, I'm telling you this because when I'm with you it stops hurting." Daphne felt her chest grow light when Belly held her hand.
"I don't want you to need me, I want you to want me." Belly put on a brave face but Daphne couldn't, she couldn't hide the love from her eyes. "I want you. I've always wanted you." she used one hand to brush the hair from Belly's face, a smile warm on her face before she could say anything, Belly kissed her and the world melted away until it was just them.
For a while they just kissed, kissed until they couldn't breathe and then they laughed and eventually they cried but then it went full circle.
As they made their way back to the beach house, they couldn't stop looking at each other and Belly couldn't stop laughing. "This almost doesn't feel real." Belly smiles, something warm in her smile, Daphne held her hand tighter, kissed her again.
"I can't stop smiling." Belly's smile made Daphne smile, she was stupid in her love. She couldn't stop kissing Belly. "I love your smile, so you'll get no complaints from me." she loved just looking at Belly.
Belly's smile seemed to fade for a moment. "There's something I need to tell you." She paused for a moment, Daphne did the same. "I don't even know how." She said but Daphne just shrugged. "Tell me," she laughed a little, she didn't know what to expect.
"A few days ago, Jeremiah told me he had feelings for me." Belly says and this time Daphne paused. "Must've been akward." Daphne felt her hand go through her hair.
"Uhm, we kissed." Belly's words make Daphne's brain glitch for a second. "Oh,"
"A few times."
"Oh."
"You just said that."
"Oh."
"Daphne."
"I'm kidding, I'm just trying to process." Daphne had a tight smile on her face. "I'm not angry if that's what you're thinking." she was hurt, it genuinely hurt when she breathed.
"I wouldn't blame you if you were."
"But I blame myself, Belly." Daphne took Belly's hand into her own. "I've been trying to push you away all summer. I haven't been the best but I want to be vocal with you." Daphne hadn't spoken all that much about how she felt but she needed to now.
"I want you to know where I stand, I still want to be with you. Do you want to be with him?" Daphne watched as Belly's face softened. "Being with you is all I've ever wanted."
"Then be with me. Let's be together." Daphne smiled, her mouth suddenly on Belly's. "Be with me." she whispers against her lips as Belly laughs.
"What?" Daphne pulls away.
"It's just, everyone in our house knows that I've had a crush on you." she laughs again, cheeks aching from joy. "Wait, you had a crush on me?" sarcasm drips from Daphne's voice as she pulls Belly to her.
"Shut up." Belly turns red again and Daphne places a hand on her cheek. "I kinda have a crush on you too. Shh, don't tell anyone." Daphne didn't think she would ever be this happy but she swore her heart was growing in her chest from all the love she felt.
"I don't want to hurt Jere though." Belly said suddenly, Daphne nodded. "He'll be okay, we'll be okay." Daphne leaned closer, placing a soft kiss on Belly's cheek. "Come on, let's get breakfast."
They tried to be quiet as they snuck into the house, Daphne had a sudden hunger for pancakes. "This is what it will be like now that we're together, making breakfast together." Daphne whispered as she stood next to Belly, her eyes full of love. "And my dad wants to get me a car so I can drive to see you on weekends, we'll go on picnics. I'll take you roller skating like we're from the seventies," she started taking out the ingredients.
"In fact, make a list of all the things you want and we'll do it. Whatever you want."
