The Summer I Turned Pretty - The Years Later✔️

chapter 11

Two months later.....

January had arrived bringing snow and cold winds to New York. The sky was clear and the grounds were carpeted with a layer of snow and the neighborhood was filled with decorated christmas trees and kids playing all along the street. Christmas was over but it's spirits still roared through the air knocking on everyone's doors.

"Lina!",Conrad called. A young beautiful blonde girl was running on the snow covered grounds bundeled up with thick sweaters and jackets and a panda beanie and Conrad Fisher was chasing her, laughing with most delightful of happiness.

"Catch me, catch me",the girl called out giggling. Conrad caught up with her and caught her in his arms and swung her happily.

"Little miss lightning, gottcha",he said giving her a small kiss on her forehead. The two of them were the most beautiful creations of God.

"Help me build a snowman uncle Con", the little girl demanded.

"How about snow angels?",Conrad asked.

"Okay", Lina smilled sweetly.

They lay on the ground swinging their arms aroud their body grinning broadly.

"Comeon Belly, keep the camera. Make snow angels with us",Conrad said.

"Okay."

I lay beside him swinging my arms around my body. "Now can we make a snowman",Lina said.

"Yes."

"I'll make the head and you guys make the body. Okay?", Lina said in the most innocent way possible.

"What's the golden word?",Conrad demanded. "Pretty please",Lina said jutting her chin up.

Lina made the head while I and Conrad stuck around making the body.

"Wow you're a professional Lina", Conrad said to the five year old.

"Makes me want to have a kid of our own",Conrad wispered to me.

"Huh,we can't Con.",I said slightly exhasperated.

"I know, I know. I never said we should. We have many more adventures to come",he said a little cautiously and I immediately felt bad for jumping on him.

"I'm sorry Con. It's just looking at Lina I've understood how big of a responsibility it is",I said sounding calm.

"I know Belly. I understand and I'm busy too", he said. "You know what?",I said.

"Hm?",Conrad mumbled shaping the body.

"I love you",I wispered in his ear giving him a small kiss on the cheek.

"Belly?",Conrad said.

"Hm?",I replied.

"I love you the most",Conrad finished.

I quickly made a snow ball and him straight in his chest. "No no. This was the biggest mistake of your life Belly Conklin",he said giving me a naughty look.

He picked up some snow and I started running. I heard him call out to Lina , Lina snowball fight, come on.

Conrad and Lina kept throwing snow balls at me and I kept dodging them while running. Conrad finally caught up to me and put his arms around me to keep me from running.

We were breathing really hard and at the same time laughing. "That was some chase",Conrad huffed.

"Yeah",I said noticing the redness of his cheeks. I put my hands up to his cheeks and started massaging them through my gloved fingers."You're red",I said.

"I know",he said,"So are you."

I kept moving my fingers on his cheek trying to feel them through the thick gloves. He was watching me, holding me tighly in his arms. They were warm, just like always.

"What?",I said tapping his nose with a finger. "Nothing,I just love you",he replied looking in my eyes with the magical mist that never faded. I looked in his clear blue eyes for a second and realized how I'd never appreciated them enough.

"Okay",I said like a little kid and started playing with his face. He kissed me. Just kissed me, that's it. No one could ever explain how it felt. To be in his arms and let his warmth engulf you. The pleasure of being able to do this without any thoughts in your head. Just to be here. Happy and alive. And this moment did not go on forever..... Smash! Two snowballs had hit both of us right on the face. I saw Conrad's expression fumble between shock and don't-interupt-me-expression which seemed very funny.

He didn't release me but held onto me tight and turned his head towards Lina and gave a small sweet smile.

"I swear she made me do it", Jeremiah said. He was kneeling on Lina's side looking at her for some explanation.

Everything was well. Jeremiah had recovered  rather quickly from his accident. Finally Con released me and walked towards Lina .He stopped and got on his knees in front of her and said teasingly,"You naughty little witch. I was having a moment with your aunt there."

He tapped her nose and tickled her and Lina burst out in a feat of laughter. Conrad got up and held Lina's hand with one of his long fingers and started walking towards the house.

Jeremiah stood behind and walked along with me. He said,"Remember that one Christmas we spent at your place when we were what? Six?"

"Jesus",I said,"Could never forget that look on that couple's face."

"Gosh,yes. And remember how Steven had assured us that we had done the right thing by telling us that kissing is a crime. I mean I don't believe it! We really did believe that", Jeremiah said disbelievingly.

"That wasn't even the worst part. We then threw snowballs at every couple we saw",I said laughing.

"And then your neighbor complained to our moms and we really got some good out of it. Didn't we?",Jere said.

"Yeah, and when we told them that Steven told us that it was the right thing to do, he didn't get hot chocolate that night",I said remembering those very memories I and Jeremiah had shared. The times when we were there for each other no matter what.

"Now look at us. I think I'd be denied beer today, not hot chocolate."

Jeremiah said,"We've really grown up Belly, haven't we?"

"We have. I'll still prefer hot chocolate though. Beer's not a very good friend of mine",I said.

The horrors and happiness of mine and Jeremiah's past were undeniable. There were mere mistakes we made sometimes, risking our friendship.

Even though everything had ended, I did not regret it. I never regretted it, not for one second.How do you regret one of the best times of your life?You don't. You remember every moment,every look. Even when it hurts, you still remember.

Jeremiah and I were back as friends,very close ones indeed. Forgetting our past was never an option. We just had to accept it. Because it had happened and we did not regret it. We were happy. Full and happy.
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It's a bit short but I think it's sweet enough. Check out 'Before is After.'
Ps: vote and comment:-)