YN x Conrad

I woke up to a giant lump on top of me. “Con get off” I managed to get out in a muffled voice. “Hmmm but I’m so tireedd”. “Get off!” I squealed as I shoved him off. Conrad landed with a thump on the mattress, his hair was ruffled and his cheeks flushed as he looked at me with a lopsided smile “what do you want to do today?”

“ I was thinking because it’s so early we could go to the little bakery in town and I’ve still not been in the sea yet so I was gonna go swimming with Jere in the afternoon”

“Okay, if you want to go to the bakery though you have to get up”

Con jumped up out the bed and started dragging me by the ankles. “But I’m sooo tired” I complained. “Well whose idea was it” he continued to push me down the hallway into my room. “You’ve got 8 minuets” I rolled my eyes and he slammed the door in my face but I could still hear him chuckling in the corridor.

I got changed quickly ran downstairs and climbed into Conrad’s car we spend the morning out buying fresh baguettes and flowers to plant in the garden.

By the time we arrived at home Jere was already waiting for me with his beach towel “Come on y/n/n I’ve been waiting for ageeessss” I dropped my stuff and pulled of my shirt clearly shocking the boys “relax, I’m always ten steps ahead” They both started laughing but I was already sprinting for the beach, the proper sea air filled my lungs and jumped in head first, submerging myself fully. Jere wasn’t far behind, he cannonballed in splashing me with heaps of water “Hey!!” I splashed him back and we had a water fight like we did when we were kids I turned to him and exclaimed with a smile , “we haven’t grown up at all have we?” “No” he replied “and we never will” we both started laughing hysterically and we started talking.

“It’s been weird with Conrad for a while now I don’t know what going on he stopped talking to everyone and locked himself in his room. I mean he’s been fine for the last few days because you’ve been here…it’s just difficult he won’t tell me anything!” He smashed the water with his fists as the anger seeped through his last words “sorry, I just don’t know what to do”

“I understand, I saw a glimpse of it when we first got here. I didn’t want to upset him so I didn’t ask”

“Dinner time!” Susannah’s voice called from the house

“We better get going y/n/n”

Everyone sat down to eat and there was light chatter flowing round, until Susannah rose from her seat and pulled out two envelopes with fancy cursive font that I couldn’t quite make out. “I’ve got a surprise for you girls”

I started to open the envelope when Susannah announced “I managed to get you invitations to the debutante ball, by pulling some strings we’ve managed to get Belly in a little early so you can both do it together!”

“Is that the thing where the girls wear white dresses and curtsy?” Belly responded with clear hesitation.

“It’s when a girl comes of age and is presented to society” Susannah tried hopefully “I know it sounds silly but it’s fun I swear girls come from all around to take part”

Steven and Jeremiah snickered in the corner as I rolled my eyes at them. “I’d love too” I said without hesitation I knew it would make Susannah happy and it was right up my alley. “Aww I knew you’d agree y/n thank you” she came up behind me squeezed my shoulders and kissed my cheek. “Belllyyy?” Susannah tried with a smile but Laurel was quick to intervene saying something about Belly being our ‘black little ally cat’. However, eventually Belly gave in realising how much it ment to Susannah plus I was going too so she knew it couldn’t be that bad “finee”

COPS! COPS! Two squad cars pulled up to the beach and swarms of teens started running towards the vehicles parked on the side of the road. Jere, Con and I managed to get back to the Jeep shortly followed by Belly and her new friend. We all sat in the car waiting for Bells to finish her chat. “I was um wondering if you’d wanna come?” “Uh yes yeah sure I mean how else would you get hoodie back?”. I couldn’t help but let out a giggle at there awkwardness earning me a dirty glare from Belly. I kept laughing to myself and caught Connie’s eye as he mimicked my amused smile. They kept shyly laughing for a little longer then Belly started leaning in. I was so shocked, Con looked over at me as if to say ‘what the fuck’ but I was just watching Jere’s expression go from annoyance to anger to sadness. I felt so bad for him then. We all had a special connection at the beach house but I was the only one who could ever see through Jere, I’d taken up the big sister mantle to him and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I loved messing around with J, going to the beach and swimming all day and talking through the evening watching the sunset on the horizon. I knew he’d liked Belly for a while and this upset him greatly.

Finally Belly said bye to ‘Cam Cameron’ as Jere had christened him and we were getting ready to go, we managed to get a good couple of metres before I realised, “Shit, Steven!”. “Don’t worry I’ll get him hold on” Jere hopped out the car giving me the perfect chance to tease Belly, she is my sister after all. “Awwww little B had her first kiss” I leaned over to the front seat and gave her an overdramatised kiss on the cheek. “Ewww! Get off me” she shoved me back into the back seat onto Conrad and we started laughing our heads off like the drunken idiots we were. “I hate you guys so much”. “Love you too B” Just then I heard I knock at the window, I jumped up quickly and Conrad’s grip on me tightened I turned to the window and staring back at me was Officer Chen…shit.

I was particularly gifted in the art of lying but I knew I couldn’t get us out of this one. I was sat on a clearly drunk Conrad, next to a lovestruck fool who couldn’t keep a straight face, I had to more unfiltered dumbasses on the way, I myself was a little tipsy and were all underage wreaking of alcohol. This is gonna be fun.

After Jeremiah explained to the cops who they were the cops had to let us of easy but it wasn’t even them I was scared of it was my mum, Laurel.

When we got home Laurel sat us all down in the stairway and after ushering out the officers turned back to us and gave the look. Steven and I shared a glance, we knew we were screwed. “Seriously, how could you guys be this irresponsible”

Steven stepped in, “Mom, seriously it’s no big deal the cops were just looking to break up the bonfire, that’s it”

“No big deal, Steven I think getting picked up by the cops for underage drinking is a pretty big deal”

Steven looked down and gave out an exasperated laugh “Mom have you been smoking tonight?”

“What?! Keep your voice down Susannah is on the coach”

“But I didnt-”

“Just so you know Laurel I didn’t drink tonight I was the dd I swear”

Laurel just sighed and instead decided it was Conrad and I’s turn. “And you two are the oldest why aren’t you taking responsibility and protecting your siblings, (Y/N/N) we’ve already had a talk about this I know you can smash a test without revising but this isn’t how you should behave and Connie what the hell has gotten into you” She then directed her gaze towards Belly “And when did you leave the house without telling anybody and what are you wearing?!”

Belly replied sheepishly and tugged at the hoodie “It’s Taylor’s”

Laurel rolled her eyes then her face suddenly changed from annoyed to concerned“How’d you even get there?”

“I walked” B kept her head down

Mums voice was a mixture of anger and worry “Belly you know better than to walk that far down the beach at night”

That only aggravated Belly “Can you stop treating

me like a little kid!”

“If you want to be treated like an adult you need like acting like one” her sharp tone cut through the tense atmosphere

“Then maybe you should too” Connie muttered

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”

He fell silent and shrugged

“I hope you guys realise that tonight could’ve ended a lot differently if your family wasn’t your family”

We all looked down to the floor as Laurel sighed

“Just go to bed guys”

We shamefully made our way upstairs, I made it to the door of my room when I realised Con wasn’t beside me but surely enough he reappeared a few seconds later.

“Sleep with me?”

“Come on Y/N/N not after what just-”

“Pleeeaaasseeeeeeee” I gave him my best puppy dog eyes.

It’s been a habit since we were little, I was always scared in my room at the beach house it was much bigger than my one at home and I was afraid of the dark. Susannah used to find us in the morning and take as many pictures as she could “look at my little babies” she’d always say then pinch our cheeks. It stopped after a while when Belly started getting scared too and I’d had to comfort her but still whenever either of us but after events like this it’s always nice to have someone by your side.

Simply being in the house made me feel at peace. Conrad helped me carry my bags to my room and I just collapsed on the bed. The weight shifted as Conrad joined me and we lay in a comfortable silence solely enjoying being in each other’s presence for the first time in months. That was until we heard an angry Belly shriek “JEREMIAH FISHER GIVE ME BACK MY STRAIGHTENERS!” I turned my head too look at Conrad and we burst out in laughter “You wouldn’t believe how much I’ve missed this” Con said and I smiled “We should probably go back downstairs now”. For a split second I thought Conrad was going to have a heart attack “No, no” he jumped to his feet “let me get you some food and water, I know you get motion sickness and haven’t eaten anything” and with that he rushed out the door and for the first time since I’d arrived I was alone. That was until Jere galloped into my room with a huge grin on his reddened face. “Y/n/n” he managed to get out through a series of heavy breaths “there’s… a party… tonight… beach… in?” “You know it” I smirked “WOOHOO tonight’s gonna be a blast!” Jere belted excitedly. The grin was quickly wiped off his face by Steven dragging him into the hallway and telling him to shut up so the Mums and Belly wouldn’t hear.

Connie came back with a selection of my favourite snacks and we both lay on the bed. “So a bonfire, huh?” I turned my head around to meet a puzzled expression on Conrad’s face. “Oh I didn’t think that you’d be coming, isn’t it your girls movie night?…n-not that I wouldn’t want you there…just…” I smiled at him. “Yeah, but I’d much rather stay with you anyway”. His signature smirk lifted his features just before he jumped on and started tickling me. I couldn’t stop myself giggling and squealing until finally he retreated, as soon as I thought I was in the clear all the air was squeezed from my lungs and I felt Connie’s lips on my ear, “I missed you so so much”. “I missed you more” “that’s impossible” we fell asleep in our warm embrace for what felt like hours till we were broken by the loud argument Steven and Jere were having next door about who was our DD. Con yawned loudly then patted my leg “come on, let’s go”, and quickly swivelled my head round and gave my best shocked expression “Conrad Fisher I cannot go to a party looking like this!” I gestured down to my clothes and he gave me a knowing look. “Y/n/n we’re going to the beach” “but still…” he laughed at my banter and I shoved him out the door.

I put on an oversized shirt I designed myself and a tennis style skirt with a cool jacket and some shades that Steven gave me for my birthday last year

I walked down the stairs to find the boys at the door waiting for me. “M’lady, you look most beautiful” Jere outstretched his hand to mine guiding me down the last steps. Conrad burning a whole through my figure with his gaze. Steven glanced at him and rolled his eyes “let’s go before Belly find us again” and he chucked Jere the keys, I guess they found a solution to there argument.

3

(YN POV)

2 (Conrad’s POV)

I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Those caramel brown eyes had become the centre of my universe. She had become my centre point of rotation. I couldn’t wait to hold her, feel her silky hair in my fingers, smell her sweet summer perfume. It brought me peace and comfort. It’s been an entire year since I last saw her. My girl. My y/n.

Nearly everything has changed since last summer, Mum and Dad aren’t talking, y/n and I are going to college soon and worst of all my Mums cancer is back.

She doesn’t know that I know. She wants to hide it from us so we think everything is fine. I admire that about her, she can be strong even when the world around her is crumbling to pieces while I can’t even hold it together for five minutes. The day I found out keeps replaying in my head. I’d just got back from a night walk on the beach and the kitchen door was slightly ajar. Mum was whispering on the phone, to Laurel no doubt. I couldn’t see her face but I could hear loud sobbing deep sobbing on the other end of the line. Then Mum spoke in a saddened, frail voice “Laurel, it’s okay, I’ve already excepted it, I’m not going through chemo again. I have one summer left and I just want to make it perfect for the kids” her confession sent shivers down my spine. I wanted to freeze right were I stood and let time pass he by but I couldn’t let her see me like this so I ran up to my room and cried a silent cry, let it all out. I’ve been denying it ever since, wanting desperately to tell someone, to tell y/n but I won’t let her carry a burden that is not hers to carry.

1

——————————————————- The journey was a long one, with Steven driving, me in the passenger seat and Belly in the back alongside our Mum. Belly and Steven were arguing the entire ride about the most stupid things like the music and how far back Stevens’s seat was, something had been going on between the two for a while now me nor Mum knew what. But in this moment, I could not have cared less. I sat patiently in the far from comfortable leather seat scanning the horizon for something, anything familiar. Until finally I spotted one, that famous white sign that said ‘Cousins Beach’ in black bold lettering, I was relieved. Steven noticed shortly after and practically squealed “WE’RE HOME!”. The beach house really is our home, it’s stunning, a grey mansion with black roofing, white columns and balconies, it’s a house of dreams. But it is the memories that make it home.

Susannah’s my mum’s best friend, they’re chosen sisters and Susannah is like a second Mum to me sometimes she’s more of a mum to me than my real one. She’s also rich, owner of the beach house but she always makes it feel like our own.

We’ve been coming to the beach house for as long as I can remember, it’s an escape from reality, a place of magic and for us kids a place where summers lasted forever, and mischief was made to get away with. Jeremiah and Conrad were also like brothers to me and just the thought of seeing them could bring the biggest smile to my lips. Jere is like a puppy dog, fun, loving and lively. Those big eyes could make even the toughest of men cry. Then there’s Conrad he’s more quiet and reserved. He’s kind, polite, loyal and he knows how to have a hell lot of fun. Everyone knows Conrad and I have an unbreakable bond. He has always been my rock, voice of reason and best friend. We simply understand each other.