Chapter 1
Author Note: This is my version of what would have happened in the end of the book We'll Always have Summer by Jenny Han. In my version Belly Chooses to be with Jeremiah.
Belly POV
All my life, I never felt like I had a choice when it came to Conrad. Now I knew that wasn't true. I did have a choice. I chose to walk away, then and now. I chose Jeremiah. I chose the boy who would never walk away from me.
"Jere, you are my best friend. You are the person I want to wake up next to for the rest of my life. I want to spend every single day with you. Every moment, and life changing event, I want you to be right there with me. I know its selfish. It's not fair for me to love both of you but I have let go of Conrad. He is my past, you are my future," I quickly said to him, praying he would hear the truth in the words I said.
"It's not enough for me belly," Jeremiah said quietly. He looked out the window while he said this.
"Do you still love me?" I asked quietly. I realized that maybe he was pushing me away cause his feelings for me have changed. Maybe the knowledge of me loving his brother is too much for him and it has made the love between us disappear.
He looked up at me, directly into my eyes. I saw the pain in them. It hurt my chest to see how much pain he was in over this. All I wanted to do was wrap my arms around him and hold him until the pain went away.
"Of course, I still love you, the love I feel for you has been the most intense feeling I have ever had," he said in one quick breath.
"Then please don't leave me," I said, it came out as more of a plea. "Let's call off the wedding, but not the engagement. We can go back to school, move into that apartment we looked at. The one you liked. We can make us work. Please Jeremiah," I said. I was holding on to his hand. I held my breath waiting for his response.
"Ok," He breathed. I finally let out the breath I was holding. My eyes filled with tears.
"Thank you, Jere, I love you," I said. A wave of relief washed through me. His eyes still looked guarded and hard. I looked at him with question in my eyes.
"On one condition," he said. My body straightened with fear. A condition. What was he going to ask for my kidney, my first born, I waited for him to continue. "I want him out of our life, No contact with him. If we get invited to thanksgiving dinner and he is coming, we are not. If he is here at the beach house, then we will go somewhere else. That's all I want. If we are going to have a real shot at loving each other Conrad must not exist in our life," he looked at me trying to gauge a reaction I sat very still as my brain processed this.
No more Conrad forever. I mean that is what I told everyone I wanted. That is what I told Conrad I wanted. I looked over at the dresser for a second and saw the infinity necklace sitting there. Its laying on the edge of the dresser, its old and rusted now and I realize that some things are not infinite. Somethings are meant to end. Conrad and I are over. I made that choice, I chose Jeremiah and if this is what he wants then I'll give him this, because I owe it to him and myself. I owe it to myself to love someone who is actually capable to love me back, all the time not just some of the time.
"It's a deal," I said breaking into a huge smile, I saw that the smile that appeared on Jeremiahs face mirrored my own. I reached up and kissed him. The kiss was so deep and intimate I felt a warmth radiate through my entire body. "Wait," I Exclaimed.
Jere pulled back quickly looking into my eye, I saw the uncertainty there and I vowed to myself that I would do everything in my power to make that go away. I would make Jeremiah know without a doubt that he had me and my heart forever.
"What about Lacie," I said. I could hear the sneer in my voice. Jeremiah let out a loud laugh. He wrapped his arms around me tightly.
"There is nothing for you to worry about I promise. I know agreeing to never see Conrad again is hard for you, so I promise I will stay away from her and all the other sorority girls too," He said to me. I knew in my heart he was telling the truth but the promise he made helped my mind calm down. "Isabel Colkin, you are the woman of my dreams," He whispered into my hair as he held me tightly. I had my arms wrapped around him. I could feel all the strong muscles in his back and I had never felt safer than I did in this moment.
Knock, Knock, Knock. I heard someone at the door shattering our moment of utter bliss. Jere walked over to the door and cracked it open.
"Oh, Laurel," He said moving out of the way so that my mother could come in the room. Jere walked back over to stand next to me and held my hand.
"What is going on in here?" My mom asked loudly the suspicion in her eyes. I knew she did not want this wedding to happen and now she was getting her way. I lifted my chin.
"Mom, Me and Jeremiah are not getting married today," I said in a much more resolute voice then I thought. I saw a slight victory in her eyes and a little anger.
"But, we are staying engaged and we are going to move into one of the apartments we found by campus that we liked," Jeremiah cut in. my mom glared at him.
"Jere why don't you give us a sec," I looked up at him and said. I needed my mom to understand. I still needed her. He bent down and kissed me slightly.
"I'll go down stairs and break the news to everyone else," He said walking towards the door.
"Wait!" I said loudly. "Are you sure you want to do that alone? I should come to, so we can explain," I said. I really wanted to prove to everyone that I am growing up and I can take responsibility for my own choices.
"Bells, let me take care of it," He said and then disappeared before I could argue anymore.
I turned to my mother.
"I'm so-," I started saying but she hugged me so tightly that it cut me off.
"I'm so proud you decided to wait," She said softly when she pulled away I could see the tears pooling in her eyes.
"I still love Jeremiah mom," I said absolutely.
"I know you do sweet heart. I never doubted your feelings for each other, but collage is such a wonderous experience. You two will learn so much about each other and your selves. I just want you to be able to discover it without having to worry about keeping your marriage together also. Collage and marriage is hard. Let us try doing one at a time," She said. I grabbed my mom's hand.
"If we wait," I said softly. "Will you give us your blessing after I graduate?" I asked I looked away from her. I did not want her to tell me she was disappointed in me again.
"Of course, I will, why wouldn't I?" She asked incredulously.
"Well I kind of felt like you didn't like Jeremiah being with me as much as you did Conrad," I said the tears welling up in my throat. "I know you two have a special bond but he's not the one I want to be with, all Conrad has ever done is made fun of me and hurt me," I said tears spilling over as I started to cry. "I want to make you proud, but I can't be with him, I love Jeremiah," I Finished putting my face in my hands. Gently I felt my mom's hands on my writs, she pulled my hands down.
"It was never about Conrad or Jeremiah," She said softly. "It was about you Isabel, I wanted you to wait because I wanted you to be sure you are making the right choice. I know Jeremiah will take care of you honey but I also want you to learn how to take care of yourself," She said finally.
"So, you're ok with everything we said?" I asked. "The apartment, the staying engaged and everything," my voice shook a little it was a big step moving in with Jere. But we had lived here with each other every summer our whole lives, it can't be that much different.
"Yes Belly," She Said smiling putting her arm around my waist and looking at me with a little mischievous gleam in her eyes. "So, are you ready to face the magic?" She asked.
"No," I said. "But let's go," I let out a huge sigh and started walking out of my room to face all of the people who had gathered here today, my wedding day.
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