Author's Notes: Just to give you a timeline, this story picks up from where "It's Not Summer Without You," ended, except Conrad didn't get a ride from his friend like the book. Conrad and Jere drove Belly back home and she's been running from them ever since.

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Chapter 1: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?

The silence was absolutely deafening on our ride home from the motel. Conrad was gripping the wheel so tightly, his knuckles were white. Jere's posture was uncharacteristically stiff and I was half holding my breath the whole way home. I waited for someone to say something – do something, but stolen glances in the rear-view mirror were all I got from the Fisher boys.

In retrospect, those looks could have told me all I needed to know about the emotional hell that was waiting for me two years later. Conrad's steel blue eyes had met mine through the mirror and spoke of possession. Jeremiah's look screamed of fierce determination. Growing up, Conrad and Jere had rarely fought over anything – Conrad was often mature enough to share his things freely and Jere never begrudged him for the gifts their father favoured him.

Except me. I was the exception. Because really, you couldn't share me between two brothers that each wanted to possess my heart – breaking my heart in two just wasn't going to work. I should know, because my heart on that drive home was broken in two and I felt completely incapable of feeling anything but sorrow, grief – utter despair.

It would take two years after the night at the motel for me to mend my poor, sixteen year old heart. And now, I was unwillingly returning to the place I both loved and feared – Cousins. Steven and his long-time girlfriend Claire Cho were engaged and his best men, Jere and Conrad, were throwing him an engagement party at the summer beach house. I attempted numerous, feeble excuses to get out of it but after Claire Cho had asked me to be one of her bridesmaids, I knew I had to go. You really couldn't blame me for trying to escape. Waiting for me were the two boys responsible for my bouts of depression and love affair with the musical stylings of John Mayer. Slow Dancing in a Mother-Fucking Burning Room was my anthem for the first half of senior year.

"Shit Belly, could you try to look any more petrified? This is Cousins, this is Jere and Conrad. I know you had that short thing with Conrad but wasn't that just a schoolgirl crush? You look likeyou're on your way to the electric chair."

I gave him a scowl.

"Or no – don't tell me, you're worried about the heels you'll have to wear as Claire's bridesmaid. Don't worry, I gave her the memo that you are a catastrophe in those shoes and she's ordering you flats."

I looked up at him and gave him a weak smile. I knew he was trying but he really had no idea.

Conrad had devastated me with his rejection and I had run away and abandoned Jeremiah. I had decided I would choose neither brother. It was a self-preservation thing, running away from them. And now I could feel my heart painstakingly unravel again as I was greeted by the sight of Conrad and a beautiful Spanish girl, making out in his car. Conrad must have heard the car rolling onto the gravel driveway because he sat up abruptly and scrambled out of the car to greet us. At the same time, Jeremiah came bursting out of the house.

"Hello Team Fishergroomsmen! I would like to introduce my hot as hell fiancée, Claire, and my awkward, ok-looking bridesmaid, Belly, who will be joining our wedding party team," Steven announced and Claire smacked him on the head before smiling beatifically to Jeremiah and Conrad.

I could feel Conrad's eyes burning two holes into the back of my head. I was a different Belly though, and it was then I decided I wasn't going to take any of his shit. I gave him a stiff nod and hello before turning to get a bear hug from Jeremiah. If Jeremiah was willing to greet me with open arms, I would take the olive branch willingly.

"I've missed you, Belly," he whispered as he took in the scent of my hair.

"I've missed you too, Jere." The fact that he could forgive me so easily for abandoning him made my eyes prick with tears.

"Don't be a stranger, ever again. Promise," he demanded earnestly.

"Oh Jere," I sighed, and I just hugged him as hard as I could.

Looking up, I stared back at Conrad, who was giving me an intense look I couldn't decipher and hastily turned away when I caught him. Distantly, I could hear him introduce the Spanish girl as Maria, his girlfriend. That was when I told my heart to get a grip on itself. I was over Conrad Fisher. He and his new girlfriend could have a fucking make out fiesta for all I cared. I was over Conrad Fisher. I was over Conrad Fisher. I was over Conrad Fisher. Really, I was over Conrad Fisher.

Tune in for the next chapter! :D