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Chapter 2

"So Belly, tell us about Spain" Taylor demanded, picking at her salad she had ordered.

"You're gonna have to be more specific. I can't just tell you the whole year in a couple minutes." I smiled, sipping my Diet Coke. Diet Coke. Something I definitely missed.

"What about the boys? How were the boys" She pressed. I saw Jeremiah duck his head as he stirred more salt into his soup. Conrad stabbed a tomato a little forcefully.

"I don't think that's an appropriate subject" my mom said.

"C'mon Mrs. C!" Taylor whined. My mom looked a little angry. She hated it when Taylor called her Mrs. C. But instead of telling Taylor about my disappointing non-existent foreign love life, I heard someone walk up behind me and wrap cold hands in front of my face.

"Guess who" they said.

"But I'm so bad at guessing" I laughed. The hands were taken away from my eyes and my dad walked in front of me. He took a seat between Steven and I.

"Hey Belly. How'd Spain treat you?"

"Goooood" I munched on a breadstick.

"Well that's good" there was a long silence.

"I don't know where my dad could be. He said his meeting ended at five" Jeremiah tried to sound concerned while he looked at his watch. Just then, Mr. Fisher waltzed in and sat down.

"Hey Belly, how ya doin'?"

"I'm well" I smiled. I felt everyone's eyes one me all the sudden.

"So Conrad, how's Stanford?" Taylor interjected. She knew I hated awkward silences.

"It's good. A little lonely sometimes. Lots of work, but I manage" he was still looking at me even though everyone else had returned to either reading the menu or eating their salad.

"What about you Jeremiah, how's college life?" my mom asked.

"It's nice." he said. I knew what he meant by nice. He meant his frat house was nice. His new sorority girlfriend probably, even though I hadn't heard him mention her. He meant life was nice. Without me.

"What about academics?" my dad asked, not even looking up from the menu.

"They're okay." he sighed, looking down. My father nodded.

"How's the business Mr. Fisher." Steven asked.

"Fine" he answered gruffly.

The longer I sat there, the more and more I thought I can't wait to get out of here. I can't wait to be alone. To be away from this awkward situation. I yawned. Partially for effect, and partially from jet lag.

"I'm getting really tired, is it okay if I just go home?" I asked.

"Yeah, is everything okay?" my mom looked a little worried.

"Everything's fine, just jet lag."

"Well, someone should drive you. Driving when you're tired isn't good. Taylor, can you drive her?" My mom asked.

"But I already ordered my salmon!" she frowned. I glared at her. Really? You pick salmon over me?

"I'll take her" I heard Conrad interject. I was expecting that. I could see a flash of jealousy in Jeremiah's eyes but he didn't dare say a word. Everyone else around the the table looked a little shocked too. "I could use some early sleep anyway" Conrad shrugged, getting out of t he chair and shoving his hand into his pockets.

"Alright, be careful. Need anything, call me" my mom said. I nodded and followed Conrad out of the room.

"Thank god. A reason to leave!" Conrad reached his hands to the sky happily.

"Oh so you're saying you weren't enjoying the painfully awkward family?" I joked.

"Nah" he smiled, looking off into the distance as I leaned up against the car. I puled the keys out of my pockets but he snatched them away from me. "I'm driving" he looked at me and smiled encouragingly. "Get in!" I slid into the passenger seat and my legs stuck to the warm leather. He turned on the engine and I leaned my seat back and closed my eyes. "You know, if we crash you'll die."

"Then I guess the point is to not crash" I joked, smiling.

"I guess it is." and I fell asleep.

I guess for Conrad it was a good thing to fall asleep, because if I had been awake, I would have noticed we had been driving for a couple hours longer tan we should have been. I groggily recognized the put put, the crab shacks, and the tourist shops. I was in Cousins. "What the- why are we here?"

"I kidnapped you" Conrad smiled. "No, I just figured I'd take you to your favorite place as soon as you got back from Spain." he gave me a glad smile. I have to admit, the idea was sweet. Conrad and me alone in a house full of memories. But then again the thought of being alone with Conrad after so much. Everything had changed. I wasn't sure I could just expect things t o be normal. But then again, were they ever normal?

Conrad

Belly looked a little excited. I could see her eyes lighten up a little bit and her shoulder relax when she realized she was in Cousins. It was great to see her relaxed too. She had been uptight all day.

As soon as I had seen Belly come out of that airport I knew this was my chance. This was my chance to make her mine. This was my chance to make her happy. She looked so good in her sweatshirt and athletic shorts. Her brown hair was so curly from Spain's humidity and her skin so tan you couldn't even make out her freckles anymore. She looked stunning.

I pulled the car into the driveway of the house and the lights came on automatically. "That's new" she commented. I walked up to the front porch and unlocked the door and the memories came flooding back. Memories of mom, memories of Belly and me when we were happy, memories of almost losing her to Jeremiah, memories of hearing that she had gone to Spain for the year, memories of the nights I had spent with different girls trying to forget Belly, memories of the drinks I'd have to forget it. but now she was here. She was now. She was forever.

I flipped on the switch and the house opened. Belly walked in and smiled. "Still the same" she breathed in the stale air. "I'm gonna go take a shower." she made a disgusted face. "Airplane grossness"

"Okay" I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck. I hadn't really expected us to get here and she go freshen up. I figured we'd get here and we'd start making out. Like we did so long ago. I guess I underestimated Belly. She was still sharp as a rock. It suddenly dawned on me that I didn't know what to say to Belly. She was a different person. I wasn't sure how to bring up the letters, to press her about Benito, or how to tell her I really messed up so many times in my life but the only thing I was sure about was her. Always her.