Chapter 2
We had lots of fun that evening, watching tv and eating pancakes. When Jere left to get something from the car, I rested my head against Conrad's shoulder and closed my eyes, smiling. He kissed my hair and brushed it out of my forehead. "It's almost like it used to be." He said, and I noticed, for the first time, how important that had been to him. "Almost," I agreed happily.
Then Jeremiah came back, grinning widely, a six pack of beer in his one hand and three big vodka bottles in the other. I heard Conrad sigh under his breath.
"Lets get this party started" Jere cried, giving both Con and me a beer bottle. I had never been a big fan of alcohol, mostly because I had been so drunk once that I couldn't remember half of the things that had happened. It had been my first alcohol experience, here at the summer house. But I felt ready now. I was a grown up, a wife. So I sipped the beer quietly, while the boys, slightly more experienced than I was, mixed it with vodka. It wasn't all too bad. Not as good as coke, but a lot better than I had found it a few years back. A few hours and alcoholic beverages later, Jere was pretty drunk and Conrad was tipsy. The only effect the drinks had on me were a huge headache. "Truth or dare." Jeremiah said, placing one of his empty bottles in the middle of our circle. I opened my mouth to complain, then shut it again. What did I have to lose? To hide? I loved Conrad, I was happy with him, didn't cheat on him, nothing. There was nothing truth or dare could accuse me of. So I just nodded, trying to look relaxed. Conrad stated, "This is childish."
"C'mon," Jeremiah answered, a little offended. "Ya know, for ol' times sake?" He glanced me a look, and I quickly turned my head away to look at my husband. He gave me a look saying, you really don't have to put up with this shit. And I rolled my eyes and smiled, saying, no, it's okay, you know Jeremiah. He just nodded faintly. Jere turned the bottle, and it pointed directly on me. Obviously.
"Truth or dare, Belly?" He asked, grinning. Satisfied by the fact that he called be Belly, but scared about what I had to do, I said, "dare." The boys yelled and laughed at the same time, giving each other ideas of things I should do. "I have a good one!" Jere called, holding his bottle up into the air to get our attention. It worked. "You have to run outside, take your clothes off and run around in your underwear, yelling I love the Fisher boys!" He paused and looked at me, and I stared back, amazed about the stupidity of this idea. He then grinned at Con, who didn't grin back. I won, his look told him, she'll never do this one.
So I wouldn't do this one. It was apparently so obvious that they didn't even bother waiting for my response. What I did next, I still don't really understand. Maybe it was my sense of pride, maybe the small amount of vodka in my veins. Maybe both. But I got up, held my nose high into the air, and walked proudly (and a little unstable) to the door. I then took my jeans and blouse off. It was cool now, the air had gotten thinner. It was pitch black outside, and the wind touched me gently with its fingers. I was freezing. I heard them step on the porch behind me, Jeremiah laughing loudly. I took a deep breath and ran across the sand, which was smooth against my feet, towards the waves. I stumbled over the uneven ground, sinking in at some places and jumping over others. "I love the fisher boys!" I cried as loudly as I could, panting. And then I watched the waves for a while. After I noticed, how cold I was, I went back to the porch. Conrad gave me a little smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. Jere, on the other hand, had tears in his eyes of laughter. "That was hilarious, Belly! Good to know you're still as uncoordinated as ever." I stuck my tongue out at him, feeling like a little girl.
"It's fucking freezing," he then announced, and went inside, leaving me and Con alone on the Porch. I couldn't really see his face, since it was so dark, but I was thankful I didn't. I felt ashamed. But he didn't say anything. He just stood there and watched me put my shirt back on, and when I was fully dressed again, he opened the door for me.
"Ok, Jere. Truth or dare?" Conrad was looking at his brother, a challenging grin appearing on his lips. Jeremiah looked at me, then back at him, thinking. "Truth." he then answered.
It was several hours later, and I was getting really tired. I had no idea what time it was, and just when I wanted to announce the end of this game, Conrad asked: "Are you in love with someone?"
Jeremiah opened his mouth, but no words came out. He just looked at his big brother, his mouth gaped open. I could feel the change of atmosphere and wouldn't allow myself to breathe. I closed my eyes and and counted to ten, slowly. I was starting to feel really dizzy, although I hadn't had a drink in over two hours. I waited for his answer. When I opened my eyes, I saw that Jeremiah had turned awfully quiet. He stared at the carpet, his fingers twitching around the empty bottle in his hands. "Yes." He said it loud, in a very distinct tone. I let the air escape my mouth and breathed, surprised by the feelings I had. He was in love? I was touched by his honesty, but hurt that he hadn't told me. And, secretly, deep down, I wanted it to be me. And the thought of it made me sick.
"Okay!" he brushed his fingers through his hair, and reached for the bottle. "Conrad, your tu-"
"Who is it?" Conrad's lips were pressed tightly together, his eyes glistening with something I could not recognize. I saw his jaw clench, and I know that Jere had seen it, too. "Conrad, it's one question, dude. What the-"

"-Tell me." Only now I realized how drunk he was, and the realization scared me. His voice was so strong, so deep, so grown up. He was not out of control yet, but I knew that he could be. When Jere didn't answer, he got angry. "Is it Belly, Jere?" He asked it slowly, unseeingly. Quiet. But I saw rage in his eyes."Don't you want to tell me, Jere? Don't you trust me?" He turned to me, his eyebrows pulled together in hatred. Hatred at me. But he looked at him again, his expression unreadable. "Or don't you want to tell me because its my fucking wife?Just say it, Jere! IS IT BELLY? Because if you're not over her, I'd rather want that she heard."
I could see my own shock reflect in Jeremiah's face. He crawled away from Conrad, helpless, and then he stared directly at me. We stared at each other for a long time, and it made me sad. Sad that he wouldn't be mine ever again. Sad about Conrads behavior. Yes, I was even sad about the fact that I hadn't heard his answer. He left a few moments after, just gathered his stuff and left.
I went to bed. I didn't talk to Conrad. I needed time to think about what just had happened. That night, he didn't come into my room. He normally never did, since I preferred to be in this bed alone, but I kind of hoped he would. At the same time I was glad, though. I wanted to be alone.
That night I cried. I was so confused, so disappointed and mad at the world. Yes, I loved Conrad, despite the way he had behaved, no doubt in that.
But, could it be, after finally having what I had wanted half of my life, that I was not over Jeremiah? That I still loved him, too? Obviously I did, but I had thought of it as in a friendship way. After all, he was my best friend. But could he truly compete against Conrad, my soulmate, my first love, my husband?

Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
I will hopefully soon be posting the next one!