Taylor Jewel and Steven Conklin don't exactly run in the same circles. He's a sophomore, and she's a freshman, not to mention his little sister's best friend, but for sure some reason he can't stop running into her at parties.

At first, he doesn't do anything about it. It's not his business and, if anything, he should just be glad that Belly isn't with her, but then he sees some guy- maybe a senior?- pawing at her, and, God, Taylor is such a shrimp. She barely came up to the kid's elbow, and that was with him- Steven didn't recognize him, but he had to be, like, a basketball player- basically holding her up, she was so wasted. So, he intervened.

"God, Steven," she huffed when he succeeding in practically dragging her to his car, "I'm not like Belly, y'know, I don't need a babysitter."

"Noted," he nodded reached over her to attached her seatbelt, when she didn't do it herself.

She's right, and he knows it. She was there with a group of- equally scantily clad- younger girls, she was clearly having a good time, and he had no real reason for pulling her away from Dex- that was the giant's name, and up close he was only a really big sophomore himself. As it turned out, Steven did know him, he'd let him copy his English homework throughout the eighth grade and Dex was happy to give up Taylor when asked, which was lucky, because he hadn't had a plan for if the guy had put up a fight.

After an initial struggle, Taylor had gone semi-willingly, not wanting to cause a scene, and for the thousandth time that night he was thankful she wasn't Belly, who surely would've thrown a fit.

Stretched over her, seatbelt in hand, Steven, totally involuntarily, caught a whiff of her hair.

Her shampoo smelled like strawberries, he noted with surprise. Most girls- Tania, who he'd just been kissing, included- preferred coconut, but Taylor's hair smelled like strawberries, and Steven smiled and inhaled again. He loved strawberry; if it was socially acceptable for him to be using strawberry scented shampoo, he would.

"Steven, you weirdo," Taylor laughed, "Did you just sniff me?"

"No," Steven coughed, "Why would I do that? Your belt's just stuck."

"I dunno- maybe 'cause you love strawberries," Taylor giggled and added in a voice so quiet, he almost didn't hear it, "Maybe that's why I use this shampoo."

He buckled her and quickly took his seat. He stared at her for a moment; her eyes were trained out the window and she bit her lip, refusing to look at him. He drove her home without comment, but from them on he swore he smelled extra strawberry scents coming from Belly's room every time she was around.

At first Steven thought it was odd that Taylor was at every party he made it to- he wasn't a big party guy, he saved that for the summer when he didn't have school to worry about- but apparently it was less of a coincidence and more due to the fact that Taylor was just... at every party.

He knew her home life was shaky and he seriously doubted her parents checked her location like his did, but still, he thought it was odd how he'd see her on the couch with Belly at his house one minute and an hour later she'd be at a party, already a few drinks in. He was glad she didn't have a car, at least, and her older cousin had a lot of the parties anyway, so he assumed Taylor spent the night there, but sometimes he wondered how she got home from these things. Running from the cops with her friends was one thing, but running all the way home was another entirely. And who were these friends she was partying with? These weren't the girls Belly talked about from school, the nice girls on their volleyball team.

He hadn't meant for it to happen like it did- he hadn't meant for it to happen at all. Now she was a sophomore, almost 16, which seemed to make it better, but she was still Belly's best friend, and more than that- worse than that- he had a sneaking suspicion this meant more to her than it did to him. Still, even with the best of intentions, he was just a stupid teenage boy.

"Are you ever going to kiss me?" Taylor asked with a pout, from her perch on his lap. They were sitting on a lawn chair, next to a fire pit, and his friends on either side of him laughed.

"Excuse me?" he raised an eyebrow and it practically disappeared into his hairline.

"You heard me, Conklin," she looked around at the group, "If I was in your lap, you'd kiss me, right, Spike?"

"I'd do more than that, Jewel," the boy replied suggestively, and Taylor felt Steven's grip on her hip tighten imperceptibly.

"Let me up," she smacked his bicep, making little effort to actually stand, "Just because you don't want to have any fun, doesn't mean I can't."

He hadn't come out that night intending to kiss Taylor Jewel, but once he started, he couldn't seem to stop.

His friends whooped and hollered around them, mostly shouts of "Finally", and he could've swore he saw an exchange of money as if there'd been a bet about all this, but Steven turned over his overacting brain for once and just enjoyed himself.

It was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving break, he was ahead on all of his assignments, he had a little beer buzz going, and he had a cute girl wrapped around him- he wasn't about to stop just because they had a bit of an audience. If it didn't bother Taylor- and if he knew her, it didn't- it didn't bother him. In the recesses of his mind he wondered vaguely if Belly would hear about this, but it was a small party and by the time they got back to school on Monday, he was sure no one would care. Plus, seeing Taylor hooking up was not exactly breaking news at this point, and he doubted anyone would make the connection between him and her and Belly.

Likewise, Taylor's mind was racing, but the boy in front of her smelled of clean soap and the air around them smelled of stale beer and fire pit smoke, so she pushed any thoughts out of her mind and sank deeper into him- the only boy who didn't chase her, the only boy who'd never call her Jewel. The only boy she ever wanted to.

A rare occasion Belly actually came out for was Taylor's birthday. Whichever of the volleyball girls had the biggest house hosted, and half the school turned out for the event. Steven was there, too, but he made sure to keep his distance from his sister and her friend, in an effort to keep their hook ups secret. Somehow, word still hadn't gotten to Belly, and he wasn't sure what would happen if it ever did, but they were having fun, dammit, and if Belly wasn't mature enough to handle that, that was her problem, not theirs.

His gift for the birthday girl was burning a hole in his pocket- Sweet 16 deserved some sort of present, even if it was coming from him as Belly's older brother, but he got distracted talking to a girl in his AP trig class, and by the time he found the girls, Taylor was hooking up with some senior and Belly was making eyes at him, indicating she was over the party and wanted to go home. She always got that way when Taylor was holding court, not that he could blame her.

"Later, Tay," they exchanged a side hug when she broke away from the guy she was with to say goodbye to Belly, "Happy birthday."

If she was upset about not getting anything from him, she didn't show it.

The next morning, he told Belly and his mom he was going for a run, and ended up outside her house, armed with a pair of strawberry shaped stud earrings and the hope that the guy from last night wasn't around.

"Happy Sweet 16," he kissed her cheek and she blushed prettily, suddenly shy in the light of day.

"Thanks, Steven," she said, putting them on right away, in her second piecing. Every time he tucked her hair behind her ear from that point on, it made him smile to find they were still there- if there ever came a day they weren't, he'd know it was over.

Taylor knew if she ever pushed him for more, that would be the end of them hooking up. The way things were, he could pretend not to know how she feels about him and excuse his behavior, but if she ever were to outright say how she felt– he would let her down gently, then it'd be done. So, she played it cool, kept it casual, out of self preservation, more than anything.

It was the same every time. They'd run into each other at a party- sometimes they'd hook up, but never go too far; sometimes she'd grind all over some guy right in his eye line, just to see if she'd get a reaction; sometimes he'd pull her off said guy, if he judged her too drunk, and took her home. She'd never admit it, but the last one was her favorite. Even more than when they were kissing- hands over clothes, no matter how she tried to push the line- when she was in his car, she felt like he cared about her. She liked that he cared.

The last time they hooked up was at a grad party two nights before the Conklins left for the summer. Taylor knew it wasn't their fault, but she sort of hated the Fishers for taking her best friend every summer, let alone... whatever Steven was to her.

But that night, in Billy Russell's backyard, they were in rare form. For once, Steven was the drunker- more drunk?- of the two, and couldn't keep his hands off her, not that Taylor was complaining. By now, it wasn't uncommon to see them hooking up, but usually Steven tried to be a little subtle, whereas tonight he'd actually wolf whistled when she came back from getting them drinks at one point. She'd sat curled up in his lap at the fire pit and he'd given her a hickey, which he would normally never do, and which she'd have to tell Belly- sweet, innocent, gullible Belly- was the result of a curling wand incident.

Then, at the end of the night he was too drunk to drive and didn't want her walking home alone, so they spent the night in Billy's basement, with like 12 other people. Even though he was drunk and they were pressed so close together Taylor could feel his heart beating, he still wouldn't lay a hand on her. Taylor didn't sleep a wink that night, too distracted by the weight of his arm slung possessively around her, but in the morning she hopped up as soon as it was light and took off for her house with the first group of girls to wake up. She didn't want to see his face when he woke up, she was sure he'd be embarrassed, probably even horrified, and she didn't want to hear him launch into an explanation about why this shouldn't have happened, couldn't keep happening, and would never happen again. They both had the lies they had to tell to themselves, it seemed.

"Drew Martinez, huh?" Steven said, when Taylor walked out of Belly's room. He was standing in his doorway, across from his sister's, and must've heard their whole conversation.

"Jealous much?" Taylor narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why, is he your summer wish?" he countered, teasing.

"Only Belly makes summer wishes," she retorted, the part she'd never say out loud was that she couldn't be bothered with a summer wish, 'cause summers he was never here.

"You going out?" he changed the subject.

"The McCallan twins' party is tonight," she said by way of an answer- if there was a party, she'd be at it.

"Have fun," he gave her a tap on her head, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do. And try not to miss me too much this summer, Taytay."

"Tears on my pillow, Conklin," she rolled her eyes. She and Belly had been rewatching Grease for the four thousandth time while they packed her things.

He shook his head and turned back into his own room, Taylor momentarily caught off guard by how her flippant comment would probably end up coming true at some point this summer.

She felt a pit in her stomach when she heard Belly talking about the Deb ball, and the pit only grew when she heard about Steven and Shayla.

She wasn't surprised the siblings were obsessing over the lifestyle of Cousins' elite, but she'd hoped they'd get over it sometimes. Laurel was, like, the best, and Mr. Conklin was nice, too, but Belly was always waxing poetic about Susannah and even Taylor knew that Steven's snobbiness was a cover for his insecurity about their finances. What she hadn't expected was for Belly and Steven to trade her in for an upgrade, and so soon into the summer.

"Wanna go upstairs and see if there's other bathrooms?" she'd asked it innocently enough. She really didn't expect anything to happen with Belly around.

Steven checked his phone again, and she choked back a groan. Adopting a teasing tone, she poked him, "Looks like Belly's not the only one on board with the fancy girls."

"Trust me, Tay," his groan was loud, "It's not all it's cracked up to be. This Deb thing is killing me."

"According to Belly you're super into this Kayla girl though," Taylor prompted.

Steven didn't bother correcting her, he knew her game well, and continued on, "She's great, she's- I've never met anyone like her before, but I'm not this guy."

Taylor swallowed thickly. Nothing hit quite like having your crush talk about another girl in front of you, but Taylor knew she'd set the precedent by bringing up at least a dozen different guys to Steven over the past year. Of course, she had been trying- in vain- to make him jealous and he was over here breaking her heart, but such was the nature of their relationship.

"What guy, Steven?" Taylor spoke sharply, "You're like Ivy League smart, you're nice, you always try to keep the peace between Belly and Laurel. As much as it, like, physically pains me to say it, you're a good guy."

"Well, we both know that's not entirely true," he teased, toying with her flower crown, "That it pains you, I mean. I seem to remember quite a few times you were more than happy to-."

"Steven," Taylor's eyes went wide, "Belly is here. She would- I don't know what she'd do."

"She's downstairs," he said, "Hear the singing? That's Jeremiah, I'm sure he's serenading Belly and that Cam kid as we speak."

"You guys should lay off Cam," Taylor shoved his shoulder, but left her hand there, "She finally likes someone besides Conrad, if anything you should be encouraging it."

"You're not wrong," he touched the hem of her pink dress, his face momentarily crinkling, "Is this the one you lent my sister?"

"That was a different one," Taylor assured him, "Why, do you like it?"

Steven nodded, his hand still on her hem, "You can't give her your clothes though. They don't- suit her, like they do you. You and Belly are two entirely different people, thank God."

"It's reassuring to know you don't think of me as the little sister type," Taylor leaned into him, and the dress hem went over his fingers.

"Taylor," he sucked in a breath, "Are you sure-"

"It's nothing we haven't done before," she teased, hooking her other hand behind his neck, "It can stay our little secret, right?"

He barely hesitated before slinging an arm around her waist and pulling her into his lap. Their lips crashed into each other, and before she knew it, she was airborne.

If Steven had one unspoken rule for them, it was no beds; he'd kiss her in a chair, on her porch swing, a kitchen counter, and evidently up against this dresser, but God forbid she ever try to go horizontal with him.

It's not like she's a virgin, and he knows she isn't, but he can't- won't- go there with her. He knows, deep down, even for Taylor, who acts like it's no big deal, it would mean something to her. It would change things.

While he's not a big guy, she's light enough to be carried the few steps across the room, her legs locked around his narrow hips. She grinds into him, trying to provoke him, but he sets her down with a thud, creating some space between them. She's mostly just being a tease, she knows he won't sleep with her, but that doesn't mean she can't make him a bit uncomfortable anyway.

They were caught. They were caught and Taylor was screwed, 'cause now totally Belly hated her, Steven would probably never look at her again, and she somehow had to find her way back to their friends' house, where she still had to stay the night. Awesome.

Taylor was attempting to simultaneously blend into the furniture and locate Jeremiah- the nicer, not to mention more promiscuous, of the Fisher boys would maybe see her side of things- when she felt a hand on the her shoulder.

"Ah!" she shouted inadvertently, when faced with Conrad Fisher. Taylor knew he was, like, Belly's ideal man and Steven's idol, and all that, but she'd always found him to be scary, and she definitely didn't want to talk to him about this.

"Sorry," he said, but his lips twitched into a grin.

"Are you going to yell at me?" she asked, for some reason feeling like she'd deserve it if he did.

"No," he said, "I was going to give you a ride, if that's alright?"

"How drunk are you?" she asked incredulously. He must've known what happened- he wouldn't be coming up to her if he didn't, but he was about the last person she'd expect to be sympathetic.

"Come on," he nodded in the direction of the door and she allowed him to lead her to his car, but not before he let Nicole know he'd be back later.

"How long have you guys been hooking up?" he asked after a moment of silence in the car.

"Steven told you about that?" she looked shocked rather than upset, which was an improvement.

"No," Conrad smirked, "But you just did."

She slumped lower in the passenger seat, but he shook her shoulder, "It's not a big deal, Taylor, people hook up all the time. Belly will get over it."

"Not likely," she frowned, "You of all people should know how Belly operates."

"Me of all people?" Conrad asked quietly. Every time he spoke he sounded like he was in pain.

She eyed him for a moment. She got what all the girls saw in him, he was cute, in that tortured, broody way that did nothing for her.

"You got to stop messing with my girl, Conrad," she sighed, defensive of her friend even when she was fairly certain she'd never speak to her again.

"Are you talking about me and Belly, or you and Steven?" he countered, side eying her.

"Touché," she cracked a little smile in spite of herself.

Belly and Taylor haven't talked since last night. When Conrad had come to the house the first time, Cam's car was still parked in the driveway, so he took her for a milkshake to kill some time before circling back. Taylor had gotten cookies and cream, instead of strawberry.

Then, when he dropped her off, she'd creaked up the stairs and into Belly's room, fully expecting a showdown, but Belly was either suddenly a really solid sleeper, or she was faking it to avoid the inevitable. A tiny, stupid part of Taylor was happy Belly knew, that she didn't have to hide it. If anyone understood inconvenient feelings, it was her best friend.

Still, Taylor packed her things- she suspected she'd be catching an earlier bus the next morning and crawled into bed next to her without a word.

There was a knock on the door the next morning as she packed the last of her things, toiletries, pajamas, and she wasn't sure who she was dreading seeing more.

She opened the door to find Steven, and suddenly her mouth was too dry to speak.

"That was-" she started, when Steven cut her off.

"That was a mistake," he said, "I don't want Belly to know it wasn't the first time."

Taylor's eyebrow crinkled in confusion. Hiding it was one thing, flat out lying was another thing altogether.

"You want me to lie to my best friend?" she said quietly, wanting to say, 'You want me to pretend we never happened?', but holding it in.

"We made a mistake, Taylor," Steven said, "We've been making a mistake. It wasn't- we should've never gone there, anyway. We were playing with fire, and it can never happen again."

Taylor felt her heart crumble a little at his words. There were a lot of outcomes she'd anticipated, for when it all hit the fan, but this wasn't one of them. She'd misjudged Steven. Clearly, if he could stand in front of her and tell her this, he wasn't the guy she thought he was. Maybe he never had been- maybe that was only who she'd hoped he was.

But whoever this was, it wasn't the boy who'd wrapped himself around her three weeks ago as he slept in Billy Russell's basement. It wasn't the boy who'd kissed her and walk her home and bought her the damn strawberry earrings she was wearing right now. She didn't know who this boy was, because the Steven Conklin she thought she knew would do a lot of things, but she didn't think he'd ever hurt her.

After seeing Taylor off, Belly faced her brother for another awkward conversation she'd been dreading.

"Can we not," Steven said, sensing her presence, "I feel bad enough as it is."

"She really likes you, you know," Belly narrowed her eyes at her brother.

Steven sighed and finally said out loud what he'd pretended to be blind to all along, "Yeah, I know."