growing up with the fishers ment growing up with volleyball. it's the one thing were the boys and belly and me were a team, were they didn't exclude us.
"are you exited for the tournament?" susannah asked me.
"yeah, i can't wait. i want to raise the most money of anyone."
"mhm, steven's the only one i'm worried about."
"and which charity are you representing?" i asked her.
"the one you help with. the homeless women's shelter."
"that's sweet."
"thank you, Lane."
✩★✩
"hey you" conrad said smiling when he entered my room.
when he came in my stomach was filled with butterflies and fireworks. i felt a warm feeling on my body like the sun has just risen.
"hey you too" i said and patted next to me, to symbolize him to sit next to me on my bed, and he took the invitation.
when he sat down we kissed for a little.
"are you exited for the tournament?" he asked me.
"yea sure. i'm ready"
"if you stay ready, you won't have to get ready."
"mhm. that was cheesy." i chuckled.
"mhm, yea. are we partners?"
"yea, of course" i nodded and stroke my hair behind my ear.
"you meant volleyball, right?"
"yes of course. what did you think you agreed to?" he laughed a little.
"i don't know... i just like being your partner no matter what"
i coverd my face and fell backwards on my bed.
conrad let himself fall next to me. he looked at me took softly my hands off of my face.
"i'm excited for the tournament too. we got this."
✩★✩
"good afternoon. i'm susannah fisher..." everyone cheered.
"...chair of the club's community service board, and i am delighted to welcome you to play it forward!
you know, as my mother used to say, if you're lucky enough to be at the beach, you're lucky enough. and we are very fortunate indeed which is why, in the spirit of fun and friendly competition it is time to open our hearts and our wallets and give back to those who may not be as fortunate. we have teams raising money for homelessness, women's shelters, environmental causes and many more. and play it forward will match pledges for the winner of the tournament! pledge tables still open, so please donate generously. and with that, i say let the games begin!" at the end of her speech everybody applauded for susannah.
at first belly and taylor played, while i was at the side watching like it was the most addicting thing ever.
"so do you have an escort yet?" nicole asked me coming up to my side.
"i haven't really met anyone here, so conrad's taking me" i told her which was only the half truth.
"right... great. so happy for you. and a dress? do you have that?"
if i wouldn't have been so focused on the match, i might've noticed the snapping tone in her voice.
"uh, not exactly. i have one in sight but i'm not sure if it's worth the price"
"hey, i got water, you want some?" conrad approached to my other side.
"hey nicole" he got a little tense when he noticed her.
"hey you too"
"i'm good, thank you" i answered his question and rubbed his back slightly.
we kept cheering for belly and taylor until taylor fell.
she kept complaining about it being twisted.
i'm not saying that it didn't hurt, but it wasn't as bad as she pretended.
she changed with jeremiah who was, and that to say nicely, not as good.
after that a few others played, and also conrad and me against steven and shayla, and in the end us against belly and taylor, who was back in the game.
"and the winners are lane conklin and conrad fisher!" susannah announced to everyone.
after our families congratulated us i saw nicole coming up to belly, taylor and me.
"hey, belly. hey, lane"
"hey, nicole." we answered at once.
"uh, you remember my friend taylor?"
"yeah, hi. um, so my dad's boat just came up from anguilla. um, so what do you guys think about a pizza and rosé in a few hours? just something fun to end the day. and you're more than welcome to come, too, taylor" nicole invited us.
"will kayla be there?"
"you mean shayla." she chuckled. "and, no, she has plans with liam and all those people."
"yeah, we'll be there." i answered for all of us.
✩★✩
"hey, i think i'll take a walk on the beach, wanna come with me?" i asked reaching my head through conrad's room door.
"yes, of course"
"so you are going out with nicole tonight?"
"not only with her, but with belly, taylor and some of her other friends"
"deb friends?"
"ugh, don't come me with debutant. i'm glad when this thing's over"
"i told you, it's nothing for you" he smirked pulling me into a side hug.
"it's not that i gave much of an opinion about what you said back then" i chuckled laying my arm around his back.
"you always did"
"oh, shut up"
"you just want me to shut up because you know it's true"
✩★✩
on nicole's dad's boat we first had a few drinks and when it got dark we played some sort of 'put your finger down if...' still with drinks next to us.
considering that this was my third drinking experience this summer and my fourth at all i got again a little tipsy, not as bad as before though.
"put a finger down if you ever made out with conrad fisher"
i put my finger down before i could even think, at the same time as nicole, the reason she shot me a look.
"shut up!"
"tell us the tea" the others wanted to know.
"well, it was on the fourth when everyone was gone and i was like pretty drunk"
"i always had the feeling about you two"
"enough about conrad" nicole cut it.
"uh, put a finger down if you've ever been skinny-dipping." only a few put their finger down.
"put a finger down if you've ever gone skinny-dipping at hopper's cove."
"is that a dare?"
"absolutely."
we left our clothes on the jetty and went into the cold water.
at first it was all fun, but when the three of us were left behind, while the others went away with every single piece of clothing.
when we got finally out, we wrapped up in some blankets that are supposed to cover boats usually.
while belly and taylor discussed over i don't know what, i tried looking for civilization or anything to tell the time or let us call someone, because our phones were with our clothes.
all of the sudden we saw two car lights flash up, which turns out to be jere's and conrad's cars.
they got up and went straight to us.
"hey shortie, need help?" conrad said petting my head.
"i don't know, connie baby, you tell me"
"you definitely do, i can see in your eyes how desperate you are"
belly gave them both an end of one blanket so we could get dressed.
on the way back home belly and taylor went with jere while i went with conrad.
"oh oh oh, let me do the music" i said looking for the AUX cable.
"sure, but it's bluetooth" he selected everything, so i was really fast connected.
of course i put on some taylor swift.
"you think she hates me now?"
"i think she does. she pulled up and gave me a whole speech"
"yea, i'll definitely end up in her burn book. but that's fine, i'm not a big fan of her either"
