Chapter Text
belly
Most of the evening passes in Taylor's rush to get us ready, my desperate tries of catching up with her, as well as retelling the story of why she hates most of the people we'll see at this party to Skye. She hasn't gotten over the skinny dipping incident yet, even though it's been a whole year, and it still bites her in the ass for some reason. She keeps calling the Deb ball girls “Cinderella's evil sisters”.
I fidget slightly, reaching the conclusion that leather skirts and car seats definitely don't blend well together. My thighs feel sticky and wet, and I'm half convinced that the stupid thong Taylor made me wear has gone too far up my ass. Why did I let her manipulate me into wearing one, anyway? There's no bigger torture! I'm stronger than this. Or so I thought…
At least I look nice. The beige leather skirt perfectly blends into the white corset I bought while shopping with the girls after camp last week, and the chunky white heel boots Taylor borrowed me for the time being compliment the entire outfit pretty well. My hair's all curled up in waves and Tay went all out with the makeup.
I don't just look nice, I look kind of…sexy. A certain boy's mouth dropping open kind of confirmed that for me. I need no further validation for the rest of the night, for all I care.
“You excited about seeing the girls?” Jeremiah's hand on my leg, he makes a right turn, glancing at me briefly before swerving his gaze back onto the road.
“Yeah. We haven't hung out in a while. I saw them at our party last week, but only for about a second. We didn't even get to talk much.”
“Yeah, you were kinda busy, you know, tripping and drinking and falling into my arms and-”
“Okay, asshole. I get it.” I wipe that smug smile off of his face. “I got drunk! You get drunk sometimes too, don't be mean.”
“Are you sure they'll be there?” He asks.
“Yeah, um, Gigi texted me once she heard that we were coming.”
“That girl has eyes and ears in our walls, I swear-”
“Nope. Dara and Marissa do.” I correct swiftly. “Gigi just gets it all on a silver platter because of those two.”
“No lie there. But wait, isn't Gigi busy with that reality show thing, or whatever the fuck?”
“Yeah, don't ask me. She's apparently back in town.”
“And to think we didn't even get to see the pilot episode.” He jokes.
It takes no more than a minute before we reach what seems to be a crowded…parking lot? Except it isn't. When I snap myself out of my daze and actually decide to look around, I notice the big house that stretches high above my line of vision, the Jeep roof blocking most of it. The front yard is simply overfilled with cars everywhere.
Trust teenagers to arrive at a party full of booze in nothing but vehicles that forbid them to take any substances if they wished to get back home without a mark on their face.
This place looks…rich, to say the least. The towering three story house looms with its white exterior and glimpses of a sprawling lawn beside it. Columns frame the wide front porch, a bright facade giving it so much life, and I notice an edge of what seems to be quite a big pool around back.
It's nothing I'm used to seeing back home, to say the least.
The Fishers have always been rich. Much more so than my family - my mom made sure to repeat it whenever I asked for something we couldn't afford, yet Susannah could, when Steven and I were kids. But they were never this type of rich. I feel insane at the very thought that we’ll end up partying here tonight.
“Woah…some kid lives here?” I blink up at Jeremiah, as he pulls his Jeep into parking.
“Yeah. And he has killer parties. Most of the time, at least.”
The most I know about this blowout is that this isn't Nicole's house, and it seems that her friend Liam decided to throw it for her at his place. I don't know who he is, but I'm sure Jere has mentioned him through the years, or at least that the name seems familiar when it comes to the regular Cousins crew. I just can't connect a face to the name, no matter how hard I try.
“Looks like Steven's already here.” He nods toward my brother's car, safely parked between the many others. “They must be inside.”
By the time we're out of the Jeep and standing at the front porch, I'm already tightly tucked like a cinnamon bun, Jeremiah's arm draped around my shoulders.
I loop my arm around his waist. “You see Taylor anywhere?”
“She's probably checking out the drinks by now.”
“Hopefully she hasn't lost Skye.” Or forgotten them back at the beach house.
The party is already in full swing by now. I'm pretty sure we're about an hour late, anyway. I can't wait to just dance and get a tiny bit drunk by the end of the night. Jeremiah seems to be the DD, but honestly, I'd rather let us walk home. He should have some fun tonight, too.
As we step inside, we're swallowed by the bustling crowd. Lights flicker all around, the music booms, drinks are being passed around and this house - it's…huge. The mere entrance has my mouth almost wide open.
Lots of people seem to chant Jeremiah's name as we push our way through, to which he high fives a few of them and then doesn't even send a backward glance their way, gripping me closer.
It feels nice. This. He's kind of my date to this party, if looked from an outsider’s perspective, and I don't mind that one bit. He seems to be happy showing me off, and I notice a few glances thrown our way as he keeps on interacting with some of his old friends. They’re all saying things like “Fisher!” and “There he is!” as I clutch onto the fabric of his shirt.
It's the first time we're out together, in a way. As a real couple. Out publicly, at Cousins, anyway. It feels all the more exciting to show him off in return.
It's also hard to miss the amount of girls and boys that have been eyeing him since we've come in. I can't blame them, really. He looks more than hot tonight, with his hair all ruffled and his white polo and dark jeans. The polo also highlights his arm muscles really well. Though he simply swerves them and barely pays any mind, clutching me closer and saying some things I can barely make out in my ear.
Taylor must be here somewhere - at least I hope. How did I manage to lose them this quickly, anyway? We've barely been here for a full minute.
Another group of guys seems to notice Jeremiah, and only then do I realize that Steven is right there with them, once they all go in for hugs and hellos. I recognize them, yes, but I've never met them, so they only throw a small “Hi’ my way, after which I waste no time and ask Steven if he's seen Taylor anywhere, Jeremiah's hand still draped around me.
“She's by that big white couch with Skye.” Steven says, a big plastic cup in his hand.
“Aren't you supposed to drive? Why are you drinking?” I ask.
“Plans change, Isabel…” He says, taking a sip of the drink. Did he just call me Isabel? Actually?
“Whatever. Hey-” I tug at Jeremiah's shirt, inviting him to look at me. “I'm gonna go look for Taylor and Skye or be with the girls, okay?” He nods before I kiss his cheek and turn away toward where the party seems to be at its highest. I briefly hear a gasp as I turn around, and a quiet, if not slightly flushed “What?” being mumbled by Jere.
Those boys must not be used to seeing him with an actual girlfriend and are shocked by our public display. It's kind of funny, if I'm being honest. But I'll certainly change that. I might be the first to be able to hold Jeremiah Fisher's hand at a party like this, but I certainly won't let anyone else even try.
I spot Nicole and Gigi before tracking Taylor down, so I decide to let her just find me herself and walk toward the other two girls instead. I haven't seen Gigi in forever anyway, though she's still as drop dead gorgeous as she was the year before.
“Belly! Oh my God-” I'm swooped into hugs so swiftly that I almost stumble. Count on Isabel Conklin to be the one who is most likely to fall on her face! Not that I haven't been there before…
They're both standing next to some sort of a Cocktail filled table, and it isn't that hard to jump back into conversation with the two. Somehow it feels like no time has passed, and we're back playing princess during Deb rehearsals and talking about Paige and her rules behind her back.
“Oh, and happy birthday, Nicole!” I finally manage. She only nods and says something about it being last month, not today, and then thanks me.
“Wait, you didn't come alone, right?” Gigi interrupts, taking a sip from whatever mix of alcohol she has in her red cup.
“Um, no, Steven and Jeremiah and - you remember my friend Taylor, right?” They both nod briefly. “All of them are here. Somewhere, at least.”
“Well, I should probably go and say hi. And I also have to go check something with the Dj real quick. You two have fun, okay?” She strolls away so suddenly that I am barely able to comprehend it, too busy taking notice of someone climbing up a table in the far corner of what seems to be the living room space, and moving to the beat of the music in the strangest way imaginable. Either way, the girl is definitely brave.
I glance about the crowded space in search of Taylor, yet still no luck.
“So, Belly!” Gigi tips her head up. “What’s up? We haven’t talked in forever. And, oh, do you want a drink? There’s like, a million cocktails pre prepared over here.”
“Sure.” I nod slightly. She seems even perkier than usual.
“Any requests?”
“Surprise me.” I barely have time or the energy to think about whatever the hell I'm about to put into my body, and just let her choose instead. A little bit of spontaneity never hurt anybody, right?
“So, what's new?” She says as she passes me a cup.
“Well, I don't know where to start, to be honest-”
“Oh, oh my God!” Her hand flies to her mouth. “I’m so sorry Belly, that didn't come out right. I heard about their mom, I really didn't mean-”
“No, no, it's okay, don't worry. It's fine. I mean, it's not fine, we just, we don't have to talk about it. Not right now, anyway.” I quickly take a sip of whatever she's given me and almost gulp at the intensity of it. This one's strong.
“Okay well, tell me something fun then.” She muses.
“I'm sure my life isn't even half as interesting as yours. Reality show, seriously?”
“Yeah, don't even ask. I expected it to be this extravagant, amazing thing, you know? Took me only a second to realize that national television is bullshit and that I regret having anything to do with it.”
“Is that why you're back in Cousins?” I ask her curiously, and then have to lean in closer to hear her in between the blasting music and the sudden roar of the crowd.
“Yeah, kind of. My parents can't agree on anything right now except sending me away for a while, apparently. I've been too big of a pain in the ass during this whole thing, or something - their words, by the way.” She's almost yelling. “And fuck it, you know? Their loss. I don't even want to listen to them fighting anymore, so I’m not even mad.” She lifts the red cup up to her lips and allows the liquor to take over.
“And you guys? Are you all back for the summer?” I barely notice her question, trying my best to locate Taylor once again.
It takes me a minute to snap out of it and turn back toward Gigi and her prying eyes. “Not sure to be honest. Maybe? It's been a crazy few weeks.”
“Oh?”
“We were here about a week ago. There was this whole thing with the house, we almost lost it. But you know, it's back and in good hands now, the boys’ dad just bought it back, it was a whole thing.”
“That would have been a shame. I can’t imagine that house without you guys in it.”
“Yeah, me neither.”
“And the boys? I haven't seen them.”
“Oh, well, Conrad’s in California-”
“California? What’s he doing there?”
“Stanford. He got accepted recently, transferred from Brown.” I explain.
“Smart-ass.” I can't quite figure out if that was supposed to be condescending or if she’s genuinely expected no less from him. In a good way, of course.
“And Steven got into Princeton so he’s spending this summer being an idiot.” I ramble on. “ Not that he ever isn't one. He’s somewhere in the crowd with Jeremiah, I don't know, I kind of lost them.”
We stay that way for a while. It's really nice, catching up with her. We're both going into senior year so we bond over it, and talk about some college options while we’re both still sober. She seems to be really into NYU, though isn't sure if she can get in. I have my fingers crossed for her.
A sudden roar from the crowd catches our attention, and we turn to see what's going on. The yelling and cheering grow louder, and the music thumps even harder in my ears.
What I see next floors me: Taylor, right in the thick of the crowd, dancing and drinking, all eyes on her, without a single care in the world.
And then she climbs the table, too.
Oh, boy.