Betty Graham crossed the threshold between the two houses, a warm smile on her lips as she approached the front door of the Fisher residence. She was holding a plate of brownies in front of her, knowing to never show up to a dinner party empty handed. She rang the doorbell and it only took about a minute before Belly was answering, her eyes widening as she looked at the plate of brownies.

"Wow! Did you just make those?" The younger girl asked, Betty admiring the flower crown on her head. Betty Grahams kind smile was then observed by Conrad Fisher who appeared at the end of the foyer, Betty not seeming to notice him there. She had changed since earlier that day, the girl wearing a green sundress and a pair of tights, Conrad's stomach flipping at the sight of them.

"Yeah I figured I'd make some desert for the dinner. Sorry it took so long I made them from scratch."

"No no...you're early. Cam hasn't even showed up yet." Belly reassured her, Betty nodding and stepping into the home. She walked down the hallway and past Conrad, not even giving him a passing glance. However he watched after her, her eyes sticking to the black ribbon she had tied in her hair. He watched her until he couldn't see her anymore, Belly passing by and Conrad being quick to pull her aside.

"What?" She asked in an irritated tone, the boy remembering she was mad at him.

"I'm sorry about what I said...okay?" Bellys face softened at his apology but she still was angry with him, sorry not fixing everything like he thought it did.

"Whatever." She tried to move away but he stepped in front of her, the girl looking up at him in confusion.

"I just—do...do you have to invite her to everything?" Conrad asked, his face holding a solemn expression as he looked down at her. Her eyebrows furrowed and she shook her head, quickly replying.

"Who? Taylor? She's my friend she—"

"No. No...not Taylor." His fist balled at his side and he let out a sigh, running a hand over his hair before clearing up the confusion. "Betty."

Bellys face contorted into one of confusion again and Conrad knew it was a mistake to ask, her expression turning defensive soon after.

"Betty? Of course. She's my friend Conrad. What happened between you guys doesnt change that. Whatever happened." A knock on the door stopped him from continuing on and Belly flared up at him before she looked away, stepping towards the door and revealing Cam behind it. Conrad turned away from the foyer, making his way towards the dining room where the food was being laid out in the table.

:::

"So, Cam. You mind if I call you Cam Cameron?" Jeremiah said from his spot beside Betty, Steven sitting on the other side of her. She laughed at the question, liking the nickname and waiting for Cams reply.

"Mmhmm. Yeah, man. Feel free. That's funny." Cam said, his kind spirit always shining through.

"Cool." Jeremiah replied, Susannah taking the floor now.

"I'm glad you're here Cameron. I know your mom, Denise, from the club. I have heard a lot about you."

"Thank you so much for having me, Susannah. My
mom says hi." A foot hit Betty's under the table, the girl moving her foot away and looking in the direction of it, her eyes catching a smiling Jeremiah. She smiled to herself, looking down at her plate as the conversation continued and kicking the boy in the side of the leg.

"Why don't you eat meat Cam Cameron?" Jeremiah asked, his smile beaming as he kicked the girl back and acted nonchalant about it.

"Uh, the meat industry is like the number one contributor to global warming. And I just, I like animals." Betty's sly smile from hitting Jeremiah back and a low groan from the boy himself caught the attention of Conrad from across the table, the boy seeing the quick glance and smile that she threw his brother.

"Just don't come for my leather jacket." Taylor said, earning laughs from the table.

"I'm pretty sure you mean pleather." Steven shot back, Conrad smiling at his plate before he heard another low thump. Betty's eyes were squeezed closed for a moment and it was now that he connected the dots that the two of them were playing a game of footsies under the table, a burning feeling growing in his chest as he felt the cool grip of jealousy on him. He couldn't help but stare at the two of them, waiting impatiently for the next blow so that he could get further confirmation of what he already knew.

"You know, uh, actually, Belly eats meat. So, you let her kiss you with those lips?" Jeremiah antagonized, Betty giggling as he said it. Her laugh made Conrad sick when he realized Jeremiah had caused it, his eyes dropping to his plate again and then lifting to Belly.

"Guys." Belly said, shaking her head as the two boys laughed. "Stop."

"No, I don't judge people for eating meat. It's just like a personal choice. I don't care."

"So you don't mind if, uh, like, her lips touch a dead animal, and then those dead animal lips touch your lips, right?" There was a thud from under the table and Jeremiah let out a groan, Betty laughing as she realized Belly had kicked him.

"I don't mind at all. Um, in fact..." Cam leaned towards Belly, pressing a peck to her lips and making everyone around the table cringe. Conrad stared down at his plate , the two other boys beginning to fake gag at their seats.

"All right, all right. Belly's allowed to kiss, but that's it." Laurel said, laughing extra loud and prompting others to laugh.

"Mom please. No. You're so not funny. No more wine for you okay?" Belly said, Betty being the next one to talk.

"I thought it was funny Laurel." The older woman gave the younger girl a nod, Steven quick to speak up now.

"I'm sorry. I just don't understand why anybody would want to kiss somebody who once fully shat in the bathtub." Betty laughed and Belly was quick to defend, Cam and Betty making eye contact over the table and laughing.

"I was like two years old!"

"Two? More like six." Steven corrected, the laughs continuing as Jeremiah confirmed the age.

"Shut up, Steven!" Belly said, embarrassed by his words.

"Steven." Laurel scolded, the woman turning her head to Susannah as she began to speak.

"Aw I remember that. God, that feels like a lifetime ago."

"I remember when I visited last summer, and you and you dared him to pee in the fireplace, and you stunk up the entire house for days. Do you remember that?" Taylor said, settling the score and pulling Conrad into the argument as well. Betty laughed at that, a story she had never heard before.

"I blamed the neighbors cat." Susannah said, taking a sip of her drink through the laughs.

"We were drunk. We were drunk." Steven tried to defend but Belly was quick to shut him down.

"On like half a White Claw." They all laughed again, Betty looking to Jeremiah with a smile.

"I've never heard that one." She said, the smile on her lips making Conrad sick. He spoke before he could even stop himself, his words bringing the burgeoning laughter to a screeching halt.

"Yeah probably because you weren't here last summer." Conrad said, pushing his food around his plate but not looking up at the girl. Betty's words died in her lips, her smile dropping with everyone else's except Cam, who had no idea what was going on. There was a empty silence and then Belly spoke, cutting through the awkwardness that the comment had left them in.

"You know, um, I'm thinking maybe we should go to Nicole's party." Betty had heard about the party but had no plans to go, at least not until now, the idea of getting drunk making her feel like it was a good decision to attend.

"Yes! Oh my god. I love you. I'm so excited." Taylor said, a bright smile on her lips as she reached for Bellys hand. Dinner only lasted a few more minutes before the table dispersed, Belly and Taylor disappearing to go get ready, the boys going to the living room and the women and Betty clearing the table. After a few minutes of convincing them, Betty working in the dishes alone, telling the older women to relax and let her take care of it...say it was the least she could do considering how delicious dinner had been. The two women sat at the dining table, Betty loading the dishwasher while she waited for the girls to be done. She was not thinking really of anything at all, her eyes on the running water as she rinsed. However she heard footsteps approaching her, two hands reaching towards a plate she had already rinsed and putting it into the dishwasher. She knew who it was, a sigh leaving her lips as she kept her eyes on the dishes.

"What?" She asked, going with the vibe he had presented for the entire day. She thought they were fine, but clearly he was upset about something.

"The way you treated Nicole today was not okay." Conrad said, Betty processing his words and immediately laughing after. It was a low laugh, one that didn't really hold any humor.

"The way she acted wasn't okay either."

"She wasn't— the way she acted? She didn't even do anything. What are you talking about?" Betty shook her head, finally turning to look at him. Her smile radiated with anger and he realized unfortunately how close they were.

"I'm talking about her bitchy comments and her condescending ass tone. Maybe you couldn't hear it because you were too busy being up her ass to catch it."

"I wasn't up her ass. You're being dramatic." Conrad said, rolling his eyes at her comment.

"Oh you weren't? She gets tapped by a ball and you're all like 'oh my god are you okay? Oh my god are you hurt? Baby let me get you some ice? I'm so sorry this happened to you wah wah'. And I'm the dramatic one...right. Treating her like she got actually hurt and babying her." Betty said, her cheeks red as she whisper yelled at him. She had taken a step closer, the boy looking down at her with narrowed eyes and a curled lip as she spoke. His words were quick to sop from his lips and he knew he would get the last word here.

"You jealous?" There was a stunned silence, the girl looking up at him with a shocked and then slowly angered expression. He realized now that they were so close their chests were almost touching, the bit knowing that if he took a step forwards they would be, and if he took a step back he would break the glorious tension between them. His words ignited the both of them and she held her breath for a moment, his eyes consequentially dropping to her mouth just because he couldn't help it. Her eyes narrowed now and she took the step back...laughing humorlessly and turning back to the sink.

"I'm not going to let you ruin my night, you asshole." The way he was acted reminded her exactly of the beginning stages of the big fight that had resulted in their breakup, the girl recognizing the toxic behavior for what it was and assuring him that he wasn't going to be getting to her.

"And I'm not going to let you ruin mine."