When Natasha and Miles walked into Susannah's beach house hand in hand, they made heads turn and hearts throb. Jeremiah, Belly, Steven, and Taylor (whom Tasha assumed had arrived at Cousins earlier that day) were spending time in the pool, sharing laughs. Tasha guided Miles to the edge of the pool, sitting down so her feet dangled in the water. Miles copied her, slinging an arm around her shoulder as the two watched the ripples in the water. Soon after, Conrad walked into the backyard from the side door, the girl from the bonfire in his arms.

          Tasha's mind began to spin, regardless of the fact that she was completely over the Fisher boy. Didn't he say they broke up? Didn't he push her away at the bonfire, telling her he wasn't interested? Whatever was the case, Tasha disregarded the two, making conversation with Miles.

          Conrad and his little girlfriend sat down by the edge of the pool as well, but it had only been a little while before the volleyball the teenagers in the pool were playing with collided with the top of Nicole's head, leaving her clutching her forehead in pain. Apologies immediately spewed out from between their teeth, but Tasha was holding back laughs from where she was sitting. She knew Nicole was just being dramatic, that the plastic, air-filled volleyball couldn't have possibly caused so much damage.

          "Let me see it." Conrad pried the girl's hands away from her head and examined the spot the ball had hit, obviously not seeing a thing. "Let's go inside. I'll get you some ice." Tasha scoffed at his actions as the two got up and headed inside.

          "Oh, Nicole. That looks so painful." She turned to Miles. "Wanna come with me to my room so I can look at myself in the mirror some more?" Her eyes locked with Conrad's, smiling at him so slyly his heart did cartwheels in his chest. Tasha grabbed Mile's hand, pulling him up and she herself stood on her feet, and the two made their way inside, rushing up the stairs to the girls room.

          "What was that all about?" Miles asked once they had collapsed onto her bed. He looked around at her room, his eyes drifting from the lace curtains around her tall windows, and the photo of her and Conrad on her nightstand. Tasha caught him looking at the photo and walked towards it, picking it up and tossing it in the waste bin by her desk, earning a shocked expression from Miles. "What the fuck happened beetween you two?" He paused waiting for a response, but decided to add more. "Unless, of course, you don't want to tell me. I completely respect that decision, too."

          "We're not on the best of terms right now." Tasha gave him a small smile before taking her place next to him on the bed, crossing her legs and placing her hands in her lap. Miles thought for a while before speaking.

          "Is it because of me?" He asked this cautiously, looking at Tasha with curiosity. "I'm sorry if it is. I didn't know that us being a thing would ruin your relationship with Conrad." He said this all very fast, as if afraid to produce complete, coherent sentences.

          "No, don't worry. Conrad's just being a bitch." Tasha laughed. "Also, I never knew we were a thing." She moved closer to him, their shoulders now touching.

          "I mean, I'd like it to be. If that's what you want." His timid posture turned into one of complete dominance as Miles sent Tasha a smirk, his hair flopping down in front of his eyes. Tasha smiled back, nodding quickly before crashing her lips onto his. She felt his hands travel up to the back of her neck, holding her in place as their lips moved in unison, both smiling through their teeth.

          "I would love to be a thing." Their lips connected again, and when they broke apart for the second time she asked. "It's also kinda my birthday, and my family has this birthday dinner every year. I would really love it if you stayed for that." She looked up at him through hooded eyes, almost pleading because she knew Conrad would be there. She knew that Miles and Tasha sitting oh so close together, laughing and staring at one another with adoration would send him into a spiral of regret and anger. And in all honesty, that was exactly what she wanted. To show Conrad Fisher that she didn't need him. She never did.

          "Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday? I would've gotten you something." The boy pouted, sticking his lower lip out just slightly in an adorable manner. Tasha just laughed making a comment about how it must've just slipped her mind and that she didn't need anything. He pretended to be upset, arguing that he absolutely needed to get the girl something for her special day, refusing to listen to her objections. He shushed her, holding a finger to her lips to calm her down. "You're cute when you're mad." A pause. "I would love to come to your family dinner."

✿

          "The food is delicious. Thank you for having me." Miles sat to Tasha's left, engaging in small conversation with everyone at the table (except Conrad of course). Belly had brought her date as well, the Cam Cameron boy from the bonfire, and Taylor was there as well.

          "Of course it is." Susannah responded, smiling at the boy. "I'm glad you're here, Miles." She added, looking at Cam. "All of you, honestly." She gestured to Cameron and Taylor, sending them a similar expression.

          "Have you guys ever had miyeok-guk before? It's a Korean birthday tradition. Cam, Belly told me you're a vegetarian, so I didn't put any meat in it. I wasn't sure if you had any allergies or preferences though, Miles." Laurel gave him an apologetic look.

          "Please, don't worry about it at all. I don't have any allergies and I eat literally anything that's put in front of me." This made the table laugh, Jeremiah and Steven starting to ask Miles and Cam about themselves. Tasha zoned out during this time, playing with the fork in her hand, completely unaware of the boy looking at her from across the table. The conversations turned into insults and the mom's had to interfere, quieting everyone down before Belly said something about going to a party. Taylor let out a squeal of excitement and the two took their plates to the sink, going up to Belly's room to get ready for the so-called party.

          "Wait, what party?" Tasha looked around confused.

          "Nicole's hosting a party tonight, we're all going." Jeremiah responded, also telling the girl the address. "You should come. Bring Miles too." He excused himself from the table, Cam and Conrad following him.

          "Tasha, go to the party and look after Belly." Laurel instructed her daughter. "Make sure she doesn't get into too much trouble." Tasha nodded and stood up, Miles thanking Susannah and Laurel for the dinner once again before he also got up and went up to Tasha's room. The girl was rummaging through her closet, searching for something to wear, occasionally asking Miles what he thought looked good.

          "I have nothing to wear." She collapsed onto her bed in defeat, Miles staring at the numerous clothes now scattered across the bedroom floor.

          "I didn't think anything looked too bad. The dress was nice." Miles answered in all honesty, looking from the dress to Tasha. "Anything would look good on you."

          Tasha smiled at this, placing a brief kiss on the boy's lips before picking up the dress and rushing to her bathroom, changing quickly and then fixing up her makeup from earlier, putting on new jewelry that matched her new attire. "I'm ready." She glossed her lips one last time with a Glossier tube, and grabbed her phone. The two headed to Miles' car, Miles helping Tasha into the passenger seat and closing her door before getting into the driver's seat himself, staring at the car and waiting for Tasha to input the address into the dashboard.

✿

          "Belly, you came!" Nicole met Belly and Cam at the door, her smile instantly fading when she saw Natasha and Miles behind them. They exchanged a small conversation before walking inside to the living room, being greeted with 'happy birthday'. "You guys, look who's here." Nicole introduced her to the other girls, and Tasha followed, unsure where exactly to go.

          "Um, is this for us?" Belly saw the cakes on the table.

          "Why else would it be for, Belly." Nicole laughed. "I never miss a chance to have a Sofia Coppola moment. Okay, Belly, Tasha, make a wish." There were cheers and laughter, the two girls blowing out their candles. And after the cake had been cut and served, they sat around the room, talking amongst themselves as music blared from a speaker.

          "So, Nicole, are you and Conrad a thing or what?" One of the girls asked, and Tasha stopped her conversation with Miles to hear what they were talking about. The girl turned to Tasha, "Wait, you and Conrad are hella close, right? You should know what he's up to. Has he been hanging out with other girls this summer?" All eyes were on her, and Tasha felt an uneasy feeling setting in her stomach.

          "No, not really. We haven't really talked today, but he's always off by himself." Tasha struggled to speak, Miles noticing and placing his hand on her thigh. The brunette's breath hitched, but there was a warm feeling of comfort radiating from his touch.

          And Tasha wondered that maybe, she didn't need Conrad at all. All the summers spent crushing on a boy who didn't see her as anything more than a little sister. A boy who drunkenly told her that she was his. And maybe Natasha Conklin didn't want to be anyone's. After all, life is about living fast, dying young, getting high at parties, and surfing every wave. She wanted to be the one on top, breaking hearts and making boys wonder what they could do to make her give them the time of day. Even Conrad Fisher because he sure as hell was never going to get her back.

          The brunette, with her eyes glimmering like constellations, took her date by the hand and led him outside by the pool, where the only people there were those attached by the hip. She pulled out a pack of cigarettes from her back pocket as well as a lighter, holding the cigarette between her glossed lips and flicking the lighter on. She stood there, looking Miles in the eyes. Whether it was a look of love or contempt no one could tell, but the girl smiled, leading him to the edge of the pool where the two sat in silence for what felt like hours.

          "Do you smoke?" Tasha broke the silence, letting white opaque vapor seethe out from between her teeth.

          "Yeah, I do, actually. Not regularly, though." Tasha held out the cigarette for him, and the boy took it, inhaling the poisonous feeling. "Are you okay?" He brushed hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear, caressing her cheek briefly.

          "I'm perfect." Tasha smiled at the boy. "We should head back, it's getting late." She stood up quickly walking back inside the house, leaving Miles with his feet dangling in the pool, wondering what the hell he did to deserve such a heavenly figure.