chapter ten
i wish it was you

"It's sold?" Conrad was the first person to unfreeze. "You-you sold this house in the last 12 hours?"

Florence moved to play with her rings, and it was at this unfortunate moment that she realised that she hadn't got her ring from Conrad on, that she had thrown it back to him at prom and he had it in his dorm room. It had, for the last year, been her go to ring to play with whenever she was stressed, and now she didn't have it... god she should've stolen it back when she went to Brown to find Conrad.

The girl let out a small sigh, picking one of her other rings and playing with it nervously.

"Yes. To a-a lovely family with three children and some kind of poodle mix." Julia answered.

"Well, it can't just be over." Jeremiah stated, disbelief in his voice.

"It is." Julia deadpanned. "Uh, I'm gonna need your keys, please."

Julia held her hand out and Conrad dug his hands out of his pockets, taking the summer house key off of his keyring. Jeremiah doing the same with his key.

"I'll bet you're really enjoying this." Conrad scoffed lightly.

"Mum, don't do this." Skye begged.

"Skye, really?" Julia turned to her child in shock before she looked back at Jeremiah and Conrad, both their keys now in her hand. "I told you two that I was selling the house. You just refused to believe it. And I'm not enjoying it, but I will admit that I'm relieved it's finally over. Come on, Skye. Excuse me."

Julia then stormed off, pushing through Conrad and Jeremiah to head towards her car. Skye took one breath, glancing at the others before rushing after their mother.

The group all made eye contact, before heading inside to try and figure out something to do. They gathered in the kitchen. Florence stood next to Conrad, leaning on the counter opposite Sydney who was leaning against the oven.

"Okay. So, I know things aren't going so great right now, but it's always the darkest before the dawn, right?" Jeremiah tried to cheer them all up.

Conrad let out a small defeated sigh, "Yeah, not this time."

"Um... I'm-I'm sorry." Skye spoke as they walked inside. "I-I tried to get her to call off the deal."

"It's not on you Skye." Conrad reassured them.

"I know, but she's my mum, so I would get if you guys were angry with me, too. I just can't deal with her right now." Skye told them.

"Hey, no one's mad at you, Skye." Jeremiah moved to wrap an arm around them.

"So, what?" Steven was the next to speak up. "We're supposed to go home now?"

"Yeah." Conrad nodded. "It's over."

"No." Belly disagreed immediately. "Our-our last memory here can't be this. Everyone miserable and defeated. I mean, this place deserves a better goodbye than that."

"Like what?" Conrad wondered.

Belly let a small sigh, thinking for a moment. "My mum came to the beach house with Susannah for the first time after her dad died. And it was supposed to just be the two of them, but Emmeline knew that Susannah hated how empty the house felt so she surprised her by throwing a huge party. Everyone was dancing and drinking, and they went swimming at midnight. And Susannah said it was like Gatsby or something. So I say that we throw a party, too."

"I'm in." Jeremiah agreed.

"Me too." Taylor nodded.

"Me three." Skye smiled.

"I can't wait." Sydney told her.

"Oh, I love this for us." Cam got excited.

They all laughed at the boy before it died down again, Steven looking over at Conrad. "You in?"

They all turned to look at Conrad. The boy glanced at Belly, before turning to Florence, who nodded at him. "I think it's exactly what my mum would have wanted. She'd love it."

"Great. Okay." Belly began to get excited, jumping off the counter she had been sat on. "Everybody, shower, power nap, and then, I'm putting you to work. Florence your in charge with me."

"Okay." The brunette nodded.

Everyone quickly left the kitchen, going on to do their own thing before the party later. Florence sat on the floor in the living room. Since she had already showered and gotten changed at her own house, there was no reason for her to be doing either of those things.

"Hey Flo Flo." The girl turned around to see Steven stood in the doorway, a goofy smile on his face.

"Hey Steve-o." Florence returned his smile.

Steven moved to sit down on the floor next to her, "You okay?"

"Yeah." Florence let out a sigh. "I just—I just feel like we failed."

"In saving the house?" Steven wondered. "We kind of did."

"No, like failed Susannah... failed Conrad." Florence sighed once again. "This house was our only way of remembering her, and we've lost it."

"We're just kids, there was nothing else we could do." Steven shrugged.

"I should've called my mum." Florence shook her head. "I should still call my mum."

"She's gonna kill you." Steven reminded.

"You're right." Florence huffed.

"And Susannah is everywhere, we're not gonna forget her." Steven stated. "She's in the photos, in the memories, she's here, in cousins, just not in the house."

"Yeah, yeah, you're right." Florence nodded.

"But, uh, failing Conrad?" Steven's eyebrows furrowed.

"He called me for help—After everything... he still called me, because he needed help, and—" Florence placed her head in her hands for a moment before facing him again. "I haven't helped. We lost. I failed him."

"Hey, Flo, he's lucky that you turned up, after everything, he called and you still came." Steven reassured her. "And you haven't failed. You've proven to him that if he needs, you will always be there. That's helped him, knowing that even though we don't have the house, we all still have each other. You didn't fail him, I think you've helped me more than you know."

"You think?" Florence wondered, looking over at him.

"I know." Steven nodded.

"Hey." The two turned to see said boy stood in the doorway. "You wanna come on a shop run with me?"

Florence and Steven shared a look, confused on which one of them Conrad was referring to. Steven glanced back at Conrad, following his eyeline to see him staring straight at Florence.

"Uh, sure." Florence answered when she realised she was the one he was referring to.

"Cool, uh, Syd, Jere and Belly are joining us." Conrad informed her, his eyebrows raised.

Florence nodded trying to suppress a laugh. "Sounds like a hell of a time."

"Let's go." Conrad gestured to the front door as Steven walked into the kitchen to probably try and find Taylor to annoy her.

Florence followed the boy out the door, the two of them heading to his car to wait for the other three. Sydney, Jeremiah and Belly quickly joined them, Jeremiah getting the front seat while Florence, Sydney and Belly squeezed across the backseat. The group drove to the nearest petrol station to buy the alcohol first before they would head to the supermarket.

"So, beer, tequila, vodka." Belly began to list.

"Uh, gin for Skye." Jeremiah added.

"Who drinks gin?" Belly asked teasingly.

"Old people... and Skye." Conrad answered.

"Uh, Camden drank gin." Sydney reminded them, sticking up for Skye.

"All right, I'll take care of this, guys." Conrad flashed them his fake id before getting out the car.

"With that?" Jeremiah tilted his head.

"Why are we assuming fakes are gonna work, cousins is a tiny place, everyone knows everyone?" Florence questioned.

"It's not." Jeremiah answered, turning to look at Conrad walking out of the store empty handed. "Oh, what? Your id didn't work, Mr Herbetson?"

"Fuck off. At least I have one." Conrad gave him the finger.

"Listen, it's cause I don't need one, all right?" Jeremiah told him. "Jumper and I are tight. You know, we're like bros. Come on, how hard could it be? Watch and learn."

It wasn't long before Jeremiah was also leaving empty handed. Conrad immediately teasing him, "Oh look at that face."

"Look let me try." Belly tried next, leaving the car and going into the petrol station.

"That's not gonna work." Sydney shook her head, her point proven when Belly walked out of the store a few minutes later.

"So what are we gonna do, pay someone to go in and pay for us or..." Jeremiah began plotting. "Try another store?"

"Hop a few towns over where they don't know us so well." Conrad suggested.

"I just don't think your guam id is gonna work anywhere." Belly shook her head with a laugh.

"Well your plan didn't work, Isabel." Conrad retorted.

"Hey, your plans failed too." Sydney commented.

"Well what's your idea?" Jeremiah wondered.

Sydney shrugged, letting out a small huff making Florence pipe up. "Why don't we just use our Castillo charm and hope for the best."

"That's not gonna work." The other three shook their heads without hesitation.

"Well, we'll see won't we." Florence smiled sarcastically, jumping out the car. "C'mon, Syd."

The two sister walked into the petrol station, smiling sweetly at Jumper.

"Hey, Jumper." Florence greeted.

"Florence, Sydney." Jumper nodded his head in greeting. "I know why you're here."

"Do you?" Sydney furrowed her eyebrows.

"You're gonna give me a fake or make up a story about how your mum forgot wine for a dinner party." Jumper explained.

"Nope." Florence shook her head. "I don't have a fake."

"And our mum isn't even in Cousins." Sydney shrugged.

"So why are you here?" Jumper questioned.

"We wanna have a party." Florence deadpanned. "Susannah's dead."

"Yeah, I heard. I'm sorry." Jumper sent them a sympathetic look.

"It's fine."

"The house got sold." Florence continued. "This is our last night here. It's been an absolute shit show recently. We wanna drink beer and have a good time."

"We will pay you." Sydney added.

Florence looked up at him, doe-eyed. "Please. We just need a win, just a little one."

Jumper smiled at Florence before he nodded. Florence celebrated as Jumper got the beer, Sydney giving him some money as the two made their way outside.

"No fucking way."

Florence smiled smugly at the shock written on Conrad, Jeremiah and Belly's faces. Sydney, Florence and Jumper made their way over to the car.

"Okay, let's get this in the car quick. And do not get pulled over on the way home, or I'll say you stole it while I was on the john." Jumper stated firmly. "Okay?"

"Thanks, man." Conrad nodded.

"See you tonight?" Florence sent him a smile.

"See you tonight." Jumper repeated before leaving them.

"I'm gonna go get a slushy, be right back." Belly announced, walking back into the petrol station as the others loaded the car.

"I can't believe Castillo charm worked." Conrad shook his head, glancing back at Florence.

"Don't underestimate the power of Florence's puppy dog eyes." Sydney responded with a small shrug.

"And just, betting on the human decency of people." Florence added.

Belly rejoined the group, holding a slushy out for Jeremiah, who seemed to be the only person she got a drink for. Florence looked amused at the look on Sydney's face, the girl practically glaring at Belly.

Florence turned to Conrad, holding out a pepsi. "I got you a drink."

"What?" Conrad looked surprised.

"I got you a drink." Florence repeated. "You always get a pepsi when you stop at a petrol station."

"Does that mean you got—"

"A Dr Pepper." Florence cut him off, nodding. "And a twix."

"I better get half." Conrad pointed at her.

"It wouldn't be a Flo and Connie petrol station stop if I didn't." Florence teased, with a soft laugh.

Florence opened her twix, handing him half before they all got back in the car and headed towards the PartyCity to buy the rest of the supplies for the party. They walked into the shop, stopping by the carts for a quick breakdown.

"Okay, so, what's the plan here?" Jeremiah wondered.

"Uh, I mean, it's a rager, right?" Belly answered. "So, go big."

"How big are we talking, Bells?" Jeremiah questioned, putting his arm over her shoulder.

"Right. I mean are we talking, like..." Conrad pulled his wallet out his back pocket, opening it up. "Dad's Amex big or...?"

"The sacred emergency Amex?" Jeremiah gasped. "Wait, guys, are-are you think what I'm thinking?"

"What?"

"Blow up furniture, strobe lights,, bubble machines—the whole shebang." Jeremiah listed off excitedly.

"Yes, yes, yes." Belly agreed.

"Okay. Last one to fill a cart has to load it all in." Jeremiah announced.

Florence was the first to move, grabbing a cart and rushing off further into the shop, not caring too much about what she was grabbing and just filling the cart with all the party supplies she could pick up.

She turned down the fancy dress aisle, glancing behind her to see Conrad following. She stopped her cart, turning fully to face the boy.

"Woah, hold up." Florence looked down at his cart. "What is this stuff?"

"Practical things we need for a party." Conrad explained.

"There's no fun." Florence stated.

Conrad picked up a pack of his paper plates. "These plates have glitter on them."

"Wow, so fun." Florence joked. "You need to get out more Conrad. Here."

The brunette reached behind Conrad grabbing a multi-coloured feather boa and placing it over Conrad's shoulders, a large smile on her face as she did so.

"Yup, yeah, that's more like it." Florence nodded before she gasped, turning around and grabbing a pair of sunflower sunglasses, unaware of Conrad's lovestruck gaze on her. Florence placed the sunglasses on his face, letting out a laugh before taking a step back to admire her work. "This is... 100% your look, Connie baby."

"And this..." Conrad placed a tiara on her head and a pearl necklace over her neck. "Is your look, Florence, love."

"Is it?"

"Hmmm." Conrad nodded, taking a step towards her. "It's funny, you know, my mum used to call me 'Connie' whenever I was too in my head. I'm sorry. I'm not trying to bring everything down. I know the... order of the day is fun. Let's have some—fun."

"No, it's good, for you to... talk about her." Florence let out a small sigh. "I, um, I need to apologise."

"For what?" Conrad questioned, quickly taking the glasses off his face.

"For what happened at Susannah's funeral." Florence replied.

"Flo, you don't have to apologise for that." Conrad shook his head.

"No, I do." Florence disagreed. "I never meant to get so... angry. I said some means things, I just, I wanted to be there for you. That's why I went to the rec room but then I saw Aubrey and—It's not like we were together anymore. It's not like I had... I didn't have any right."

"Of course you did." Conrad told her without hesitation. Florence let out a sigh, the two standing in silence for just a moment. "I was having a panic attack. I just crumbled. Felt like I couldn't breathe. Aubrey was just the one who found me. I really wish it was you."

Conrad took the crown off of her head, stroking her hair and tucking a piece of it behind her ear. Florence stared at the boy, her mouth parting before—"

"Hey, guys." The two jumped apart, turning to see Sydney with a teasing look on her face. "You almost done?"

"Yep." Florence nodded.

"Cool, let's go." Sydney gestured towards the checkouts. "Belly got cameras to leave around, so people could get pictures. She also demanded we get a picture all together like Susannah used to make us take."

"That's a fantastic idea." Florence smiled.

The group made it back to the house, Florence and Belly making their way into the kitchen while Conrad unloaded the rest of the supplies and Jere and Syd looked for anything the movers might have left behind.

"What are you guys talking about?" Florence wondered, joining Taylor and Skye in the kitchen.

"I was just wondering the same thing." Belly agreed.

"Apparently Skye's never kissed anyone." Taylor told them.

"Which is completely normal and fine." Belly quickly reassured, noting the judgement in Taylor's tone.

"I know." Skye shrugged. "Externally imposed societal expectations of 'normal' have no effect on me. That being said, I've decided that I am ready and willing and would like to know what to do with the various part of my mouth when it meets another mouth."

"You want to take this one? I mean, Belly's the expert." Taylor gestured to her best friend. "Cam, Jere, Syd..."

"Taylor." Belly reprimanded.

"What was it like kissing all them?" Skye questioned. "And feel free to be as technical as humanly possible."

"Yeah, Belly, spare no detail." Taylor teased. "What happened?"

"Uh, my first kiss with Cam was really, really sweet. And with Sydney, I... wasn't even in my body. I think I kind of blacked out. Uh, and with... Jeremiah, um, I thought it would be really weird cause we've been friends for so long, but... It was surprisingly really hot. Like, really, really hot." Belly explained.

"Pretty hot." Taylor commented.

"Okay, well, then, out of all three, who would you kiss again?" Skye wondered.

"Isn't it obvious?" Taylor retorted.

Belly exhaled sharply, glancing at Florence. "No comment."

"Okay, but is there ever a situation, in which it's, like, all teeth and no tongue?" Skye continued to shoot questions.

"Yes." Florence answered, quicker than she intended to.

The three of them all turned to her. "Explain."

"My first kiss with Conrad." Florence told them.

"Last summer?" Belly wondered.

"No, my first kiss... was Conrad when we were like thirteen." Florence explained with a shrug. "It was my thirteenth birthday party, my mum invited loads of people and we went to the basement with a group of them and played spin the bottle. It was so stupid, I didn't even really want to do it but then like four rounds in, Conrad's turn landed on me and—"

"You had your first kiss." Belly finished with a small smile.

"It was... not the best first kiss ever. All teeth and awkwardness." Florence shrugged. "So Skye, it does happen but don't overthink it."

"Let yourself be in the moment and everything else will come naturally." Belly added.

"Yeah. Just make sure they moisturise." Taylor scrunched her nose up. The others sent her a look, urging her to explain. "Milo is obsessed with lip balm. It honestly changes the game."

"Don't overthink it." Florence repeated.

"Yeah, first kisses are supposed to feel like a dream and if there's any place where dreams come true, it's here." Belly stated.

The group all collapsed into giggles, Taylor wrapping her arms around Belly while Florence did the same to Skye, them all feeling like the teenagers they were for a just a few minutes.

Maybe this year was all that bad.

( 💌 ) isobel's notes
sorry i made you guys wait so long
honestly i just kinda forgot about this
book 😔😔
some cute conrad and florence this
chapter and some sad conrad
and florence next chapter 😊