chapter fourteen
it's going to be okay

Sydney cleared her throat loudly, the two stopping what they were doing to turn to the trio that were now stood there.

"Syd..."

"No, please don't stop." Sydney told them. "We're clearly the ones who are interrupting you."

Sydney then spun on her heels and walked back in the direction she came in. Florence began to walk after her but Conrad stopped her. "Syd."

"Sydney, come on." Jeremiah called after her but she was long gone. Jeremiah turned to Belly. "Will you go after her? Please."

Belly let out a small sigh before she followed after her. "Yeah."

Florence looked at Jeremiah. "She's your best friend."

"I—I don't know what you want me to say." Jeremiah shrugged.

"I can't believe you would ruin your friendship for a girl." Florence shook her head.

"You're just saying that because she's your sister." Jeremiah argued.

"Dude." Conrad spoke up, shaking his head. "She's right."

"Oh really?" Jeremiah scoffed.

"Yes really." Florence nodded. "She's just a girl."

"She's Belly!" Jeremiah exclaimed.

"Sydney was your best friend!" Florence shouted right back before she scoffed. "You two deserve each other."

Florence then spun on her heels and rushed off in the direction Sydney and Belly had gone in. The girl bumped into Belly as she went past.

"Flo..." Belly tried to stop her.

"I can't right now." Florence brushed her off, moving to go find Sydney, knowing Conrad was hot on her tail. Florence found the girl sitting on a bench with her head in her hands. "Syd..."

"I'm fine." Sydney stated, allowing her sister to wrap her arms around. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Florence wondered, her eyebrows frowned in concern.

"I'm fine." Sydney repeated before looking up at Conrad. "Let's go pack your dorm up, yeah?"

"Uh, yeah, sure." Conrad nodded hesitantly, sharing a look with Florence who shrugged.

The three made their way to Conrad's dorm, cleaning it up and packing everything he had to take with him, casual but slightly awkward conversation filling the silence before they made their way back to the car where Belly and Jeremiah were waiting.

"Didn't know if you guys were coming back." Jeremiah stated.

"Just helping Conrad pack." Sydney explained with a small shrug. "You guys ready to go."

"Uh yeah." Jeremiah nodded, fishing the keys out his pocket. "Did you wanna drive?"

"No, I don't think I'd trust myself behind the wheel right now." Sydney responded causing them both to look at her in fear. "I didn't get enough sleep last night, guys, chill."

"Syd, are you sure you don't wanna drive with me and Con?" Florence wondered.

"Nope, I'm good here." Sydney smiled making Florence let out a small sigh.

"Don't do anything you'll regret." Florence warned.

"I'm not gonna regret anything." Sydney replied.

"She means it, Syd." Conrad joined in the warning.

"You guys look like my parents right now." Sydney joked causing the three to laugh.

Florence shook her head in amusement, turning back to face Jeremiah. "Have fun with her. We'll follow you back to Belly's, I wanna see Steven again."

"You only left him this morning?" Jeremiah's eyebrows furrowed.

"A lot has happened since this morning, hasn't it, Jeremiah?" Florence questioned, eyebrows raised.

Jeremiah nodded stiffly, letting out a sigh through his nose. "We'll lead the way."

"Thought so." Florence smiled at him.

The girl walked back to her car, getting in the front seat and turning to Conrad, her mouth open to ask a question, only to be met with the sight of Conrad holding his Brown sweatshirt out to her.

"You're cold?" He asked.

"I am, yeah." Florence nodded. "How did you know?"

"I know you." Conrad shrugged, like what he just said hadn't made Florence melt to a puddle on the floor.

The girl sent him a small smile before she put it on, getting in the drivers seat and starting the album. The two sat in comfortable silence as they pulled out behind the others, following Jeremiah done the road. They drove for hours, Conrad adding songs to the queue as the sky grew dark. Rain began pouring down, traffic building up as a storm passed over them slowly.

"Do you think Syd's enjoying herself?" Florence broke the silence.

"I think she's being a menace." Conrad answered.

"Do you think she's asked Belly who the better kisser is yet?" Florence wondered.

"I think that was probably the second question she asked." Conrad nodded. "Right after what those two actually did last summer."

"Hmmm." Florence hummed, nodding her head. "Menace."

"She's your sister." Conrad pointed out.

"And I adore her." Florence stated. "But she's a menace."

Suddenly the phone began to ring, Sydney's name popping up. Conrad leant forward to answer it. "Hey."

"We're getting off because Belly needs to piss and some snacks." Sydney stated.

"Okay." Conrad told her. "We'll follow."

The couple followed after Jeremiah as he pulled to a rest stop. Florence watched as Belly rushed to the toilet, Sydney and Jeremiah heading into the shop.

"I'm not going in the rain." Florence stated.

"I'll go in." Conrad offered, getting out the car and heading towards the shop.

Florence opened her window, poking her head out. "I love you."

"Yeah, yeah." Conrad rolled his eyes as he opened the door to the shop and went inside.

Florence laughed softly, checking her phone for any messages and updating Shayla on her day until the passenger door reopened. Conrad got in, sending a smile her way as he opened the bag on his lap.

"What did you get?" Florence wondered.

"I got a pepsi and some chocolate." Conrad stated. "And I got you a Dr Pepper, sour patch kids and a twix."

"You're the best." Florence smiled, taking the food out of his head.

"Uh, the highway's shutting down." Conrad informed her. "There's a motel down the road, the guy inside said."

"Okay, we'll go there." Florence nodded. "What happened in there?"

"Syd and Jere argued about which sweets Belly likes better." Conrad told her.

"Oh."

"Yeah, it was..." Conrad let out a breath. "Awkward."

"I can imagine." Florence sighed. "If this motel only has one room, I'm sleeping in my car."

"Okay." Conrad laughed softly.

Florence started the engine, following Jeremiah to the motel down the road. The group parked, making their way inside and to no one's surprise, there was only one room left. Florence let out a loud scoff, running her hands over her face.

"Five of us can't go in one room." Florence told the woman.

"I'm sorry." She sighed.

"Fine." Florence huffed, turning to Conrad who handed the woman his dad's credit card. "I call the bed. You guys go ahead, we'll meet you up there."

"Uh, yeah, okay." Jeremiah and Belly nodded, taking the key and heading up to the room.

"I'm gonna go find a vending machine." Sydney stated, pointing over her shoulder.

Conrad and Florence nodded, watching her go before Florence turned to the boy, resting her forehead against his chest with a sigh.

"I just wanna go home." She whispered.

"I know baby." Conrad pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Tomorrow. Tonight, we just need some sleep."

"Yeah." Florence sighed once more. "Sleep. I gotta call my mum."

"Yeah. I'll leave you to it." Conrad smiled, leaving her in the lobby alone.

Florence moved over to lean against the window, dialling her mum's number, the woman picking up almost instantly. "Hey mum."

"Hi sweetheart, everything okay?" Emmeline asked.

"There's a storm, it's pretty bad." Florence began to explain. "They're closing the highway but we found a motel and will be back on the road first thing tomorrow."

"Good, I'm glad you're safe." Emmeline stated. "How is it going?"

"Um..." Florence twisted the ring on her finger a few times. "It's good and bad."

"Oh, spill." Emmeline demanded.

"Well, Sydney caught Jeremiah and Belly kissing right before she was gonna confess her feelings so that's kind of fucked shit up." Florence informed her mother. "And me and Conrad are back together."

"You and Conrad? Oh, I've been waiting for this! I'm so happy for you." Emmeline practically cheered in her ear. "And as for Syd, I'll, uh, I'll give her a call in a minute."

"Everything is fucked, mum, I don't know what to do." Florence stated.

"It's going to be okay sweetpea." Emmeline reassured her. "None of this is on you, you are not obligated to fix it. Focus on yourself, you and Conrad are all that matter. Sydney's love life is not your problem. Being there as her older sister is, okay?"

"Okay." Florence nodded despite the woman not being able to see her. "Where are you right now?"

"I have... a date." Emmeline revealed.

"A date?" Florence gasped happily. "With the fit doctor?"

"Yes, with the doctor." Emmeline responded.

Florence practically squealed. "I'm so happy for you. Get it, mum."

"Okay, calm down." Emmeline ordered. "I have to go."

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Florence demanded. "And use protection!"

"Flo—" Florence cut her mother off by hanging up the phone, laughing to herself as she made her way up to the room, Conrad opening the door for her.

She walked inside to see one double bed in the middle of the room, Conrad, Jeremiah and Sydney all sat on the chairs by the small table in awkward silence while Belly was in the bathroom. Belly walked out of the bathroom, putting her bag on the floor and sitting on the bed next to Florence, catching the sandwich Conrad threw at her.

"Uh, fair warning, we have no idea how long those have been in the vending machine, so..." Jeremiah stated.

"Yeah, all right, I'm good." Belly threw the sandwich back at Jeremiah.

Conrad stood up, grabbing the spare blankets from the cupboard and giving one to Syd and Jeremiah, the three having decided to take the floor while Florence and Belly shared the bed, Sydney was on the left side of the bed while Jeremiah was on the right. However, Florence couldn't sleep, the girl crawling out of the bed, to sit on the floor at the end of it where Conrad was sleeping.

The girl leant against the back of the bed, moving her head so she could look at Conrad, who looked so peaceful as he laid on his back with his eyes closed. Florence stayed still as she could, still on the floor when she heard Sydney speak up, apologising to Belly for whatever she had said earlier and how she still wanted her.

Florence stayed still until she was sure everyone was asleep, spinning the ring around her finger a few times.

"What are you thinking about?" A voice whispered. The girl looked over to see Conrad now awoke and staring at her.

"Your mum." Florence responded quietly.

"What about her?" Conrad wondered, sitting up and moving next to her.

"Did you know she had our entire wedding planned out?" Florence asked him.

"No, I didn't." Conrad shook his head.

"She told me about it." Florence stated. "Before we, uh, broke up."

"Seriously?" Conrad glanced over at her.

"Yeah."

Florence remembered that day, the girl had gone and visited Susannah in early February. Emmeline had driven the girl up to Boston to see her. Emmeline walked in first, guiding Florence to Susannah's room.

"Look who's here." Emmeline stated, announcing Florence's presence to the woman.

"Flo! My favourite girl." Susannah smiled.

"I'll leave you to it." Emmeline told them, walking out of the room.

"Hi." Florence greeted the woman.

"Come sit." Susannah patted the seat next to her. "How are you? How's Conrad?"

"I'm good, he's good, we're good." Florence responded.

"You two are meant to be." Susannah stated.

Florence laughed softly. "Yeah."

"You know I've planned your whole wedding in my head." Susannah told her. "Imagined it over and over because I won't be there to experience it."

Florence swallowed the lump in her throat. "You will be."

"Florence." Susannah deadpanned with eyebrows raised.

"You're gonna be there, front and centre, cheering us on and doing the mother and child dance with Conrad while I dance with my mum and then I'm gonna dance with you to some cheesy Taylor Swift song and you're gonna paint a portrait that we're gonna hang in our house." Florence explained, tears brimming her eyes.

"That is exactly what I imagined." Susannah nodded, tears filling her own eyes.

"That is exactly what will happen." Florence told her.

"I love you, Florence." Susannah stated. "You are my favourite girl in the world, and you are the best for my Connie."

"He's the best for me too." Florence nodded. "I love him, and I love you so much."

"Come here." Susannah moved over so she could wrap her arm around the girl. "Let's look at pinterest photos and plan your entire wedding to my son."

"Let's do it." Florence smiled, laying her head on the woman's shoulder.

"You'll take care of him, right?" Susannah wondered.

"Of course. Forever." Florence responded, forcing a smile onto her face.

Florence blinked back the tears at the memory, leaning her head on Conrad's shoulder. "You have our entire wedding planned out."

"Hmmm, the pinterest board is thorough and she wrote down everything we could need." Florence nodded. "I think she even pre-emptively drew our wedding portrait."

"Of course she did." Conrad smiled fondly. "I miss her."

"Me too." Florence let out a small sigh. "We all do."

"Do you just wanna go back to cousins tomorrow?" Conrad proposed. "You don't have to be home, do you?"

"No, I don't." Florence let a smile spread across her face. "I'd love to go back to Cousins with you. Repaint over the walls and sort everything out."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Florence nodded. "I'll message my mum in the morning."

"Cool."

Florence let out a content smile, her eyes closing as she fell asleep right there, leaning on Conrad.

✿✼:*ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

The next morning, the two awoke in the same position they fell asleep in. Florence stood up, stretching her arms above her head. She grabbed her bag and moved to the bathroom, Conrad leaving to get a drink from the vending machine, leaving Belly and Sydney to talk alone.

Florence brushed her teeth, and her hair before changing into her clothes once more, putting Conrad's jumper back on. She looked down at it in the mirror, she supposed he had to get her a Stanford one now.

The girl sent a quick text to her mum, a smile on her face at the thought of going back to Cousins with Conrad before she left the bathroom, coming in to the sight of Belly and Sydney stood opposite each other.

Jeremiah and Conrad walked back into the room, Conrad moving to stand next to Florence while Jeremiah held the bag in his hand out to Sydney.

"Breakfast?" He offered.

"Uh, me and Flo were actually gonna get out of here, go back to Cousins." Conrad told his brother.

"I'm gonna go with them." Sydney added like it had been planned. Florence turned to her sister in surprise, her eyebrows furrowing ever so slightly.

"Uh, okay." Belly nodded.

"We'll see you on the forth?" Sydney stated.

"Yeah, I'll be there." Jeremiah smiled.

"I wouldn't miss Susannah's favourite holiday." Belly added.

"Yeah." Sydney forced a smile onto her face before she left the room, stopping by Jeremiah for a moment. "Make sure she gets home safe."

"What about your car?" Jeremiah turned to Conrad.

"Take it. I'll make sure your car gets back to Boston." Conrad replied.

"Okay."

"Bye guys." Florence waved, grabbing her bag as Conrad quickly hugged Jeremiah, the two walking out of the room.

Florence walked down the hallway, letting out a small gasp at the sight of her baby sister crouched on the ground, tears falling from her eyes. Florence rushed over, wrapping her around the girl, pulling her as close as she could and stroking her head in a soothing manner. Conrad moved over, joining the two and wrapping his own arms around Sydney.

"Can I come to cousins with you?" Sydney asked, hiccupping as she did.

"Of course." Conrad responded without hesitation.

"Do you wanna go to a shitty 24 hour diner and eat your weight in pancakes before we get there?" Florence wondered, glancing up at Conrad for just a moment.

"Yes please." Sydney nodded. The two heaved her off the ground and towards Florence's car.

And that was how the three found themselves in a 24 hour diner, Sydney sitting opposite the couple as multiple plates of pancakes and other breakfast foods lined the table. They laughed as they ate, refusing to bring up Jeremiah or Belly as they joked around, Sydney continuously referring to the two as her parents.

And then they were back in Cousins, painting over the writing on the wall and watching as the movers brought everything back into the house for them to unpack and put back where it belonged. Florence stood at the door of Belly's room, watching Sydney move Junior Mint onto the chest of drawers with a small sigh.

"You're going to be okay." Florence reassured her.

"You sure?" Sydney turned to face her.

"I know." Florence nodded. "You're going to be just fine. Everything is going to work itself out, I promise."

"I hope so." Sydney let out a small sigh.

Florence wrapped an arm around her as they walked back downstairs to where Conrad was. "Hey."

He turned to face them with a smile. "Hi."

"You two disgust me." Sydney grimaced, looking between them. "Single lives matter!"

Florence laughed loudly at her sister's dramatics, the young girl walking into the kitchen to probably find more food while Florence made her way over to where Conrad was. The boy wrapped his arm around her waist, the two looking out the back window onto the beach.

"It's going to be okay." Conrad reassured her, already knowing the girl was getting in her own head.

"I know." Florence nodded, although she didn't know that for sure. "I love you."

"I love you." Conrad repeated, pressing a kiss to her lips.

Florence smiled, looking around the room and then back out to the beach. This year had been a whirlwind of emotions, good and bad but Florence wouldn't trade it for the world.

Stood in the living room of the Fisher summerhouse, she realised she had everything she ever needed. The best family – with a baby sister she loved more than anything, the most understanding mum ever, and a brother who had just that morning sent a whole 6 minute voice note apologising for his behaviour over the last year and how he would be home before the fourth so he could come to Cousins and everyone could meet his girlfriend.

She also had the best friends in the world. Daisy, who shared her love for music and would be her roommate at Princeton. Shayla, who was always there whenever she needed her, even when she was on a different continent. And finally Steven, who was more of a brother than a friend, her other half, her platonic soulmate that she wouldn't trade for the world.

She had Laurel, who was a constant reminder that all her dreams could come true no matter what happens in her life.

She had the love of her life stood right next to her, Conrad, her everything, her infinity.

And finally, she had Susannah.

She was everywhere, she was in everything. And Florence used to hate that, but now, Florence loved it, the constant reminders of the woman who shaped her into the person she was today, the person who planned her wedding and drew pictures of her constantly. Florence was Susannah's favourite person in the world, and Florence would carry that with her forever.

So yeah, it may not have ended well for everyone, and Susannah was gone, but, in the end, they were all okay.

Florence was content with her life. She was content with everything.

And nothing could change that. Not now, not ever.

( 💌 ) isobel's notes
conrad and flo my beloved
conrad and flo basically being sydney's
parents is so special to me fr
susannah flashbacks >>>>

this is the end of summer love until
season 3 comes out 😭😭
why is season 3 a year away ?!?!?!
thank you for all your love and support
and patience with me while i've been
writing this book i love you all and
i hope you love conrad and florence
as much as i do 🤭
until season 3
love you all