004 belly the deb

Caroline had never been a good judge of what she should do when she's older. She'd always fallen in love with everything she ever tried, finding it very hard to choose just one path. It wasn't that she didn't want to find the thing that was just right for her, it was almost like she couldn't. Because there was always something else to try and fall in love with and Caroline just couldn't say no to that. 

She assumed she got her spirt from her father. The inability to say no when a new adventure presented itself. Part of that worried Caroline, because while she loved her dad he had never truly been much of a dad. He was a great friend and a not so great parent.

He'd always been so busy chasing that feeling, the one that made everything make sense, that he never stopped to realize that maybe raising two kids and being there for his wife could have played a part. Caroline didn't hold it against him, though. She understood to an extent the need to keep searching.

God, she just hoped it never got as bad as it did for him. It would break her heart if she destroyed people in search for meaning.

But anyways, Caroline struggled to find herself. From writing, to dancing, painting, and even surfing Caroline had done it all and loved it all. She'd never tried something she didn't love, well, besides gardening. She just didn't have to patients to wait for the flowers to actually grow.

But she was about to be a senior in high school and by now should have some sort of idea what out there called to her. Anytime she thought she found her thing either something else would come along or she'd be pushed away from it.

In this moment, the only thing Caroline truly knew was that she was beyond exhausted. And that dealing with everyone else's problems truly took a toll on her ability to get a good nights sleep.

She looked forward towards Jeremiah, who was shoving Steven away as he cracked an egg. He was making Conrad a hangover smoothie that Caroline hoped she'd never need because it looked disgusting. She put her head in her hand and just watched as the two bickered like an old married couple.

"Do we really have to physically sit for our portraits? Can't she just, like, look at a picture on her phone or something?" Jeremiah questioned towards Laurel before pointing at Steven. "Okay, get out." Steven looked at him confused. "What? Why?"

Laurel continued to stare at her computer. "She needs to see you in the flesh in order to capture your essence. While you're still young and full of hope." The two boys began to laugh as Caroline looked towards Laurel confused, realizing she had no clue what the woman was talking about. "Her words." Laurel defended.

"Wait what portraits?" Caroline questioned, keeping her head in her palm. Jeremiah chuckled. "Are you sure you don't want any of my hangover smoothie? You've been here the whole time we've been talking about it." Caroline shook her head. "I'm good. And it's kind of hard to focus on everything you guys say while you and Steven act like an old married couple."

Steven turned towards the girl, a bit shocked. "We do not!" Caroline just brought her other hand up before putting her pointer finger towards her thumb. "A little bit." Laurel shook her head at the twos light bickering. "Care, you and Mags are getting portraits too. Can't leave out the Bennett kids."

Caroline sighed, allowing her head to roll backwards. "Oh but I wish you would." Jeremiah smiled excitedly as he continued to work on his smoothie. "You are all about to see the magic that I've made." Conrad, from the other room, groaned. "Can you please just hurry up?"

"Just go back to bed, all right?" Jeremiah responded before he snapped around towards Steven. "All right, seriously, Steven, get out." Steven laughed. "Oh, come on." Jeremiah didn't budge. "This is a delicate science, and your heavy breathing is going to break the yolk."

"Okay, okay, okay." Steven responded, moving around the kitchen island to stand besides Caroline. Caroline looked up at him. "Told you, couple." Steven pushed Caroline's head away from him, causing her to smack his hand before moving her hair out of her face again.

Laurel looked at Jeremiah again. "She hasn't painted you since you were little. I think it'd be nice to have these portraits for when you're older." Steven began walking around the room, not wanting to get hit again by the consequences of his actions. "Old? No. When I'm older, I'm sure there'll be, like, like, holograms or something I can watch of myself, you know?"

In response, Jeremiah just turned on the blender. Caroline winced slightly at how loud the noise was before it stopped a moment later. "Just sit for your portraits. I don't see Conrad complaining."

"He'll complain when he's conscious." Jeremiah responded, walking over to his brother to give him his smoothie. "Yeah, you won't get him to stop once he knows what's happening." Caroline agreed. Laurel chuckled slightly before looking around a bit. "Where's Mags?"

Caroline shrugged. "Still sleeping. Didn't want to wake her up this morning." Laurel nodded and Steven looked towards Jeremiah. "Come on, man. Hurry your ass up. All right? I can't be late for my first day of work." Jeremiah walked back towards the boy. "We won't. We're good."

"Come on, man." Steven replied, smacking Jeremiah on the ass. It just further proved Caroline's claim as she tried to hold back her laughter. "Ooh!" Jeremiah gasped. Caroline put her head down on the island as she continued to try and stop the laughter from barking out. "Those old country club boomers are gonna tip me so hard, man, they won't know what hit 'em." Steven expressed, grabbing his junk and pulling it.

"Oh!" Jeremiah smiled, loving his friends energy. "Steven, I swear." Laurel shook her head, grossed out by her son. "What?" Steven laughed. "Come on, Laurel. My boys got to get that bread." Jeremiah defended with a smile. Steven ushered towards the blonde. "Thank you."

Caroline lifted her head back up, wiping the tears from her eyes as she calmed herself. She did not realize how quickly her eyes would water when she refused to laugh at something. "Good morning." Jeremiah greeted as Belly walked into the kitchen.

She had Cams hoodie on again and just tiredly took a seat next to Caroline. "Belly, where have you been?" Laurel questioned. "Is that a bruise?" She freaked as she saw the mark on Belly's cheek. "Um, I-I bumped into someone."

"You bumped into someone?" Laurel repeated, pulling her daughter towards her in an effort to look at the marking closer. "Doesn't look that bad." Conrad shrugged, now sitting up rather than laying down. "Um, cereal?" Jeremiah offered, turning towards Belly. "Yeah, hit me." The girl replied. "Sure." Jeremiah nodded.

Caroline was happy Belly was able to eat. When Jeremiah had offered to make her something this morning, Caroline couldn't even think of food. She didn't fully know why, but the idea of eating anything was repulsing her.

"Hey." Mags greeted, walking into the kitchen before taking a seat at the table. "How'd you sleep?" Laurel questioned, turning towards the most recent arrival. Mags shrugged. "Okay."

"Oh, my god!" Susannah gasped from the other room. Attention soon left Mags and the older woman came running in excitedly, Caroline's mother right behind her. "Belly is gonna be a debutante."

Belly smiled as Susannah hugged her. "It's really not that big of a deal." Steven looked at his sister a bit confused. "I'm sorry. Like, Belly? Like, my sister? Like, that thing right there?" Belly's face fell as she glared at her brother. "Shut up, cretin."

"Okay, this is gonna be so much fun. Just you wait. There is, uh... there's the tea, the auction, the ball, of course, the rehearsal. I've got to write this down. We need to go shopping." Susannah excitedly rambled. "This sounds... expensive." Laurel noted anxiously.

Belly took a seat next to Mags when she got her cereal, sending the girl a smile. "Oh, don't worry, Laur. It's on me. It was my idea after all, and we still need to style you for your book party, so..." Laurel shook her head, looking towards her daughter. "Belly, are you sure you want to do this? It doesn't seem very you."

"It's not." Conrad interjected, looking over towards everyone else. Caroline frowned, standing up before she moved to sit across from Belly and her sister. "I think it'll be great." Caroline whispered towards Belly, who nodded gratefully. "Thank you."

Susannah sighed. "Conrad, could you please be a little more supportive?" She then looked between her boys. "Now, which one of you is gonna be Belly's escort to the ball?" Conrad shook his head. "Not me. I went last year."

"Yeah, and I swore off balls." Jeremiah added. Steven began laughing instantly and Jeremiah sighed. "The dances, dude." Belly shook her head. "Wow, guys. Stop fighting over me. Um, I'm not going with either of you. I am going to find my own date."

Caroline smiled. "Good on you, Bels. I would totally be at your feet but I don't think I'm allowed to with the whole teacher vs. student power thing we're about to have." Belly chuckled a bit. "You're good, Care. Also, don't make it weird."

"You love when I make it weird." Caroline responded with a shrug. Mags bit her lip from her seat before she leaned towards Belly suddenly. "If you end up needing someone to join you, just ask." She made sure only Belly could hear before she moved away from the girl again. She caught the eye of her sister, who gave her a look. Mags just shook her head no, causing Caroline to become even more interested in what she wasn't allowed to hear.

"Wikipedia says debutante balls require instruction in moral and social etiquette." Laurel read off. "I'm going for a swim." Conrad muttered before walking out the door. Belly followed him out with her eyes before she frowned, Caroline put her hand on top of the other girls with a small squeeze.

It was pretty obvious to anyone (well, maybe not Conrad but Caroline had never asked) that for the longest time Belly liked Conrad. It was something anyone could see since they were all young. Belly thought no one knew, but she was horrible at hiding her feelings.

"She could use some etiquette. Yeah." Steven commented. Laurel turned towards Susannah again. "No offense, Beck, but I don't feel like a country club is the best place to teach Belly about morals." Susannah turned towards Alice for some help, as the other woman had just quietly been watching everything. "Laur, times have changed. There's a girl debbing this season, and she's bringing her girlfriend as her escort, and the club was fine with it."

Mags picked her head up slightly. "Really?" Susannah nodded. "Yeah, no problems at all." Laurel shook her head. "How very progressive of them." Alice smiled. "It's not all about the dresses, Laur. This ball is a huge cash grab towards charity."

"Here you are, Belly Button." Jeremiah smiled, placing a plate in front of Belly. He looked at Mags. "You want anything, Mags?" She shook her head. "No, thank you though."

Jeremiah nodded before his attention turned over to Caroline. "Still not hungry?" Caroline lightly smiled. "No, but thank you." Jeremiah nodded. "Of course, just let me know if you want anything and I'll whip it up before I have to head out."

Caroline's smile stayed as the boy walked away, her sister sending her a knowing look she immediately chose to ignore. "Well, hurry up! We have shopping to do. Caroline? Mags? Would you two care to join us? We could have a girls day!"

Caroline stood from her seat, frowning. "I wish I could, but seeing as I now have a job I should probably start preparing for that." Susannah nodded before her attention went to Mags. "Uh, I can't. I need to do a few things."

The girls mom nodded. "Okay, well if you two need anything from the house just make sure to lock the door when you're done." Alice turned towards Belly. "Looks like it's a moms and Belly day."

"It's not like I was getting any work done anyways." Laurel sighed, giving in. "Have fun, Bels." Caroline smirked, messing up Belly's hair just a bit before she jumped out of reach of the younger girl, walking out of the kitchen and into the living room.

Prepping dances for something she really didn't know much about was going to be fun.

AUTHORS NOTE!
yesterday was very busy so I didn't get a chapter out but hopefully another one should be coming out tonight! don't hold me to that but be excited as it's the guilt trip I need to actually write.