the dance lessons were over and apparently, conrad had things to do. that left stella to drive herself home.
on her way to her car, she was met with a familiar group of guys sitting outside. she recognized two of the guys to be corbyn and daniel. she didn't know the other three.
she attempted to escape any conversation and walk past them quickly but, of course, corbyn had to be a nice person.
"oh, hey, stella!" he said, making her stop where she was and turn around.
she hesitated before saying, "hey..."
daniel was quick to notice the interaction and scoff. "dude, stop talkin' to her."
corbyn sent her another apologetic look before turning around and sitting back down with the rest of the group.
stella just smiled awkwardly and continued walking to her car. it was like she just couldn't escape him.
โโโ ๏ฝฅ ๏ฝก๏พโ: *.โฝ .* :โ๏พ. โโโ
when she eventually got home, she was met with jeremiah who was laying out by the pool with his knee propped up. she chuckled softly once she noticed a cute, little flower crown sitting atop his head.
"hey," stella said, approaching the boy. "what's with the crown?
he glanced up at her. his face lightened once he heard her voice. "oh, my mom's out to paint me as hermes, messenger of the gods," he explained.
"cool," stella sighed, sitting on the floor next to the ledge that jeremiah was laying on top of. she propped her elbow up next to his head.
his hands stayed folded on top of his chest. he cleared his throat before asking, "where have you been?"
she hesitated before answering. she didn't know if the story was necessary but she told him anyway. "oh, uh, just that dance lesson... but also, i just- i ran into daniel and his friends on the way out."
jeremiah sat up from his spot and furrowed his eyebrows. "what did he say-"
"nothing, he didn't say anything really," she replied quickly. "his friend just said hi to me real quick."
he raised an eyebrow at the girl. "you're friends with his friends?"
"not really," stella said. she was sensing some tension and she didn't want to make it worse. "i, like, just met him..."
jeremiah let out a low chuckle. "stel, i don't think you should talk to those guys."
"yeah, whatever," she shrugged, starting to stand up off the ground. she noticed that it was kind of quiet around the house at the moment. "where is everyone?"
a small smirk made its way to jeremiah's lips. "about that. our moms? high-key stoned right now."
"no way," stella copied his tone.
"yeah. all my favorite snacks are gone."
he walked towards the house and waved her over to follow him. he stopped her before they could enter the kitchen, trying to get a sneak peak at their moms.
they stood under the doorway, watching susannah, laurel, and anne pace around the kitchen. they were practically eating everything in sight.
they were making each other try different snacks, stuffing food into each other's mouths. eventually, they noticed the two teenagers staring at the door.
"oh! our beautiful babies!" susannah gasped, tugging on anne's sleeve.
stella's mom pouted her bottom lip out and sighed. "oh, look at them! oh, they're so cute!"
"mm! you!" susannah's eyes widened as she pointed to her son. "come with me. i got to get you while the light's still good."
she was talking about the portraits. jeremiah smiled at her. "okay, well, let's do that."
susannah cupped his face and gently pushed his face from side to side. she laughed then looked at stella. "oh, stella! you should come watch!"
"what about them?" stella giggled, pointing to the two other moms in the kitchen.
"oh, them?" with a raised eyebrow, susannah waved her hand. "they'll be fine."
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stella was sitting on the ground next to susannah and her canvas. she held back her laughs at jeremiah who was holding a large stick with the flower crown still on his head.
still being a little bit "stoned" from earlier, susannah sighed deeply. "oh, my boy. look at you! oh, this light is beautiful. can you feel it? can you feel the softness?"
stella let out a laugh, sending jeremiah a funny look. "oh, i can definitely feel it," she said sarcastically.
jeremiah nodded along, trying to hold still for the painting. susannah smiled. "i can feel it."
the two teenagers couldn't hold in their laughter much longer. jeremiah stifled a soft chuckle, turning away from his mom. stella let a few snickers out and leaned back on her hands, still on the ground.
"oh my god," susannah sighed again, throwing her paintbrush aside. "i just wanna dance with you. dance with me?"
jeremiah laughed again and threw the giant stick to the side. "aww, how adorable," stella simpered.
susannah inhaled and stood up. "oh, my little boy."
she held her arms out and gently grabbed the sides of his face. she hugged him around his neck and laughed. they swayed for a moment. jeremiah's face was snuggled into his mom's shoulder.
damn, that's cute- stella thought.
"have a seat," susannah said with her arm linked around his shoulder. she pulled him down to sit with her. "ah, how is your summer, my love? you happy?"
"yeah, yeah," he smiled. it slowly faded before he continued. "it feels a little bit different this summer though."
susannah licked her lips and directed her eyes towards the ground. she almost looked guilty. "mm. summer's the same."
stella was confused at first, but then she remembered. she remembered what conrad had told her.
susannah glanced up at stella. "we're the ones who are changing," she continued.
her stare almost made stella think that susannah knew what she was thinking. it was a little alarming.
"well, except you." she shook her son's shoulders, laughing. "i don't want you to ever change."
she grabbed his hair and kissed his cheek, making him scrunch up his nose.
cute, stella thought.
after a moment of silence, susannah shot stella an excited look. "okay, stella's turn!"
stella inhaled a sharp breath. "wait, what?"
"to dance! come on, guys! dance for me," she said, pushing her son to stand up.
jeremiah raised his eyebrows and put his hands out for stella. she took his hands and he pulled her up off the ground. susannah clapped and cheered as the two started swaying together between giggles.
stella picked her eyes up off her own feet and finally met jeremiah's eyes, which were already on her. her laughter slowly stopped, getting lost in his eyes, as cheesy as it sounds.
she almost forgot susannah was there. just then, the woman sighd and said, "very cute. i knew you would end up with one of my boys. that's why i'm asking conrad to take you to the ball."
stella laughed awkwardly, raising an eyebrow. "what, why?"
"oh, well, you guys are practically always attached by hip! i could tell from a very young age that you guys would end up together," susannah explained, staring at the sky as if she was in a daydream.
jeremiah's eyes had been trained on the ground this whole time. his eyebrows were furrowed slightly. stella hadn't noticed though. she had been staring at the woman in front of her, who was still staring at the sky.
"oh, uh, we'll see," stella said, trying to keep it vague. she still hadn't figured out if jeremiah had felt the same. she still hadn't figured out if these feelings were a phase or not.
on the other hand, jeremiah had it figured out by now and he had to admit to himself that he was a little jealous. he was jealous that conrad always got stella since they were younger, no matter what it was.
he was jealous that she always chose conrad. she chose conrad for the car rides home. she chose conrad for the late night talks. she always chose conrad and right when he thought that he finally had a piece of her heart, he found out that his brother is probably going to take her to the debutante ball.
but again, it was her choice. his nostrils flared before he glanced up at the girl. he just had to show her that he was the better choice before the ball.
"alright, enough with the commentary, mom," jeremiah sighed, rubbing his hands together. he walked around stella to see the painting. "let's see the art."
he leaned on the back of the chair in front of the easel and furrowed his eyebrows again. stella let out a soft laugh.
oh, come on, it can't be that bad, she thought.
"what do you think?" susannah asked. "i think it might be my best work."
"stel, please come see this," jeremiah laughed concernedly.
stella stood up and peeked at the painting. she let out a surprised laugh and hid her face in his shoulder. her hands involuntarily went to his arm. "oh my god, it's- wow."
jeremiah tried his best to hide the blush that was rising to his cheeks. "see? this is why old people shouldn't do drugs."
"hey!" laurel shouted from behind them. stella noticed laurel, isabel, and her mom walking out of the house. "we heard that!"
susannah took her own peek at her painting. "oh, it's terrible!"
"let's leave these brats alone and go walk on the beach," anne suggested, sending her daughter a funny look.
the teenagers said their temporary goodbyes to their mothers and looked back at the painting.
"it's awful," isabel muttered to add to the joke. she earned a few chuckles from the other two, but they were both too focused.
stella had tore herself away from jeremiah by now. he just stood there with his arms crossed stiffly. she was standing similarly. it was like they were both too nervous to move or something.
yeah, this is getting ridiculous, jeremiah thought. i'm making a move.
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author's note
i feel like this chapter was really chaotic. pls let me know if this chapter was chaotic/boring/etc. in the comments. TEA IS COMING. I PROMISE. also i'm sooooo sorry that this chapter took so long. i've actually been super busy lately.
pls vote, comment, etc. if you want :) THANK YOUU
if you guys have any ideas, please let me know in the comments. ESPECIALLY since there's tea coming up.
[ unedited ]
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