estrellas~chapter 37

Winter break felt like forever. Day by day I only focused on my text messages with Jere.

Steven and I were close to finishing Shameless and my mother ended up really liking it.

I still haven't truly spoken to Belly. It was almost like we were just roommates who never spoke. My mother tried to get us to talk but it never worked, Belly would always leave before the conversation could really start.

I was sitting on the couch eating a big bowl of ice cream, it was eleven am. Yes, I ate dessert for breakfast, go cry about it.

I was scrolling through Netflix trying to find anything to watch when the doorbell rang.

A/N FOR REAL, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY GOOD SHOW RECOMMENDATIONS??

I sprung up to go answer it, I thought maybe it was Taylor for Steven or Belly but no,

I saw a Red Jeep in my driveway, was he here? Was he at my house?

When I opened the door, I hate to say it but I was disappointed, Conrad was standing in front of me.

I think he could tell from my disappointment by my expression.

"Hey Laur..." He said while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Conrad," I say, "What are you doing here?"

All of a sudden I am pushed back by force, I gather my thoughts when I see Belly around Conrad, ah, context clues.

I turn around, hop back on the couch, and resume devouring my bowl of ice cream from before.

"What are you watching?" Conrad asked me as he entered the house. I saw that Belly was annoyed he was admitting my presence.

"I'm trying to watch anything," I say back, "There's nothing good."

Now Belly looks fuming, she wants alone time with him, which I understand. I don't know the last time they saw each other.

"Have you seen Cobra Kai?" He asked me.

"Ain't no way you asked me that, I love Karate Kid," At this point, he sat down next to me. I started feeling bad, I was taking time away from Belly but it just felt nice to talk to Conrad again, without Jeremiah chirping in.

We continued our tangent until Belly coughed, and we both looked at her.

"You better get going," I said.

His eyes had hurt in them but he did as instructed and went upstairs with Belly.

I texted Jere.

Messages with Jerebear

Did you know Conrad was coming?

Jerebear

Wdym??

Conrad is at my house.

Jerebear

Are you fucking serious? He asked to borrow my car to go to a friends for the night... fuck I would have come with him 🙁

I wish you had.

Jerebear

Me too 🤍

I threw my phone to the side and groaned. My mother had come from upstairs.

"Did Jeremiah not come with him?" She asked me.

"He didn't know Connie was coming, otherwise he would have," I answered. She looks stumped.

"Lauren, it's eleven am, ice cream for breakfast?" She scolds.

I sigh, "I'm in my college slumps okay, let me enjoy my breakfast."

Now my mother joins me on the couch, "I would hardly call that breakfast but anyways, what do you want to do for your birthday?"

I had completely forgotten that my birthday was soon, "Oh, um, whatever Steven wants."

My mother looked at me, "Really? It's in a few days..."

I shrugged.

"Come on Lauren, it's your nineteenth birthday, it has to be fun!" She then added, "Maybe Jere could come down for a few days."

At this point, I had perked up, "That wouldn't be bad," I answered back to her.

She smiles, "A day with Jere it is then," My Mother said while clapping, "Okay, how's Subway for dinner?" She asked.

I gave her a thumbs up, she never was much of a cook. Sussanah had always done the cooking when we were all together. We never really ate out either, she must be acting weird because of Conrad.

"Is Conrad spending the night?" I ask her.

"Yeah, at least I think so," She gets up and goes back to her office.

I lay on the couch and grab my phone again.

Messages with Jerebear

Want to hang out on my birthday?

Jerebear

Yes!! I would be honored😘😘

Maybe you could spend the night😗😱

Jerebear

Yes, please!!

~

Steven and my Birthday had never been a super big deal. We usually played it down low and that's all I wanted. Conrad had stayed in town and it was nice having both Fisher boys here to celebrate.

I woke up to Steven punching me nineteen times, it was tradition for whoever woke up second got punched.

I screamed at him while trying to cover myself with the sheets, "Why do we still do this?"

"You got to do it last year! Let me get my revenge."

I let him finish hurting me and I laughed, "Happy Birthday, Steven.""Happy Birthday, Lauren," He said back.

I threw one of Jere's hoodies on. He said he was waking up early and going to try and get here before lunch, but as I walked down the stairs there he was. He was holding balloons.

"Jere!" I screamed as I ran into his arms and planted a kiss on his lips.

"You're early!" I yelled more.

"Surprise, happy birthday old lady," He said.

I kissed him again.

"Get a room," Conrad yelled from the kitchen.

I rolled my eyes and kissed Jere again.

We walked over and I sat down on the kitchen island, Belly and Conrad already were eating cereal.

"Happy Birthday Lauren," Conrad said, he looked at Belly, and she remained silent.

My mother then came in, "There's my beautiful girl!" She yelled, "Where's Steven?"

That's when he made his grand entrance, "You mean the better twin? I'm right here."

"Shut up!" I yelled back while pretending to punch him.

"Shall we open presents?" My mother asked, I perked up, "Maybe," I said with a smile.

Steven and I ran to the couch and sat down. It was always a tradition that we opened our presents together, at the same time.

"Open mine first," My mother said. Steven and I threw the wrapping paper on the floor, she had gotten us both novels.

She got him an old book about engineering and she got me an edition of Catcher in the Rye.

"Woah, thank you, Mom!" I said back as I went to hug her.

"I know how much you love that book, but take a look inside."

As I opened the book I saw annotations, the handwriting was very neat.

It couldn't be, could it?

"Sussanah's?" I ask.

I saw Jere smile, "I found it when going through some old things and we agreed that you should have it."

I felt my heart become warm, I felt teary-eyed, "Thank you, guys."

Then Connie insisted we open his next.

He handed us both gift bags. We opened it and he got Steven a Stanford T-Shirt and me a crewneck.

"Thank you," We both said.

"I thought you could have enemy school merch up at Finch and Princeton," I laughed and Steven rolled his eyes.

Next, it was Jeremiah's turn. He got Steven a new wallet.

Steven put his hands in a prayer position, "Thank you, mine is falling apart."

Then he handed me my present, I opened it and it was a book. A scrapbook of Jere and me, I flipped through the pages and the beginning was great, but then it had gotten kind of worse quality.

"My Mom and I started to make it for us, but then, um, so I fully took over," He said with a smile, "I thought we could finish it together, so far it's up to date."I smiled, "This is amazing Jere thank you."

"That's so sweet," My mother said to him, "Okay Belly, your turn."

She handed Steven a gift and fully ignored me.

She got him a volleyball.

"So you can play at school," She went to hug him. I sat there trying not to look disappointed.

My mother felt the tension and so she clapped her hands, "What do you two want for dinner?"

Steven and I both looked at each other and smiled widely, "Texas Roadhouse!" We yelled.