LOML ? J.F. x READER

"CRUEL SUMMER"

"mind setting the table for me sweetheart?" susannah asks you as you enter the kitchen, freshly changed out of your wet clothes into a swimsuit with flowy shorts and a hoodie over it. you nod and take the plates from her.

"smells good," you comment, walking past her. "what are you making?"

"garlic parmesan pasta," she grins. "chicken on the side, too."

you grin. you always loved susannah's cooking. laurel never cooked much, which you didn't blame her for, but you really cherished susannah's home cooked meals. every summer you made sure you spent a lot of time in the kitchen with her, eager to learn. it was also the best chance you got to bond with her. you have always known that she loves you, of course, but you could also always tell that belly was her favorite. she was the baby of the five of you, which automatically gave her more attention from the moms. also, she spent almost all of her time with them most summers, while you went and hung out with the boys. you didn't mind, really, but it was sometimes frustrating to see how clearly they favored your little sister over you.

"everyone!" laurel yells up the stairs, "dinners ready!"

there's a herd of footsteps as the boys come clambering down the stairs, taking their spots at the table. "where belly?" laurel asks. you look towards the glass doors facing the pool and see belly sitting outside, looking out towards the beach. "i'll get her."

as soon as you open the door, belly jumps and turns to you. she relaxes when she sees that it's you and smiles. "hey."

"hi bells," you say. "dinners ready. you okay?"

she nods. "yeah, yeah. just thinking. you know." she exchanges a knowing look with you, and you nod. you really did know. she was thinking about conrad. for as long as you could remember, belly had the biggest crush on conrad, and it always came into full bloom during the summer, not unlike your feelings for jeremiah. you were alike in that way, and there was always unspoken knowledge between the two of you, both of you knowing how the other felt yet rarely discussing it. the sister bond you shared made that easier.

"what's for dinner?" belly asks, standing from her chair and breaking your train of thought. you open the door for her.

"pasta and chicken."

"yum!"

after dinner, you excused yourself up to your bedroom to unpack and settle in. after a few hours, which somehow went from you unpacking to completely rearranging your room, there was a knock on your door. "come in!"

"what are you doing?" jeremiah asks, standing in your doorframe with an amused expression on his face. you look around your messy room then shrug.

"rearranging."

he laughs and shakes his head at you. "you're insane. ready for a break in your interior design?"

"only if that means it's beach time."

"of course that means it's beach time," he laughs as you immediately take off your hoodie that was covering your swimsuit and walk past him, out the door.

"let's go then!"

jeremiah follows you down the stairs, and you smile as you pass by the moms, who were sitting on the couch with belly, watching a movie. "off to the beach?" laurel asks. you nod.

"yup! be back soon."

susannah blows you both a kiss, "be safe!"

"we will!" you and jeremiah both call out, already out the door. a few minutes later, the two of you were sitting in the sand of the dark beach, listening to the waves crash in front of you.