The Summer I Turned Pretty Fanfiction - Tumblr Posts

different ― c. fisher

SUMMARY: For your entire life you'd been hoping that one day, somehow, Conrad Fisher would look at you as more than just a friend. Who knew all it would take was a shiny piece of metal through the side of your nose?

PAIRING: conrad fisher x fem!reader WARNINGS: mentions of piercings and blood.

You had been going to the beach house at Cousins your entire life. Your mom, Laurel, and Beck had been a trio ever since they were nine years old. They'd dressed up as the Powerpuff Girls, Donna and The Dynamos, and every possible trio costume you could imagine throughout the years. They went their separate ways, had kids, and lived their separate lives. But every summer they all found their way back to Cousins. You found your way back. To the beach, to the house, to your best friend Belly, and to the boys.

Steven was Belly's older brother ― smart and annoying as all get out. And then there was Jeremiah the jester. He was a sunbeam in human form the way he was always laughing and smiling and being the life of the party. To be around Jeremiah was to be happy. And finally there was Conrad. Not much to be said there; but, somehow, also everything.

Conrad was the oldest, and the only one younger than you was Belly ― and that was only by less than a year. But because of that, Conrad only ever looked at you like a little sister. And as you two got older, that label started to bother you. Maybe because you stopped seeing him as an older brother. Maybe even more than a friend. And that was the issue ― his perspective never changed.

But you didn't need to worry about that. Summers in Cousins were about having fun. And that's exactly what you were here to do.

Your mom's car pulled into the driveway, giving you the first chance to breathe in the salty beach air. You found yourself smiling ― real smiling. The kind you don't notice until it's already there.

The front door opened and Susannah stepped out, a giddy smile on her face. "You're here!" she shouted, throwing her arms out. Things like that were very Susannah. She was theatrical and fun and sweet. That was what everyone loved about her ― especially you.

She wrapped you up in a hug the moment you stepped out of the car. "Oh, sweetheart, it's so good to see you!" she exclaimed, holding you tightly.

"It's good to see you too." you responded, smiling and taking a deep inhale. She always smelled like Chanel perfume, the kind you always begged your mom to get you. She always said no and told you you'd never use it, which you had to admit was true; it was Susannah's trademark.

You looked over Susannah's shoulder and saw that everyone had already gotten there ― Steven, Belly, and Laurel stood on the porch by the stairs. Jeremiah appeared in the doorway a second later, a smile stretching onto his face as he bolted down the stairs to you.

You laughed at his enthusiasm and let go of Susannah so she could hug your mom. The moment you did he scooped you into a tight hug, lifting you off the ground and spinning you around. "You're back, loser!" he shouted, almost like he was letting the entire neighborhood know.

"I can see that." you said with a laugh.

He set you back down, scanned your face, and frowned. He had found the nose piercing you had gotten over Christmas break. "Oh my God. What is this?" Jeremiah exclaimed, messing with the shiny object.

You laughed and cringed away. "Hey, stop! You're going to get it infected."

"I'm sorry, I'm just freaking out a little here," he laughed, "You look like a badass."

"I bet you cried like a baby while you got it though," Steven said, appearing at Jeremiah's side to pull you into a hug.

"Yeah, and it gushed blood like a fountain," you said, making a silly face and mimicked your nose pouring blood. Steven cringed away in disgust while Jeremiah laughed at him.

"You do look cool though," Belly said, giving you a hug too.

Belly let you go and, all of a sudden, there he was. Conrad stood a few feet behind the group in a hoodie and shorts. Same old Conrad. For a moment, the breath caught in your throat and time seemed to slow as you waited for him to say something.

But, as usual, Jeremiah beat him to it. He grabbed you by the shoulders as if to present you to Conrad. "Look at this! Our little Y/n is growing up so fast." he said, faking a sob. You elbowed him lightly in the gut, rolling your eyes at his antics. Now is not the time to be reinforcing the concept of 'little Y/n.'

Conrad's head tilted as he noticed the piercing. "It looks like you got a shiny piece of metal stuck to your face."

Very anti-climactic. So you just shrugged and played it off with another laugh. "Sounds weird when you put it like that, but, yeah, sure."

Another moment of awkward silence. You fiddled with the hem of your shorts.

"Aaaaaaand she looks amazing! Now that we've got that covered, let's get you guys settled in." Jeremiah said, taking a suitcase from your mom and pecking her on the cheek. Classic Jeremiah. He disappeared into the house with your stuff and you followed, not noticing as Conrad Fisher's eyes followed you through the doorway.

It had been a few days and Conrad had yet to say a word to you. Jeremiah had warned you over text that he had been especially moody the last couple of months, but you hadn't been expecting total radio silence. It was off-putting. When you were younger, you and Conrad would spend the entirety of dinner kicking each other under the table while the moms yelled at you to stop. Now he just stared down at his plate and didn't speak unless spoken to.

You would have been angry if you weren't worried. He'd quit football, something that he was really good at, and he seemed not to take interest in anything anymore. You'd walk into a room and he'd walk out, like he couldn't stand being around you anymore. It stung.

That night you laid starfish on your bed, staring up at the ceiling, running through the same monologue you had been repeating to yourself the whole week: what did I do wrong? With a huff, you got up, forcing yourself out of the spiral and into the closet, where you rummaged through your drawer of swimsuits until you found your favorite polka-dotted one. You traded them for your pajamas, grabbed a towel, and headed downstairs.

And, as you headed into the backyard for a late night wade through the pool, you discovered you weren't the only one with the same idea. Conrad sat at the edge of the pool, holding a smoking joint between two fingers. You both paused, noticing each other at the same time.

Then, you spoke. "Probably smart not to smoke in the house," you said, heading towards the pool, "although Laurel could probably catch you through the window."

He didn't respond, but he didn't protest as you sat down next to him. "And hey, what's this whole tough guy act you have going on, huh?" you continued.

"What?"

"You know, the whole brooding, emo thing you have going on. Where you don't talk to anyone and act like everything is a waste of your time," you said. "I still remember the Conrad that taught me how to add fractions and how to skateboard without breaking an ankle."

He blew out a puff of smoke. "That was years ago, Y/n."

"I know," you nodded. "I just wanted to remind you that you were nice once. And fun, too. And now you're like this whole other person that ― "

"This is about me being different?" Conrad asked, his voice rising slightly. "You're the one who showed up with dyed hair and a nose piercing."

Your eyebrows raised, an involuntary scoff escaping your lips before you could stop it. "Seriously? This is about my nose piercing? Look, if it makes you feel any better, I got it while I was drunk at a party in my friend's bathroom. Does that make you feel better, Conrad?"

"That's it, though. It feels like last summer you were putting seaweed in your hair and calling yourself George Washington. And now you're getting drunk at parties and piercing your nose?" he paused, his voice suddenly becoming solemn. "I always knew that things would change. I just never guessed it would be you."

You paused. This wasn't at all what you were expecting. But he was right ― you had changed, whether you noticed it or not. "Okay, so I've changed. Why does that give you an excuse to avoid me like the plague?"

"It doesn't. I'm sorry," he said, and you believed him. "I've just spent my whole life looking at you like...like little Y/n, the kid who dives for hermit crabs and makes kingdoms out of sand castles. And now you're different."

You hadn't noticed your breathing quicken, or your hands starting to shake. "Good different?" you asked, feeling your heart start to pound in your chest.

Conrad turned to you, his hand reaching up to the side of your face, his thumb reaching up to brush over the piercing on the side of your nose. "Yeah," he said quietly. "Good different."