You’ve been coming to Cousins since before you could even remember. Being the adopted daughter to Laurel Park has its perks, coming here being one of them. Every summer you, and your family, would go to Cousins Beach. The lot of you spent all three months of summer break with your second family, the Fishers.

The very first time you went, your life changed forever. There was a boy. He was Susannah’s boy. He was Conrad. Yes, yes you were both babies, but that didn’t matter. He was still Conrad.

Growing up with Conrad was a dream. He was kind, he was thoughtful, he let you and Belly, your younger sister, tag along when he could. He was the oldest, and by far the most considerate.

Then, as you two started to get older, mature more, you’d find yourselves on the beach after the sun went down talking, learning, confiding. He drew truths out of you that you couldn’t even admit to yourself.

Conrad was everything you wanted, and you were everything he needed, not that he noticed your crush on him. Every year, it was the same thing. You go to Cousins, you spend the summer pining over Conrad, nothing happens, you go back home. Not this summer though. Things were going to be different, you were sure of it. You had grown up both physically and mentally. You were more mature than he’d ever seen you, not to mention you were a smoke show now.

The car rolls up the driveway, and Steven, your older brother, puts it in park. When you get out, you see Susannah. She beams, and a smile breaks across your face. Susannah pulls you into a hug that healed a part of your soul. She had a way of doing that. She breaks from you and admires your face, the freckles on your cheeks, the brightness in your eyes. She places a gentle hand on your cheeks and kisses the top of your head.

Jeremiah slides in next to his mom, and hugs you. He was your best friend, you two were the same age. You hugged him tight, it feels like it’s been ages since you’d last seen him (it had been about nine months). While hugging Jeremiah you heard the rocks start to crunch. Someone was walking towards you.. it was Conrad. You pull out of Jere’s embrace.

Conrad gives you a once over, a smile claiming his lips.

“Hey. You’ve grown up.” So had he, apparently.