＊ 𝐏𝐀𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 ——
❪ chapter one ❫             !

     The family sat in the car, and Belly sang 'Cant Do Better' by Kim Petras. "OH, YOU CANT DO BETTER!"

Mackenzie laughed, peeking her head next to Belly. "YOU CAN'T DO BETTER!" The two girls sang along together. Laurel smiled at the sight of her two girls singing.

Although Mackenzie wasn't Laurel's daughter it still felt like she was, she watched the blonde girl grow up. She also cared for her as her daughter, trying to be the best mother figure for Mackenzie.

"Uh, can you guys turn it down a little, please?" Laurel asked. "Yes, please." Steven turned down the music.

"I want you to be better about helping out this summer. Like, don't just leave your dishes in the sink. Load them into the dishwasher. And not just your own dish, either, Steven." Laurel told the three teens, mostly targeting Steven.

"What? But I..." Steven tried to argue.

"I want you to be good houseguests." Laurel stopped him.

"Mom, Susannah has people who clean, doesn't she?"

Laurel lightly hit Steven on the head, "Steven." The boy whined, "All right. All right. Sorry."

Laurel continued to speak, "Just be considerate and act like I raised you right. Steven, that means don't stay out too late."

"Mom, I'm too old for a curfew!" Steven leaned his head back, still paying attention to the road. "Wait, what about me? I don't have a curfew either, right." Belly asked.

"I'd hope not." Mackenzie crossed her fingers. "What do you guys need a curfew for? You guys don't go anywhere." Steven laughed at the two girls.

"Don't be a Jackass, Steven. Girls, we'll talk about it when something comes up." Laurel explained to the girls.

"Steven don't forget you'd promise to take both of us driving." Mackenzie looked at Steven, poking him in the arm. "Girls, I told you I'd take you." Laurel furrowed her brows.

"Yeah, but you're too judgy," Belly mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

Mackenzie and Steven laughed together. "Hey, can we play some Ruel? Or, Taylor Swift?" Mackenzie asked Steven.

"Oh, my, God. No. You ask to play them every single time we get in the car." Steven rolled his eyes. "Hey, what's wrong with them? Don't get mad at me because your taste is ass." Mackenzie fought back.

"Whatever." Steven sighed.

Steven handed Mackenzie the AUX cord. She plugged it into her phone playing, 'as long as you care' by Ruel.

"AS LONG AS YOU CARE! YOU HAVE NO IDEA!" Mackenzie sang with the voice on the radio.

"It's all Bright lights and red eyes," Steven whispered. Mackenzie noticed him singing along, "And I thought you hated listening to Ruel."

"Hey, I never said I hated him." Steven laughed.

     They stopped at a gas station, Belly, Mackenzie, and Laurel entered while Steven put gas into the car.

Mackenzie picked out some Cool Ranch Doritos and a Snickers Bar. She walked up next to Belly who was already eating Cheetos.

"Hey." A guy called out.

The two teens walked up to the counter. "Are you guys new this summer?" The guy asked. "Uh, us? N-No." Belly struggled to get her words out.

"Really? Hmm." He began to scan the girls items. "Thought I knew every pretty girl in Cousins."

     Both Belly and Mackenzie chuckled softly before looking at each other. "Coming to the bonfire tonight?" The guy brought up, mainly looking at Belly. "First of the season."

     "Uh, maybe." Belly nodded her head.

     "Maybe? We'll be there." Mackenzie smiled widely. The brunette beside her glanced at her widening her eyes.

     "Great. I'll introduce you to some of my friends." The guy smiled, taking the credit card from Belly.

     "After we get settled do you want to go to Whale of a Tale with me so I can pre-sign stock before the signing tomorrow night?" Laurel walked up behind the two girls, playing with their hair. "Remember how you girls use to sit on my lap when I did signings there? Belly you insisted on drawing a little whale and Mackenzie you would draw little turtles on every book I signed."

     Belly shook her head, "No I-I don't remember that."

     Laurel looked at her daughter not sure of what to think. She then grabbed the credit card from the guy. "I'll make a deal with both of you. I'll let you pick out tonight's desert if you come with me and keep me company."

     As they exited the store the guy looked at both girls, "I'll see you later." Laurel looked at Belly and Mackenzie, "What's later?"

     "Nothing."

     Getting back in the car, Mackenzie began digging into her Snickers bar. She leaned to the front turning on the radio playing 'Paper Rings' by Taylor Swift.

     Steven groaned, "Not this again." Mackenzie chuckled, "Keep whining but I know you love it."

𓆉

     They pulled into the driveway, and as everyone got out and greeted everyone Mackenzie stayed in the car for a little longer. She fixed her hair and made sure that her lips weren't dry.

Stepping out of the car Conrad walked towards her. Mackenzie's face lit up the second she saw him. He hugged her as she did the same to him. "I missed you!" she smiled.

"I missed you too."

The two let go of their hug, something that both of them needed. "Wow, your hair." He said, looking at how short it had gotten over the summer. "You cut it."

"Yes, I did." She chuckled softly as he messed with her hair. There was no point in fixing it when Conrad had intended to ruin it, but it didn't bother her.

Mackenzie then greeted Jeremiah, he swung her around. "Short." He touched her hair. "Yes." She softly smiled.

"Hey, hey, guys, guys," Steven called out. "I mean, I-I don't know about you, but I... Well, I-I think it's time for a... Belly flop!"

Belly tried running away, but Jeremiah and Steven had already gotten a hold of Belly's arms and Legs.

As for Mackenzie, she was allergic to the pool water, well the chlorine. So she was never able to do any sort of fun things in the pool with the rest.

Susannah walked up to Mackenzie, "I've changed the chlorine to salt water." Mackenzie's face lit up. And before she could even reply Conrad scooped her up and ran to the pool.

"Ready?" He said, rocking her back and forth to give her momentum. "Yes." The blonde girl held her nose as she was thrown into the pool.

She hit the bottom before floating back up to the top. "That was amazing." She laughed, spinning herself around.

"But wait, Conrad can you help me get back out?" She asked, putting her arm out to grab his. But instead of him pulling her back up she pulled him into to pool.

Conrad swam over to Mackenzie splashing her. Belly stared at the two, she had an annoyed face.

𓆉

     After getting all dried up Mackenzie began unpacking. Her suitcase was mainly filled with books that she planned on reading over the stay.

     She set aside 'People We Meet On Vacation' as she stuffed the rest of her book on the tiny bookshelf Susannah had Mr. Fisher built two summers ago.

     As she continued to unpack Conrad entered her room, plotting himself on her bed. "You've got a ton of books." His eyes widened. "It's only ten, that's not even half of the books I own."

     "One day you might just have to read a book to me." He smiled, playing with Mackenzie's hair.

     Conrad would always touch her hair but not as much as he did now. Mainly because it was short, and a different look that definitely suited Mackenzie. But the way he touched her hair made Mackenzie get butterflies in her stomach.

     "Maybe I will." She began to blush, trying to hide it with one of the books she held in her hand.

     AUTHORS NOTE ! [ 1.3k words ]
—— vote and comment ❪ don't be a ghost reader ❫
episode 4 just came out and i'm like JENSJDB also the
ending... bruh. i hâte the aunt so much it's not even
funny. anwyas i hope you enjoyed this first chapter
updating will be very consistent and possibly many
updates in one day!

—— ignore any grammar mistakes they will be fixed !
feedback on this chapter would be amazing <3