"Aurelia, are you packed yet?" Susannah calls out. "We gotta leave soon. I'd like to beat some of the traffic."

"Yeah, almost done!" She called out.

She checked her suitcase that was colored in different shades of purple, and smiled at the sight of the colorful clothes folded neatly inside. The case had a zippered top that was closed and latched, and the small red wheels on the bottom rolled smoothly. Aurelia grabbed her favorite stuffed animal, a pink unicorn with a rainbow mane, and put it in her backpack. She remembered when she first got it and how she had never wanted to let it out of her sight when she was little. But now, she was sixteen, and she knew she was too old to be dragging around her childhood toy, but this stuffed animal was special to her. It was like a security blanket. She had gotten it in Cousins Beach one summer at the boardwalk.

Cousins Beach. Her home away from home. The place her family had gone every summer for as long as she could remember. The place where she'd had the time of her life, and the place where her best memories had happened. And this summer was no exception. The thought of seeing her friends again brought a huge smile to her face. She had been close with the Conklins, who went with them every summer, her whole life. She was close with Belly and even her parents, but not with her brother, Steven.

She only hung out with him because she was forced to, but he always had a way of finding her and bugging her. She could be playing with her friends and having a good time, and then Steven would appear, and he would ruin everything by bugging her. Her mother had asked her a few times why she didn't like him. Why she was so mean to him, but Aurelia couldn't explain it. She didn't really know why herself, except that he always seemed to be there when she didn't want him to be. He was always so rude to her, and he was such a jerk. So she was the same way back to him, she thought it was only fair.

Aurelia put the straps of her backpack on her shoulders and looked around her room. It was filled with pictures and posters and things she had collected over the years. There was a bookshelf full of books and other trinkets she had, a few trophies from cheerleading and some trophies from winning science fairs. One wall was painted light pink and another was white. The walls were covered in pictures of her family and friends, her cheerleading squad, and the beach. The floor was a light gray carpet, and the window had white curtains that matched her bedding. 

Her bedding was white and pale pink with flowers on it. It was at the center of the wall, two white nightstands on each side. Both had lamps on it, the one on the left had an alarm clock on it, the other one had a picture frame of her and her parents on it. She had a dresser across the room, and a closet on the wall by her door. Her TV was on the wall above the dresser, her desk was by the wall across from her door. She had a record player and a crate full of records next to her desk, and a beanbag chair.

Aurelia finally left her room, heading down stairs. "It's about time, slowpoke!" Jeremiah's playful voice rang through the room. She smiled and stuck her tongue out at him.

"You're the one that's slow. You take forever in the shower." Aurelia pointed out.

"Oh yeah? Well, at least I don't spend an hour doing my hair, El." He teased, ruffling her hair, and messing up her ponytail.

"J!" She whined, smoothing her hair back into place. She fixed her ponytail and then glared at her younger brother.

"Jere, stop messing with her." Conrad chuckled as he walked over to them.

"Fine." Jeremiah sighed dramatically, . But then he smirked and messed up her hair again, before running away.

She laughs and runs off after him. "Come back here, Jeremiah!" She chased him around the kitchen. Conrad chuckled, rolling his eyes at his younger siblings. Their mother was at the counter, shaking her head with a smile on her face. She knew her children well, and their antics never bothered her. She was used to it.

Conrad stops Aurelia from running around the kitchen, catching her before she can chase after her brother. "Calm down, A. Don't want you to get hurt before we even get to the beach house, do we?" He chuckled.

"I'm not that clumsy!" She protested. She knew it wasn't true, but she said it anyway. She was very clumsy, and everyone knew it. She always tripped over nothing or bumped into something. Or someone. It was just a part of her personality. But she tried not to trip too often, or make a fool of herself which she had done before. She hated being the center of attention, and she tried not to be, but it always seemed to find her, whether she wanted it or not.

"Oh, please. You are the clumsiest person I've ever met, sis." Jeremiah chimed in, causing her to glare at him as he joined his siblings and mother in the kitchen.

Aurelia pouts, crossing her arms over her chest. "No, I'm not."

"Aurelia, honey, you are a bit clumsy." Susannah speaks up, causing her daughter to huff and look down. "But it's endearing and it's a part of you and we love you just the way you are, sweetheart."

"Thanks, mom." Aurelia mumbled, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, but she still smiled a little, hugging her mother back when Susannah pulled her in for a side hug. Susannah smiled at her and kissed the top of her head before letting go.

"Okay, are we all ready to go?" Susannah questions, looking at her kids with a smile on her face. When the kids nod, she does too. "Alright, then, let's go." 

They all did as they were told and head off to the car. After double checking they had everything, they all got in and pulled away from the house and were off to Cousins Beach for the summer. It was an annual tradition, and none of them could wait. As they drove, Conrad and Jeremiah slept in the backseat. Aurelia was in the front seat as Susannah drove. Her mother hummed along to the song on the radio as she drove.

Aurelia leaned her head against the window, watching as the trees passed. She couldn't help but be excited. Cousins Beach was a home away from home. She was always happy to be going. It was one of her favorite places. She had many fond memories there. Eating ice cream with her mom, building sand castles with Jeremiah and Conrad, swimming in the ocean with Belly.

When she closed her eyes, she could still hear the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. She could see the water stretching out for miles, the sky filled with puffy white clouds. The sun beating down on her. The wind blowing in her hair. She could taste the salt on her lips and feel the sand between her toes. As they got closer, the anticipation grew. The smell of the sea air filled her nostrils. Her heart raced in excitement. Then, they were pulling into the driveway. The familiar sight of the house filled her with joy. She loved this house so much. She couldn't wait to go inside.

As soon as Susannah turned the engine off, the boys woke up and they all helped their mom put things inside. Aurelia went up to her room, smiling at the familiar sight. It was the same as it always was. The walls were painted a soft pink with white trim. There were white curtains and a white bedspread with pink and blue flowers. The bed was pushed to the wall, the nightstands on each side had lamps on them, and there was a dresser across from the bed. She had a desk in the corner, and a window above it. 

She had her record player, and a crate of records next to the desk. She also had a bookshelf filled with books and other trinkets. She had some jars full of seashells she collected over the years. She loved collecting sea shells and looking for the prettiest ones. She had a bay window in her room that she loved. It was her favorite spot in the house. The walls had polariods of her and her family and her and her friends. She also had different beach themed decorations and fairy lights.

Aurelia smiled at the familiar sight. It felt like coming home. She always felt happy when she came here. She loved this place. It was her second home. She had so many memories here. It was one of her favorite places in the world. She unpacked her things, smiling to herself at seeing the stuffed unicorn she packed with her. She knows it's a little silly for her to still be sleeping with a stuffed animal despite being 17 but she doesn't care. She loves it and she knows it's dumb but it helps her sleep at night. It's like a security blanket.

She had just finished packing and was putting her suitcase in her closet when there was a knock on her door. "Come in." She called.

"Hey, Rie. You getting settled in?" Susannah asked softly, opening the door and peeking her head in. 

"Yeah, just putting away the last of my things." She smiled.

Susannah smiles back at her. "Good. I was just checking on you. Dinner is almost ready, if you're hungry."

"I'm starving." Aurelia grins. "I'll be down in a minute."

"Alright, see you then. Oh, and honey, please try to behave with Steven when they get here tomorrow. Don't make things difficult." Susannah added with a sigh.

"I'll try, but no promises." She shrugged.

"Good enough." Susannah smiled.

Aurelia smiled and finished putting away her things. She couldn't believe they were already here. It was so exciting. She couldn't wait for tomorrow, when the others arrived. She couldn't wait to see her friends again. She changed into her bikini and grabbed her beach bag. She went down to the beach, putting a towel down. She lay on her stomach, watching the waves.

She closed her eyes and breathed in the salty air. She loved the sound of the ocean, the feeling of the sand under her feet, the breeze blowing through her hair. It was so peaceful and relaxing. It was one of her favorite places in the world. It was always so calming and soothing. It was one of the best places she'd ever been.

"Hey, Rory." She heard a voice say. She turned her head and smiled at seeing Conrad.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Not much, just thought I'd come down and join you." He said, laying down on the towel beside her. "Wanna go surfing? I brought your board with me."

"Sure." She smiled. They both got up and headed towards the water.

Aurelia loved to surf. She had learned when she was young and had been surfing ever since. It was her favorite thing to do when she came here. She would go out early in the morning and ride the waves. It was so much fun. It was her escape from everything.

"Race ya." She laughed.

"You're on." Conrad chuckled, following her.

Aurelia paddled her surfboard out into the water, laughing and grinning. Conrad followed her, trying to catch up. They raced out to the waves, laughing and splashing each other. The water was cold and refreshing. It felt good on her skin. Aurelia caught a wave and started to paddle. Conrad caught up to her, trying to catch a wave himself. They rode the waves for hours, laughing and having fun. Aurelia knew that Conrad could be distant and even cold sometimes, but he will always be her brother. He always looked out for her, even if he wasn't great at showing his emotions.

"We should head back. Mom's probably making dinner." Conrad said after awhile.

"Alright, sounds good. I'm starving." She grinned.

"When are you not?" He teased, playfully shoving her.

"Jerk!" She shoved him back playfully.

"Brat." He grinned.

They made their way back to the house, laughing and joking. They put their boards up and head inside. "Hey, perfect timing kids. I'm making dinner." Susannah speaks up with a smile. "Go clean up and wash up. It'll be done soon."

They did as they were told, getting cleaned up. Aurelia took a quick shower and threw on a tank top and a pair of shorts. She dried her hair and brushed it, letting it fall in waves down her back. She went back downstairs to see her brothers setting the table.

"Need any help, Mom?" Aurelia asked.

"No, thanks honey. Everything's almost done. Just take a seat and I'll bring the food over."

Dinner went by smoothly like it always did. The three siblings talking and joking, Susannah listening to them talk, occasionally speaking up with a smile. Afterwards, Aurelia found herself in the living room playing cards with her brothers. Susannah was there as well, but she was more focusing on the movie that was on. She smiled though as she watched her kids play, listening to their laughter. It made her happy to see them happy. She hoped that the summer would go smoothly. Her kids deserved nothing but the best.

****

The next day the Conklins finally arrived, and Aurelia was dreading it. She knew that her mother would expect her to be nice to Steven. But, she didn't want to. He was such a jerk and annoying. It didn't matter how handsome he was, it didn't matter how beautiful his smile was. It didn't matter if his dark hair and dark brown eyes made her heart flutter. None of it mattered because she didn't like him.

So when she saw his car pull up and him step out of the passenger seat, she wanted to scream. He looked so smug, so annoying, and so cocky. Especially when he locked eyes with her. And then, a grin spread across his face. She wanted to smack it off his face.

"Bambi, long time no see." He grinned, walking up to her.

"It's not long enough." She muttered.

"Nice to see you too." He rolled his eyes.

"Whatever." She mumbled. She didn't like it when he called her Bambi, he called her that ever since they were little. He claimed she reminded him of Bambi with how clumsy, small and how he said he thought she acted like a child. She was far from a child now.

"What's up?" Jeremiah grinned, walking out of the house excitedly.

"Hi, oh my go..." Laurel laughed, hugging Jeremiah when she hugged him.

"Long time no see." Jeremiah commented.

"Good to see you." Laurel smiled. She then hugged Susannah after she got out of the house with a smile.

"Lia!" Belly said excitedly, smiling widely at Aurelia.

"Hey, Bells. How's life been treating you?" Aurelia asked with a smile, hugging her friend tightly.

"It's been alright, I'm glad I'm here now." Belly smiled, hugging her back.

After everyone hugged each other and got reunited, Steven suddenly spoke up, gaining everyone's attention. "Hey, hey, guys, guys. I mean, I-I don't know about you, but I...Well," Steven pretends to look at an imaginary watch. "I-I think it's time for a Belly flop!" Jeremiah spoke along with him, both of them grinning at Belly. Belly quickly tried to escape as she laughed when Steven grabbed her.

"Go, Belly, run!" Aurelia gave Steven a wet willie which caused him to loose his grip on Belly and let her run as Conrad and Jeremiah ran after her.

"Gross, Bambi!" Steven grimaced, shoving Aurelia's hand away as Aurelia laughed.

"Hey, you deserve it, Stevie." Aurelia teased.

"Whatever." Steven rolled his eyes and continued to go after Belly. Aurelia kept trying to stop the boys from getting Belly, but in the end the three boys managed to pick up Belly, carrying her over to the pool as Aurelia followed with a smile.

Steven was holding onto her legs along with Jeremiah as Conrad held her upper half. They settle at the edge of the pool and counted down before they threw Belly in the pool. Laughter filled the air as Belly fell in the pool.

"How's the water?" Steven teased.

"Guys, I hurt my ankle. Come on." Belly suddenly said, gaining everyone's attention. She reaches a hand out for someone to help her out. Conrad reaches over to grab her hand and Belly took it. "Yes, come on." She grinned, pulling Conrad in the pool with her. Aurelia laughed along with the others.

"You know what? Maybe we should come up with a new thing," Steven speaks up, smiling teasingly at Aurelia. "Somethin' called the Aurie Splash."

"Oh, yeah, and what's that?" Aurelia asked, arching a brow.

"We would do the same thing we did with Belly, but you'd go flying in the pool instead." Steven ruffling her hair and laughing when she swatted his hand away.

"Yeah, not gonna happen Stevos." She huffed, shaking her head. Ever since she was little and she first called him Stevos, she had always done it to irritate him. He hated being called Stevos and she loved annoying him, especially when he would get mad and storm off. She found it amusing.

"Come on, Aurie, let's go inside!" Belly grinned, climbing out of the pool.

"Okay, sure." Aurelia smiled, following Belly to the house. "You look stunning, by the way." She commented. Belly had a glow up and had blossomed into a beautiful young woman.

"Thanks, Aurie. So do you." Belly said, smiling brightly. Aurelia and Belly were practically sisters. They were best friends. They spent every summer together. They were very close, they told each other everything.

"Hi." Belly chuckled as she walked inside with Aurelia.

"Aurie, I was thinking, we could have a sleepover in my room tonight." Belly spoke up.

"That sounds like a great idea." Aurelia grinned. She and Belly always did sleepovers when they got to Cousins Beach. They would stay up late talking and eating junk food. It was something they had done since they were little, and it was a tradition they never wanted to break.

"Awesome." Belly grinned.

"You're dripping water all over the place." Laurel scolded her daughter, who was soaking wet from the Belly Flop. Belly sat at the kitchen island along with Aurelia, sharing a smile with her.

"You have always been lovely, but, oh, honey, look at you!" Susannah gushed, smiling brightly at Belly, taking her hands in hers.

Aurelia chuckles softly as Belly laughs. "I think I look pretty much the same." Belly admitted.

"You do not look the same at all. You're growing up." Susannah hugs her and when she pulled away, she cups Belly's face with a soft smile on her face. "You're in bloom." Belly returned the smile and Aurelia smiled softly as she watched the interaction between Belly and Susannah.

Laurel came over to the two girls, wrapping a towel around Belly to help her dry off. "Laur, she's you all over." Susannah commented and Laurel laughed.

"People always say I look like my dad." Belly shrugged.

"No, when your mom and I first met, she looked just like you." Susannah tells her. She glances at her daughter with a smile. "And Rie you know you look like a mini me." She chuckled.

"Yup." Aurelia smiled. It was true, she and Susannah were very much alike. She was very lucky to look like her mom. She was a beautiful woman and she hoped she was as pretty as her one day.

"Expect I had no boobs at all." Laurel chimed in.

"Gross, mom." Belly mumbled, earning a laugh from her mom.

"You should call your father and tell him we got in safely." Laurel suggested.

"Uh, why don't you tell Steven to do it?" Belly asked.

"Because I'm telling you. He misses you guys when you're gone." Laurel replied as Susannah poured Aurelia and Belly a drink of juice. Aurelia thanked her with a soft smile, taking the glass Susannah handed her.

"Yeah, but he'll see us at the end of the summer." Belly commented.

"No, he'll be here for the fourth." Laurel voiced, continuing to put things away in the cabinets she and her kids had brought.

"Wait, he's coming here?" Belly questioned, looking surprised. Aurelia raised her eyebrows, wondering why Belly was surprised about that.

"Of course. He always come for the Fourth." Laurel answered.

"He didn't come last summer." Belly pointed out.

"That's true." Aurelia quipped.

Laurel sighs. "Because we'd just gotten divorced. We're good now."

"That's good." Aurelia said softly, sending her a smile and Laurel returned it.

"Where's Mr. Fisher?" Belly asked.

"Oh, he's in London. They got him going back and forth. He'll join us later in the summer. For now, it's just the women and the children, just the way we like it." Susannah smiled.

****

She went to her room and changed into a swimsuit. After, she grabbed her phone and a book, heading outside to the pool at her family's beach house. She set her things on the table and jumped into the pool, enjoying the feel of the cool water surrounding her. She swam a few laps, then rested on the edge of the pool, leaning back on her hands and closing her eyes. The sun was warm on her skin, and she felt relaxed and happy. Everything was perfect....Until-

"Aurie!"

Aurelia was suddenly doused with a wave of cold water, spluttering as she wiped her face.

"What the h**l, Steven?" She sputtered, glaring at him. He was laughing, of course, after he had pushed her in the pool.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist." Steven smirked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Jerk." She muttered, rolling her eyes.

"You know you love me." Steven grinned, winking at her.

"In your dreams." Aurelia scoffed, though there was a hint of amusement in her voice.

"I know you think about me every night." Steven teased, a smirk playing on his lips.

"I know I think you're full of yourself, Stevos." Aurelia replied, using the nickname she knew he hated.

"Don't call me that." Steven huffed, frowning at her.

"I can and will." She retorted, giving him a smug smile.

"Okay, Bambi, if that's the game you wanna play." Steven grinned, his eyes glinting with mischief. Her smug smile fell, replaced by an annoyed look.

"Why are you even here? Shouldn't you be with your friends or something?" She huffed, trying to change the subject.

"Just came by to check on you. You know, to make sure you didn't drown in the pool." Steven smirked, his tone teasing.

"Awe, you care about me that much to make sure I don't drown?" She teased back, glancing over at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Not really. But I'm sure Belly, the others, and your parents would kill me if anything happened to you." He shrugged, a smirk still playing on his lips.

"Can you go bother someone else now? I was enjoying the peace and quiet until you had to show up." She quipped, giving him a pointed look.

"Ouch. You wound me, Bambi." Steven grinned, putting a hand over his heart.

"Steven, leave Aurelia alone." Conrad called out, walking over to them.

"Uh, how do you not know she's the one bothering me?" Steven protested, raising his eyebrows.

"'Cause it's obvious she's the one trying to relax." Conrad chuckled, shaking his head.

"I was just telling her to stop bothering me." Steven huffed.

"Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night." Aurelia rolled her eyes, smiling when Conrad gave her a friendly grin.

"Come on, Steven, let's go play some video games." Conrad threw his arm around Steven's shoulders, guiding him back to the house next door. Aurelia was relieved that Conrad got him to leave. She appreciated it when he did that. Usually when Steven kept annoying her or bothering too much, Conrad or Jeremiah would cut in and get him to leave her alone.

"Bye, Stevos." Aurelia waved sweetly with a grin, earning a glare from him.

"Don't call me that!"

She heard him yell before he disappeared back inside the house with Conrad. She laughed softly, shaking her head. She continued to enjoy the pool and the warm summer sun, feeling relaxed and content.

****

When it was dinner, Aurelia sat at the table at her usual place next to Belly and Laurel, across from Steven. She had been talking with Belly when Laurel spoke up, gaining their attention.

"Steven, I swear to God, if you look at that phone one more time I'm putting it in the screen basket." Laurel threatened after seeing her son and Jeremiah laughing at something on Steven's phone.

"It's just, we want to see your beautiful faces." Susannah chimes in with a smile. "Can dinner be a screen-free zone? You know, like the olden days."

When Steven wouldn't listen even to Jeremiah calling out to him, Jeremiah grabbed his phone from him and stood up. He then acted as if he was throwing a basketball into a hoop with the phone into the basket.

"Dude, are you kidding me?" Steven complained, sending a glare to Aurelia when she snickered.

"Boom! Nailed it." Jeremiah grinned.

"Okay, okay, okay, we get it, you've been working out." Steven voiced.

"Oh, you're just jealous because Jere has a better body than you." Belly spoke.

"Uh, no, actually, it's all about the lean look now. Otherwise, you can't wear tailored suits." Steven defended himself and laughter filled the air.

Aurelia looks at him with amusement. "Do you even own any tailored suits, Steven?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you." He quips, and she rolls her eyes. "When are you leaving for training camp, man?" Steven asked, changing the subject as he glanced at Conrad.

"Uh, he quit football." Jeremiah explained.

"Wh-Wait, really? You quit?" Steven asked with surprise. Aurelia had to admit, she was surprised to. She didn't know Conrad had quit football.

"Mm-hmm." Conrad hummed in response.

"Are you kidding me, man? I'd-I'd kill to play college ball." Steven admitted.

"He can always change his mind." Susannah voiced.

"I'm not gonna change my mind." Conrad tells her. "I was just gonna sit on the bench all season anyways."

"Conrad, you don't know that." Adeline said softly. "It could've been different this time."

"Or the same as always." Conrad muttered.

"Well, if you're not playing football anymore, what are you gonna do all summer?" Laurel inquired and Conrad shrugged.

"Oh, dude, you can work at the club." Steven suggests. "Yeah, with me and Jere."

"Yeah." Jeremiah smiled.

"Since when do you work at the club?" Aurelia questioned, raising her eyebrows.

"I'm not gonna work at the club." Conrad cut in.

"Wait, you guys are working this summer?" Belly asked.

"Yeah, I'm lifeguarding, and Steven's working at the snack shop." Jeremiah smiled, fist bumping Steven.

"And for your information, Bambi, I start working there this summer." Steven told Aurelia.

"Oh, girls, I almost forgot." Susannah suddenly said, standing up to grab two envelops, handing one to Aurelia and Belly. "I have a surprise for you."

Aurelia and Belly share a surprised look, both still having smiles on their faces. "So this is why you had to stop by the country club." Laurel realized and Susannah hummed in response as she sat back down.

"What, uh, w-w-what is that?" Steven curiously asked.

"Nothing that's yours." Aurelia replied with a smirk and he sent her a small glare, kicking her shin under the table. One of the things she hated with sitting across from him was because of that reason. He would always kick her or nudge her under the table and it would always annoy her so she always returned the favor. She kicked his shin harder, making him wince and glare at her again.

"I wrangled Aurelia and Belly and invitation to be a debutante." Susannah explained.

"Is that the thing where the girls wear white dresses and curtsy?" Belly questioned.

"And where they have to dance front of people? Yeah, no thanks." Aurelia mumbled. She wasn't a big fan of being in front of big crowds or even being in big crowds. It made her nervous and uncomfortable.

"It's when a girl comes of age and is presented to society. I-I know it sounds silly, but I swear it's fun. Girls come from all over New England to Cousins just to be a part of it. You'll make so many new friends." Susannah reassured the girls.

"I cannot believe you are still holding on to this archaic dream." Laurel spoke.

"No, it used to be about finding a husband, but now it's about networking. They teach you leadership skills, like how to market yourself, and it benefits charity. It's, um, like a bat mitzvah." Susannah explained.

"It is not like a bat mitzvah." Laurel laughs. "There is nothing religious about a debutante ball."

"The whole deb ball scene is bulls**t. It's for sheep." Conrad commented.

"Yeah." Jeremiah agreed.

"No, it's not. It's when a girl has a coming out. It's a formal recognition she's reached maturity." Susannah explained, causing Steven to burst out laughing.

"Oh, sorry. I'm sorry. Mature?" Steven asked, his voice laced with disbelief, ignoring the glare that Aurelia sent him. 

"Yes." Susannah replied with a small smile. 

"Belly? And Aurelia? A-A couple months ago Belly had a cat funeral." Steven pointed out, glancing at Belly. "You made us all wear black."

"Shut up, Steven. I saw you crying in your room." Belly shot back and Aurelia stifled a laugh.

"Wait, Mochi died? Dang. I'm sorry, Bells." Jeremiah apologized, sending her a sympathetic look.

"And we're talking about the girl who still sleeps with that dumb stuffed animal of hers?" Steven asked, chuckling as he looked at Aurelia. She just glared at him and kicked his shin hard under the table which caused him to wince.

"Don't diss Sparkles. I don't tell everyone you cry while watching The Notebook." She told him, earning a few chuckles from the others.

"Everyone cries watching that movie!" Steven glared at her and kicked her shin back, making her kick his shin harder.

"Ow." Steven whined, glaring at her as he reached down to rub his sore ankle. She smiled in triumph, happy she had made him hurt.

"Belly, Aurelia, don't you want to get all dressed up?" Susannah inquired with a grin.

"It's just not Belly's kind of thing. She's our feral little alley cat." Laurel smiles brushing some of Belly's hair to the side as Steven and Jeremiah stifled their laughter. Laurel then glances at Aurelia with a smile as well. "And Aurelia is our shy little wallflower." Aurelia blushed slightly, feeling her cheeks heat up. Laurel and Susannah knew that Aurelia didn't like being in front of crowds. She never liked it, even when she was a kid. At events her mom hosted and she had to be there, she would hide behind her mom's legs or hide behind her brothers.

"I'll think about it." Belly offered.

"She'll think about it." Susannah said happily, her eyes lighting up.

"Sorry, mom. I'm gonna have to go with no." Aurelia admitted with an apologetic smile. She really wasn't fond of the idea. She'd rather just stay in her room reading a book or watching Netflix or playing a game. Maybe even just hanging out at the pool. Anything other than being a debutante. She couldn't see herself wearing a poofy white dress and curtsying in front of a big crowd. She would be so embarrassed and nervous. It would also be weird to be dancing in front of a bunch of people, even with a guy she knew. It just wouldn't feel right to her.

Susannah gave her a warm, reassuring smile. "It's alright, honey. If you don't want to do it, I'm not going to force you. But if you do want to, let me know, okay? I'll help you out." Aurelia nodded, grateful she wasn't upset or anything. Her mom had been wanting her to go to the debutante ball ever since she was old enough, so she knew how disappointed her mom must've been when she turned her down. She felt bad, but it was just something she couldn't see herself doing. She was relieved when everyone else changed the subject and the conversation moved on to other topics.

After dinner was over, everyone went their separate ways. Conrad was probably outside somewhere, and the boys and Belly were inside the house. Aurelia was in her room, curled up on her bed as she read a book. She enjoyed reading a good book every now and then. It helped her relax and take her mind off things. It was like a different world where she could escape to. A world where the main characters went on adventures, discovering new worlds and going on quests. It was her favorite type of books, but she did enjoy some other genres.

She was so lost in the book she was reading that she didn't even realize how late it was until she heard the knock on her door. She glanced up from her book, seeing Belly standing in her doorway with her stuffed animal and a blanket. Belly did that a lot. When she had trouble sleeping, she would always go into Aurelia's room and sleep next to her. Aurelia didn't mind. She didn't have a problem with it. If anything, she was glad to help her. Besides, it reminded her of when they were younger and they would sneak into each other's rooms and have sleepovers. Aurelia often did the same with Belly as well, especially when she had a nightmare or a bad day. She scooted over a bit, making room for her best friend. Belly laid down next to her, using her arm as a pillow.

"Couldn't sleep?" Aurelia questioned softly, setting her book on the nightstand. Belly nodded, a look of sadness flashing in her eyes. Aurelia could tell that something was bothering her, so she gently put an arm around her. Belly sighed, relaxing a bit. Aurelia always found that she was a calming presence for people. People felt safe and comfortable around her. That's why a lot of her friends came to her for comfort or advice. She never minded. It made her happy that she was able to help people. "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really. I just want to sleep." Belly mumbled, burying her face into the blanket. Aurelia nodded, understanding. She knew that sometimes it was easier for people to just sleep it off. She didn't press any further, knowing Belly would tell her if she wanted to. She just wanted to be there for her.

"Okay. Goodnight, Bells." Aurelia murmured, resting her head on top of Belly's as she shut her eyes.

"Night, Aurie." Belly replied, her voice muffled by the blanket.

Aurelia felt her eyes getting heavy, her exhaustion taking over. As she drifted off to sleep, the last thought that crossed her mind was how she hoped whatever was bothering Belly wasn't too serious. 

A/N first chapter & im already loving aurelia <3 especially her friendship with belly! & her bond with her brothers & mom, ugh i just love her