BACK TO YOU

twelve. just friends

The entire ride home, Conrad didn't say much of anything. Lennox felt like that morning and even the day before had been a fluke and reality had once again come to knock her off her feet. So when he put the car in park she slid out and made her way into the house, not uttering more than a thanks for letting me tag along to the boy. Once she got up to her room she sat on the edge of her bed, her head reeling. She wasn't sure what had changed, they had been having a great morning, it was like old times. Before they ever got together, when they were still just friends.

She pushed her hair back, tucking a few loose strands behind her ears then she pushed herself up and made her way to Jeremiah's room. She knocked and waited for the boy to open his door, bouncing on her heels as she chewed on her bottom lip. And the boy smiled when she saw her standing there.

"Wanna go for a swim?" She asked, her tone a bit rushed, before he had a chance to say anything and his eyebrows pinched.

"Everything okay?"

"No, and I really need my best friend."

His worry only grew but his features softened into a smile as he looked down at the girl. "Yeah, let's go for a swim." He nodded and she let out a small breath as a smile tugged up the corners of her lips. It didn't take long for the two to make their way down to the beach. Lennox smiled a little as she watched the boy dive into a wave and when he resurfaced he made his way over to her.

"Okay, what's up?" He asked, both about shoulders deep in the ocean – well, it was up to his shoulders and Lennox was using her arms and legs to stay above the water. "I knew something was up, but my dolphin dive usually cheers you up."

"It's Conrad." She stated.

"What about him?"

"He's the guy." She mumbled, not meeting his eyes. "We started dating, if you can call it that, we never labeled it, last summer and he broke up with me in April. And I've been a complete mess. But today, it was like old times. Like we were friends again and everything was fine." She couldn't stop the tears that filled her eyes. "Something happened when we were out sailing, I don't know what, but he-" She shook her head, she couldn't really explain it, she didn't understand it. "I don't want him to have this effect on me. I just want to enjoy summer because it's probably my last one here and I-"

"Wait, what do you mean your last summer here?" He stopped her and she looked up at him, his eyebrows were creased over his ocean blue eyes. "Len, what's going on?"

"My dad sold the beach house. Nate and Callie are coming over later to help me get my stuff out."

"Then you'll stay with us." He nearly demanded. "This can't be your last summer with us." He placed his hand on her cheek and brushed the saltwater away with his thumb. "You're not getting rid of us that easily." He hummed and she couldn't help but smile at him, that is until her eyebrows creased.

"Wait, why is that the only part you're concerned about? You haven't even asked about Conrad."

"I already knew."

"Wha-how?"

"I figured it out and asked him."

"Why didn't you say anything?" She moved closer to him, holding onto his arm as a small wave rolled towards them.

"I knew you'd tell me when you were ready." He shrugged, giving her a soft smile. "You always do."

"You really are the best." She hummed, a smile pulling at her lips as she moved closer to the boy and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"But I was serious. You're gonna stay with us every single summer of our lives."

"Every summer?"

"Every summer." He nodded and she giggled as she squeezed him a little. "And you and Conrad will figure things out. You guys are, like, magnets or something."

"Thanks, Jere-Bear." She mumbled and he rubbed her back.

"Always." He mumbled.

"Now, let's talk about you and Belly." She pulled back just in time to see the shocked look cross his features and she couldn't help but laugh.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." He muttered as he pushed her away from him. Then he turned and made his way toward the shore.

"No, get back here, Mister!" She shouted as she followed after him and he just laughed as he reached the sand, the girl not far behind him.

>>>>> • <<<<<

"Wow, this is kinda..."

"Massively depressing?" Lennox filled in when Nate trailed off.

"I'm sorry, babes." Callie mumbled as she rubbed the girl's arm comfortingly. The three stood in Lennox's room, which was now mostly empty. The walls bare of the photos that were once there, the shelves empty of all books and nick-nacks she had collected over the years. The closest empty of what few clothes she had left behind.

It was just empty.

Lennox closed her eyes as she taped up the last box she had packed, her hands shaking around the roll she held. That is until Nate placed his hand on hers. "Breath." He told her, his voice quiet and calm. "It's just a house."

"Yeah, I've been telling myself the same thing." She nodded as she looked up at him. "And, you're right. It is. But it's also the only place I actually got to see my brother." She couldn't stop her eyes from watering, she didn't mention her brother often.

"You have a brother?" Callie asked, her eyebrows creased.

She nodded. "Our parents got divorced when we were young, my mom got him and my dad got me. And summer was the only time we got to see each other. This was our place. He was my best friend. My favorite person in the world. He was in a car accident a few years ago... this house is all I have left of him."

"That's not true." Callie told her, a soft smile on her lips. "You have all of your memories."

"Yeah, Len, those don't go away." Nate added, putting his hand on her shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze.

"Thanks, guys." She gave them both a smile before looking around her room. "Um, let's get this finished up." She pushed her hair back and moved around her room, grabbing anything else she wanted and once they were finished up, they loaded up Nate's truck.

>>>>> • <<<<<

Lennox yawned as she made her way into the Fisher's beach house, Nate's mom said she could put her stuff in their garage until she figured out what she wanted to do with it. She was sure Susannah wouldn't mind if she had moved it into the room the woman had set up for her, but she wanted to ask before she did anything. She never wanted to overstep. She closed the door behind her, smiling a little when she saw Susannah on the stairs, but it faded when she saw the woman falter and grip the banister.

"Suze." She rushed towards her, letting her tote bag hit the floor as he placed her hands on the woman's sides to steady her. "You okay?"

"Yeah." The blonde nodded, looking over her shoulder. "Just need to sit for a bit."

"Okay." Lennox nodded, helping her lower herself to the steps. Once she was sitting, she leaned back against the wall and all Lennox could do was watch the woman, her eyes wide with concern. "You alright?"

"I'm fine, Angel." She smiled at the teenager before letting her eyes fall closed again, her hand tightly wrapped around the younger girl's hand.

"Len? Mom?" Lennox looked up as the boy walked towards them but Susannah didn't move. "Mom?"

"She, um, said she needed to sit." Lennox told him and Susannah turned her head a little, her eyes open as she looked between the two.

"You two." She hummed, a smile on her face.

"Big day today, huh?" Conrad asked, looking at his mom and she chuckled. "Come on, let's get you upstairs. Give me a hand?" He looked from his mom to Lennox and the brunette nodded as she pushed herself up. Conrad moved up the stairs and helped his mom to her feet and while he walked beside her Lennox followed closely behind them, still worried about the woman that had been like a mom to her. "We got ya. No falling today."

"I'm not gonna fall." Susannah chuckled. "Oh, Angel. I found you a dress." She mumbled, looking over her shoulder as they reached the top landing.

"A dress?"

"Mmm, for the deb. You're gonna look like an angel." She mused, her voice quite like she was talking to herself.

"I can't wait to see it." Lennox told her and Susannah smiled as she wrapped her arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer.

"My beautiful angel." She mumbled, kissing the top of her head as the two teengers helped her to her room. Once they had gotten her in bed they left the room, an awkward silence around them and Lennox couldn't take it.

"Con." She grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, yeah." He nodded, but he avoided her eyes. "She's just tired, is all."

She nodded despite not believing him. "Um, so, about earlier... I don't know what happened today, but I can't do this again."

"Do what?"

"Us. I can't let you keep hurting me. It's obvious that you don't feel the same way I do-"

"That's not true." He cut her off. "You know that's not true." She just looked up at him, unable to move or look away from him. Did he really feel the same as she did? She used to think so, but she couldn't tell, not anymore.

"I can't do this back and forth. It's too hard."

"Len-"

"So, this is it. We're friends, we live in the same house, until summer ends anyways. And that has to be all we are."

He hesitated, his chest ached, his heart breaking. Not only because of what she had said but because of the broken look in her eyes. He knew she felt the same as he did, he knew that this was breaking her heart just as much as it was his. He wanted to argue, to fight for her, but Cleveland's advice echoed in his head.

You can't be good with someone else until you're good with yourself.

And he was so far from being good with himself and he didn't want to hurt her more than he already had. So, despite everything in him telling him to fight for her, he didn't.

"Okay."

"Okay." She nodded then she made her way down the stairs to grab her bag before she made her way to the kitchen. She set herself up at the table, she wanted to go through the pictures she had taken. But as she got comfortable at the table she saw Jeremiah jump into the pool and she smiled when she saw Belly. And a gasp left her lips the moment they kissed, her eyes wide and she just looked away. A wide smile on her face, she knew she was right. She knew they liked each other. And she was happy for them.

>>>>> • <<<<<

Lennox smiled as she and Callie skipped down the sidewalk, their arms linked and their laughter filling the air with the occasional excuse me shouted to people who were in their way. They had just finished their photography class, though it wasn't really a class. They were setting up for the gallery they were hosting and while Lennox had been chosen as the featured artist, everyone would get a chance to show their work along with her.

Lennox thrived under the pressure. She had already picked what photo she would use and where in the studio she wanted them hung, she even helped Callie pick out what pictures she wanted to use.

"You have been laser focused." Callie mused as they slowed to a walk, arms still linked. "I mean, it takes me weeks to figure out which photos I want to show when my mom asks for them. And this is bigger than just a proud parent."

"Yeah, well, I needed something to keep me busy and out of the house. I'm kind of avoiding Conrad."

"Cause that went so well the first time around."

"This time is different." Lennox stated, and she truly believed it was. "He and I are done. For good this time."

"Sure." The younger girl nodded only to have Lennox bump her hip with hers.

"Where's Nate? He usually meets us after class."

"He's helping set up for the tourney. Susannah roped him into it. It's impossible to say no to her, like, he couldn't say it."

"Trust me, I know." Lennox chuckled. "But that's good. She wouldn't have asked if she didn't trust him. I like that she likes my friends."

Callie smiled over at the older girl, she would never have guessed that Susannah's opinion of her friends would matter that much. But she also didn't fully understand just how attached to Susannah the girl was. And she didn't want to ask. She knew her mom had left when she was young and she didn't want to bring it up in case it was a sore subject. So she just nodded.