┏━━━━⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚⋆━━━━┓

WATERMELON FANATICS

"THAT WATERMELON MUST BE GENERICALLY ENHANCED BECAUSE WHAT THE FUCK?"

The Lahote boy was stood with his jaw hanging open, staring at the little wagon that Jared was pulling on Kim's behalf across the sand. Inside the wagon was the exact massive watermelon that Kim had told the other girls about, laughing that it'd be big enough to feed a small village.

Looking at it up close from her spot on the large blanket she brought with her, yeah, Nelly couldn't help but agree.

"That thing is huge," Embry added, a bewildered expression on his face as he stopped wrestling Quil for a second, the boys fighting over which turkey sandwich looked the most appealing. "Is that shit even FDA approved?"

Kim rolled her eyes. "It came out of my mom's garden, says it's her pride and joy," she explained with a huff, patting Jared on the shoulder once they stopped just before the group that was already gathered.

"Yeah, enhanced pride and joy," he murmured in response, but Kim was close enough to hear. She was able to whack him on the arm as she walked by him, approaching Nelly with her arms outstretched.

The girls hugged, and from over Kim's shoulder, Nelly could see Jared wipe the sweat from his brow. "That shit was heavy, man," he complained, collapsing onto the ground next to the wagon. Though, something caught his eye in the distance, and he pointed at it. "What's Mr Melancholy doing over there?"

Everyone turned to see what he was referring to, and Nelly couldn't stop the snort from escaping her. Off in the distance was one Jacob Black, walking along the shoreline and kicking rocks as he went, his head hung low and miserable.

"Let me guess, still no word from his beloved pale face?" Kim posed, looking at his dejected form with an eye roll. "Isn't she quite literally still on her honeymoon?"

"At least he's here?" Nelly offered out with a grimace. "I mean shit, think of when we all saw his last... he's been AWOL."

Embry hummed, resting his arm across Nelly's shoulders. "He's only been pining after her for what, his entire life," he said. "I think the only way he'll move on is if he imprints of literally anyone else."

Kim's gaze snapped to Nelly's. "Speaking of," she continued, "where are the others?"

"Running late," Nelly answered. "The Fullers and Clearwaters are travelling as a unit, so code Pumpkin Bread is definitely a move."

The Connweller girl clapped her hands together excitedly. "That's what I like to hear!"

Embry furrowed his eyebrows. "Code what now?"

Nelly held a finger up, shushing him. "It's for the girls to know, Emmy," she responded. "It's some top secret shit."

"Top secret, aka, they're talking about Leah and Akira wanting to spend more time together," Paul scoffed, poking the watermelon with his finger. At the others' silence, he turned to see the girls looking at him with angered expressions, "...what? Was I not supposed to say anything?"

Embry gave Nelly a deadpan face, and she merely put her hands up in defence.

"He's one of the girls, sorry!"

˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚

Eventually the Clearwater and Fuller siblings made it to the beach, Akira with a bright smile on her face and Leah with a more reserved one. A blind person could see the way they seemed to be crowded in one another's space, arms accidentally brushing as they walked.

The beach day was everything Nelly could've hoped for; just a day of simple relaxation, a shit ton of watermelon they'd barely made a dent in, and of multiple games of beach soccer with Quil as the referee.

That boy loved handing out imaginary yellow cards, that's for sure, and you should've seen the way Paul gave him a deadly glare when Quil threw him a red one for talking shit. Oh, he was furious, but his anger had gotten a laugh or two out of the so-called Mr Melancholy.

Nelly eventually retired from the game, patched more than words, and immediately sought out the cooler that they'd put the watermelon in. Brady was sitting there, ever content to watch the others goof around, as he waited for the youngest Clearwater to return from the bathroom.

She came to sit next to Brady, the boy happily munching on some watermelon that Jared had sliced up. She ruffled his hair as she sat, plucking a piece of her own.

"So," she said with an easy smile, "what're your thoughts on the whole imprinting thing?"

He saw right through her. "If you're asking me if I approve of whatever's going on with my sister and Leah, then yeah— I think I do."

Her eyebrow quirked up. "You think?"

Brady shrugged, watching the two girls in the distance. Nelly followed his gaze, smiling at the way Akira was freely laughing at something Leah must've told her. "I'm happy for her," he started out by saying, voice a little lower than Nelly was used to, "but, I think I'm jealous."

Nelly instantly frowned. "Jealous of what, B?" she asked gently, nudging her knee against his. "You're young— you'll have all the time in the world to imprint of someone."

There was a heavy kind of pause from the boy before he answered. "No, I don't think I will."

A little piece of her heart chipped away at his dejected statement. What on earth made little Brady Fuller believe he wouldn't imprint on anyone? He was so deserving of finding his other half, but the fact that he seemed to disagree was more than upsetting to Nelly.

"Brady," she breathed out, "what makes you say that?"

He shrugged, now turning to look at her. "The only person I could see it happening with is gone," he stated, and Nelly saw his lash line begin to water. "He's dead."

He's dead.

He was talking about her brother.

People always said that Tate Sequoia and Brady Fuller were more than just close, that they were brothers, despite their blood saying they weren't. Brady wasn't hoping for an imprint who could be his love— no, he was hoping for one that was a brother.

A soul brother.

Nelly gave him a sad smile, her hand seeking his across the blanket. He held hers in a white knuckle grip, a sad smile of his own.

⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚⋆

[ wyn's note ]

yeah, i did just leave this chap like that.

if tate was around, brady would've 1000% imprinted on him because those boys were best friends!! brothers :(

also paul is one of the girlies. certified girls girl, that man.

thanks for 50k yall — we are nearing the end! x