𝐕𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫.

015.

it was finally belly's birthday and the beach house was buzzing with excitement, after breakfast cindy would go with jeremiah and belly get taylor from the bus station.

well today was also supposed to be her day but this year she decided against it.

what she meant by her day is that cindy is born in may, a month before they arrive at the beach house so because they couldn't celebrate her birthday they would celebrate it when they were there.

when they were kids belly suggested they celebrate it on her birthday, so that in a way she would feel that her and cindy are twins.

cindy threw herself into her friend's arms when she saw her. "happy birthday belly."

"there's the birthday girl, looking like a vision in floral." susannah commented with a smile on her face. "happy birthday."

"happy sweet sixteen, bells." jeremiah chimed in. "now belly button's getting old finally."

"thanks, everyone." belly responded shyly.

"happy birthday, sweetheart." laurel kissed belly's cheek.

"thanks, mom." belly replied, gratefully.

"your mickey mouse pancakes are ready." laurel announced.

"actually, I'm not really, uh, hungry." belly declined.

"oh." susannah mumbled, her smile faltered for a second. "shall we open gifts?"

"oh, you're gonna love mine." cindy eagerly spoke up.

they all gathered in the living room, belly was in a chair by herself in front of everyone.

the first person to hand belly their gift was laurel.
"it's a first edition. I got it from a rare book dealer." she explained.

"thanks, mom." belly thanked her.

"turn to the bookmarked page. it's your favorite poem." laurel gestured.

"oh, yeah. I remember susannah teaching us to recite this." she recalled. "for whatever we lose...

"like a you or a me..." jeremiah joined her.

"It's always ourselves we find in the sea." everyone joined belly.

"thank you. I love it." belly said again.

"you're welcome."

"okay, open mine now, belly." susannah gave the girl her present.

"Oh, wow. they're gorgeous." she took a pearl necklace out of the box. "thank you, susannah."

"my mom gave me these pearls for my sweet
sixteen." susannah added. "radiant, isn't she?"

"they look great on you, sweetheart." laurel assured.

"now open mine." cindy got up excitedly.

inside the box was a stunning silver bvlgari bracelet with 'belly' engraved into it, three taylor swift tickets and a note.

belly gasped once she saw the bracelet. "i love it, thank you so much!" then her eyes landed on the taylor swift tickets, belly screamed. "you got me taylor swift tickets! i love you, i love you!"

"i know i'm the best." cindy smiled at the girl. "leave the note for later."

belly looked at the note and nodded.

"oh, I'm next." jeremiah announced and he gave belly a small gift. "here."

"thank you." belly expressed.

"it's a good-luck charm to help you pass your driving test." he winked at the girl.

"perfect. thank you."

"think fast, belly." steven commented.

"what?" belly barely managed to process it, when her brother's gift came flying at her face.

"steven." laurel warned.

"wow, steven, I can't believe you actually spent money on me." belly commented, holding up the 'princeton' shirt.

"relax. I just didn't want you stealing mine next year when I get in." he laughed.

laurel furrowed her brows, glancing at her son,
"i didn't know you were still considering princeton."

"you know, i-i think i'm gonna apply for some scholarships, and dad thinks i can get some financial aid." steven shrugged, stuttering over his words, "i-i don't know. i'll see if i get in."

"and that's for you, cinderella. " jeremiah hands cindy a small bag. inside there was a pandora bracelet which had tons of little disney charms, which of course included cinderella.

"you didn't have to." she looked at him and smiled. "i love the mickey and minnie charms."

"i know." jeremiah nodded. "that's why most of them are of them, even though i call you cinderella."

"conrad," susannah's voice captured everyone's attention. "do you want to give your presents?"

everyone turned to the boy who had been quiet the whole interaction. he was quiet for a moment before speaking.

"uh... sorry I forgot."

"uh, that's... that's cool." belly croaked out. "um...
I wasn't really expecting anything anyway, so..."

"oh, so I got to go." conrad got up. "um, I promised cleveland that I'd show him some knots today, so..." he quickly said and walked to the door. "happy birthday, belly."

conrad would never forget to get presents. every year he would get two presents for cindy one on her actual birthday and a second for her 'late birthday'.

"hey." jeremiah spoke up, elbowing cindy. "why don't we take my car so belly can practice driving before we have to pick up taylor from the bus station."

"oh yes, let's go" belly got up from her place excited.

"sure." cindy smiled a little at the boy next to her.