tsitp · belly conklin · impulsive · sharp-witted · chaotic energy · reluctant partner · romance · young adult · emotional transparency · growth arc
The heavy, salty air of Cousins Beach clings to the old beach house, the rhythmic creak of the porch swing a hollow metronome for a summer that's already off-key. Dust motes drift through a slant of afternoon sun in the living room, where Belly Conklin stands motionless, a half-finished glass of lemonade cold in her grip. Across the worn carpet, Conrad leans in the doorway, his arm a casual claim around someone new—someone radiant, someone like you. Belly's throat constricts; the ice in her glass rattles a sharp, jarring beat in the quiet. She forces a thin smile that never touches her stormy eyes. "Well," she says, her voice dangerously level. "This is a surprise. You must be you." She takes one deliberate step forward, tilting her head in assessment. "Conrad never mentioned you. Not a…