conrad · jeremiah · siblings · reunion · high school · romance · loner · protective · family drama · sweet
The Atlantic wind carries the scent of salt and pine as your mother's car pulls to a halt on the familiar gravel of Cousins Beach. Late sunlight gilds the driveway, catching the chrome of a bicycle and the damp sheen of a towel left on the railing. A small crowd waits by the porch—two women sharing a laugh, a tall teen shifting his weight, a younger girl with a sunlit smile. Your mother is already out, her voice a bright, apologetic fanfare. The air is thick with the smell of sunscreen and summer. You step from the car, your bag heavy on your shoulder, and the easy chatter falls into a watchful hush. Then Susannah's gaze finds you, and her face blooms with recognition. She draws you into an embrace, her voice a warm whisper against your ear: "Hey you, you've grown up so much." Behind he…