Steven’s only suit, the one he’d just worn to prom, was wrapped in plastic and hung in the backseat. And so when August and September began and still the phone didn’t ring, all I had to do was think back to the way he’d looked at me that last night, and I knew there was still hope. He shook Steven’s hand and when he hugged my mother, she whispered something in his ear and he nodded. After picking her up, Jeremiah takes her to Conrad’s college so they may ask his roommate about his absence.

She stood up and started rifling around, pushing hangers over to the side, like she didn’t already know every article of clothing I owned by heart. It was one of his most endearing qualities, one I admired because I pretty much lived in constant fear of embarrassing myself. He was upset that she would pick Conrad over him and even more so that Conrad had suddenly shown interest in Belly after years of ignoring her.Belly clutches Jeremiah’s hand as he drives her home, feeling pleased and at peace with her decision. Jeremiah picks her up, and they drive toward Conrad’s college to question his roommate about Conrad’s disappearance.

I wished for Conrad on every birthday, every shooting star, every lost eyelash, every penny in a fountain was dedicated to the one I loved. I reminded myself that the person inside the coffin wasn’t Susannah, that it didn’t matter what she looked like because she was already gone. She sobs and apologies for mistreating him on the day of his mother’s burial after he drops her on the sand. Taylor’s eyes were gleaming, and I hated how smug she looked, like everything was going according to plan. Laurel is distraught over the death of her lifelong best friend, Susannah, and distracted from parenting Belly.I wondered if she knew them, if they knew who she was to Susannah, how she was her best friend, how they’d spent every summer together for almost their whole lives. Taylor sat back down in front of the mirror and said, “Well, then wear that black dress with the little flowers.

I thought about saying something else, like how he was one of my best friends and how part of me was almost glad to have a reason to see him again. Before they lowered Susannah into the wet ground, Conrad and Jeremiah both put a white rose on top of the coffin, and then the rest of us added more flowers.She is unclear of who she wants to be or what she wants out of life since she is divided between her love for Conrad and her developing feelings for Jeremiah. She had to pressure him into attending it with her, he looked miserable the whole time, and he would barely dance or make conversation or do any of the fun romantic prom activities she’d dreamed about. When I begged for Lucky Charms or Cap’n Crunch, my mother would say, “Beck will have plenty of cereal that’ll rot your teeth out, don’t you worry.

When it was over, after we’d said the Lord’s Prayer, we formed our processional, everybody taking their turn to offer condolences. Even though her interaction with Conrad is tense and unfriendly, Belly is thrilled to be back at the beach house where she made so many childhood memories.

Afterwards he declared that she is so immature that he was mistaken to ever begin a connection with her. I hadn’t forgotten my vow to stay by his side, but he was making it hard, the way he kept disappearing. I was friends with Marcy, but the rest, Katie and Evelyn and those girls, they were more Taylor’s friends. When Belly goes upstairs to sleep after everyone leaves the party, Jeremiah asks Conrad if he still likes Belly.