i get woken up to belly shaking me awake

"come on it's 10:30 there cooking breakfast downstairs, let's go."
"okay I'll be down in 10 i say while rubbing my eyes.

she walks downstairs and i put on my beige crisscrossed crop top and my high waisted ripped mom jeans, with my white air forces and my dainty white flower necklace and all of my surfer bracelets that filled up half of my arm. i threw my hair up into an high pony tail, my hair was naturally wavy so I loved putting it into a ponytail.
i walked downstairs to the kitchen to see everyone talking and cooking breakfast

"hi guys!" i say
"hey brin!!" everyone but jeremiah says
"hey brin! i love your outfit with your favorite colors I see." jeremiah says while giggling and eyeing me down

everyone seems to notice and gives me a look while I start blushing.
susannah squeals and runs in the kitchen

"belly is going to be a debutant!" she says with the biggest smile

i then hand my invitation to susannah and she squeals again.

"brin and belly!" she says
"oh my gosh we have so much shopping to do, there is the tea, the auction, the ball of course. i have to write this down!" susannah says smiling like crazy
"this sounds expensive." Laurel says
"don't worry it's on me. it was my idea after all."

jeremiah comes up and hands me a plate of chocolate chip pancakes with syrup and butter, i smile at him and he walks away.

"well come on we have to go shopping!" susannah says sweetly and winks at me
"oh hey brinley can I talk to you outside real quick please?" laur says with a worried look

i finish my pancakes and wash my dish, we then walk outside together and she shuts the door, we walk to the dock together

"is it mom?" i say while crossing my arms and playing with my hair
"she's not coming back until after next summer." she says kind of sad
"after next summer???? i won't get to see her for another year?! my mom is gone for another year??? what am i going to do?? where am i going to live??" I say shocked and kind of angry
"we will figure it out." laur says trying to brighten me up
"forget it laur ill figure it out, you've done enough for me." I say while trying to walk away, but she grabs my arm
"no, stop brinley. we will figure it out." she says while hugging me

we walk back inside and I try to hide my sadness but obviously everyone seems to notice, belly, laur, susannah and I go shopping for the deb ball around 12, it was like one big fashion montage. until the final white dresses came, it was that time, it didn't feel right picking out a white dress without my mom, Laurel seemed to notice and kept trying to help me. eventually we figured it out and found, the one. susannah kept bringing up that i should bring jeremiah as my escort to the ball and I really want to, I just have to figure out the time to ask him. eventually we finish shopping and go back to the house, tomorrow was the first deb ball event and i was nervous but tonight was laur's book party and belly had a date with cam cameron.

•••

"you look really pretty belly, your going to have a blast tonight!" i say as she's putting on lipgloss
"you look amazing my beautiful girl" susannah says
"thank you guys!" belly says with a smile as laurel walks in from the bathroom
"have fun tonight!" susannah says

laur looks confused

"are you not driving with us?" laur ask confused
"didnt belly tell you? she has a date!" susannah says

Laurel let's out a little sad look

"oh, of course you can go!" she says as belly smiles and walks out of the room, i follow her down the stairs and I to the living room to see the boys playing video games

"damnnnn!! you guys look hot!" jeremiah says as he spins me and belly around
"yeah just abandon the game completely jere!" Steven says
"and hey stop flirting with my sister and my cousin!" Steven says
"shut up steven!" belly says
"no you shut up!" he says as he looks at us and the back at the game
"you guys look good though." he says playing the game

we both laugh

"okay I have to go!" belly says
"wait are you not going with us?" jere ask
"oh, no I'm going to the drive in with cam, bye guys!" she says as she walks out the door, I see conrad staring at her.

•••

"bro this is so boring can we go do something!" Conrad says as the four of us sit on the couch at laurels book party, me on the left of jeremiah, Steven on the right and conrad next to Steven.
"i mean we can go into town, and get some weed from the guy with the rainbow dash tattoo?" jeremiah says and I hit him on the arm
"i mean we can go to the drive in!" Steven says
"no! absolutely not! i am not letting you guys ruin belly's first date!" I say defendingly
"wait actually! let's go to the drive in." conrad says
"no." i say
"oh come on!" jeremiah says as they all walk out the door

my dumb self follows them we pull up to the drive in and I put in my air pods and ask for jeremiah's hoodie, he blushes and gives it to me, I put it on and put the hood up and just look out the window so belly won't see me and it looks like I'm not enjoying it at all. long story short belly is so upset and we leave as soon as she confronts the boys, i go home and just completely pass out on bellys bed.