#tsitp source

[etoilesdeglace]

"I want to be with her, and I - I really think that's what she wants too"

[pilledmedia]

'The Summer I Turned Pretty' stars Christopher Briney and Lola Tung photographed exclusively for EW.

Credit: Emma Louise Swanson

[kierreras]

"You have to say what you want, Taylor. It's your move."

THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY s2e06 «love fest»

[alicelairds]

my all-time faves: jeremiah fisher (the summer i turned pretty)

“you think i'm pissed about the funeral? the funeral was fucked. everyone was messed up. i'm pissed about last summer. belly, you were my best friend. we hooked up, and then you hooked up with my brother. and then everyone expected me to act like i was fine, and i wasn't!"

[mvltifxndomchaos]

*Robin hands Eddie a Slurpee*

Eddie: For me?

Robin: Yeah.

Eddie: What’d you get me?

Robin: Drink it and see.

Eddie, taking a sip: Half cherry, half coke. Your specialty. Nice.

Robin: Yeah.

Steve: Where’s mine?

Robin: You always say they’re too sugary.

Steve: Well, I’m thirsty, so too bad. *takes a sip of Robin’s Slurpee* Mm. It’s too sugary.

Robin: *laughs*

[muslimintp-1999-girl]

Incorrect tsitp tweets

[chenfordswopez]

Jay: *comes in* Betsy, have you seen my big kettlebell 20 pound one?

Betsy: Jay, I'm on the phone.

Jay: Well tell Serena to go to bed.

Nate: Hey Jay.

Jay: ...hey bro

[thespoonisvictory]

this is the smallest complaint in the world but people clowning on steven for not wanting to sit and watch taylor's volleyball camp is so funny to me. like unless volleyball camps are different than I remember it would be lowkey weird for me to have a bf come and watch me practice in a gym all day like don't you have other things to do? isn't it like drills and teambuilding, etc?

[moonlightsapphic]

thoughts on xo, kitty:

i had the time of my life getting straightbaited in s1, loved it and very much believed it was set up beautifully for a kittyuri ending

i once again had the time of my life getting straightbaited by the s2 trailer (which had initially dissapointed me), and then once again squealing at kittyuri moments in the actual season lol

god yuri is so hot

god minho is so hot

this show is bisexual propaganda if there ever was any

i have said it before and i will say it again: this is the queer/sapphic teen asian american romcom we want and need! it’s just like the dumb straight shows! WE DESERVE TO GIGGLE AND CRINGE TOO

i was surprised (but not displeased!) to see a setup for another season rather than an ending with this one. manifesting an easy renewal. (thank u, straight taltbilb fandom, for helping feed the netflix marketing beast for our chaotic bisexual show.) that being said, they could totally have ended it here and idk what the fuck they’re even going to have as a plot for s3.

i have a love/hate relationship with new characters being introduced and the silly plotlines and also the somewhat disjointed dialogues sometimes but it’s also all very endearing lol.

i love the family drama in the show! the execution is lighthearted yes but fellow asian viewers know what i mean. <333

i genuinely don’t know who kitty is going to end up with! but that’s jenny han to you. tsitp would feel the same if the source material didn’t already tell us the ending, too.

i was a kittyuri truther after s1 but now i’m leaning mooncovey just because of how the development/excecution went … and i’m not mad either way lol. all i can tell you is that something viscerally bisexual was happening to me everytime i saw kittyuri on screen in s1 and mooncovey on screen in s2 (with some overlap. screams)

i did feel a little dissapointed to see yuri always chasing what she can’t have this season but really it made a lot of sense and i’m excited to see her development next season.

while yuri has commited many crimes which is what makes her iconic, minho is so babygirl and has never done anything wrong in his life. the shoujo manga/kdrama mooncovey moments were just *chef’s kiss* YES MA’AM GIVE THE VIEWERS WHAT THEY WANT

my girlfriend ships mindae and i think she’s crazy but also i see it, dae is the only one other than kitty that minho could satisfactorily end up with. god i was so mad when i thought they were making an ohio rando his endgame lmaoooo and i was GENUINELY concerned that the kittyuri hate train from mooncovey shippers would descend like bloodthirsty sharks if that happened. praying to god they don’t just push minho or yuri with any ole new character at the end of s3 just to have them not be single. that would be lame. mindae is more than fair game though. 😝 they get into so many fights, it has to mean something … brb getting lost in the gay dae theories …

yuri & dae’s friendship will never grow old to me. i love i love i LOVE

also love it when the characters speak korean amongst themselves, which really drives home how multicultural the show really is. (also it’s hilarious how madison, a literal white girl, speaks better korean than kitty lmao.)

a part of the mooncovey fanbase is very biphobic and lesbophobic and we really need to shame them for it because it’s super annoying. like yeah i know you’re coming from tatbilb which taught you queers exist only in the form of the gay guy best friend for the straight girl protagonist but! jenny han has grown! have you not seen tsitp?! have you also not noticed kitty was never like lara jean?! she wore a mf suit to their dad’s wedding for god’s sake sigh. disrespectfully, if your ship can’t exist without lame excuses on why an alternate ship isn’t as “valid”, then your ship probably isn’t that great in the first place. which is sad, because mooncovey is an awesome ship.

overall a slay. jenny han i know we have a fraught relationship but they could never make me hate you. truly one of the few people in mainstream cishet romcom media that said “actually queer people should be included af because they’re FUN and an underappreciated goldmine!” she also never lets the fandom tell her what to do. you keep doing you, queen!!! i mean it! 💖

[cozysip]

*✶     rain spencer in tsitp s.2

— public commission — a total of # 101 gifs ( 268x150 ) have been added to my new rain spencer gif page. she’s  of white descendent and was born in 1999, please cast accordingly and use appropriately. all of the gifs have been created from scratch by me​. to access the gifs please click the source link and you’ll be redirected to my gif server ( shared with @comfytea​ ) . if you are going to use my gifs like / reblog !

trigger  warnings  :  none

these are only the first 4 episodes - this gif pack will be updated !

[couchlovers]

Hi how are you, I really like your imagines, you've already become one of my favorite authors, I really liked your imagine of Kiara and I wanted to know if you could do one like it but for Isabel Conklin, with a male reader having a cold personality If you can, they already have an established relationship

Hii, I'm great what about you?? sorry for taking so long!!

A Quiet Summer

tsitp masterlist masterlist my rules

3,7k of words

hope that you will like it!

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the beach house as everyone gathered in the living room, chatting and relaxing. It was a typical summer evening at Cousins Beach, where time felt like it slowed down, and everything was easier. Everyone was here: Jeremiah, Steven, Conrad, Lauren, Susannah, and you.

You sat in one of the chairs, leaning back with your arms crossed and your gaze drifting out the window. You weren’t really paying attention to the conversation, letting the chatter wash over you. The noise didn't irritate you, but it didn’t captivate you either. You had always been this way—quiet, detached. It was the way your father had raised you. Feelings weren’t something he encouraged, and over time, you learned to bury them, to keep them locked away.

But there was one person who had managed to slip past those walls—Belly. You and Belly had been secretly dating for a while now. It started with little moments. Stolen glances when no one was looking, quiet conversations in corners. Eventually, it had grown into something more, something you weren’t sure how to navigate, but still, it felt right.

The secret had been carefully guarded, until Steven walked in on you two cuddling in the living room one evening. He’d raised an eyebrow, but instead of making a big deal out of it, he just smirked.

"Well, well, well. Look who’s the little spoon," he’d teased, and you felt the heat rise to your face immediately. Of all the ways he could’ve found out, this was the worst.

"You—shut up, Steven," you’d muttered, embarrassed, but Steven just laughed and winked at you. He’d teased you about it ever since, and it only made you more self-conscious. You didn’t mind the teasing so much, but it still left you with that feeling of vulnerability, something you rarely allowed yourself.

Belly, on the other hand, was a constant source of warmth and comfort. She understood your quietness, and never tried to force you to open up. Sometimes she’d come sit next to you, letting her leg brush against yours, just so you knew she was there.

Tonight was one of those nights.

Belly walked into the room, her presence immediately pulling your attention. She had that effortless grace, and her smile was the kind that always made you feel at ease, even when the world around you felt like it was moving too fast.

You glanced up from where you were sitting. "Hey," you said softly, the word just a murmur in the space between you two.

"Hey," she replied, giving you a sweet smile as she made her way over to the couch next to you. "What’s up? You’re awfully quiet tonight."

"Just... thinking," you said, keeping your voice neutral. You weren’t lying. Your mind was racing with thoughts of your father, the pressure of trying to live up to his expectations. It was a burden you didn’t share with anyone. Not even Belly.

She picked up on your mood, though. She always did. Without a word, she scooted closer to you, leaning her head against your shoulder. You tensed at first, surprised by her sudden closeness, but then, as always, the tension melted away. You didn’t have to say anything. She knew.

"You know, you don’t have to hide anything from me," she whispered, her voice soft and warm. "I’m here, okay?"

You nodded, but you didn’t say anything. Instead, you let yourself feel her presence, let it soothe the quiet ache inside you.

The room was still alive with conversation, but it felt like you were in your own little world. Just the two of you. The air was thick with unspoken understanding, and you allowed yourself to relax, just for a moment.

The silence between you two wasn’t uncomfortable; it was a shared space, a comfortable quiet. You closed your eyes, letting the sound of her breathing and the gentle rise and fall of her chest steady your own.

"Come on," Belly said after a few moments, sitting up and reaching for your hand. "Let’s go outside."

You raised an eyebrow, about to protest the idea of joining the others outside, but she gave you that smile. The one that always melted the walls you built around yourself.

"Just for a little bit," she added. "I’ll make sure no one else bugs you."

You sighed, but you couldn’t resist. "Fine," you muttered, but your lips twitched upward.

The two of you stepped outside into the cool summer evening, the sound of waves crashing on the shore in the distance. You leaned against the porch railing, your gaze shifting to the horizon. Belly stood beside you, quiet for a while, before she turned to face you, her smile playful.

"So, when are you going to stop pretending you don’t want to be the little spoon again?" she teased, nudging your arm lightly.

You shot her a look, your cheeks heating, but this time, instead of feeling embarrassed, you felt a small sense of warmth spread through you. "I don’t know what you’re talking about," you grumbled, trying to hide the smile tugging at your lips.

"Oh, sure," Belly said with a grin, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t stop yourself from chuckling.

As the night went on, the teasing and the soft laughter between you two were the only things that filled the space. For the first time that summer, you didn’t feel the weight of your coldness. Not with her beside you.

And maybe, just maybe, that was enough.

The next morning, the sun was already high in the sky by the time you woke up. The familiar sounds of laughter and chatter from the kitchen filtered through the house, but for a moment, everything felt slow and quiet. You stretched, feeling the cool breeze coming through the window and the soft rustle of the curtains.

You rubbed your eyes and glanced over to the side of the bed, where Belly’s pillow was still indented, the soft scent of her lingering in the air. She’d left early to join the others for breakfast, no doubt. She was always the first to get up, ready to be around everyone, while you preferred the comfort of quiet moments alone.

It was strange how at ease she made you feel, how she slipped into your life without pushing too hard, always patient with you. You couldn’t quite explain it, but you knew she was different. She understood the parts of you that you kept hidden from the world, the parts you thought no one would ever understand.

As you got up and made your way downstairs, you spotted her in the kitchen, laughing with Jeremiah and Conrad. You hung back for a moment, just watching the way she smiled at the boys, how she fit so seamlessly into the group.

"Morning," you muttered, grabbing a coffee mug and making your way to the counter. Belly turned, her eyes lighting up when she saw you.

"Hey, sleepyhead," she greeted you with a soft chuckle, walking over to you. "I didn’t think you’d be up this early."

"I wasn’t planning on it," you replied, keeping your tone dry, but the way your lips curled into a small grin made it clear you were in a good mood. "You know I prefer my mornings quiet."

"I know," she said, her voice soft. She reached for your hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "But I’m glad you’re here. I missed you."

Her words hit you differently this time. You weren’t sure why, but something about the way she said it felt more genuine, more real. You didn’t know how to respond at first, so you just gave her a small nod.

"Yeah, I missed you too," you muttered, before quickly turning your attention to the coffee machine, hiding the heat rising to your face.

Belly chuckled softly, and you could feel her gaze on you as she returned to the counter, chatting with the others. As the morning passed, everyone gathered around the table, the chatter flowing easily. You found yourself slipping into the rhythm of the group more than usual, your earlier quietness replaced with a soft ease that felt unfamiliar but comforting.

Later that afternoon, when everyone was gathered on the beach, you and Belly ended up walking together, away from the noise and the crowds. The sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky, the golden light reflecting off the waves in the distance. It was a perfect moment of peace, just the two of you walking in sync, your hands brushing occasionally, but neither of you saying much. It didn’t need to be anything more than this.

"You know, I love this," Belly said suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Yeah?" you asked, glancing at her with a small smile. "I’m not sure why. It’s just... easier with you, I guess."

She stopped walking, turning to face you. The gentle wind picked up her hair, and for a moment, she just stared at you, her expression soft and thoughtful. You shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, but instead of saying anything, she reached up, brushing her fingers lightly against your cheek.

"I know what you mean," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Being with you feels... right. Like I’ve found a place I belong."

Your heart skipped a beat at her words. You hadn’t expected that, hadn’t expected her to feel the same way, but there was something in the way she looked at you that made you realize that she understood you in ways you hadn’t even let yourself understand.

You didn’t know how to respond to that, so instead, you did something else entirely. You pulled her closer, closing the space between you until there was no room for hesitation, no room for doubt. And then, without saying a word, you kissed her.

It was soft at first, a hesitant meeting of lips, but it quickly deepened, both of you giving into the feeling that had been building between you. The world around you faded away, the sound of the waves and the distant chatter of your friends lost in the background.

When you finally pulled away, both of you were breathless, and for a moment, neither of you said anything. There was nothing to say. Everything that needed to be said had already been understood.

"Guess I’m not the only one who feels like I belong now," you said with a soft chuckle, still holding her close.

Belly smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Guess not."

You stood there for a while, the two of you just holding onto each other, watching the sun dip lower in the sky. And for the first time in a long time, you felt like maybe you had found something real. Something that didn’t need to be explained, because it was already there—between the two of you.

The days went by in a blur of summer fun, laughter, and the feeling of warmth that settled between you and Belly. It felt like the world had slowed down, leaving just the two of you to navigate your secret relationship. Every moment with her was perfect, but you both knew that hiding it from everyone else was going to be tricky, especially with the entire group constantly around.

______________________________________________________________________

One afternoon, while the others were off playing a beach volleyball game, you and Belly decided to sneak off for a quiet walk along the shore. The salty air and the sound of the waves crashing against the sand was the perfect backdrop for another one of those moments where you didn’t need to say anything to feel understood.

But, as you were walking back to the house, your plans for a peaceful return were interrupted by two familiar voices.

“Hey, you two!”

You both froze, turning toward the sound. There, standing just a few feet away, were Susannah and Lauren, arms crossed and eyebrows raised. The amused smirks on their faces made it clear they weren’t there by accident.

Belly’s face immediately flushed, and she pulled away from you slightly, her hand instinctively reaching up to push some hair behind her ear. You, on the other hand, sighed and stepped back, not at all surprised by how the situation was unfolding. It wasn’t like you’d been trying to hide it forever, but now that you were caught, you didn’t know what to do.

“Uh, hey” you said, trying to act casual despite the fact that your heart was pounding in your chest.

“We’ve been watching you two all week,” Lauren said with a raised eyebrow, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “We knew something was up.”

“You two are awful at hiding things,” Susannah added, shaking her head. “You might as well have just told us.”

Belly looked at you, her face still a bit red, before glancing back at the two of them. “I—uh—didn’t want anyone to know, not yet,” she admitted, biting her lip. “I didn’t know how to tell you guys.”

Susannah smiled warmly, her expression softening. “Belly, honey, we’re not upset. We were just waiting for you to be ready. You’re family, and we want you to be happy.”

Lauren gave a small, teasing shrug. “But also, I had a feeling about you two. The way you look at each other? I mean, come on. It’s obvious.”

You couldn’t help but chuckle at that, even though your heart was still racing.

“Yeah, you’re right,” you admitted. “We didn’t mean to keep it from you guys, it just�� kind of happened, and we weren’t sure how to bring it up.”

“Well, it’s good you’ve finally figured it out,” Susannah said with a wink, “because it’s pretty obvious to everyone else, too.”

Belly turned to look at you, a shy smile forming on her lips. “I didn’t want to make it weird with everyone. But I’m glad you’re not mad.”

“Mad? No, we’re happy for you two,” Lauren said with a grin. “You’ve got a good thing going. But if you want to keep it secret for a little while longer, that’s fine too. We’ll keep our mouths shut.”

“You’re not mad at all?” you asked, still feeling a little uncertain. You were used to people being a bit more… skeptical, especially since your relationship with Belly had been so private up until now.

“We’re happy,” Susannah repeated, “and we’re not going to ruin the fun for you. Just be sure to give us some heads-up if you two plan on sneaking off to kiss somewhere else, alright?”

Belly and you both laughed, and suddenly, the tension in the air faded.

“We can do that” you said, feeling much more at ease now that everything had been put out in the open.

“We’ll keep it to ourselves,” Lauren added with a playful smirk. “But don’t be surprised if we start teasing you a little.”

You sighed and rubbed the back of your neck. “I should’ve known you two would be like this.”

“Oh, we’re harmless,” Susannah said, waving it off. “It’s just that we’re protective of our girl.”

Belly smiled, her face lighting up with appreciation. “I know. Thanks for understanding.”

“Well, we’re here for you,” Lauren said. “Now, go on and enjoy your walk. We won’t tell anyone. Pinky promise.”

After another round of teasing grins, the two of them left, disappearing toward the house. You and Belly stood there for a moment, the warmth of the moment sinking in.

“Guess that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” you said, nudging Belly playfully.

“Nope,” she agreed, taking your hand and squeezing it. “I’m glad they know. It’s one less thing to hide.”

You smiled softly at her, and for a moment, you both just stood there, feeling the cool breeze in the air, your fingers entwined. The beach was still bustling with activity in the distance, but here, in this quiet corner, it was just you two.

“I’m just glad we’re finally doing this,” you said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “No more hiding.”

Belly’s face softened, and she gazed up at you, her eyes filled with affection. “Yeah, me too.”

And for the first time in a while, it felt like everything was just falling into place.

______________________________________________________________________

The next few days felt like a weight had been lifted off your shoulders. You and Belly didn’t have to sneak around anymore, and while there were still the occasional teasing comments from Lauren and Susannah, you were both glad to have your relationship out in the open.

However, you knew there was still one hurdle left to jump. Conrad and Jeremiah still didn’t know, and with how close they were, it was only a matter of time before they figured it out. It wasn’t that you were hiding anything from them, but you wanted to make sure it was the right moment.

That moment came unexpectedly.

You and Belly were hanging out on the porch that afternoon when Conrad and Jeremiah walked up. Conrad, as usual, was chill, but Jeremiah seemed a little more… intense than usual. You could feel the tension in the air immediately.

Jeremiah crossed his arms, his expression a mix of suspicion and curiosity. "You two seem pretty cozy these days."

Belly looked up at you, her fingers still intertwined with yours, and nodded slowly. "Yeah, we are."

Jeremiah blinked a few times, his gaze flickering between you and Belly. “So, what? You two have been hiding this from everyone?”

You opened your mouth to speak, but Belly beat you to it. “It wasn’t like that, Jer. We just weren’t sure how to tell you guys, that’s all.”

Jeremiah’s brows furrowed, clearly not buying it. “So you didn’t think it was important to mention it to your own brother?”

“Jeremiah,” Conrad interjected, stepping in front of him. “Chill out. It’s their business. It’s not like they were trying to keep it a secret from you.”

Jeremiah shook his head, clearly frustrated. "I’m just… I don’t get it. Why would you hide this? You’re my brother. You should’ve told me sooner.”

Belly stood up, now facing Jeremiah. “I get it, Jer, I do. But it’s not always easy, especially when things are still new. We didn’t want to make things weird for everyone.”

Conrad, standing by his brother, sighed. "You’re being a little harsh, man. It’s their relationship. They’re both adults. You have to trust them."

Jeremiah opened his mouth, but Belly spoke first. “Jeremiah, this isn’t about you. It’s not your relationship, it’s ours. I love your brother, and we’ve been figuring things out together. Please don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

You felt a warmth spread through your chest at Belly’s words. She was always so strong, so confident, and the way she defended you made everything seem so much easier.

Jeremiah looked like he was about to protest, but Conrad stepped in again, giving his younger brother a stern look. “Jer, come on. Don’t make it worse. Let them figure this out. We’ve got to support them, not fight them.”

Jeremiah clenched his jaw, but after a moment, he exhaled sharply. “Fine. Whatever. I’m just looking out for my brother. But I don’t like being kept in the dark, that’s all.”

Belly smiled softly at him, her tone much calmer now. “I know you’re just looking out for him, but trust me, he’s fine. We’ve got this. And we’ll tell you when we’re ready for you to know more.”

There was a long pause before Jeremiah finally sighed, his arms uncrossing as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I just want him to be happy. I guess that’s all I care about.”

Conrad, who had been standing quietly by, nodded approvingly at his younger brother. “See? We’re all good here.”

You felt a mix of relief and gratitude flood through you. Having your relationship accepted by your family was a big deal, and it wasn’t lost on you how important that moment was. Still, you couldn’t help but feel a little bit of the tension lingering.

“I didn’t mean to make it complicated,” you said, looking at both of them. “I just didn’t want to make things awkward for everyone.”

Jeremiah huffed, but his eyes softened. “Just don’t make me find out from someone else next time, alright?”

Belly chuckled lightly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Deal.”

With a heavy sigh, Jeremiah finally cracked a small smile. “Alright, alright. I’m still not thrilled about how this went down, but if you’re happy, YN, then I guess I’m happy too. Just don’t hurt her, alright?”

You grinned, giving him a reassuring look. “I won’t, I promise.”

Conrad slapped you on the back. “Good. Now, let’s all stop being dramatic and go grab some drinks, yeah?”

The tension finally broke, and you all made your way toward the house, with Conrad and Belly on either side of you. But before you could fully relax, you caught a glance at Jeremiah, who was still eyeing you with that mix of concern and protectiveness.

“I mean it, YN,” he called, a teasing smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. “I’ll be watching you.”

You couldn’t help but laugh, rolling your eyes at him. “I know, Jer. I know.”

Belly laughed too, squeezing your hand in hers as you both walked ahead of Conrad and Jeremiah.

“That wasn’t so bad” she said, leaning her head on your shoulder as you walked.

You smiled down at her, feeling lighter than you had in days. “Yeah, I guess not.”

As you all made your way back to the house, you realized that maybe the summer was exactly what you needed—awkward family moments and all. And with Belly by your side, nothing else really mattered.

[etoilesdeglace]

Steven being Team Conrad™

[pilledmedia]

'The Summer I Turned Pretty' stars Lola Tung and Christopher Briney photographed exclusively for EW.

Credit: Emma Louise Swanson

[olderthannetfic]

Why’s it that Belly from tsitp and Alina from shadow and bone were race bent to be Asian but the fandom embraced them without complaint while black Annabeth and most other black characters get threats and harassment campaigns?

--

You know why.

But also, if you think no one complained, both for good and bad reasons, you haven't looked.

The level and obnoxiousness of complaints does tend to depend on the actor in question, what they look like, how they're made up, etc. Lola Tung is 3/4 European, 1/4 Chinese. Jessie Mei Li is half English, half Chinese. Dickheads find this less ~challenging~.

That does not mean that no Asian actress is going to get a virulent hate campaign. It happens all the time, both for racebent casting and for other reasons. Remember all the shit Kelly Marie Tran got, both from openly racist white fanboys and from whinyass Finnrey shippers pretending they were doing anti-racist work?

It also depends on the relative size of the source material fandom vs. the adaptation fandom. PJO is exactly the kind of thing where people hit the roof over any change. Are they being racist? Yes, absolutely. Would they be equally stupid but in a less offensive way about some other change? Also yes.

But yeah, looked at in aggregate, people totally are the biggest clowns about black characters. Look at the response to Rue. That wasn't even a change! People were just too dumb to read some line in the book that literally spelled out her skin color. Absolute idiots.

[thornpixie]

Emma's TSITP finale thoughts that nobody asked for:

Let me start by saying...

Okay and now that's over, let's begin.

I must admit I felt a little bit of sympathy for Conrad, when I hadn't before this episode. It must be extremely hard to see the girl you love with anyone else, let alone your brother. However, it isn't as cut and dry as 'she is his brothers ex so Jeremiah shouldn't have gone there'. Both guys had close relationships with Belly prior to anything romantic sparking - Jeremiah more so than Conrad, imo, because both he and Belly have described the other as their best friend - and Jeremiah and Belly had a physical relationship before she and Conrad. No, they didn't have sex, but they were still making out, groping, kissing sweetly... there was an intimacy there before she chose to be with Conrad (gentle reminder that Conrad lied about Jeremiah being over her to get what he wanted, because Belly was trying to be respectful and kinda make up for her mistakes a little bit, but I talk about that in another post so I won't go into that again). I even understand his reaction in the car (note I say I understand it, not that I agreed with it) - although it is kind of hypocritical considering how much he tells every other character to grow up. That all is to say that while I understand how painful it must be for Conrad to see, and I think Jeremiah should have spoken to him about his continued feelings for Belly prior to kissing her… it doesn’t make Jeremiah a villain and Conrad a saint. Conrad is selfish when it comes to Belly. Jeremiah can be too. Neither of them is innocent. That being said, two wrongs don’t make a right and Jeremiah should have done better. And he did… just after the fact. He gave into Belly because he loved her and she was offering him everything and Conrad would have done the same if the tables were turned. But after, he spoke to Conrad and was clear on his feelings and yet he gave them the chance to talk knowing what that could potentially mean for him and Belly. His actions do not a villain make.

I really do not care what does or doesn’t happen in the books. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again as many times as it takes to sink in to some people - the books are NOT the show. The books are the inspiration for the show, but the show is an ADAPTION. It is not a carbon copy. Jeremiah could’ve shagged Laurel in the books and I wouldn’t care because they were written over a decade ago and tv is a different medium to books and they are different things. Until it happens on screen, it didn’t happen. Anyone who has read The Vampire Diaries books knows what I mean. Same characters, entirely different story. TSITP show relies heavily on the source material, but we have already seen stark differences between the two. They are separate entities.

Belly pushed and pushed with Jeremiah. He tried hard to resist her, maybe for selfish reasons (he didn’t want to get hurt again, and good on him), but still. He tried. He should’ve opened up to Conrad about his feelings before the kiss, and it sucked that Conrad found out the way that he did, but in Jeremiah’s defence, Conrad has never really given him the chance or taken him seriously. And when he realised how strong Conrad’s feelings still were for Belly, he told him to tell her. He told him that he needed to be straight up with her and that if Conrad was who Belly wanted then he would let her go and not stand in their way because he wanted them both to be happy. He recognised that it was Belly’s choice, and that he couldn’t force her to love him back if she didn’t. That is a good fucking guy right there.

Jeremiah made some mistakes when Belly chose Conrad the first time around, because he was hurt (rightly so) and he was prideful, and he got absolutely slated for it. Conrad did the same and he gets applauded? It’s bullshit. He doesn’t have any more ‘claim’ over Belly because of their history. It’s a tough situation for SURE, but Jeremiah had feelings before Conrad dated her that Belly encouraged. He hasn’t just randomly started dating his brothers ex. It’s a unique situation given how close they all are already. He should have spoken to Conrad, but he isn’t satan for still loving this girl who is his best friend, that he was catching feels for, who led him on to believe that she could feel the same way. These things all developed before Conrad showed even the slightest romantic interest in Belly. And frankly, the way he was in this episode shows how much Jeremiah has grown up. He told both Conrad and Belly that if they wanted to be together he wouldn’t stand in their way and he promised Belly they’d still be good. Jeremiah has grown up and he fucking deserves happiness. And honestly, after their talk by the vending machines, I felt like Conrad realised how much Jeremiah actually did care for Belly. I think it was the first time he’d truly seen it. And he could’ve continued acting like a dick, and I would’ve even understood (still team jelly but I’d have understood he was emotional), but he actually handled it really well. He put his feelings aside and let them be happy, the way Jeremiah had to the previous summer (Conrad stans always refer back to Jere being pissed at thanksgiving but honestly, him not wanting to see Conrad and Belly flaunting it in front of him is a pretty natural reaction. It’ll be interesting to see how Conrad handles the same situation moving forward, and how his fans react to that). The difference is that no one else considered Jeremiah’s feelings last time, but Jeremiah was trying to be sensitive towards Conrad this time, giving him the chance and also making sure Belly had all of the information before she made a choice, AND TOLD HER IT WOULDNT BE LIKE LAST TIME IF SHE CHOSE CONRAD AGAIN. That is the least manipulative thing I’ve ever witnessed on TV so I cannot fathom why Conrad stans insist on calling Jeremiah manipulative.

As for Belly… honestly I’ve not been Belly’s biggest fan, but she really has grown up. It’s not her fault that Conrad misinterpreted her actions. She outright told him she wanted to be his friend. She was being friendly towards him, and he took it the wrong way (with encouragement from Steven, which made things worse. I have several opinions about Steven also. He’s way too controlling of Belly imho). In this episode, I was actually really proud of her. Again, I’ve not read the books, but I’ve read summaries, and it seems like the Belly we saw was super confident in her decision. She did nothing but reassure Jeremiah this episode, both with her words and her actions. She didn’t run after Conrad immediately - she only did it because Jeremiah asked her to. She told Conrad she wanted to be friends. She didn’t give him any indication she wanted to be more. It was very obvious there was a vibe with Jeremiah, but since nobody in Cousins seems to remember Jeremiah exists, nobody else noticed. That’s not her fault. She’s spent the entire season being there for Jeremiah, trying to make it up to him. In the end, she was happy, she was confident. She seemed so full of life in a way we never saw when she was with Conrad. She said in her speech to Jeremiah that she wanted something real. That she knew now that Conrad was only a dream. I’ve seen people interpret that as he was her dream guy but since she can’t have him, she’ll have Jeremiah instead. I didn’t interpret it that way. To me, that was her acknowledging that the person she thought Conrad was was a dream. Because everybody knew she’d had this puppy love infatuation with him for most of her life. And now she knew that’s all it was. That it wasn’t love but a fantasy that she’d built on the back of a person who didn’t really exist outside of her own imagination. Where as Jeremiah was real. He was exactly who he said he was. He wasn’t a fantasy. He’s there, and he isn’t perfect, and that’s fine. And she recognises that she blew it chasing this fantasy. I dunno really how to word what I’m thinking properly but I just didn’t take that in a negative way and I thought it was sweet. Like, haven’t we all watched shows or seen celebs on tv and daydreamed about it? Because you don’t really know them you can invent this perfect picture and it can make you see your own life and relationships in a bad light for a time… until you remember that they aren’t real; the idealised person you’ve created.

Disclaimer on this next part - I’ve not read the books so I might have misinformation. Anyway, from what I’ve heard of the books, Belly seemed still quite torn between the two and only went with Jeremiah after Conrad took it all back and pissed off and left her again. She’d already chosen Jeremiah at that point in the show. She didn’t run after Conrad and leave Jeremiah behind by the car - Jeremiah asked her to. She seemed so exhausted with Conrad this episode and just completely sick of his shit. She was all in with Jeremiah and I loved it. I don’t see a way that she would come back to Conrad now because she seemed so done with him and her and Jeremiah are so sweet. I’m honestly dreading season 3. I don’t want to witness this character assassination in the pursuit of a Bonrad endgame because we all know it’s going to happen, regardless of what is right for the characters.

Anyway, I’m happy with the ending. Belly won back some points with me because she really worked to make Jeremiah feel secure and I loved it. She’s grown. I hope she continues this (but no doubt they’ll ruin it all in season 3). Jeremiah and Conrad also grew in the end. It was good. The show could’ve ended there for me and I’d be happy.

Hope my word vomit made sense hahaha I have a lot of feelings.

[muslimintp-1999-girl]

Book 3 Belly @ Lacie :

Book 3 Jere: