The Summer I Turned Pretty, #2
It's Not Summer Without You
by Jenny Han
Contents
Chapter Eight
Overview
Jeremiah recalls the summer he first saw Belly differently and the moment jealousy toward Conrad took root. In the present, he admits he resents Belly’s distance after Susannah’s death but, riding with her to find Conrad, his attraction eclipses his anger. The chapter reframes the search with Jeremiah’s conflicted feelings.
Summary
Jeremiah narrates a pivotal memory from the previous summer. As Laurel and Steven arrive at the beach house, Belly steps out transformed, and Jeremiah notices her as a girl for the first time. The recognition unsettles him, but he tries to diffuse it by joking and treating her as the familiar friend he’s always known.
Days later by the pool, Jeremiah revels in making Belly laugh until Conrad joins them. When Belly blushes at Conrad, Jeremiah feels a visceral jealousy and realizes the dynamic has changed. He resents that Conrad, who long ignored Belly, can suddenly capture her attention, even though everyone—Susannah, Steven, and Jeremiah—has always protected and cherished her. From that point, Jeremiah knows he likes, maybe loves, Belly.
Shifting to the present drive to find the missing Conrad, Jeremiah admits he didn’t want to ask Belly for help and is angry she rarely reached out after Susannah’s death. Sitting beside her, however—watching her mannerisms and remembering her scent—erodes his resolve. The proximity revives his longing and makes it nearly impossible to keep his distance.
By the end, Jeremiah’s bitterness toward Belly and Conrad coexists with a renewed desire to hold and kiss Belly, foreshadowing emotional complications as they continue the search for Conrad.
Who Appears
- Jeremiah FisherNarrator; recalls first falling for Belly and jealousy of Conrad; struggles between anger and rekindled desire during the drive.
- Belly (Isabel Conklin)Arrives at Cousins transformed in Jeremiah’s memory; laughs with him, blushes for Conrad; rides with Jeremiah to find Conrad.
- Conrad FisherObject of Belly’s long-standing crush; triggers Jeremiah’s jealousy; currently missing, prompting the road trip.
- Susannah FisherRemembered as adoring Belly like a daughter; her death deepens Jeremiah’s grief and resentment toward Belly’s distance.
- Laurel ConklinArrives at the beach house in Jeremiah’s memory; her presence marks the moment Jeremiah first notices Belly differently.
- Steven ConklinArrives with Laurel; remembered as protective of Belly within the shared family circle.