The Summer I Turned Pretty, #2
It's Not Summer Without You
by Jenny Han
Contents
Chapter Twenty-One
Overview
Back at the summer house, Belly is overwhelmed by reminders of Susannah and seeks numbness in the pool. Jeremiah heads out, leaving Belly alone to swim for hours. Conrad appears, silently acknowledges her focus, and then retreats, underscoring their emotional distance and Belly’s reliance on swimming to cope with grief.
Summary
In the bathroom, Belly finds Susannah’s beach hat, a visceral reminder that makes the house feel unbearable without her. Trying not to think of Susannah has helped at home, but at Cousins every object triggers grief. Overwhelmed, Belly changes into Taylor’s bikini, wanting only the water’s silence.
Outside, Jeremiah casually greets Belly as she heads to the pool. She dives and stays under, using swimming to suspend thought and pain. Time blurs until Jeremiah returns to say he’s going out, maybe for pizza; Belly realizes she’s been swimming much longer than she thought.
After Jeremiah leaves, Belly continues for another hour, absorbed in the rhythm. When she finally surfaces, Conrad is sitting by her towel. He offers it without meeting her eyes, and asks if she still pretends she’s at the Olympics. Belly says she doesn’t anymore, signaling lost innocence.
Conrad observes that when Belly swims she’s so focused she wouldn’t notice a fire—she disappears into it. Belly recognizes and affirms this is why she swims: to escape. Conrad then retreats into the house, leaving their brief connection unresolved and reinforcing both Belly’s coping mechanism and the widening emotional distance between them.
Who Appears
- Belly (Isabel Conklin)Overwhelmed by Susannah’s absence; seeks relief by swimming for hours; briefly connects with Conrad.
- Conrad FisherQuietly watches Belly swim; notes her total focus; offers towel, then withdraws, maintaining distance.
- Jeremiah FisherChecks in casually, announces he’s going out for a while, leaving Belly alone at the pool.
- Susannah FisherAbsent but deeply present in memory; her beach hat triggers Belly’s intense grief at the house.