The Summer I Turned Pretty, #2
It's Not Summer Without You
by Jenny Han
Contents
Chapter Three
Overview
Belly spends July 4th weekend resisting Taylor’s plan to jump-start her social life at Justin’s party. After a near-moment with Cory, Belly rejects the rebound, clashes with Taylor, and quietly tends to her grieving mother. She returns home early, accepting that forgetting Susannah and Conrad isn’t possible, only survivable.
Summary
Belly leaves Marcy’s early, hides at home in her Cousins T-shirt, and relishes the quiet while Steven works and her mother isolates in her office. Taylor arrives to prep for Justin’s party, pushes Belly into a tight dress, and maps a plan for Belly to kiss Cory, which Belly resists.
Before leaving, Belly checks on her mother, occupied with Susannah’s estate and the jewelry bequests. Hoping for a reason to stay, Belly instead makes her mother a sandwich and goes with Taylor.
At the party, Belly feels out of place, dodges alcohol and Cory, and escapes to the trampoline. Cory joins her and, after confirming she and Conrad are over, edges toward asking her out. Facing a choice to numb herself, Belly bolts, telling him she has to pee.
Belly confronts Taylor for engineering the moment with Cory. They argue—Taylor insists Belly needs distraction; Belly pushes back that grief for Susannah and heartbreak over Conrad can’t be fixed by a rebound. They soften, Taylor apologizes, and promises the summer will improve. Belly stays briefly, eats a hot dog, and leaves early.
At home, her mother’s sandwich remains untouched. Belly readies for bed, telling herself she can try normal things—movies, swimming, maybe even Cory—to get by. As she sleeps, she dreams of Susannah and the Cousins house, realizing how right it once was and that dreams won’t let her forget.
Who Appears
- Belly (Isabel Conklin)Grieving and adrift; resists Taylor’s push toward a rebound with Cory, checks on her mother, and admits she can’t forget Susannah or Conrad.
- Taylor JewelBest friend; dresses Belly up, engineers a moment with Cory, argues about moving on, then apologizes and comforts her.
- Laurel ConklinBelly’s mother; withdrawn and busy handling Susannah’s estate, barely eating, a quiet presence Belly tries to care for.
- Cory WheelerClassmate and would-be rebound; flirts with Belly on the trampoline but is gently avoided.
- Davis (Ben Davis)Taylor’s on-off boyfriend; reunites with Taylor at the party and plays beer pong.
- JustinParty host; grills and supplies the raucous setting where Belly feels out of place.
- Steven ConklinBelly’s brother; absent at work, saving for college, highlighting the household’s separate orbits.
- Susannah FisherRecently deceased; her will occupies Laurel, and her memory haunts Belly’s thoughts and dreams.