Summer, #1
The Summer I Turned Pretty
by Jenny Han
Contents
Chapter thirty - two
Overview
Belly impulsively suggests skinny-dipping with Cam to prove she’s grown up, but Cam balks and leaves, deflating her confidence. A late-night kitchen exchange with Conrad stings and stirs old dynamics. By morning, Belly discovers Cam’s message-in-a-bottle promising a future skinny-dip, rekindling hope while preserving unresolved tension with Conrad.
Summary
Late at night, Belly and Cam walk the beach holding hands. Wanting proof she’s grown up, Belly proposes skinny-dipping and runs toward the water, setting playful rules. Cam hesitates, worried about being seen from the house, and backs out. Belly feels both offended and relieved, snaps at him, and storms back inside.
In the kitchen, Belly finds Conrad eating watermelon. He teases her about Cam and, in a familiar big-brother tone, tells her not to be hard on people and to put on her shirt. The exchange makes Belly feel young and judged again, and she resists giving Conrad the power to make her feel small.
Waiting for Cam to return, Belly eats watermelon and grows angrier when he doesn’t come back. She watches his car leave and worries she has ruined things and that the fast summer romance may already be over.
In the morning, Belly discovers an empty water bottle on the deck steps with a note inside from Cam: “IOU one skinny-dip.” The message-in-a-bottle softens the previous night’s disappointment, suggesting Cam’s interest remains even as Belly’s dynamics with Conrad stay unsettled.
Who Appears
- Belly (Isabel Conklin)Proposes skinny-dipping to feel grown up, clashes with Conrad, and finds Cam’s hopeful message in a bottle.
- CamDates Belly; hesitates to skinny-dip, leaves for the night, then leaves an “IOU one skinny-dip” note.
- Conrad FisherCatches Belly in the kitchen, teases her about Cam, and pointedly tells her to put on a shirt.