In June of 2022, The Book Tok and Binge show girls all came out of hiding. The release of the show “The Summer I Turned Pretty” by Jenny Han came alive. Fans were raving and screaming of this coming-of-age series and as they most certainly should. Friendly arguments and debates arose with fans choosing which one of the Fisher Brothers, Conrad or Jeremiah, Belly Conklin should be with.
We can already sense that with the close relationship between the two families and the kids growing up with each other, that feelings and attachment can easily come in between them. We can already see this happening with the one girl and two brothers’ love triangle with Belly, Conrad and Jeremiah. Both the Fisher brothers have romantic feelings for Belly, and us viewers can sense that from a mile away. I mean how can you not? Belly is a beautiful and smart girl and clearly knows how to have boys wrapped around her finger even when she thinks no one could ever see herself as more than a friend.
We can go on about which brother Belly Conklin deserves. Is it Jeremiah? The boy who hung out with her that whole summer while she was sick just so she wasn’t spending time alone. The one who taught Belly how to drive right before her 16th birthday. The person who Belly first called when Taylor and her needed help when they were left stranded on the side of the road. The best friend who escorted Belly to her debutante dance. Or does it happen to be Conrad? Belly’s first crush and love. The one who when growing up always included Belly when hanging with her brother and Jeremiah. The boy who gave the word “infinity” a whole new meaning to Belly. It symbolizes their continuous love for each other no matter what, and you know as Belly says, “I would travel endlessly around those curves for him.” Lastly, the person who saved Belly’s embarrassment at the debutante dance and had the last dance with her.
As we see there is so much support, and pros and cons for both Team Conrad and Team Jeremiah. But have we ever thought of the third-party Team? Yes, that’s right, Team Anti-Belly. I’m serious when I say this team needs more support. I mean come on, a girl who grew up with two family friend brothers, both of them clearly have major feelings for her, and for a whole two seasons all she does is go back and forth with them, kissing both of them and playing with their feelings, and all because she cannot make up her mind? I can only sympathize with Belly so much. I too love being a teenage girl, emerging romantic feelings for anyone I want, and just living life with no consequences. But when it comes down to the brothers who are quite literally grieving over their mother’s death, that’s a huge no no for me.
Truthfully, it’s definitely human to not be certain of your feelings and how you want your future to look like and possibly with whom you want to spend it with. But when your time to figure out what you actually want turns into the Kool-Aid debacle of toying with Conrad and Jeremiahs feelings, making the brothers turn their backs on each other when they are the only true family they have left, and ultimately hurts you even more, Belly does not deserve either of them. Her actions and feelings ruined too many relationships within the Fisher-Conklin family. She needs to be Team Belly herself if she wants to continue having the Fisher brothers in her life.
Even though Conrad is obviously the better brother, and I would love to have him for myself, Belly does not deserve either brother and needs to listen to what Ms. Taylor Swift once said, “Now go stand in the corner and think about what you did.”