'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Season 3, Episode 4 Proves Who Belly Should End Up With

Belly's (not so) happy birthday.

It's Belly's birthday and literally all she wants for her 21st is her mom's help wedding dress shopping (or at least her emotional support). But Laurel is so against the marriage she can't even have a conversation about it, let alone show up with a smile. She shuts down Belly's request again, this time over Mickey Mouse pancakes, so Belly plans her own shopping day with Taylor and her mom.

Just like her Deb ball dress from season 1, Belly makes a simple yet elegant choice, but her excitement is overshadowed by her disappointment that her mom isn't there. She calls Jeremiah in tears (and delivers a heartbreaking "How are we going to do this without both of our moms?"), and Jeremiah becomes determined to change Laurel's mind.

But first, Jeremiah has to get through his work day interning for Adam's company. The employees are basically hazing him as the office "nepo baby," while his dad continues to jab him...and just boss him around in general. But one silver lining is that Steven agrees to be his best man. Conrad, on the other hand, won't answer the phone.

But it's fine, because once he gets Laurel to support the wedding, everything will be okay.

Drama at the office.

Jeremiah's not the only one dealing with drama at the office. In addition to being cut out of a meeting, Steven's attempts to help Taylor and her mom (after learning Lucinda's ex opened credit in her name) are met with hostility.

I'm also starting to pick up on some vibes between Steven and Denise, but I'm hoping the fact that Taylor decides to stay home from New York means Steven and Taylor have a future together. There are too many love triangles to keep up with!

Laurel finally reveals the real reason she doesn't want Belly and Jeremiah to get married.

Now, reader, it shouldn't come as a surprise that no matter what Jeremiah or Belly say, Laurel does not get on board with the wedding. When Jere shows up with flowers (and a key to the beach house for Belly's birthday), his future mother-in-law isn't swayed. I understand wanting to follow your heart but if every person in your life that loves you, and that you trust, is telling you a life-changing decision is a bad idea...shouldn't you listen?

Admittedly, Laurel needs to communicate a little better; She says that even though she can't change Belly's mind, if the wedding proceeds, Laurel won't be there. Belly's conclusion: Why wait until the wedding to say goodbye? She packs a bag and heads off to Cousins with Jere.

Of course, John does not have a good reaction to finding out Belly ran away. He finally has a real heart to heart with Laurel, where she expresses she never thought marrying him was the bad idea, it was that marrying anyone that young meant she never got to find out who she was. And now she's afraid Belly will have the same identity crisis and regret. (If only she could communicate that clearly to her daughter).

Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad in Cousins.

When Belly wakes up the next morning in Cousins, she's shocked to see Conrad (who she thinks still has a job in California), and he's equally as surprised to see her. And you better believe that every moment Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah spend at the house is as uncomfortable to watch as it is for the characters to experience.

Conrad and Jere go surfing, where Conrad expresses he thinks the wedding is kind of a ridiculous idea. Jere responds by saying he wouldn't want Conrad as his best man if he had to fake his support, and then a tipsy Belly and Jere loudly make fun of Conrad in the pool that night.

And one moment proves which brother Belly should end up with.

Such an out of character moment for Belly is painful to watch — but hearing her decision to back out of study abroad is a very close second. As Jeremiah leaves for work Monday morning, she tells him she doesn't want to go to Paris because she doesn't want to do long distance. Is this the Rachel Green effect?

Unfortunately, Jeremiah immediately agrees, telling her he doesn't want her to leave. DON'T SAY THAT!! I do think Team Conrad has been a little hard on Jeremiah, but it is a huge issue that he didn't encourage her to go when Paris has been her lifelong dream and it's literally only five months apart.

Left alone in the house with Conrad, Belly remembers when Susannah surprised her with a new room, and Laurel comforted her the first night she was afraid to sleep by herself. Overwhelmed by how much she misses both her moms, Belly cries herself to sleep.

As he's leaving for California, Conrad hears Belly crying and is clearly struggling with the fact it's not his place to comfort her anymore. But in a thrilling twist, he ends up staying to bake her muffins for her birthday — and tells Jeremiah he'll be his best man. That's right! Conrad is staying! And despite how much pain he's in, he's in the wedding to support Belly!

These two decisions honestly tell me who's the better choice. The fact that Jeremiah doesn't push Belly to follow her dreams while Conrad sacrifices his own comfort so she doesn't feel alone speaks volumes. It's a single decision from each brother that reflects where there hearts are at. You know what they say — actions speak louder than words.

And next week we finally get Conrad's narration.

But the craziest moment of the episode came right before the credits rolled. As Belly jumps into Conrad's arms to thank him for staying, we finally get the moment we've been waiting for as "Halley's Comet" by Billie Eilish plays in the background: Conrad's POV.

He wonders, "What have I done?" Chat, I literally squealed. We are so back.