This article, “who is Conrad,” contains spoilers regarding the Amazon original series The Summer I Turned Pretty season 1.
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All teen dramas need a handsome, sometimes brooding hunk for our innocent and gawkish maiden to long for. In The Summer I Turned Pretty, Conrad fills that role perfectly, as the mysterious, chiseled teen, who Belly has hopelessly fallen for. This stereotypical teen may serve a standard purpose in this romance, but he also has his own complex backstory, which the show explores in season one.
Who is Conrad in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 1?
Belly’s first crush is a decidedly different individual this summer, ditching the spectacles and the positivity, in place of a sulky demeanor and an angst-ridden pessimism. Belly still finds herself attracted to the teen, but their relationship is definitely strained this time around. Near the end of the season’s run we discover exactly why Conrad was so depressed and the bad attitude suddenly makes a lot more sense.
Conrad became aware that his mother was battling cancer and she didn’t want her children to know. He kept this secret deep inside, trying to ignore it, but allowing it to impact on his emotions. Through marijuana he tried to numb the pain and with new girlfriend Nicole, take his mind of the awful ramifications of Susannah’s cancer. All these attempts to bury the secret and his emotions actually had the opposite effect, leading to outbursts of anger and some truly poor decision making.
Belly of course, was totally oblivious to Conrad’s internal battles and pursued him post-haste. He rejected her on numerous occasions, so Belly dated Cam and then Jeremiah instead. Conrad grew jealous of these boyfriends and would show his true feelings now and again. He bought Belly a beautiful necklace, with an infinity symbol on it, they nearly shared a kiss on the Fourth of July and won a volleyball tournament together.
This hard-to-read teen confused both Nicole and Belly with his unusual behavior, but he could always confide in his new employer Cleveland. The writer asked for Conrad’s help with the research for his latest novel. Conrad taught Cleveland all about sailing and the two would share a heart to heart on the boat from time to time. Conrad confessed to Cleveland about having feelings for Belly and being fully aware of his mother’s cancer. The writer supported Conrad and helped him to air his grievances, even if one led to a panic attack.
Throughout the seven episode season, Conrad grows as a person. He learns to control his emotions and share his worries. The teen accepts his anxieties and tries to improve upon these fears. He expresses how he feels to Belly and in the end they become an item, kissing in the final shot. Hopefully Conrad will mature even further and support his mother through this terrible ordeal.
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