The fandom war between #TeamJellyFish and #TeamConrad has officially reached nuclear levels. As The Summer I Turned Pretty moves deeper into its most emotionally charged chapters, one question continues to divide viewers:
Did Belly genuinely choose Jeremiah out of deeper love — or was Conrad always the one she could never escape?
“She CHOSE Jeremiah” — The #TeamJellyFish Argument
Supporters of Jeremiah insist the narrative is clear: Belly made her choice.
She knew how Conrad felt.
She knew Jeremiah would step aside if she chose Conrad.
She knew she wouldn’t lose Jere either way.
And yet — she chose Jeremiah.
Not once. Not impulsively. But in Season 2 and again heading into Season 3. For #TeamJellyFish, that decision speaks louder than any longing glance or bathroom confession. To them, Belly loved Jeremiah more. Conrad only became an option again when Jeremiah called off the wedding and removed himself from the equation.
“Unpopular to say? Perhaps. But the truth isn’t always easily accepted,” one fan argued.
From this perspective, actions matter more than buried feelings. Belly committed to Jeremiah. She built a four-year relationship with him. That isn’t accidental.
The Conrad Counterargument: He Closed the Door First
But #TeamConrad sees it very differently.
They argue that Jeremiah was only ever “an option” because Conrad stepped back in Season 1 after advice from Cleveland pushed him to confront his emotional instability. Conrad telling Belly “I can’t” didn’t mean he didn’t love her — it meant he didn’t feel good enough.
That hesitation opened the door.
And even in Season 2, when Belly tells Conrad about Jeremiah, he directly asks her: “Do you want to be with him?” Her answer? “I only ever wanted to be with you.”
For Conrad supporters, that line is the thesis statement of the entire series.
Love vs. Safety: Who Could Hurt Her More?
Another powerful claim from #TeamConrad is this: Belly chose Jeremiah not because she loved him more — but because he was safer.
Jeremiah couldn’t devastate her the way Conrad could.
Why? Because she loved Conrad more.
According to this view, Jeremiah represented comfort and emotional security. Conrad represented vulnerability, intensity, and the risk of heartbreak. Choosing Jeremiah was choosing stability over emotional exposure.
And when someone repeatedly calls a partner “my best friend,” critics argue, that signals affection — not epic romance.
Four Years Together — Or Four Years Avoiding the Truth?
Jeremiah supporters point to the longevity of their relationship: four years together. That’s not a fling. That’s commitment.
But critics counter with a sharp observation: Conrad was on the other side of the country. Distance made it easier. When Conrad re-entered the picture, it reportedly took just one day for the cracks to show.
Even Jeremiah himself acknowledges at one point that he never truly stood a chance — that Belly never looked at him the way she looked at Conrad.
If that’s true, then the four-year relationship may not prove enduring love — but delayed confrontation.
Was the Relationship Healthy?
Some viewers argue Belly and Jeremiah became emotionally codependent. She softened herself to protect him. He leaned into guilt to secure reassurance. They bonded through grief after Susannah’s death — but grief can blur clarity.
In that interpretation, their relationship functioned as a bandage over unresolved pain rather than a foundation for growth.
Meanwhile, Conrad challenged Belly. He pushed her emotionally. He forced growth — even when it hurt.
The “Infinity” Factor
Even secondary characters reinforce the Conrad narrative. Taylor — not exactly Conrad’s biggest fan — refers to Belly and Conrad as inevitable. “Epic. Infinity. Written in the stars.”
And perhaps most tellingly, Susannah herself draws lines between the boys: one like a best friend, almost like a brother; the other tied to something deeper, more fated.
In a story that leans heavily into symbolism, infinity isn’t a casual motif.
So… Who Did Belly Really Choose?
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: both sides have receipts.
Belly chose Jeremiah in real time.
But emotionally, she may have never stopped choosing Conrad.
The love triangle works precisely because both interpretations feel valid depending on which moments you prioritize — her actions or her confessions, her stability or her longing.
And that’s why the debate refuses to die.
Because in The Summer I Turned Pretty, love isn’t just about who you stand beside.
It’s about who you can’t stop looking at — even when you’ve already said “I do.”
