¥showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks¥
In which Jackie Routledge and her group of friends from the south side of Outer Banks try to have the summer of their lives, but end up it being filled with mystery, tragedy, risks, adventure...
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{Midsummers Part 1}
"This is disgusting," Kie sighs, staring at her reflection in the mirror. I can't help but snort as her mom rolls her eyes. "I know, it's just horrible," her mom mocks, and Kie turns to look at me, rolling her eyes in return. "So, are you going to get dressed, sweetie?" Kie's mom asks me. "Uh, I don't have any dresses," I answer, nervously fiddling with my dad's watch.
"Good thing I bought a few spare dresses for Kie. You can borrow one. They're hung up in the bathroom," she says, and I nod before heading into the bathroom. There are two beautiful dresses hanging on the door—dresses I never thought I'd wear in my life, but tonight, I'll make an exception.
I pick the silver, sparkly one with slits down the sides, and take off my shorts and bikini top to slip it on. I stand in front of the mirror, sighing as I study my reflection. I've never worn anything like this before. Growing up with boys meant I shared their clothes, and besides, I could never afford something like this. But this dress... it clings to my curves perfectly, and it makes my eyes pop. I let my hair down from its messy bun, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I don't even recognize myself. I feel... like a princess.
Just as I keep staring, lost in my thoughts, I hear a knock at the door. "Come in," I call out, and Kie steps inside. Her jaw drops when she sees me.
"Do I look okay?" I ask sheepishly. A smile spreads across her face. "If JJ saw you now, I don't think you'd be leaving this room," she teases, and I roll my eyes.
JJ. I haven't seen him since yesterday when he got arrested. I pray he's okay and that I'll see him soon. I just hope his father doesn't make him suffer for it. "I miss him," I sigh.
"You'll see him soon. But for now, let's just enjoy a girls' night out together," she says, pulling me into a hug.
"Yeah, girls' night," I whisper, and she chuckles. "I can't believe I'm going to Midsummer. Can you believe it? A Pogue at a Kook party—everyone's going to be watching me," I joke.
Kie bursts out laughing. "You're not wrong. It's not every day you see a Pogue at a Kook party."
I take a deep breath. "Let's just get this night over with already," I shrug, linking hands with her as we head out.
"Excuse me, sir, do we have to shuck these ourselves?" Kie asks Pope in a posh accent as we make our way through the crowd to where he's standing. "Cause it might mess up my costume," she continues. I can't help but smile as Pope turns around, a grin spreading across his face when he sees Kie.
"We wouldn't want that now, would we?" Pope matches her posh accent, and we all burst out laughing. "You look beautiful, Kie," he adds, and she blushes.
"Thank you," Kie replies, holding out her hand to do our group handshake. I mentally facepalm myself, realizing how clueless she is about Pope's feelings. After their handshake, Pope turns to me with a smile. "You look, uh, nice too," he says nervously, and I chuckle.
"Ever seen this many Kooks in one place?" I ask as we glance around the crowded party.
"Yeah, last year," Pope answers, his gaze drifting over to the grill.
"I feel like I'm in the lion's den. Any second now, I'm going to be attacked," I joke.
"Exactly," Pope agrees.
"Hey, have you heard from JJ?" Pope asks, his voice filled with concern. I sigh, shaking my head.
"Nope," I reply. "He'll be alright though. He's got the survival instincts of a cockroach," Kie says, trying to lighten the mood with a smile.
The crowd suddenly turns their attention to the double doors, applauding as the Cameron family enters. I scoff, grabbing a drink of champagne and gulping it down in one go. An hour later, Kie is pulled away by a few people, leaving me with Pope. We joke around, help hand out food, and even slip in a quick dance as the sun sets.
To be honest, I don't even see the point of this party. It's just a bunch of people flaunting their wealth while others on the other side of the island struggle to survive. It feels wrong for me to be here, but I'm doing it for Kie.
Suddenly, I notice Pope's eyes widen in shock. Following his gaze, I feel my heart stop as I see him—JJ.
Relief floods me, but it's quickly replaced with worry as I notice the cuts and bruises on his face. He looks at me from across the room, and everything else fades away.
Pope runs over and pulls JJ into a hug, but I quickly make my way toward them, my heart racing. The last time we were together, we told each other we loved each other. We kissed. And now... now I'm scared.
As I get closer, JJ pulls away from Pope, and our eyes lock. My breath catches as I take in the sight of him, and my heart sinks when I notice the bruises and cuts marking his face. I reach out to him, my voice barely a whisper, "JJ..."
