𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

nine.

─☼☼☼─

"𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝙄𝙎 𝘿𝙄𝙎𝙂𝙐𝙎𝙏𝙄𝙉𝙂." Kiara declared as she stood in front of the mirror, staring back at her own reflection.

Anna Carrera walked out of her bathroom, adorning herself with the last of her jewellery. "I know. Just horrible. I'm asking you to go to a fun party and relax." 

Kiara scowled at her mother's sarcasm. "I look like a bourgeoisie pig."

Charlotte snorted from where she was leaning against the end of the bed. Her head was starting to hurt from the mingling smell of her, her mother and Kiara's perfumes.  "I was thinking more like a Powerpuff girl...but bourgeoisie pig works too."

Kiara stifled a laugh as Anna glanced at her oldest. "Charlotte, you're not helping here. And Kie, will you please not worry about socioeconomic injustice for one night."

"Mom," Kiara breathed. "There are people not three miles from here who have no power, no running water, and we're going to Midsummers. That's so tone-deaf."

As Anna launched into the well overused bit about how hard she and the girls' father worked to get into the Island Club, Charlotte moved toward the mirror that Kie had left vacant. 

Taking in her appearance, she couldn't help but feel the smallest rush of excitement. Okay, sure, she didn't really want to go tonight. But getting all dressed up again was kind of fun, she had to admit that. 

Her dress was a pastel blue ─ tight in all the right places and flowy in all the others. Her hair had been fastened in a braided crown, pieces of laurel intertwined within it. 

It was simpler than some of her looks had been in years previous, but this one might have been her favourite. 

"Do you know why we did that?" Anna continued her speech to Kiara, causing Charlotte to finally turn from the mirror. 

"To keep up with the Jonses?" Kiara muttered.

Anna rolled her eyes. "No. So that you and your sister could have the experiences that I had as a child." She turned on Charlotte. "Charlotte, you love Midsummers, right? It's been a good experience for you."

"Sure, mom." Charlotte agreed, the enthusiasm not quite reaching her eyes. "Kie, you'll especially love the ridiculous amounts of waste that this thing procures...and guess what? They don't even recycle it."

Kiara glared at Charlotte as Anna shoved her toward the hallway. "Out." She snapped, quickly realizing that Charlotte was not on her side in this matter. 

With a small snigger, Charlotte stumbled into the hall where her dad was making his way up the stairs, brows raised. "What are you laughing about?"

She nodded toward her parents' bedroom where Kie and Anna were still discussing. "Mom's trying to convince Kie that Midsummers will be fun."

"Let me guess," Mike started as he began to push past Charlotte. "You weren't helping?"

The girl grinned at her father as she shook her head. "Not at all."

─☼☼☼─

Midsummers was a beautiful event...even Charlotte could admit that.