Tidal Wave. | obx szn 1

Dinner.

"I think, uh," Aurora pauses. She tries to hold back any feelings. She rubs her mouth and sighs. One hand rests on her hip, while she bites the nails of the other. "I think you should just go. You and the pogues have a huge day tomorrow and I just, I think I need to rest. I'll be back here tomorrow anyway so this is just easier for everyone."

"Ace,"

"No, Pope. Go. Please."

Pope looks up at Aurora from her bed. "Are you sure? Absolutely positive?"

"Yes. Go back to the Chateau. Come get me on Monday and tell me everything about the pogues and the drone stuff, okay?"

"Okay." He mumbles. Slowly, he walks out of her room. He shuts the powdery-pink door behind him until it clicks.

After Aurora hears the stairs creak beneath him, she bursts into tears. Everything is falling apart. Her family is failing. Aurora Minerva used to love her family. The Minervas' lifestyle used to be an absolute dream.

A knock hits Aurora's door. She pulls herself together. "Come in."

August opens the door. Honey follows him. Honey has always loved August the most. August and Aurora make eye contact, but it's quickly broken.

August sits on Aurora's circle shaped chair. He plays with the tassels on the green blanket that Pope's mom made for Aurora years ago.

"Lucca told me about," August pauses. He considers how to continue the conversation without making Aurora upset. "the party."

August shuts her bedroom door. She doesn't want her parents to hear this conversation. She'd end up grounded for life if they found out she was using again. "I don't really want to talk about it, Auggie."

"Okay, I get that. I just want you to know, that we're just worried about you. Lucca and I know how hard Mom has been on you lately and we just... want you to know we're here for you."

Aurora inhales. She holds the air in her chest a little too long. "Thank you."

"So, can we talk about it now?"

Aurora laughs. "God, Auggie, you're so nosy."

"Please?"

"Fine. But I'm only telling you because you're obviously my favorite."

August laughs. Aurora sits on her bed and faces August. This experience gives the siblings flashbacks. When they were about 6, maybe 7, they started making blanket forts on Aurora's bed and tell each other their deepest, darkest secrets. Those two were stuck like glue. They knew each other better than anyone else. They knew each other better than they knew themselves.

"I was supposed to have a date with Pope that night, but he ditched me. Rafe picked me up and took me to a party. That's it."

"Oh, so Pope is being an ass right now? We don't like him?"

"No, I mean, yes? I don't know. It's complicated."

"You're so in love with him, Rory."

"Yeah, well, he likes someone else, so."

Lucca's voice erupts from the hallway. "Dinner's ready."

Aurora groans. Family dinners are never fun. It's full of 'how was your day' 'fine' 'I heard this about blah blah blah' 'really' and a lot of uncomfortable silence.

August and Aurora sit on one side of the table, with their mother and Lucca mirroring them. Harrison sits at the head of the table, like always.

"How was everyone's day?" Harrison asks before he shoves a mouthful of steak down his throat.