Summer with the Crew (#1.5 How I Fell in Love Trilogy)

Fourth of July

"Please, take anything you want! Just leave my heart!" Dex cried from on his knees. Biana arched a perfect eyebrow, heart shaped lips pursed in mockery. 

"I'll take a bargain, but it must cover all the... expenses." Biana replied evenly. 

"Take mine!" Keefe said dramatically, stumbling to where Biana stood leering over Dex. Keefe's eyes were conflicted with emotion, however, one side of his mouth quirked in a not-so-smothered smirk.

"Cut!" Tam yelled, striding over to Keefe. 

"Do you call that acting?" He scolded." Where is the pain in your voice? You just lost your fiance in the sea! Show some heartbreak! And-" he looked sharp at Keefe. "I don't EVER want to see you smirk again." Tam turned to walk away. Keefe smirked.

"I'm glad I'm not Keefe." Dex muttered to Biana. 

Biana snickered. 

Apparently, every Fourth of July the Vackers (that is, Biana and Fitz) put on a play that they alternated writing every year (Sophie had no doubt about who wrote this year's play). They hadn't anticipated this many willing actors; usually it ended up that Biana and Fitz played most of the parts, so there were a lot of 'extras' and revising. Since Biana wanted to play the cruel queen, Tam had stepped up to be director. Until now, Sophie had never known Tam could yell. 

"From Keefe's entrance. ACTION!" Tam instructed. That was the other thing...it was taped. At the end of the night, they would watch the play with their parents, a reason Sophie was glad she wasn't in most of the play, only acting as Keefe's fiance who drowned in the first scene (good thing Biana was so dramatic).  

The play was wrapped up after another hour of dramatics, cuts, and revisions until Tam was satisfied, which was not an easy feat.  

"Is it time to watch it yet?" Mrs. Vacker inquired, peeking into the patio area that the last scene was set in. 

"Almost. It should be done after we eat dessert and watch the fireworks." Dex answered, since he would be the one editing and stringing all the parts together during this time. 

"Well, dessert is waiting." she winked at Sophie. "There's Mallowmelt." 

"I'm down!" Sophie sprinted towards the house. 

"She'll need help. I'M COMING FOSTER!" Keefe yelled, running after her. Fitz and Tam followed, Linh trailing behind a safe distance. Biana glanced at her mom. 

"Someone has to hold down the fort." 

Mrs. Vacker winked. "I'll bring you and Dex some dessert." 

                                                                                        *** 

"Run away!" Biana called out to Fitz. Fitz ignored her and lit the last firework on the patio. Eight dangerous explosions licked away at their wicks. Fitz grinned madly and skipped back, clapping his hands in a juvenile manner. 

Sophie hadn't seen him this happy since...well, a long time. She was glad he was feeling better. 

"Wheee!" The fireworks screeched. Biana and Linh covered their ears, but Sophie preferred to listen for a moment before copying their actions. 

"Is that a piccolo pete?" Dex yelled from his workstation. 

"Yep!" Fitz shouted back. 

"Awesome!" 

A few more rounds of fireworks later, Dex declared the movie finished. Grady, Mr. Vacker and Mr. Dizznee set up a blank screen while Fitz, Dex, and Keefe set up the projector. Tam directed. 

Biana clapped her hands excitedly, placing her towel next to Sophie's.

"My play, displayed for all to see!"  

"Must be proud." 

"You have no idea." 

The boys finished their work and headed to the grassy hill they would watch the movie. Fitz sat next to Sophie, making Sophie's nerves tingle and her fingertips buzz. Keefe nearly fell over Fitz. 

"You weren't here earlier." Keefe commented. 

"No, I wasn't." Fitz answered, scooting closer to Sophie to allow Keefe room to sit. Keefe frowned slightly and sat. Biana wiggled her eyebrows on Sophie's opposite side. SOphie elbowed her. 

"What are you doing that for?" Sophie asked. 

"Love is in the air," Biana trilled softly. Sophie shook her head. 

"Ooh, I'm up." Biana whispered, leaving. She walked regally to stand in front of the screen. 

"Thank you for joining today." Biana said, every inch the actress. "Today's 'movie' is titled The Heartbreak of the Sea, by yours truly." 

"Who's yours truly?" Keefe called, smirking annoyingly. Sophie vowed to never be this rude, shooting Keefe an exasperated glare.

"Me." Biana said, punctuating the word sharply. 

"Anyway, I hope you enjoy the show." Biana ended. The audience clapped politely. Dex started the film with a few loud clicks. 

"Once, there was a beautiful princess, who was engaged to a handsome prince. The engagement was broken off, however, by the princess hearing of her fiance's plot to poison her. She vowed to never love again..." 

The audience sat entranced, hanging on every word Narrator Biana spoke. Dex had added beautiful music to the background that brought the words to life. Sophie could picture every scene. 

"Wait, is Sophie supposed to be Keefe's fiance?" Grady asked loudly, remarking at the scene where Keefe, who is actually the traitor prince's son, is bringing his fiance to a paradise island for their wedding. Sophie's cheeks heated, both from Keefe's smirk aimed towards her and her father's embarassing behavior. 

(A few minutes later) 

"What? Keefe! You could've saved Sophie! You just let her drown!" Grady roared. 

"Yeah, way to go Keefe." Tam snarled from the shadows. Sophie thought she heard Tam mutter something about bad acting, but she dismissed this, choosing to focus instead on the movie. 

Now, Keefe and his brother (Dex) were crawling onto an island, which happened to be Queen Ruby's (Biana) island. The rest of the movie passed without any more Grady comments, thankfully. Everyone clapped at the end, even though it was a bizarre ending (Queen Ruby let Dex go and instead married Keefe. They a daughter that looked exactly like Sophie who married Fitz, a prince from a near island.) 

Sophie suspected this was Biana's way of shipping Sophitz from within a play. At least Grady didn't comment. 

"Next time I'll put a kissing scene in at the end." Biana whispered slyly. "I think it really polishes things off."

"I don't think my Dad would approve." Sophie replied, laughing. 

"Nah, we'll make it at the end of the credits. A stinger, if you will, but it wouldn't sting." 

"Eh, Fitz is writing it next year, he won't add a kissing scene." 

"I wouldn't be too sure. I know for a fact he was a romantic side." 

Sophie blushed, thankful her pink cheeks were lost to the shadows. 

"We'll see. Who knows what'll happen next year." Sophie said truthfully. Biana smiled, agreeing. 

Happy early Fourth of July! I hope you guys enjoyed! Question: does anyone have any weird traditions they enjoy (it doesn't have to be for this holiday, it can be anything).