𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐒. ᵒᵘᵗᵉʳ ᵇᵃⁿᵏˢ ¹

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 30.

    "𝐒𝐎 𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐌𝐄 𝐆𝐄𝐓 this straight," I put a finger up.

    John B rolled his eyes in annoyance. As I sat in the passenger seat of the van, my mouth would not stop opening in questions— the whole ride. Before getting into the boat, when we were back at the small island, I did not know what 'Midsummers' was, no other than hearing Caroline and Daryl drop a few comments about it over lunch earlier in the day. John B and Jj tried to explain on the way back to the Chateau. The only useful information I was able to retain from the conversation, was that Midsummers— which happens every year — is a huge Kook gathering, at the island Country Club.

    Right upon arriving at John B's house, we had snuck into the back and tried to see if the grey car was still there. Thankfully, it was not. Jj put my bike in the van, and we were soon off, driving smoothly towards TannyHill. Repeatedly, the whole way there, I could not refrain from asking numerous questions, about the plan that John B had finished proposing. Along the blurry lines of it, he mentioned something about the newly translated letter, but said that we were going to have to wait until later. Then, I was told that I was going to go to Midsummers with Sarah.

    "You want me," I now pointed a finger to my chest, "to go to a massive Kook-infested party, with Sarah Cameron, because you need a map of TannyHill."

    "Yes." John B vaguely replied.

    "Why can't you just get it yourself?" I narrowed my eyebrows at him.

    He turned his head to me, and gave me a dumb look.

    "Are you afraid of Kooks, or something?" I glanced back at Jj quickly. "Just ask Sarah at Midsummers, she'll give it to you."

    "A Pogue can't go to Midsummers," Jj interjected, "That's just like— the way it is." Between his fingers, he held a vape. Right after speaking, he rose it up to his lips, took a large puff, and exhaled a cloud of smoke.

    "Well, I'm a Pogue," I claimed, oblivious.

    "Yeah, but you don't look like one," John B tilted his head to the side.

    "Throw on a dress and a flower crown, and you're basically Sarah Cameron's sister," Jj hummed.

    "Come on, guys, I don't even look like her," I huffed out a sigh.

    "Yeah, and I'm gonna pass eleventh grade." Jj laughed, with a sarcastic tone.

    "John B, what do you think Sarah'll say if I show up at her door, and ask if I can go with her to Midsummers." I ignored Jj, and turned myself in my seat, to face John B. "It's not like she's just gonna suddenly bring me with her."

    "She probably will, Charls," John B looked at me, "I mean, unless she's going with Topper."

    "Question." Jj raised his hand.

    "What," I looked back to him.

    "What are y'all doing with Sarah Cameron anyways?" he asked.

    "Her and Charlie are friends." John B replied for me, speaking casually.

    "Oh," Jj seemed a little bit taken aback, but tried to stay normal, "Does Kie know about that?"

     John B glanced to his friend in the rear view mirror, "Know about what."

    "That you three are hanging out." Jj spoke, before taking another puff. "That you're hanging out with Sarah Cameron. Dude— didn't her dad, like, just fire you?"