MIDSUMMERS WAS a party for rich assholes in a stupid club, who think they're too cool for anybody else. They're partying whilst, in the next block, people are starving hungry and not having enough money to pay for dinner. Aurora thought it was absolutely fucked up- especially when Kiara had her Kook Year and bailed on the Pogues, the party seemed way more personal then.

Managing to get clean for Midsummers was extremely difficult, so Aurora was quickly going through packs of cigarettes instead. The guilt was still there: Why did she relapse? People have it worse. She's so selfish for making it about her.

The Pogues had found out about Rory's relapse and, despite not saying anything, she could sense their worry.
She had been laying in bed in John B's Château all morning, despite her restlessness.

A knock came from the door as it slowly opened, "Hey, Rory. Can I come in?"

"Yeah, sure." Aurora replied, as she sat up in bed to see Kiara, who had two dresses rested in her arms, "What's that?"

"I'm glad you asked." Kie smiled, as she placed them both down on the bed, "This one is for me, my mom brought it for me. However, I went out last week with dad and he brought me this one." 

Aurora frowned, "I don't understand. If you have two dresses then why-"

Kie interrupted excitedly, "Because this one is for you."

Aurora smiled, then hesitated, "Kie, you know I can't wear a dress that your dad brought you."

"But it's your colour." Kie reasoned, making a sad pouty face sarcastically, "Please just try it on."

Aurora got dressed into the sparkly dark blue dress, as she adjusted the straps on her shoulders. It was fitted, yet floaty at the bottom. Rory stood frozen, looking at her unrecognisable self in the long mirror.

"Oh My God." Kie admired in awe, "You would make such a hot Kook."

Aurora scoffed with a chuckle, "Thanks, Kie." Rory took down a shoulder strap, ready to take it off, but Kie slapped her hand away,

"Now you have it on, you can't take it off." Kiara said, "It's the rules."

Aurora scoffed, "Kie, I can't just take a $600 dress from you for free."

"You can and you will." Kiara shot back happily, "You can pay me back by being there."

"Kie-"

"Nope." Kie interrupted, as she quickly left the room. She called from the hallway, "And we're going to mine soon so my mom can do our hair- she insisted on it. So be ready!"

***

"I haven't seen you in a while, Aurora." Mrs Carrera exclaimed, "How've you been?"

Aurora lied, "Uh, yeah good, thanks ma'am."

"This is disgusting." Kiara judged herself in the mirror.

"I know, it's just horrible." Mrs Carrera said sarcastically, as she did Aurora's hair in a bun, "I'm asking you to relax and go to a fun party."

"I look like a bourgeoisie pig." Kiara shot back, as she looked at herself in the mirror.

Mrs Carrera scoffed, "Will you please not worry about socioeconomic injustice for just one night?"

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

"Do you know how hard we had to work to get into the Island Club?" Mrs Carrera questioned, "I just want you to have the same experiences I had as a child."

Kiara scoffed, "I don't want that! I'm my own person, fully capable to have my own life."

Mrs Carrera sighed, "Honey, the Island Club is a fun place. You'll meet new friends, party, and have a nice time-"

"With out-of-touch rich people, while the island sinks slowly into the ocean." Kiara interrupted.

Aurora sat awkwardly on the chair, looking at the mother and daughter argue about a party through the mirror she stared into. Mrs Carrera had neatly put her blonde hair in a high bun, adding a red flower to the side of it,

"Thank you, Mrs Carrera." Aurora smiled slightly, as the women walked away.

"Anytime, honey." The lady replied, then quickly turned to Kie with a change of tone, "Kiara, put your party face on now."

Kiara had managed to get Aurora to be her plus-one at Midsummers, meaning she didn't have to sneak in. However, for JJ, he was dressed up as a bar tender for the whole night- pretending to serve people drinks. Pope was working with his dad, selling BBQ meat to the Kooks to earn money for their own dinner.

Aurora's eyes widened, "Have you ever seen this many Kooks in one place?"

"Yeah, last year." Pope replied, as he cooked the meat on the BBQ.

"We're in the Lions Den." Kiara added.

Pope questioned curiously, "Have you heard from JJ?"

"Last night, why?" Aurora frowned.

"Is he pissed off for the jail thing?" Pope worried, "It's all my fault."

"You didn't do this, Pope." Rory reassured, "Topper almost killed you, remember?"

"Plus, it's JJ." Kiara added, "He's got survival instincts of a cockroach."

Despite being a Kook party, Midsummers was quite fun- despite the lack of alcohol, drugs, and fights between teenagers. The party was way more civilised, and only the parents were allowed to drink alcohol. Plus, they weren't even listening to proper party music, it reminded Aurora of some classical opera.

"I'll get us a soda, yeah?" Rory suggested to Kie, as she walked inside the massive building trying to navigate her way around.

A familiar voice spoke, "I'd never thought I'd see the day. Rory Maybank wearing a dress."

Aurora turned around to see Sarah Cameron, wearing a silver silk dress (quite like Kiara's). She was really living up to her Kook Princess reputation. Aurora hadn't spoken a word to Sarah since breaking up with her for cheating, and all of a sudden, all of the memories come flooding back in.

"Uh, Sarah?" Aurora hesitated, "It's Aurora, only my friends call me Rory."

Sarah paused, "Well, Aurora, since when were you a member of the Island Club?"

"Since today." Aurora replied, "I came with Kiara, as her Plus-one."

"Oh, right." Sarah frowned sarcastically, "I didn't know you two were a thing."

"We're not." Aurora shot back, "Are you jealous? You were always the jealous type, weren't you?" She paused, "Wait- No, actually, you were more of the cheating type."

"Look, I didn't come here to fight." Sarah reasoned, as her facial expressions softened, "I just wanted to say I heard about what happened last night, and I'm sorry."

"H-How'd you know about that?" Aurora questioned, avoiding eye contact with the girl.

"Shit like that spreads around." Sarah explained, "My brother told me he saw you at Barry's place, I just figured that you'd relapsed-"

"Y-You don't know shit, Sarah." Aurora interrupted harshly, "Stay out of my life and I'll stay out of yours."

"If it isn't Sarah Cameron." A familiar voice called out. Her brother, JJ, came dancing through the crowd of Kooks, "I have a secret gift for you, from Vlad."

"From Vlad?" Sarah repeated, and a smile spread on her face, "JJ-"

"Just read the note." JJ interrupted, as Sarah walked away. He turned to her sister and his eyes widened, "Who are you and what have you done with my sister?"

"Shut up." Aurora chuckled, as they both started walking together.

Unexpected, Rafe and Kelce met eyes with Aurora and JJ. The Cameron boy patted JJ's shoulders,

"I was wondering if you could get me a mai tai, my friend." Rafe said sarcastically.

Kelce spat, "Make that two, Pogue."

"I'm not the, uh, clock right now." JJ rambled, "You guys look spiffy but you know, uh, I got a couples orders ahead of you. So, why don't you guys go down and wait by the bar?"

Rory grabbed JJ's wrists, before pulling him away, "We're actually going inside-"

Rafe retorted, "We're actually gonna follow you just to make sure..."

Suddenly, JJ was pulling Aurora inside the mansion, dodging all of the adult Kooks inside. They all gasped as the two twins ran through the building, chucking chairs down on their way so Rafe and his friends couldn't catch up.

"In here, in here, in here." JJ stressed, as he pulled Rory into the boys restrooms. He tugged on each cubical door, trying to get inside, but they were all taken by grumpy men.

Aurora walked around to the changing area of the restrooms, which was probably a Kook thing, when she bumped into Rafe,

"What's a beautiful girl like you doing in a boys locker room?"

Aurora's eyes widened, before she turned around and walked back to JJ- however, he was being held by two boys.

Kelce grabbed Aurora and held her back, whilst she watched JJ struggle in the two boy's arms.

"Hold him still." Rafe insisted, as he cracked his knuckles, "Keep his head still, I'm gonna line this up."

"Very Rafe of you." JJ remarked sarcastically, "Five on two."

Aurora snapped, "Let fucking go of him!"

"Could you please stop talking?" Rafe replied sarcastically, "It's very disrespectful. I'm trying to hit a ball."

"You sick bastard." Aurora scoffed, as the boy tightened his grip around the girl.

Rafe frowned at Aurora, "Whoa, your face. You're really starting to look like your dad a lot more-"

Aurora spat on Rafe's face, which seemed to be a common occurrence.

Rafe chuckled, "Oh, shit-"

"Gentlemen." A guard interrupted, as the two boys let go of JJ and Kelce let go of Rory, "Is there a problem here?"

"Pardon me, officer." JJ replied quickly, "No, there's not an issue. I just- actually, yes, there is a problem. Uh, we got a criminal trespass in progress here. I'm in violation of all kinds of shit, sir. These gentlemen caught me and they were about to get me out of here. And that's what you should do, escort me out of here."

JJ eagerly put his hands up, as the Guard grabbed his arm and pulled him out. Aurora cautiously followed behind, glaring at the Kooks on her way out.

"You're lookin' spiffy, too." JJ said sarcastically, as he got dragged away, "You PowerPuff Girls have fun."

Aurora glared at them, before following her brother, "Just leave them, J."

Rafe scoffed, "It's a shame, Aurora, you do look pretty hot for a Pogue."

Before JJ had the chance to run at Rafe, Aurora had already turned around and punched him right on the nose. He stumbled back, as the group gasped.

"Stop treating me like I'm a fucking object." Aurora snapped, as JJ ran at Rafe- only to be grabbed by the Guard again.

JJ struggled in the Guards arms, "You think we're afraid of you, bro?"

"Come on!" The Guard struggled, "Come on. Out!"

Rafe called out smuggly, "Safe travels back to the cut, JJ!"

Aurora stuck her middle finger up at the group, before slamming the door behind the group. She caught up to the Guard, who was aggressively gripping onto JJ as he tried to walk.

"I can walk myself, man, I have legs." JJ said, "Can you see that, brother?"

"Be careful with him!" Aurora caught up to them, "He's walking isn't he?"

"Mr Dunleavy, I see you got your drink. Good, that's really nice of you." JJ walked over to an old man, before taking his glass of drink, "I'm actually gonna down that."

The Guard tugged him away, causing an even bigger scene. The Kooks gasped, as they watched this troubled boy in shock.

"I really appreciate the discretion, Daryl." JJ said sarcastically, before raising his voice to the gathering of Kooks, "It's okay, everybody! Do not panic! Leave it to the men and women in uniform, huh? Let's hear it for them." He paused, pointing at Sarah's step-mom, "Rose! You look like Lady Liberty."

"Let go of him!" Kiara called out, "You can't just boot him!"

"Excuse me, ma'am?" The Guard questioned curiously.

"I invited him here." Kiara explained, ignoring the calls from her disappointed parents, "I'm a member of this club!"

JJ pushed the Guard away from him, causing the crowd to gasp louder, "Hey, mandatory power hour at Rixon's, Kie. Rory, you ready? Pope, you as well, right? Kie, come on."

"Workers of the world unite." Rory added, pointing at Kiara, "Throw of your chains! Be free."

"Colonel." John B saluted the twins.

"Captain." The Maybanks replied in unison, as they both saluted.

"Mission accomplished, sir." JJ nodded.

Pope and Kiara managed to escape from the party, as they rushed over to the trio on the grass. The Kooks all stared in shock and disappointment, how could kids act like this?

John B stuck his middle fingers up at the party, "Later, losers!"