𝐓 𝐄 𝐍
blackbird boutique

The second Meredith applied a bandaid patch to cover the gash caused by Rafe's burning rage. She knew people would send her confused glares. Most importantly, she knew her parents would throw non-stop questions her way.

What she could rely on was the full coverage concealer that she applied on the bruise formed on her ribcage and the mauve discoloration in the form of fingertips. As much as she knew it shouldn't, it almost shocked her that Rafe was capable of doing something so sinister to her after trying to win her over just last year. Meredith knew he often blamed his actions on his sister and the favoritism Ward directed towards the oldest daughter. But, she also knew that no matter who he blamed or how poorly moralled he made somebody out to be, he was the only one who could change how he was viewed. It wasn't his father or his sisters. It was himself.

After applying a thick layer of concealer on each spot, Meredith made sure to wear a black, long-sleeved cropped shirt with a denim skirt. She had insisted on wearing a combed headband because she would know better than to be on the receiving end on humidity again.

Much to her chagrin, Jenna Waters had scheduled an appointment to try on dresses for Midsummers, and she would damned if she wasn't prepared at least a week early. However, her nail and hair appointments would be only days prior to avoid any unfortunate occurances.

As Meredith got ready, she contemplated the yearly event. Every other year, when she attended Midsummers, she was ecstatic, practically beaming with joy because she had a chance to be presented with her family and be deemed as an adult.

Now, it didn't seem all that thrilling to her. It was true. She did enjoy wearing her mother's expensive makeup and wearing an over-the-top dress, but for once, she didn't think it was all that worth it. It wasn't the fact that she had nobody to attend the party with, but the fact that she wished a certain someone would be escorting her.

Of course, it was not a blonde, cerulean eyed boy with the shittiest reputation known to man and not a single dollar to his name. It couldn't be.

But that didn't mean she couldn't imagine what it would feel like for him to escort her to a party he wasn't invited to to begin with. How it would feel to for once, out of her norm, go against her family name and let the tide take her away.

But, as she called it, it was just that. An imagination. It wouldn't happen. It couldn't happen. Meredith almost considered gauging her own eyes out for considering it in the first place because why would she?

"Meredith!" She heard her mother call from down the hall, and soon enough, Jenna was entering the large room. "Almost ready?"

"Yeah," She nodded, grimacing at the lack of privacy her mother provided. "Thanks for knocking." She muttered, giving her mother a tight-lipped smile before closing her vanity drawer and leaving the chair. "Appreciate it."

"Don't start with me," Jenna warned, rummaging through her daughter's closet for shoes for Meredith to wear. Bothered, the teenager rolled her eyes but allowed her mother to continue nonetheless. "I shouldn't have to knock if you aren't doing anything you shouldn't be."

"Who says I am?" Meredith retorted, her features contorting into one of confusion. "What if I was getting dressed? I didn't know that was a crime."

"Meredith." Jenna groaned, sliding a pair of Saint Laurent Paris heels back onto the shelf, knowing they wouldn't match well with her daughter's outfit. The pearls on the strap wouldn't go well with her casual outfit, so Jenna decided she would wear those to Midsummers, and there would be no protests. "Please don't start. Can we please just try and have one day where you aren't mouthing off? Thank you."

Meredith scoffed at her mother's tone, turning around and opening her favorite perfume bottle, Miss Dior, and spraying small amounts on her collar bone and wrists.

"Fine." The ebony-eyed girl shrugged, knowing that it was dangerous to go against her mother, even if it was a simple argument about privacy. "Mother knows best." She mumbled under her breath, mascara-coated eyes rolling.

"What was that?" Jenna called from the walk-in closet, taking a pair of Prada loafers from the bottom shelf.

"Nothing!" Meredith called through a sugary sweet voice, a tight-lipped smile plastered across her face.

Soon after, Jenna Waters emerged from the closet, hitting the light switch and closing the door. She extended the Prada shoes towards her daughter, who gladly accepted them. "Here."

As controlling as she was, Jenna maneuvered herself, so she was leaning across her daughter's bed, flattening the silk pillows and straightening out the duvet cover. "So, your father and I have been talking."

Slipping her shoes on, Meredith focused on her mother's speech of the day. "And we thought it would be best to hire a maid." Sensing the spoiled teenager would begin to protest, Jenna wasted no time to finish speaking. "I am aware that our last one didn't work out as well as we wished, but I just believe she was untrained. So, with your father's business growing more busy and, I'm not sure if you're aware, but his research with Ward Cameron also hit a sky-rocket,"

At her words, Meredith's brows pinched together in confusion. She was well aware her father and the Cameron father had been working together in business since they moved closer, although she had no recollection of their research.

"I think it would be nice to have someone around here who can tidy things up when we can't," Jenna proposed. "Of course, this maid would be expected to listen to you as well and do anything you wish of her."

"I don't know, mommy," Meredith tilted her head in dissatisfaction, knowing the last maid was poorly trained and unfit for the Waters' living conditions. "Remember Tabitha? She didn't exactly like daddy."

"Well, she was a snob." Jenna scoffed, ignoring the way her daughter sent her a judgemental glare. "But, this one would obviously be trained and respectful. What do you think?"

"I mean, I guess." She shrugged. "It doesn't really matter to me. But, I request someone with impeccable cooking skills."

Together, the mother and daughter laughed, Jenna sending her daughter a playful eye roll. Yes, most of the time, Meredith Waters and her parents didn't get along and weren't on the same terms, but she loved them nonetheless, as they did to her.

"Alright." Jenna sighed. "I'll let your father know. Now, are you ready? We're nearly going to be late."

"I'm ready," Meredith nodded, collecting her phone and traveling lipgloss, stuffing the tube into her jean skirt pocket.

The majority of the car ride to the dress shop consisted of a comfortable blanket of silence, while the other half was spent discussing more desired things for their household, a gardener being one of those things. Jenna had brought it up in the moment of discussing the maid soon-to-be hired, and it got her thinking about the hedges that hadn't been trimmed since long before the storm and the small patches of grass that had outgrown the rest.

Usually, Jenna and Michael Waters wouldn't even allow their lawn to grow slightly out of control like it was, but ever since the hurricane, it had been impossibly difficult to find suitable people to hire that weren't attending to their own troubles. For example: Pogues.

When they had officially arrived at the dress shop on the mainland, Blackbird Boutique, Jenna had insisted that they start their shop for the perfect dresses instantly if they wanted to find the right match. The mother started her search in the back section of the shop where the majority of the shorter dresses laid.

Her eyes had caught onto a mustard yellow, simple chiffon evening dress. It had a v-neck and cascading ruffles that ended slightly above the ankle. She had asked the tailor if it was possible to get it fitted properly on herself, and the man had glady taken her measurements.

Meanwhile, Meredith's eyes had laid upon the longer dresses with tighter fits around the body. She had looked at endless options, but when her eyes laid onto a long, aegean blue dress with spaghetti straps and a low back, she knew her search was discontinued. On the fabric were faint markings that shimmered when moved in the light. But, as much as she enjoyed the elegance of the design, her lips only turned up into a wide grin more when she officially tried it on.

It amazed her how well the dress hugged her figure and flowed over her feet. If anything was going to ruin her day, it would be the inability to buy the dress.

"Oh, Meredith," Jenna cooed, wide-eyed, and lips turned up affectionately. "That looks great!"

"You think?" Meredith smiled, turning to get a glance at the low back that ended at the middle of her spine, pulling her hair over her shoulder to get a better look.

"Oh, it's lovely!" Jenna laughed, both hands joining together underneath her chin. "Is this the one you want?"

"I think so," She nodded, eyes trailing up and down the smooth fabric, her hands following the motion. As usual, she didn't have to ask. In fact, Jenna was already planning on handing over her card to purchase the clothing. She didn't have to ask because when she wanted something from her parents, she got it. It was as simple as that. All she had to do was discretely bat an eyelash, and it was handed to her on a silver platter.

"I'll let the tailor know," Jenna informed, taking one last glance at her daughter before turning on her heels towards the front desk. "Take that off while I'm gone."

Meredith smiled, glancing at herself in the wall length mirrors. And for what felt like forever, she had finally been pleased with what she saw, and little did she know, a certain blonde pogue was pleased with what he saw as well, just from a different perspective.

Unbeknownst to her, JJ Maybank had taken the longer route towards the mainland while on his way to join his friends at the beach, secretly hoping he would see someone he tried so hard not to care for. No matter how badly he tried to ignore the foreign feeling, his eyes wandered to someone who, in his eyes, was encompassed in an aura of beauty, one that nobody could take away.

authors note!
not jj being a stalker 🤭 also i put a link below for what i imagine the dress to look like, but if it doesn't fit your imagination, feel free to look for something else if you'd like. ( little filler chapter ).
https://pin.it/29RoDW1