Dreamer | Outer Banks

26 - Midsummers

Do you ever have that one feeling that everyone is staring at you? I know how I feel right about now, except for the fact that everyone was staring at me. It's not everyday that you would see a Pouge at Midsummers but here I was.

"Everyone is looking at me." I muttered to Marco who had his arm linked around mine as we walked along the lawn.

"Let them stare, it means you're doing something right." He replied, giving me a slight nudge with a bright smile.

A small smile creeped onto my face, he always knew what to say and I still have no idea to this day how he comes up with it. "I'll try to keep that in mind."

The two of us walked around, talking to other guests, and eventually I noticed Kie and Pope talking off by the grill.

"Hey, I'll be right back." I tapped Marco's shoulder and began making my way over to the two.

As I neared them they didn't seem to notice me as they were deep in conversation so I cleared my throat and the two turned around expecting to see some snotty Kook.

"Woah." Kie muttered, wide eyed while Pope stared at me in shock.

"Is it too much? People have been staring at me since I got here, I-" Kie cut me off by attacking me in a tight hug. "Kennedy, you look beautiful."

"Thanks Kie, I can't remember the last time I dressed up like this." I said, pulling away from her. "You ever seen this many Kooks in one place?"

"Yeah. Last year." Pope spoke up, staring at the lawn that was infested with Kooks left and right.

"We're in the lion's den." Kie added.

"Hey, have you heard from JJ?" I questioned, I haven't heard a word since that day at Heyward's and I was starting to get worried for him.

"No." Kie sighed before she noticed my face drop and gave me a side hug "He'll be alright. He's got the survival instincts of a cockroach."

"It's all my fault." Pope muttered, avoiding eye contact and looking at the crowd.

"You didn't do this, Pope. Topper almost killed you. Remember?" Kie tried reasoning.

The crowd started cheering and I looked over to see the Cameron's exiting the house and everyone applauding them. "Here comes Lord Capital and the Explorers."

"She's gonna poke somebody's eye out with that." Pope said referring to Rose's headpiece and I nodded. "She kinda looks like Lady Liberty."

"I think I'm gonna get something to drink, I'll catch you guys later." I said before walking away and dodging the crowds of people.

Just as I was about to enter the house someone bumped into me but was able to catch myself before I could fall.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry Kennedy. Are you okay?" Said a voice who I couldn't quite place and looked up to see Sarah Cameron standing in front of me.

"I'm fine, are you-" I started but was cut off by Sarah dragging me by my arm around the house and over to the pavilion. "What are you doing?"

Sarah didn't answer and instead kept on peering around me as if she were looking for someone.

"Sarah? Sarah? What are you looking for?" I asked, trying to catch her attention by waving my hand in front of her face.

"Huh? Oh sorry, I thought I saw something." She replied, turning her attention back to me but not before taking one last look behind me.

"So? Do you need something or...?" I said motioning back to the party but Sarah grabbed my wrist stopping me. "I can't stand him anymore Kennedy, I can't."

"Who now?" I questioned, not putting two and two together.

"Topper, Kenn, Topper." Sarah shouted in frustration, not aimed towards me but clearly Topper.

"What did he do now?" I sighed and pulled Sarah over to a nearby bench.

"He makes it so hard to be in a relationship with him, I just don't think he's the one." She sighed.

"Then break up with his ass. I'm only gonna say this once because Kie would literally kill me but you could do much better than him."

"Is Topper being an asshole to you too?" Sarah asked nonchalantly and I nodded wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Is that even a question, of course he is."

"But how about this, we go have some fun tonight and forget all about Topper. Does that sound good?" I asked standing up and lending a hand to help her.

"We got a dance floor calling our name." Sarah joked as I pulled her up.

"Together? Not be rude but are you sure you want to be seen with a Pogue?" I asked.

"I think I'll take my chances." She said as we walked out of the pavilion and back towards the house.

"Whatever you say Princess." I joked.

~~~

Normally I wasn't the type of girl who would enjoy dancing all night long but I was surprisingly having fun with Sarah. Still I could feel everyone's eyes on me but I was slowly getting used to it and let myself have some fun for once.

As Sarah and I danced I noticed from the corner of my eye that someone had tapped Sarah on the shoulder and had to do a trouble take before realizing it was JJ. "JJ?"

"I got a, uh, note from Vlad." JJ said holding up a folded piece of paper for Sarah as he danced along to the music playing. Who the hell was Vlad?

"From...from Vlad?" Sarah repeated, taking the note from JJ's hand as he continued to dance around her.

"Yeah. Just read the note." JJ said.

He winked at her before grabbing my arm as he walked past me and pulled me away from the crowd. "Unless my eyes are deceiving me, is Kennedy Routledge at a party?"

Ignoring his last comment, I immediately wrapped my arms around his neck tightly without any intention of letting go.

JJ didn't react a few seconds and stood frozen before wrapping his arms around my waist even tighter than me.

"You do know that if you ever leave me again I'm gonna kill you, right?" I muffled into his chest before we finally broke away.

"Yeah I know." JJ laughed, still holding my waist before letting go. "On that note, I gotta go."

"Woah woah woah, hold on there for a second. Where do you think you're going?" I said pulling him back towards me.

"Where am I going? Let me just think for a second...out of here." JJ replied, tapping his chin to act like he was in deep thought.

"Fine, just don't get caught, I don't want to bail you out of any more unnecessary trouble." I joked and kissed him on his check.

"Me? Never?" JJ acted surprised I would ever say such a thing. "Now I gotta go before people start noticing I haven't been getting their drink orders."

"By the way you look beautiful." JJ smiled before running off to god knows where and I turned around to see Sarah was now gone too. "Great."