XVII. little taste of heaven

      Pope stared at the Midsummer attendees with envy. The way they laughed their heads off in their fancy suits and designer dresses while drinking the most expensive champagne money could buy. They have no care in the world to the other side of the island was currently in shambles. They lived in a bubble that contained expensive yachts and million dollar homes. Their skin shined like the plastic it was made of. Cold, shiny, hard plastic. Pope knew he would never be like one of them. He was the kind of person that watched from the distance. He wasn't the one that joined in on the fun. That's how the world worked.

"I've never seen someone look so good in an apron."

Pope turned around and he swore his heart stopped. He stood in awe of the Jennings girl and took in her appearance. The burnt orange color of her silk dress complimented her skin tone. Her skin shined in the light.  Her usual messy and wild curls were now blow out into soft waves. The bruises on her face were covered with makeup. You never would be able to tell what she went through. A headband with rows of orange begonias rested on her head and tied the look together. She was simply flawless. A little taste of heaven.

Dylan went red under his stare. "Your dad have you on lock down again? She asked, referring to the outfit and grill.

"Yeah, um. . ." Pope started and paused to clear his throat. "Y'know, punishment for almost getting arrested. Not that I mind,"

"Yeah, my dad's keeping a close on me," she responded and looked around for her father. "I told him to leave his shotgun at home."

His eyes went wide. "Shotgun?"

She nodded. "Yeah, he keeps it under his bed in case of a break in." She explained and smiled at him. "Don't worry, it's not for you."

He mentally sighed. "Wonderful." He looked her up and down again. "Wow. Um. . . you look beautiful."

A pretty smile stretched on her lips. "Thank you. I wasn't sure if the orange would suit me. My mom picked it out." She said and picked at her dress.

You look beautiful in everything, he said to himself. "Well, Ainsley has great taste."

"I'll be sure to tell her that."

Heyward came over and he smiled at the girl. "Dylan, sweetheart, you look beautiful,"

"Thank you!" She beamed and hugged the man tightly.  "I'm so happy you're here. I'd munch rather have your oysters than the stupid hors d'ouevres they're passing around."

The man chuckled. "Well,  you and your family have always been my best costumers."

Dylan smiled kindly and Pope felt his stomach twist again. Since she was a kid, Pope's father always took a liking to her. She was his favorite amongst his group of friends. She was just like his son. Driven and focused. She worked hard for what she wanted and she, too, wanted to have a future outside of Kildare. She wanted the best for Pope.

"Excuse me, sir. Do we have to shuck those ourselves?"

Hearing the request, Pope refrained from rolling his eyes and turned around. Both he and Dylan smiled when they saw Kiara.

"Cause it might mess up my costume." She said in a posh accent with a pretty smile.

"Or break a nail," Dylan added in the same fake accent.

The Carrera girl grabbed her hands. "Oh my gosh, you look so pretty! I knew that color would look amazing on you."

"I can't believe your mom managed to get you in a dress," Dylan responded and looked at Kiara's appearance.

She rolled her eyes. "She insists on me being on my best behavior tonight." She grumbled.

Pope chuckled. "That'll be fun to see,"

The three friends observed the party. Dylan could see her mother and father mingling with everyone. "You ever see this many Kooks in one place?" Kiara voiced.

Pope nodded. "Yeah. Last year."

"Sometimes when my mom and dad drag me to dinner invites."

"We're in the lions den."

"Exactly."

Dylan listened clearly to the laughs that came from the party attendees. She watched as the women fiddled with the skirts of their dresses and the men adjust their ties and clinked their glasses with others. The waiters walk around with clear crystal bottles of heavy scented alcohol. Platters of hors d'ouevres with thousands of dollars of caviar and truffles. Dylan had attended hundreds of kook filled parties and every time she was amazed at how incredibly fake everyone acted.

She didn't want to be like them. She refused to be like them.

Pope shut the lid of the grill. "Hey. . . have either of you heard from JJ?" He asked the girls

Dylan frowned deeply. She couldn't stop thinking of him since what her father told her. JJ Maybank was a teenage boy with a lot of demons, and the worst of them was his father. She tried to get him to come stay with her numerous of times but JJ liked to fight his battles on his own. He didn't like for people to know he was struggling. Especially not his friends.

"No," Kiara answered with a downturned expression. "He'll be alright. He's got the survival instincts of a cockroach."

Dylan cracked a smile. "You can try to crush him but he'll always come back."

"It's all my fault." Pope muttered.

She immediately looked at him to rebuttal but Kiara beat her to it. "Uh—You didn't do this, Pope. Topper almost killed you. Remember?"

Pope didn't respond to her. He looked to Dylan. She sent him a frown because she also felt like it was her fault. She didn't speak up. She felt utterly useless and now JJ had to pay the price for it.

Everyone started clapping and the friends turned their attention to see the Cameron family making an appearance. "Here come Lord Capital and the Exploiters," Kiara commented.

"She's definitely going to poke someone's eye out with that." Pope said while looking at Rose's extravagant head piece.

"POPE!" Braxton shouted and the young boy sprinted towards them.

Pope held his arms out. "Hey! What's up, dude?" He said with a large smile.

Braxton hugged his waist. When the two of them pulled away, the twelve year old looked up at his sister.  "I hate to interrupt but mom wants you to come mingle."

Dylan groaned. "I don't want to mingle."

"Take that up with dad. I'm just the messenger." He shrugged.

The older sister rolled her eyes. "Fine." She turned to her friends. "I must go be one with the Kooks." She exhaled dramatically.

Pope and Kiara faked a gasp. "Oh no, she's being corrupted by the Kooks." Said Kiara.

"She's leaving us for Kooklandia." Pope followed along and held his hand over his heart.

Dylan rolled her eyes again and laughed. "Shut the hell up."

Braxton took her hand and dragged her away.  She smiled and waved at the adults that greeted her when they passed by. Logan's face lit up when he saw his children. "Ah, there's my children!"

Ainsley wrapped her arm around her daughter and pulled her close. "Dylan, Braxton, you remember the Dunleavy's."

Dylan smiled at the old couple in front of her. "Of course. It's nice to see you again,"

"Hi." Braxton waved.

Mr. Dunleavy and his wife smiled at the family. "What beautiful children you have, Logan and Ainsley."

Mrs. Dunleavy gasped and examined the older girl. "Why, Dylan, you look so beautiful!"

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Dylan's already applying to colleges." Ainsley praised.

"Interesting. What are you thinking of studying?" Mr. Dunleavy asked.

"I really want to study criminology. I'm going to college to be a homicide detective." Dylan explained with gleaming eyes.

She could tell her statement disturbed the couple. It usually always did. Nobody understood the love Dylan had for crime. They thought it was strange for a girl like her to be interested in something so gruesome. They thought because she lived on Figure Eight that she should be exactly like them. Dylan was the opposite of the perfect Kook girl she was supposed to be.

She separated from her family and walked around the party. She heard her name being called out and she turned around to see Sarah. Her face fell. She hadn't talked to Sarah since what Rafe did at the golf course. She knew she had nothing to do with it and that she and Sarah were friends, but Dylan was scared to even be around the Cameron family. Plus, she was Topper's girlfriend.

"Dylan, hi," Sarah uttered when she stood in front of her. She gasped at her dress. "Wow, you look amazing."

Dylan cracked a small smile. "Thank you."

"I know what Rafe and Topper did to you and Pope," Sarah admitted. "I heard them talking about it. Well. . . mostly about you. I'm so, so sorry."

Dylan took a step back when she took a step forward. Sarah frowned again. "I can't believe they did that."

"You can't?" She questioned hastily. "Don't you remember when stopped tried to drown John B? Or how Rafe's tormented my friends since, like, forever? They're not good guys, Sarah."

She went to walk away and Sarah quickly stopped her.  "I know, I know! I'm sorry, DJ. I really am."

Dylan looked at her again and saw the sincerity. Sarah and Dylan had been friends since she first moved to Figure Eight. She saw her differently than everyone else. Sarah was wild and liked to have fun but she was also really sweet. She knew how Kiara felt about the girl, which made her feel guilty for being friends with her, but Dylan was friends with everyone. "I'm sorry. I know you're nothing like your brother. I'm just. . . I'm still on edge,"

Sarah nodded quickly. "I understand. And don't worry about Topper. . . I'm ending things with him.

Dylan's eyes went wide. "Wait, you are?"

She nodded again and hinted a smile. "Yeah. I'm not going to be with someone who does terrible things. Especially to people like you."

Dylan smiled warmly. "I'm glad to hear that, Sarah. Thank you."

She returned the smile. "So, what do you say? Sneak a glass of champagne."

She chuckled. "You're on."