─☼☼☼─

𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙁𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏 𝙁𝙍𝙊𝙈 the other night still had Charlotte shaken up. Even though Pope and JJ both claimed they were totally okay, the bruises on their faces said otherwise. 

In that moment, Charlotte hated Topper, Kelce and Rafe. In that moment, Charlotte hated all Kooks. 

She still wasn't entirely sure what exactly Pope and JJ had done to experience the wrath of Rafe and his buddies, but she knew whatever it was, it didn't warrant them almost being beaten to death. 

So, for that reason, among others, Charlotte was avoiding the Figure Eight until further notice. No more country club. No more house parties. No more Rafe. 

That meant that she was also avoiding Willa and Kensington, which honestly, she didn't mind doing. Something Rafe said the other night wasn't sitting right with her. And while she knew the right thing ─ the mature thing─ would be to simply ask them if what Rafe said was true, she didn't want to. Part of her was afraid to hear the answer. 

Leaning further against the counter in The Wreck, Charlotte glanced around. It was a rather slow day, something Charlotte was kind of thankful for. 

She had picked up some extra shifts working in her parents' restaurant, knowing that was the best way to keep herself occupied. 

In fact, she kind of liked working. It felt like a way for her to earn her keep. And while her family wasn't necessarily struggling for money, it was always nice to be able to contribute. 

"Char." Her mother said from behind her, and from the impatient tone in her voice it seemed that was not the first time she had tried to get her eldest daughter's attention. 

"What?" Charlotte asked, turning to look at her with a slightly startled expression. 

"Have you spoken to your sister today?" Anna wondered as she rang something through the cash register. 

Charlotte shook her head. "No. I think she's over at Heyward's with the boys."

She tried to hide it, but the small grimace on Anna's face was painfully obvious to Charlotte. 

"They're good kids, mom. Despite some of the shit you might have heard. Just because they're Pogues, doesn't automatically make them bad people."

Anna looked slightly taken aback. "I never said that, Charlotte."

"You might as well have."

"I noticed you've been over there a lot too." Anna said as nonchalantly as possible. It was clear that she was worried they were losing their 'golden child' to the so-called 'dark side.'

Charlotte smirked, knowing that her actions were getting under her mother's skin. "Yeah. Well I figured I've already dated the Prince of Kooks, why not try to hook up with the Prince of Pogues, too."

She wasn't entirely sure who the 'Prince of Pogues' was, but the look on her mother's face made none of that relevant. 

"Smarten up, Charlotte. I'm serious."

The young girl laughed as she fixed her apron. "Mom, relax. I'm just trying to spend some time with Kie this summer. Isn't that what parents are supposed to wish for? Their daughters being best friends?"

"Of course that's what I want, Char. I just ─" She paused, shaking her head. "─Just, be you."

"That's exactly who I'm being mom...for maybe the first time in years."

"Okay." Her mom conceded, giving her a small smile. 

A silence settled between them for a moment before Anna spoke again. "Why don't you take off early? It's not very busy in here. You could meet up with Willa and Kensington, maybe get your nails done for tomorrow night?"

Charlotte looked at her mom and furrowed her brows. "Tomorrow night?"

Anna looked like she wanted to rip her hair out in frustration. "Yes, Charlotte. Tomorrow night."

She seemed to think that if she said 'tomorrow night' more than once it would make Charlotte understand what in the world she was talking about. 

"Mom, I'm gonna be honest. I have no idea what 'tomorrow night' is."

"Midsummers?" Anna exclaimed. "Ring a bell?"

Shit. 

Midsummers used to be the event Charlotte looked forward to all summer. She would get all dressed up, do her hair, her nails, her makeup and then her and Rafe would have the time of their lives. 

They had been planning to go together this year...hell, his suit even matched her dress. 

With a sheepish look, Charlotte dipped her head slightly. "Mom, do I have to─"

"Yes." Anna confirmed. "I know the novelty may have worn off on you after going with Rafe for so many years...but your father and I have worked extremely hard to get to this place. You'll be there, Charlotte and so will your sister. I've already taken your dresses to the dry cleaners, I'll need you to pick them up after work."

The tone in Anna's voice was one of finality. She was not going to back down.

"Fine." Charlotte huffed, plastering on a fake smile at the customer who had just walked through the door. "I'll be with you in just a moment." She said in her best customer service voice before turning back to her mother and dropping it lower. "I'll go...but I am not going to enjoy it this year."

─☼☼☼─

Charlotte had thirty minutes left in her shift when Kie came rushing in, her face struck with horror. 

Setting down the tray of drinks she was carrying, Charlotte looked toward her sister with raised brows. "What happened?"

"JJ got arrested." Kie blurted, loud enough for Anna, who was behind the counter, to hear and subsequently drop her head in disappointment.. 

So much for what Charlotte had said earlier about them being good kids. 

Looking around at the few customers who sat in quiet chatter, Charlotte grabbed  Kiara's arm and pulled them into the back hallway. "What did he do?" She demanded. 

Kie shook her head. "Destruction of property according to the warrant. Apparently, he sunk Topper's boat."

"Damnit." Charlotte breathed, placing her hands on the top of her head. "That's why they came after them at the movie, isn't it?"

"Does it matter?" Kiara snapped. 

Charlotte shot her a warning glance. "No. It doesn't matter, Kiara. I'm just trying to piece together the puzzle here, okay?"

Dropping her hands to her side, the eldest Carrera sister paced in a small circle. "So what do we do? Can we post his bail?"

"No." Kiara argued instantly. "I cannot ask dad to do that again."

"I have money." Charlotte insisted. "I worked last year at school...I've been saving up."

Kiara was kick to disagree. "No. You're not doing that." She let out a shaky sigh. "It's JJ...he'll figure it out, okay?"

Charlotte stared at her little sister for a long moment, an uneasy pit settled in her stomach as she finally nodded. "Okay."

Leaning against the wall, Kiara tipped her head back and let out a defeated sigh. "Are you almost done here?"

"Yeah." Charlotte answered. "And then I have to swing by the dry cleaners and pick up our dresses." The way she said the last word was one full of mockery.

Kiara winced as she too, seemed to just remember the event they were due to attend tomorrow. "Midsummers?"

With a mocking grin on her face, Charlotte nodded. "Oh, you bet."

"I don't want to go." Kiara deadpanned. "I'm telling mom that I'm not going."

"Doesn't work." Charlotte revealed. "Already tried."

"Since when do you hate Midsummers?" Kiara questioned skeptically. "Hasn't it always been your favourite part of summer?"

Charlotte shrugged as she picked at a loose thread on her apron. "Yeah. It used to be...before everything happened, I guess."

Kiara didn't need to press anymore, she knew exactly why her sister was now dreading the event she used to love so much. 

"He really ruined the Kook life that much for you?" She wondered, eyes locked on Charlotte. "I mean, I'm not complaining, but..."

Pushing her shoulders back slightly, Charlotte regained her composure. "It's not just that. I just─ I don't know. This year at college opened my eyes to a lot of things."

A small smile had settled on Kiara's face as she nodded. "Good. There's always room over for you on The Cut...don't forget it."

Charlotte laughed. "Thank God for that."

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