004 !! KISS

Midsummers is just around the corner.

The official summer day of every single year for all of Figure Eight to gather at the Country Club, drink and consume like royalty — where do the funds even come from? — and dance the night away in celebration
Celebration of what, you ask?

Well, owning wealth obviously.

The Pogues resent it for obvious reasons but the Midsummers is a very important tradition here at the Outer Banks, it generates so much revenue for the Southside businesses and though the residents of the Cut might complain, deep down they're sort of grateful for it.

Because money is everything.

For the Kook teenagers, it is a day to go all out. From their special handmade flower crowns to imported custom dresses and tuxedos, everything about Midsummers screams privilege.

It might be a pitiful day full of debauchery and million dollar ignorance but for every Kook on the island, it is a day to flaunt their riches and exhibit their familial status in the best ways possible.

So naturally for Ember, it's just another one of the classic bigoted social events where she must present herself as a sweet, well-mannered young lady dressed to the dimes in designer wear born only to serve and cower in the shadows of authoritarian men.

She adheres to most of it — who doesn't like dressing up after all? — but other than flexing her loaded bank account  flittering through boutiques up at Cheshire Street and planning a genuine alcohol heist with her girlfriends, Ember is oblivious to her duties as a Du Pont daughter when it comes to the Midsummers.

It does get tiring sometimes though.

"Oh! Get the red one, it compliments your complexion so well", she hears a cacophony of voices flowing through the dressing room as she stays leaning against a Victorian style couch set, scrolling through Pinterest because all hail the least toxic of social medias!

An obnoxious giggle and then . . .

"Do you think Kevin will like it?".

Oh, for God's sake.

"Of course, silly! He'll be all over you, just you wait".

This is going to be a long day.

"How do I look, Madame?".

Her gaze flicks up to find Sarah twirling in an off shoulder white dress in front of her, her angelic blonde hair flopping up and down on her shoulders as she smiles widely scuffing the marble floor with the soles of her vans.

A smile tugs up the sides of her lips at the sight of her friend looking so effortlessly beautiful.

"I think it's time for you to marry me", she steps up taking Sarah's hands in hers eliciting a loud laugh from the blonde.

"Well, since you asked so nicely . . .", Sarah presses her lips to her cheek, her sweet minty breath fanning over her pink tinted skin.

Ember lets out an unexpected giggle bringing her fingers up to twirl a strand of blonde hair between her fingers.

"You look gorgeous, Sarah. Topper doesn't deserve you".

Sarah sighs giving her a tight smile, "Good thing I'm marrying you then".

The brunette's face breaks out into a grin as she takes a step back admiring her friend dressed like an absolute princess.

A dream come true — that's what she looks like as the heavenly white silk of the fabric clings to her curves in a harmonic perfection and a playful smile stays lopsided over her glossed lips.

My god, I love her — Ember and Sarah have been close ever since they were kids playing in the same group at the school playground when Sarah's unstructured sand castle was toppled over by Roy Gillard, the infamous fourth grade bully, and Ember upon seeing a teared up blonde girl staring at the raven haired boy in pain had left Jillian Foster at the swing to go poke her nose in someone else's business as she is always wont to do.

She had inquired about the golden haired girl's "issue" and then proudly made her way to slap an aggressive hand at Roy's arm earning a loud cry of help which had summoned their teacher from the break room inside.

"Ember! You do not go around hitting people! That's bad manners, missy", Miss Olivers had declared placing her hands on her hips as she stared at the surprisingly calm girl looking up in defiance.

"He's a bully, Miss. He ruined Sarah's sand castle. I think it's time to call his parents".

"Now don't you go around telling me what to do. Apologise to Roy or I will call your mom".

Resisting an eye roll, Ember had turned to the boy who somehow looked weirdly horrified by her.

Good. Let him be scared. That's where men belong anyways.

She had plastered on an obviously fake smile and pouted, "I'm sorry, Roy! Hope I'll never have to hit you again", she'd bared her teeth watching his eyes widen in terror.

Suffice to say, Roy Gillard has never tried anything funny around Ember Du Pont ever since that day. Even today as a seventeen year old heir of a construction business, he still fears the Du Pont daughter, still smiles meekly at her at parties, still steers clear of her.

As one should.

It's weird but seeing her parents interact the way they have ever since she was born, she's never really had any sympathy for the opposite sex.

Sure if a guy's nice to her she turns into the kindest soul in this entire universe.

But — and that's a huge but — no man can ever cross her without her unleashing her inner . . . demon? devil?

She's yet to decide on the name.

"You look like you're gonna devour me", Sarah comments with a giggle snapping her back to reality.

And that's another thing.

Sarah's not just her dearest friend but also her first kiss — and she's hers — and the first person she ever did anything intimate with.

Sarah's the kind of girl who likes to say she's bisexual "only for Emmy!" and Ember is . . . well, she has a crush on every pretty girl she's ever laid her eyes on.

That's just one of the many different things that her parents would give her shit for if they knew — she hasn't really made any attempt to make her sexuality a secret though because why be secretive when you can openly flaunt it in their faces and watch them feign ignorance so that they're spared the pain of adding their daughter to the endless list of 'family rejects'?

"Maybe I will", she teasingly leans forward, Sarah yelping with surprise in response as she steps back.

"I'm not single anymore! Careful", Sarah laughs watching Ember's face twist into a scowl.

"Dump him then".

"Shush. You got the dress you were looking for?", Sarah glances around inquisitively.

Changing the topic once things get serious, such a Sarah Cameron thing to do.

Ember shrugs.

"Not really. I can't find anything that'll look good on me".

Sarah scoffs, "Liar. You look good in everything. C'mon, I'll help you", she takes her by the arm and steers her in the direction of the clothing racks.

Ember resists the urge to plant herself in place and continues in hopes that the nightmare will be over soon.

Only thing she doesn't seem to be aware of; the nightmare has just begun.

***
why does literally every obx/obx cast fic give me this really strong urge to turn it into a sarah/madelyn fic instead?? gasp is this a sign for me to write a madelyn fic