𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫, 𝐣𝐣 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤

𝐭𝐞𝐧

claire had gotten home and was sitting at the large table area when topper locked on the glass door. she sighed and opened the door.

"Hey." she fist bumped him. even though she was mad because of what he had done, she couldn't stop herself from doing the small gesture.

"Hey, how's John B? Is he... is he doin' all right?" topper asked.

"Like you give a shit." claire scoffed and called for sarah. "sarah! your boyfriend is here!"

"You realize I did not push him. He lost his balance and fell." topper explained himself.

"Don't lie." sarah said as she entered the room.

"He fell against the rail. Not my fault." topper said.

"That is messed up." claire sighs and takes a seat.

"You forget about us, like Midsummers was supposed to be our coming-out party. That was supposed to be something special, right?" topper told sarah.

"What does it matter, Topper? We're in high school.

It's not like we're getting married." sarah told the boy.

"I don't care if we're in high school! I love you!" topper shouted.

"No, you don't, Topper!" sarah shouted back, "You love the idea of me. You love being seen with me but you don't love me." sarah told him.

claire glanced between the couple, amused by the fight.

"You have no idea what I'm feeling. You have no clue. What about... what about this summer? Right? This summer was supposed to be legendary." topper spoke.

"I don't care anymore, Topper. I can't be with you. Not after last night." sarah said.

"Oh, after last night? You... you wanna talk about last night?" topper questioned.

"Sure." sarah nodded.

"Did you forget the part where you cheated on me? Huh? Did you forget about that?" topper shouted as ward rounded the corner, fixing his watch, not noticing the now, ex-couple and claire yet.

"You're a slut! You know that? You're a slut!" topper shouted at sarah. claire stood up at this and pushed him back.

"Watch your mouth when you talk about my sister." she sneered at him when ward came up to them.

"Your daughter's banging a Pogue..." topper got cut off when wards hands wrapped around his neck, lifting him off the ground.

"Dad." sarah warned.

"You need to go home, Topper." ward told the boy, walking towards the door.

"Dad, stop." sarah sniffled, "Dad, let go of him, please."

ward shoved him out of the house and topper left.

claire was still fumed by what topper had said to sarah. sarah's sobs snapped her out of her trance.

"Come on. Come on. Come on." ward pulled the crying girl into a hug.

--

"So you found the gold?" sarah asked john b and claire.

"Yes." claire nodded.

"But under an axe murderer's house?" sarah said as they walked to john b's house.

"Well, yeah, uh... kind of." john b scratched his head.

"That's perfect." sarah says jokingly.

"Kinda wish I was with you guys." sarah admitted.