PAPER RINGS | jj maybank

014. cinderella

"Unfortunately." Athena muttered.

"Yes I remember." Sarah huffed.

"Sarah says she's not going." Wheezie told Rose, who had just walked in, a glass of champagne in her hand.

"The hell she isn't." Rose chuckled. "Your father is being coronated as Guardian of Knights of the Rhododendron, you're going."

"You're not my mother." Sarah shrugged. "I don't have to do what you tell me."

"Whatever." Rose sighed. "Your daughter says she's not going."

Ward then walked into the kitchen as Rose was leaving. She directed her last statement at him, making him look at her retreating figure in confusion.

"Um—"

"She's off Topper, JoJo." Wheezie spoke making Ward sigh.

"Wheezie, please. Go." Ward instructed.

"Come on Wheezie, let's go finish getting ready." Athena got up, smiling at Sarah before grabbing Wheezie's hand and guiding her out of the room. The two got their shoes on, laughing as the younger girl told her sister a random story about her kook friends until it was time to go.

After a bit of convincing from their dad, Sarah decided to come to Midsummers. She had rushed out of the kitchen, pulling Athena into her bedroom to help her get ready. Taylor Swift played in the background while Sarah put on some makeup and her white dress, placing her flower crown in her hair, putting an identical one on Athena's head. Sarah had decided she didn't want to walk into the party with Topper and asked Athena if they can go together.

Which is why, the two were walking behind Ward and Rose, their hands intertwined while people clapped them into the party. Topper then stopped Sarah for a chat, and Athena decided it was the perfect time to sneak off and find Kie.

"Kiki Dee!" Athena exclaimed, hugging Kie when she found the curly haired girl. "How are you?"

"Thena!" Kie smiled. "Don't ever call me Kiki Dee again."

"I love your dress." Athena complimented, ignoring her order and smiling at her. Kie had on a long purple dress, a purple flower crown in her curly haired updo, emphasising the girl's natural beauty.

"I love yours, blue has always been your colour." Kie replied, spinning Athena around so she could see the entire dress, laugh falling from their lips. Sarah then appeared out of nowhere, grabbing ah hold of Athena's hand.

"A, dance with me." She ordered, dragging her towards the dance floor.

"Sorry." Athena shouted to Kie, over her shoulder. "I'll find you later."

The twins laughed as they stumbled onto the dance floor, finding Wheezie as they went. The three sisters spun around in a circle, feeling as if nothing had changed in the year since they had done this before. Laughs reverberated throughout the gazebo they danced under as the twins stole drinks from their dad, drinking them behind his back while Wheezie distracted him while they tried to have a good time.

Looking over Wheezie's head after spinning her around, Athena noticed a familiar head of blond hair. She quickly excused herself from her sisters. "I'm going to grab a drink, be right back."

She then ran off the dance floor, her sister's not thinking anything of it as she rushed away from them. She caught up to the figure as he turned around, almost of it he sensed she was there. "JJ?"

"Attie." JJ breathed out happily, catching Athena when she jumped into a hug. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him as close as physically possible, like he would disappear again if she let go.