On Top//Topper Thornton

twelve

Today is Midsummer. It's a huge party at the Island club. Since I'm a member of the most well known Kook family I have to go. To make matters worse my Dad is being coronated Guardian of Knights of the Rhododendron. All eyes are going to be on my family tonight.

Sarah and I are getting ready. Neither of us really want to go, but what Dad says goes.

Sarah looks over at me as she does her make up. "What's up with you and Topper?"

"What's up with you and John B?" I counter. Sarah smiles slightly. "Just be honest with your favorite sister. Are you and him anything?"

Sarah hesitates for a moment. "I mean we don't really know each other but..."

I smile slightly. "But..."

"We kissed," Sarah tells me. I chuckle. "But you can't tell anyone. If Kie finds out she'll freak."

I nod my head. "No way I'm telling her. She will definitely shoot the messenger."

"So how are things with Topper?" Sarah asks.

I groan in frustration. "I don't know. My friends are practically at war with him. And... and I told him I was ready and then I backed out."

"Again?" Sarah asks.

I make a face. "Yes. Again."

"But you like him right?" Sarah asks.

I nod my head. "I like him a lot."

"So what's the problem?" Sarah asks.

I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know. I really like him, I just..."

"You're afraid to commit?" Sarah asks.

I shake my head. " I'm more afraid of losing control."

Sarah smiles at me reassuringly. "Don't worry about it. If Topper really cares about you he'll wait." I nod my head. "And if he doesn't I'll kick his ass."

I find Kie at the party not bothering to head in with my family. I smile at her as we do our handshake. "You look like a bourgeois pig."

Kie smiles. "It's disgusting."

"But at least you have me to get you through the night," I remind her.

Kie points to where Pope is standing. "And Pope."

We walk over to him and I put on an English accent, "Excuse me, sir."

Kie puts on an accent as well, "Do we have to shuck these ourselves? 'Cause it might mess up my costume."

Pope laughs. "We wouldn't want that now, would we?"

"That accent was bad," I state.

"It was. I was gonna let it go," Kie says.

"You ever seen this many Kooks in one place?" I ask.

"Yeah. Last year," Pope tells me.

"We're in the lion's den," Kie states.

"Exactly," I tell her.

People clap as my family walk through the door.

"Here come Lord Capital and the Exploiters," Kie states.

"She's gonna poke somebody's eye out with that," Pope comments on Rose's head piece.

"Rose has always had a flare for the dramatic," I remark.

"Sometimes I forget you're related to them," Pope confesses.

I chuckle. "Yeah." Sarah waves me over to her. "I gotta go pretend I'm enjoying this. I'll see you later."