Lena Boggs
"Sarah I don't know..." I hesitated as I stared at myself in the mirror. "I would never be able to afford a dress like this, I can't just take it from you." I turn towards Sarah who's sitting on her bed stuffing her face with Cheetos.
She swallows before placing the bag beside her. "Lena, I promise you. It's okay, seriously. You look beautiful, Ayden will love it and I am going to love seeing you in it. So that's enough payment."
I sighed as I glanced back down at the dress and smiled softly to myself, my hands running down the length of it before I did a little spin. "I do like it..." I admit as Sarah watches me smiling.
"Exactly! All the more reason for you to wear it, look this is my first year going to MidSummers with John B. I practically had to beg Ward and Rose to even let him come, so I'm going all out. That means you should too." She stands from the bed, walking towards me while wiping her hands on the jean shorts she was wearing.
"You're going to have fun, you're going to look hot and you're going to forget all about JJ Maybank for at least one night." I turned back to face the mirror, my eyes traveling down my body.
Sarah was right. I needed to let go tonight, to forget about everything that has been happening recently. "Okay, I'll wear it."
As I stared at myself in the mirror, I couldn't help but smile at myself. I looked different and I felt pretty.
My hair was curled perfectly, Sarah had even done my makeup- Which was something I hardly ever did. The eyeliner made my eyes stand out even more, and the red dress I was wearing certainly helped amplify them as well.
"Lena, are you rea- Woah." I turned to see Sarah standing in the doorway of the bathroom in a beautiful silk white dress with long sleeves that showcased her every curve, her glossy lips parted as she took in my appearance.
"You look so good, Lena." Sarah compliments me, stepping close to take in a better view of me. "Sarah you look amazing," I said breathlessly, her blonde hair pulled up in a Dutch Crown Braid with a few strands in front of her face.
"Never mind me, Lena, you look so pretty. I'm honestly speechless." She grabs my hands. "Are you ready to go?" I took one last glance at myself in the mirror before nodding. "Yeah, I'm ready."
As we got downstairs much to my surprise Ward Cameron complimented my appearance, Rose Cameron agreeing with him as they sent me a nod of approval. Sarah leaned into me as she caught me looking around, "Rafe isn't coming with us."
"Are you coming with us, Lena?" Ward questioned as he pulled his suit jacket over top of his dress shirt. "Uh... I'm actually going with my friend, who lives just next door." I replied, watching Ward fix his tie.
"You're friends with the Sower's?" He seemed surprised at my confession, as he wrapped his arm around Rose. "Yeah. I'm friends with their son, Ayden."
"Ayden is a wonderful young man, I'm just surprised he's gotten so close with you. Considering the short amount of time he's been here." I could sense the judgment in his voice, making my eyes slightly narrow toward him. I knew what he meant was he was surprised a Kook had asked a Pogue like me to this event.
I turn to Sarah, "So. John B meeting you here, or there?" I asked just despite her father, knowing how little he approved of their relationship. Sarah's lips pulled into a smirk, obviously catching onto my little scheme.
"Oh, there. We're walking in together." We don't miss the scoff that falls from Ward as she says this. "I'll see you guys there then, I'm going to go walk over to Ayden's." I said, kissing Sarah on the cheek.
"Bye Rose, bye Ward," I say as I step around them as I leave out the front door.
Just as I reached the end of the Cameron residence driveway, "You look breathtaking." I jump at the sudden voice behind me, making me whip around.
Ayden stands in front of me with his hands shoved in his pockets, his eyes traveling down my dress before making eye contact with me. "I was... I was just coming to pick you up, and... Wow." I couldn't help but blush that made its way onto my face at his words.
I found myself gazing down at the simple black suit that he wore, my eyes stopping on the color of his tie. He had texted me earlier asking what color dress I would be wearing, I just didn't think he was intending to match me.
"You matched me." I blurt, making Ayden run a hand down his tie as he chuckled nervously. "Yeah, I hope that's okay... My parents thought it would be a good idea."
I gasp, "Holy crap. I didn't even think about that!" Ayden looks at me in confusion, as I begin to panic. "I have to meet your parents, and the only time your sister ever met me was when I came to your house looking like someone on crack!"
Ayden steps forward taking my hands into his. "Calm down... My parents are so loving, and yeah you may have looked a little crazy the first time my sister met you," Ayden says in a joking tone. "But you look beautiful, they'll adore you."
I exhaled as I nod slowly. "Okay, okay I'm somewhat calmer now." I inform him, as he smiles down at me. "Great, they're waiting for us so we can leave. We should get back to mine."
In an instant, all my nerves returned as Ayden held my finger and middle finger in his hand as we began to walk to his house.
I stop Ayden before he can pull open the door to his house, placing my hand over the top of his. "Wait," Ayden looks down at me. "You look really good too... I uh, didn't get to tell you that." I mutter shyly.
Ayden's lips pulled up into a smile but before he could say anything in return, the door pulled open and a woman in a very elegant golf gown stood before us with a toothy smile on her face. "You must be Lena! Come in, come in!" She said in excitement.
As I step into Ayden's home, I'm barely given any time to think before his mother has her arms wrapped around me taking me by surprise. "Ayden has told me so much about you, I have been dying for him to bring you over!" She says as she pulls away, leaving her hands on the tops of my shoulder.
"My goodness, you are beautiful!" I blush as I smile nervously back at her. "It's so nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Sower!"
Mrs. Sower lightly taps my arm as she steps back from me. "No need for the formalities, Lena! You can call me Darla." Her attention immediately turns to her husband as he enters the main entrance, his eyes widening at my presence.
"You must be Lena, it is so nice to meet you, darling. I'm Carson, Ayden's father." He extends his hand to me as he takes a spot next to his wife. I am quick to grip his hand, as he offers me a firm handshake. "It's nice to meet you too, you guys have a lovely home." I compliment them, as Carson wraps his arm around Darla.
"Thank you so much! We're still working on some renovations, but we are settling very well." Darla smiles at me.
It was so obvious they were a Kook family. They spoke formally, it was hard to say whether or not it was because it was our first time meeting or if that's just how they were. But it was also the way they presented themselves, Darla was so well dressed it made me feel like I should have worn something better.
I couldn't help but feel out of place, even though they came off so polite and accepting. I just wasn't used to it at all, of course, I've been around Sarah's family and Kiara's but this just felt so different.
"Are we ready to head out?" Carson asks his wife, as she looks up at him. The height difference between the two was pretty distinct, but it made them look very adorable.
"Just about, we're just waiting on your daughter," Darla says, with a playful eye roll. "She's a perfectionist, always loves to make sure she looks her best." She says to me.
"ADDISON SOWER GET YOUR SLOW ARSE DOWN HERE, OR WE'RE LEAVING WITHOUT YOU!" Darla suddenly screams, making me jump slightly. I hear Ayden snicker beside me before his hand pressed against my back.
I didn't expect Darla to scream that way, maybe my impression of them wasn't exactly correct.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" The girl who let me in the first time I came here announces as she makes her way down their grand staircase. Her eyes fell on me immediately and a smile found its way onto her face.
"That dress is absolutely beautiful, Lena." She stops in front of me, "I'm Ayden's sister Addison, but call me Addie. I'm not the biggest fan of my name." She winks, causing Darla to scoff.
"Your name is perfectly lovely, Addison. Don't be silly, now! Let's all go now that little Miss. Slowpoke over here is finally ready." Darla teases, this time causing Addison to roll her eyes before smirking at me.
"Told you they are very loving," Ayden whispers to me as we follow his family to their car. I smile back at him, suddenly feeling at ease- But still like I didn't exactly fit in.
"You two look amazing!" Sarah explained as she approached Ayden and me, John B at her side with an arm around her waist. I fake a gasp as I step forward and place the back of my hand against John B's forehead jokingly, "JB are you feeling okay? I have never seen you willingly wear formal clothing!" I joke.
"Ha, ha. You're so funny Lena." John B rolls his eyes pushing my hand off his forehead. "Sarah made me, anyway." Sarah poked his cheek with a goofy grin on her face.
"You look handsome! You can't tell me you're not having a good time." Sarah giggles, John B simply shrugs. "It's alright."
"You look good, Lena." John B tells me. "I don't think I have ever seen you dressed like this before either." I grin at John B. "I guess it's a first for the both of us, then."
As Ayden and John B fell into conversation, my eyes scanned the area. A lump forms in my throat at the sight of JJ and Kiara out on the dance floor, I couldn't help but wonder if Kiara had brought JJ as her date.
I held back a frown as I noticed the smile on Kiara's face as she danced with JJ, I wanted to feel happy for her. It made me feel guilty that I hated seeing her so happy, but knowing that JJ is the cause of it... Held me back from feeling that happiness for her. I hate myself for still envisioning that I would be the one with JJ, but after confessing my feelings and not hearing from him- It proved to me that I needed to move on.
As one of the staff came up to JJ and tapped him on the shoulder, it answered my question. He wasn't here with Kiara, he was working at the party.
"I have to use the washroom... I'll be right back." I told Ayden as I touched his arm slightly, Ayden nodded back at me before returning to his conversation with John B. I just needed to recollect myself for a second.
Once I got to the bathroom, I touched up my makeup in the mirror and took a few deep breaths.
As I pulled the door open, I collided with another body making me stumble back slightly. "I'm so sorry!" I exclaim as I hear the sound of glass shattering on the floor.
I look down at the floor noticing that I had knocked a tray from the person's hands and as I look back up, I'm met with those damn blue eyes I love so much staring back into mine.
"Lena..." His eyes travel down my body slowly, making me shift from one foot to the other.
"I'm sorry for knocking your tray. Let me help you." I said as I bent down, trying to pick up the bigger pieces of glass. "No, don't!" JJ stops me, bending down and placing his hand over the top of mine.
"I don't want you to cut yourself..." He tells me, our faces only inches apart. His eyes flicker back and forth between mine, not bothering to move his hand off of mine and I don't bother to pull away.
He has a new cut on his lip, and I couldn't help but wonder what happened. My anxiety spiked wondering if Luke Maybank had put hands on him again, but as much as I wanted to ask- I didn't. Maybe that makes me a bad friend, or a terrible person considering how long I have known him. But I knew the second I asked, I would lose all the process I have made.
Snapping back into my reality, I slowly pull my hand away from his touch and clear my throat. "I should get back out there," I told him, "I'm sorry again, for... This." I gesture to the broken glass.
JJ laughs awkwardly, standing up with me. "It's fine... Just keep finding glasses everywhere, these Kooks don't know how to clean up after themselves, cearly."
I smile back at him before nodding and turning around to leave but before I can even make it two steps, JJ's fingers wrap around my wrist. "Wait, Lee." My heart throbs at my nickname.
"I just..." He stutters as I look over my shoulder at him. "Can we talk soon? Please."
I sigh deeply, my shoulders dropping as I turn back around and face the ground. "JJ... Please don't make it even harder on me, please?"
"Lena, you're the most important person in my life, don't you understand that? I... Fuck I don't want to lose you." He pleads, "Just talk to me. We'll figure things out."
As much as I wanted to turn around and wrap my arms around his neck, hold him close and never let go. I couldn't, and it killed me.
"JJ I wanted tonight to be drama-free, a night to just forget about everything. So please, if you care about me you'll let me have tonight." I begged turning around to face him, soon regretting that decision when I saw the pain written all over his face.
"I'm... I'm not saying that we'll never talk. But you need to give me time okay? I need to figure out how I can still be your friend after everything. I'm still mad at you, and everything's so fucked up. Just give me the time, at least respect that." JJ drops his hold on me, nodding ever so slightly at me.
I flash him a sad smile as I take a couple of steps backward. "I just want to say," JJ says, his voice low. "You look so gorgeous, tonight Lee B. Ayden's a lucky man."
I swallow hard, giving him one last look before turning and heading back outside where everyone was.
As I approached Sarah, John B, and Ayden again, I noticed Kiara and Pope had found their way to them as well. Pope in his work uniform as he was helping his father tonight.
"Lena, you look beautiful." Kiara compliments me, as I smile at her. "So do you, I love your dress."
Ayden smiles at me, as Pope makes some comments about how John B's suit makes him look like a hotel butler.
"Wanna dance?" Ayden asks, making me a little anxious. "Uh, sure. But I'm not the best." I warned him.
Ayden chuckled as he took my hand in his. "Just don't step on my feet with the pointy end of your heels."
As he leads me to the dance floor, I stop JJ serving a few drinks to the guests. His eyes met mine for a second before I looked away.
Ayden stops and turns to face me, his hands placed on my hips as I wrap my arms around his neck and step closer toward him. I lean my head against his shoulder as we slowly begin to sway to the light music playing.
"I'm happy you came tonight." He whispered to me. "I'm happy too." I agree, as we slowly step in circles. "See, you're not such a bad dancer!" Ayden jokes, making me laugh.
"Are you feeling okay tonight?" He questions me, making me sigh softly into his shoulder before turning my face to look up at his. "I saw JJ when I went to the washroom. It hurt but overall... I'm okay. I'm happy I came, really I am."
Ayden's face holds a soft smile as he pushes me lightly away from him, taking my one hand in his and spinning me around before pulling me back into his chest causing a shriek to fall from me and a wide smile spread on my face.
"I'm glad I could help you take your mind off things." He says before I rest my chin back on his shoulder. My eyes immediately met JJ's as he stood with a tray in his hand, staring at me and Ayden.
He's frowning as he stares, his jaw tense and other hand balled in a fist at his side making my heart sink. I wasn't exactly sure why he was reacting that way but everything in me wanted to pull away from Ayden and run to him, but I wouldn't allow myself to.
I needed to start taking care of myself, I knew that. But my heart wanted him, it wanted to keep trying.
A war I never knew how to fight.
I flinch as he slams a tray down on top of a table before storming away, a frown starting to form on my face as I ignored the feeling of going after him once he was out of my sight.
I inhaled Ayden's scent, only to find myself wishing that it was a certain blonde-haired Pogue holding me on this dance floor.
The night went on with not many other sightings of JJ, in a sense I was thankful for that but another part of me wondered where he had gone off to. Feeling a sense of guilt washed over me every time I thought of him.
I knew I didn't need to feel guilty considering everything that he's done, but I did.
I stand by Ayden's parents who we introduced to John B and Kiara, they seemed to take a liking to them as well, as John B spoke to Carson about surfing. Darla took an interest in Kiara's family restaurant, promising to visit the second they have the chance to.
I found myself lost in thought, fading in and out of the conversation with Ayden's hand around my waist holding me at his side.
"I can walk myself out!" I heard JJ shout causing my gaze to turn in the direction I heard it coming from. One of the security guards had their hand on his upper arm as they walked him towards the exit.
"Oh boy," John B mutters to himself as we all stare towards the scene JJ was making as he shoved the guard's hand off of him. "I know how to work thank you, Oh! Don't mind if I do!" JJ laughs as he takes a drink out of some poor old lady's hand, chugging back the rest.
It was clear to me that he was tipsy, as I slapped my hand to my forehead. "Thank you so much." He smiles, pushing the empty cup back in her hand.
"Ah! Kie, John B, Lee B! How about a late-night swim? Yeah?" He points as he spots all of us standing together. His eyes glaring at Ayden, "Lena if you'd like to invite your little boyfriend, you should!" I gasp at his comment as security pushes him again.
"Rose, you look like lady liberty." JJ laughs. "I'm leaving, I'm leaving!"
Kiara steps forward. "Stop! You can't just kick him out, I invited him here!" She shouts, causing the staring to turn towards her as she makes a run for it towards him.
My throat clenches as she runs into his arms and he spins her around, lifting her off the ground.
I turn back to John B and Sarah, as they smile at each other while shaking their heads before taking off with them.
As much as I wanted to join, once I saw Pope leave his father to join my friends, my feet didn't move. I stayed beside Ayden like I was glued to the ground.
Darla and Carson staring in the direction my friends just ran off in with shock written all over their faces, slowly everyone got back to normal as if it never even happened.
Addie walks up to us with a stray in her mouth, "They look so fun."
I grin. "That's my friends for you, a little nuts but amazing people." Addie laughs along with me, "So lucky."
I turn back to Ayden. "Can you take me home?" He nods quickly before turning to his parents. "I'm going to take Lena home, I'll see you guys back at the house."
Darla takes my hand in hers. "Lovely meeting you Lena, thank you for accompanying us tonight! I hope you come back again very soon."
"I will, you can count on it. It was so nice meeting you all too!" I said to her, Carson and Addie.
Ayden and I had gotten out to the street in front of the country club, the only lights around were the dim street lights along the road. "We just have to walk back to mine so I can grab my car."
I smirk at him, kicking off my heels and picking them up in my hand. "Race you!" I shouted before taking off in a sprint down the street, the cool air on my skin.
"Thank you for tonight again, Ayden." I thanked him as we sat parked outside of my house. He grins at me, "Don't thank me, it was an honor."
We sat in silence just staring at each other for a few moments, and I found myself looking down at his lips... But I didn't find myself thinking about anything other than JJ, and how his lips didn't look as soft as JJ's were as he began to lean in.
"I should go in," I tell him in a panic, Ayden clears his throat and then nods. I pushed open the door and stepped out, the sound of crickets was the only thing I could hear as I smiled down at him.
"Goodnight, Ayden."
"Goodnight, LeeLee."
As I make my way up to my front door, Ayden waits until my door is pushed open and I wave at him one final time before pulling out of my driveway and taking off down the street again.
I closed the door behind me quietly, until I noticed the kitchen light was still on and I made my way towards the kitchen as I unlocked my phone.
I found myself staring down at JJ's contact, debating whether or not I should send him a message asking whether or not he was okay.
Hey... I hope ur okay... I typed.
As I stepped into the kitchen, ready to hit send- My phone dropped from my hands and fell to the floor as panic washes through me.
There in the middle of the kitchen floor, lies my Mom, unconscious in a pool of blood.
"MOM!" I scream dropping down to my knees.
———
*Haven't edited*
I imagine Isabela Merced as Addison Sower
Little reminder: Matthew Daddario is who I imagine as Ayden Sower
HELLO! OKAY THIS WAS LONG AND I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS ANY GOOD.
JUST TO CLARIFY: MidSummer's wasn't supposed to be just like in the show, it had similarities yes but I put my own mix into it :) Also, soon I am going to start doing other POV's instead of only Lena :)
Feedback if you'd like!
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A