The country club had never felt more off-limits.

Zoe stood with JJ and John B just outside the grand event, watching as Kooks in expensive outfits and fake smiles fluttered past them. The three of them were the only ones not invited. Pope was stuck handing out hors d'oeuvres, Kiara and Sarah were playing the part of well-mannered Kook daughters, and that left Zoe, JJ, and John B as the outcasts.

Zoe adjusted her hoodie, feeling severely underdressed for a place like this. "This is so stupid," JJ muttered, flipping his knife between his fingers. "Why are we even here?"

"Because Sarah needs to see this," Zoe said, holding up the note. "And because she deserves to know what's going on." John B sighed, glancing around. "Yeah, well, I don't exactly think they're gonna roll out the red carpet for us."

JJ smirked. "Oh, don't worry. We'll crash it." And with that, he turned and walked straight through the open gates like he belonged there. Zoe and John B exchanged a look before following. The second they stepped inside, eyes were on them.

Zoe felt the stares, the whispers, the judgment hanging in the air. It wasn't just because they were Pogues—it was because of their reputations. JJ, the reckless criminal. Zoe, the girl raised by a drug dealer. And John B, the troublemaker with a missing dad. They didn't belong here.

"Okay, let's make this quick," John B muttered, scanning the room. They spotted Sarah near the dance floor, dressed in some expensive gown, laughing at something Wheezie said. Zoe nudged JJ. "You're up." JJ sighed. "Fine, but if I get thrown out, I'm taking you down with me." Zoe smirked. "Noted."

JJ took a step forward—then, out of nowhere, a hand clamped on his shoulder and yanked him back. JJ stumbled, turning to see Topper. And right behind him? Rafe and Kelce. "Oh, hell," Zoe muttered. John B tensed beside her. Topper grinned like he'd been waiting for this moment. "Well, well. Look what we have here."

JJ shrugged him off. "Relax, country club. We're just leaving." Rafe scoffed. "Not before we have a little chat." Before any of them could react, Rafe grabbed JJ by the collar and dragged him toward the bathrooms. "Hey!" Zoe lunged forward, but Kelce cut her off, smirking.

"Wouldn't wanna ruin the party, would you?" Zoe glared. "Move." Kelce just grinned. "Make me." Before she could, John B shoved past him, following after JJ and Rafe. Zoe didn't hesitate—she ran after them. By the time she burst into the bathroom, chaos had already erupted.

JJ was on the floor, lip busted, wiping blood from his mouth. Rafe was standing over him, rolling his shoulders, while Topper and Kelce stood near the door, blocking the exit. "Real brave," Zoe snapped. "Three against one."

JJ let out a short, humorless laugh, spitting blood onto the tile. "Yeah, you know, if you wanted a dance, Rafe, all you had to do was ask." Rafe snapped, grabbing JJ by the shirt and slamming him against the sink.

"Rafe!" Zoe moved forward, but Topper shoved her back. "I told you to stay out of it, Jones." Zoe clenched her fists. "And I told you to go fuck yourself." Rafe ignored them, focusing on JJ. "You think you can just show up here? Walk into our world like you belong?"

JJ smirked, blood staining his teeth. "Well, I am the best-dressed person here." Rafe punched him again. "Hey!" Zoe shouted, shoving past Topper. "That's enough, Rafe." JJ coughed, laughing bitterly. "Aw, come on. That all you got?"

Rafe's jaw clenched. His eyes flickered to Zoe, and for a second—just a second—something unreadable flashed across his face. Then, just as quickly, it was gone. He let go. JJ slumped against the sink, wiping his mouth. "Yeah, that's what I thought." Rafe stepped back, shaking his head. "Get the hell out of here." Zoe didn't need to be told twice. She grabbed JJ's arm, helping him up, and they both bolted out of the bathroom.

They made it almost to the exit before more trouble found them. A group of Kooks had gathered outside, whispering, watching. One of them—a guy Zoe vaguely recognized from school—tilted his head. "You really have no shame, huh?" Zoe froze. "What?"

The guy smirked. "You Pogues just keep embarrassing yourselves. I mean, really—JJ Maybank? The son of a washed-up drunk? The kid who's been arrested more times than I can count?"

JJ clenched his jaw, hands balling into fists. The guy's smirk widened, eyes flicking to Zoe. "And you—Barry's little pet project? I mean, come on." He let out a laugh. "You pretend like you're one of us, but you're not. You never were. You're just another dirty Pogue pretending to be something you're not."

Zoe's stomach twisted. Because deep down... she'd always been afraid of that. The whispers spread, eyes burning into them. John B's hand clenched at his side. JJ's entire body was tense, shaking with barely contained rage. And Zoe?

She exhaled—and then she smiled. A slow, dangerous smile. "Wow," she said, tilting her head. "You guys spend all this time talking about us, but what does that say about you?" The guy blinked. "What?" Zoe's smirk widened. "I mean, really—you have all this money, all these privileges, and yet, you're still obsessed with us?" She let out a mocking laugh. "You know what that tells me?"

Silence. Zoe stepped closer. "It tells me that even with everything handed to you on a silver platter... you're still just as miserable as the rest of us." The guy's face twisted in anger. JJ grinned. "Yeah, sucks, doesn't it?"

The second Zoe, JJ, and John B reached the main lawn, they knew they weren't getting out of this quietly. The whispers had turned into full-blown shouting. A crowd of Kooks had gathered near the entrance, their expensive suits and designer dresses glowing under the string lights. Most of them were sneering, throwing insults like knives. Others just watched, their eyes burning with judgment.

And then, as if things weren't bad enough—security showed up. "You've got to be kidding me," Zoe muttered, rolling her eyes as two guards in white shirts started making their way toward them. JJ, still wiping blood from his lip, smirked. "Aw, man. The cops didn't even get involved last time. I feel special."

John B sighed. "Not the time, man." The security guards stopped just a few feet away. "You three need to leave. Now." Before any of them could respond, Kiara's voice cut through the crowd.

"Are you serious?!" Heads turned as Kiara stormed straight toward them, Pope right behind her. "You're really gonna throw them out?" she snapped at security. "For what? Existing? Breathing?" The older of the two guards sighed, already looking exhausted. "Miss Carrera—"

"No," Kiara snapped, stepping closer. "You let Rafe and his idiot friends gang up on JJ in the bathroom, you let them run their mouths about Zoe, and we're the ones getting kicked out? Yeah, screw that." The crowd murmured, shifting uneasily.

One of the Kooks, a tall guy in a navy suit, laughed. "Oh, come on, Kiara. You're really defending them?" Kiara turned sharply. "Yeah, I am." The guy scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Why am I not surprised? You're practically a Pogue at this point."

Kiara's jaw clenched. "You say that like it's an insult." The murmurs grew louder. More whispers. More judgment. Zoe could feel the tension, the weight of the stares pressing in. Then someone else spoke up.

"You think we care?" It was a girl this time, dressed in some over-the-top gown. She crossed her arms, sneering. "You guys are a joke. You don't belong here. You never did." JJ snorted, tilting his head. "Oh, and you do?"

The girl's face twisted. "Yeah, actually. Unlike you, I don't have a rap sheet and a deadbeat dad." JJ's smirk dropped. The Kooks laughed. Zoe saw red.

She stepped forward, her entire body tensed like a coil ready to snap. "Say that again," she said, voice low. The girl raised an eyebrow. "What, you gonna hit me?" "Zoe," Pope warned, grabbing her arm.

Zoe's jaw clenched. Her hands itched to throw a punch—to wipe that smug look off her face—but she forced herself to take a breath. "Y'know what?" Zoe finally said, tilting her head. "You're right. We don't belong here." She turned, looking at the whole crowd now—at every single entitled, spoiled Kook watching them like they were dirt.

"We never did," she continued. "But guess what? I never wanted to. Because I know something all of you refuse to admit." Silence. Zoe let her gaze sweep across the crowd before landing back on the girl.

"You hate us because we don't need you," she said, voice sharp. "Because we don't want to be like you. And that scares you." The girl's mouth opened, then closed. JJ let out a low whistle. "Damn, Z." Kiara grinned. "Yeah, that's my girl." Pope smirked. "She's got a point."

John B clapped JJ on the back. "Alright, boys. I think it's time we head out." Security was still hovering, clearly unsure whether to grab them or just let them go. But at that moment, a voice called out from the steps. "Zoe!" She turned, spotting Sarah standing there—looking guilty as hell.

Sarah hesitated before stepping forward, glancing around at the chaos. "I—I didn't know they were gonna do this." Zoe's chest tightened. "Yeah. You never do." Sarah flinched. For a second, something like regret flashed across her face.

Then, quietly, she said, "I didn't tell them to throw you out." Zoe exhaled. "But you didn't stop them either." Sarah looked away. JJ clapped his hands together. "Welp. This has been fun." John B let out a breath. "Yeah, I think we've overstayed our welcome."

The tension in the air was thick.

The girl in the extravagant blue dress—some Kook Zoe barely remembered from school—tilted her head, crossing her arms. "Wow, this is actually sad," she said, her voice dripping with condescension. "You're just a pathetic little Pogue pretending to be something you're not."

Zoe's jaw clenched. The girl smirked, sensing she'd struck a nerve. "I mean, really, you spent years pretending to be one of us—putting on your cute little rich-girl act, showing up at parties like you belonged." She laughed, shaking her head. "And the whole time? You were just a sad little nobody going home to her shitty trailer in the Cut."

The whispers grew louder, a mix of amusement and shock spreading through the Kooks like wildfire. JJ stiffened beside her, his hands balling into fists, but he didn't move. He was watching her, waiting for her reaction.

Zoe didn't hesitate. Before the girl could say another word, Zoe lunged. She grabbed a fistful of the girl's silky, over-priced dress and yanked her forward, making her stumble in her heels. The girl's gasp turned into a squeal as Zoe shoved her backward.

She barely caught herself before falling, eyes wild with shock. "You wanna say that again?" Zoe snapped, breathing heavy. The girl's shock quickly morphed into rage. "You bitch—"

She barely had time to raise her hand before Zoe swung first. Her fist connected with the girl's cheek, sending her stumbling backwards into a table of champagne glasses. The table shook as the glasses shattered, the sound ringing through the stunned crowd.

A chorus of gasps erupted. "Holy shit," JJ muttered, grinning. Zoe was already advancing, ready to hit her again— Then, suddenly, strong arms grabbed her from behind, pulling her away. "That's enough, Jones." Zoe froze.

Because she knew that voice. Rafe. For a second, her mind blipped, processing the fact that Rafe Cameron had his arms around her, stopping her from beating the hell out of some Kook princess.

"Let go of me, Rafe," she spat, struggling against him. "Relax," he muttered in her ear, his voice oddly calm. Zoe hated the way it sent a shiver down her spine. She kept struggling, but his grip was strong, keeping her firmly in place.

The girl she'd punched was seething, clutching her face in shock. "Are you seeing this?!" she shrieked, gesturing wildly to the crowd. "She attacked me!" Topper, standing nearby, let out a short, amused laugh. "Damn, Zoe, you've got some anger issues."

Kelce just whistled. "Never thought I'd see the day a Pogue threw hands at Midsummers." The whispers had turned into outright chaos. People were either watching in horror or laughing like this was the best entertainment they'd ever seen.

Through the blur of voices, Zoe registered JJ's voice—"You can let her go now, Cameron." But Rafe didn't immediately move. His grip loosened slightly, but he didn't let go right away. Instead, he turned his head, his lips close to her ear.

"You done?" he muttered lowly. Zoe's heart was racing. She hated the way he sounded—so calm, so in control, like he knew she'd snap like that. Like he expected it. She let out a slow breath, forcing her body to relax.

Rafe must've felt the shift, because that's when he finally let go, stepping back. Zoe turned sharply, facing him fully. Their eyes locked—his still sharp with amusement, hers burning with frustration.

"Why the hell did you stop me?" she snapped. Rafe just tilted his head. "I mean, you were gonna kill her, Jones." His lips curled into that damn smirk. "And as fun as that would've been to watch, I don't think Barry would appreciate you getting arrested."

Zoe scowled, but before she could respond, security finally stepped in. "Enough!" one of the guards snapped. "You three—you're out."

The crowd erupted into whispers again. Kiara stormed forward, stepping in front of the security guard. "Oh, hell no! You're seriously kicking them out when she started it?!" The girl Zoe punched let out an offended gasp. "I started it?! She punched me!"

"And you deserved it," JJ muttered under his breath. Pope, who had been trying to keep out of it, finally sighed, running a hand down his face. "Okay, guys. Maybe we should just leave before this turns into an actual crime scene."

John B clapped JJ on the back. "Yeah, I'm with Pope on this one." JJ let out a disappointed sigh. "Damn. I was really hoping I'd get to throw a punch tonight."

Zoe exhaled sharply, glancing at Rafe one last time before shaking her head and turning away. "Whatever. Let's just go." And with that, the Pogues left—leaving behind shattered glass, shocked whispers, and the knowledge that Midsummers would never forget this night.