To become a queen

[RECAP]

A time-honered tradition sweeps through the the camp. Alex pursues an unexpected friendship and Mia teams up with a fellow camper - much to Amber's dismay.

MIDGE RAYNE

When we were young, people always called little girls princesses. But what's the point of becoming a princess? Unless you grow up to become queen.

~~~

"Morning Alex, how are you?" Mia clad in white pajamas stands next to Alex's bank.

"Fine. Since when do you care everyone else's doing?" Alex smart from sleep grumbles.

"I don't know, thought it'd be good, right? I'm getting back in the game." She saunters with her bag out of the cabin to the shower block, leaving Alex irking her brows irritatingly. She applies red lipstick on her thin lips and changes into a skinky outfit, a white off shoulder and short skirt jeans. She slips into black boots and finishes with black shades and gets to the canteen.

"Whoa! I've got competition for this burned up muscles." Brendan exclaims when Mia becomes the centre of attraction. Zac shakes his head unbelievably and checks out on Kayleigh, the girl he is after. Mia walks up to the canteen serving counter and displays her hot ass making Amber burn with envy.

After their morning housekeeping job, the teens gather to hear Dave's announcement.

"Tonight it's our midsummer party." He spills the beans and everyone cheers.

"In local tradition, it's a time of rebirth and renewal celebrated with a feast and a mass ball." Mags acknowledges.

"You can make your own masks." Dave chortles.

"And we'll also be crowning our midsummer queen." Mags elaborates.

"You do realize encouraging girls to fight over trophies is non-male included gender activity." Alex opposes their idea.

"Oh, there's something for the boys too Alex, our queen will choose her king," Dave says as Mags raises the crown.

"And this ultra normative courting rituals somehow makes it better?" Alex the aloof girl wonders.

"Yeah, it'll be fun." Dave assures her as the rest laugh.

"We need some volunteers to help get everything ready, so see me to sign up. And have a think who you want as your queen."

Dave encourages as everyone disperses. Amber smiles devilishly at Mia who seems rather uninterested in the activity.

"This is what the makeover in charming the fancy is all about, from Queen Bee to Queen Mia." Alex informs Mia.

"Please, entering the popularity contest is strictly for try hards, I don't wanna win, I just want Amber to lose. So I need someone who can beat her." Mia says and Alex walks out in her.

Elsewhere, Kayleigh and Amber are standing chitchatting.

"I'm going to tell everybody that they have to vote for you." Kayleigh is excited and wants Amber to be the midsummer queen.

As Mia walks around looking for Amber's rival, Dev shows up.

"Hey Mia, I'm launching the party, so I need the team best brightest help."

"And lemme guess, you want me to lighten up your day?"

"Something like that yeah, just need to flix switch."

"It's tempting but.... I'm in the middle of something. Maybe I'll see you late when it's time to turn things on." She totally ignores him and puts back her sunglasses having spotted a sweet voice from one of the girls sitting on a bench. She's Jenna.

Alex goes back to the forest where she once saw cracks on the ground. She's totally obsessed with the idea that there's a creature lurking in the woods. She goes deeper into the forest and halts in her steps when someone startles her.

"Hi." She almost freaks out as she looks over at a girl sitting on a tree branch.

"Sorry, didn't mean to make you jump." The girl apologizes to her.

"It's okay, I just...why you sitting on a tree?"

"Who doesn't wanna sit on a tree?" She knits her brows. Alex joins her up on the tree.

"You're right, sitting trees is good."

"Told ya." The girl gives Alex a slight push on her shoulder. "I'm Petal, and yes, that's my real name."

"I'm Alex. How come you're out here and not back at the camp for midsummer loss?"

"I said I'd collect flowers to make gallons for the midsummer party."

"I'm sorry but Petal, wondering around the woods collecting flowers..."

"I know, I know. Talk about nominal of determinism, when your name is your destiny."

"I know what it means." Alex nods as the tension between becomes so obvious that Petal resolves to biting her lips. She likes girls, definitely gay. She can identify her type since Alex is a queer.

"What about you, what were you doing wandering around? Did you lose something?" Petal asks her.

"Only on my mind. There's this strange crack in the ground, like something crawled it's way out. Yesterday I heard some growling."

"Sounds creepy, I wanna see it." She smiles at her and for once since Alex arrived at the camp, she returns the smile.

Back at the camp, preparations are going on. Mia wanders around as she heads to the canteen.

"When we're done with the lights we should wear our mask sword." Zac tells Brendan, the black guy who's focus shifts to Mia.

"Yeah man....in a bit. Uh! This is hot work." He intentionally takes off his shirt as Mia passes by him not caring about his abs or anything.

"Picnic freakout girl, can I help you." Jenna who's carrying a tray of food acknowledges Mia's presence.

"It's Mia, and no, I came to see if I could help you. Can we talk?" Jenna lights up and follows her.

"How's the campaign going?" Mia asks the latter. "To be midsummer queen."

"Yeah right. I'm too old for the crown and to pick one of those immature boys as king...I have a boyfriend and he's about to graduate...."

"Yeeah, Stefan the college boy. I've seen you stalking chats all around camp. You want the mould crown."

"You seem to know a lot about me. Are you writing a book?"

"That's just what I would say...I know coz I am you." Mia takes a few steps closer to the all mighty Jenna.

"Then why are you not running for queen?"

"I can't be Amber. Now that she made it look like I dropped her in the river."

"Well, I guess that's too bad for you." Jenna snubs her and walks ahead.

"You can't be her either. Amber is still riding high after her clifftop party. You don't have the votes...but I can help you get them."

"You do that so just Amber loses. You're so petty...I love it." Jenna whispers.

"Slay queen." Mia snaps her fingers and Jenna walks away with pride.

Mia later approaches Brendan who is still fixing the lights.

"Jenna was right, you do have great abs. Don't tell her that I told you but she said you're super fit for king."

"Oh my God Jenna." Brendan is fluttered as Jenna passes by.

In the forest, Alex and Petal observe the cracks on the ground.

"It's probably nothing or patche cell like Dave said." Alex stands up from the ground.

"Oh yeah? Or could be the sea echoing through a fault line."

"Yeah, that could make sense." Alex concurs with her as she checks out a tooth stuck on a stick.

"What is that? Looks like a tooth. A human tooth." Petal touches it.

Back at the camp, Brendan seems to be quite thrilled with the girls, he's now checking Amber who was struggling to hang a lantern on a post.

"Need a hand?" He offers.

"Sure." She gives him the lantern.

"So I hard there's a vacancy for a king coming up. Someone tall, handsome and a hundred kilos. Any ideas? Now lemme make this easier for you. Imagine all of this..." Brendan who is still bares chested showcases his silhouette. "With a crown."

"Brendan, there's no guarantee I'm going to be queen. There's a whole camp people to choose from." Amber says.

"Nah, some have recommended me for Jenna..."

"Jenna?"

"I told you she can campaign who she wants but I'm queen Amber all the way." Brendan spoils the Mia's game making Amber to act fast.

Alex and Petal wander around the forest, pondering over nature.

"Could it have been a tussle, right? Or a squirrel's tooth." Alex says.

"You like irrational explanation, don't you? You're less keen on mystery and wonder...but that's the fun part." Petal enjoys Alex's company as they spot a free building in the forest.

Amber saunters to Jenna who's giving out chocolate cakes so as to gain voters.

"Hey, it's Julia, right?" Amber pretends not to know her.

"It's Jenna. As in OL Queen Jenna."

"You're running for queen?"

"What do you want?" Jenna sneers at her rival.

"To say good luck. You're very confident."

"Esteem comes naturally, my Dad always says I was born for the spotlight. Anyway, you can stop the whole undercover questioning thing. I know you're running too."

"I wouldn't put it like that."

"Right, and you think everyone is just gonna vote for you coz you're so fabulous."

"May the best woman win." Amber stretches her hand to shake Jenna's. "So no hard feelings, you've done such a great job for the food and I'd hate for you to be disappointed... after all it's taking part that counts." She marches forward and takes a piece of cake with her, leaving Jenna stunned.

She clears the utensils and takes them back to the mess. Crushing everything together into the sink deliberately as Mia arrives.

"What the heck?"

"Amber is going down!" Jenna yells. "I thought you were manipulative but she's so much worse."

"That's because I use my powers for good

Well, less evil." Mia says.

"Who does she think she is!" Jenna bangs the tray on the sink countertop.

"I told you, this is what she does. Don't let her psych you out. I think we got this." Mia encourages the latter who folds her arms.

"So now what?"

"Now, we make you look like a queen."

"Oh, that's not gonna be hard." Jenna says.

Later in the afternoon, everyone dresses up for the party, wearing masks and making a big entrance to the voting centre.

"Ladies and gentleman, voting now is open. You have one hour to pick your queen." Mags announces. Jenna and Amber dare each other with stern looks.

"I'll treat everyone to a free cake." Jenna says to Mia before rushing out to where everyone is gathered.

"Vote for Jenna," She goes around giving free cakes to everyone to buy their votes. Amber lurks around, watching her every move. She approaches the serving table and takes a keen look at the cake before facing her competitor.

"Amber, my favorite customer.... take." She offers her the cake.

"I wouldn't eat this, it looks rotten." She touches her by the arm and makes her see the food is rotten when it's not. She gasp and throws the plate down. She also makes a fool out of herself in front of everyone. They laugh at her thinking she has gone crazy. She resolves to run away as Mia follows her.

"Leave me alone. I know I've ruined it all...just leave me alone."

"Jenna, what just happened?"

"I think I'm crazy." She says.

"I don't think you're crazy...but you acted kinda crazy though."

"The food...I don't know...I must have imagined it. It must have been blood sugar or something." Jenna whimpers.

"Hey, today was a lot pressure... it's okay."

"No it's not. We lost and everyone thinks I'm insane." She cries.

"Who cares what they think, c'mon, there's a party. If we can be among the losers in here, we deserve a party." She consoles her as they make their way to the party.

"A time to announce our queen." Mags holds the crown.

"Votes are in.... and we have our winner. This year, the queen of midsummer is...

Amber!" Dave reveals and everyone claps for her as she's crowned queen.

"Thank you, everyone. This means so much. I know tonight is going to be amazing." Amber says.

"And stay tuned coz later, she'll be announcing our king." Dave announces.

Dev makes a bold move to congratulate Amber as Mia watches in pain.

"It's not about who's queen but who is king. I told you it wasn't over." Mia finally understands Amber's aim all along. It is taking what Mia loves the most, away from her. Her friends and even Dev, the guy she so loved.

Soon after, everyone's moods lighten up by dance moves as they surround their new queen, Amber, the mysterious girls who controls their minds just by her single touch.

MIDGE'S POV

The best thing about growing up is you finally have the power to make your dreams come true. But if those dreams are snatched away, be ready for the night mare.