Introduction
Upper East Side, meet Gossip Girl...
Constance Billard School for Girls and St. Jude's School for Boys are the two most elite private schools in New York, if not the entire country. Although admission to the schools are extremely competitive for scholarship students, or those who cannot afford to attend on their own, it seems like if your parents can afford the nearly the annual sixty-thousand-dollar tuition fee and have a big enough name, it isn't quite as difficult. Money's power, right? In many respects, yes, but even the largest bank account doesn't exempt these wealthy children from criticism. Recently, a blog was created where a person under the alias of "Gossip Girl", has been airing everyone's dirty laundry. Although it was easy to brush the first few posts off as just malicious lies probably stemming from personal vendetta, Gossip Girl is proving to be the most reliable source for up-to-date UES gossip.
In a community that was already plagued with drama, elitism and division, Gossip Girl will surely only make senior year more interesting for the students of St. Jude's and Constance Billard this year.
OOC Information
Okay, hi! I just want to use this little section to give you a rundown on the idea for this roleplay. Obviously, it's based off of the television series Gossip Girl. I'm sure there have been other fanfics of this show on this website, as I've seen a couple on other rp sites, but I'll do my best to make this one as unique and worthwhile as possible!
To start, this roleplay is going to pretend that Blair and Serena and all of the other original GG characters never existed. *Gasp* I know, how horrible. I love them too but I think that it would get too messy trying to match up every little detail to meet their world. The mysterious GG blogger will not be Dan and will be one of the current CB or St. Jude's students.
Below, you may notice the list of available roles. I did make general titles for most of the roles but feel free to interpret them in whatever way you think makes sense. I don't like doing the "face claim" thing where I pick the face claim's for every character in the roleplay because I don't think that's fair to you all, as writers. I want you to love your character and for that to be possible, I think it's helpful for you to pick exactly what they look like. To be honest, I am not picky about "overused" face claims and such because that's such a subjective term and at least on other websites, most of these roleplays die out within one page of posts so it's not like any of these characters are really used and developed anyway. Touching on that subject, I really do want this roleplay to last. This is a crazy time of the year for everyone with finals and holidays and working so I understand if it takes you a few days to make a post. However, I do expect you to keep us updated. If you have a week full of finals, take two minutes out to make an OOC post about it so we know to move on without you.
I hope that this roleplay will be very interactive and that we can all communicate and make it enjoyable! If you are interested in creating a character and participating, please post in the OOC with which character you are interested in, if you intend on them being a scholarship student or not, and what I should call you out of character if it's something different than your username, and then fill out the character sheet code and submit it! I don't want to exclusively reserve roles for anyone so until a character is officially accepted, you are free to try for the spot. You can personalize your character sheet in any way you please. Just make sure you include all of the listed sections. I would hope this is already known, but if you have any questions for me, please message me or post in our out of character thread.
Okay, hi! I just want to use this little section to give you a rundown on the idea for this roleplay. Obviously, it's based off of the television series Gossip Girl. I'm sure there have been other fanfics of this show on this website, as I've seen a couple on other rp sites, but I'll do my best to make this one as unique and worthwhile as possible!
To start, this roleplay is going to pretend that Blair and Serena and all of the other original GG characters never existed. *Gasp* I know, how horrible. I love them too but I think that it would get too messy trying to match up every little detail to meet their world. The mysterious GG blogger will not be Dan and will be one of the current CB or St. Jude's students.
Below, you may notice the list of available roles. I did make general titles for most of the roles but feel free to interpret them in whatever way you think makes sense. I don't like doing the "face claim" thing where I pick the face claim's for every character in the roleplay because I don't think that's fair to you all, as writers. I want you to love your character and for that to be possible, I think it's helpful for you to pick exactly what they look like. To be honest, I am not picky about "overused" face claims and such because that's such a subjective term and at least on other websites, most of these roleplays die out within one page of posts so it's not like any of these characters are really used and developed anyway. Touching on that subject, I really do want this roleplay to last. This is a crazy time of the year for everyone with finals and holidays and working so I understand if it takes you a few days to make a post. However, I do expect you to keep us updated. If you have a week full of finals, take two minutes out to make an OOC post about it so we know to move on without you.
I hope that this roleplay will be very interactive and that we can all communicate and make it enjoyable! If you are interested in creating a character and participating, please post in the OOC with which character you are interested in, if you intend on them being a scholarship student or not, and what I should call you out of character if it's something different than your username, and then fill out the character sheet code and submit it! I don't want to exclusively reserve roles for anyone so until a character is officially accepted, you are free to try for the spot. You can personalize your character sheet in any way you please. Just make sure you include all of the listed sections. I would hope this is already known, but if you have any questions for me, please message me or post in our out of character thread.
Constance Billard School for Girls Students
The Queen Bee | Annelise Walton | Taken by Girl2Fine2
The Heiress | Katherine Quinn | Taken by BurningBridges
The Pretty Face | Kenna Valoir | Taken by AngelGirl
The Voice | Maria Montgomery | Taken by Lvdwilt2000
The Bookworm | Melissa Cane | Taken by MoonlightWraith
The Free Spirit | Alexandra Billington | Taken by lolamarie26
Original Character Idea | Hana Lane | Taken by royals
Original Character Idea | Kasey Griffin | Taken by Sophiex
St. Jude's School for Boys Students
The Model | Cliff Parker | Taken by royals
The Athlete | Lex Manning | Taken by Girl2Fine2
Prince Charming | Mark Cane| Taken by MoonlightWraith
The Funny One | Joshua Sinclair | Taken by Duct Tape
The Artist | Benjamin Henderson| Taken by Duct Tape
Original Character Idea | Cole Traverse | Taken by Sophiex
The Adventurist | Lance Cavendish | Taken by DuBois_Scarlett
Original Character Idea | Open[/url]
The Queen Bee | Annelise Walton | Taken by Girl2Fine2
The Heiress | Katherine Quinn | Taken by BurningBridges
The Pretty Face | Kenna Valoir | Taken by AngelGirl
The Voice | Maria Montgomery | Taken by Lvdwilt2000
The Bookworm | Melissa Cane | Taken by MoonlightWraith
The Free Spirit | Alexandra Billington | Taken by lolamarie26
Original Character Idea | Hana Lane | Taken by royals
Original Character Idea | Kasey Griffin | Taken by Sophiex
St. Jude's School for Boys Students
The Model | Cliff Parker | Taken by royals
The Athlete | Lex Manning | Taken by Girl2Fine2
Prince Charming | Mark Cane| Taken by MoonlightWraith
The Funny One | Joshua Sinclair | Taken by Duct Tape
The Artist | Benjamin Henderson| Taken by Duct Tape
Original Character Idea | Cole Traverse | Taken by Sophiex
The Adventurist | Lance Cavendish | Taken by DuBois_Scarlett
Original Character Idea | Open[/url]
Character Sheet Code
- Code: Select all
[font=timesnewroman][center][size=300]Name[/size]
[img]gif[/img][/center][hr][/hr][right][img]gif[/img]
[img]gif[/img][/right]
[size=110][b]Full Name:[/b]
First, middle (if applicable) and last
[b]Nickname:[/b]
What your character is normally called
[b]Birthday:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
The roleplay will begin on September 5th, 2014 so you can use that to match their birthday up with their current age.
[b]Sexual Orientation:[/b]
[b]Grade Level:[/b]
Most will be 12th grade students but if you would like to make an 11th grade student, that is fine.
[b]Character Role:[/b]
Whatever role you chose from the list[/size]
[hr][/hr][center][size=300]Personal Life[/size][/center][hr][/hr][right][img]gif[/img]
[img]gif[/img][/right]
[size=110][b]Family Life:[/b]
Describe their family relationships and childhood.
[b]Academic Career:[/b]
What got them into their school? How well do they do academically?
[b]Future Plans:[/b]
Do they plan on going to college? If so, which one? Career aspirations?
[/size][hr][/hr][center][size=300]Disposition[/size][/center][hr][/hr][right][img]gif[/img]
[img]gif[/img][/right][size=110][b]Personality:[/b]
Include good and bad traits. No one is perfect and no one is totally flawed.
[b]Hobbies:[/b]
[b]Bad Habits:[/b]
[b]Likes:[/b]
[b]Dislikes:[/b]
[/size][hr][/hr][center][size=300]Physical Description[/size][/center][hr][/hr][right][img]gif[/img]
[img]gif[/img][/right] [size=110][b]Face Claim:[/b]
[b]Height:[/b]
[b]Weight/Build:[/b]
[b]Hair Color:[/b]
[b]Eye Color:[/b]
[b]Other:[/b]
Anything else you think is important[/size][/font]
The Story So Far... Write a Post » as written by 11 authors
Lexi gratefully took the champagne from Annie and took a sip. Her eyebrows rose when Annie mentioned rinsing her mouth. She glared at Kenna a bit before raising her eyebrows and giving a discreet tilt of the head that only Annie would recognize. It was Lexi's way of telling Annie to get Kenna in check before she snapped on her. The only thing that stopped her was the knowledge that Kenna was chasing Lex. Lex, who was one of Lexi's best friend. Lex, who confided in Lexi. A satisfied smirk graced her face. Maybe Kenna was pretty but at the end of the day people would always choose Lexi over Kenna. Lexi felt no need to even bother to give Kenna a response. She was secure in her friendships unlike Kenna who knew she was the expendable one.
She pulled out her phone to text Taylor back. He had already sent her stuff but got a package containing some extensions that she ordered for tonight. She told him to send it to Annie's house as well. Lexi was going for a goddess look tonight. She was probably going to wear white and she planned to have her thick blonde hair emphasized even more by adding extensions, which by the way she had to spend thousands on because they had to find the exact shade of her hair including her natural highlights. The extensions would make her hair go down to her waist in luscious waves. Lexi never needed much to make her hot. She really only wore mascara and stain but tonight she intended to go all out.
Suddenly their was a commotion next to the limo. She glanced out the window to see Josh leaning out of Benji's car only to be dragged back in. Lexi gasped before falling into a fit of giggles. She leaned against Annie for support while pointing to the window, " Benji is a complete loon." She gasped out. As Annie rolled down the window she took a picture of her friends.
She found the whole situation hilarious. It's not often that you see the students from two of Manhattan's most elite schools making a fool of themselves. She was tired of dealing with stuffy overly polite people all day. She smiled at both girls warmly. Problems aside Kenna was her friend she just pissed her off a bit more than the rest of the girls. " I think that's just what we needed to start tonight off."
Annelise discreetly considered her phone, wondering about Katherine and this sudden desire to disappear. Again, she didn't like secrecy and she definitely wasn't liking it on the one person she expected to remain bright and bubbly. A secretive Katherine meant something and Annelise wanted to be prepared for whatever it was, whatever its outcome will be. And that only meant that she needed to be on her A-game when it came to figuring it out. She hadn't said anything when her friend told her that she would bring Hana later. Instead, she had nodded with a blank countenance, devoid of the actual inner turmoil and suspicion that she felt. Humming a little to herself, Annelise's gaze turned to Alexandra to see the look she gave upon Kenna's commentary, which was a probably follow-up to what Annelise said, but Annelise wasn't going to tell her that she agreed.
"And hopefully, not what's going to happen," she followed after Kenna's statement, giving the brunette a warning look. While Annelise would rather play it smooth and wait out Kenna's little...rise to power or whatever she probably thought was going to happen, Alexandra was always ready to lunge. Annelise didn't resort to violence unless someone really cracked her shell, Lexi was never one to back down from it. Her phone pinged again and Annelise picked it up, hoping maybe Katherine would actually be Katherine and give her some explanation. It wasn't. However, her disappointment was short-lived for it was Benjamin and she giggled to herself at his message before hearing the same commotion outside. "Ben!" Annelise practically scrambled to roll down the window and her smile was wide and affectionate when she saw her best friend's car.
As others would tell you, it was rare to see students from two of Manhattan's most elite schools acutally being teenagers and not like the socilaites their parents had groomed them to become. What was even rarer were those moments when Annelise's smile didn't have an inch of practiced propriety or fakeness in it - when you could see the indentations of her cheeks and an actual sparkle in her eye. When just her aura screamed happiness. And you could only attribute it to her best friends, particularly Ben at the moment. While Annelise did, in fact, have siblings, she was not close with them. In fact, they probably hated her, which was fine and dandy with her. But she would never admit to wanting to be accepted - wanting to be loved by her siblings and that was where Ben had come in. She laughed excitedly when Joshua was finally situated back in the car and shook her head with amusement.
"You guys are crazy," she yelled out to the boys before settling back into the limo, grinning at the girls. When Alexandra spoke, she couldn't help but nod in agreement. Still smiling a little, she sent a text to Ben.
To: Benji
Ur crazy but I luv u. See u tonite?
"And hopefully, not what's going to happen," she followed after Kenna's statement, giving the brunette a warning look. While Annelise would rather play it smooth and wait out Kenna's little...rise to power or whatever she probably thought was going to happen, Alexandra was always ready to lunge. Annelise didn't resort to violence unless someone really cracked her shell, Lexi was never one to back down from it. Her phone pinged again and Annelise picked it up, hoping maybe Katherine would actually be Katherine and give her some explanation. It wasn't. However, her disappointment was short-lived for it was Benjamin and she giggled to herself at his message before hearing the same commotion outside. "Ben!" Annelise practically scrambled to roll down the window and her smile was wide and affectionate when she saw her best friend's car.
As others would tell you, it was rare to see students from two of Manhattan's most elite schools acutally being teenagers and not like the socilaites their parents had groomed them to become. What was even rarer were those moments when Annelise's smile didn't have an inch of practiced propriety or fakeness in it - when you could see the indentations of her cheeks and an actual sparkle in her eye. When just her aura screamed happiness. And you could only attribute it to her best friends, particularly Ben at the moment. While Annelise did, in fact, have siblings, she was not close with them. In fact, they probably hated her, which was fine and dandy with her. But she would never admit to wanting to be accepted - wanting to be loved by her siblings and that was where Ben had come in. She laughed excitedly when Joshua was finally situated back in the car and shook her head with amusement.
"You guys are crazy," she yelled out to the boys before settling back into the limo, grinning at the girls. When Alexandra spoke, she couldn't help but nod in agreement. Still smiling a little, she sent a text to Ben.
To: Benji
Ur crazy but I luv u. See u tonite?
Cliff Parker
A sheepish smile appeared on Cliff's face when Lex brought up Lexi's reaction to the party. He knew just as well that Lexi was not happy with him, and his suggestion was actually probably a good one. She was a sucker for romantic gestures, and Cliff was well aware of that, but he didn't want to do anything in a "romantic" way. Still, he was sure that a nice little gift would make her realize that he wasn't doing anything with malicious intentions. Chocolates were always a hit with the blonde and although he knew that Lex was only being playful with the idea, Cliff figured that it was worth a shot. "Not a bad idea, man. You wanna stop at La Maison Du Chocolat with me after this ends? You know, I won't object to getting a bite to eat at your mom's place after," he said, grinning at the last part.
Cliff was truly impressed when Lex shared that there were many big name schools interested in having him play for them. He definitely wasn't surprised though, even if Lex tried to act nonchalantly about it. "That's awesome, dude. You seriously considering them?" He was going to continue to question his friend about his plans but the head of school took the stage and like the rest of his classmates, Cliff silenced himself. The assembly was long but Cliff managed to stay tuned in with most of what was being discussed. A lot of it seemed to be unnecessarily spoken. Most of the students had been attending the schools for the past three years and knew how everything worked, but Cliff guessed that a lot of it was for show. Like many of the students who attended, the elite schools wanted to boast about everything luxurious that they had. Extravagant school lunch menus (that most students didn't even eat from), advanced gymnasiums, top of the line technology and expensive study-abroad trips, were all noted in the two hour presentation.
When it ended, Cliff had forgotten what he and Lex had been talking about earlier on. They had chosen seats in the back of the auditorium, so he missed Lexi's encounter with the new student, Lance Cavendish, and was in good spirits as they stood up to leave. "So, are you going to come help me redeem my good name with Lexi or do you have something better to do?"
If Lex had been only chuckling at Cliff being in trouble with Alexandra, he laughed upon seeing the sheepish smile on his friend's face. The idiot was just so oblivious, it was actually kinda sad, for both Lexi and Cliff. "Sure thing. And hell, I want a bite to eat from my mom every day," he replied with a shared grin. Alexander would tell anyone any day that he was appreciative of his mother's cooking. Again, she had taught him and he was much more accomplished than most (if not all) of the elite kids he knew, but as it has been said before, nothing is ever like your mother's cooking.
At the actual exuberant and impressed expression on Cliff's face, another chuckle escaped Lex - one that tried to cover the underlying anxiety. He understood that it was great to have scouts from big schools calling your phone and wanting interviews. If Lex were any other guy, he would probably be much more excited about it. After all, Vanderbilt was looking at him - him, some nobody with nowhere near the same social skills or economic statuses as the majority of his classmates. And he owed it all to St. Jude's, seriously. His mother found his thoughts self-deprecating in a way, since Lex was refusing to acknowledge that not just anyone gets a sports scholarship - that he would have had to work for it. And he did. Countless summers spent with his cousins and constantly training left him at the top of his sport. He had been conditioned for it. Which was probably why he wasn't enthused about it and why he was more than grateful when the assembly began. He still didn't know how to explain to one of his best friends that he wasn't really looking to go to school and play sports.
In the midst of leaving, after the assembly, Lex nodded to Cliff. He smiled at a few girls he remembered from last year and offered them a small wink of acknowledgement as they passed. Back to Cliff, he said, "Please, I'd die of boredom if I go home or wind up playing video games all day. Let's go." He thought about it for a second and smiled, reminiscing. "Matter of fact, I want some of their ganache."
At the actual exuberant and impressed expression on Cliff's face, another chuckle escaped Lex - one that tried to cover the underlying anxiety. He understood that it was great to have scouts from big schools calling your phone and wanting interviews. If Lex were any other guy, he would probably be much more excited about it. After all, Vanderbilt was looking at him - him, some nobody with nowhere near the same social skills or economic statuses as the majority of his classmates. And he owed it all to St. Jude's, seriously. His mother found his thoughts self-deprecating in a way, since Lex was refusing to acknowledge that not just anyone gets a sports scholarship - that he would have had to work for it. And he did. Countless summers spent with his cousins and constantly training left him at the top of his sport. He had been conditioned for it. Which was probably why he wasn't enthused about it and why he was more than grateful when the assembly began. He still didn't know how to explain to one of his best friends that he wasn't really looking to go to school and play sports.
In the midst of leaving, after the assembly, Lex nodded to Cliff. He smiled at a few girls he remembered from last year and offered them a small wink of acknowledgement as they passed. Back to Cliff, he said, "Please, I'd die of boredom if I go home or wind up playing video games all day. Let's go." He thought about it for a second and smiled, reminiscing. "Matter of fact, I want some of their ganache."
Hana Lane
It seemed now, that Katherine had no other choice but to go to Annelise's party, but when Maria asked her and Melissa if they were going, she shrugged. "I mean... I guess so. I wanted to go with you guys but Katherine's friends supposedly want me to go with them and I don't think it's legal to reject an invite from those girl," she said sarcastically, but smiled all the same. Did she like Katherine? No, not really. Did she want to hang out with Katherine? Again, not really. She hated the thought of it, but somewhere deep down, she wasn't entirely against the idea of the social group that Katherine belonged in. Even if it did seem completely overrated and catty, Hana was unsure if she would actually reject the chance to climb the social ladder, if she had the shot. The opportunity seemed to present itself to her now, and with Katherine's strangely desperate persistence, she didn't see any real harm in hanging out with the girls for a few hours. If for nothing else, at least she would be able to say that she tried it, and tell Melissa how truly overrated the experience and girls were.
As they began to exit the auditorium, she glanced back at the two girls. "You two will be there too, right?" Even if she had been invited to get ready with Katherine's friends, she doubted that they would actually want to socialize with her in public at the party. Katherine knew that there was a reason that she was invited now, and it wasn't because they actually wanted to get to know her. Katherine alone was too shallow for that, and she was sure that she would be even worse around her friends.
She quickly realized that she hadn't spoken to Katherine about where to meet, but just as she pulled her phone out to call the girl, she spotted her coming their way. Hana's expression fell flat and turned into a frown when Katherine came over, acted as if Melissa and Maria ceased to exist, and then demanded that she hurry up. She still had not explained why she wanted her to come, but Hana wasn't going to stoop to Katherine's level of immaturity and cause a scene in public. Instead, she nodded and turned back to the girls. "Text me later?" she said, before giving them a small wave and following Katherine out to the town car. When they were situated in the back row, she placed her book bag at her feet and looked over at Kat. "Do you want to explain what those frantic texts were about? Because I highly doubt that you want me there any more than I want to be there." Today was proving to be more eventful and strange than Hana expected, especially in terms of her relationship with Katherine. It was rare that they said more than a few sentences to each other in a day, and here they were, conversing in the back of the car about how Katherine had invited her to hang out. Although she was focusing on what was going to happen over the next few hours, in the back of her mind she hoped that Melissa and Maria didn't think she was blowing them off.
Once Hana had nodded, Katherine had begun to walk to the car. She didn't need to wait for Hana to say goodbye to her friends, and even though she wasn't intentionally trying to be a bitch, she really couldn't have cared less about their presence. She didn't know Melissa, and didn't care to know her, and knew Maria from a few classes they had together over the years, but wasn't actually friends with her. They were neither important or relevant to her, so why did she owe them a hello or goodbye?
Their driver, Julian, was waiting just around the corner. Katherine slid into the back seat and after greeted the driver, who was one of her family's employees that she actually appreciated. "Morning Julian," she said, shifting farther into the car when the door opened again and Hana sat down. "You can take us to Annie's now, and then later just have someone drop off my outfit for tonight. Olga knows which ones they are."
Julian nodded and glanced at the girls through the rear-view mirror. "And where are you headed, Hana?" he asked. He probably had heard Katherine referencing them as "us" when she said they were going to Annie's, but it was no secret that the two didn't get along. He wasn't far-fetched in imaging that he may have just heard Katherine wrong.
"She's coming with me," Katherine replied quickly. She had thought that she could just pretend that she was being nice to Hana, but almost right after Julian second guessed them being together, Hana brought up the texts. "First of all, they weren't frantic. I was trying to be nice to you since I know that have no friends," she said, glaring at her for a second, before realizing that she probably shouldn't be in attack mode. Katherine still felt like she was doing a good deed by including Hana, but she was desperate for Hana to come. She didn't want to lie to her friends, but she also wasn't ready to give up her secret to them. Even though she knew that Hana knew about her body-image issues, she wasn't going to address them now and truthfully explain the reason to Hana. Her father, at one point, had told Ashley about Katherine's "dieting phase" and it had somehow gotten back to Hana. Luckily, she never brought it up, but it was almost comforting to know that it was one less person to have to hide it from.
"The girls just wanted to get to know you. I know you met Annie at the wedding and probable met Lexi a few times over the summer, but they wanted to see what you're like. Kenna will be there too. Just be like, normal. Well, not your normal. I don't know, just be cool and fun and not weird and it'll be fine. If they ask, just say that my dad wants me and you to hang out more." Katherine spoke quickly and didn't allow herself to make eye contact with Hana, but tried to reassure herself that things would be okay.
It only took a couple of minutes for them to arrive at Annelise's and they clearly hadn't left too late, since the other girls were just arriving in front of the apartment building as well. "Come on," Katherine muttered as she filed out of the car. Almost in the same instant as she approached her friends, she pasted an excited smile on her face. Even if she didn't feel comfortable, she needed to act it. "It's martini time, chicas," she said cheerfully. It had been less than a minute since she was sitting next to Hana, but it was enough time for her to almost forget that she was even there. She corrected her flaw quickly though, trying to be as nice as she could to Hana for now. "I know you met her, Annie, but this is Hana, girls," she said to Lexi and Kenna.
To: Annie
Wouldnt miss it. ;D
Wouldnt miss it. ;D
Finally getting the green light Ben drove over to his house with one distraction if you don’t count the previous incident. A measly two blocks away from his house at the end of a dead end street laid a small brick building, his favorite coffee shop The Bean. Where they serve the most delectable apple cinnamon swirl pie that would literally make your mouth explode with a flavor punch right to the taste buds, a growing addiction for Benji. The only down side of the place was the ridiculously long wait times but seeing as they weren’t needed for anything stopped by to fuel his addiction. Luckily for them the place wasn’t as packed as normal and they were out in less than fifteen minutes. Without another distraction the made it to Benji’s house. “You want to hang out here till the party or we going to just meet back here?”
“Nah, I'll meet you back here in a bit though.” Josh grabbed his longboard from the back seat and mounted it heading to the gates. Benji waved behind him as he walked into the pool house immediately throwing his tie off and plopping on the couch . As Josh made his way through his front door the relaxing sound of silence was his only greeting. His sister must be out with friends and his brothers got a regular school day today, not that he minded the house being quiet. He loosened up his tie on his way up to his bedroom taking an apple from the counter with him. Placing it in its regular spot behind his bedroom door he kicked his shoes and threw himself on his bed he booted up his xbox and loaded up Netflix.
" ."
Lexi smiled at the approach of Kat and Hana. Kat mentioned Martini's before introducing Hana. Lexi had seen her around multiple times this summer but hadn't gotten to know the girl well. She smiled warmly before leaning in to give the girl a hug. " Hey good to see you Hana."
Annie's many hired help were already fritting about the makeshift spa around them. Annie sat in Molly, her favorite stylist, chair. "What'll it be gorgeous" Molly said with a smile. Lexi pointed to the extensions that Taylor dropped off and grinned. Molly was dying to see Lexi with longer hair and Lexi was happy to oblige tonight. " I want it curled." She explained, though paused when Molly frowned. " What is it?" She asked nervously. Molly scrunched up her nose "You have the thickest straight hair I've ever styled. Not to mention it's naturally glossy. I was thinking pin straight with a middle part."
Lexi scrunched her nose before saying " Alright let's do it." Almost an hour later while the other girls were either chatting or getting ready as well Lexi emerged with pin straight hair falling down to her waist. Her hair shined under the lights and thanks to some discreet tinsel, placed strategically so you couldn't see it anywhere in her hair, her hair sparkled when it caught any movement. She opted against the deep middle part, instead opting for only a middle part in the front and no part in the back.
She grinned at her friends before heading to get a manicure and pedicure. She also got a martini so she could enjoy it while waiting for her nails to dry. " When was the last time I wore my hair pin straight?" She leaned over in Annie's direction "Remember the first time I tried to do my hair by myself?" She held back giggles as she said " I put so much hairspray in my hair that it was all hard and sticky like hard candy." She giggled lightly as the manicurist began to file her long nails into almonds. Next they were covered in a dusky rose color, aside from her middle fingers which were nude with a rose pattern in the dusky rose color. Her toes were painted the same nude from her middle fingers.
As she waited for it to dry she conversed with Hana, who really did seem like a nice girl. Maybe a bit on the shy side. Lexi didn't trust her yet, nor did she plan to influence Kat in any way regarding her but the girl seemed nice enough.
Lexi smiled at the approach of Kat and Hana. Kat mentioned Martini's before introducing Hana. Lexi had seen her around multiple times this summer but hadn't gotten to know the girl well. She smiled warmly before leaning in to give the girl a hug. " Hey good to see you Hana."
Annie's many hired help were already fritting about the makeshift spa around them. Annie sat in Molly, her favorite stylist, chair. "What'll it be gorgeous" Molly said with a smile. Lexi pointed to the extensions that Taylor dropped off and grinned. Molly was dying to see Lexi with longer hair and Lexi was happy to oblige tonight. " I want it curled." She explained, though paused when Molly frowned. " What is it?" She asked nervously. Molly scrunched up her nose "You have the thickest straight hair I've ever styled. Not to mention it's naturally glossy. I was thinking pin straight with a middle part."
Lexi scrunched her nose before saying " Alright let's do it." Almost an hour later while the other girls were either chatting or getting ready as well Lexi emerged with pin straight hair falling down to her waist. Her hair shined under the lights and thanks to some discreet tinsel, placed strategically so you couldn't see it anywhere in her hair, her hair sparkled when it caught any movement. She opted against the deep middle part, instead opting for only a middle part in the front and no part in the back.
She grinned at her friends before heading to get a manicure and pedicure. She also got a martini so she could enjoy it while waiting for her nails to dry. " When was the last time I wore my hair pin straight?" She leaned over in Annie's direction "Remember the first time I tried to do my hair by myself?" She held back giggles as she said " I put so much hairspray in my hair that it was all hard and sticky like hard candy." She giggled lightly as the manicurist began to file her long nails into almonds. Next they were covered in a dusky rose color, aside from her middle fingers which were nude with a rose pattern in the dusky rose color. Her toes were painted the same nude from her middle fingers.
As she waited for it to dry she conversed with Hana, who really did seem like a nice girl. Maybe a bit on the shy side. Lexi didn't trust her yet, nor did she plan to influence Kat in any way regarding her but the girl seemed nice enough.
Kasey tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Cole. His "two minutes" quickly turned into five, and soon the crowded hall emptied out. She could hear the voices of the school supervisors echoing behind the auditorium doors and even though she wasn't excited to sit through the assembly, she wished Cole would hurry up. She wasn't going to go sit alone, even if it was true that no one would probably even notice. She had abandoned her search for popularity years ago and had done well at ignoring people's opinions, but she wasn't comfortable with being the literal loner on the first day of senior year.
She heard him before she saw him. The front doors of the building creaked open and Cole, looking more formal than Kasey was used to, strolled in. He didn't seem bothered by the fact that he was almost ten minutes late for the assembly or that they were the last stragglers in the hallway. In his hands were a drink tray and two bags.
"Took you long enough," Kasey said bitterly as he approached.
His cheeky grin didn't falter though, and he tossed a brown paper bag into her arms. "Plain bagel with butter, and a coffee."
She examined the coffee cup that he had handed her lastly, and took a sip of the steaming beverage. "Black with t-"
Cole cut her off, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah, black with two sugars, I know. Even if you don't want to give me credit for putting up with your shit, I'd think you'd be able to give credit for remembering how you take your coffee." He took Kasey's small smile as the closest thing he would get to gratitude and stepped past her, quietly opening the auditorium door and leading her inside.
There were a few empty seats in the back row, so they took the two closest to the aisle. Being able to eat breakfast made the assembly go quicker than normal, and even though Kasey was content with how the morning was playing out, Cole wished that one more girl was sitting with him. Aria, his girlfriend. Their relationship wasn't as public as most, since they had only began dating at the end of their junior year, but Cole wasn't trying to hide her. She was an amazing girl who was kind, intelligent and fun and while Kasey wasn't a big fan of her, Cole was.
When the assembly ended, the two were some of the first out of the school. "I'm coming over," Kasey informed him once they had reached the courtyard.
"Okay, but I'm inviting Maria over too."
"Ugh, invite those new girls too then. I need something to balance out her annoying energy," She knew that Maria was friendly with the two new students, Hana and Melissa, and even more than she didn't want to be around Maria, she didn't want to third wheel with her and Cole.
Cole was about to text Maria to find out where she was, but she beat him to it. He read her message and smiled, but pulled his phone closer to him when Kasey leaned in to read it. He doubted that Kasey would be willing to go to that party but if they were all going, she would have no choice but to come.
To: Aria
I'm down to go if you are ;). You and your friends should come to my place before. I'm heading over there rn so meet us there whenever you guys are ready.
I'm down to go if you are ;). You and your friends should come to my place before. I'm heading over there rn so meet us there whenever you guys are ready.
His apartment building was no more than a ten minute walk at the casual pace that he and Kasey moved at. Neither of his parents were home when he got there, which he expected since they both worked full time. Annelise's party wasn't for another few hours, so the pair planned on watching as many movies as possible, ordering pizza and then, against Kasey's wishes, getting ready for the party. Cole hoped that Aria would show up sooner than the party, but he knew that she was close with her grandparents and may need to spend the day with him, or even with the new girls she had befriended over the summer.
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Kenna recoiled from the car window as Lexi practically threw herself outside. She knew Benji and Josh through Annie and she knew that they were practically best friends to the crown but she had never particularly liked them. Benji was a troublemaker and he always got himself into the worst situations. Kenna liked adventure sure, but when it was to the scale of leaping out a car window just to say hi...no thanks. She sipped her martini idly and waited for the commotion to die down. She wondered if Annie's limo driver was fed up with her or if he had just gotten used to it by now. Not like she cared, they were there to serve them. That was their only purpose.
She finished off her drink, allowing the alcohol to numb her throat, and looked at Annelise, "I wonder where he gets his kicks practically jumping out of a window. It's like he has a death wish or something," she said sarcastically. She didn't say anything more for the duration of the car ride, and she didn't really care what Annie or Lexi thought. She was feeling a headache coming on and she hoped her buzz would set in soon and make it go away.
When they got to Annie's house, she followed the girls inside to wait for Kat. She could feel her headache subside and her mood was already improving with the idea of the party later that night. She smiled as she sat with them and checked her nails, "So, where we sneaking off to tonight? We know everyone's going to be flocking to us, and I can't stand the scent of desperation," she said. In truth, she didn't mind the popularity, but she did hate how fake everyone was going to be.
When Kat walked in with Hana, she smiled politely at the girl, but it was obvious she did not want to be with them. Kenna thought it strange, why wouldn't someone want to go to a party with the most popular people in the upper east side? She sat down next to Lexi and waited for the text she would get when her party outfit had arrived. When it did, she happily retrieved it and went back inside. Annie's servants had already set up chairs so she sat down in one and waited for the stylist. Her name was Tiana and she had a thick Jamaican accent. Kenna smiled and said hello. The stylist recommended a slightly curled updo with flowers wrapped around the tie. She agreed and relaxed into the chair as Tiana worked.
Once finished, Kenna did a little shimmy and showed off her hair to the other girls. "Ah! I love it! It'll go perfectly with my dress!"
She finished off her drink, allowing the alcohol to numb her throat, and looked at Annelise, "I wonder where he gets his kicks practically jumping out of a window. It's like he has a death wish or something," she said sarcastically. She didn't say anything more for the duration of the car ride, and she didn't really care what Annie or Lexi thought. She was feeling a headache coming on and she hoped her buzz would set in soon and make it go away.
When they got to Annie's house, she followed the girls inside to wait for Kat. She could feel her headache subside and her mood was already improving with the idea of the party later that night. She smiled as she sat with them and checked her nails, "So, where we sneaking off to tonight? We know everyone's going to be flocking to us, and I can't stand the scent of desperation," she said. In truth, she didn't mind the popularity, but she did hate how fake everyone was going to be.
When Kat walked in with Hana, she smiled politely at the girl, but it was obvious she did not want to be with them. Kenna thought it strange, why wouldn't someone want to go to a party with the most popular people in the upper east side? She sat down next to Lexi and waited for the text she would get when her party outfit had arrived. When it did, she happily retrieved it and went back inside. Annie's servants had already set up chairs so she sat down in one and waited for the stylist. Her name was Tiana and she had a thick Jamaican accent. Kenna smiled and said hello. The stylist recommended a slightly curled updo with flowers wrapped around the tie. She agreed and relaxed into the chair as Tiana worked.
Once finished, Kenna did a little shimmy and showed off her hair to the other girls. "Ah! I love it! It'll go perfectly with my dress!"
While the others seemed slightly wary of the newcomer, Annelise smiled kindly at Katherine's step-sister. "Glad to see you here hanging out with us. We're getting our nails and hair done. Any particular style you have in mind?" She conversed lightly with the brunette as the group headed inside, taking the private area to get to her triplex. It was a massive space and it helped that there would be others to feel in the absence her mother left behind. Annelise shook her head at the thought, glancing at Hana discreetly. She was aware that the brunette was just as uncomfortable around them as the others were around her, and it didn't surprise her in the slightest. It was no secret that Katherine did not like her new sister and judging by Katherine's tantrum back at the wedding when they were alone, those feelings of loathing would be around for a minute.
Annelise, on the other hand, kept her eyes peeled. A girl like Hana, considering what Annelise had learned of her, was fairly intelligent. She was pretty enough and now with the new money in her life, she was bound to becoming a bit more known around Manhattan - especially considering the family her sister married in to. Someone like that - someone new and rather naïve in this setting - could either break in this lifestyle or rise. And while Annelise didn't care for new friends, she wasn't going to not keep her eye on the new girl. Besides, Katherine invited the girl for a reason and Annelise was suspicious, had been since her friend tried to bail on them. And having a few stylists and the like was not going to shake that feeling away. Besides, when did Annelise ever forget something that easily?
"You are the best!" Annelise practically squealed upon receiving the chocolate martini from Maria. Her caretaker smiled affectionately before tugging Annelise closer. "Your mother left a present on your bed." Annelise tilted her head curiously and nodded gently at the whispered words, nodding to the stylists. "Go ahead and work on them first. I'll be back in a few." Taking a sip, Annelise backpedaled towards the elevator and took one of the spiral staircases to get to the second floor. The second level of the penthouse apartment consisted of her bedroom and a few others, the gym, and the spa. The third floor had three more bedrooms, including the master suite and an elevator that led to the terrace. Annelise hurried to her room only to see a black bag with a hanger at the top. Perturbed, she picked it up and unattached the sticky note, a small affectionate smile on her face as she read it.
Baby girl,
Srry 4 not making it home 4 the first day. Forgive me?
Her mom managed to even scribble a pouty face and Annelise giggled, unzipping the bag somewhat to gape. "Oh shit, I love it!" She squealed lightly before zipping it back up and draping the bag over the bed again. Excited and very much aware that she was going to kill it for the night, she kicked off her shoes and blazer, and slid on some sandals. Back downstairs, she smiled brightly at both Lexi and Kenna's hair. Annelise laughed after another sip of her martini at the memory of Lexi's straight hair. "I remember that. You were so pissed. I died laughing." She had not heard Kenna's earlier inquiry in the midst of heading up to her room and sat in one of the stylist's chairs. She grinned at the redhead.
"Gemini 14 did the coloring perfectly," Karen said and Annelise beamed. She really did love the honey blonde hue and she didn't feel like such a baby with it. Karen took the Bump-It out and Annelise's hair flowed down her back without the additional help. Instead of falling just past her shoulders like earlier, the strands stopped to about mid-back length. Karen cooed. "And you're not wearing extensions anymore? I like it." Annelise chuckled before replying, "What can I say? The Hairfinity vitamins worked like a charm. I was thinking loose curls, that timeless sexy look that's just a bit casual." Now that she knew exactly what she was going to wear, Annelise was more than ready for the night to begin and, with a smile, she turned her attention back to Hana, who was with a manicurist. "Is your dress getting brought here, Hana, or do we need to find you something?"
Annelise, on the other hand, kept her eyes peeled. A girl like Hana, considering what Annelise had learned of her, was fairly intelligent. She was pretty enough and now with the new money in her life, she was bound to becoming a bit more known around Manhattan - especially considering the family her sister married in to. Someone like that - someone new and rather naïve in this setting - could either break in this lifestyle or rise. And while Annelise didn't care for new friends, she wasn't going to not keep her eye on the new girl. Besides, Katherine invited the girl for a reason and Annelise was suspicious, had been since her friend tried to bail on them. And having a few stylists and the like was not going to shake that feeling away. Besides, when did Annelise ever forget something that easily?
"You are the best!" Annelise practically squealed upon receiving the chocolate martini from Maria. Her caretaker smiled affectionately before tugging Annelise closer. "Your mother left a present on your bed." Annelise tilted her head curiously and nodded gently at the whispered words, nodding to the stylists. "Go ahead and work on them first. I'll be back in a few." Taking a sip, Annelise backpedaled towards the elevator and took one of the spiral staircases to get to the second floor. The second level of the penthouse apartment consisted of her bedroom and a few others, the gym, and the spa. The third floor had three more bedrooms, including the master suite and an elevator that led to the terrace. Annelise hurried to her room only to see a black bag with a hanger at the top. Perturbed, she picked it up and unattached the sticky note, a small affectionate smile on her face as she read it.
Baby girl,
Srry 4 not making it home 4 the first day. Forgive me?
Her mom managed to even scribble a pouty face and Annelise giggled, unzipping the bag somewhat to gape. "Oh shit, I love it!" She squealed lightly before zipping it back up and draping the bag over the bed again. Excited and very much aware that she was going to kill it for the night, she kicked off her shoes and blazer, and slid on some sandals. Back downstairs, she smiled brightly at both Lexi and Kenna's hair. Annelise laughed after another sip of her martini at the memory of Lexi's straight hair. "I remember that. You were so pissed. I died laughing." She had not heard Kenna's earlier inquiry in the midst of heading up to her room and sat in one of the stylist's chairs. She grinned at the redhead.
"Gemini 14 did the coloring perfectly," Karen said and Annelise beamed. She really did love the honey blonde hue and she didn't feel like such a baby with it. Karen took the Bump-It out and Annelise's hair flowed down her back without the additional help. Instead of falling just past her shoulders like earlier, the strands stopped to about mid-back length. Karen cooed. "And you're not wearing extensions anymore? I like it." Annelise chuckled before replying, "What can I say? The Hairfinity vitamins worked like a charm. I was thinking loose curls, that timeless sexy look that's just a bit casual." Now that she knew exactly what she was going to wear, Annelise was more than ready for the night to begin and, with a smile, she turned her attention back to Hana, who was with a manicurist. "Is your dress getting brought here, Hana, or do we need to find you something?"
Hana Lane
Hana wasn't buying Katherine's excuse that her friends "wanted to see what she was like" but she wasn't going to push the subject at the moment. Even if she was lying, Hana would be poking the beehive to pressure Katherine into coming forward with the real motive. In the back of her mind, there was still a part of her that couldn't stop thinking that this was all some cruel practical joke. Why would these girls want to hang out with her? Even if Katherine had, for some still unknown reason, begged them to let her come, why would they say yes? At the same time, she tried to reassure herself that girls really weren't as mean as they were played out in movies. She had never encountered any that were horribly mean to someone for no reason in her old school, and she prayed that these girls were no different in that respect. If Katherine had been an example though, it was clearly wrong.
Katherine had exited the car before her and just as she was sliding out, she heard their driver, Julian, quietly offer her a "good luck". When she looked towards him, clearly surprised, he winked and chuckled quietly. Hana hoped that it truly was a joke that she would need any luck to get by tonight, and offered him a wary smile as she left the car. Katherine had already approached her friends inside the building and Hana slowly followed. Every time she thought that she was beginning to get used to life in the Upper East Side, something else shocked her. The Quinn home was one of the nicest in New York, and in Hana's opinion, was too nice (who needs their own private screening room when some people can't afford a one bedroom apartment?!), but Annelise's was just as much of a shock for Hana. It was elegant yet modern and she could only imagine the price-tag attached to such a home in Manhattan. She tried not too look awestruck and with everything going on, it was hard to focus on admiring the home.
The girls were friendly enough to her, but she was surprised when Annelise addressed her directly. "Oh, um... no, I really hadn't put much thought into it," she replied honestly at the inquiry about possible hair styles. If anything, she just planned on curling it lightly for the night, but she wasn't going to say that in a room of girls who probably knew a million different ways to style hair. Her simple conversation with Annelise was pleasantly reassuring, and Hana felt more comfortable. She readily allowed one of the stylists to usher her to a chair, and with the other three girls absorbed in their own conversations, she admitted to the woman that she really had no ideas for a hair style but wanted to something simple. The stylist agreed and not too long after, Hana was happy with the finished product. Her hair was straight and neat, but had enough volume to stay away from falling flat. There wasn't too much going on and for someone like Hana, that was key. She wanted to look nice but preferred not to stand out, especially on her first real night out with this crowd.
When her hair was finished, one of the other woman led her to get a manicure. Judging by her chipped black polish, Hana definitely needed one and didn't resist the pushy offer. Why would she want to pass up a free manicure, anyway? Hana felt like she had done a good job of remaining friendly with the girls, while not intruding on their conversations. She didn't know 99% of the people and events they were talking about and would have just looked like a wannabe if she chimed in or laughed at their inside jokes. It was easier to just smile and respond when spoken to, and relax in her own world when not.
Annelise had disappeared for a few minutes but soon returned and after conversing with her stylist, turned to Hana, and asked about a dress. Frankly, she had planned on wearing the same one she had worn to Melissa and Mark's welcoming party, or stealing one from Katherine's closet. Even though Katherine was a good five inches taller than her, she figured that she was promiscuous enough to have dresses that were far too short for her anyway. However, she doubted that Katherine had considered to have any clothes sent over for her and she wasn't going to tell Annelise Walton that she was going to wear the same dress twice. At the same time, she wasn't going to ask her to procure a dress for her out of thin air. "I was planning on borrowing one from Katherine, but I don't know if she had one sent over for me," she admitted, only breaking eye contact with Annelise to glance down at her first nail that had been painted.
Once they were inside Annelise's apartment, Katherine separated herself from Hana, and for a moment, the other three as well. She headed straight for the tray of martinis that had been prepared for the girls prior to their arrival, and instantly took one of the dirty martinis. When she was drinking cocktails, she usually preferred fruitier ones, but today she wasn't drinking for the flavor, and she definitely didn't want anything that had sugary juices added. Katherine knew that etiquette suggested that martinis were to be sipped, but she emptied the glass in only a few minutes. If only shots were appropriate for an 11 AM spa day... she wished, but reminded herself that in a few hours, she could down as many as necessary at Annie's party.
When she returned to the girls, she found Hana, Kenna and Lexi being worked on by stylists. Annelise was no where in sight, but it didn't worry Kat. She assumed that her friend was somewhere else in the house, maybe on the phone with someone about last minute party-details, or working out her outfit for the night. She glanced in Hana's direction and was slightly relieved to see that she wasn't being a bother to anyone else. In fact, she seemed comfortable enough as one of the stylists worked on her hair, and Katherine did her best to perk up as she took a seat next to Kenna. Kim appeared soon after and Katherine greeted her like a friend. She was one of the few women in Manhattan that Katherine trusted with her hair and in addition to her incomparable skills, she was also a fabulous gossip partner. With Hana only a few feet away, she didn't delve into any topics that were too scandalous. There wasn't a real reason for her being cautious around Hana because Katherine doubted that there was anyone that she could actually share their gossip with, but she just didn't want Hana to feel any more in-the-loop than she was already being allowed to feel. Was it petty that it was bothering her that Lexi was talking to Hana, even if it was just casually? Another martini was necessary and by the time that Kim finished her hair, she had finished it.
Kenna and Lexi's hair were finished only a minute or so before hers, and she mimicked the newly-reappeared Annie's smile as they showed them off. "Oh my God, you guys look so hot," she complimented, although her attention was now on her own hair. She studied her reflection in the mirror that Kim had handed her and after running her fingers through her long brown hair a few times, she was satisfied with the finished product. "You're the best," she smiled at Kim before switching chairs to one next to Hana, where she would get a manicure. Annelise was seated close by as Karen worked on her hair, but she seemed to be speaking with Hana. Katherine didn't catch what Hana had said to Annie, but was more than interested in their conversation. "What are you two chatting about over here?" she said, adding in a playful laugh to combat her suspiciously raised eyebrow.
A mixture of jealousy and possessiveness washed over her, at the sight of her best friend talking with her hated step-sister, and an almost equal amount of fear followed. She realized that Annie was savvy and manipulative enough to get Hana to share that Alexandre hadn't been the reason for her joining them today. Even though she was feeling a bit paranoid today, Katherine knew that Annelise would never purposely hurt her, and she was the one who was creating a web of lies for herself. It was more likely that Annie was just being nice to Hana out of pity and Kat was convinced that one more martini would help her believe that even more. While one hand was being worked on, she used the free one to hold her glass.
While the other girls finished getting ready Lexi slipped into one of Annie's guest bedrooms, she had instructed Taylor to drop off her stuff there. On the bed three dresses had been laid out. One was completely lace and long. It had a strapless body suit underneath it to save her modesty. It was completely black as well. The next was white. It a deep plunge white dress. It was tight at the bottom. The last was gold. It was covered in gold embellishments and had a deep plunge that made it impossible to wear a bra with since it had a bit of a plunge in the back as well. She looked over the three and finally decided to wear the white one. The dress plunged in front but was high necked in the back so she could wear an "invisible bra". The dress looked provocative but not slutty. Since the dress was just black she paired it with a funky pair of boots that Kat has convinced her to buy in Europe.
She came back downstairs and grinned at her girls. " What do you think?" She asked with a wink. After hearing their opinions she sat in front of one of the makeup artist. She instructed them to do whatever they thought would work best for her. They ended up giving her a brown smokey eye that made her blue eyes look sultry and mysterious. Her lips were painted a dark berry color and her face was contoured to accentuate her high cheek bones. Once she was finished she waited for the other girls while sipping on a chocolate martini.
She hopped in the seat next to Kat. She patted Kat's hand comfortingly before stating, " They're talking about Hana's outfit or lack there of for the party." She knew that having Hana around them had to be hard for her but she din't want any distance in their tight knit friendship. She turned to Hana and said " Annie's got some dresses that would look hot on you." She tossed her heavy hair over her shoulder causing it to catch the light and shimmer slightly.
Cliff Parker
After taking a cab to the chocolate shop and picking out a box of candy for Lexi, Cliff and Lex stopped at Lex's mothers' restaurant. The meal was as fulfilling as expected and set a good tone for the rest of the day. The guys spent the second half of the day at Cliff's apartment. By the time they got there, his parents had already departed for their European weekend getaway, and they had the place to themselves. A few hours of video games and casual conversation made the afternoon go by pretty quickly and the two only departed ways at around five that evening. Cliff needed to pick up a suit from the dry cleaner's and drop off some paperwork at his agency downtown, and Lex had to get ready for the party too.
It took Cliff a bit longer than expected to run all of his errands, so by he was barely home by seven to start getting ready for the party. Without the makeup artists and designers that he was used to getting ready with, it didn't take him very long to prepare, though. He opted for a grey Nicole Farhi suit and just hoped that it fit in with the party's theme. Even though most of the guys didn't put too much effort into their outfit, Cliff did like looking nice. He was a part of the fashion industry and by now, it was just as easy for him to wear designer clothes as it was to wear jeans and a t-shirt. There were no downfalls to dressing well, especially when it came to getting girls. While Cliff wasn't much of a player, he never struggled to attract girls. He had hooked up with Julie Evans, one of his modelling friends, a few times over the summer but she was now spending most of her time in Paris, and a relationship between the two just wouldn't be feasible. However, after seeing Annelise today, he hadn't thought of Julie once. What was it about Annelise that had changed that made her so enticing? Her hair was much lighter, but Cliff doubted that he was shallow enough for just that to suddenly turn him on to her.
To: Lex Manning
Wanna come over before or should I just pick u up on the way?
Wanna come over before or should I just pick u up on the way?
He sent Lex the first text, but quickly followed up with a second one. Lex would either confirm that something about Annelise had changed to make her seem even more attractive than before, or he would snap Cliff out of it and reassure him that she was the same girl she had always been.
To: Lex Manning
Am I crazy or did Annelise get rly hot over the summer?
Am I crazy or did Annelise get rly hot over the summer?
After parting ways with Cliff, Alexander headed back home to make dinner for his mother. Despite anything she would tell him, Mrs. Manning hated eating leftovers from the restaurant. She cooked more refined meals there. At homes, comfort was key and he knew the perfect meal. Slipping on his apron (if Lexi was there, she'd probably snap a pic of him and post it online just for shits and giggles), he headed into the kitchen to make his mother's favorite meal, spaghetti. It was simple enough and it was always made from scratch, never tomato sauce from the store. He timed himself accordingly; if he hopped into the shower for at least ten minutes with the seasoned sauce simmering, it should be done and he could come back and start the pasta.
Ten minutes later, Lex was drying himself off and putting the pasta on. On a normal day, he wouldn't walk around the house so freely. The last time made his mother freak out exponentially and while he had gotten a laugh out of the situation, she had not been able to look him in the eye for about a week and a half. With the water boiling, he stepped out of the kitchen and headed into his bedroom to get dressed. While the theme for the evening was something about glamor and there was supposed to be some kind of runway type thing, Lex didn't care enough. Annelise wouldn't be looking at him anyway, so he didn't really have much to wear. Besides, the blazer he wore made the basic striped top seem more refined and the dark pants and dress shoes were a nice. While Cliff would probably come out in some designer suit, Lex preferred a more casual approach. Speaking of, he had seen his phone go off in response to receiving text messages, but hadn't looked at in favor of cooking. Now dressed and only needing to worry about his hair, Lex grabbed it up and headed into the kitchen, pausing mostly because of the second text from his buddy.
"Whoa," he breathed and leaned against the wall. Annelise Walton had always been attractive to him. Sure, she had never been a girl that he had gone after, but Lex never denied her attractiveness. She was one of the hottest girls in school. However, the fact that Cliff was beginning to be attracted to her said something. Shaking his head lightly, Lex stirred the pasta before sending a text.
To: Cliff
Dude, I think u need a drink. Come get me.
Ten minutes later, Lex was drying himself off and putting the pasta on. On a normal day, he wouldn't walk around the house so freely. The last time made his mother freak out exponentially and while he had gotten a laugh out of the situation, she had not been able to look him in the eye for about a week and a half. With the water boiling, he stepped out of the kitchen and headed into his bedroom to get dressed. While the theme for the evening was something about glamor and there was supposed to be some kind of runway type thing, Lex didn't care enough. Annelise wouldn't be looking at him anyway, so he didn't really have much to wear. Besides, the blazer he wore made the basic striped top seem more refined and the dark pants and dress shoes were a nice. While Cliff would probably come out in some designer suit, Lex preferred a more casual approach. Speaking of, he had seen his phone go off in response to receiving text messages, but hadn't looked at in favor of cooking. Now dressed and only needing to worry about his hair, Lex grabbed it up and headed into the kitchen, pausing mostly because of the second text from his buddy.
"Whoa," he breathed and leaned against the wall. Annelise Walton had always been attractive to him. Sure, she had never been a girl that he had gone after, but Lex never denied her attractiveness. She was one of the hottest girls in school. However, the fact that Cliff was beginning to be attracted to her said something. Shaking his head lightly, Lex stirred the pasta before sending a text.
To: Cliff
Dude, I think u need a drink. Come get me.
After her stylist was finished with her hair, Annelise didn't even bother looking at the finished project. She had asked the woman to tie her up in a neat manner so that she could safely do everything that she needed to do before getting dressed. She had smiled at Hana wickedly when Lexi told her about her finding a dress for the brunette. From the second that Hana said that she had not had anything, Annelise had already planned her out for the evening.
"Trust me, I worked on a dress and I think it'll fit you just nicely," Annie reassured the newcomer and decided not to get a manicure or pedicure. She had already visited her people and they had given her a long-lasting French manicure and pedicure. Still grinning, Annelise waited until Hana's nails were finished before dragging the blonde up to her room. "Don't worry. I won't put you in anything too revealing. I'm sure Maria can find you some shoes or something, and you have to let me do your make-up." Annelise got excited whenever it came to fashion and the act of actually dressing someone else up was exhilarating. Especially someone like Hana. Hana Lane was a girl that could be a canvas for anyone. She could fit any look, Annelise surmised, and that helped when trying to figure out what she could put the girl in.
As the duo moved to her closet, she turned to Hana a cheeky grin. "Now, before you judge me, know that half of this isn't actually clothes, but fabrics and materials. I needed the work space." To be honest, it was probably equal clothes and fabric, but she wasn't going to point that out. The massive room had taken up what would have been three other rooms, but Annelise had practically begged her mother. It hadn't been like they had lost much space. They were the only ones who lived in the twelve bedroom penthouse (who the hell had needed twelve bedrooms when there was only two people anyway?), surely she could sacrifice some room. Scanning the room, Annelise's eyes fell on a particular mannequin, which held a nice dress. It was flattering and simple enough to not be too showy for Hana. She gestured to it. "A bit basic, but it should suffice right?"
"Trust me, I worked on a dress and I think it'll fit you just nicely," Annie reassured the newcomer and decided not to get a manicure or pedicure. She had already visited her people and they had given her a long-lasting French manicure and pedicure. Still grinning, Annelise waited until Hana's nails were finished before dragging the blonde up to her room. "Don't worry. I won't put you in anything too revealing. I'm sure Maria can find you some shoes or something, and you have to let me do your make-up." Annelise got excited whenever it came to fashion and the act of actually dressing someone else up was exhilarating. Especially someone like Hana. Hana Lane was a girl that could be a canvas for anyone. She could fit any look, Annelise surmised, and that helped when trying to figure out what she could put the girl in.
As the duo moved to her closet, she turned to Hana a cheeky grin. "Now, before you judge me, know that half of this isn't actually clothes, but fabrics and materials. I needed the work space." To be honest, it was probably equal clothes and fabric, but she wasn't going to point that out. The massive room had taken up what would have been three other rooms, but Annelise had practically begged her mother. It hadn't been like they had lost much space. They were the only ones who lived in the twelve bedroom penthouse (who the hell had needed twelve bedrooms when there was only two people anyway?), surely she could sacrifice some room. Scanning the room, Annelise's eyes fell on a particular mannequin, which held a nice dress. It was flattering and simple enough to not be too showy for Hana. She gestured to it. "A bit basic, but it should suffice right?"
Hana Lane
Hana wasn't sure how to respond to Lexi's comment about how Annie had dresses that would look "hot" on her, so she giggled and brushed a strand of her now straight hair away from her face. Lexi was gorgeous and a lot nicer than she expected her to be. Honestly, Hana had expected Annelise to be the manipulative evil one, Katherine to be the mindless brat, and Lexi to be the bitch. She hadn't spoken to Kenna much, but she really didn't seem too bad either and was definitely gorgeous too. While she doubted that the girls would be this pleasant to her if she wasn't related to Katherine, she was still surprised at their cordiality. Alexandre had always spoken fondly of Katherine's friends, but Hana hadn't considered it to be true until now. She was still definitely aware that they were probably just being polite and not genuinely kind, but it was a better start than she expected.
Annelise was on the same page as Lexi, and readily agreed that she would dress her in something. When her French manicure had dried, Hana followed her through the home and to her bedroom. Again, if Hana hadn't been exposed to the Quinn's lifestyle, she would have been stunned at the elegance of Annelise's bedroom and even more so, her closet. Hana had maybe owned a quarter of the amount of clothing items in her entire seventeen-years that Annelise had in the massive closet. She was stunned, and her facial expression probably showed it for a second before she realized and tried to recompose herself. She definitely was judging Annelise, but not in a bad way. Hours ago, Hana would have scoffed at the wastefulness of owning this many things, but she was now envious of it. The lifestyle that Annelise and these girls were living was magical, and when she saw it in the perspective of having so many amazing things without an evil stepsister, it did seem lavish. Wild parties, closest worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and people waiting on your every need. Maybe this was her chance to not only make cool friends, but take advantage of the life she was thrust into when her sister married Alexandre. It would be noble of her to stick to her morals and continue to work hard for everything she wanted, but she could still do that and test the waters of luxury too, right?
"This is incredible," she stammered as she stepped inside with the blonde. She studied the rows of clothes, a majority still with price tags on them, before directing her gaze toward a mannequin that Annelise was referencing. It held a short strapless dress that Hana instantly approved of. "Yeah, totally," she confirmed when asked if she thought it would suffice. "Are you sure you're okay with me borrowing it, though? I mean, I'll take it to the cleaner's and bring it back tomorrow, but I can definitely run back to the Quinn's and get something from there if you'd feel better." She didn't want to impose on Annelise anymore than she felt like she already had, with coming over so last minute and absorbing all of the services she was offering for free. Equally, Hana didn't want to be the charity case, money or personality wise. She was beginning to suspect that Katherine had told the girls that she was as much of a friendless loser that she made her out to be. Part of her didn't really care what the reason for the girls' kindness was, since she was benefiting, but the other part didn't want her to toss her dignity for the sake of nice clothes and pretty friends.
Katherine smile became a bit more genuine when Lexi informed her that the girls were discussing how Hana didn't have a dress for the party. In her mind, it meant that they were gossiping about her lack of style and taste, and that was a catty, yet reassuring thought for her. She should have been grateful that Hana agreed to come and save her from being caught in a lie, and yet as she watched Annelise eagerly pull her upstairs to try on dresses, she wanted to kick Hana out. Styling people was Annie's forte. There was a large possibility that her major motive for wanting to get Hana ready was for her own personal enjoyment, but Katherine was against the idea of her friends even warming up to Hana a little bit.
"Hana is so ugly," Katherine said to Lexi, somewhat out of nowhere, once her best friend and step-sister had disappeared. "I don't know why or how you talked me into inviting her here, but hopefully these martinis start kicking in so I can pretend she doesn't exist," she continued, stirring her half-finished drink. She was on her third drink and was definitely already beginning to feel a buzz. Even though Katherine drank often (probably too often), she was thin enough that her tolerance was still fairly low. That didn't stop her from drinking more than she could tolerate though, but at least tonight, she wanted to still be conscious by the time the party started. Tonight was supposed to be fun, but also graceful. She didn't want to make a fool out of herself at the first major event of the school year, but if it happened, she knew she'd at least have Hana to blame.
"Do you think I should go up there? She's probably annoying Annie," Katherine asked, although she remained comfortably seated in her chair with her eyes still focused on her drink. She idly pulled out her phone and began to sift through social media. "I need to hook up with a cute guy tonight, but like, I honestly don't think there are any good looking guys on our level. Besides Cliff, but I know he's all yours," she looked up only to giggle slightly and wink at Lexi. Even though Katherine was exuberant enough as it was, the drinks were definitely helping to lift her mood up now. "What other guys even are there? Lex is... not my type." She had spoken to Kenna about her interest in him earlier, and planned on following the girl code by not pursuing him. Besides, even though he was attractive, he really wasn't her 'type'. "Benji is gross, Cole is old news, Josh isn't my type, and I feel like no one else is even relevant." She wasn't going to bring up the boy who had basically sexually assaulted Lexi that morning, even if he was more than good looking, and she didn't remember Mark Cane even existed. "Oh my God, Lexi, you should set me and Kenna up with some of Cliff's model friends tomorrow at his party. Are they all really hot too?" She knew that Lexi and Cliff were close, and had heard on various occasions that Lexi visited him at his shows and shoots, so she guessed that her friend must have been acquainted with some of the other models as well. Cliff was a good connection and with Lexi basically being his sister, she was bound to have some way to get them into that circle.
Annelise couldn't help herself when she laughed at Hana's thinking that she was imposing on her. "Sweetie, I'm a designer. What designer do you know would be against someone wearing their stuff?" She winked with a grin before stepping to the mannequin. After unzipping the dress from the left side, she slid it off the mannequin before walking back over to Hana and handing the dress to the brunette. "I'm going to go make sure the girls are getting ready and not just goofing off. Go ahead to one of the spare rooms and get changed. Maria and I will work on getting you shoes."
After seeing Hana off, Annelise headed back downstairs to see her girls and smirked at them. "Uh, hello! I do believe we have a party to be getting ready for, ladies. And while I love being fashionably late, it's my party." They weren't going to be late, she surmised. They hardly ever were, not when Annelise was the one planning everything out. Like about now, there would be those early birds who were so worried that she had been joking - that it had been an invite-only affair and they wanted to be there before the party even started to assure themselves that they could get in - that were probably just lounging around. They would probably already be snacking on the appetizers and snacks, and having their highballs and such. And then, just when a larger crowd starts coming in, that's when her and the girls usually came in. Just in time to make an entrance - for everyone to know them and want to be them.
But still, Annelise was nothing, if not punctual. She leaned against the seat Lexi was in and gave Katherine a pointed look. "And you, ma'am, dragging that poor girl here without something decent to wear. You're best friends with the trendiest girls in the school, you know better." It was half-chastising, half-teasing. Either way, the grin on Annelise's face was still present and easy.
After seeing Hana off, Annelise headed back downstairs to see her girls and smirked at them. "Uh, hello! I do believe we have a party to be getting ready for, ladies. And while I love being fashionably late, it's my party." They weren't going to be late, she surmised. They hardly ever were, not when Annelise was the one planning everything out. Like about now, there would be those early birds who were so worried that she had been joking - that it had been an invite-only affair and they wanted to be there before the party even started to assure themselves that they could get in - that were probably just lounging around. They would probably already be snacking on the appetizers and snacks, and having their highballs and such. And then, just when a larger crowd starts coming in, that's when her and the girls usually came in. Just in time to make an entrance - for everyone to know them and want to be them.
But still, Annelise was nothing, if not punctual. She leaned against the seat Lexi was in and gave Katherine a pointed look. "And you, ma'am, dragging that poor girl here without something decent to wear. You're best friends with the trendiest girls in the school, you know better." It was half-chastising, half-teasing. Either way, the grin on Annelise's face was still present and easy.
Lexi watched as Hana and Annie turned away. She decided to not follow them. She knew Annie had it covered and that at the moment Kat needed her more. Which was evident by the out of character catty comments she was making. " C'mon Kitty Kat," She said affectionately " I know you don't want the evil step sister around but you know you have me right?" She laid a hand on Kat's arm, " I know this is difficult for you but none of us are going to put Hana before you. You're our best friend and no new bitch is going to come in here and change that. Ever."
She watched as Kat sucked down more martinis but felt no need to chastise the girl. Kat was dealing with a lot of stuff right now. The girl deserved a drink... or two... or three. She shook her head at Kat's comment about going upstairs. " Annie's got it, I'm sure." When Kat mentioned guys Lexi rolled her eyes a bit. She winked back at Kat though when she made a statement about Cliff. As Kat went through the list of guys she couldn't help but think about that Lance guy. She seethed a bit but attempted to focus back on her friend. Kat had seemed to move on to Cliff's friends and she shrugged. " Cliff doesn't like when I hang out with his friends." She said with a shrug, " I can ask him to bring some tonight though if you want."With that she opened her phone and shot Cliff a quick message.
To:Cliff
Hey can you invite some of your model friends tonight. Kat wants to know.
Hey can you invite some of your model friends tonight. Kat wants to know.
She wasn't sure why but she felt the need to mention it was for Kat rather than herself. She chalked it up to the fact that he wouldn't bring them for her. When Annie came back downstairs Lexi grinned at her. " I've just asked cliff too bring some model friends tonight." She said with a mischievous grin. After Annie chastised Kat jokingly Lexi stood up. " So when are we going to your party?" She asked doing a quick spin. " I think we're just about fashionable late."
Hana Lane
Hana nodded understandingly when Annelise insisted that she was more than okay with her wearing the dress. Her intentions seemed genuine and judging by the sheer amount of dresses hanging in the closet, Hana tried to reassure herself that Annelise Walton wouldn't be bothered by one dress going missing for a few hours. "Thanks," she smiled, carefully taking the dress before Annelise exited. Thanks for the dress, for the afternoon, for being nice... She really was surprised at the girls' kindness. This wasn't the reputation that Annelise seemed to have earned in many people's books, and Hana's mind flashed back to the Gossip Girl blog that had called Annelise an "ice queen". She didn't seem cold or heartless, as the title suggested but Hana had only socialized with her for a few hours. She was probably one of those girls who were nice until you crossed them. That's fine though, because I don't plan on crossing her. I'll let these girls be nice to me as long as they want, and then when it's over, I'll go back to my perfectly fine life. No harm, no foul.
Hana was only a few steps behind Annelise as they leave her bedroom, but followed her direction and turned into a guest bedroom down the hall. She tried to change as quickly as possible, while being careful not to mess up her hair, and was finished in only a few minutes. She admired her appearance in the mirror. The dress looked lovely, and even she, who was usually hard on herself, could admit that. It wasn't too risque but also not too conservative, and flattered the slight curves that she had. Maria and Annelise hadn't returned with her shoes, and since Hana was unsure if she was supposed to wait or not, she folded her school clothes neatly and after a moment, carried them downstairs.
She found Annelise back with the girls and approached them with a smile. She was nervous but hated the fact that she was. This wasn't the first time that she had gotten dressed up or went to a party. She had done it loads of times before with her old friends, and had even attended a few events with Alexandre and her sister over the summer. Why was this so different? She didn't know, or maybe she just didn't want to admit that she kind of did want to fit in with these girls. That their opinion of her was more important to her than she wanted to believe. It was something that would go against her morals and the ideals she had just this morning, but the idea of being popular wasn't looking so bad.
"Is there somewhere that I should leave my school clothes?" she asked as she stepped towards the group of girls with clothes in-hand. "Or is Julian coming to pick them up before we go?" Her eyes shifted to Katherine at the last part and she noted the nearly-empty glass in her hand. She doubted that this was still her original first drink but wasn't going to say anything about it. On the few occasions that Hana had seen Katherine over the summer, more than half of them included Katherine being way too intoxicated for her own good, so she wasn't surprised to see it beginning again now.
Cliff Parker
Lex's response confirmed that Cliff was out of it and a drink probably was the best course of action. He shook his head, as if that would somehow magically shake the thoughts from his mind. It didn't work, of course, but Cliff tried to distract himself. He shot back a reply to Lex that he was on his way, and after grabbing his phone and wallet, made his way outside. The air was more brisk than it had been earlier that day, but considering that it was still September, it wasn't terribly cool. Cliff actually preferred the cool weather. It wasn't too sticky or uncomfortably cold, and provided a comfortable temperature for walking through the city. Tonight, however, he wouldn't be walking. Elmo was located in Chelsea, which would be too far of a walk for Cliff to do if he actually wanted to arrive to the party on time. Instead, he hailed a cab and after giving directions to Lex's place to the driver, they were on their way.
Clifford's family had a driver but his mother was really the only one in the household who took advantage of it. He and his father didn't mind walking or taking cabs, and Cliff actually preferred it. It was less personal than sitting in the car with a driver that he was acquainted with since there was no need for small talk or inquiries about why he was going to a certain location. Cab drivers were just looking to make some money and Cliff was happy to provide them with it as long as the rides were as painless as possible.
To: Lex Manning
Outside your place
Outside your place
Lex appeared moments later, something that Cliff was grateful for. Whenever he was picking up Lexi or one of his girl friends, he could expect to sit outside their building for at least ten minutes. Apparently, being "almost ready" meant that they still needed to get dressed or do their hair and makeup, and he had gotten accustomed to just saying that he was on his way well before he actually left his house.
They were now on their way to Elmo, and Cliff turned to Lex. "You seriously didn't notice something different about Annie today? I mean, besides the hair. I don't know, man, something about her was different..." Back to thinking about Annelise. God, he really did need a drink. He was going to compensate and claim that Lex probably didn't notice the drastic change in her sexual attractiveness since he had seen her all summer, but his phone pinged and captured his attention. It was Lexi, and luckily, she didn't seem mad at him as she questioned whether he could bring some of his friends for Katherine.
To: Lexi
What? Us Saint Jude's guys aren't good enough for her?
What? Us Saint Jude's guys aren't good enough for her?
His response was meant to be light-hearted but also allowed him to not have to answer it directly. He probably did have some guy friends who would enjoy coming to the party tonight, but Cliff wasn't sure if he wanted any of them around his friends. Even if the request really was for Katherine, he knew some of his friends were into blondes and really, it would be hard for any of them to reject Lexi.
Lexi did her best to insist that Hana was doing nothing wrong and that she shouldn't worry about her. It helped Katherine feel better for the moment, and probably mostly because Lexi referred to Hana as being evil and a bitch. Even if she was just doing it to make Katherine feel better, it was validating to think that someone else realized that she wasn't that great either. She felt even better when Lexi said that she would text Cliff about bringing some of his friends. "Make sure they're tall, too, because I'm wearing heels tonight," she added. The thought of her outfit reminded her that it was getting late and she should probably get dressed.
She returned a few minutes later, sporting a black bandeau dress, black wedge heels and a gold necklace. She held a matching gold clutch, and although her phone was supposed to be situated in it, it now only held a pack of gum and a credit card. She was too busy on her phone, scanning Instagram to see what others were wearing, to put it down. On her way back to the main area, Katherine stopped in the kitchen and have a beeline for the liquor cabinet. Her buzz made her feel even more comfortable, but even if she had been sober, she wouldn't have hesitated to helping herself to anything at Annelise's. It was practically a second home to her, so she saw no harm in grabbing a glass and sifting through the bottles of alcohol until she found a bottle of Grey Goose. "One shot for the road," she said to herself as she poured her opinion of a shot's worth of alcohol into the glass. The burn of the alcohol sliding down her throat was almost welcomed at this point, and once satisfied, she placed the bottle back in its spot and returned to Lexi.
"Are his friends coming?," she said with a cheerful smile as she flopped back into her seat next to Lexi. Not a moment later, Annelise came down the stairs and reminded them that they were going to be late if they didn't leave soon. Katherine was going to remark that as soon as Annie and Kenna were ready, everyone important would be, and they could leave, but Annelise beat her to referencing Hana. She was being playful and Katherine knew it, but she still didn't like Annelise sticking up for Hana, even if she considered that part of the comment was because it would harm them if Hana dressed poorly. She should go home and cry about it. Katherine wanted to be spiteful, but she wasn't going to act that way tonight, and definitely not towards Annie. In reality, the girls were supposedly all doing her a favor by letting Hana come. "It's not my fault that she's too short for my clothes and hates shopping!" she objected with her best version of an innocent smile.
As if on cue, Hana appeared in a dress that Annie must have chosen, because it was much too nice for Katherine to believe Hana could choose herself. She asked where she should leave the clothes she came in, and Katherine planned on ignoring her, but she followed up with a question directly addressed for her. "I don't care," she replied curtly. She wanted to leave it at that, but again, didn't want to live up to the reputation of being a brat in front of her friends. "Annie, where do you want her to leave them?" Katherine had left hers scattered on the floor of the spare room she had changed in, but she wasn't worried about someone coming to retrieve them. Besides the school skirt, she would probably never wear the rest of the outfit again, and having less clothes at home would give her an excuse to go shopping tomorrow.
Annelise's smile wavered only a bit at Katherine's tone and she raked fingers through her hair momentarily, eyes trained solely on her friend. After a moment, however, she turned her gaze back to Lexi with a small smile. "We'll leave when everyone is ready. Which shouldn't take too long." Of course, unlike the others, Annelise hadn't gotten the stylists to do her makeup and she hadn't let Hana stay since they were finding her an outfit. She was just about to make another comment when they all saw Hana come back downstairs. Annelise's face brightened.
"It fits, just like I thought," she exclaimed with a very triumphant smile, hands clasped before her proudly. Again, her mood dropped just slightly at Katherine's pessimism and Annelise turned to the brunette at the inquiry. This time, the stare was longer and imperceptible. Katherine was simply acting just like Annelise wanted. Possessive, jealous, and bratty. She was upset that Annelise was being nice, which had never bothered Katherine before, particularly at the wedding when Katherine was even more hostile towards Hana. So, the unspoken tantrum she was throwing - complete with however many number of drinks she had already downed - only had Annelise giving her a very knowing look. She smiled a little and then nodded to Maria as the older woman brought in two separate boxes. "Hana, go back to that room you changed in to with Maria and leave the clothes there. Maria has some shoes for you to try on with the dress and I'll be in there to do some light make-up on you." As one brunette headed up one staircase, Annelise addressed the other. "My dress zips up in the back. Kat, come." It wasn't a question or a request, no matter how sweetly or with a smile she said it. It was a demand and Annelise didn't wait for Katherine to move with her. She just started walking. Katherine was sure to follow.
Once the duo made it back to Annelise's room, Annelise grabbed the wrapped-up dress that had laid on her bed waiting and led Katherine in to her closet, closing the door behind them. It was one of the reasons why she loved the area so much. It had a door leading to the hallway that could only be accessed by a key that she had, another to a bathroom, another that was directly by the elevator, and the only other door was the one to her bedroom and that one locked from the inside. So, not just anyone could barge on in when they felt like it. Annelise released Katherine and headed over to one of the dressing screens closer to her underwear section. She needed an invisible bra for the dress. As she undressed, Annelise began to speak. "Btw, I lied. The dress has a criss-cross pattern in the back. Very flattering, mind you." It was a light start to a conversation, she noted, as she fixed the new bra on herself. She heard Katherine take a seat and didn't bother to glance out to see where. It didn't matter anyway. "The point of all of this is that you've been lying to me, which I hate. And I've been to nice to Hana, which you hate. Which also isn't that much of a surprise considering I've been nice to her before and you never cared that much." Annelise shimmied the dress on over head, careful with the beading and her silky pinned-up hair. Once it pressed into her sleek sides and curves, Annelise pulled the hem down until it reached the middle of her thighs, marveling at the back at the mirror behind the dressing screen. Not exactly important right now, she had to remind herself mentally. Sighing, Annelise slipped out from behind the dressing screen after slipping into Jimmy Choo pumps and cast her friend a knowing look as she pulled the pins from her hair that had kept them luscious curls from cascading down her back. "All of that concludes that this - whatever it is - has nothing to do with your Dad wanting you to be nice to Hana. You've done better at being nice, you've actually included me on those times you've been nice so that Alexandre could get off your case. This doesn't even have anything to do with Hana and we both know it." Annelise let that sink in.
Annelise found her Givenchy earrings to slip on and a stainless steel ring, basical jewelry for an already stunning dress. She still had a surprisingly curvy figure despite her diminutive frame and the dress managed to bring those curves the full attention they deserved. Fluffing her hair lightly, Annelise stepped to one of the make-up stations in the room and hurried up to do her eyes. It was on a darker note that she usually did, a feat that she could only accomplish now that she was tired of being a baby face. Once that was finished, she was applying a dark red lipstick and then grabbed a black clutch before walking over to Katherine, staring at the brunette softly. "So, we can do this several ways. You can tell me and I won't say a word to the others. You can tell Lex and I, and we can all watch movies in the cinema room and hang out on the terrace. You can even include Kenna and maybe we all take a trip. Or, you can continue to lie to me. Just don't be surprised when Gossip Girl blasts you for something I could have kept from hitting the media. I'm never here to hurt you, love." Annelise smiled a fraction before sighing. "Besides, wouldn't the Wicked Witch be so much more appealing to you in my Mac collection?"
"It fits, just like I thought," she exclaimed with a very triumphant smile, hands clasped before her proudly. Again, her mood dropped just slightly at Katherine's pessimism and Annelise turned to the brunette at the inquiry. This time, the stare was longer and imperceptible. Katherine was simply acting just like Annelise wanted. Possessive, jealous, and bratty. She was upset that Annelise was being nice, which had never bothered Katherine before, particularly at the wedding when Katherine was even more hostile towards Hana. So, the unspoken tantrum she was throwing - complete with however many number of drinks she had already downed - only had Annelise giving her a very knowing look. She smiled a little and then nodded to Maria as the older woman brought in two separate boxes. "Hana, go back to that room you changed in to with Maria and leave the clothes there. Maria has some shoes for you to try on with the dress and I'll be in there to do some light make-up on you." As one brunette headed up one staircase, Annelise addressed the other. "My dress zips up in the back. Kat, come." It wasn't a question or a request, no matter how sweetly or with a smile she said it. It was a demand and Annelise didn't wait for Katherine to move with her. She just started walking. Katherine was sure to follow.
Once the duo made it back to Annelise's room, Annelise grabbed the wrapped-up dress that had laid on her bed waiting and led Katherine in to her closet, closing the door behind them. It was one of the reasons why she loved the area so much. It had a door leading to the hallway that could only be accessed by a key that she had, another to a bathroom, another that was directly by the elevator, and the only other door was the one to her bedroom and that one locked from the inside. So, not just anyone could barge on in when they felt like it. Annelise released Katherine and headed over to one of the dressing screens closer to her underwear section. She needed an invisible bra for the dress. As she undressed, Annelise began to speak. "Btw, I lied. The dress has a criss-cross pattern in the back. Very flattering, mind you." It was a light start to a conversation, she noted, as she fixed the new bra on herself. She heard Katherine take a seat and didn't bother to glance out to see where. It didn't matter anyway. "The point of all of this is that you've been lying to me, which I hate. And I've been to nice to Hana, which you hate. Which also isn't that much of a surprise considering I've been nice to her before and you never cared that much." Annelise shimmied the dress on over head, careful with the beading and her silky pinned-up hair. Once it pressed into her sleek sides and curves, Annelise pulled the hem down until it reached the middle of her thighs, marveling at the back at the mirror behind the dressing screen. Not exactly important right now, she had to remind herself mentally. Sighing, Annelise slipped out from behind the dressing screen after slipping into Jimmy Choo pumps and cast her friend a knowing look as she pulled the pins from her hair that had kept them luscious curls from cascading down her back. "All of that concludes that this - whatever it is - has nothing to do with your Dad wanting you to be nice to Hana. You've done better at being nice, you've actually included me on those times you've been nice so that Alexandre could get off your case. This doesn't even have anything to do with Hana and we both know it." Annelise let that sink in.
Annelise found her Givenchy earrings to slip on and a stainless steel ring, basical jewelry for an already stunning dress. She still had a surprisingly curvy figure despite her diminutive frame and the dress managed to bring those curves the full attention they deserved. Fluffing her hair lightly, Annelise stepped to one of the make-up stations in the room and hurried up to do her eyes. It was on a darker note that she usually did, a feat that she could only accomplish now that she was tired of being a baby face. Once that was finished, she was applying a dark red lipstick and then grabbed a black clutch before walking over to Katherine, staring at the brunette softly. "So, we can do this several ways. You can tell me and I won't say a word to the others. You can tell Lex and I, and we can all watch movies in the cinema room and hang out on the terrace. You can even include Kenna and maybe we all take a trip. Or, you can continue to lie to me. Just don't be surprised when Gossip Girl blasts you for something I could have kept from hitting the media. I'm never here to hurt you, love." Annelise smiled a fraction before sighing. "Besides, wouldn't the Wicked Witch be so much more appealing to you in my Mac collection?"
Alexander had grown a bit particular about the way in which he handled plating his foods, especially after working with Annelise Walton. Surprisingly enough, for all the modern splendor that her house and life foretold, she could be rather simple. And she wasn't actually as big on presentation as some other rich clients. In fact, as long as the food tasted magnificent - and yes, this says a lot when considering the perfectionist that was the Ice Queen of Constance - Annelise was perfectly fine with it. However, like with his mother, it was her fascination towards that creative display that had him ready to surprise her a little. Even if it was something simple like trimming this one thing right here or sprinkling a bit of this powder that way, it made the plate look different - just a bit - and in turn, made her look impressed. It made his mother impressed and well, Lex liked impressing the woman who spent hours upon hours trying to impress the New York masses.
Once her plate was finished and Lex had stashed one of his father's bottles of red wine (it wasn't like his Dad was here to miss it or anything) in the fridge, Lex grabbed up his phone and wallet and headed out upon Cliff's text. The dishes were in the machine, check. Lights off, check. Food in the microwave, check. Wine, utensils, and napkins - triple check. Yep, he was ready. Smoothing a hand through his hair, Lex locked up and was downstairs where Cliff was waiting with a cab. Nodding to his friend, Lex entered the vehicle and the pair were on their way to Elmo.
Lex almost laughed way too loudly at Cliff's pressing him about Annelise, which was hilarious considering this was Cliff. How many times could anyone say that Clifford Parker was actually inquiring about a girl? "Annelise has always been hot. She didn't get any hotter over the summer, you're probably just noticing. Which is hilarious considering how many of the guys have been trying to at least get her number since freshman year." Lex chuckled a bit to himself before glancing at his friend's expression. He smirked. "Don't tell me that out of all the girls at Constance you could have a chance with, the Ice Queen has you in her clutches now?"
Once her plate was finished and Lex had stashed one of his father's bottles of red wine (it wasn't like his Dad was here to miss it or anything) in the fridge, Lex grabbed up his phone and wallet and headed out upon Cliff's text. The dishes were in the machine, check. Lights off, check. Food in the microwave, check. Wine, utensils, and napkins - triple check. Yep, he was ready. Smoothing a hand through his hair, Lex locked up and was downstairs where Cliff was waiting with a cab. Nodding to his friend, Lex entered the vehicle and the pair were on their way to Elmo.
Lex almost laughed way too loudly at Cliff's pressing him about Annelise, which was hilarious considering this was Cliff. How many times could anyone say that Clifford Parker was actually inquiring about a girl? "Annelise has always been hot. She didn't get any hotter over the summer, you're probably just noticing. Which is hilarious considering how many of the guys have been trying to at least get her number since freshman year." Lex chuckled a bit to himself before glancing at his friend's expression. He smirked. "Don't tell me that out of all the girls at Constance you could have a chance with, the Ice Queen has you in her clutches now?"
Maria "Aria" Montgomery
Maria looked at her cell phone and saw that Cole had replied back to the text she sent a few minutes ago. She was quite happy with the way their relationship was so far. It was going good and she was very proud she was able to say that. Maria had never really ever had a boyfriend before Cole and she was quite happy to say the least.
She read the text and texted back.
Cole Traverse
-Hey babe, sounds great. I don't know about Hana but I will see if i can talk Melissa into it. I would love to come over. Party sounds great talk soon. Xoxo Aria-
She finished the assembly and grabbed out her cell phone again looking if he had texted back. It didn't look like it she looked towards Melissa. "Seems like Hana ditched us. My boyfriend he invited us over to his apartment did you want to come with?" She pushed her grandmothers number and clicked text
Grandma
-Hey grams, boyfriend invited me and a friend over going there coming home to change and then going to a party wanted to let you know. Talk soon, Xoxo Maria-
She looked at Melissa and continued to walk towards her boyfriends apartment. She wondered if Melissa was following her she just wanted to see Cole. He was always nice to talk to and always had the best intentions. She wondered if Melissa was going to the party tonight. She got there and knocked on her boyfriends door waiting for an answer.
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View All » Add Character » 23 Characters to follow in this universe
Newest
Lance Cavendish
"And I should care because?"
Cliff Parker
"Life is about finding yourself."
Lex Manning
"I just wanna get through the year." {WIP}
Annelise Walton
"I'm the queen, watch me rule!"
Alexandra Billington
I chose the bohemian life over the lies
Trending
Annelise Walton
"I'm the queen, watch me rule!"
Alexandra Billington
I chose the bohemian life over the lies
Lex Manning
"I just wanna get through the year." {WIP}
Cliff Parker
"Life is about finding yourself."
Lance Cavendish
"And I should care because?"
Most Followed
Annelise Walton
"I'm the queen, watch me rule!"
Alexandra Billington
I chose the bohemian life over the lies
Cliff Parker
"Life is about finding yourself."
Lance Cavendish
"And I should care because?"
Lex Manning
"I just wanna get through the year." {WIP}
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128 posts · 23 characters present · last post 2015-02-13 04:31:02 »
Manhattan, NY Owner: royals
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Gossip Girl
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Gossip Girl
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Relationships
by royals on Wed Dec 24, 2014 1:57 am
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