Manhattan's Elite

Chapter 3

*ARABELLA'S P.O.V*

When I read the blast, I panicked on the inside just a bit. How did Gossip Girl already find out about mine and Maverick's plan to hang out? I took a deep breath and locked my phone, my gaze looking out the window.

'It's okay. Gossip Girl will find out anything and everything. There's no point in trying to hide anything.' I thought to myself as I fiddled with my hands.

"Everything okay?" My dad asked while he drove to our house.

"Yep, everything is all good. Just sort of tired," I replied, a soft sigh escaping my plump lips.

"When we get home, get a snack, do your homework, then take a power-nap before dance class. I've got some work to do, so Sebastian will take you and pick you up afterward."

I nod my head gently as I continued looking out the window. Eventually, my dad parked the car in the garage and I unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed out of the car. Of course, I was tired, but also nervous since I didn't know if Sebastian read Gossip Girl or not. I hoped that he didn't, but I hardly doubt that. I followed my dad inside where I greeted Ellie, then walked into the kitchen to search for a snack. However, food wasn't on my mind — the blast was. Right about now, I wished that Rosalie was home so I could talk to her about this, but she was at cheer practice and by the time she'll get home, I'll be on my way to dance class.

I pulled out a container of strawberries from the fridge and brought them over to the sink where I rinsed them off. I pulled a few them out of the container, plucked the stems off, before proceeding to cut them up. I didn't just want strawberries, I wanted some sort of other fruit with it. There was a bowl of fruit sitting on the island counter which was perfect; my mother and Ellie might have gone to the farmer's market to pick these up. Either way, they looked nice and fresh. In the end, I chose a kiwi as the other fruit in my quick and easy fruit salad. I cut the kiwi in half, scooped it out of its shell, then cut them up before placing them in my bowl. I walked over to my sink and placed the knife and cutting board in there before washing my hands to get the sticky residue off my hands.

Since it was a sunny day today, I decided to eat my snack outside in the backyard. I grabbed a fork, my phone, and my bowl before making my way outside. It was hot, but not too hot. Just about right. My backyard was probably one of my favorite parts of my house, next to the basement, just because it was so peaceful. We had a hammock, a pool, a fire pit, and an outdoor party area which was quite popular with my parents' friends. However, what I loved about it most was the hammock. I climbed into it and sighed happily as I ate my fruit and scrolled through all my social media until I got a text notification.

From: Unknown Number
Hey Arabella, it's Maverick! I can't wait for our date tomorrow night. What are you up to right now?

When I saw that the text was from Maverick, my heart nearly skipped a beat. He was actually really cute and so sweet, but who knows if this was an act? For now, I'll just continue being nice to him since he was being friendly. I saved his number and let my fingers dance across the screen as I typed my reply.

To: Maverick
Hey! I can't wait either! I've got a little bit of time to kill before my dance class, so I'm just relaxing in my backyard. How about you? What are you up to?

I sent the text before locking my phone. However, a notification immediately popped up.

To: Arabella
Oh, I gotcha! I'm at football practice right now, taking a little break.

When I read his text, I giggled softly. I definitely understood where he was coming from. I wasn't in the mood to go to my dance class, but I have to.