Looks like H might end up with a boy and a ticket to the inner circle. Or will he end up with another victim? I told you I love parties.
+++++++
"Where'd you get that dress? It's--"
"Your mom bought it for me," I cut Elijah off with an annoyed look as we walk down the street. "And if you tell me it's too short, I will seriously punch you in the face."
Elijah holds up his hands in defense. "Fine. But are you sure you want to come to this party?"
I nod.
"What I meant is, are you sure you can handle coming to this party?"
I stop walking and look at Elijah solemnly, who also halts and looks down at me.
"I doubt Lydia is throwing that kind of party, Elijah," I say in annoyance. "How many times do I have to say I'm fine?"
Elijah sighs, shakes his head, and continues walking.
We walk another block and I follow him to the steps of a beautiful apartment building, where the doorman smiles and let's us in.
On the 9th floor, the elevator doors ding open and we step out into a spacious, classily furnished, well designed apartment.
Teenagers laugh and dance to mainstream music with glasses of champagne in their hands.
They're wearing cocktail dresses, not mini skirts and bralets.
They're drinking champagne and beer, not a mixture of Sprite and codeine cough syrup.
"Elijah!" Lydia chirps, coming into view and running up to us. "You're here!" She averts her attention to me, pursing her lips. "And you brought the interloper," she smiles falsely while eyeing Elijah with furrowed eyebrows.
What happened to everyone's invited?
"Lydia," Elijah says sternly, ready to defend me from her intolerance.
"It's okay, Elijah," I say, smiling as sweetly as I can manage. "Lydia, I really like your dress."
Lydia glances down quickly at her attire and then looks at me with her head held a little higher.
"Thanks. Drinks are on the counter,"she informs, tossing her hair over her shoulder and sauntering off to talk to someone.
Elijah turns and looks at me in suspicion.
"Just trust me," I tell him calmly and walk off.
Holden and I had run through what I should and shouldn't do at the party tonight, and come up with step one in our plan to essentially get me into Yale.
Step One: Become apart of Lydia O'Connell's inner circle.
Apparently, I don't need to be Lydia's BFF, I just need to be one of her followers. Holden says, Lydia doesn't really have friends, she just has admirers. Besides Elijah, Holden, and her boyfriend, Jake, she was alone.
"Maybe that's the problem," I told Holden. "Maybe Lydia just needs a female best friend."
Holden shook his head and laughed dryly. "No," he said. "Lydia doesn't want a girl best friend because she doesn't like to be outdone. Lydia likes the spotlight at all times, and she won't let anyone steal it from her. That's why all her real friends are guys. That's why she surrounds herself with an army of followers, who won't try to outshine her. Don't cross Lydia, she's your ticket in. You don't need to outdo her, you just need to be seen."
To be apart of Lydia's clique, I'd need to get on her good side--kiss her ass a little.
I groan inwardly. I wish I didn't have to do this.
I walk over to where Lydia sits on the couch, a glass of champagne in her hand as she talks and her posse listens; like she's Jesus spreading the word of God to her shiny-haired disciples.
I sit down on the couch near her.
She turns around and looks at me with distaste.
"What are you doing?" she asks with a pointed look. "Can't you see I'm having a conversation with my friends?"
I force back an annoyed sigh and an eye roll, smiling lightly instead.
"Aren't we frie--"
"No," Lydia cuts off my question with finality, and the girls around her giggle.
"Well I'd like to be," I say with false sincerity, not giving up on my task.
Lydia narrows her eyes and scans my face for a few seconds.
"Are you sure about that?" She asks skeptically.
I nod quickly.
"Fine."
Yes, yes, yes!
Suddenly a wicked smirk spreads across her glossy pink lips. "Let's play a game."
"Lydia has a knack for hazing her initiates into her circle, so be ready for that," Holden had told me yesterday. "Last year, she had one of them kiss a teacher. It's all just a game to her."
"Okay," I respond meekly, nervous as to what I'd have to do.
"I'm going to give you 3 tasks. For each task you complete, I'm going to give you a gift, which all of us already have, obviously, to symbolize your being one of us. If you fail, I'll know you're incapable."
I definitely won't be joining a sorority in college.
"First task; see that girl over there?" Lydia points across the room to a girl with olive toned skin and long brown hair. "I need you to steal her phone, and bring it to me," Lydia smiles evilly.
How the hell do I do that?
"Done," I say confidently, standing up and walking into the kitchen the girl has entered.
A plan concocting in my mind, I turn to the refrigerator, bend over to grab a bottle of water.
A loud whistle sounds from behind me, and I quickly turn around to see the devil himself.
I frown at him and he smirks.
"How's it going?" Holden asks quietly.
"See for yourself," I whisper back.
Opening my water I take a sip as I walk towards the brunette, purposely trip on a stool, and squeeze the water bottle tightly, spilling half the contents on her.
"Oh my God, this dress is suede! You klutz!" the girl shrieks stomping off towards the bathroom while frantically dabbing her dress with napkins she's snatched from the hands of a partygoer.
A few people had turned to look but soon carried on with having fun. I snatch the rose gold iPhone the girl had left on the counter.
Turning around to Holden with my prize he smiles in victory.
"Part of the game?" He asks.
I nod. "I feel bad."
"Don't," Holden smiles. "You do what you gotta do around here, Harper. Plus, everyone usually deserves whatever's coming to them."
The last sentence just makes me feel worse. If I keep this up, one day I'm just going to get what's coming to me like everyone else. Well, everyone but Lydia.
I nod, and find my way back to Lydia who stands by a window with a tall blonde boy. He kisses her cheek gently and she giggles--Jake, presumably.
They look up when I approach them.
"Hey, um, Elijah's cousin, right? Harper?" Jake asks and I nod.
"Yeah, nice to meet you."
He nods in acknowledgement, then averts his gaze behind me. "Holden!" He shouts, grinning and walking off.
Lydia nods her head at the girls on the other side of the room, who scurry over quickly.
"Did you get it?" one asks.
I lick my lips and turn to Lydia.
"Why do you need her phone?"
Lydia smiles smugly. "You're not one of us yet; I can't trust you with that information."
I roll my eyes and hand her the phone. She snatches it and shoves it to one her minions.
"Veronica, put this up for me, will you?" The pretty red head nods with a smiles before hurrying off down a hallway.
"Congrats!" Lydia tells me. "You've earned prize number 1."
One of the girls besides her passes her a small black box, a Chanel logo printed on the top in white. My eyes widen as Lydia passes it to me.
"One down, two to go," she tells as I open up the box to see a headband--a strip of black velvet material with little Chanel logos methodically embroidered around it.
Nice.
I place the box in my purse and look up at her for what's next.
"Task number 2, a kiss from an it-boy. Since I'm dating Jake and Elijah's your cousin, that leaves Holden Frasier, next at the top of the list," Lydia tells me; her minions gasp and whisper, boosting the situation further.
I sigh. Not Holden. He may be helping me out, but only because he wants something in return, not because we genuinely enjoy each other's company. I mean, it'll be easy to get him to kiss me--he knows the plan, though he'd probably do it anyway--but I can't help but be repelled by his jerkish ora.
"And not like a quick kiss, either. Something like, something like that," she says and I turn around to follow her gaze.
Holden's on the other side of the room, his arm around some girls waist, his tongue shoved down her throat.
I turn back to Lydia in disgust who's snickering. "Well?" she asks in amusement. "Get to it."
I groan, and begin walking towards Holden reluctantly.
"Oh, and Harper," Lydia calls. I whip around to face her, hoping she's change her mind. "Try not to let him coerce you into sleeping with him."
The girls bust into laughter as I keep walking towards Holden. I clear my throat, breaking up the makeout session. Holden pushes off the girl, his annoyance dissipating when he sees it's me.
"Go," he tells the girl rudely, and she scoffs, eyes darting between us in distaste before stomping off.
"What can I do for you Harper? Or were you just jealous?" He asks, snaking his arm around my waist. I let him, being that the situation warrants it.
"Listen, normally I wouldn't do this, but Lydia says I have to and I have to do what she says for now," I say sternly, trying my best not to pull away.
"And what exactly does she want you to do now?" He asks, smirking knowingly and leaning down towards me.
I exhale deeply, deciding to just get it over with, and quickly learn forward to press my lips to his. He kisses back roughly, holding me tighter. Instantly, I understand Lydia's warning as I feel myself melt into him unconsciously. I can feel his stupid smirk through the kiss, and I abruptly pull back when his hand slides lower.
"That should do it. Thanks for taking one for the team," I say as I take a step back from him, a disgusting feeling replacing the dreamy one when I lick my lips and taste a hint of strawberry lipgloss from the girl before me.
"Anytime," Holden says, flashing me a million dollar, page 6 smile.
"Last time," I correct.
"We'll see."
I roll my eyes and proceed to walk back to Lydia and the girls, who have a mixture of impressed and shocked looks on their faces.
"I'll be honest," Lydia sighs. "I didn't think you had it in you, townie."
I frown. "I am not a townie."
"Whatever. Gift 2: knee socks. We wear the burgundy ones everyday, except for Tuesday's and Thursday's. On those days we wear our cream colored ones," she adds handing me 2 packs of knee socks, one burgundy and one cream, both matching our school uniform.
"We also go to Serendipity for lunch those days!" one of the girls chimes in.
"Down, Becca. She's not there yet," Lydia reminds. "Last task," Lydia pulls me to the middle of the room, then Veronica hands her a 12 ounce bottle of Smirnoff. "Down half."
My eyes widen, the line finally drawn.
"I um, I can't. I don't drink, I can't."
Lydia lets out what's between a laugh and a scoff. "Really, Harper? I mean, honestly?"
I exhale and weigh the pros and cons. I don't want to get in trouble again. I really shouldn't, but this is the final task. I'll be one step closer to Yale.
I look around the room quickly to see no ones eyes are on me.
Taking the bottle from Lydia, I untwist the cap and begin swallowing the alcohol. It burns my throat and I close my eyes, envisioning an acceptance letter in my hand; envisioning a smiling Cara by my side.
Claps and cheers of encouragement are shouted from the girls around me, quickly drawing a loud, much unwanted crowd.
"Harper!" My cousins voice cuts through the crowd loudly. My eyes snap open to see him front and center, a disappointed look on his face.
Shit.
I remove the bottle from lips, handing it back to Lydia with a red lipstick stain around the rim. It's been forever since I've had a drink.
She eyes me with a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes, and takes off the pearl necklace around her neck. "I doubt you have your own, so wear this one to school Monday."
I take the elegant necklace from her, clutching it tightly. "See you Monday."
"Let's go, Harper," Elijah says as he starts towards the elevator.
I trail behind him with my tail between my legs and my eyes on the ground.
"I can't believe you. This is why I wanted you to stay home. I thought you changed," he scolds once the elevator doors close completely.
"I have! I told you I have a plan. You just have to trust me, Elijah."
"You just got here Harper. Whatever this plan is, it's going to get you sent home."
My heart skips a beat at the thought of leaving Lockwood completely unaccomplished.
"No it's not. That was a one time thing. I only did it because Lydia asked me to."
"Don't. Don't turn into one of those girls that listens to whatever Lydia says, okay? What did I tell you on the first day?"
"I remember, okay?" I assure him, calmly. "Just promise you won't tell Aunt Lindsey," I plead looking up at him as we step out of the elevator.
"Alright," he sighs. "Just don't do it again."
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I just planned out chapters 4 to 9 and I'm so excited to start writing them and posting them but only if people like the story ofc so vote and comment and also share/add to your reading lists!
The gossip girl quote from the beginning originally said "little J" not H; H stands for Harper.
Serendipity is a really cute restaurant in NYC they have frozen hot chocolate and it's amazing.
Also I don't drink so I don't really know if 6 ounces of vodka is a substantial amount.