CHAPTER ONE | pilot
Spotted at Grand Central, suitcases in hand, Serena Van Der Woodsen. Was it only a year ago our 'it' girl mysteriously disappeared for 'boarding school?' And just as suddenly, she's back, with a newbie by her side. Welcome to the Upper East Side, I cant wait to meet you.
☆
MADELEINE WAS READY for her first day at her new school. Constance. The only upsides she could find for this school were a new start. And of course no uniform. Instead she stood in the mirror of her new bedroom, staring intensely at herself. Black tights, pleated jade skirt and a chanel blouse tucked inside. Her finishing touch? A green satin bow, tied around two pieces of her ginger locks am that hung at the back of her head.
Serena was leaning against the doorframe, watching her cousin fix her appearance over and over. "All you need now is a burberry blazer." Serena smiled, passing Madeleine a present box.
Madeleine squealed when she opened the present box, clutching the cream blazer in her hands. Madeleine wrapped her arms around her cousin tightly before sliding her new coat round her body.
"Perfect." Serena giggled whilst Madeleine span in place.
"Serena?" Madeleine smiled softly. "Do you think people will like me?" Her cousin wrapped her arm around her shoulder, walking out of Madeleine's room slowly. "As long as your rich, people will love you. Trust me." Madeleine rolled her eyes, before laughing at the truth in Serena's statement.
Serena tugged on Madeleine, pulling her into the elevator. The pair would be late if they didn't practically run to their car. "Jesus Serena." Madeleine began, trying to regain her breath whilst the limo drove away. "I didn't realise we were already in p.e." She giggled.
"Did you see Gossip Girl last night?" Serena questioned, causing confusion to run throughout Madeleine.
"No." She drew out, "Did she come over or something?" She questioned, causing Serena to attempt holding in her laugh. Complete failure.
"Now it's a website, look." Serena pushes her phone into Madeleine's hand, the article about her return was displayed in the screen. A picture above showed Serena and Madeleine looking over the balcony in Grand Central.
"God, I look disgusting." Madeleine sighed, passing Serena her phone, "People have no privacy around here then?"
"Afraid not, but." Serena began, "We're here." The pair jumped out of the car, both staring at the building in front of them. Serena smiled and began to walk inside, but Madeleine just couldn't face it. "You coming M?"
"I'll catch up later, I just need five minutes." Madeleine smiled, watching Serena walk out of sight. The young brit pulled her phone out of her school bag, reluctantly typing 'Gossip Girl' into the search engine. She engrossed herself in reading those 8 lines. She was officially, here.
Madeleine shuffled her feet along the floor, still staring at the gossip girl page that lit up her screen. The young girl was too engrossed in her phone to even notice the person right in front of her until she walked straight into them.
"Oh gosh, I'm so-I didn't mean- shit." Madeleine rambled. The red-hair looked up at who she'd wandered straight into. He wore a blue trench coat which hung around his body, a red scarf draped over his neck, complimenting his chocolate hair.
"Well hello. The names Chuck Bass." The boys mewled. Madeleine smiled sweetly at the teen. The boy stared at her for a stew seconds, until she finally realised she hadn't replied. "Sorry." She laughed, out stretching her hand. "I'm Madeleine, don't call me Maddie ."
"You must be new here, a face this beautiful I wouldn't forget." Chuck smirked, Madeleine rolled her eyes with a giggle.
"Did the accent not give it away then?" Madeleine gave him a puzzled look.
"I was preoccupied."
"Well, make yourself useful Chuck and show me to room 15." Madeleine laughed and began to follow the mysterious man.
☆
Serena met Maddie where they had parted, the young brit clutched her salad tightly, whilst Serena opened her vanilla yogurt. Serena led the girl to the steps of the Met
"Before we go, just a heads up." Serena began before eating a spoonful of yogurt. "Blair, the girl in the middle, she's my best friend. Well before I left, so if there's any tension just ignore it."
The cousins walked towards three girl sat on the steps, staring at the pair. The girl Madeleine assumes was Blair happened to be dressed like Madeleine, causing the girl to smile at her style.
"Serena!" Blair beamed, almost sarcastically, "Who's this?"
"Madeleine, Serena's cousin." Madeleine smiled down at the girl. "I've just moved here."
"Well, I'll see you around." Blair smiled before turning back to Serena, Madeleine took it as her cue to leave the girls in peace.
She wandered around the streets, trying to find her way back to Constance. Madeleine blew out her lips, tossing her empty salad box into a bin close beside her. The blue-eyed belle heard a voice calling after her, causing her to spin on the spot.
"Chuck, right?" Madeleine checked, earning his award winning smirk. "Could you direct me back to school?"
"Firstly, Madeleine." Chuck handed the new girl an envelope, her first name written across it in cursive. "There's a party tonight, kiss on the lips."
"Woah woah, look Chuck, you're sweet but I just met you." Madeleine began, her eyes wide.
"The party is called kiss on the lips. That's your invite, see you tonight. Madeleine Acker-Stone." Chuck jogged into school, leaving Madeleine baffles at his use of her full name.
☆
"Hey S, who's Chuck Bass?" Madeleine questioned whilst holding two dresses against her body.
Serena dropped her magazine onto Madeleine's bed in shock of her question. The blonde strode over to Madeleine looking at her in the mirror. "How do you know Chuck Bass?" Serena bit her lip in anticipation.
"I met him this morning, he walked me to class and then again after lunch." Madeleine smiled and tossed her invite towards Serena. The blonde girl opened the envelope to see Madeleine's name printed along the top.
"Stay clear of Chuck Bass Mads, he's not good for you." Serena sighed, pushing Madeleine's invite back into the beige envelope.
"No! No! Not like that." Madeleine laughed, "He's charming in a sexless kind of way." Serena fell back onto the bed in a fit of laughter, 'sexless' was a word she had never heard associated with Chuck Bass.
"Look, he knew my name. Like my full name." Madeleine sighed, Serena moved close to her, smiling softly.
"You'll be fine M, wear the white lace, it suits you." Serena smiled, walking out from the room to change for her own date.
Madeleine scanned her body once again. The white lace dress tightened above her waist before flowing out to mid-calf. Serena has lent her cousin a pair of white heels, strapped around her milky skin. Madeleine painted her lips red before smiling into the mirror.
"Sere-woah." Madeleine gasped at her cousin, dressed up for her date to a concert, a little too dressed up. "S you do realise your going to a band from Rolling Stones not a late night wine and dine."
"Well, it's the most casual thing I own." Serena pulled her lips into a tight line before looking down at her outfit, doubting her choice.
"Top draw under the mirror, I've got jeans and a gold sequin top. I'll see you later." Madeleine laughed as she jogged towards the elevator. "Have fun on your date!"
☆
Madeleine felt somewhat at home once she'd arrived at the party. It was just like previous occasions she'd attended in England. It consisted of under age pretentious children drinking. Sex and mess following behind.
"Madeleine, isn't it?" A voice quipped from behind the red-head. Blair Waldorf was shooting a sickening smile towards the girl, Queen-B made a B line for the brit.
"Yeh, um, Blair?" Madeleine bit her lip and smiled at the girl in front of her. "Thanks for the invite." Madeleine tapped her nails on her champagne glass, hoping Blair would leave soon.
"Well, Chuck just insisted you should come. He seems intrigued." Blair raised her eyebrow at the girl, making Madeleine feel even more uncomfortable.
"He's the only person I've really spoken too. He, um, sweet? I guess." Madeleine laughed, sipping on the bubbly liquid in her glass.
"Come sit with us." Blair smiled, grasping Madeleine's hand. "Monday at school, sit with us at lunch. On the steps?" Blair smiled, finishing her drink.
"Yeh, of-of course. I'll see you then." Madeleine smiled, watching Blair wave as she walked away, pecking the lips of a man in a suit.
The red-head spent most of her night alone, sipping her one glass of champagne. She just waited until an acceptable time to leave. Once midnight struck, Madeleine finished the pink tinted liquid before standing, squeezing through sweaty bodies before walking straight into a familiar face.
"Chuck, hey-woah. What happened?" Madeleine held in her laugh at the mans appearance.
"Your cousins Brooklyn boyfriend, punched me." Chuck spat. Offending Madeleine as he did.
"Don't be a wanker Chuck, I've known you two days." Madeleine spat back, earning a laugh from the Bass. "What's so funny now?"
"Wanker? Never heard the one." Chuck chuckled at the girl, who didn't find it so amusing. Instead she playfully slapped his arm repeatedly with her clutch.
"Look Chuck Bass. I'm leaving, ice that eye, sweetie. See you Monday." Madeleine laughed, walking away from the man.
"I'll see you tomorrow." Chuck shouted back, causing Madeleine to whip round with a complicated look plastered on her face. "My fathers brunch tomorrow, you can come. The Palace at 11. We'll add an extra seat at Serena's table." Chuck smirked.
"I'll be there, dress code?" She questioned, walking back beside him. "Just so I fit in as they say."
"With that accent you won't, but wear white, you look stunning in it." Chuck looked the girl up and down once again.
"I'll be there, but Chuck. I want a friend out of you. Not a fuck." Madeleine rolled her eyes and hit his arm once more. "I'll see you tomorrow, at 11, in white. At the Palace, on Serena's table." Madeleine laughed, counting each item on her hand.
Madeleine walked out of the venue to see Serena, looking into a yellow taxi in front of her. Madeleine craned her neck to see an unfamiliar boy in the taxi, most likely her mysterious date. Who waved her goodbye awkwardly before the car drove away.
"What a wave." Madeleine laughed, grabbing onto Serena's shoulders frightening her.
"Yeah, is that a bad sign?" Serena laughed as the pair walked along the pavement.