Title: Welcome to the Upper East Side

Author: bookelysium

Genre: Drama/Romance

Date: April 27, 2014

A/N: Hey guys, I just started writing fanfiction again! I'm known on instagram as Rae and most of my followers here know me from instagram. First, I'd like to thank you for even clicking here and reading. Second, some themes in this story are mature and might be slightly exaggerated at times – depending on my imagination. I'm a pretty busy girl between running a business, my instagram account and school – so, I might not be able to update as frequently as I'd like too. My chapters are usually quite long, so it does take quite some time to type everything up! Anyways, if you are from my instagram, leave a review below with your username and say hi :) Thanks for reading! –Rae 3

Welcome to the Upper East Side. Population: People that actually matter. Living in New York City may seem luxurious, but to be honest, it has a price – drama. With drama comes gossip and it travels fast like a wild fire. So, what do Upper East Siders like to do during their free time? Stir up drama. I'd like to call this a chronicle of sorts – like an eye opener into luxe life. This chronicle is all filled with lies, betrayal and passion. Be careful though – once you pick it up, you'll never want to put it down. Admit it, your inner you just craves that drama.

Wiping the dirt away from the floor of the museum, Piper McLean sat down on the steps, careful not to get her Alexander McQueen dress dirty. After all, it did cost a mere four hundred dollars.

"Pipes!" she turned her head, her brown locks following. Hazel Levesque strutted down the street, her Louboutin heels clacking against the cement. With a nod of her head, she got up, dusting the skirt and then, linked her arm with Hazel's.

As they walked up to the doors of Goode Academy, Hazel announced, "Did you hear that there's going to be a new student?" Piper immediately turned her head.

"Yeah, I heard that she's a scholarship freak!" Rachel Elizabeth Dare yelled from around the corner. Rachel was one of Piper's best friends since they were in a crib. Known as the fastest texter in all of Goode Academy. All rumors reach her first and she's not afraid to make them up. "Apparently, all the guys are already drooling over her." Piper rolls her eyes as Rachel dashes out of her sight. Perfect, something she doesn't need – competition, but then again, she already has the perfect boyfriend. Frank was perfect, though some might say they didn't match each other. He was a klutz, she was a beauty queen - who would have ever thought they would get together.

As she walked into the door, she felt someone sneak up behind her and cover her eyes.

"Guess who?"

"Frank?" with a sigh, he let down his hands, unveiling her vision. "Oh it's just you, Grace." He gave her a flirty smile. She hated his playboy smile, it was so like him.

A couple seconds later, she felt someone hug her from behind. She tilted her head towards him and gave him a warm smile.

"I'll see you later." Hazel said quietly as she look towards the floor and walked away.

"What's with her?" she asked him and he too looked down, a red tint growing on his cheeks. She might look dumb, but she wasn't stupid. She knew something was going on, she just didn't know what. "Is there something you need to tell me?" she broke free of his hug and looked him straight in the eye. His cheeks grew even redder. Growing frustrated of his silence, she walked away, but not before giving him a silent, "-when you're ready to talk, text me."

"I really messed up." Frank turned towards his best friend for advice – though, it wouldn't be worth much. He was a playboy, screwing around with anything with two legs that would let him. He wasn't to be trusted with the fragility of a stable relationship.

"What did you do?" his cheeks turned even redder, "-wait, who did you do?" this was an epic story to unfold. Frank Zhang, the monogamous, con-cheating, goodie two shoes was actually cheating? This was history in the making!

"Hazel." it was a quiet peep and by the sound of it, he was ashamed. To be honest, Jason Grace thought it was about time. For eleven years he's dated her. Shouldn't he be tired of her already? Obviously he was now.

"Damn! You screwed her friend. You are so screwed, no pun intended." He laughed as he watched his friend melt in his own misery. Seeing his face, he put his hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. "Just buy her some flowers or some Bellataire diamonds and she'll completely forgive you. Better yet, she might even let you-" he whispered the rest into his ear. As he parted, he began to laugh, Frank's face lit with a red hue.

"Knock it off!" he shoved Jason and they went into their classrooms.

"That's the new girl?" Piper rolled her eyes. Sure, she was gorgeous and had a tan that couldn't be bought, but she was simply no competition. Looking at her shoes, Piper gave a small laugh. Is she serious? Who in their right mind would wear Macy shoes to a rich-kids-only Upper East Side school? She must be mental.

"Stand in the front." the teacher pulled the embarrassed girl towards the front of the room and she politely tried to reject, but he wouldn't let her. Brushing her skirt, she stood there awkwardly for a couple of seconds until the teacher cleared his throat.

"Oh!" the rest of the class laughed and she bit the bottom of her lip. This was not turning out well. "I'm Annabeth Chase. Um, I moved here from California and uh…I love architecture and um, owls." With that, she quickly took a seat down.

"Hey babe, if you love owls – maybe you can show us your hooters!" he called out and her eyes quickly widened.

"Oh shut up, Nakamura." he was such a douche and plus, she hated his guts to the core, especially after he grabbed her ass at a party.

After the class ended, the quiet girl walked up to Piper, Rachel and Hazel.

"Thanks, um. I really appreciated it." she gave her a warm smile. One that can make anybody fall for her without really trying. A smile that models spend years trying to perfect, but she just perfected so naturally. She was a girl every girl wanted to be and every guy wanted to be with.

"I hated him, anyways." Piper gave her a slight nod and began to analyze her. With her natural beauty, she could become an Upper East Sider with the help of a new wardrobe and a new slightly more expensive allowance. "You should come to my party, maybe even go dress shopping with us." reaching into her one-thousand dollar purse, she pulled out a crisp invitation. Annabeth couldn't believe it. One day in "paradise academy" and she's already invited to a party.

"Oh my gods. You look perfect in this dress." Annabeth looked in the mirror and touching the fabric, she was actually convinced to buy it. Turning around, she looked at the price tag.

"Holy fu-" Were they serious? One-thousand dollars! That was enough to last a family for two months.

"What? Is it the color? We can always get it custom made from Italy." Piper asked.

"No, no – it's not that. It's just that I'm not rich like you guys. I'm only able to stay at Goode Academy, because I have a full scholarship. I can't afford things like this!" She felt embarrassed - the rosy pink already creeping up on her cheeks. She didn't feel the need to feel embarrassed, but why was she? Maybe it's because she was in a room with teenagers who probably lived their whole lives buying whatever the hell they wanted.

"If you want, you can get free dress from my moms." Piper gave her a slight shrug. Free and cheap was Annabeth's department. Nodding her head, she and the rest of them headed towards the fashion district of New York City.

"Mrs. McLean, right this way." the lady walked them towards the elevator as the old man standing in front of the elevator pressed the up button. They waited a couple seconds as the elevator made its way down to the lobby.

Smiling, the man held the elevator doors open as they filed in.

"Fifth floor, please Isaac." After a croaky yes, madam – he pressed the button for the fifth level and the doors closed. Piper decided to use this as a time for small talk. "So, have you ever had any boyfriends?" she asked, obviously not aware about Annabeth's level of comfort about that topic.

"Uh, no. I've been so busy with studying and getting good grades that I've never had time to date." she looked down at her fingertips, afraid to look them in the eye. Like a gift from the gods, the elevator doors split open, saving her from an awkward conversation.

"So, here are the dressed. Those are from her collection. Those are Dior and the ones on the right are from Prada. Have your pick." She plopped down onto a couch, her shopping bags in tow. Annabeth felt like she was in dress heaven. There were probably more than one hundred dresses in each room!

After several hours of Piper rejecting dress after dress, Annabeth finally picked one that satisfied both her and Piper's liking. She's never seen herself in a thousand-dollar dress and when she looked in the mirror, she didn't even recognize it was her.

"Oh my gods. Annabeth, you look gorgeous!" Rachel and Hazel squealed in the back. Piper waved over an intern, telling her to wrap it up. They had three more hours to get ready for the Bash of Extravagance and then – it's showtime.

In all of her sixteen years, she's never had that many eyes look at her. It was a bit nerve racking and embarrassing all in all. With her newfound friends, she glided down the steps, her masquerade mask tight against her face. They were the spotlights of the show. Every eye and head were turned towards them.

"Does this happen a lot?" she whispered to Piper as the music started to get louder.

"All the time." Piper smiled, obviously used to the attention.

"Hey girls! Remember Jackson?" she turned her head and there they were – Blonde Superman and Klutz all dressed in nice suits and all cleaned up.

"Damn." Jason whistled at Annabeth as she walked towards them. Annabeth laughed at him. It was probably the alcohol talking anyways.

"Percy! I haven't seen you in decades!" Piper gave Percy a hug and then took another drink from her glass. Two more sips and she'll be drunk as hell. "I'm going to get another drink. Do you want another drink, Frank? Let's go get another drink." before he could say anything, she grabbed him by the arm and led him away. Jason gave a confused Piper a shrug and continued with his glass of champagne.

"So, you're the new girl. Percy, by the way." Percy reached out his hand, inviting Annabeth for a dance.

"Why does everyone keep calling me that and I'm Annabeth." she jokes and takes his hand.

"Maybe it's because you're new and you're a girl." he gives her a cheeky smile and they continue to dance, their movements in sync with the slow love song playing in the background.

Annabeth turned her head and noticed Piper and Jason on the dance floor too, her head against his chest. She turns her attention back to the green-eyed boy.

"How come I haven't seen you around the school?" Annabeth wanted to slap herself. Why would she ask a question like that! It made her sound like a stalker. Plus, the school's humongous – it wouldn't be a surprise if she never saw him in the hallways.

"I came back after a year of boarding school in England." he chuckles.

"You know, for a girl from Queens, you're actually quite beautiful." tilting her head, she let out a quiet giggle.

Pursing her lips, she retorts, "How do even know I'm from Queens?"

"I don't." she gives him a light shove of the shoulder and begins to focus on her features. Her eyes. Damn. They were like storms brewing inside her irises. A light grey that just seems to capture your attention when ever her eyes connects with yours. Eyes that were fanned by thick eyelashes like an oriental fan.

She realizes that he's looking deep into her eyes. It was a stare, too long for it to be considered a quick glace. She looks down, her cheeks burning.

"You've got really pretty eyes." She's never heard a guy compliment her eyes before. She's always hated her eyes. Out of every charming shade of blue or green, she was stuck with grey. "Have you never gotten a compliment before?" he jokes around, brushing a strand of her hair from her face. She shakes her head. Sure, she's gotten compliments from her relatives about her beauty – curtsey of her mother, of course, but never anything about her eyes. If anything, people made fun of her. They said that they made her look angry all the time, taking stormy eyes to a whole new level. "Wait, never?" she nods her head again and couldn't help but feel vulnerable. What type of girl never gets compliments? Obviously, her – but that didn't count. It was her for goodness sake. Annabeth Chase – the girl who never gave a shit about how she looked. Getting good grades was all that ever mattered to her.

"Look at you! You deserve loads of compliments!" he twirls her around, her skirt fluttering in all directions. "Then, I'll be the first one to make your heart race a million miles and your cheeks turn pink like roses." Damn, this boy was poetic. "Annabeth," he pauses for a second, "Annabeth I-Don't-Know-Your-Last-Name, you are the most gorgeous girl I've ever laid eyes on! You are so damn smart seeing that you got a full ride to one of the most prestigious academy in all of New York! You're an amazing dancer, might I add." he gives her another twirl and then, her palms are pressed against his chest. With a silent whisper, he adds, "You're gorgeous. Every inch and every curve." He was right – her heart was racing a million miles and she couldn't help but feel her cheeks begin to blush.

He leans in and she couldn't help but do the same. Soon enough, there was only an inch left between them. He could feel her hot breath as her breathing begin to quicken. He felt his heart ready to explode. He wanted to grab her and give her the best kiss she has ever gotten, but -

"Piper!" the moment is ruined by a half-naked Frank running through the dance floor – his face red as a tomato. His buttons are un-buttoned and his hair looks like it was tousled around. Hazel follows after him, trying to shut him up. She's obviously more sober than Frank, but from her footwork, you could tell that she was almost as drunk as Frank. She trips, but not before bringing Frank down with her.

"I've been-" he hiccups, "-wanting to tell you something so, so, so badly." Piper quickly grips onto his arm, hoping to get him out of the dance floor before he makes a fool of himself. She didn't know what to do. She's never seen him drunk before!

"Wait, wai-" he hiccups again and slurs, "-I need, I need to say something, but I forgot." After a few seconds, he announces with a laugh, "I, uh. I might have slept with Hazel, but shhhhh-" he puts his finger against Piper's lip, "-don't tell Piper."