OwlNet Email Inbox
To: [Waverly Student Body List]
From: MarielPritchard
Date: Sunday, August 15, 12:17 p.m.
Subject: Re: New Year + Exchange Program
Dear Owls,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the new academic year.
As many of you already know, Waverly is partaking in this year's Evart Surety Grand Scheme Exchange Program along with seven other schools from around the world.
Ten Owls were selected based on applications made at the end of last year and will be representing Waverly at Sevenoaks School of Kent, England, EAB of Paris, France and Saint Andrews of Blantyre, Malawi for the next semester.
Congratulations and farewell to
Verena Arneval Thomas Luckett
Arietta Barkley-Smith Sam Norwood
Keri Daniels Victor Renault-Cliff
Sage Francis Biddy Stanley
Drew Gately Yvonne Stidder
Meanwhile, we will be expecting students from Beverly Hills High in California, Stowe School of Buckingham, England and Lagoon Secondary School of Lagos, Nigeria.
We also say goodbye to last year's exchange students
Tina Chang
Parker Dubois
Alexandra Isong
We hope you've found your time at Waverley both enlightening and fun.
Owls, please make our guests feel welcome and do not hesitate to extend a helping hand where it may be needed. This applies towards our new freshmen.
Enjoy getting to know our new students.
MP
OwlNet Instant Message Inbox
Benny Cunningham: Um. What happened to Sevenoaks?
Rifat Jones: Withdrew. I'd miss this place, owl shit and all.
Benny Cunningham: Ew. Our BFFs are departed. I say we join heads, make like the kindly, responsible owls we are and volunteer to show the new MALE members of our student body around.
Rifat Jones: A responsible owl does not let an opportunity as profitable as this pass. I'm in.
Benny Cunningham: xo
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Ryan Reynolds: I want in on the welcoming committee. When's induction?
Brett Messerschmitt: We're full up. Sorry.
Ryan Reynolds: Are you really going to have Ferro showing around the new meat? What first impression are you trying to give of our glorious school, exactly?
Brett Messerschmitt: Lol. Um, Heath applied for the spot over summer - first come and all that.
Ryan Reynolds: Ah, fuck it.
A WAVERLY OWL ALWAYS OFFERS A HELPING HAND
– NO MATTER HOW SMALL
Jenny Humphrey propped her tiny Chloé clad feet on the fraction of metal bleacher between Rifat Jones and Brandon Buchanan, taking a moment to admire her tan, intricately detailed oxford heels and the lacey knee high socks she'd paired them with. Apart from looking super cute, the boots contributed four inches to her measly height of five foot nothing, something she'd always been very self-conscious about. Not of late, though.
Since arriving at Waverly Academy the previous year, Jenny had managed to score herself a reputable status as one of the most popular girls on campus, something old uniform-wearing Constance Billard Jenny would never have dreamed of. Good grades and friends with Waverly's elite, Callie Vernon, Tinsley Carmichael and Brett Messerschmitt. Not bad for just one year at boarding school.
However, the year hadn't been short of its trials and tribulations. Jenny thought back ruefully on the half dozen or so romantic mishaps that had made up her love life during the first half of her academic year at Waverly. Easy, Julian, Drew, Isaac…all failed relationships. And there'd been that period at the beginning when Tinsley had absolutely loathed her…and Callie. And that time she'd gotten expelled…
But it was all in the past now. Jenny shook her head as if to shake out all the adverse memories from her first year at boarding school. They were few in comparison anyway…to all the good stuff. She felt her hazel curls tickle her spine and scooped them off her back, twisting the long tresses in her palm. She'd grown her hair over the summer and the tips now just touched her lower back. All the sun in Prague, where she'd stayed with her mother, meant her hair was now a mass of butter-colored locks.
She wasn't the only one who'd undergone a transformation over the summer though…hair-wise, at least. Jenny glanced over at Brett Messerschmitt, senior class prefect and one of her best friends. Brett seemed to be rehearsing a speech and was pacing the court of the Waverly Field House, raking a hand through the auburn hair that framed the shoulders of her open knit sweater dress, a mauve camisole top peeking out of the black wool. A pair of Black Milk reverse-suspender leggings and preppy schoolgirl sandals completed her outfit.
The year before, Brett had kept her hair in a strict bob just under her ears. She'd also used to dye it an arresting fire truck red but since she'd started dating Sebastian Valenti, her hot easygoing and then senior boyfriend, everything about Brett seemed…calmer. Brett caught Jenny's eye on her second stalk around the court, smiled and waved.
Jenny waved back enthusiastically. They'd spent the day before catching up in each other's new rooms, two doors apart, laughing and gossiping as they unpacked. She wouldn't bother Brett now that she was preparing for her big 'Welcome to Waverly' speech. She was already taking her new post as senior prefect very seriously. Brett had probably recited the same speech to Jenny over ten times the day before in between sharing the details of her road-trip summer with Sebastian and stacking new Steve Madden boots in her closet. Anyways, Brett and unprepared were not two words that went together very often. Perhaps some things never did change.
Jenny was contemplating how much longer the rest of the welcoming committee would be when the glass double doors closest to the bleachers burst open and a sudden chill invaded the vicinity. Jenny tugged at her olive dolman sleeved cardigan, wrapping it tight around her small frame. It was definitely too cold for her thin white tunic and leather Romwe miniskirt.
Heath Ferro bounded into the Field House revealing himself to be the culprit behind the sudden drop in temperature. He rubbed his hands together, a wicked grin forming on his face, his eyes sparkling mischievously.
'Peers!'
In front of Jenny, Brandon groaned. Rifat giggled, leaning into Benny Cunningham who was trying and failing to suppress a grin. Even the surly sophomore on the bottom step looked to have cracked a smile. Jenny felt a beam creep unto her face. She enjoyed Heath. Even though he could be ridiculous and sometimes took his funny tactics too far.
Brett's arms were crossed as Heath approached her but a smile played on her lips.
'You're late' she growled but her face didn't relay the same aggression.
'Don't pretend you don't love me' shot Heath before enveloping her in a tight hug. Brett squealed as his fingers dug into her sides.
'Stop…stop! Get off!' Brett threw her head back in laughter, gasping for air as Heath's pokes trailed up and down her frame. Even he looked surprised by how genuinely happy she seemed.
'I swear to God, Heath!' Brett barely managed to shriek. His hands crept up to her face and rested on her cheeks and the conversation was suddenly too quiet to discern.
'Wow' declared Benny drily. 'Barely back a minute and already getting into another girl's pants.'
Heath swiveled round, delighted by the attention, leaving Brett to sort out her dress, which had ridden up by a couple of inches.
'Worry not, Ben. There's always room for more on the Pony Express' Heath pumped his fist and hooted, imitating a steam train. His eyes were ablaze with delight. Benny grunted appreciatively and Brett rolled her eyes in the background.
'Right, let's settle now.'
Heath sprang onto the bleachers, swiped at Brandon's golden coif and plopped down beside Jenny.
'Okay!' Brett slapped her hands together and brought them to her chest. 'Student Welcoming Committee, hi. I'm Brett…' She paused to glance at the moody sophomore who was dribbling on a pair of badly scuffed combat boots, attempting to shine them.
The room was perfectly silent when the boy's gaze shot up and finding all eyes on him, turned a sickly beetroot color. Brett shushed the raucous laughter that erupted then from Heath and Benny's sniggers before running a hand through her hair, exasperated.
Brandon snorted, disgusted.
'Rank' went Rifat, rubbing at invisible goosebumps on her arm.
Jenny put her fingers to her temples.
'The freshmen and exchange students will be here any minute' declared Brett. 'Now will you all just listen to what I have to say. That includes you too, Monty.'
The sophomore sniffled.
'Now. Principal Dresden has decided the committee should set up a big brother program with all of the new students'
'A what, what now?' cried Heath dramatically before turning to face Jenny, his knees jutting into her thigh. 'You know what?' he whispered confidentially, leaning in close, his hazel eyes wide. He snatched a bit of her long hair and twisted it around a finger. Brett was rambling on about the specifics of the Waverly Big Brother Program. 'You'd be welcome to join too.' He dropped her hair. 'If you wanted.'
Jenny had barely uttered a tiny confused 'Huh?' when for the second time that morning, the doors to the Field House burst open and a harsh wind intruded the hall.
Principal Dresden stood holding them open, a nervous grin on his face. Behind him, a dozen or so students stood looking visibly agitated, rubbing their arms and blowing into their hands.
'Miss Messerschmitt!' called Dresden, motioning her to him.
Brett seemed to snap out of the perplexed trance she had entered and rushed up to him. Principal Dresden leaned in to whisper to her.
Jenny fidgeted with her hair as she studied the transfer students who had now started trooping into the Field House looking slightly less disheveled and pissed off. The few that were in uniform looked ironically to be the most unkempt. Amongst them, Jenny took notice of a tallish, built girl with short dark hair. She looked less surly than the rest of the group and was gazing expectantly at Brett who had begun her thoroughly rehearsed welcome speech. Suddenly, the girl turned and caught Jenny's eye. Jenny gaped. Jojo? Jojo Milford?
Heath gasped suddenly from beside Jenny, clutching at his chest with one hand and grabbing her arm with the other.
'It's her.'
'I know right' Jenny giggled excitedly, but Heath wasn't looking at Jojo. Jenny followed his gaze to…Myla Everhart. The Myla Everhart. The Myla Everhart stood in the Waverly Field House dressed from head to toe in white, peach D&G sunglasses perched in her hair like a tiara, red Hermès bag swinging from the crook of her elbow…and looking pissed as all hell. Jenny grasped the hand Heath had on her arm.
'Oh my God' whispered Jenny. She couldn't wipe off the silly grin plastered on her face. In front, Benny and Rifat were clasping each other's hands and bouncing in their seats, Brandon looked stunned and kept swearing under his breath and even Monty the sophomore looked excited.
'Fuck me...'
Jenny sensed immediately the change in Heath's voice and swiveled back around to the glass double doors. He'd had good reason to swear. Because striding into the Field House at that moment, long blonde hair swinging behind her was none other than Serena van der Woodsen.