CHAPTER ONE
MAE BASS FLUFFED HER BROWN CURLS IN THE MIRROR, MAKING SURE THEY WERE PERFECT. THE GIRL WAS A SPITTING IMAGE OF HER MOTHER, BUT SHE HAD HER FATHER'S SMIRK. MAE SIGHED CONTENTLY TO HERSELF. SHE WAS LUCKY HER PARENTS HAD BEEN SEXY TEENAGERS.

MAE TIED THE SCARF INTO HER HAIR – HER DAD'S OLD SCARF. SHE APPLIED SOME WHITE EYESHADOW AND EXTRA-LENGTH MASCARA, MAKING HERSELF AS CUTE AS POSSIBLE. SHE TURNED AROUND, WALKING OVER TOWARDS THE MIRROR IN HER WALK-IN CLOSET. MAE LOOKED HERSELF OVER A FEW TIMES BEFORE ROLLING UP HER UNIFORM RED BURBERRY SKIRT ONCE MORE. SHE SLIPPED INTO HER HEELS ( MAE WAS ONLY 5"4' ) AND GRABBED HER EXTA-LARGE GUCCI SCHOOL BAG AND PUSHED OPEN THE DOORS TO HER ROOM.

"GOOD MORING, DOROTA." SHE SAID SWEETLY, FLASHING THE BASSES' MAID HER BLEACHED WHITE TEETH.

"GOOD MORNING, MISS MAE." DOROTA SAID AS SHE FLIPPED A PIECE OF FRENCH TOAST OVER BEFORE SETTING IT ON THE COUNTER WHERE MAE WAS SITTING DOWN. DOROTA TRIED TO MASK THE FEAR THAT WAS APPARENT ON HER FACE, LIKE ALWAYS, AS MAE TRIED HER BREAKFAST. AFTER ALL, THIS GIRL WAS THE SPAWN OF CHUCK BASS AND BLAIR WALDORF.

"EXTRA CINNAMON TODAY, DOROTA?" MAE ASKED, LOOKING UP FROM THE BASS FAMILY'S 'CASUAL' CHINA PLATE. DOROTA NODDED, WISHING MAE WOULD EXCUSE HER ALREADY, AND MAE LAUGHED. "IT'S GREAT, THANKS." MAE WAVED HER OFF AND DOROTA SCUTTLED OUT OF THE ROOM, NOT WANTING TO STAY AND RISK MAE CHANGING HER MIND. MAE PULLED OUT HER BLACKBERRY STORM AND SCROLLED DOWN TO "POSEY" ON HER CONTACTS LIST BEFORE TOUCH-TYPING A QUICK TEXT TO HER BEST FRIEND.

R WE RIDING W/ C, J, N, P, AND K? XOXO M

MAE SET THE PHONE DOWN ON THE COUNTER TOP AS SHE ATE HER FRENCH TOAST. FINALLY IT VIBRATED. BUT, INSTEAD OF A PICTURE OF A BUBBLY BLONDE POPPING UP, A DARK-HAIRED BOY KISSING MAE ON THE CHEEK APPEARED AS A SPECIAL RINGTONE BEGAN TO PLAY.

YOU MAKE ME HAPPY
WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT
YOU MAKE ME HAPPY
THATS WHAT I SAID FROM THE START

"HELLO, REJECTION HOTLINE."

THE VOICE ON THE OTHER END SCOFFED. "YES, I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND SOMEONE TO YOU. SHE'S BEEN REJECTED MANY TIMES AND I THINK SHE COULD BE OF USE TO YOU. HER NAME IS MAE BASS?"

"SHUT UP SPARKS! I'M HITTING YOU THROUGH THE PHONE RIGHT NOW. DO YOU FEEL THAT?"

"WOULD IT BE WRONG TO SAY THAT TURNS ME ON?" JAX SPARKS ASKED.

MAE GIGGLED, PUTTING HER HAND TO HER CHEEK AS SHE FELT HERSELF BLUSH A LITTLE. "VERY WRONG." SHE DECIDED AS SHE HEARD JAX CHUCKLING ON THE OTHER END. "SO AM I RIDING WITH YOU TODAY?"

"I THOUGH THE HIPPIE TOLD YOU ALREADY." JAX SMIRKED AS MAE GIGGLED MORE. "YOU, ME, POSIEY, PENN, CHACE, JAKE, AND KARLEY."

MAE NODDED, CURSING POSIEY FOR NOT TEXTING HER BACK. "OKAY. HEY, DO YOU HAVE YOUR TUX FOR OUR FORMAL YET? THE GIRLS AND I ARE GOING SHOPPING FOR OUR DRESSES TODAY -- PLUS, I NEED A BOY'S OPINION."

"YES, BECAUSE I'D LOVE TO CARRY YOUR BAGS AND FOLLOW YOU AROUND ALL DAY SHOPPING."

"NO, SERIOUSLY! I'M HITTING YOU THROUGH THE PHONE AGAIN. C'MON, IT'LL BE FUN." MAE WAVED HER HAND AT DOROTA, THANKING HER FOR THE VITAMIN WATER SHE JUST BROUGHT OUT.

"FINE. I DON'T EVEN HAVE A DATE THOUGH." NOT LIKE YOU NEED ONE, MAE THOUGHT TO HERSELF.

"WELL, NEITHER DO I. DO YOU WANT TO GO AS FRIENDS?" MAE ASKED, MAKING SURE HE KNEW IT WAS AS FRIENDS. AFTER ALL, SHE HAD STARTED GOING OUT WITH CHACE ARCHIBALD, THEIR BEST FRIEND'S OLDER, SENIOR BROTHER, BUT SHE HADN'T TOLD JAX YET. "BECAUSE ... I'M GOING OUT WITH CHACE NOW." SHE SAID, QUIRKING AND EYEBROW.

JAX DIGESTED THAT LAST PART FOR A SECOND. "UMMM..." WAS ALL HE COULD GET OUT BEFORE HE PINCHED HIMSELF. "FINE, I'LL COME. BUT IF YOU'RE GOING OUT, WHY HASN'T HE ASKED YOU TO THE FORMAL?"

MAE ROLLED HER EYES. "HE'S A SENIOR, REMEMBER? SENIORS AREN'T ALLOWED TO COME. PLUS..." MAE SAID, BITING HER LIP. "WE ... UH ... HAVEN'T REALLY TOLD ANYONE YET. WE PROBABLY WILL TODAY."

"DID YOU KISS HIM?"

"JAX!" MAE SCREAMED, THEN QUICKLY COVERED UP HER MOUTH AS DOROTA LOOKED IN THE DOOR WITH A 'WHAT-THE-HELL-WAS-THAT-FOR' LOOK ON HER FACE.

"WHAT?" JAX ASKED, CHUCKING. "JUST WONDERING. I'M GOING TO BE YOUR SECOND OVERPROTECTIVE DAD ON STUFF LIKE THIS. NO SEX UNTIL YOU'RE 40!" MAE GIGGLED.

"MISS MAE! LIMO FOR SCHOOL HERE FOR YOU!" DOROTA CALLED FROM THE BASS FAMILY ROOM. MAE SIGHED AS SHE GRABBED HER BAG OFF THE TABLE.

"THE LIMO'S HERE. I'LL SEE YOU IN A FEW, OKAY?"

"BYE, DAUGHTER."

"BYE, JACKASS."