AN: Even if it might not seem so, this fic has gained so much more attention than I was expecting and I'm really thankful for that. So, I would be honored if you kept reading. Thank you for all of your support.

Chapter Two – The Bancroft Penthouse Suite

By the time school had ended, Courtney was sure of two things. First, she was glad that the news about her new wealth hadn't spread and second, she was being selfish. Just because she had money again didn't mean that she had to use that money. It was her family who had the money not her. She could save it and not spend as frivolously as she once had. Celine was right. She didn't have to turn into her previous persona.

With that thought in mind, Courtney had to feel a little relieved. She could focus on continuing to do good but she wouldn't have to have her family worrying about her future. College could be an option without scholarships. She saw a car pull up at the school and froze as she saw Blake in the seat. She took a deep breath in as she saw how happy he looked.

"You're Miss Courtney, I presume," the driver said and Courtney paled. He was certainly no Winston – she had hoped to see him again and apologize for her selfishness – but he was just the type of man whom her mother would love.

Courtney held out her hand, "Yes, I am. Might I inquire about your name?" she tried to smile as she quickly checked to see that nobody was following her.

"Charles Vanderburg," the man said and Courtney nodded.

"Well, thank you Charles," she said before turning around again. "I can get my own door, thank you very much for your hard work." She got in and put her back in front of her, scooping out a pen and her journal. At least she could try to keep her life straight by recording her thoughts. A level head. That was what Ginger had tried to keep when her stepfather had elevated their family.

Blake turned to her, "Why carry that old thing with you?" he scoffed as Courtney realized that he hadn't resisted turning into his old self. She didn't have to follow his example. "You could buy a new one, a better one."

"One that doesn't have me in it," Courtney told him. She bowed her head and noted that they weren't taking the route home that she usually walked. She felt her stomach grip tighter. They hadn't found a new house already, right?

"Where are we going?" she asked and Charles continued to drive.

"For the moment, your family is living in one of the suites at a nearby hotel. I hear your parents are celebrating getting their wealth back. They'll be looking for a home soon enough, so don't you worry Miss Courtney," Charles told her and Courtney bowed her head. She just had to keep a level head.

She opened to the first page of her diary and started to write:

How could they do this to me!? I know that I'm starting to sound spoiled already, I mean, if my parents are happy then I should be happy too, but staying at a luxury hotel. It's as if you're pinning a sign to me that says that I'm going to turn into a spoiled brat. I don't want this. Yet, this is a good thing for my family that I should be happy about. I need to continue to smile for my family. We've all changed. Just because I am refusing to change back doesn't mean that I should actively defy my own parents, only children do such things.

"Wow," Blake said and Courtney lifted her head and looked out the window. This hotel she had been to years ago when their financial situation had seemed safe. There had been changes but she suddenly felt as if she were a stranger here. She took a deep breath and gathered her things as the car pulled into a private parking space.

Courtney picked up her bag and followed her brother, thanking Charles for his service and then seeing her mother standing with new clothes on, new luggage, new makeup. It made her stomach churn and that hurt as well. How could she be so selfish and wish her family financial uncertainty and insecurities. No. She would have to make the best of this.

"Darlings," Mrs. Gripling said as she ran towards her kids, "This is certainly marvelous. I mean, did you dream that such a thing would be possible. No more worries. No more bad fashion choices. We've been saved."

"Saved?" Courtney whispered under her breath as she took in her surroundings once again. She didn't feel as if she had been 'saved'. Blake however was completely overjoyed and as he ran into his mother's arms, Courtney was stung again by the selfishness she had exhibited earlier that day.

She took it in with a deep breath and took the key that her mother was offering her to their penthouse suite. She should be happy, right? She didn't have to become who she had been in middle school. She was still the new and improved Courtney. She followed her mother and brother past the front desk and to the elevator where they had a private floor.

She shivered, at least school had been okay. She just had to pray that nobody knew about this. She didn't want to have any false friends around her and ignore the real ones that she had made. She vowed never to cast Celine off. This life was hers for the taking but it scared her. She couldn't become that diva, she refused to be that self-centered. She had changed for the best morally, no need to change back.

…

…

Courtney had followed her mother round to different stores that night instead of having the time to finish her homework and at her mother's insistence had picked out a closet-load of new clothes including a bathing suit that she had insisted on. Everything was sparkling and most of it was designer. She had to admit that there was a lot of it that was pretty adorable. Hopefully people wouldn't ask about them.

She had decided that she had wanted some time for herself and had headed down to the hotel pool. She would swim there. When she had been younger, she would have worried about her hair, worried about the fact that the pool water might not be as clean as she thought. She would have sat on one of the chairs and tried to tan. She had learned that exercising was more fun.

As she jumped into the pool, she swam to the bottom and touched it before resurfacing for air. She could see a few people in the shallow end with a young child but she could swim width to width in the deep end. Pushing herself under the water, she started to enjoy herself. She would most likely have to shower when she returned to the suite but right now she enjoyed the feeling of freedom.

After a couple of turns going back and forth, she saw a boy, a little older than her, squatting down at the side of the pool. She stared at him as he grinned at her. She paused, turning away awkwardly. "You were watching me," she commented and the teenager laughed.

"How could I not?" he asked and Courtney was tempted to swim away. She didn't need anyone like this flirting with her. She would never be able to keep herself the same person if she were to fall for someone like this. Someone with that well-toned chest and that gorgeous smile, and those designer shorts. "You're as beautiful as a mermaid."

"You idolize me too much," she blushed, her eyes gazing into his sapphire ones. She swam over to the ladder at the side. Maybe she should just leave. He'd get the idea that she wasn't interested in him if she just left.

"What's your name?" he asked and Courtney grabbed her towel, squeezing the water out of her hair.

"Courtney, my family is staying here whilst we relocate," she said, not wanting to give away too much information. She could have given him a false name but what was the point. She would let her body language do the talking this time. "And yours, not that it matters."

"Skylar," he said, "Bancroft."

Courtney paused as she looked up to see the same name on the side of the building. She turned to him not knowing what to say. He couldn't be…

"I'm the owner's son," he grinned and Courtney shifted. This boy had even more money than her family had just gained back. He was the absolute worst kind of person for her to fall for right now. "Don't let that stop you from going on a date with me though," he winked and Courtney turned.

"I'm not interested anyway," she told him. "You should be careful. I'm only in my junior year of high school."

"And I'm a freshman in college," he replied and Courtney quickened her pace, she had wrapped her towel around her at this point and had slipped her sandals on her wet feet. "The age gap shouldn't be a problem."

"I'm not interested," Courtney repeated as she got inside the building. "I really am not interested."

Skyler stopped but then stepped back and winked at her whilst grinning. "Don't worry," he said with a short chuckle. "You will be. I promise you that you will be."

End of Chapter Two

Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated

Thank you to GB108 for their review on Chapter One