Author's Note: Just a new set up chapter, new arc, Kelly has her Gossip Girl moment and kind of a realization about how her actions are affecting her carefully constructed world. Not that anything's going to change right away or anything.

Disclaimer: I own nothing


Chapter 7: Queen Bee

"Lena!" Tommy ran and grabbed Elena around the waist from behind picking her up. She laughed as he put her down and smoothed her cheerleading uniform. They'd been practically inseparable for the past few weeks. "What's with the outfit? I thought you weren't going to be one of those girls?"

"I couldn't live the rest of my life in plaid," She shook her head. "Besides, I think it suits me." A senior guy walked past a whistled quickly. She blushed and tossed her blonde curls behind her. Portman and Fulton walked past after that.

"Hey Tommy," Fulton said.

"Hey," Tommy nodded

"Not bad Cole," Portman winked at her and they kept walking. Elena beamed.

"Oh, that's why you're wearing it." Tommy nodded

"That has nothing to do with it," She said indignantly, "Come on, let's go get breakfast." She slid her arm through his. He shook his head.

"I refuse to be your back up," He teased.

"Oh no sweetie," She kissed him on the cheek, "I love you best."

"What are you two doing?" Brad came up behind them. They laughed, "Lenny, why are you wearing a cheerleading uniform?" She rolled her eyes. Somewhere in Brad's mind she'd gone from Elena, to Lena to Lenny, she didn't particularly care for the nick name but it beat Ellie. Tommy had stopped at Lena, which she was grateful for.

"It's part of the get Portman to look at her twice strategy," Tommy said, "It worked too."

"Oh," Brad said awkwardly, "I don't get what you see in that guy."

"Yeah, I would hope not," Elena laughed. "I'm starving, can we please go to breakfast already?"

"I ate already," Tommy shrugged, they looked at him, "I don't live here remember?"

"Count your blessings," Elena said, "I wish my parents would make me live at home."


"I'm going to Yale," Kelly skipped, "I'm going to Yale on Friday!"

"Wait," Linda rolled her eyes, "Are you going to Yale this weekend? You didn't mention anything."

"I haven't seen Scooter in a month, Linda," She said grabbing her shoulders, "A month. And now mm, now I'm going to have the most amazing weekend ever!" She looked around, "Did we miss breakfast?"

"Whoa," Linda said, "Maybe you should go to Yale every weekend. You want breakfast?"

"I haven't been that bad," Kelly sighed.

"Yeah, you have been," Linda said. "I had to pick up all the gala slack."

"I'm sorry I quit gala," Kelly said, "But you're really good, you'll be fine."

"Hi Linda," Janet walked past them, "See you at the meeting later?"

"Um, yeah," Linda said. Kelly stared at her. "The board appointed her, I'm sorry."

"Whatever," Kelly rolled her eyes. "Even slut face can't ruin my good mood."

"And that is saying something," Linda laughed, "I have to go meet Charlie, I'll see you later."

"OK," She said giggling and straightened her tie. She wandered in and saw everyone sitting. She walked over to her friends.

"Kelly?" One of them said, "At breakfast?"

"Yeah," She laughed, "It's a good day, any chance at open seats."

"Um," Cara Thomas said, "We're actually working on gala, so,"

"Oh right," Kelly nodded, "Sure, I'll just grab a yogurt or something." That was weird.

"Kelly," Janet smiled and sat down. Kelly gaped and turned around and walked out.


Julie sat at breakfast, swishing her eggs around her plate, Connie and Tammy were sitting with her, when Elena, Brad and Tommy came in.

"Oh, now she's a cheerleader," Julie said, "Great."

"Tommy says she's sweet," Tammy shrugged.

"I bet she's one of those girls," Connie said, "You know like super sweet to guys but really a total bitch."

"Connie said bitch," Tammy smiled.

"I'm allowed to swear," Connie said, throwing a piece of toast at her.

"I'm sorry," Tammy laughed, "I lose track of your rules."

"No sex, no drinking, no drugs," Connie sighed, "Not that hard."

"You don't drink or do drugs now either?" Julie asked."I thought it was

"Oh, you missed it," Tammy laughed, "This summer, Connie went from mild true love waiter, to full fledged Jesus freak."

"I'm not a freak!" Connie sighed. "I went to a few youth group meetings and I liked what they had to say."

"That's nice," Julie said, "I think it's great that you're doing the whole religion thing."

"Thank you?" She shrugged. Julie jumped and then pulled at her belt. "Drug deal?"

"No," Julie said, staring at her pager, "Baby!" Jimmy walked over, "Hi Jimmy," She kissed him, "Baby, have to go!" She stood up and ran.

"Good morning Julie," He said. "What was that?"

"We got as much as you did," Connie shrugged.


"Dad?" Julie said from the phone in her room.

"Julie?" He said, "Honey, call Jaime, because Elyse is in labor, and I need you here, and she said something about flying you out, and, kiddo,"

"Dad," She said, "I can't, it's a Wednesday and I have classes and if I miss practice I get benched and Goldberg hasn't been in the net in over a year."

"Right," He sighed, "So this weekend?"

"I'm on the first plane after school," She said, "Kiss Elyse for me."

"I will hun," He said, "I love you."

"I love you too," She said. "Good luck Daddy."

"Thanks sweetheart," He said and hung up.

"Hey you," Jimmy said, popping in, "Everything OK? You just took off."

"Yeah," She said, "Elyse is having the baby."

"Awesome," He said, and hugged her, "Congratulations. After school and practice we'll celebrate, we'll go to my house and drink a bottle of champagne."

"OK," She laughed and kissed him. "I have to go home this weekend."

"Yeah, of course," He said.

"You're having that party," She sighed, "Because Kelly's going to Yale."

"I'll still have the party," He shrugged, "It'll make me miss you less. We should get to homeroom."


"I mean, I don't get it," Kelly said, ranting to Linda in between classes, "I quit one committee and all of a sudden I'm eating yogurt on the steps with the pot heads? And Janet was sitting with them! Janet!"

"Kelly you went to class, student council meetings and bed for a month," Linda sighed, "What did you expect to happen? They have short attention spans." Kelly sighed.

"At least I still have you," She sighed and they walked past where the Ducks had their lockers.

"Hi Kelly," Portman smiled. She nodded at him with a light sarcastic smile.

"And you'll always have Portman," Linda giggled. Kelly smiled seeing Ellie Cole run up and start talking to him.

"Mm," Kelly nodded, "I love karma," She said. "He's got his own freshman stalker now."

"Derails your Ellie and Brad plan though," Linda said.

"No watching Dean Portman squirm is so much more fun than match making," Kelly giggled.

"You're such a bitch," Linda sighed.

"You know you love me," Kelly laughed and linked arms with her friend, they skipped down the hall.


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