Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Gossip Girl. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer, Stephanie Savage, and Josh Schwartz. I do own the original characters made up for this storyline. Thank you.

Writer's Notes: Welcome to Rumor Has It!

Manhattan, New York. A city of lights, tall buildings, and luxury. Being one of the five boroughs of NYC, Manhattan is the destination for businesses, hotels, and overpriced handbags. It's home to some of the most prestigious private schools, like Constance Billiard and St. Jude's School for boys. A private school, that combined, makes up the school of the elites. When you're an elite, it's an ocean of shark infested waters, and you'll either learn to swim, or you'll sink.

The busy streets of Manhattan were a change for Bella Swan. The small-town girl from Forks, Washington. She couldn't even claim being in a small town considering her mother moved around a lot. Now that she was entering her senior year, she was forced to go live with her mom again after Charlie got recalled again. Her dad was military, Army, and it was nice for a while, to take a break from all the travel with her mom and stepdad, but now she had to live with her mom and Phil for another year. Fortunately, Phil got signed with the Mets, a major league baseball team in New York, and had been playing for the Mets for two years now. To say the least, her mom and Phil were vey well off. Well off enough to force her to go to school at Constance Billiard. A private school that Renee insisted 'was best for Bella's education.' Senior year was the most important year according to Bella's mom, and Bella had to agree to a certain degree. Colleges would be looking at her, and she had to take that in consideration. She had access to some of the best ivy league schools if she went to Constance, so she didn't complain when her mother enrolled her over the summer.

[September 1st, Constance Billiard]

Bella straightened her skirt of her uniform. The hunter green, and navy plaid skirt stopped mid-thigh. She pulled at the hem of it, hoping to make it not be as short, but she failed, and gave up. Her mom made her go shopping for appropriate school shoes that weren't converses, and got her a different handbag and backpack. She didn't particularly care for the elite lifestyle, but it made her mother happy, so she complied with little resistance. She looked at the school, the cathedral styled building was intimidating compared to normal high schools, but she walked through, up the concrete steps, weaving through the sea of other students dressed exactly like her. She had her schedule for classes, but the school was a little vast, and so she wasn't sure if she was heading the right direction. She looked at the schedule again, just a mere glance and she ran into someone, and it knocked her backwards, and she lost her balance.

Hands were on her, helping her to her feet. She was a little disoriented from being knocked back like that, but she looked up at who she just assaulted with her inelegance and looked up into startling grey-blue eyes.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going." Bella managed to apologize.

"It's alright, it was my fault." The voice spoke and his voice was smooth, perfect sounding like the rest of his face. His features were sculpted perfectly, even down to his straight nose. His dark hair was combed neat on his head, his bangs a little shaggier than the rest of his hair. He wore a St. Jude's uniform, the traditional yellow gold shirt, red tie, and black suit jacket with the St. Jude's logo on it, with khaki pants. "You're new here. I don't think we've met before." He said, a smile on his face. He was friendly.

Bella offered a smile. "Yeah, moved here from Washington State." She said and heard the warning bell. "Oh shoot. Sorry again for running into you." She said and looked at her schedule.

He glanced at it. "Come on, it's this way." He said with a smirk, and started walking in the opposite direction Bella had been walking in.

Her sense of direction wasn't terrible, because once she figured out the layout of the school, she would be okay. She followed the mystery boy, to her English class, and he walked in the classroom too.

"I have the same class." He explained when he noted her confusion. He took a seat at a desk, and Bella sat behind him, catching some stares from other students in the class, but it was interrupted when the instructor joined them.

By lunch, Bella was just exhausted. She kept to herself when she sat down for her lunch, but was soon joined by the boy that helped her earlier that morning.

"Mind if I join you?" He asked.

"Not at all." Bella said with a small smile. He was friendly enough. She didn't know his name yet. "I'm Bella Dwyer." Her mom had her enrolled under that name, which made her feel weird, but she went along with it.

"Nate. Nate Archibald." He introduced.

Just then another boy joined the table, his dark hair was longer than Nate's and his eyes were dark brown, darker than Bella's. "Dude, remind me why I came today."

Nate looked at the boy sitting down. "Because it's the first day of school."

The other boy snorted, and picked up an apple and bit into it.

Bella just glanced back at her own food, picking up her fork and eating some of the spiced apples.

Nate shook his head, and looked back at Bella. "The rude brute of a fellow is Chuck." He introduced his friend.

Chuck looked at Bella, studying her. She was pretty, extraordinarily so. He offered the winning Chuck Bass smile. "Hello. Chuck Bass." He said with a wink.

Bella nodded her head. "Bella Dwyer." She said simply and went back to eating.

Nate smiled and then it fell when he saw a girl walk into the cafeteria. "Oh shit. I've got to go." He muttered. "Sorry Bella. See you later." He said and got up from the table and left abruptly.

Chuck's gaze fell on the dark headed witch of a girl. The girl that anyone could easily despise. Blair Waldorf. She was Nate's girlfriend, and while he would normally find it odd that he was running away from his girlfriend, he knew what his best friend did over the summer that was unforgiveable to some women.

Bella was a bit confused, but she didn't say anything. She finished her food and looked at Chuck. "You don't have to sit with me if you don't want. I know that you sat here because of Nate."

"What? Oh, no. I always enjoy the company of a beautiful girl." Chuck charmed, or at least attempted.

Bella nodded. "Well, it was nice meeting you." She said and stood, grabbing her tray of food, and left. She wondered why Nate got spooked suddenly. It didn't matter, he was a nice person, helpful, but she would likely try not to make too many friends here. Elitism bothered her. She didn't typically care for the people that thought they were better than the rest of the populous.

Like other schools, this school had Biology, and Bella just wanted to make it through this last class, and go home so she could draw. She was exhausted from hearing all the fluttering gossip in the hallways. Some gossip was about the two best friends that were now ex-best friends, and there was apparently some sort of power struggle with the two. Bella didn't care too much to listen to all the details.

She sat at the table, that would seat two, by herself in the back. She opened her sketchbook, and started doodling a little since the bell hadn't rung, and the teacher wasn't in the room. She only glanced up when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. There was a boy, dark mahogany hair specifically arranged on his head, styled perfectly. His emerald eyes reminded Bella of spring, and he was beautiful. He walked towards her, she realized, and he sat down next to her at the table. There were other empty seats, and he chose this seat. He smiled at her coyly and for some unfound reason, it made her blush.

This boy took notice of her reddening cheeks, and it made his lips curl up more. "Edward." He introduced. When he spoke, it sounded like velvet, like his voice was meant for theater with how perfect and controlled his tone was. But it was a soft, gentle tone, one that was friendly, and one that caused Bella's brain to misfire in different directions. "You are?"

Bella blinked a few times, suddenly remembering her manners. "Uh. Bella." She supplied and then the instructor walked in the class, the bell ringing, signaling the start of class. It broke her gaze from Edward's to the front of the room. She could feel him glancing over at her, his eyes studying her, and it made her blush again.

When school was over, Bella managed to make it out into the fresh air of polluted New York, to gather her senses. Edward was intense to sit next to. For some reason, she found him very alluring. She wasn't sure why, but he was. Her phone rang and she pulled it out and answered quickly. "Hey mom."

"How was your first day?"

"It was great."

"That's good. There's a party tonight that you should go to. Phil and I are going to be having a late dinner at this new French cuisine restaurant in town. So, go, have fun, make friends."

"But- "

"I love you darling. Please go and have fun. You still know how to have fun, right?"

Bella sighed. "Yes."

"Good. Just don't stay too late since tomorrow is a school day. Love you." Renee said and hung up.

Bella didn't want to go to a party. She just wanted to relax, to herself, and not deal with people. Her phone beeped with a text from her mom.

[Renee:] Go buy yourself better clothes. Don't wear jeans and a t-shirt. Please. Love you.

Bella groaned. Her mother was going to be the death of her. She just had one year. That was it, before she could just go on her own and not have to worry about any of these fancy things. She started walking, glancing at her bank app that her mom had her install, and stopped walking when she saw the dollar amount sitting in the account that was opened for her. "She's insane." She muttered. "Who just gives their teenager fifty grand." She complained to herself.

"New to the whole elite society?"

She glanced over at the boy that walked up. Chuck Bass. She smiled at him. "Sort of."

"Hmm. New money?"

"Uh, no. I used to live with my dad, now I live with my mom. So, new money to me I suppose."

Chuck nodded. "Well, word of advice. Don't talk to yourself out loud. People might think you're crazy."

Just then there were some raised voices, and it caused Chuck and Bella to both look up at the same time.

Nate was there in the courtyard in the front of the school, with two girls standing there. One was Blair Waldorf, that much Bella knew because she was talked about often, and sat in French class towards the front from her. The other girl had shimmering blonde hair, and it was down, past her shoulders barely. Nate seemed to be struggling a little bit with the temper flare that Blair Waldorf was displaying right now.

Bella didn't know why she decided to walk towards the catfight, but she did. Blair's voice was cool, and venomous, and that's when Blair raised her hand to strike at the other girl, and Bella caught her wrist.

Blair looked at Bella, a little stunned. "Unhand me. Who are you?"

Bella glanced to Nate before looking at Blair. "School property." She said simply.

Blair blinked a few times, and then jerked her hand out of Bella's reach. "I don't care. Do you know who I am?" Her voice elevated.

"No, but you're going to tell me anyways." Bella muttered, knowing what her name was, she just didn't know how high her elite status was.

"I am a Waldorf. You don't put your hands, on a Waldorf."

The other girl snorted. "Right, because you're a princess? You're the one who started this whole fight. I told you to walk away, but no, Blair Waldorf always has to have the last word."

"Why you little bitch!" Blair said and raised her hand again, trying to push through Bella, but Bella, spun Blair around in two swift movements, propelling her the other direction. "How dare you!"

Nate grabbed Blair by the waist. "Babe. Calm down. Let's talk about this in private. There's a crowd starting to form. Come on." He spoke gently to her. "I'm sorry okay."

Blair turned and glared at Nate. "You don't get to tell me sorry you bastard." She said and then made a 'hmph' sound and stormed away.

Bella blew out a breath and looked at Nate. "Sorry, I didn't mean…to interject, I just think that catfights are ridiculous, and well…"

The other girl smiled at Bella. "Thank you. I could have handled her. It's not the first time I would have been smacked by the queen."

"That's terrible."

Nate ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry Selena. Seriously, I don't know…"

"Nate. It's fine." Selena said with a curt nod. "Go to her." She said and then looked back at Bella. "I'm Selena." She introduced after Nate hesitated before walking away.

"Bella."

Chuck was standing there, hands in his pockets. The new girl was intriguing. "Breaking up a perfectly good cat fight." He said with a shake of his head.

Selena rolled her eyes. "You're an ass Chuck." She said and then pushed past him to walk away.

Bella sighed. She should have just kept to herself, but for some reason…she didn't. She looked at Chuck. "Have a good day." She said with a nod, and started walking again.

"Wait, are you going to that party tonight?"

"That's the plan. I have to do some shopping for appropriate attire." Bella said as she continued to walk. Chuck fell into step with her, and it forced her to stop. "Are you going to follow me?"

"No. I'll see you later." Chuck said with a smile and wink before walking off towards the street and getting into a fancy town car.

Bella sighed, before pulling out her phone again and googling places nearby that she could shop at. She was walking there, so she could enjoy the weather while it was still good. She settled on a boutique that wasn't far from the school so she could find just one outfit to appease her mother.