Disclaimer: I own all the characters in this story.
Chapter Five
Prescott Preparatory School for Girls
First-Floor Bathroom
7:43 A.M.
Thursday, September 5th
Madeleine stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, checking her flawless makeup for smudges. Finding none, she sighed and smoothed the creases in her cropped lilac Black Halo top. Turning to her friends, she saw they were inspecting their outfits. Madeleine cleared her throat loudly to get their attention. As they looked her way, she stretched her neck side to side. After a thoughtful pause, she spoke to her friends.
Perched elegantly on the bathroom windowsill, Madeleine crossed her slender legs, asking her friends, "Oh, besties, are you going to the Back-to-School dance next Friday night?"
Scarlett tugged at the fitted Alice + Olivia denim romper she wore, adjusting it between her legs. "Maddie, I'm going to the dance," she said honestly.
Audrey tossed her long, platinum-blonde curls aside, revealing her cerulean eyes. "I've decided to go to the dance," she said.
Mackenzie plucked at the loose threads on her belted Marni cami minidress, explaining. "I initially decided against attending the dance. However, I soon realized that skipping it would have severely damaged my social standing."
Sitting primly on the bathroom sink, Kayla crossed her ankles and beamed. "I've decided to attend the dance after all," she announced brightly.
Madeleine toyed with her pearl necklace and uncrossed her legs. "So, who are you waiting for to ask you to the dance?"
Scarlett applied another layer of cherry-flavored Pretty & Perfect lip gloss, admiring her reflection in the bathroom mirror. "Scott," she said eagerly, unable to contain her wide grin. "I'm hoping he'll ask me out soon. If he doesn't pick up on the hint, I'll have to take matters into my own hands and call him myself."
Mackenzie wrapped her white, embellished Arkis cardigan around her waist. "Declan," she snickered. "After we hung out with Scar and Scott yesterday afternoon, I waited three hours for him to text me. I'll send him a text later tonight."
Kayla's voice brimmed with excitement. "James!" she yelled, reaching into her medium nude Dolce & Gabbana leather-and-suede satchel. Kayla quickly retrieved her Black Red Bliss waterproof mascara and opened the tube. She swept the wand across her long lashes, applying a fresh coat. "After our long text exchange, I've got a feeling he's trying to find a way to ask me to the dance."
Audrey giggled softly, claiming a spot on the bathroom counter near Kayla. "Aiden, I've got my eyes set on making him escort me to the dance," she confided.
Madeleine jumped down from the window sill and turned towards the bathroom mirror. She cocked her head to the side and fluffed her glossy honey-blonde waves. "I think Lachlan is gonna ask me to the dance," she chuckled. "So, besties, have you guys been hounded by our loser classmates this morning?"
Kayla glanced down nervously and fiddled with her gold Mizuki pearl-and-diamond necklace. "No, Mads," she replied. "I thought they might invade my personal space, but then they saw the look on my face that told them to stay away."
Audrey crossed her ankles, careful to keep her black Hugo Boss lace underwear from flashing her friends. "Of course," she responded. "When I walked into school, a bunch of students were gawking and making comments about my outfit."
Scarlett smiled brightly. "Yes, Maddy," she said, bouncing from one red knotted-bow patent-leather Kate Spade thong sandal-clad foot to the other. "I was walking down the hallway toward the bathroom. They were saying there were over nine hundred likes on the selfie I posted this morning."
Mackenzie fidgeted with her diamond chandelier earrings, saying. "Maddie, some of our classmates moved aside for me. They let me go first to print out my class schedule from the kiosks."
Madeleine adjusted her custom-made white pearl-embellished headband. "After you all went inside the school, I sneaked a peek around the front lawn and caught students looking at me. I heard some of the false rumors they were sharing about us. Rather than letting it get to me, I kept a blank expression and pretended their rumors didn't affect me at all."
Mackenzie leaned against the bathroom counter, her arms crossed defiantly. "Listen up, girls," she cooed, abruptly changing the subject.
Audrey's eyes widened with surprise. "About what?" she asked.
Scarlett's slender fingers toyed with a icy-blonde curl and eagerly demanded. "Spill the details."
Staying perched on the bathroom sink, Kayla brushed lint off her nude La Silla knee-high suede boots. "Same," she agreed with Scarlett's sentiment.
Madeleine checked her manicure, waiting for Mackenzie to share the gossip with everyone. "Kenzie, you need to spill the deets to me," she snickered.
Mackenzie smiled brightly, sharing the rumor. "I may or may not have heard that Lachlan plans to call Maddie during her slumber party tomorrow night," she said. A few moments later, she looked down and dug around her mini bright-yellow Givenchy satchel, yanking out her compact to check her eyeshadow. Satisfied that her makeup remained flawless, Mackenzie dropped the compact back into her purse and turned her attention to her friends.
Scarlett gasped loudly, her jaw dropping in disbelief. "No way!" she exclaimed, taking a seat on the bathroom counter next to Kayla and Audrey.
Audrey arched a perfectly waxed platinum-blonde eyebrow and looked stunned at Mackenzie's news. "Oh my god!" she gasped melodramatically. "Where did you hear this?"
Kayla let out a loud shriek. "Get out of here," she uttered.
Madeleine narrowed her emerald-green eyes at Mackenzie. "Mack, who shared the news with you?" she inquired.
Mackenzie tucked her straightened strawberry-blonde hair behind her right ear. "One of my sources shared this juicy bit of gossip with me last night," she revealed. "And I'm convinced he's going to call her."
Madeleine adjusted the hem of her high-waisted, lilac Black Halo skirt. "Last night?" she repeated, barely containing her excitement.
Scarlett's perfectly waxed icy-blonde eyebrows arched at Audrey's statement. "Oh, Drey, why are you sharing this with us now?" she asked.
Kayla questioned Mackenzie. "Why didn't you tell us about this during our video call last night?" She jumped off the bathroom sink and turned toward the mirror, inspecting her Moschino split-hem bodycon dress for coffee stains. Satisfied that her plaid dress was clean, Kayla let out a sigh and shifted her attention back to her friends.
After Kayla's statement, Audrey placed her manicured hands on her hips and sighed deeply. "So, we'll be ready for the call tomorrow," she added.
As she whipped her straightened hair over her left shoulder, Mackenzie answered her friends' questions. "Because I wasn't sure about the call yet."
Madeleine paced across the black-and-white-checkered bathroom floor, pressing her manicured left index finger to her chin. "Ugh, we have to find out if it's true," she murmured, contemplating how they would uncover the truth about Lachlan's call. Moments later, she had an idea. "Listen up, everyone. We're doing some major reconnaissance after school today. That means everyone needs to meet at the school parking lot by 3:15 pm. I'll have Nick pick us up and drop us off at Crestview before the final bell. Does that work for everyone?"
Scarlett's eyes gleamed with excitement as she twirled the diamond stud in her right ear. "Love the plan!" she exclaimed.
Audrey's grey Louboutin ankle boots clicked while shifting her weight. "What happens if we get caught by the boys?" she asked, a hint of worry in her voice.
Kayla and Mackenzie exchanged a knowing smirk. "Or, we get ambushed by the school's staff?" they asked in unison, the shared concern evident in their voices.
Madeleine rolled her shoulders back, exuding confidence in her plan to secretly observe Lachlan and his friends. "Nothing will happen to us," she said, adjusting her headband. "After all, we're concealed behind the school's massive stone sign."
Mackenzie brushed dirt off her left white Prada espadrille. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed. "That's the perfect hiding spot."
"Exactly," Audrey agreed, adjusting her long, gold Chanel moon-and-stars necklace.
Kayla leaned against the bathroom counter, arms crossed. "Mads, we should find out when the boys are meeting at the school sign," she suggested, tossing her glossy blonde curls.
Scarlett smiled and played with her pearl charm bracelet. "Great idea, Lala!" she said, noticing Kayla's amber eyes light up at the compliment.
Madeleine shifted nervously on her lilac Miu Miu wedges, voicing her concern. "Um, Kay, wouldn't that make us look like complete stalkers?"
Kayla instantly shook her head from side to side. "No, Mads," she said, stepping away from the bathroom counter and resting her manicured right hand on Madeleine's left shoulder. "This will help us determine their arrival time."
The loud ringing bell interrupted Madeleine's conversation with her friends, signaling that first period would begin in ten minutes.
Madeleine looked over at her friends, arching a perfectly waxed honey-blonde eyebrow in their direction. "What do you guys have for first period?" she eagerly inquired.
Kayla tossed her designer handbag over her right shoulder and waved goodbye over her left shoulder. "Spanish," she answered honestly, quickly exiting the bathroom. "Gotta go."
"Drama," Scarlett told Madeleine as she hopped off the bathroom counter and grabbed her large liberty-red Tory Burch Gemini Link canvas tote. Dangling her designer purse from her right elbow, she strolled out of the bathroom, saying something over her right shoulder. "I've heard that the teacher is hard on everybody."
Seeing that Scarlett had already left, Audrey turned her attention to her friends. "Art," she said, grabbing her medium navy Longchamp hobo. Moments later, Audrey exited the bathroom, calling out to the girls behind her. "Oh, Maddy and Mack, I'll see you guys later!"
Mackenzie slung her designer handbag over her shoulder and sauntered out the bathroom door, saying. "Later, Maddy."
Noticing her friends had left for first-period, Madeleine glanced at the bathroom mirror and expertly applied another coat of chai latte-flavored lip gloss. Fluffing her waves, she grabbed her large white leather Kate Spade tote and headed for the door, her face blank.
In the hallway, Madeleine kept her expression neutral as a group of eager eighth-graders tried to get her attention. Ignoring them, she strode confidently towards her first-period class, secure in her status as reigning queen.
Prescott Preparatory School for Girls
English Class
8:28 A.M.
Thursday, September 5th
Claiming a spot in the back of the classroom, Mackenzie hung her purse off the chair and faced forward. She grabbed a spiral notebook and a fuzzy yellow pen from her handbag, dropping them on the desk before sitting up straight. Rolling her shoulders back, Mackenzie plucked out her compact and tilted it to get a better view of the girl behind her.
Discovering that Olivia Crawford had noticeable boogers, Mackenzie snickered at her misfortune before stowing the compact back in her purse. Facing forward again, she crossed her arms over her chest and settled into a comfortable position. Mackenzie knew her parents expected good grades alongside her busy social life. The sharp click of heels interrupted her thoughts. Looking up, Mackenzie saw her teacher was a striking Russian woman dressed stylishly.
"Good morning, students," Mrs. Alexander warmly greeted the class as she placed her purse and a stack of syllabuses on her desk at the front of the room.
"Hello, Mrs. Alexander," the students responded in unison.
With a few clicks, Mrs. Alexander activated the projector and smartboard. "Today, we'll be discussing vocabulary," she announced, making eye contact with the class. "Then we'll cover MLA formatting, citation, source incorporation, and citation updates."
"Okay, Mrs. Alexander," the students replied. This had been covered in the introduction of their textbook.
Tuning out her teacher's lecture, Mackenzie opened her notebook and grabbed her pen. She jotted down the date on the first lined page, then sighed and glanced at the smartboard, where Mrs. Alexander was already discussing the first slide. Gripping her pen tightly, Mackenzie dutifully copied down the slide's content while highlighting what her teacher emphasized as most important.
Dropping her pen, Mackenzie inspected her nails and noticed that her left hand's nails were unpainted, while the right hand's were perfectly polished. Worried her "loser" classmates might use this oversight against her, Mackenzie quickly decided to remedy the situation.
Taking a deep breath, Mackenzie retrieved a bottle of OPI nail polish from her designer bag and left it on the table next to her open notebook, where she saw a syllabus had already been placed. Glancing around, she noted the open classroom windows and smiled, knowing the polish fumes wouldn't bother her peers.
Shaking the bottle to create some bubbles, Mackenzie firmly positioned her left hand on the table and carefully painted her nails. After sealing the polish with a quick-dry topcoat from her purse, she tucked the bottles away and crossed her legs, feeling more secure. Glancing up, she saw Mrs. Alexander was still lecturing, so Mackenzie discreetly tapped her palm against her mouth, unconcerned about being caught.
Mrs. Alexander interrupted Mackenzie's thoughts, saying. "As I was saying, Miss Frost, vocabulary is crucial for expressing your ideas in writing, especially for the essays I've assigned this class."
Noticing her teacher's gaze had drifted elsewhere, Mackenzie snatched up the latest issue of Marie Claire from her designer bag and began idly flipping through it. Minutes later, she dropped the open magazine by her notebook, moving the notebook closer. Grabbing her pen, she quickly copied the second slide into her notes.
With a sigh, Mackenzie rested her chin on her hand, half-listening as the teacher lectured about MLA citation format. Glancing around, she noticed most of the class was disengaged, so she decided to jot down the key points to keep her grades up.
Laying her pen across her notebook, Mackenzie checked the clock - nearly 9:05am. She stretched her neck and leaned back, tuning out as the teacher moved to the next slide. Crossing her arms, she breathed evenly and watched the clock, knowing the bell would ring in just a few minutes. Gathering her things, she leaned back and rested her elbows on the desk to wait it out.
From the front of the class, Mrs. Alexander commanded the students' attention. "Okay, students," she announced firmly. "Since the bell will soon ring, I'm assigning the first two chapters of The Call of the Wild to be completed by tomorrow morning."
Mackenzie nodded, mentally noting to review the assigned chapters later. As the bell rang, signaling the end of first period, she rose from her seat and made her way to the classroom door, her expression purposefully blank. Sashaying through the doorway, Mackenzie caught sight of her classmates allowing her to exit first. Disregarding their apparent anticipation for acknowledgment, she rolled her shoulders back and continued onward, maintaining her impassive façade as she headed directly to her next class.
Prescott Preparatory School for Girls
Study Hall
10:41 A.M.
Thursday, September 5th
Kayla inspected the manicured nails of her left hand, but found little solace in their perfection. Her first day of school had proven to be a major letdown, not the fresh start she had hoped for. Rather than the lighter workload she anticipated, her teachers had overwhelmed her with homework from her very first and second-period classes.
Retrieving a spiral notebook from her purse, Kayla flipped through the pages, spotting the math notes she had hastily scribbled. Remembering the assigned first chapter from her math textbook, she closed the notebook and returned it to her designer handbag, smoothing her dress as she did so. Laying her head on her arms, Kayla became acutely aware of her classmates' envious gazes, their smug grins betraying their jealousy of her social status atop the sixth-grade hierarchy. Shifting her blonde curls aside, she resolved to ignore their stares.
Just as Kayla was about to shut her eyes, her purse buzzed with incoming messages from the group chat with her friends. Snatching up her iPhone, she unlocked the screen to read their latest updates, letting out a weary sigh as she did so.
Madeleine: Sitting through my teacher's monotonous lectures, I find myself struggling to stay awake, dying of sheer boredom.
Audrey: My Spanish teacher is lecturing about the fundamental nouns in the language.
Scarlett: During social studies class, Alexis Sobel attempted to initiate a conversation with me.
Mackenzie: Scar, I'm in the same situation as you. However, the difference is that she's now attempting to initiate a conversation with me.
Kayla stretched her neck side to side, placing her cell phone under the table and quickly replying to her friends' text messages.
Kayla: People in the study hall are eyeing me with envy. So, did anything noteworthy occur in your classes today?
Kayla crossed her slender legs and glanced around the study hall. Her gaze settled on the teacher, who was intently reviewing his lesson plans. Kayla sighed and turned her attention to the incoming text messages from her friends.
Scarlett: Grace Manning was sent to the headmistress's office after talking back to her teacher. Immediately after Grace left the classroom, I took a bathroom break and followed her, catching a glimpse of her waiting to be disciplined.
Madeleine: Rochelle was reprimanded by the teacher for eating food in the classroom, which violated a rule listed in her syllabus.
Audrey: Savannah Richards' cell phone was confiscated by the teacher, who then proceeded to read her private text exchange with her mother about selecting an ointment for Savannah's embarrassing medical condition. Understandably, Savannah was mortified when her conversation was exposed to the entire class.
Mackenzie: While the class initially tried to stifle their amusement, they ultimately burst into laughter when they saw their teacher slip and fall on the floor. Despite their best efforts, the students were unable to contain their hilarity at the unexpected and comical incident.
As she leaned back, Kayla retrieved a Nutz Over Chocolate Luna bar from her purse, unwrapped it, and consumed the entire bar before responding to her friends' messages.
Kayla: Funny. Study hall is eerily quiet right now, with nothing but silence filling the room.
Kayla let out a sigh and squared her shoulders as her iPhone buzzed with text messages from her friends. She read the messages, giving them her full attention.
Audrey: That means that people are actually focused on their books.
Mackenzie: Uh-oh, that sounds very riveting.
Scarlett: I would have devised a way to captivate the attention of the students in study hall.
Madeleine: Impressive, Kalia.
Kayla drummed her manicured fingers on the table as she glanced up from her iPhone. Realizing the bell would ring in just three minutes, she quickly replied to her friends' texts.
Kayla: The bell will soon ring, so I'll meet you all at lunch.
Without waiting for her friends to reply to her text, Kayla dropped her iPhone back inside her designer handbag while the screen remained off. Hearing the bell ring, she stood up and sashayed out of the classroom without hearing the dismissal from the study hall teacher. Observing that people were moving out of her way, Kayla set her face into a black stare and sauntered toward her fourth-period class.
Prescott Preparatory School for Girls
Cafeteria
12:15 P.M.
Thursday, September 5th
Madeleine walked through the cafeteria doors, her eyes scanning the room. A couple of seventh-grade girls greeted her, but she offered them a cold smile as she searched for her friends. Once she spotted them, Madeleine approached the table they had claimed and settled into the head seat, hanging her tote bag on the back of the chair.
"Hey, girlies!" Madeleine said, grabbing her Nobu bento box, paper-wrapped chopsticks, and chilled Smartwater bottle from the center of the table.
Kayla, Mackenzie, Scarlett, and Audrey cocked their heads and beamed at her. "Hey, Maddie!" they chimed in unison.
Madeleine lifted the lid off her bento box and pulled the paper off her chopsticks. "So, girlies, what's the latest gossip?" she asked her friends.
Kayla smirked and dipped a spicy tuna roll into the soy sauce in her bento box before finishing it . "I saw Grace Kaci after math class. She was ordering the same Kate Spade bag you're carrying today. Total clone."
"Seriously?" Madeleine said heatedly, reaching back to touch her designer bag. She disliked the idea of Grace having the same bag. "I guess I'll have to donate this bag since I don't want the same one as her."
Scarlett took a few sips of her large Jupioca caramel macchiato bubble tea. "Don't worry, Maddy," she said brightly, rubbing Madeleine's arm. "Everyone knows Grace just wants your approval."
"Agreed," Audrey said, flattening her high-waisted, grey plaid Anna Sui flare miniskirt before fishing something from her backpack. She then handed the invitations to Madeleine and Mackenzie. "Cora Lewis, Maisy Martin, and Yvonne Phillips invited us to their birthday parties. Should we RSVP?"
Madeleine examined the invitations, chewing thoughtfully on a spicy salmon roll. "Of course, Rey."
Audrey took a long sip of her Fiji water, looking pleased. "Guess we'll need to go dress shopping."
"Oh, yeah," Mackenzie exclaimed, dunking seasoned fries into ketchup. "Aphrodite just got a new dress shipment. I booked the store for us this Saturday - we need dresses for Audrey's party too."
Madeleine noticed Audrey's eyes light up at the mention of her birthday party. "Definitely," she agreed, taking a deep breath. She then realized Mackenzie wanted to share something with their group of friends, so Madeleine nodded to her, signaling that Mackenzie should go ahead and share the news.
Mackenzie leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "I'm afraid I have some bad news, Maddie," she said solemnly. "There are people who are trying to get Lindsey and Avery to reverse their decision to make you their successor. They're trying to take your throne away from you."
Madeleine paused, a California roll dripping with soy sauce halfway to her mouth. "How are they going to do that?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm.
Mackenzie took a long sip of her large Jamba Juice Aloha pineapple smoothie. "These people seem determined to undermine Lindsey and Avery's choice," she explained, glancing over at the girls buying drinks from the Jamba Juice kiosk.
Audrey laid her elbow on the table and tapped her chopsticks against the edge of her open bento box. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," she declared firmly.
Madeleine's face darkened as she took a long sip of her kiwi-strawberry Snapple. "Who are these people trying to steal my throne?" she demanded, her voice rising with anger.
Scarlett angrily chewed on a soy sauce-soaked shrimp tempura roll before listing the names to Madeleine. "Jacqueline Everstone, Tia Scott, Sofia Addison, and Molly Nolan."
Madeleine dipped a spicy California roll into soy sauce and popped it into her mouth. "I'm going to have to use rule four of the Prescott Queen rules," she said with a sinister grin. "This means I get to deliver some judgment on them, and do it in front of the whole school."
A devious glint gleamed in Audrey's eyes as she straightened her navy Ted Baker color-block blouse. "Perf," she smirked, already picturing their shocked faces.
A smirk spread across Kayla's face. "It'll be awesome to witness their humiliation," she told the group.
"Agreed," Scarlett and Mackenzie said in unison, resting their elbows on the table despite their mothers' repeated instructions not to do so.
Madeleine glanced over her shoulder, noticing that Lindsey and Avery were surrounded by their friends. She wondered if they had heard the news that some girls wanted a meeting with them. Taking a deep breath, Madeleine mentally reinforced that no one would take her position. Turning back to her own friends, Madeleine saw that Scarlett seemed eager to share something. Madeleine nodded, signaling Mackenzie to go ahead and share the news with the whole group.
Mackenzie adjusted her beaded yellow Lele Sadoughi headband and leaned forward. "Besties, I have some juicy information," she whispered. "It's about the boys' conversation in front of the school sign."
"Spill it," Madeleine murmured, struggling to contain her excitement and keep her voice down to avoid drawing the cafeteria's attention.
Scarlett examined her vibrant red nails. "How did you find this out?" she asked eagerly.
"What happened?" Audrey asked Scarlett, leaning back in her seat and checking the backs of her pearl stud earrings.
"Tell us about the tea," Kayla said smoothly, gesturing towards Scarlett, Madeleine, and Audrey.
"From what I've heard, the boys usually stand in front of that sign as soon as the bell rings," Mackenzie informed her friends, taking a huge bite of her turkey burger.
Madeleine's mouth dropped open in surprise, but she quickly shut it. "No way," she said, sounding excited.
Scarlett drained half the contents of her bubble tea. "At least, we won't be waiting that long for them," she uttered.
Audrey and Kayla titled their heads and crossed their arms over their chests. "Awesome," they said in unison, smiling brightly.
Madeleine's conversation with her friends was cut short by the lunch bell. Glancing down, she noticed a lone sushi roll left in her bento box. Dipping it in soy sauce, she quickly polished it off, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
Pushing her tray aside, Madeleine looked up to see her friends gathering their things and heading to their next class. She noticed the abandoned lunch trays left for the cafeteria staff to clean up. Students were already filtering out of the cafeteria.
Slinging her purse over her shoulder, Madeleine stood and headed for the exit, her expression neutral. By the time she reached the doors, the cafeteria had emptied out as everyone made their way to their fifth-period classes.
Prescott Preparatory School for Girls
Social Studies Class
2:39 P.M.
Thursday, September 5th
Scarlett sat with her slender legs crossed, leaning over the quiz that Mr. Jackson had distributed at the start of class. She was halfway through the assessment, her pen poised over question eight as she thoughtfully bit her lower lip.
With a stern voice, Mr. Jackson announced from the front of the class. "You have nine minutes remaining."
Scarlett rolled her icy-blue eyes and refocused on the quiz, despite not knowing the answer to question eight. Suddenly remembering her parents' expectations for good grades, she quickly answered the question about the eight features of a civilization. Scanning the next question, Scarlett noticed the teacher had asked about the elements involved in running ancient civilizations - information she provided in her response. With the final question on the five themes of geography answered, Scarlett placed her pen down, completing the quiz.
With two minutes until the bell, Mr. Jackson urgently called out. "Hand in your quizzes now!"
Scarlett glanced at the clock, realizing school was nearly over. Gathering her belongings, she stood and approached her teacher's desk, slapping her quiz onto the pile. As the bell rang, Scarlett noticed her teacher checking that she had completed the quiz. Stepping outside, Scarlett faced a crowd of eager sixth-grade girls, though she kept her expression neutral. Remembering that Madeleine's driver was taking everyone to Crestview, Scarlett made her way through the parting crowd toward the school parking lot, maintaining her blank demeanor.
Crestview School for Boys
Behind the School's Sign
3:37 P.M.
Thursday, September 5th
Crouching behind the school sign with her friends, Madeleine shifted her weight, carefully avoiding getting her skirt dirty on the damp grass. She quickly peeked out, relieved that the boys had not yet been released from school. Ducking back down, Madeleine noticed the row of shrubs concealing the sign, making it easier for her and her friends to spy on Lachlan and his group. Glancing at Scarlett, Madeleine saw her friend wanted to share something, so she nodded, silently encouraging her to speak up.
Scarlett adjusted the hem of her romper, keeping her tote on her lap. "How much longer until the bell rings?"
Conscious of her pristine dress, Kayla carefully shifted her weight from one bare knee to the other. "Just four minutes until the bell rings," she told her friend, mindful to avoid jostling Audrey and Mackenzie.
Madeleine tried to calm her friends' anticipation. "Don't worry, girlies," she reassured them. Peeking again at the school's entrance, she saw no one emerging from the solid oak doors. Madeleine squatted back down and looked at the girls. "The boys will be standing in front of the school sign soon."
Careful not to get her boots stuck in the grass, Audrey shifted her weight onto her tiptoes. "By the way, this miniskirt isn't exactly ideal for spying," she remarked to her friends, adjusting the hem while holding her thighs together.
Mackenzie placed her manicured index finger to her lips, signaling Addie to be quiet. "We don't want people to know we're hiding behind the school's sign," she whispered. "That could get us labeled as stalkers."
A few minutes later, the bell signaled the end of the school day for the boys. "Oh, girls!" Madeleine exclaimed excitedly, playfully tapping her friends' thighs. "The boys are about to come out - let's sneak a peek at them by the front entrance."
Madeleine quickly glanced at the school's front entrance, carefully positioning herself between a squat and standing, to avoid being seen. As the doors flew open, a rush of boys poured out, spilling onto the well-manicured lawn. Madeleine stared at her friends, noting their expressions of excitement.
Scanning the crowd, Madeleine searched for Lachlan and his friends, hoping they would stand by the sign so she and her friends could eavesdrop on their conversation undetected. Soon, Madeleine spotted Lachlan and his group heading toward the sign. She glanced at her friends, ready to listen in.
Madeleine's panicked expression conveyed the urgency of her words. "Girls, we need to hide behind the sign again," she said, carefully nudging Scarlett to signal that she should follow Madeleine's lead. Madeleine then ensured her other friends shadowed Scarlett's actions. "The boys are heading towards our direction now."
Scarlett flipped her curls over her shoulder before squatting down. "Fine," she huffed dismissively towards Madeleine. "I just wanted to see if Scott was still cute."
Kayla nodded in agreement with Scarlett, adding, "Same for me," she said, glancing down at her boots and relieving to see no mud stains.
"Yeah, whatever," Audrey and Mackenzie responded in unison as they barely contained their eye rolls at the opinions expressed by Scarlett and Kayla.
Madeleine playfully hit her friends' right arms, hearing that Lachlan and his friends had stopped in front of the sign. "Girlies, stop talking!" she whispered to her friends, noticing they had stopped chatting and were now focused on the boys' conversation. Without saying anything, she immediately began eavesdropping on Lachlan and the boys.
Aiden and Declan spoke in unison, their voices laced with anxiety. "I'm freaking out, man," they said, unaware that the girls were eavesdropping on their conversation. "I've got at least three hours of homework tonight."
Lachlan, Scott, and James responded in chorus, their surprise evident. "Really? You do?"
"Yeah, it's not funny," Aiden and Declan said angrily in unison as Madeleine, Kayla, Scarlett, Audrey, and Mackenzie continued to concentrate on the boys' chat. "I was planning to play the new Call of Duty game. That's because some teachers wouldn't let their students relax on the first day of school."
"We're all getting together to play the new Call of Duty multiplayer at Scott's house tomorrow," James said to his friends as the girls continued listening to the boys' conversation.
Scott took a sip of his tropical citrus-flavored Vitamin Water. "We're still on for that," he said with a smile. "After all, Fridays are the only days we don't have lacrosse practice."
"Of course," Lachlan nodded in understanding before changing the subject to something else. "So, boys, I'm gonna call Madeleine tomorrow night."
"What for?" Scott, James, Aiden, and Declan questioned in unison as the girls were now trying their best to listen to their discussion.
Lachlan stretched his neck, trying to ease the tension. "I'd like to ask the girls if they're free to hang out with us next Monday," he said, unaware the girls were listening to their conversation. "I'd like to get to know Madeleine better, and we don't have school that day."
James adjusted the straps of his backpack. "I'm sure they'll accept Lachlan's invitation," he replied loyally, oblivious to the eavesdropping.
"I want to talk to Scarlett more," Scott added, the girls continuing to listen in.
Declan nodded. "And I need to talk to Mackenzie some more," he agreed, equally unaware of the girls' presence.
Aiden shifted his light-grey JW Anderson monogrammed duffel bag and draped his arm around Declan. "I was going to ask Audrey to watch a movie at my place on Sunday, but I like Lachlan's idea better," he said.
Lachlan informed his friends, not knowing the girls were listening to their conversation. "While we're talking to the girls, I'm also asking Madeleine to the back-to-school dance."
Aiden crossed his toned arms over his chest and looked directly at Lachlan. "I've already decided that I'm asking Audrey to the dance as well," he added, unaware that the girls were listening.
As Scott fidgeted with the sleeves of his white Twenty Montreal marble-print sweatshirt, he said smoothly. "I'm asking Scarlett to the dance too."
"I'm requesting Mackenzie and Kayla to come to the dance with me," Declan and James nodded in unison as the girls continued to listen to the boys' discussion.
Lachlan checked the time on his newly upgraded blue iPhone 14, which he had retrieved from the left pocket of his ruby-red Serapian leather backpack. Seeing it was almost four o'clock, he tucked the phone into the left front pocket of his black Les Tien cashmere sweatpants. "Boys, lacrosse practice starts at four. We don't want to be late and get yelled at by the coach, so let's go now."
Madeleine squealed excitedly, clapping her manicured hands together. "I can't believe Lachlan is going to call me!"
Kayla nodded proudly, crossing her arms. "I can't wait for the video call," she said dramatically, gesturing to Mackenzie, Scarlett, and Audrey. "Especially when we're all there."
Scarlett carefully kept her designer handbag on her lap, making sure her tote didn't fall on the wet grass. "The boys are going to ask us to the dance," she added.
Audrey cocked her head, touching Scarlett's shoulder. "I wonder when the boys will have the courage to ask us during the call."
Mackenzie raised her perfectly waxed eyebrows. "We'll have to keep a straight face and pretend we don't know about their conversation today," she noted.
Madeleine smiled broadly and fingered her signature pearl necklace. "We'll have to make sure the boys don't discover we spied on them today," she said, glancing quickly at her friends. "So, let's hang out at Lala's place, besties."
"My house?" Kayla asked, looking surprised.
Madeleine nodded, crossing her arms. She shifted her weight from one knee to the other. "Yeah, we still need to rank everyone in our grade and post the 'loser list' on my account."
Scarlett, Audrey, and Mackenzie beamed at Madeleine. "Oh Maddie, I completely forgot you have to post that list before today ends," they said happily.
Madeleine grinned and stood up from her crouch. "Come on, girls," she said with a smirk. "Nick's been waiting in the parking lot for the last twenty minutes. Let's go."
"Okay, Mads," Audrey, Scarlett, Kayla, and Mackenzie said in unison.
As Madeleine reached the car with her friends close behind, she opened the rear door on the driver's side and gracefully slid into the backseat. Settling between the driver and passenger seats, she placed her designer bag on her lap and glanced to her right.
After buckling her seatbelt, Madeleine noticed one of her friends had shut the door. Looking around, she saw the girls were all engrossed in their Instagram feeds. Sighing, she closed her eyes as Nick pulled out of the Crestview parking lot and headed toward Kayla's house. Sinking deeper into the plush leather seat, Madeleine remained still for the rest of the drive.
The Adams Estate
Kayla's Bedroom
5:56 P.M.
Thursday, September 5th
"How would you guys rank Jacqueline Everstone?" Madeleine asked her friends, staring at her iPhone's screen, and noticed that they'd already ranked most of their classmates. She then looked around Kayla's room and witnessed sunlight was still pouring through her friend's bedroom windows.
Audrey recalled that Jacqueline was vying to usurp Madeleine's position, saying. "Maddie, I believe she's a four."
Sprawled across Kayla's bed, Scarlett glanced up from scrolling through Instagram on her iPhone. "She's a solid three on the loser list," she deadpanned, letting her phone fall into her lap.
Mackenzie reached for the bowl of Barbecue-flavored Lay chips and grabbed a handful of chips. Mackenzie then popped them into her mouth. "Two," she cooed.
Propped up on her deep green and white neck pillows, Kayla looked directly at Madeleine. "That's one for me," she said immediately, knowing that Anna deserved this rating for challenging Madeleine's authority and thinking she could get away with it.
After taking a long sip of her Diet Coke, Madeleine read the next name on her list aloud to her friends. "Olivia Crawford."
Audrey cocked her head, a smug expression on her face. "I've already decided she's a 'neutral five' in my book," she mused. "I came to this conclusion because, while she was wearing a cute top today, it clashed horribly with her pants."
Mackenzie rested her head against Kayla's leg. "A five, huh?" she agreed.
"Definitely a five," Kayla murmured, relaxing back against the pillows and motioning for Audrey to pop a chip into her mouth, which she promptly began chewing.
"What about Tia Scott?" Madeleine asked, recalling that Tia was one of the girls vying for her social status.
Scarlett popped a handful of Lays chips into her mouth, her small grin betraying her amusement. "Four."
Kayla sighed and focused on Madeleine. "She deserves two spots on the loser list," she said mockingly, pushing her curls aside so they wouldn't spread across the pillows. "That top she wore today was hideous - you could probably see it from space."
Scarlett gazed out Kayla's sunlit bedroom windows. "One," she added to Kayla's assessment. "Her makeup made her look like a clown."
Mackenzie's aquamarine eyes gleamed with arrogance, believing her family's wealth made her superior to Tia. "Two," she drawled.
"One," Audrey sneered as she felt Tia deserved the impending consequences.
Madeleine sat cross-legged on Kayla's bed, scrolling to the next name on her loser list. "How do you guys feel about Sofia Addison?" she inquired.
Grabbing a handful of Lays chips from the bowl on Kayla's green duvet, Audrey replied. "I've already decided Sofia is a solid five."
As she kept Mackenzie's blonde head resting on her thigh, Kayla said snarkily. "I think a four is okay for her, Mads."
Mackenzie crossed her ankles, preventing her dress from riding up her slender legs. She grabbed some chips from the bowl and popped them into her mouth with grace. "Three," she said dramatically, disliking that Madeleine feared this girl would usurp her social standing.
Scarlett took several refreshing sips of her Diet Coke and noted. "In my opinion, Sofia's a four," she said, observing Madeleine typing their suggestions onto a document on her iPhone.
"So, my pretties, what are your thoughts on Hannah Copeland?" Madeleine asked as she scrolled to the next name on her list.
Shifting comfortably in her seat, Scarlett ate several handfuls of chips. "Um, I think she's a two," she responded.
"Okay then, Maddie," Mackenzie nodded, giving Madeleine a puzzled look. "She's still a one in my eyes."
Kayla grabbed her lukewarm Diet Coke from the nightstand and popped the top. After taking a long sip, she dropped the can back down, chuckling evilly. "Two," she said.
Audrey grinned wickedly and drank half her Diet Coke, feeling the caffeine. "One," she declared.
Madeleine impatiently brushed the hair from her eyes before scrolling to the next name on her "loser list." "Molly Nolon?" she muttered, already planning how to publicly humiliate her and her friends at lunch tomorrow.
Mackenzie glanced at Scarlett, who was absorbed in her phone. "Zero," she declared dramatically, moving away from Kayla's side.
Scarlett looked up coyly. "She's a solid one," she said, smoothing her romper. "Her face is covered in zits the size of pennies."
"Agreed," Kayla chimed in, though she disliked discussing the girl. "I saw her lumbering down the hallway like a toad earlier."
Audrey snickered at Kayla's assessment, then stretched her arms. "Put me down for a one as well," she added.
With a relieved nod, Madeleine glanced at the ranking list she had compiled on her iPhone, pleased that they had rated every student in their grade. Confident in their assessments, she switched to the Instagram app and quickly posted the list, curious to see how her classmates would react. Powering off her phone, Madeleine turned to her friends and announced, "We're done ranking everyone. I just shared the list on my Instagram."
Catherine's voice crackled over the intercom, startling the girls. "Kayla, your friends' drivers are ready. Tell them to come downstairs now."
Kayla watched as her friends slowly began gathering their things to leave her house. "Alright, Mom," she said quickly. "I'll see you all later."
Mackenzie stood up, carefully holding her dress away from the crumbs on the floor as she crossed the room. She brushed the crumbs into Kayla's wastebasket, then slipped her pedicured feet into her Prada espadrilles and grabbed her designer handbag from the couch. With a final wave, Mackenzie headed out. "Bye, guys!"
"Well, obviously," Audrey said, hopping off the bed to pull on her boots. She grabbed her hobo bag from the desk chair and made her way to the door. "Later, pretties!"
Scarlett noticed Audrey had already left and quickly grabbed her phone, slipped on her sandals, and followed suit. "Um, see you later, besties!"
Madeleine leaped up from the bed, flashing Kayla a dazzling smile as she tucked her phone into her purse. "I'll text you later, Kay," she said, shoving her feet into her wedges and snatching her tote from the nightstand before sauntering out of the room.
Kayla surveyed the mess they had left behind as soon as her friends left. Jumping off her bed, she swiftly picked up her discarded boots and tossed them into the closet. With a sigh, she grabbed the half-empty chip bowl from her bed and placed it outside her door for Juanita to clean up.
Closing her bedroom door, Kayla inspected her duvet, relieved to find no crumbs. She smoothed her manicured hands over the wrinkle-free fabric, then collected the open Diet Coke cans from her nightstand. Mindful of her designer dress, she carried the lukewarm drinks to the all-white bathroom.
At the marble vanity, Kayla poured the soda down the sink drain, knowing the sticky residue would attract ants. After rinsing the sink, she returned to her room, tossing the empty cans into the chip bowl for Juanita. Resigned, Kayla climbed back into her neatly made bed, resting her blonde head on a neck roll pillow before drifting off for a nap until dinner tonight.
The Wilson Estate
Scarlett's Bedroom
9:19 P.M.
Thursday, September 5th
Scarlett lay across her chaise lounge, slowly chewing the last handful of buttery popcorn as she watched TV. Fixing the straps of her emerald-green In Bloom by Jonquil lace-trimmed camisole, she dropped the small glass bowl on the table, leaving it for Elsa to clean up. When she sat up straighter, Scarlett heard a knock on her bedroom door after turning off the TV.
"Princess, may I come inside?" Harold, Scarlett's dad, asked.
Scarlett turned off the TV. "Of course, Dad," she replied immediately.
Harold entered his daughter's bedroom and sat on her bed. "Angel, I've been searching for you everywhere," he said tenderly, crossing his toned arms. "Then, I remembered you'd be in your room."
"Why were you looking for me?" Scarlett asked, arching her perfectly waxed, icy-blonde eyebrows.
"I wanted to ask my beautiful daughter about her day," Harold responded with a small smile. "And princess, I need your help with something."
Scarlett tugged at the waistband of her silky, emerald-green In Bloom by Jonquil shorts. "School feels so long during the day. Afterward, I hung out with my friends."
Harold beamed and tilted his head. "Okay, sweetie," he said warmly, his deep voice resonating. "I need to keep your mom distracted while I plan our tenth wedding anniversary next Saturday. She always senses when I'm hiding something."
"Great!" Scarlett exclaimed, bouncing excitedly. "Daddy, you should order Mom a custom necklace and earring set from the family's jeweler. Make it really romantic like the other anniversaries."
"I was already planning that," Harold nodded, crossing his legs.
Scarlett picked at a hole in her black-and-emerald green Ralph Lauren sock. "Daddy, where's Mom right now?" she asked, changing the subject.
Harold smoothed the front of his favorite black Versace silk bathrobe, which he wore over a pair of cream Ralph Lauren silk monogrammed pajamas. "She left with her friends about two hours ago," he said brightly. "Before your mom left, she told me she wouldn't be back until 1 a.m. And she said you should be in bed by 10 tonight."
Scarlett glanced at her Apple watch, noting it was almost 9:30 p.m. "Okay, I'm going to scroll through social media for a bit before bed. Good night, Daddy!"
"Alright, princess," Harold replied excitedly as he stood up, waved goodbye to Scarlett, and left her bedroom. "I'll see you tomorrow when we have breakfast together."
Noticing that her dad had left, Scarlett swung her legs off the chaise and stood up, careful not to bang her shins on the coffee table. She scrutinized the mannequin, which was dressed in a bright red and cream striped Rag & Bone blazer, a cream Alice + Olivia crochet shift dress, cream Valentino espadrilles, a red Kate Spade satchel, her pearl charm bracelet, and gold Tory Burch pearl drop earrings.
Loving the outfit for school, Scarlett had moved her school supplies and beauty items from her Tory Burch tote to the Kate Spade bag. Feeling calm, she removed her Apple watch and placed it on the nightstand, then closed the curtains with a remote.
Checking her flawless reflection in the mirror, Scarlett let her hair down and then collapsed face-first onto her bed, sighing deeply. Grabbing her phone, she saw that her cousin Sophia had posted first-day-of-school photos. Deciding to call Sophia for advice, Scarlett put in her AirPods and placed the call.
Sophia greeted her cousin Scarlett warmly, sounding excited. "Hey, Scar! I just got the notification that you liked the pictures I posted today."
Scarlett faced forward on her bed with her AirPods in. "Yeah, you and your friends looked very beautiful in your first-day-of-school outfits," she commented. "How was school today?"
"It was rough," Sophia admitted, her voice filled with anxiety. "My teachers swamped me with homework. I understand junior year is tougher than sophomore year, with all my AP classes." She paused and then asked. "What about you, Scar? How was your day?"
Scarlett sat up and hugged her knees. "It was okay. But I need some advice about a situation my friend Maddie is going through."
Sophia sounded concerned. "What happened?"
After gathering her thoughts, Scarlett explained. "These girls are coming after Maddie because she was chosen as the successor for our school's sixth-grade throne. They're jealous that Avery and Lindsey didn't choose them instead. Plus, Maddie was picked from the list of legacies."
Sophia's voice dripped with contempt. "Those girls should feel honored to be in the presence of your friend. They should fear Maddie, not love her."
Scarlett nodded, her left AirPod pressing against her ear as she rolled over. "Maddie is delivering judgment on them tomorrow, Soph."
Sophia's tone suddenly became excited. "That's great, Scar. Can you hold on a second?"
Scarlett pressed her face against the duvet, absentmindedly moving her charging case aside. "Yeah, I can hold for a second," she said softly, hearing Sophia speaking to her mother in the background. Moments later, Scarlett learned her cousin was ready to continue their conversation.
"Scar, I'm afraid I'll have to take a rain check," Sophia informed her. "My mom needs me for something, and the housekeeper can handle it."
Scarlett settled back onto her bed and pouted. "Alright, then I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Bye, Scar!" Sophia grinned before ending the call.
Scarlett removed her AirPods, stowed them in their case, and placed the case on her nightstand. Checking her iPhone's battery level, she saw it was half-full, ensuring her alarm would wake her as scheduled. She then enabled Do Not Disturb to avoid disruptions until morning, glancing at the time - nearly 9:45 PM.
Scarlett took a deep breath, exhaled, and dropped her cell phone on the nightstand without getting up from her bed. She then crawled under her duvet, clapped her manicured hands to turn off the lights, and slipped her sleep mask over her eyes, snuggling under the duvet. A short time later, Scarlett closed her eyes and fell asleep.
A/N:
Here's chapter five for you.
Until the next time,
FashionLeMode