longer than I expected.”
“Of course I waited. Come here.”
I went over and plunked myself in his lap, resting my head on his shoulder.
“So, Princess, what do you want to do now?”
“Steak and then Starbucks,” I smiled.
T aking a look at the guests sitting around my breakfast table, I felt even more uneasy than I had yesterday when my tablemates had been foreign paranormal sovereigns! Underneath the perfect hair and makeup resided the complicated evil of Upper East Side High School mean girls . The exceptions, of course, were Neave, Audrey and Viola, who had thankfully accepted my invitation to join us. Mom popped in briefly to say hello. After all, she was the former debutante that the girls at the table so looked up to. I was glad that Mom had stopped in to meet the girls; it immediately secured me as a player. Not so much Neave, Audrey and Viola. That would be a struggle, but I would insist on them being in our group.
“So, what was boarding school like, Faustine?” asked Taylor, the leader… for now.
“It was fun! It was different from school here, I’m sure, but I really enjoyed it.”
“Why did you go? I mean, there are plenty of great schools here,” Taylor asked oh-so innocently.
“I love to ski, and the school gave me an opportunity to train. Where better to practice than on the Swiss Alps? My school was surrounded by mountains–the skiing was amazing! By my last year, I was captain of the Academy ski team.”
“Sounds divine,” Nicole beamed. “I’m trying to convince my mom to send me to finishing school in Switzerland.”
“Well, I’m planning to attend Yale after we graduate,” Taylor announced. “I bet they don’t teach you much more at finishing school than we already learn at Posh Tea classes.” She flicked her straight, red hair back over her shoulder. “We’ve got to leave for school soon, but we need to discuss a few things first. I have to be quite firm about certain issues. Please excuse me if I sound rude at times, I don’t mean to. Like, what’s up with your eyes? They’re really distracting.”
“Latest trend in Milan,” I teased. “Great contacts aren’t they?”
“Of course, I have some on order,” she said dismissively. “The first order of business,” she continued, sounding very official , “is membership. We welcome you, Faustine, first of all, into our group. Your place was guaranteed based on your background–Lady Annabel is a legend. It’s not so straightforward for your three friends. Nice as they are, if it wasn’t for you insisting on their inclusion, they wouldn’t even be considered. No offense,” she said, looking at Neave, Audrey and Viola, who was busy slurping fresh blood disguised as tomato juice.
“Offense taken, though,” Neave said, practically shaking with anger and embarrassment. “Let me make something clear to you, sweet Taylor. The three of us wouldn’t even consider joining your little group if it wasn’t for Faustine. So shove that up your enormous....”
“Girls!” I pleaded. “Let’s just try to get along. Taylor, you were saying?”
“Well, since you insist , the committee has decided to accept your friends as pledges.”
“Oh, for crying out loud!” Neave exclaimed. “Pledges?”
“You will have to go through the standard twelve weeks of pledging followed by hell week, then–if you don’t get blackballed–you’re in as full members. It’s the best we can do without the whole school demanding to join. We’d have a minor riot if we bent the rules for you. As it is, we’ll have to say that we’re only accepting pledges from established member recommendations. Look, we are trying to be as accommodating as we can.”
“Neave,” I said, trying my best to sound positive, “it’s just terminology. I need you to give it a go. For me,” I said, ignoring Taylor’s cough.
Neave, Audrey and Viola nodded. “For you,” Neave confirmed.
“Super,” Taylor replied. “We
“Of course I waited. Come here.”
I went over and plunked myself in his lap, resting my head on his shoulder.
“So, Princess, what do you want to do now?”
“Steak and then Starbucks,” I smiled.
T aking a look at the guests sitting around my breakfast table, I felt even more uneasy than I had yesterday when my tablemates had been foreign paranormal sovereigns! Underneath the perfect hair and makeup resided the complicated evil of Upper East Side High School mean girls . The exceptions, of course, were Neave, Audrey and Viola, who had thankfully accepted my invitation to join us. Mom popped in briefly to say hello. After all, she was the former debutante that the girls at the table so looked up to. I was glad that Mom had stopped in to meet the girls; it immediately secured me as a player. Not so much Neave, Audrey and Viola. That would be a struggle, but I would insist on them being in our group.
“So, what was boarding school like, Faustine?” asked Taylor, the leader… for now.
“It was fun! It was different from school here, I’m sure, but I really enjoyed it.”
“Why did you go? I mean, there are plenty of great schools here,” Taylor asked oh-so innocently.
“I love to ski, and the school gave me an opportunity to train. Where better to practice than on the Swiss Alps? My school was surrounded by mountains–the skiing was amazing! By my last year, I was captain of the Academy ski team.”
“Sounds divine,” Nicole beamed. “I’m trying to convince my mom to send me to finishing school in Switzerland.”
“Well, I’m planning to attend Yale after we graduate,” Taylor announced. “I bet they don’t teach you much more at finishing school than we already learn at Posh Tea classes.” She flicked her straight, red hair back over her shoulder. “We’ve got to leave for school soon, but we need to discuss a few things first. I have to be quite firm about certain issues. Please excuse me if I sound rude at times, I don’t mean to. Like, what’s up with your eyes? They’re really distracting.”
“Latest trend in Milan,” I teased. “Great contacts aren’t they?”
“Of course, I have some on order,” she said dismissively. “The first order of business,” she continued, sounding very official , “is membership. We welcome you, Faustine, first of all, into our group. Your place was guaranteed based on your background–Lady Annabel is a legend. It’s not so straightforward for your three friends. Nice as they are, if it wasn’t for you insisting on their inclusion, they wouldn’t even be considered. No offense,” she said, looking at Neave, Audrey and Viola, who was busy slurping fresh blood disguised as tomato juice.
“Offense taken, though,” Neave said, practically shaking with anger and embarrassment. “Let me make something clear to you, sweet Taylor. The three of us wouldn’t even consider joining your little group if it wasn’t for Faustine. So shove that up your enormous....”
“Girls!” I pleaded. “Let’s just try to get along. Taylor, you were saying?”
“Well, since you insist , the committee has decided to accept your friends as pledges.”
“Oh, for crying out loud!” Neave exclaimed. “Pledges?”
“You will have to go through the standard twelve weeks of pledging followed by hell week, then–if you don’t get blackballed–you’re in as full members. It’s the best we can do without the whole school demanding to join. We’d have a minor riot if we bent the rules for you. As it is, we’ll have to say that we’re only accepting pledges from established member recommendations. Look, we are trying to be as accommodating as we can.”
“Neave,” I said, trying my best to sound positive, “it’s just terminology. I need you to give it a go. For me,” I said, ignoring Taylor’s cough.
Neave, Audrey and Viola nodded. “For you,” Neave confirmed.
“Super,” Taylor replied. “We
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