Read Online The Carlyles by Cecily von Ziegesar - Free Book Online
Authors: Cecily von Ziegesar
Tags: United States, Fiction, General, Family & Relationships, Romance, Juvenile Nonfiction, People & Places, Juvenile Fiction, Travel, Social Issues, Interpersonal relations, Brothers and sisters, New York (N.Y.), Girls & Women, FIC009020, Schools, wealth, Northeast, Middle Atlantic, High schools, Adolescence, Lifestyles, City & Town Life, Triplets
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incident if you are willing to participate in a week of Constance community service. This will be after school, and it’s not a punishment. I’m going to design a schedule that will help you become familiar with Constance Billard traditions. I want you to feel like Constance is your home.”
Baby imagined herself polishing the trophy case in the lobby as girls trampled over her to get to a sample sale or to Barneys or to wherever they went after school.
“So, what do you think?” Mrs. McLean pressed. “Do your community service and give us a month of good behavior, and we’ll put this incident behind us.”
“That sounds fucking awesome.” Baby yawned. A thrilling tingle shot up her spine as Mrs. McLean’s small Raggedy Ann mouth formed an O of surprise.
“Excuse me?” Mrs. McLean’s tenor voice turned into a growl, but Baby didn’t stop staring straight into the headmistress’s eyes.
“Give me manual labor.” Baby yawned again. “That sounds exactly like the type of out-of-the-box thinking that makes Constance Billard exceptional .” She almost giggled at the last sentence. “Can I go now?” Baby asked.
“No.” Mrs. McLean pursed her lips. “I’ve seen your grades, and you’re smart, but here, that’s not enough. Last year a girl who’d succumbed to bad influence had to find a more appropriate educational situation—at boarding school. ”
Sounds familiar.
Mrs. McLean plucked a slim blue booklet from a file cabinet and handed it to Baby. Constance Billard Code of Conduct was printed on its cover.
Baby stood up and smoothed out her skirt. It was so stiff it felt like it could stand up by itself.
“One last thing.” Mrs. McLean leaned back in her chair and locked eyes with Baby. “At Constance, we have a tradition of excellence, which includes a three-strikes rule—no exceptions.”
A smile played on Baby’s lips. This was going to be even easier than she’d thought. If she got kicked out of Constance, Edie would have to admit that she didn’t fit in here and would have no choice but to send her back to Nantucket. A few more days of mumbling French swears and she’d be on the ferry, the ocean breeze ruffling her hair.
“Did I say something amusing?” Mrs. McLean looked her sharply up and down.
“No.” Baby moved toward the door.
“Okay then.” Mrs. McLean didn’t look entirely convinced. “Read the booklet. And remember, Baby, this counts as your first strike.”
Baby strode out of the office smiling triumphantly. She’d never really been into baseball, but now she had a new appreciation for it.
For it’s one, two, three strikes you’re out at the old ball game!
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Avery was relieved when the bell rang after AP English, meaning it was time for the all-school assembly. She followed the mass of girls making their way to the lobby, their shiny ponytails bouncing and their Chloé flats clicking against the polished floors.
Nervously she patted her hair in place and followed two of Jack Laurent’s bitches-in-waiting into the crowded auditorium.
“I heard she was kicked out. Apparently she’s, like, a total Winona-style klepto and was banned from the supermarket in Nantucket for stealing, like, Triscuits,” Jiffy Bennett told a small blond girl as she tossed her wavy, long brown hair over her shoulder. Jiffy was freckly, with severe, blunt-cut bangs that framed her round face, and the other girl was carrying around a salmon-colored newspaper and wore black Prada glasses, as if she’d just stepped out of an editorial meeting at Vogue.
“Really? I didn’t hear about her. I heard about the one who never washes her hair. Like, she believes her natural scent is an aphrodisiac. Can you imagine taking gym class with her?” the glasses-clad girl remarked loudly, pushing her glasses up further on her button nose.
“Well, you know they’re triplets, right? My mother went to school with their mother, and I heard from her that the
Baby imagined herself polishing the trophy case in the lobby as girls trampled over her to get to a sample sale or to Barneys or to wherever they went after school.
“So, what do you think?” Mrs. McLean pressed. “Do your community service and give us a month of good behavior, and we’ll put this incident behind us.”
“That sounds fucking awesome.” Baby yawned. A thrilling tingle shot up her spine as Mrs. McLean’s small Raggedy Ann mouth formed an O of surprise.
“Excuse me?” Mrs. McLean’s tenor voice turned into a growl, but Baby didn’t stop staring straight into the headmistress’s eyes.
“Give me manual labor.” Baby yawned again. “That sounds exactly like the type of out-of-the-box thinking that makes Constance Billard exceptional .” She almost giggled at the last sentence. “Can I go now?” Baby asked.
“No.” Mrs. McLean pursed her lips. “I’ve seen your grades, and you’re smart, but here, that’s not enough. Last year a girl who’d succumbed to bad influence had to find a more appropriate educational situation—at boarding school. ”
Sounds familiar.
Mrs. McLean plucked a slim blue booklet from a file cabinet and handed it to Baby. Constance Billard Code of Conduct was printed on its cover.
Baby stood up and smoothed out her skirt. It was so stiff it felt like it could stand up by itself.
“One last thing.” Mrs. McLean leaned back in her chair and locked eyes with Baby. “At Constance, we have a tradition of excellence, which includes a three-strikes rule—no exceptions.”
A smile played on Baby’s lips. This was going to be even easier than she’d thought. If she got kicked out of Constance, Edie would have to admit that she didn’t fit in here and would have no choice but to send her back to Nantucket. A few more days of mumbling French swears and she’d be on the ferry, the ocean breeze ruffling her hair.
“Did I say something amusing?” Mrs. McLean looked her sharply up and down.
“No.” Baby moved toward the door.
“Okay then.” Mrs. McLean didn’t look entirely convinced. “Read the booklet. And remember, Baby, this counts as your first strike.”
Baby strode out of the office smiling triumphantly. She’d never really been into baseball, but now she had a new appreciation for it.
For it’s one, two, three strikes you’re out at the old ball game!
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Avery was relieved when the bell rang after AP English, meaning it was time for the all-school assembly. She followed the mass of girls making their way to the lobby, their shiny ponytails bouncing and their Chloé flats clicking against the polished floors.
Nervously she patted her hair in place and followed two of Jack Laurent’s bitches-in-waiting into the crowded auditorium.
“I heard she was kicked out. Apparently she’s, like, a total Winona-style klepto and was banned from the supermarket in Nantucket for stealing, like, Triscuits,” Jiffy Bennett told a small blond girl as she tossed her wavy, long brown hair over her shoulder. Jiffy was freckly, with severe, blunt-cut bangs that framed her round face, and the other girl was carrying around a salmon-colored newspaper and wore black Prada glasses, as if she’d just stepped out of an editorial meeting at Vogue.
“Really? I didn’t hear about her. I heard about the one who never washes her hair. Like, she believes her natural scent is an aphrodisiac. Can you imagine taking gym class with her?” the glasses-clad girl remarked loudly, pushing her glasses up further on her button nose.
“Well, you know they’re triplets, right? My mother went to school with their mother, and I heard from her that the
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