Let's Keep It Awkward | Zoyet - Gossip Girl Reboot

Chapter 4

Still, it was worth it
I would do it again

Over the last few weeks after leaving Monet at the penthouse, Zoya had been feeling a range of emotions, including sadness, anger, and confusion after her heartbreak with Monet. Seeing Monet date another girl in front of her could be one of the most painful experiences that Zoya might have to endure. What made it worse was they were a viral sensation when Monet and Ashley became a couple. Gossip Girl, other media outlets, and even students had become obsessed with the new "It Couple." Seeing them everywhere was incredibly devastating for her.

It also didn't help that being the new "It Couple" made Monet become the ruling queen of Constance again. This time she was less of a dictator but still striking fear occasionally to remind students of the existing hierarchy.

During lunch, while Zoya was on the steps waiting on Shan, a few girls from the basketball team walked by and stopped to grab her "Right to the city" alliance pin.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" Zoya shouts as they remove the pin from her tote bag.

"All Pins are required to go to Queen De Haan. You should already know that." They take the pin and walk away.

"That belongs to me; give it back!" She gets up to fight before Shan grabs her.

"Zoya pick your battles...they may be freshmen, but I've seen how much they lift in PE, stay away." Shan says and has Zoya sit next to her.

"You want it back? Take it up with Monley!" One of the girls shouts back.

"Monley...what kind of stupid name is that?!" Zoya looked frustrated.

"Well Z...if you put Monet and-"

"Yes I know what it means!" An irritated Zoya interrupts. "I'm just pissed that we have to deal with this shit again." Stabbing her salad in frustration.

"At least its not as bad as last time. There no uniform requirement this time but then again there is no war with Monet and Julien so its kind of boring." Shan looks over at Zoya still looking annoyed. "What's wrong with you? You have been acting strange for weeks now. You barely hung out with me ever since that whole deb ball craziness, and suddenly you become available but crabby?" Shan asks, "You have been seeing someone or signed up for Scientology by accident?"

Zoya rolls her eyes and tries not to laugh at the last part. She put herself in a challenging space hiding secrets while dealing with her sadness. It had been incredibly isolating, and carrying this secret had become unbearable. She was starting to convince herself it was time to tell the truth; she had worried that sharing her secret would lead to judgment and ridicule, but at this point, she failed to care anymore.

"Shan, why I've been this...." she stops when she notices Monet and Ashley walking up the Met steps. Ashley had her arm around Monet's waist while appearing to whisper in her ear, with Monet smiling sweetly. Zoya still unable to move to the next stage of grief had begun to feel intense jealousy and resentment towards Monet and her new girlfriend.

"Zoya...Zoya?" Shan shakes her until she finally breaks her focus.

"I promise I will explain more about it later, but I just remembered that I need to grab a few books from the library for my next class." Zoya leaves the steps while Shan waves goodbye in confusion.

While in the library reading a book, she stops to open her phone and look at some photos during her time with Monet. Harboring feelings of anger and betrayal towards Monet's apparent disregard for their situationship. It had led her to question whether it meant anything to her in the first place. Asking herself whether she was just another girl to Monet for moving on so quickly lead her to want to recount memories of their time together.