In 1988 when Dylan Montgomery moves to Beverly Hills after her mother remarries, she must navigate the challenges of fitting into a glamorous but daunting upper-class life. Living across from the charmingly cocky Nicholas and his introspective broth...
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UPPER CLASS | cherriasian
january '89
Dylan's stomach twists as she and Nicholas walk through the diner door, greeted by the cozy din of clinking dishes and laughter from nearby tables. The faint scent of burgers and fries hangs in the air, but her appetite is dampened by the awkwardness of arriving together. Beside her, Nicholas looks as cool and unbothered as ever, hands casually in his pockets, but she can feel his gaze shift to her every now and then, as if checking her reaction. The feeling in that passenger seat brought back everything to that New Year's Eve night as a reminder.
Katie and Carter were already there, sitting across from each other, both looking entirely too comfortable in their usual spot. Katie's eyes lit up when Dylan and Nicholas walked in, the corners of her lips turning up with something between mischief and curiosity. The two of them exchange a quick glance, grinning as Dylan and Nicholas approach.
"Look who decided to show up together," Carter says with a sly grin, making it a point to nudge Katie, who's barely suppressing a smirk.
Dylan and Nicholas made their way over standing at the end of the booth beside one another, "Where's everyone else?" Dylan asks, looking around the diner as if their other friends will magically appear and save her from this unwanted attention.
"Oh, about that..." Carter scratches the back of his head, clearly amused. "They all fucking bailed last minute so it's just the four of us now."
Dylan's heart sinks, realizing how awkward the situation has become. With everyone else gone, it feels disturbingly close to a double date—especially given all the strange rumors circling about her and Nicholas lately.
Katie, for her part, doesn't seem fazed. She slides over in the booth to make room for Dylan beside her, giving her a sympathetic but teasing grin. "Come on, don't look so shocked. It's just us. You'll survive."
Dylan forces a smile and slides in next to her. Nicholas sits across from her, next to Carter, and immediately starts perusing the menu with his usual air of indifference. She tries to ignore the fact that Carter keeps sneaking glances at Katie, despite having a girlfriend, and Katie, trying too hard not to look directly at Carter, seems equally caught up in her own distractions.
"So, were you guys hanging out or something?" Carter asks, winking at Nicholas as he sets down his menu. "Or is this another one of those study sessions?"
Dylan shot him a look. "We were just studying, so Nicholas just...offered me a ride."
Nicholas leaned back, casually draping an arm over the booth. "Figured it was only fair since she was doing almost more than half the work for me."
Katie snorted. "Right. Very chivalrous of you, Nicholas."
Carter laughed. "If it's not chivalry, it's self-preservation. He needs all the help he can get on this project."
