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
july '89
The weeks leading up to the Fourth of July had been anything but relaxing for Dylan. With debutante season in full swing at the club, her schedule was packed. Fittings, luncheons, and endless etiquette lessons left little room for downtime, let alone her old routines. Spending more time with the other debutantes than her friends, Dylan found herself in a strange limbo: included, but not entirely belonging.
Meanwhile, her Beverly Hills circle was scattered during the remainder of June. Katie was in Aspen with her mom, Tiffany was exploring Europe with her family, and Marissa was dividing her time between Malibu and the Hamptons. Even Nicholas had been hard to pin down, bouncing between rounds of golf and tennis practice at the Riviera Country Club and hanging out with Carter or some of their other classmates. Dylan couldn't say she missed him—at least, that's what she told herself—but their lack of interaction felt oddly significant as if it left a void she didn't know how to fill.
Eric, however, was a consistent presence. He'd been spending more time at the Bel Air courts, practicing doubles with Xavier for the summer tournament. Their matches gave Dylan an excuse to watch from the sidelines. Afterward, the two would take to the club's patio with conversations over iced lemonades. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make her feel like she was anything but a debutante for the summer. Besides, it gave Eric and Xavier an excuse to hang out a little longer and beyond tennis practices.
Now, the Fourth of July offered a rare break from the relentless pace of the season. A high school classmate was hosting a party at their family's private Malibu beach house, an exclusive stretch of sand reserved for only the most well-connected. The theme was effortless: swimsuits and cover-ups, a casual counterpoint to the extravagant summer soirées she'd grown used to. Still, Dylan couldn't help but feel a flicker of uncertainty knowing things were tense between her and her friends.
Christian would be at her side for most of the night—but it was the others she wondered about. The last time he was at a party of her classmate's he was barely by her side and it still ended horribly.
Either way, the promise of ocean air, fireworks, and maybe even a stolen moment away from all the expectations made her look forward to the night. If nothing else, it was a chance to see her friends.
The 4th of July beach party is in full swing, the golden California sun of six p.m casting a warm glow over everything. Dylan and Christian arrive together, and as they step onto the property, Dylan feels the weight of the guests' eyes. She's dressed in a simple but flattering floral bikini paired with a sheer sarong wrapped loosely around her waist. Her hair is loosely tousled like she's just stepped off a surfboard, but she feels out of place beside Christian.
Christian, as always, looks like he stepped out of a catalog—black Ray-Bans perched on his nose, exposed abs, and board shorts that make him look every bit the rich, laid-back Malibu guy he's trying to be. His tan skin and careless confidence seem to draw eyes, and it doesn't escape Dylan that his friends are all about that world—people who don't need to try to fit in. It's just their way of life.
