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
may '89
The sound of heels clicking against marble filled Katie's bedroom as Dylan tugged at the zipper of her dress, grateful to finally peel it off. Katie had already swapped her floor-length gown for a pair of denim shorts and a cropped sweatshirt, her movements quick and efficient as though she'd been waiting all night to escape the constraints of prom.
Katie's closet looked like it belonged to a small department store, and Dylan wasn't sure where to start. Swapping their glamorous prom dresses for something beach-appropriate had been Katie's idea, but now Dylan was holding a bikini top in one hand and a pair of denim shorts in the other, wondering how she'd let herself get talked into this.
"Wear the blue one," Katie said from across the room, her prom queen sash draped casually over the bed like it was just another accessory.
"I don't know," Dylan said, biting her lip. "Do you think people will actually swim?"
Katie raised an eyebrow. "Of course. Marissa's beach house is practically on the water, and you know half the guys are just looking for an excuse to show off." She tossed a cropped sweatshirt in Dylan's direction. "Here. It gets cold by the ocean, even in Malibu."
Dylan pulled the sweatshirt over her head, grateful for the extra layer. Her two-piece swimsuit felt like a far cry from the gown she'd been wearing earlier, and she was still processing the night.
Katie caught her expression and plopped down on the bed. "You okay? You've been quiet since we left prom."
Dylan hesitated, leaning against the edge of the vanity. "I'm just tired, I guess. Prom was... a lot."
Katie's face softened, and for a moment, the usual sharpness in her tone disappeared. "Yeah, it was. But you looked amazing. And, for what it's worth, I had way more fun than I thought I would."
Dylan glanced at her. "Because of Carter?"
Katie grinned, twirling a loose strand of hair around her finger. "Maybe. Winning prom queen didn't hurt, either." She sighed, her gaze distant. "Honestly, though, it was nice to just let go for a little while. Dancing, laughing... it felt good."
"And whatever you have against Savannah?" Dylan asked before she could stop herself.
Katie's eyes flicked to her, sharp with curiosity. "Forget about Savannah. She was doing too much, someone had to say something."
Before Dylan could reply, a tap came at the door.
"You two ready yet?" Christian's voice filtered through, followed by Trevor's. "We're burning gas out here!"
Katie rolled her eyes, grabbing Dylan's wrist and pulling her toward the door. "Come on. We'll figure it out on the way."
The drive to the beach house feels like an eternity. The cool night air rushes past as the car winds along the dark roads, the earlier excitement from prom now mellowed into a quieter, more intimate buzz. The kind of energy that fills the air when everyone knows the night isn't quite over yet.
