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
august '89
The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the courtyard of Rockefeller College, painting the brick buildings in a golden hue. Families milled about, saying their goodbyes, some tearful, others filled with laughter.
Dylan stood off to the side with her mom and Tom, Crystal's parents already gone. Their earlier parting had been so dramatic that Dylan had to stop herself from cringing while she decorated her walls. Crystal's mom had hugged her daughter tightly, tears streaming as she whispered a long string of loving advice. Her dad had joined in, his voice cracking as he promised to visit every chance he got.
Dylan couldn't imagine her own mom doing anything close to that. Nor having a complete and comfortable relationship with Tom.
"Well," Barbara said briskly, adjusting her sunglasses, "this is it. You're officially a college girl."
There was no hug, no lingering warmth. Just Barbara's sharp, assessing eyes scanned the campus as if it were another social event to judge. "Make sure you don't embarrass yourself—or us. You're not here to play around, Dylan."
"Thanks for the pep talk, Mom," Dylan replied dryly.
Tom, standing just behind Barbara, stepped forward with a small package. "Hey, kiddo, before we go," he said, handing it to her.
Dylan opened it to find a simple, framed picture of her with Max, her beagle. It was taken on the day she'd gotten him, her wide smile contrasting with Max's playful, floppy ears.
"I thought it'd be nice to have him here with you, even if it's just in spirit," Tom said, his tone warm.
For a moment, Dylan felt her throat tighten. "Thanks, Tom," she said softly, clutching the frame. She never knew how to accept any sort of kindness from him, it wasn't that she wasn't appreciative — she was — but it was hard to physically show it.
"If you need anything," he continued, "anything at all, we're just a call away. Don't forget that."
Dylan nodded, a mix of relief and sadness washing over her. She wouldn't miss the screaming matches or the constant tension with her mom, but Tom's quiet kindness would be harder to leave behind.
Barbara checked her watch. "We should get going. Traffic back to the city will be horrendous." She gave Dylan a perfunctory pat on the shoulder. "Be good."
As they walked away, Dylan stood rooted, the weight of independence pressing down on her. She wasn't sure if she was ready for this, but there was no turning back now.
Nearby, Nicholas and Eric stood with their parents outside the dorm building. Antonio's stern expression softened slightly as he looked at his sons, though the weight of his expectations was ever-present.
