Welcome to the city of Shanghai. A world of designer clothes, chauffeurs, lavish parties, and juicy scandals. Ever since the Chinese economic boom, rich foreigners have inhabited Shanghai and ruled every inch of the electric city, from the sparkling...
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"NATASHA, THIS IS BEYOND FASHIONABLY LATE!" Mrs. Kauffman exclaimed as her daughter, Natasha Kauffman, marched down the stairs in her plaster-white Adidas. "It's your first day and this is the impression we're making?
"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I don't know why my alarm didn't ring," Natasha apoligized as she slid on a grey trench coat. That was a lie. She and Lennox left M1nt at 2am, so she barely got a few hours of shut-eye and slept through her alarm.
"Uh-uh, missy. Stop right there," Mrs. Kauffman blocked the entryway, "What on earth are you wearing?"
"Clothes," Natasha gestured to her outfit. Her mom looked down and inspected Natasha's SIAP polo shirt, which was tucked into her grey and white checkered wool mini-skirt.
"It's school not a fashion show. A 50 thousand dollar a year school at that. Now more than ever, I'm going to need you to focus on your academics," Mrs. Kauffman picked up her Coach city tote and flung it around her arm, "It was not easy getting you into this school. SIAP has a mile-long wait list. The only reason we managed to get a spot last minute is because your father's friend sent his kids to SIAP."
Natasha knew that the prestigious institution was home to ivy-bound international students, foreign heirs to million-dollar fortunes, and the spawn of the city's richest businessmen and women. Thankfully for Natasha, Mr. Kauffman's friend, Frank, the man who hired him to work at his company in Shanghai, made some generous donations to SIAP over the years. Apparently one of his children was rather troublesome and his generosity aided in flexibility on part of the school board.
"Mom," Natasha squeezed past her mother and slid on her designer sunglasses, "everybody dresses this way."
"If everybody is hookers, strippers, and Cardi B," her mother followed her out as they got into the Porsche.
"Pop culture reference, nailed it!" Mr. Kauffman said goofily, high-fiving his wife as he balanced his coffee cup with his other hand and then planted a kiss on her cheek.
Before Natasha knew it, they were nearing the campus' modern buildings. They drove past the snow-decked, flawlessly-manicured lawns of Shanghai International Academy Pudong. Natasha watched as they passed a glass building that housed a sports gymnasium and olympic-size swimming pool. Flags from fifty countries hung along the trees, among them a flag of SIAP's logo with its school colors: dark green, grey, navy blue, and beige.
Were those... golf carts? Natasha squinted, spotting SIAP students driving near the football field.
"You're not coming inside me with me, right?" Natasha slid her two Cartier love rings up and down on her sweaty finger as the white Porsche came to a stop at the school's main entrance.
Her parents paused and exchanged a quick glance before Natasha's mom turned around and planted her hand on top of her daughter's, noticing how shaky it had been.
