• dynasty • | gnr | kiss | bon jovi |

•2•

"We should've taken Callie's fifty-four," Blair complains as we walk in a tight circle up the stairs of St. Marcus's, practicing our first-day skepticism.

"Are you a low-class idiot?" Ellie snaps right back. "It's a convertible! It took Macy an hour just on my hair this morning."

The cloudy grey sky reflects the mood of every single one of St. Marcus's original students. We look at the unfamilar throngs of people around us, wearing our pressed socks and perfect uniforms, and frown.

"I'm not a low class idiot," Blair sighs. "But they are."

They're everywhere. The students from Queens have descended like locusts, and while they're wearing uniforms it's obvious they're not from here. The girls wear their plaid skirts, rolled up high so that they end just below their panty lines. Their bras are extremely visible, and the guys eat it up. Half of them didn't even bother to put on their blazers.

"We should try to be civil," I tell them. "That's what Daddy says, and look what he's achieved."

"Okay, not everyone can be an angel like you," Blair whines. "I just bought these shoes from Marc Jacobs! I swear if anything happens..."

"So much for a perfect junior year," Ellie sighs. "But poor... our boyfriends. Senior year is supposed to be their time, you know? Now their spotlight is being stolen by a bunch of-"

"The last thing the world needs is your pity, Ell," Jon says as he sneaks up beside me. I smile and hand over my books for him to carry, like he always does. "Especially not me."

People stop and stare, as they always do. They whisper and point to us emphatically, and while Jon enjoys this attention it makes me cringe. He casually throws an arm around my shoulder, drawing me close.

"Your hair looks beautiful," Jon murmurs and kisses my earlobe, probably for the sole purpose of grabbing attention from the other girls lining the hallway.

He's a teenage dream, and he knows it. He's not particularly tall, but he's got model-like features and velvety blue eyes, a voice that makes you melt to pieces. He also happens to carry the Bongiovi name, which makes everything else about him completely irrelevant.

"Pulled up and back as always," I respond with a smile.

"But come on guys," Blair pries. "Aren't you the least bit disappointed by this? Our school used to be pure... but now look!" she asserts, pointing to a couple wildly making out in the stairwell as we pass. "We'll be drenched in gonorrhea by second semester."

Jon laughs crudely. "Maybe a little diversity is what you need."

We stop walking and whip out our schedules, holding them out to compare.

"Well, I knew this would happen," Blair says with obvious satisfaction as she tosses her perfectly straight blonde hair. "I knew they would stick some of us goodies in with these new pieces of trash, and it looks like you got the short end of the stick."

"Yeah, I got Queller for History and homeroom! Maybe it won't be so bad after all," Ellie gushes, before looking at my face and quieting immediately.

"Sorry, Callie. Looks like you're gonna have to learn to assimilate, huh? Or at least tolerate them. Anyways, coffee after school at the Russian Tea Room, followed by shopping at Barney's?"

I force a smile and take a quivering breath. "Yeah, sure."

"Have fun!" They pipe, and walk down the hall together.

Jon gives an apologetic smile and a gentle kiss. "We get to face part of this together," he comments and holds out his schedule for me to read.

I allow myself to smile a little. "You're got History and Homeroom with... W. Rose. Must be a new teacher, I've never heard of him."