Welcome to Bridgeport Academy, an elite boarding school in New York where glamorous rich kids don't let rules get in the way of a good time.
[ Based on the It Girl series by Cecily Von Ziegesar ]
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"You are part of a grand tradition." The deep, penetrating voice of Dean Marymount boomed and thudded around the chapel. Behind him sat the Bridgeport faculty, all wearing the school's uniform: maroon and navy tie, maroon jacket, white shirt, and trousers. Normally students just had to wear the Bridgeport blazer with anything they wanted underneath, but for the first chapel meeting of the year everyone had to wear a tie, girls included.
Kae sighed. Her father only owned one tie, which had been covered in cobwebs. She'd never asked, but he'd probably had it since he was a sophomore in high school. They were currently gathered for Dean Marymount's official beginning-of-the-year speech before the first official all-campus dinner. The chapel was packed.
Last night, Kae had awakened Dave enough to deposit him on the stoop in front of Richards, and then she'd crawled back to Waverly, exhausted. In the middle of the night, either Alex or Robyn had unplugged her clock radio to use the outlet to charge a cell phone. Luckily the chapel bells had woken her so she could get to field hockey tryouts on time. Every Bridgeport student had to play a sport, and Kae had decided on field hockey, since it seemed like the most traditional boarding school sport to play. She planned on playing lacrosse in the spring for the same reason. She didn't even have a hockey stick, but the coach, Alice Johnson, had found her an extra one and Kae had soon discovered that she was a natural on the field.
"You're sure you didn't play for your school?" Coach Johnson had asked her. As if Kae could have forgotten. Her scrimmage team's center, Zendaya, whom Kae had seen at the party last night, even murmured, "Good move," as Kae trotted back to the sidelines. Maybe she'd make the varsity cut!
"This year, we have some new faculty members that I would like to introduce," Dean Marymount announced. Kae checked her watch. They'd already been here for forty minutes—singing Bridgeport's school hymn, chanting the sports hymn, reciting the Bridgeport prayer, and clapping as Dean Marymount introduced the school's prefects, which were like the presidents of each class. Kae was starving. "First off, a Bridgeport alum and a recent graduate of Howard University, we have Mr. Michael B. Jordan. Mr. Jordan will be the new junior and senior ancient history professor and an adviser to the Disciplinary Committee. He's also the new assistant coach for the boys' crew team. Welcome."
Everyone clapped obediently. Kae spied Alex, who had just been forced to stand and wave at the class because she was the junior class's prefect, two rows ahead. She watched as Alex elbowed the girl next to her and mouthed the words Oh my God.
"I'd like to extend a warm welcome all the incoming freshmen and new students. Bridgeport is your new home, and we are your new family," Dean Marymount continued. "And finally....enjoy dinner!"
The crowd erupted in applause and hoots as everyone poured out of the chapel and across the great lawn toward the dining hall. Kae gasped when she walked in. The dining hall looked like the inside of an old English cathedral. The walls were plastered with class pictures dating back to 1903 and with a lot of photographs of Maximilian Bridgeport, the school's founder.
