Upper Echelons

T for Two

It's Saturday and I was late again. Band practice with 'the choupettes' (obviously named after the legendary and late Karl lagerfeld's dog- also translatable to sweeties in french for those who were just dying to know the origin) started at 10am but I must have overslept and now all I could hear was Jack and mum arguing downstairs about Chloe being over last night and staying in his room. I mean, I didn't mind her but she's not someone I would publicly say 'hi' to in the corridors at school. I know my family background isn't as stereotypical as everyone else's at Charter High but at-least I still fit in. Chloe on the other hand was different. She always looked like she was underfed, hadn't washed her clothes in weeks and I'm pretty sure I had heard one of the boys in upper 6th talking about spotting her shopping in a charity shop on East street. I know, I know, I sound like a brat right now, but she was the definition of walking social suicide. Nevertheless who was I to judge, my yoga instructor Nikita had told me bad thoughts about others can lead to bad karma for yourself and I didn't need anymore of that right now.

Mid-term's were coming up and I needed to get three A's for my predicted grades to even think of applying for the prestigious Sylvia's music and dance academy. Music wasn't just my dream, it was my life and as cliche as that sounded I wouldn't know what to do with my life if I didn't get an offer. All my clique were bound to get into prestigious universities and if that didn't pan out, I'm sure "mummy" and "daddy" would pay for them to continue about their luxurious lives. I wouldn't say that to them though. I was the supportive friend they could lean on when they panicked about study sessions that clashed with their daily extracurriculars. I'd dare say anything to highlight the classism that occurs at Charter High- or I too would become a Chloe figure. A nobody.

"Cafe Cubano for Niamh" said the fiery red-haired server at Milano's cafe on Berk street.

"That's me!" I replied. I was enthralled by the hot pink le creuset coffee cup she pushed across the counter towards me. "Thanks" I said, as I carried the cup to a bistro table large enough for four in the corner of the cafe.

I was waiting for the girls and for once I was early and they were late. It was 12.07pm and the cafe was bustling with shoppers who were looking for a bite to eat after spending their Saturday morning shopping tirelessly in the city. I sat down, took a sip of my Cuban coffee and put my new iPhone on the table. Mum got it for me for our band coming 2nd in our region's newcomer's music showcase.

"Miller" Charity greeted me as she kissed me on both cheeks, first right then left. She insisted our clique followed the Italian rules of kissing etiquette as she said her grandma was Italian and would be turning in her grave if Charity did it any other way.

"Where's the others?" I asked giving her a perplexed look.

"They're not coming." She took off her thick black Chanel embossed sunglasses and put them on her head. "We need to talk."

Charity was voted the hottest girl at Charter high according to YearBook the school-wide site used to connect with friends and share gossip about the happenings in each educational establishment. She was a slim-bodied, tall and brunette haired beauty with a glowing caramel complexion and dark brown alluring eyes. In her spare time when she wasn't at her family's stables practicing for her show jumping competitions, she was either shooting with top magazines in London or attending fashion shows in Milan with her mother. Charity was the British teen dream girl and anyone who said they didn't envy her were lying. If you weren't with her, then you were against her and yet I had the luck and pleasure to call her my best friend.

"What's up?" I asked concerned as to why the clique were not here for our weekly Saturday meeting for coffee followed by our pre-booked luncheon at Tate's Eatery.

"I need your help" Charity muttered. "I need to tell you something but you must promise that you won't utter a word to the others." She waited for me to swear her my ultimate secrecy.

"I promise" I said in my soft and reassuring tone.

"I'm pregnant" she whispered. I almost spluttered the coffee out my mouth and I looked at her in dismay.

"Who's is it?"

"Remember I said I had that cosy night in with Rafael in his apartment in Turin after the Valentino after party?..Well yeah. My mum is gonna kill me Miller."

"I'm guessing you're not keeping it? I mean what about your Oxbridge applications" I said trying to be helpful but also hoping that she was going to say she was planning to abort.

"Of course I'm not keeping it Miller! I can't be seen in our society to be a pregnant teenage girl with no father to her child. Needless to say that would be a career killer to say the least. It'll be sorted on Monday."

Charity was creating the impression that she had everything under control as per, however, part of me could not shake that the story she had told us about 'hot photographer Rafael' felt like cover up for something bigger.

"I just wanted to tell you now when the girls aren't here, as I know Monday you're performing at the Chantery boat race, and I did not want you to wonder why I was not there. Anyway, I have to meet mum to try my dress on for the debutante ball next week so I promise we'll all do lunch properly next Saturday and I'll text you later" and with that Charity got up kissed me on both cheeks and walked out of the cafe.

I sat there in awe. I knew Charity was a strong and independent girl and I knew she could handle her own; but part of me felt like Charity was concealing something. Firstly, the timelines didn't add up. She was with Rafael five months ago and she sure as hell did not look five months pregnant. Charity must have thought I was a fool to not notice the poor recollection of her calendar but I had synced our calendars that summer to ensure that I could see her when she was in the city. Something was off and Charity never lied to me, we'd been friends since preparatory school and I knew when she was lying. She would avoid you and that's what she had been doing all week; avoiding calls and texts but then showing up like everything was okay. I needed to get to the bottom of this.