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Jane Lynch

0 · 3,958 views · located in Manhattan, NY

a character in “Upper East Side”, as played by BurningBridges

Description

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Full Name:
Jane Catherine Lynch

Birthday:
"Reppin' the Aries sign."
April 10th

Age:
"17, unless you're the bartender... then I'm 21, I swear."
17

Sexual Orientation:
"Still waiting for my Prince Charming...."
Heterosexual

Grade Level:
"One more year and I'm out of here. Thank God."
12

Hometown:
"I was born in France but New York will always be my home."
Neuilly-sur-Seine, France (Birth - 2 years)
781 5th Ave, New York, NY 10022 (2 years - present)

Ethnicity:
60% French, 25% English, 5% Dutch, 10% German

Character Role:
"Don't hate me because you're poor."
The Heiress

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Family:
Jane lives with her father, Adrian Lynch and step-mother, Nicole Reeve-Lynch. Her mother, Laura Beck, is now married to Christopher Beck and they have a 2-year-old son, Greyson, together.

Jane's relationships with her mother and step-father are strong, but the pair and their son live in Los Angeles, so she only sees them a few times a year. Although she often claims that she would be much better off living with them, the fact that she doesn't see them very often probably contributes to their positive relationship. Jane's attitude and lifestyle make it hard for her to have a healthy relationships with the people in charge of her. Laura is a concert pianist and Christopher is a retired professional baseball player.

Adrian has primary guardianship of Jane, so her relationship with him and his second wife of two years is more prominent and notably, is generally poor. He's a business tycoon and the 13th wealthiest person in the world, with a net worth of 37 billion dollars. Adrian is the chairman and CEO of LMVH, a French multinational luxury goods conglomerate, which incorporates various well known brands such as Marc Jacobs, Sephora, Hennessy, Dior, Donna Karen, Céline and Bulgari. Her father is of French nationality but moved to New York when he divorced Jane's mother when she was two years old. He was forced to temporarily relocate to the states due to a custody order, but after it was worked out, he decided to purchase a permanent home in New York. Since then, he travels back to his company's Paris headquarters two or three times a month but does most of his business in Manhattan. Despite this, he never had enough time, or as Jane believed, desire, to invest his energy in her upbringing. Their relationship was always minimal. until she hit her teenage years and he was no longer able to ignore her bratty and rebellious attitude. From then on, it consisted of little more than yelling and screaming, and making empty threats to empty her bank account.

Home Life:
Adrian and Laura met when they were in their 20's. She was a student at Juliard in New York City, and he was visiting a cousin who happened to attend the school as well. They fell in love and after she graduated, she moved to France where they continued dating, and eventually eloped. They had been married for a few weeks when they intentionally conceived a child. They were young and in love and ready to start a family together and for the first few months, everything seemed wonderful. However, by the time Jane was born, it was apparent that they had moved too quickly. Adrian's work life was consuming him, Laura missed her family and life in the states, and neither were prepared to put their lives on hold to care for the baby. Their divorce was finalized when Jane was a year old and luckily, it was completely civil. They agreed that Jane would reside with Adrian on a regular basis, but Laura had visitation rights and it essentially worked as more of shared custody than anything.

In order to allow Laura regular contact with Jane, Adrian purchased a penthouse in New York where Jane was raised. Although it was her father's apartment, he wasn't the one there caring for the toddler day in and day out. Those duties were given to an assortment of nannies and caregivers who did everything from make her breakfast in the morning, to teaching her how to ride a bike. She never developed a close emotional relationship with her father and he tended to express his love through gifts. Jane would wake up in the morning and instead of being greeted by her father, she would find a new Tiffany bracelet waiting for her. It sounds great, and Jane would never complain about the gifts, but she did want to know her father.

A few weeks after she turned fifteen, she found out via text that her father had impulsively married a mediocre "aspiring actress", Nicole, who he had been dating for a few months during their trip to Italy. Jane wanted no part in the woman, despite her attempts to reach out and become involved in Jane's life. She was already comfortable with having no authoritative parents in her life and wasn't about to open up to some girl who was old enough to be her sister. After a few screaming matches with between the two, Nicole mostly gave up on trying to befriend Jane the two avoid each other more than anything now.

The biggest struggle that Jane has faced in her life is the eating disorder that she was diagnosed with at age fourteen. Looking back, she knows it's something that's been around since she was a child, but it started to become debilitating in her teen years. Her father was forced to acknowledge it when she fainted one day at school and was sent to a hospital to be examined. Since then, she has been forced to see a psychiatrist regularly. Things seemed to be okay for a few years, but last spring she took a turn for the worse and hit a dangerously low weight which her forced into the Timberline Knolls treatment facility in Illinois. At that point in her life, she probably would have ran away if she knew she was being sent there, so her father convinced her that they were going on a weekend trip to Chicago to force her to the center. It worked, but left Jane with no time to give any of her friends an explanation for why she would be falling off the face of the earth for the two months of summer.

Academic Career:
"School is hell on earth. Definitely not my favorite place to be."
Jane might be the perfect example of money equaling power, because it's apparent to nearly everyone who goes to Constance that there's no way she would have been admitted to the school if it wasn't for her family's money. She struggles to maintain a GPA over a 2.0 and seems to be on the brink of failing every class besides French. It's her father's native tongue and the fact that she's bilingual is probably the only strength she has academically when compared to her bright peers. She does not participate in any sports but reluctantly joined the French club upon Sydney's request.

Future Plans:
Jane doesn't want to go to college and probably will probably end up taking at least one year off after high school, but is being forced to apply to a few big-name schools just to appease her father. She is considering moving to LA next year and getting an apartment near her mother's house. Her biggest goal right now is to get healthy.
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Personality:
Jane comes from wealth and isn't afraid to flaunt it. She fits the bill of your typical trust fund baby - the girl who has never had to work a day in her life and never will have to. She has daddy funding her credit card with a seemingly unlimited pile of money at the other end, and never hesitates to splurge on a new pair of Chanel boots that she just has to have. A lot of her friends also come from money, but few of their parents are worth the 37 billion dollars that her father is valued at. Although she is obsessed with having the newest and nicest everything, shopping has become more than just getting new things for Jane. It's therapeutic for her, a way to distract herself from any problems or stress going on in her life. Though it's helping in the short term, it's apparent that her reckless spending habits keep her distanced from the real world.

She can be shallow, often judging people based on their appearance and the little information that she's heard about them through gossip. While she probably would talk about them behind their back, she wouldn't normally bully or taunt anyone to their face. She claims that it's okay to be a bitch, but not to be mean and when it comes to gossip, she's more of a follower than the mastermind behind it. Although she doesn't mind contributing to the rumors circulating about other people, she does become very emotional when ones start spreading about her. She's sensitive to criticism and is usually the girl who ends up hysterically crying about a problems from months ago after a night of drinking. Her biggest insecurity is her weight. She has been diagnosed with an eating disorder and although she recognizes that she's statistically underweight, it doesn't change the way that she feels about her body.

As a child, Jane developed an obsession with Veruca Salt, a fictional character from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Although she knew that the way the girl acted wasn't pleasant or admirable, she envied that she was able to get whatever she wanted, like Jane did, but also had her father and her beck and call, which Jane didn't. In some ways, Jane mirrored Veruca's demanding and insolent ways and even now that she's no longer bratty in that way, she still expects to get her way in most situations and will never hesitate to complain if something isn't up to par.

Despite the flaws, Jane is loyal to her friends. She's affectionate, reliable and warm, but her impulsive and absentmindedness can sometimes get the best of her. When she's in a moment of gossiping and isn't thinking thoroughly, she's known to accidentally air her friend's secrets to other people, but now that there's a new Gossip Girl, she's working on keeping her mouth shut more.

In almost every area of her life, it's clear that Jane is impulsive. Whether it's buying thousands of dollars worth of clothes in one day or drinking herself into a blackout state, it's hard for her to control herself when she's in the mood to indulge in something. She can be reckless and make stupid choices, but her friends can all agree that she's always a fun person to have around. She's spontaneous, bold and energetic, always being up for a night out or an adventure.

Hobbies:
Shopping | Yoga

Bad Habits:
Always running late | Biting her nails | Gossiping | Overly emotional | Overly sensitive | Binge drinking | Horrible driver

Likes & Dislikes:
❤ Shopping ❤ Diet soda ❤ Alcohol ❤ Autumn ❤ Rap Music ❤ Traveling ❤ Yoga ❤ Selfies ❤
✘ Getting sick ✘ Needles ✘ Bugs and rodents ✘ Tea ✘ Her stepmother ✘ Horror Movies ✘ Public transportation ✘ Looking at herself in the mirror ✘
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ImageFace Claim:
Kendall Jenner

Build:
At 5'10 and 117 lbs, Jane is considerably thin and is medically underweight, though that is to be expected of someone under her circumstance. It's an increase from the 110 lbs she was a few months ago, which is something that she's unfortunately being forced to adjust to. Her height is one of her most noticeable traits and one of her least liked, since she feels like a giant compared to her friends whenever she wears heels. No matter how small or large she gets, she's come to terms with the fact that she will always be insecure about her figure.

Hair Color:
Brown, natural

Eye Color:
Brown

Other:
She only has her ears pierced once each, but simply because she's too scared of needles to go through with getting the second holes. Similarly, she has no tattoos at the moment and is only against getting one because she's scared of the needle.

So begins...

Jane Lynch's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Oliver Grace Character Portrait: August Marcelo Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Hailey Neilson Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Isabela Monroe Character Portrait: Lee Min-ho Character Portrait: Piper Vine Character Portrait: Vincent Mast Character Portrait: Brent Barclay Character Portrait: Sebastian Huntington Jr. Character Portrait: Connor Harkins Character Portrait: Charlotte H. Buchanan Character Portrait: Dustin Sanderson Character Portrait: Juniper Willow Grigsby

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#, as written by royals
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It's Thursday, September 4th, and for the students of Constance Billard School for Girls and Saint Jude's School for Boys, that means that school is back in session. Both schools are located only a couple of blocks away from each other in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, the neighborhood where most of the students reside in.

Although today is the first day of the school year, academic classes are not in session until tomorrow. Today is the day of the "welcome assembly", where the upperclassmen of both schools will come to Constance Billard from 9:30 to 11:30, and the underclassmen from 11:30 to 1:30. The short day will allow the Head of School to welcome the students back, and address any changes that have occurred over the summer. Students will also have an opportunity to socialize with their friends and possibly new classmates, and introduce themselves to their teachers for the year. Textbooks will also be available for pickup.

Later that night, Sydney Vale will be hosting her annual back-to-school party at her home. This year's theme is black & white, but even dressing in one of the colors won't guarantee that you'll get in if you didn't receive one of the exclusive invitations this summer.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: August Marcelo Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Hailey Neilson Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Isabela Monroe Character Portrait: Piper Vine Character Portrait: Vincent Mast Character Portrait: Connor Harkins Character Portrait: Charlotte H. Buchanan Character Portrait: Dustin Sanderson

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Like her fellow socialite and longtime friend, Sienna had awoken at around six in the morning. Well, to be completely honest, Sienna had been awake since around five, but chose not to get out of bed until six. The act of doing so felt too strenuous of a task and the darkness outside wasn't exactly helping in the Sienna-needs-to-get-up decision. Nevertheless, when the time came, Sienna's hand pressed the button of her alarm clock just before it went off, glancing over at a still sleeping Hailey. Expelling a heavy sigh and running a hand through her thick hair, she sat up, did a small overhead stretch, and then headed downstairs. Just as she was about to leave her bedroom, Sienna grabbed her phone. The alarm she had set was only on snooze and would wake Hailey up soon enough. Either that or Sienna would come back and jump on her fellow singer.

In the long hallway, the delicious aroma of cooked meat and something sweet and bready wafted to her nostrils and upon turning the corner past her sister's bedroom, Sienna was surprised to see her mother, Cynthia, awake and actually...cooking? "Channeling Betty Crocker this morning, mamá?" She called with a small grin and her mother jumped just a bit, body tense as the last pancake plopped down on the plate that was stacked with them unceremoniously. Cynthia exhaled sharply while Sienna only chuckled. "Sienna, casi me dio un ataque al corazón! Avisarme próxima vez!" Her mother chastised and while Sienna had to roll her eyes at how dramatic her mother was being, she only smiled and sat at the breakfast isle, marveling at the selection of food her mother decided to provide. She could see breakfast empanadas, which would be the first thing Sienna would be eating, pancakes, both bacon and sausage, a bowl of fruit salad, and scrambled eggs. "Lo siento, mamá." She apologized, though the sparkle in her honey brown eyes was far from apologetic. "What's all this for though?" Cynthia only smiled slightly, causing the dimples in her cheeks to appear. "I don't know, it's just Esmee's first day of high school and the first day of your last year..." Sienna listened to her mother trail off as she politely grabbed a warm breakfast empanada and a plate, reaching over afterwards to scoop out some fruit when she saw the look on her mother's face. "Por favor, mama. Please don't start getting all emotional!" Sienna exclaimed to which Cynthia replied that she couldn't help it, prompting Sienna to roll her eyes and take a bite out of her empanada.

"Don't act surprised, Sia. She's been looking at baby pictures all morning," her little sister, Esmee, called from behind her and Sienna deadpanned. Cynthia sighed. "You kids will understand when you have kids of your own and they start growing up." She told them while fixing her own plate of food. Sienna only chuckled and decided to type out quick texts.

To: Piper, Jane, Charlotte, August, Connor, Dustin, Isabela
Morning, lovelies! Can't wait to see everyone! <3 <3

To: Vincent
Graduation's not even here yet & my mom's looking at baby pics. Help!!!

It wasn't a common occurrence, her texting Vincent. Not unless he was having one of his drunk texting episodes or if they were all in some mass text message. The shock of having been the one to initiate the contact didn't come in until after her phone alerted her to the fact that it had been sent but by then it was too late to call the message back. Besides, they were supposed to be civil. They hung out in the same circles and while, yes, his presence and name made something in her chest throb every single time, not communicating wasn't doing anyone any favors. Not when some of his friends were her friends and vice versa. Besides, if her mom was looking at baby pictures or getting sentimental, she wouldn't be surprised if his were to. Shaking her head a little, Sienna put another empanada on her plate before fixing one for Hailey. Considering the late nights they spent on tour and the long rides on tour buses (no matter how luxurious they were) still made it difficult for normal human beings to want to get up. And well, Sienna was normal, but she was an early bird whether she wanted to be or not. It was in her blood. "Don't forget to give me back my sweater, Esmee. I know you took it while I was gone." Her sister made a face at Sienna's exclamation, but Sia didn't look back. She had to eat and get ready for school.

Once back in her bedroom, Sienna set Hailey's plate on the nightstand on her side of Sienna's bed. While they had the spare bedrooms for her friend to choose from, they had both collapsed on her bed after joking around and talking about the upcoming school year. After giving her friend a hard shake, Sienna noisily (and only to keep Hailey awake) clamored to her walk-in-closet, the only other one in the penthouse besides the one in her parents' bedroom, so that she could find a decent outfit to wear for the first day back. While munching on the empanadas and melon, Sienna found a nice sapphire blue wrap blouse that had long sleeves, a black-and-white split slit skirt, and strappy Giuseppe Zanotti wedges to wear. While it was September and the air was chilled as compared to the warmth Sienna had grown accustomed to on the West Coast, it wasn't cold enough for her to require wearing tights yet and she could always bring along a chic black jacket just in case. Satisfied with her choice and finished with her food, she pulled out two bottles of water from the miniature fridge in her closet along with her clothes and stepped out, closing the door behind her.

Brushing her teeth and going through her Bellaboo skincare treatment took her about fifteen minutes and it was about seven thirty when she hopped into the shower. She had just gotten out of the steaming bathroom, her soft skin wrapped in a delicate jasmine vanilla scent, when she realized that her phone was ringing. It didn't surprise her that it was Sydney and after their conversation was done with a promise of Sienna being on the Constance steps at nine promptly, the two girls ended the conversation. Despite what Sydney might actually believe or what even Vincent might think, Sienna didn't hate Sydney. She was irritated with her from time to time and yes, she was very close to hitting her friend on a number of occasions. But more than anything, she wanted their friendship to actually work and be genuine, and was more disappointed with Sydney than anything else. She had wanted Syd to be the one to tell her about sleeping with Vince, though his honesty was definitely accepted. However, their conversation had nothing to do with their own situation. It was about Jane who had Sienna frustrated all summer, very much like Sydney. Her being a bit tired and not exactly in need of school at the moment had her sounding a bit more realistic and mellow than normal, but she felt Sydney's anger and hurt. It just wouldn't get to her until a bit later.

It didn't take her long to get ready after that and Sienna was in the middle of brushing her hair when she glanced back at Hailey, who was getting ready swiftly. "How do you feel about your first day? Ready to wreak some havoc on these New Yorkers?"

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Piper Vine

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Today's Look || Bedroom

To say that Jane wasn't ready for school was an understatement. She was rarely prepared for school on normal days, never on the first day back, and absolutely not on this year's first day of the twelfth grade. In fact, today she was ready for her summer to start. She had spent the last three months in an Illinois treatment facility for an eating disorder that she still claims she doesn't have. Although it was a nice facility, one that had housed celebrities like Demi Lovato and Kesha, it wasn't a place that anyone would want to live in. Jane was no different. Her time there was emotionally strenuous and even if she had been able to acknowledge that she had a problem, as soon as she was released two days ago, she did her best to erase those few months from her mind.

It started the night that she was set free, when she stumbled into Sienna's friend Hailey at the airport. With Jane's amazing luck, the girl happened to be taking the same first-class flight from Chicago to New York with her and must have recognized her from one of the many pictures she and Sienna had together on social media. In her credit, she was more than friendly, but Jane was in the opposite of the mood to socialize and needed to clear her track from Chicago period, so she brushed Hailey off and pretended like she didn't know who she was talking about. The following day was her one day of summer, and after a long and comfortable sleep in her thoroughly missed New York apartment, she agreed to go with her father and stepmother to their Hamptons home for the day. It was supposed to be a day of bonding, but as made apparent by the backdrop of the selfie she sent to Piper, Sienna and Sydney, she spent most of the afternoon seated by the bar of their local country club. After three months of hell, one drink... or five, seemed well deserved. The message was accompanied by a simple screenshot of her senior schedule asking if any of the girls had any classes with her. She had received responses from Sienna and Piper, but nothing came from Sydney's end. Not even a 'like' on the picture she had posted on Instagram later that night after a few hours at spa. Jane knew better than to assume that she could act like nothing had happened after going MIA for three months. Something like that wouldn't have been acceptable in a low-level social group, nonetheless the exclusively tight group that she ran in. The girls seemed to tell each other about everything, and even though Sydney wasn't always completely honest with Jane, she thought she was, and that did make her feel guilty. Maybe a mixture of guilt and fear, actually. Even as Sydney's best friend, Jane wasn't exempt from her wrath, and the cold shoulder that Sydney was giving her hinted that her friend was not happy.

Nicole's acting career seemed to have sank even further than before Jane went away, since in the two days that Jane had been home, she didn't seem to have any scripts to memorize, any phone calls with agents to take, and definitely no sets to be present on. The reminder of how annoying her stepmother was wasn't strong enough to make her want to return to Chicago, but definitely made her want to go somewhere far away. It didn't help that this morning, it was her voice who pulled Jane out of her deep sleep.

"Jane, honey, it's eight thirty. Maria has been trying to wake you up since six," Jane was able to ignore her voice, and apparently had slept through the house staff's attempts to wake her. When Nicole gently nudged her in the side, she quickly shifted away and dramatically pulled a pillow over her head. "You have to be at school in an hour Jane, it's time to wake up," she tried again, this time pulling the white bedspread off of her curled up body. The cool air rushed over her scantily clad body and forced her to wake up. "Don't you remember that I moved down the hall to be farther away from you?" she snapped as she sat herself up, but not before pulling the blanket back from Nicole. When Nicole had first moved in, Jane had thrown a fit and in an attempt to make her point clear, had moved all of her things to a guest bedroom on the opposite side of the penthouse. Unfortunately, it didn't do anything to sway her father's mind and left her in a much smaller room, too lazy to move everything back and with house staff under orders not to help her do so. At this point, Nicole was unfazed by Jane's attitude and chuckled in an equally sassy manner at the recollection. "I'm sure that everyone in the building remembers it, darling. Now get out of bed so I don't have to call Daddy while he's working." Her tone had switched from being a forced-caring one to the sardonic sound that Jane remembered. The way that she mockingly referred to her much-older husband as "daddy", even if to just refer to him in Jane's term, made Jane feel sick. The girls matched each other's glares for a good ten seconds before Jane relented and got out of bed. It was enough to make Nicole leave, but not without a sneer.

Even if she had been reminded that she was running late before, it only hit her when she glanced down at her phone and found that it was nearing 8:45 AM. She usually met Sienna, Piper and Sydney at nine, and that seemed extremely unlikely today. Running late was something that Jane was known for though, so if anything, it was one thing that she hoped the girls would understand. Just in case, she decided to respond to Sienna's text to let them her. She hadn't seemed mad at her and she and Sienna almost always were on good terms. Even when Jane's lips were too loose for her own good, and Sienna's, the singer never stayed annoyed at her for too long.

To: Sia
Can't wait to see my main bitch ;D!! Running a litttttle late but I'll be there

To: Piper
PIPE! I missed you!! I'll pick you up omw to school so we can catch up!! You're on Park Ave now right?

It probably should have struck Jane as being off long ago when she had never been invited to Piper's house. She never thought much of it though, and took the lies about house renovations and other obstacles as being completely valid. Why would someone lie about that? Piper looked rich. Piper acted rich. Jane was never intuitive enough to think too far into something like that, and honestly, she was used to be exceptionally wealthier than most of her peers anyway.

With little time in her schedule, Jane decided not to shower again. She had done so the night before and she would have to suffer the consequences of simply air-drying her hair by throwing it up into a messy ponytail. Her outfit consisted of Balenciaga leather leggings, a denim key-holed back shirt, Saint Laurent ankle boots and a Givenchy Lucrezia bag. It was nearing nine o'clock when she arrived in the kitchen. Their chef hovered over the stove, cooking what smelled like buttermilk pancakes. It made Jane's mouth water but she knew better. She wasn't going to start off the year with something that she imagined had enough calories to last her a week. If the chef had been the only one in the kitchen, it would have been easy for Jane to shimmy past and to the elevator to escape without much notice. Again, her luck was running short. Nicole was seated on a bar stool next to the counter sporting an amused smile that Jane was half a second away from slapping off her face. Jane was already imagining her annoying voice saying, Janie, come sit. Breakfast is almost ready. but she was surprised when instead, she tossed her a brown paper bag. "Max is waiting outside with the car. Eat on your way." They both knew the bag would end up in the trash bin outside, but Jane was at least grateful that Nicole didn't press the subject and allowed her to speed into the elevator shaft without another word.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: August Marcelo Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Isabela Monroe Character Portrait: Connor Harkins Character Portrait: Charlotte H. Buchanan Character Portrait: Dustin Sanderson

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#, as written by Secute
Piper Vine
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{Outfit|Yoga Music}


Summer break was everything Piper wanted it to be. She got to hang out with friends, shop, and even had a couple of modeling gigs. Of course that means she got paid for each job, which only increased her shopping. It was an all-around easy summer for her. Though there was one situation in particular that was less than pleasant. One day she was with Brent, when Jane came over to his place looking for some drugs. Piper was practically speechless when she saw the heiress arrive. Brent's place was the dead last place on earth Piper expected to see Jane pop up at. Nonetheless, one thing lead to another and Piper had to lie about why she was there as well. Of course she said it was for the same reason that Jane was there for. To have some drugs to help maintain her weight. Piper felt a little guilty about lying to Jane, but it was something that had to be done. It wasn't long after that incident that Piper learned that Jane was going to a rehabilitation center and spent a lot of the summer there as well. Did Piper tell Sienna or Sydney what she saw? Nope. It wasn't her business to tell.

Well there is one more event that occurred over the summer worth mentioning. Piper did come close to finding her biological family. She can practically taste victory by now. It was an extensive search, but she did find a last name of Vine belonging to an elderly couple in Vancouver, Canada. Piper called the number to the elderly couple's home and asked if they had any grandchildren that were given up for adoption. The answer? Yes, they had two grandchildren that were given up for adoption. When Piper gave them her full name, it was the grandfather who was first to hang up the phone. Piper called them back for hours because she had a hunch that she was on to something major. But it was as if after that phone call, all evidence of that elderly couple disappeared. All online information was gone. So this was a huge set back, but Piper plans on spending this school year getting to the bottom of this mystery.

A couple of days ago Piper and Dustin decided to go to Jones Beach. Sort of a last minute hooray before their last year of high school begun. Since Dustin is the only person to know the real Piper, so a vacation with him wasn't a problem whatsoever. She could really just be herself, which was something she needed before she had to start the 'I'm Piper Vine, and my family is super rich' show. Honestly she's happy this is the last year of high school, because she plans on dropping this whole charade once she got to college.

Piper and Dustin got back pretty late last night, so instead of having to travel across town, Piper just spent the night at Dustin's house. There is a mark difference between her apartment and Dustin's place, so she wasn't going to complain about a night of luxury without having to hear all of the traffic and the noisy neighbors who like to have sex at 3 in the morning. Dealing with Dustin's two younger siblings wasn't a problem either.

The sound of an alarm went off waking the red head from her beauty sleep. Piper nearly fell off of the bed because she was so startled by the sudden loud noise. She removed her sleep mask to look at the time, 5AM. "Time to start my morning routine." Piper stretched her arms above her head and rolled out of the bed. She stayed in the guest room, so she had her own bathroom and everything. Piper opened the blinds, and it was still dark out, but the dim lighting was relaxing. She put her headphones on and listened to her yoga music. It was something she started to do two years ago, when she learned that doing yoga exercises as soon as you wake up help keep you youthful. Needless to say she quickly integrated yoga into her daily routine. After a half hour, she got into the shower and washed herself from head to toe.

"Phase one done." Piper smiled at her reflection in the mirror and went on to wash her face. Going into her suitcase, she pulled out her toothbrush as well as her planner. 'Welcome assembly at 9:30AM, and Sydney's party later. Ugh Sydney. If it wasn't for the others I wouldn't even go to her party.' Piper thought as she finished up brushing her teeth. "Phase two down."Piper next started doing her hair. For today she decided to do curls since it was the only day where she could wear what she wanted. It took some time to blow dry her hair and everything, but she eventually got it done. "Phase three complete as well." Piper sung. Piper pulled out her make-up bag and pulled out an array of expensive foundations, blushes, brushes, concealer, and other necessities. She started the long ritual of applying all of her make-up. To her it was truly an art to be admired.

"Now for the finisher." The red head pulled out multiple outfits and tried to decide which one was the best. Just as she was going to pick an outfit, she heard her phone vibrate. After a quick glance she saw it was a message from one of her many of group chats.

To: Sienna, Jane, Charlotte, August, Connor, Dustin, Isabela
Morning! Hope everyone's ready for this school year!

Tossing her phone, Piper went back to finally get dressed. She decided to show off her figure that she has been working on, so a crop top and skirt were the best choices for her. "Looking good today Ms. Piper Vine." She looked at herself in the mirror and approved whole heartedly of today's look. Walking out of the bedroom with her pink bag, Piper moaned as she saw the time and that she had a text from Jane. She was going to ride with Dustin, but seeing as she hasn't seen Jane in so long she might as well ride to school with her.

To: Jane
Sure darling, you won't be able to miss me on the side of the road. I'll be the only attractive red head in heels!

Piper smiled at her own reply, before walking to Dustin's door and knocking loudly. "You better make it to morning assembly! I'm leaving now to go meet Jane." Just as she was walking away from the door she remembered her luggage. "And I'll get my stuff this afternoon." There was no way she would be able to explain to Jane why no one from her family got her luggage for her, so it was best to just eliminate the potential problem. Piper practically skipped out of the home and headed to Park Avenue so Jane could come and get her. She was curious to how the girl was doing, so having some alone time for just the two of them was best.

While she was standing there, Piper decided to remind Connor that they had the school assembly today. Figuring it was her duty or something.

To: Connor
I better see you today! I feel like we haven't talked in ages! How are you?! Was your summer good?!

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Hailey Neilson Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Sebastian Huntington Jr.

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{ outfit | car }





Sebastian had been up since 6:30 am, after his baby nephew had started bawling. His sister, Adelaide, was out at work already, so it was Sebastian's duty to look after the little one. Picking up Gerard his small crib, Sebastian cradles the two year old in his arms as they walk towards the kitchen of the small studio apartment. His sister's place definitely wasn't the large estate his father lived in, or the luxurious penthouse his mother owned on the Upper East Side, but rather sweet a two bedroom with a small kitchenette. And Sebastian adored it. The apartment wasn't cold and empty like his father's, it felt lived in; it felt like home.

"Let's get you some yummy food," Sebastian coos, placing down Gerard in his little blue highchair and opening the cabinet that hung above it. Pulling out a plastic purple bowl and spoon, Sebastian then grabs a banana and starts to peel it before chopping it up into tiny pieces and placing it in the bowl.

Completely ignoring the spoon, Gerard picks up the pieces with his tiny hands and starts to shovel the banana into his mouth, a big smile on his face. Whilst watching the boy eat, Sebastian pulls out his phone, after a text message from his dad's assistant made it bleep. His father wanted him back soon so that they could have the 'family' breakfast before he and his bratty step-brother, Arthur, had to go to school.

Rolling his eyes, Sebastian knew he had to go, however much he'd love to just stay here the whole day with Gerard - forget about school and the rest of his family. "Sebby!" Called Gerard, who had his hands stuck up in the air and banana smooshed all over his face, obviously wanted out of the highchair. Picking the boy up and placing him on his hip, Sebastian dumps the bowl into the sink and puts the unused spoon back, bouncing Gerard as he did, which first made the boy giggle and then burp very, very loudly. Which only proved to make him giggle more. "So-o-o-rry Sebby." Gerard says through a fit of tiny, high-pitched giggles.

"Better out than in, I suppose," Sebastian replies, laughing softly with Gerard as they made their way back towards Adelaide and Gerard's bedroom. Letting Gerard down onto the ground, Sebastian hunts around for some clothes to replace Gerard's dinosaur pyjama set. Whilst he was doing that, Gerard was stomping around on the floor, pretending to be a T-Rex and bashing into Sebastian's legs attempting to eat him. "Oh no, G-Rex, please don't eat me," Sebastian cries, playing along while also looking for the clothes. "Rawr, rawr, rawr!" Gerard continued to plough into Sebastian's legs before the older boy swooped down and picked him up in his arms.

"Okay G-Rex, you can play dinosaurs with Uriah," Sebastian said, Uriah was the son of Adelaide's next-door neighbour who looked after Gerard when Sebastian couldn't. "But first you need to tell Sebby where your clothes are before I gobble you up and you can't go!"

Squealing, Gerard Writhes in Sebastian's hands so he puts him down and the little boy shoots off out the room. Only to return a minute later with some small, kaki shorts and a red polo top, covered with dinosaurs. "You and your dinosaurs," Sebastian laughs, shaking his head, picking up the boy and placing him on the bed so that Sebastian could dress him.

Once he was dressed and ready to go, Sebastian took Gerard's small hand in his and they stepped out of the apartment. Only to go two doors down to where Angela and Uriah lived. Knocking on the door, Sebastian bent down and planted a quick kiss on Gerard's cheek, messing up his blonde hair as he did. "Be good, ok?" Sebastian tells him as the door opens.

"Okay Sebby, goodbye love you!" Gerard called behind him as he charged into the apartment. Laughing lightly and turning to look at Angela, Sebastian gives her a warm smile, "Thanks for taking him, again, Angie." He says gratefully.

"No prob Seb, besides Uriah loves Gerard." Angela replies, returning the smile. Much like Adelaide, she was a young mother, in her early twenties, Sebastian assumed. "Well, thanks for dropping him 'round." She finishes, with a slight wave.
Sebastian nods, "Bye Angie." Before turning around and heading to where the elevator was.

Once he was safely inside the car his father had sent for him, Sebastian pulled out his phone from his jeans pocket and began typing:

To: Hailey
Can I just come on your tour w/ you? summer ended too quickly :(


To: Jane
Will I see you @ school? Missed you this Summer.


Sebastian had no idea Hailey was going to be attending St. Jude's sister school, Constance Billard this year as she was planning to surprise him. Nor did he know where Jane had been over the summer vacation. All he had seen of her the entire time was the selfie that she put up recently on Instagram and honestly, Sebastian felt a bit like he'd been blown off. Of course, he wasn't going to tell Jane that because he was sure she had a legitimate reason, Sebastian just wished she'd had told him. However selfish that may sound.
And falling back into his old ways, Sebastian had just opened another new text message to send to Lee, before realising that they were no longer friends and cancelling it, a small wave of sadness washing over him as he did so.

Pushing the sadness to the back of his mind, Sebastian decided that seeing his father would only make his mood worse, so he quickly shot Quinn, Sebastian Sr.'s assistant, a text:

To: Quinn
Please tell Sebastian Sr. that Sebastian Jr. isn't coming to his stupid breakfast.
Also, Sebastian Jr. requests that you kick Arthur for him.
Thanks.


Leaning back against the headrest and tucking his phone back in his pocket, "Hey, um, change of destination," Sebastian tells the drivers, "Turns out my dad wants me to just go straight to school." Smiling appreciatively as the driver nods and turns the car around. Sebastian certainly wasn't looking forward to being back at school and he wasn't sure whether or not he was looking forward to seeing everyone again, either. But even school was far better than going to his father's house and having to socialise with the home-wrecker and her kid.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Piper Vine Character Portrait: Vincent Mast Character Portrait: Connor Harkins Character Portrait: Charlotte H. Buchanan Character Portrait: Kelley Hadley

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The shrill tone of his alarm clock abruptly pulled Connor out of his sleep. He was unadmittedly always a little jumpy, but the sound of that alarm after a summer without it definitely shocked him. He was quick to slam his fist on the snooze button, but even if he had time to go to back sleep, his heart was racing too quickly for him to manage that. It was already almost eight o'clock but for Connor, that was right on schedule. All he needed to do was shower, get dressed and walk out the door, so waking up before the sun had even risen was an unnecessary burden for him, even if some of his classmates felt it necessary.

As expected, he was walking out the door by eight-thirty. Both of his parents were already gone: his father probably headed downtown to work and his mother at the gym playing tennis with her friends. His penthouse was empty, but not in the somber way that some of his friends' were. Connor's parents were married and happy, his family healthy, and there was little to complain about in the Harkins household.

It might not have been the mainstream reaction to the first day of school, but Connor was actually fairly excited to be back. He loved summer just as much as anyone else. This past one had mostly been spent in the Nantucket where his family summers. His brother was home for most of the season so they spent time together there and in LA, where Connor met many of Jack's friends. They had met up with Sydney briefly while over there. She was in town with her grandfather and mother to attend the Emmy Awards and managed to get him and Jack into one of the more exclusive after parties. It would have been an amazing night had Connor not had to deal with his brother and her making out right next to him on the limo ride home. No matter how many times he had seen the two getting intimate, it always felt like someone had punched him in the gut when he saw it. Sydney knew he liked her. Everyone in the Upper East Side probably knew that by now, but she always told him that she just liked him as a friend. Although her words stated that, her actions always felt a little different. Maybe Connor was just being too wishful, but he was throwing all of his hope into the tiny little signs that suggested that maybe, just maybe, she saw him as something more.

When he was nearing Constance Billard and his phone's ring was matched with her name, his heart jumped. He answered almost instantly.

"Hello?"

"Hey Con, where are you?"

"Like a block away from your school. Are you there already?" He doubted she would be. Sydney was always on time, never too early and never too late.

"No, it's too early... I'm kind of in the mood for Starbucks." The way that she ended the sentence suggested that she was stating more than just a craving, but she didn't need to ask him to get it for her. He was going to offer without that.

"I'll pick it up!" He responded almost as soon as she finished speaking. At this point, there was no use in trying to hide how eager he was to please Sydney, and not only because he had a crush on her. She was one of his best friends, or at least oldest friends.

"Aw, thanks babe. A vanilla iced coffee would be perf! 9 AM on the steps!"

"Okay, see y-" She had hung up before he could finish his goodbyes.

Their conversation had put him into a better mood, so much so that he had no reservations with about-facing to get back to the Starbucks that he had passed a few blocks away. It was crowded with morning commuters but he took the time to send out a few texts.

To: Sienna
Can't wait to see u either! Still upset I didn't get to see u on tour this summer :(

To: Piper
I'll be there in 15! I'm rly good! How are you? Spend the summer in Nantucket so I was pretty MIA in the city. What did u do?

To: Sienna, Piper, Jane, Charlotte, Vincent, Kelley
@ Starbucks. Anyone want anything :)?

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Hailey Neilson Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Piper Vine Character Portrait: Vincent Mast Character Portrait: Connor Harkins

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Sienna didn't care to do much to her hair for the day considering they were all going to be getting dolled up Sydney's party tonight, so she decided to simply run a brush through the silky locks. There were subtle waves already towards the ends from the last hair appointment she had went to for a touch-up of the honey blonde shade, so she was content with the natural elegance that could be seen in her hair. She did, however, choose to part it down the center so that there could be equal love of hair on both sides of her face. It also would help when she decided to flip her hair all dramatically or something along those lines, but Hailey's response had her smiling at her friend through her mirror. "You're awesome, you look awesome, everyone is going to see that you're awesome, and you're gonna rock this first day." She grinned at her friend before turning her attention to applying a small amount of makeup. She didn't need anything too heavy for the first day, not when later would prompt her entire face being done up. However, she did go with a luscious pink lip with her cake-batter flavored lip balm coated just beneath for protection.

Once she found she was situated and with an extra fluff of her hair, Sienna rose from the chair in front of her vanity. The new height allowed her to see the way the skirt showed off her toned and tanned legs and she made sure that the shirt was still tucked into the skirt, though fitting loosely. While Sienna had her casual moments and would gladly wear things like sweatpants as a regular requirement in her attire, she had also been born with her mother's innate desire to look fabulous. And being a part of the queen bee's regimen only reinforced that mentality. Satisfied with her overall appearance, Sienna gave her hair one more fluff, spritzed herself with the jasmine vanilla perfume she was known for, and then grabbed her Celine bag. Her mom had already ordered her books and since there was no classes today, she didn't feel the need to bring anything other than a purse. She glanced over at Hailey while grabbing her phone, noting the text messages. "We should probably go. Syd wants to meet at nine. One of my friends is getting Starbucks. Sending him an order now." Sienna told her, leading the other blonde out of her bedroom and shutting the bedroom door after them. The last thing she needed was Esmee raiding her closet in an attempt to find a better outfit despite probably already having one.

Speaking of, just as Sienna and Hailey were waiting for the elevator, Esmee emerged, fully dressed and looking very much like a carbon copy of a younger Sienna, though unique in her own sense. Before Esmee could utter a complaint, Sienna cut in, "No, we're not gonna talk about you stealing my sweater and no, you do not need to change. You're cute and adorable and it's time to go." Sienna dragged both her sister and friend into the elevator shaft with her, pressing for the lobby. Meanwhile, she sent out her own texts.

To: Connor
U r god-sent. ilu & I will pay u back. Grande salted caramel mocha & a grande caramel mocha. Its 4 a friend. Thanks

To: Vincent
LMAO

To: Piper, Sydney, Jane
Omw

"I'm lazy. Are we walking?" Esmee asked, turning big dark brown eyes to Sienna who only grinned. "Of course not!" She exclaimed, linking arms with her two girls as they entered the lobby from the private Alvarez elevator. The doorman smiled at them congenially and Sienna only nodded before returning her attention to Hailey and Esmee. "You two are arriving in style for your first day to Constance Billard and something tells me you're gonna be loving me for not making you walk in those." Sienna said the last part with a pointed look at Esmee's heels, which actually were Sienna's but they weren't going to discuss that. It was like Sienna didn't always allow her sister to borrow her clothes. Besides, it was an understandable question. Sienna, despite having the luxury of a driver with several different vehicles to get by in, loved walking those three blocks. She loved the crisp air of New York mornings, the sound her heels made on the pavement, and really just the act of taking in everything. However, she wanted her sister to make an entrance on her first day to what would become Sienna's alma mater and for everyone to know that Hailey was someone important. Not to mention fans would probably be in a frenzy seeing two mainstream artists still together after a summer as such.

They climbed into the limousine Cynthia must have exchanged for the Escalade Sienna had been expecting and as they rode on in the New York traffic, Sienna whipped out her phone and grinned at both girls. "Up for first day selfies?" She asked to which Esmee immediately nodded her head.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Piper Vine Character Portrait: Connor Harkins

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Jane's home was located at the top of the Sherry-Netherland hotel, which had its perks. The Harry Ciprani restaurant was attached to the hotel, meaning that if she ever was in the mood for a good meal (which hadn't been recently) and their personal chef wasn't there, she could have someone bring something up at a moment's notice. She received all of the perks of a full service concierge staff, having a state-of-the-art gym and multiple boutiques in her building, but also had to deal with tourists. On the positive side, the hotel was one of the more expensive ones in the city which meant that the people weren't usually too scroungy. Plus, the penthouse had a private elevator, but either way there were always too many people in the lobby when she wasn't in the mood to be bothered. Since she had sacrificed dressing up more for the sake of time, she was closer to schedule than normal, but still rushing.

"Are you in need of a car service this morning, Miss?" one of the concierge members called out to her as she brushed past him. Apparently, he had been hired in the three months that she was gone because Jane was familiar with almost every member of the lobby staff by now. Living there for fifteen years made it almost inevitable. She didn't even validate the absurd question with a response. As it was every morning, a town car was waiting for her in front of the building. Before stepping in, she peered into the bag that Nicole had sent her off with but she only took out the bottled water before dumping the rest in a trash bin. There was no need to even tempt herself with knowing what else was inside.

"Someone's on schedule today," Max chuckled as she slipped into the back seat of the car. "Of course I am," she shot back in an offended tone. A smile had found its way to her face though. Max had been the Lynch's driver for years and he was certainly the staff member she liked best. When she spent hours at a gym across town to avoid her father's insistence that she stop working out, he would like and say she was at the movies with a friend. When she called him at 3 AM asking him to pick her up from a club, he wouldn't utter a word about it the next day, even if half of the drinks she consumed that night ended up on the floor of the car. He was a good guy and one of the people that Jane made an effort to be less bratty towards. "New year, new me, Maxwell! It's time to reinvent myself, which means that I might need to do some shopping before Syd's party tonight." He chuckled louder this time but his tone was genuine. "It's good to have you back, Jane." She smiled at him through the rear view mirror, in part to acknowledge his statement and also as an unspoken 'thanks' that he didn't ask her about her summer, or how she was feeling. She imagined that she would be interrogated enough in only a few minutes from her friends.

"We need to pick up Piper. I think her family moved to one of the buildings on Park Avenue last year," she stated in a distracted manner as her eyes scanned her phone. He didn't even bother to ask her if she knew the address because he knew that the answer would be no. Instead, he did what would have been the inevitable action and drove up the street with his eyes in search of the red head. He spotted her before Jane, because she only took her eyes off of her phone when she felt the car stop on the side of the road.

As soon as Piper stepped in, Jane squealed. For most of the morning, she was dreading the first day back and part of her still was, but she did miss her friends while she was away. Even if Sienna and Sydney didn't like her, or more accurately - trust her, Jane always had fun when she was with Piper. Whether that meant that they just traded services, of Jane having someone's ear to talk off, and Piper to have someone to shop with for free, was questionable. Still, Jane was excited to see her. "You look cute! How was your summer? You were on Long Island yesterday too, right? You should have called me! I was like dying being with my dad and step-mom all day. No amount of margaritas can drown out their annoying voices." Although she was sure it would be inevitable, she wanted to put off talking about her for as long as possible. She was still trying to work out the story she was going to give for why she was mysteriously gone for so long, with no contact, and hoped she could put it off until all of the girls were together. That way, at least she would be giving them all the same story and not accidentally changing it around if repeated different times.

She only turned her attention away from Piper when they pulled up in front of the school. Now, any excitement that Piper had brought was dwindling as she faced the reality of going back to school. If she was lucky, she thought, maybe Charlotte would have loosened up over the summer and wouldn't be such a bitch about letting her copy work now and then. In an attempt to waste more time in the car before having to step out, she texted Connor back and responded to Sienna's text in the group chat. She also responded to Seb, who she knew she would genuinely feel guilty lying to. It wasn't going to change the fact that she would give him the same story as everyone else though.

To: Connor
No thanks <3

To: Sienna, Piper, Sydney
Me and Piper are here!!!

To: Seb
Unfortunately

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Hailey Neilson Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Piper Vine Character Portrait: Vincent Mast

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Sienna could only laugh and comply when Hailey draped herself over both Sienna and Esmee, the latter who was quick to suck her cheeks in and cross her eyes. It was the classic Alvarez funny face and Sienna was more than willing to go along with it. Once the pictures were taken, Sienna posted them on Instagram. Instantly, there were a few likes and she had to grin to herself. There was a reason she was named one of the most powerful social media users in the mainstream and she was more than willing to contend to that title. Tucking a few strands behind her ear, Sienna stared over at Hailey who had rolled down her window. She smiled softly. "I remember those feelings," she admitted, seeing Constance's profile as they slowly pulled up. "Just remember not to let this school and all its drama swallow you whole." The majority of the comment was directed towards her sister who only rolled her eyes.

"Oh God, you're getting like your mother," Esmee lamented and Sienna stuck her tongue out at her little sister. "Whatever, you still love me. And what did I tell you about these Constance girls?" Esmee deadpanned, but the pressing look in Sienna's eyes prompted her to reply. "Remind them that I'm an Alvarez and I'm not scared to cut a bitch." Esmee said, which had Sienna chuckling with the memory of when she first told her sister this when Cynthia said she wanted all three generations of Alvarez girls to have attended Constance. "And?" Sienna pressed as the limousine pulled to a stop. She could already see people glancing at their vehicle in curiosity, though she knew most of the girls - save for the freshmen - recognized it as one of the Alvarez's limousines. "And if an upperclassmen steps to me, I'll tell 'em, 'come see my sister, bitch!'" Esmee finished with a grin and Sienna beamed back at her. Esmee was the first one to climb out and Sienna called after her, "Behave!" To which Esmee only waved her off as she found her friends from her former private school.

It was only when Sienna's leggy form made its way out of the limousine that Esmee turned around with a sneaky grin, calling to the crowd of students, "OH MY GAWD!! Is that Hailey Neilson and Sienna Alvarez getting out of a limo together?" A few heads whipped in their direction and Sienna tossed her little sister a murderous grin. Cheesing with the utmost innocent deviousness in her gleaming eyes, Esmee pulled her friends up the Constance stairs that she had seen Sienna go up many times before on her way to school while a good number of students made their way over to the singing duo. "That sneaky bitch," Sienna muttered only for Hailey to hear and linked arms with her friend, smiling at her fellow classmates. The big rule was that Sienna was not to sign autographs at school. She couldn't remember - for the life of her - why that had been put in place, something about that distracting students, but she remained cordial and nice with her fans. Besides, Constance was her way of at least attempting to be normal. She led Hailey over to the steps where she and the girls typically met, finding that she was the first one there. Sienna's eyes roved over the campus grounds before they fell on a familiar face not too far away.

Just like that, she was reminded why Vincent Mast was considered one of the most attractive guys at St. Jude's. Granted, there were a few hot guys that all the girls gossiped about, but Sienna knew that her ex-boyfriend was definitely the main one whispered in the halls when everyone thought she wouldn't pay attention. It still surprised her that people understood that he was still a sensitive topic for her, even when they were playing nice and being with their respective circle, but he never failed to just strike her...nervous. It was always appalling and she would feel this insurmountable anger towards him for the control he did not seem to realize he had over her. It's been about two years. How could just looking at him have her self-consciously fixing her hair and swallowing back a lump in her throat that wasn't there before? Taking a breath, she tugged at Hailey, nodding in Vincent's direction. "You remember that guy I said I was singing about, right? The one in 'Invincible?' She was referring to one of her more ballad-like singles and sighed. "Well, that's him." Sienna didn't hide that she was staring at Vincent because a second later, she was waving over to him, though not as wildly as she would for - say - August or even Connor. "Hey, Vince!" She didn't know if he would come over and say anything more, so she pulled out her phone to find her girls.

To: Sydney, Jane, Piper
Do not tell me I'm the 1rst 1 @ these steps! Where r u guys?

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Hailey Neilson Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Vincent Mast

0.00 INK

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Even walking at a casual pace, calling Connor, and allowing a group of junior girls to gush to her about their summers didn't waste enough time for one of her girls to arrive before her. Sydney couldn't blame Sienna for not being on time as directed because it was still nearly ten to nine and even she hadn't intended on arriving forty minutes before the assembly even began. Once the group of familiar junior girls spotted her approaching campus though, there was no turning back.

"What did you do this summer?!" one chirped curiously, as if she didn't already know. Sydney recognized her as Kylie Jameson, the girl who was almost always the first like or favorite on any of her Instagram posts or tweets. "You went to the Emmy's right? That picture of you and Jack Harkins was sooo cute," Lilly Rowen chimed in before she had time to answer the first. Not like she was planning on giving them much of a response anyway. The girls were all very sweet (to her, at least), but they were juniors. Had they been a year older, she might have considered them to be friends but for now, they were nothing more than people to dote on her and feed her information when needed. They definitely weren't close enough to be filled in too specifically on her summer adventures, especially when her two closest friends had ditched her during it. "I've been attending the Emmy Awards since I was six years old. Of course I was there," Sydney replied after a long, unattached pause as she gazed around the courtyard. Her tone was not as condescending or snide as the words suggested, but it certainly was cold. The juniors had continued on with their rambling, mostly about how nice she looked and how excited they were for her party that evening. Normally she would have snapped at them for being so annoying, but today she needed people to keep her busy until her girls arrived.

Luckily, the wait was no longer necessary. Sydney had missed the limousine pulling up moments before, probably since it blended in with many of the other cars dropping students off, but she was within hearing distance of Esmee's reference to Sienna and Hailey. Although many of the others in the area couldn't resist to glance curiously in the pair's direction, Sydney kept her eyes focused on the girls in front of her. She didn't care about, or even hear, much of what they were saying, but she'd be damned if she actually acted like Sienna and Hailey's presence really peaked her interest that much. Even if Sienna was her close friend, Sydney wasn't going to allow her to think that she was that head-turning. Her successful tour had probably already given her enough of an inflated ego. No, she's on my team this year. Piper already poisoned Jane. If nothing else, I need to keep Sienna on my side. Sydney did want her friendship with Sienna to work out. As dramatic as the girl could be, there was much more good to her than bad and when they were both playing nice, they did have good moments. She was going to need to make an extra effort this year, especially considering that she was feeling more guilty after sleeping with Vincent a second time this year.

After another two or three minutes of listening idly to the girls go on and on about their own summers, Sydney held up a finger to stop them mid-sentence. "I'm so happy I got to catch up with you girls. I better see you two at my party tonight." The artificially-sweet tone to her voice was hard to ignore, especially as she dismissed the third, unknown girl, who had joined the group and certainly wasn't on the invite list to her party. She had purposely waited to leave the girls until Sienna and Hailey were already waiting for her on the steps, but as soon as they were, she headed over there herself.

On most school days, she liked to sit on the steps before the morning bell rang to gossip with the girls about whatever had happened that past weekend or discuss what they planned on doing over the next one. Today, though, she didn't want to take the chance of her dress getting ruined and opted to stand across from Sienna and Hailey. She had spotted Vincent walking towards them, but like most people, didn't give him a second glance. He's not important, she tried to remind herself, despite her inner-self telling her otherwise.

"You're on time and you look cute. At least I have one reliable friend," she smiled, whipping her phone out to see Sienna's text, which was now pointless to answer, and that it was only a few minutes past nine. There was one from Jane in the group chat as well, but as soon as she saw that she was here with Piper, she slipped it back into her bag. Jane was already getting on her nerves and arriving to school, after three months of basically being dead, wasn't helping her case. On the plus side, it made Sienna seem like a much better friend and Sydney embraced her in a tight squeeze as soon as her phone was away.

Had Hailey not been standing next to Sienna, she would have made a remark to Sienna about how there was no way that she was going to be able to stick to their plan with Jane, but she knew better than to gossip around strangers. Sydney was happy knowing every bit of gossip on anyone important but she wasn't going to spread anything about her closest friend. Although she was vaguely aware of who Hailey was - some singer that Sienna had toured with - she preferred to act like the girl's identity was completely unknown to her. Even if she was a senior, she was going to be treated as unimportant as any other new student to the school. At least until she proved herself to be of their standard, which Sydney was unsure could ever happen in just one year. "And you are...?" She looked Hailey up and down and although she wasn't exactly impressed, her inquisitive smile never faltered.




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Vincent didn't like the way that his eyes instantly searched the crowd of students as soon as he heard her name being shouted by her sister. It was like her name alone had the power to make him stand up straighter and puff out his chest a bit more, for his heart to speed up and for his head to replay every good memory they had together. If his mother knew he reacted that way, she undoubtedly would claim that her intuition was spot on and that he had to ask Sienna back out. The thought had crossed his mind more than once over the last week alone, but he knew that Sienna had moved on. She had dated some rapper and supposedly slept with a bunch of other guys since the two of them were together. Vincent couldn't claim that he had been any more celibate than she, though. His sex drive was what had ruined their relationship in the first place. However, when her voice called out to him, there was no way that he could resist grinning. She was the only person who could allow him to lose his cool and collected front, even if it was only for a minute.

If it had been any other girl, he would have obnoxiously grabbed her ass or held her to him for longer than necessary, but he only gave Sienna a friendly hug. There were too many emotions there that he didn't want to get into, and honestly, if he was forced to breath the all too familiar scent of her perfume in for any longer, he probably would have tried to make out with her right then and there. Besides, Sydney was standing a foot away, and dealing with the two girls together always felt uncomfortable. "Seriously though, right after you texted me, I was bombarded with baby pictures from my mom," he smiled, referencing their conversation from earlier. Although it was hard to just keep things on a friendly level with Sienna, Vincent knew that it was the best way, or maybe even the only way, to get through this year. After greeting her, he gave Sydney a similar hug. "You're looking good, Vale. I see that the Hamptons sun treated you nicely," he grinned, admiring her sun-kissed skin. Lastly, he looked towards Hailey Neilson, who he only knew through hearing about Sienna's tour from his mother. "You must be Hailey." He extended a hand towards her. She was definitely attractive enough for him to want to hug, but he had the reputation of Prince Charming to maintain, not that of a man-whore. "I've heard a lot about you. My sister's a big fan." It wasn't a lie. His young sister was obsessed with Sienna and had insisted that Colette take her and some of her friends to one of Sienna and Hailey's local concerts this summer. Conveniently, Vincent had been out of state at a lacrosse tournament. "And, hey, it's always nice to have another blonde on campus," His grin might have turned into more of a smirk at that remark. He seemed to have a growing craving for blondes.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: August Marcelo Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Hailey Neilson Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Vincent Mast Character Portrait: Charlotte H. Buchanan

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She could do this, Sienna decided as she noticed Vincent approaching them. She could keep up this friendly charade. It was their senior year and surely, they could be better than they were before, right? After all, no matter what happened in their romantic relationship, their families were still connected to this day. It was hard to just hate him for an eternity, especially with the way her heart felt like it sucker-punched her ribcage the closer he got. Sienna would surely deny this if anyone asked, but she was more than grateful for Sydney's presence when it came. She had not even noticed the queen bee's arrival until that moment. Smiling, Sienna turned to her friend and was more than surprised to be hugged by Sydney, especially as tight as she had been. I can't take today if my heart's gonna keep acting up, Sienna thought to herself at the throbbing of said muscle as she hugged her friend back before pulling away with a beaming smile. "And you're looking as regal as ever, Syd."

As she pulled away from Sydney, Vincent had already made his way over and Sienna was in too good of a mood now that she and Sydney seemed to be in a good place for the moment to not fall into his hug. Granted, she had to get away a bit more quickly than she had with Sydney. At least there it wasn't so foreign, didn't leave her wanting to just remain there and bask in a scent she only allowed herself to think about when she was not with her friends. There was a bit of disappointment that filled her, as if her body was protesting the idea of not hugging her ex - which was absurd - so Sienna concentrated on what he was saying instead of how unfair it was that his eyes were really blue at the moment. She giggled a bit at the thought of Colette and her mother both having their "mommy moments" as she had termed when they were kids. "Oops, probably jinxed you. My bad!" She exclaimed, her smile wide. "I've actually gotta catch up with Colette sometimes." She said, though it was more to herself than anything else. Since she and Vincent had broken up, Sienna had distanced herself from the Mast family - not so much so that it was obvious that she detested them or something along those lines, but that she didn't spend as much time with her mother and Colette as she did when she was younger. The last time Cynthia brought that up sounded like Colette actually wanted to see her and well, Collie had been one of her favorite people growing up.

So caught up in trying to figure out her own feelings, Sienna had come in on the part where Vincent's gaze lingered a bit too long on Sydney just and just as he turned towards Hailey, leaving Sienna to clutch her bag just a bit tightly to herself. It was a discreet tick of hers, so she swiped at wayward strands that had been tousled due to the gust of wind swept through them. Down, girl she had to tell herself. You said it was over. He can look all he wants. Nodding to herself subtly, she caught on to Vincent's comments about blondes and rolled her eyes, turning to Hailey to see the face she made. "Ignore him," she told her fellow singer lowly but still kept it loud enough for Vincent to hear, a teasing smirk on her naturally plump lips. "I do." It didn't take long for Sienna to catch on to a bit of tension between Sydney and Hailey, and the actual anxiety that seemed to seep from the new girl's pores. She didn't need Sydney clashing so inexplicably with Hailey - not on her first day, at least. Sienna didn't see them being the best of friends, but they damn sure didn't need to get in to anything on the first day of school. She glanced at Hailey, stared at Sydney for a second, before glancing back at Hailey with a pensive expression. "Hey, if you wanna go in, go ahead without me. Just follow the students and you'll be in the auditorium. I gotta meet some people out here, but I'll come find you with the drinks, ok?" Sienna didn't want to just throw Hailey to the wolves or even abandon her, but the girl's nerves wouldn't be settled until she was inside and could really take everything in. Plus, she and Sydney still needed to talk. Also, the rest of her friends needed to get here, she decided and glanced down at her phone to send out a few messages.

To: August
Where r u?

To: Jane
Bring yourself, ma'am

To: Charlotte
Don't tell me I beat u here, Madam President :p

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Piper Vine

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In an effort to waste as many extra seconds as possible, Jane sent off another text message to Sebastian, this time being more elaborate than her earlier one-word response.

To: Seb
Unfortunately meaning unfortunately yes I will be at school, not unfortunately I get to see you!!! I missed you I'm in the courtyard come say hi!!!

The message was sent, so she supposed it was necessary to actually be in the courtyard now that she had told him she would be. The last thing she needed was to be lying about yet another thing. Sienna's followup text only enforced that she needed to get out of the car eventually, and she was as ready now as she would ever be. She glanced back towards Piper, unsure if she would also be headed straight for the steps. It was the group's usual meeting spot but it was no secret to Jane that Piper and Sydney were far from friends. It seemed like their relationship was even worse than Sydney and Sienna's, which was certainly saying something. Besides, as forbidden as it seemed to stray away from their group, Piper had other friends. Connor, August and Dustin were just a few of the faces she had seen her with, not to mention Brent. However, Jane was sure that Brent was just as much of a "friend" to Piper as he was to her, and that wasn't at all.

"I'll be on the steps!" she informed Piper as she stepped out of the car. She tried to sound enthusiastic and excited, but it was hard. As happy as she was going to be to see Sienna and Sydney after so long, she was nervous. She was nervous to deal with their reactions to her absence, Sydney's wrath over not being informed, about school starting, and about being back at home where her old habits were so easy to pick up. More than anything, she wanted to go home and curl back up in her warm bed. She was convinced that she just needed one more day's worth of rest before she would be able to face everyone, but she wasn't going to get that, and before she knew it, Sydney and Sienna were only feet away. If her thoughts weren't clouded with her own panic, she would have commented on how strange it was to see the two girls looking so comfortable in each other's presence. While outsiders probably suspected that they were as close of friends as they portrayed, Jane knew, probably better than anyone else, how false that was.

She walked slowly and lightly up the steps and unwillingly removed her sunglasses from her face and tucked them into her bag before reaching the girls. For a split second, she froze. Now that she was standing in front of her best friends, a mix of emotions washed over her. She wanted to hug them and tell them how much she missed them. She wanted to be honest and explain that what she thought she had under control had gotten out of hand way too quickly and even though she didn't want help, she needed it. She would apologize for missing Sydney's birthday and Sienna's summer tour and promise them that for now on, she would be upfront about things. It would have been the better long-term option but Jane was all about short-term fixes and if she could avoid telling the truth and dealing with those emotions for even five more minutes, she would.

In that second, she had convinced herself that even the truth wouldn't be enough of a good reason to excuse her from being bombarded with questions, so lying was the only option. However, she wasn't going to lie unless she had to. For now, she was going to do what she was good at: avoiding.

It wasn't hard for her to switch from a nervous, internally-freaking out Jane to the bubbly and exuberant one she was known as. She had spent years of hiding her illness doing just that, and when she approached with a bright smile on her face and a cheerful tone, it felt natural. "Good morning girlies!" She hugged Sienna first. She had been the only one of the pair to respond to her texts over the past few days and her relationship with Sienna was always fun. There was no way that she was going to reject affection from her, Jane decided. "I passed Esmee on my way and she looks so cute. I can't believe that girl is already in high school!" She was more noticeably nervous when her gaze shifted towards Sydney and in that moment, she looked like the ice cold queen bee that people feared rather than her childhood best friend. She didn't throw herself onto Sydney like she had to Sia, and instead, extended her arms only halfway. "Can I get a hug?" she batted her eyelashes obnoxiously, but her grin showed that she knew she had something to feel guilty about. "I still don't know what I'm wearing tonight. Can we go shopping after the assembly?" It seemed like a good way to keep the conversation moving, without turning the focus on her too much.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Hailey Neilson Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Isabela Monroe Character Portrait: Vincent Mast

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Despite whatever reserves either of them felt for being as nice to one another after so long, Sienna could only shoot Vincent an appreciative glance when he announced that he was heading inside. She didn't know if the silent thank-you had been taken as he walked off with Hailey, but Sienna definitely was grateful. The last thing she needed was to deal with Sydney snapping at Hailey and then her having to step in. As selfish as it sounded, she and Sydney were actually on good terms at the moment and Sienna preferred this to their typical underhanded digs and semi-hostile banter. She did, however, note in her head that she would be for a dinner with Colette and Kelley. Their relationship had never been hostile, even when Sienna had moved to telling herself she hated Vincent.

Once Vincent and Hailey were enough of a distance away from them, Sienna's smile dropped. "Where the hell are they? I thought Jane said they were here." She hissed, glancing around as more students slowly filed in. Some were linking up with their typical cliques, others alone. Sienna could tell, just by faces and body language, that the majority of the people outside currently were upperclassmen from both St. Judes and Constance. The freshmen would be the first to amble inside, not wanting to miss anything. The upperclassmen have experienced too many first-day-back speeches and unnecessary sitting for long periods of time. Jane should have been here by now. Her and Piper should have already greeted them and she was beginning to worry that Jane was trying to skip out on seeing them. After all, Jane could be...well, Jane wasn't the most perceptive in the group, but even she knew that she was in the wrong. She also knew that neither Sienna nor Sydney were dumb. She wouldn't not show up to school just to get out of seeing them, would she? She whipped back around to Sydney. "Do you think she actually went back home?"

Jane appeared at the bottom of the steps from the corner of her eye and Sienna paused, taking a moment to glance downward at her friend. It was probably a strange sight - Sydney Vale and Sienna Alvarez, standing close together without anyone standing in between them. Well, it would be strange for Jane and maybe Piper. However, their tension was almost nonexistent in the face of the girl whom neither had seen all summer save for the two selfies she thought would appease them in the past few days. Sienna wanted to immediately hound Jane. She wanted to wrench the truth out of until there was nothing left but honesty. After all, Jane couldn't be the one in the group keeping secrets. She couldn't be the one with feelings suppressed under the guise of friendship when said friendship was tested on a regular basis. No, she needed to go back to being their sweet, spoiled and simple friend. Which was why Sienna did not resist when the brunette finally made her way up the stairs and hugged her. She couldn't help it. Sienna always felt like Jane needed to be shown affection - she needed protection. However, as she wrapped an arm around the other senior, her gaze met Sydney's over Jane's shoulder. When they pulled away, Sienna smiled.

Sienna was not a fool to the fact that Sydney was probably the most upset one when it came to Jane and ran a hand through her hair idly, playing with the ends as Jane anxiously interacted with the queen bee. She normally would come to Jane's defense, offer her shopping services since the two did enjoy shopping sprees frequently - even when Sienna was shopping more for Esmee than herself. However, she felt like Jane deserved this. She needed to actually interact with Sydney and win back her favor - both of their favors. Besides, she couldn't offer any type of service today. Not if she wanted to release this full EP by her birthday. She did, however, opt to ask, "Where's Piper? I thought she was with you."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: [NPC] Bartender Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Connor Harkins Character Portrait: Charlotte H. Buchanan

0.00 INK

#, as written by royals
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The Starbucks line definitely put Connor behind schedule and by the time he was leaving the shop, a tray full of drinks in hand, he was nearly jogging to make up on time. Luckily, with the amount of coffee shops in the city, this one was only a few blocks away from Constance Billard and it didn't take him more than five minutes to arrive in front of the school. Although he could see people filing into the building, the courtyard was still fairly populated. He hoped that meant that the girls he had drinks for were still outside because he doubted he would be able to find them once they were all seated inside.

It wasn't hard to find Sydney and Sienna. The friend group had claimed a spot on the steps that no one else dared to wait on in the mornings before school. Even he knew that, and he didn't even attend the school. Both girls, as well as Jane Lynch, were standing where he expected to find them and he hurried towards them. "Hey!" he exclaimed as he reached the top of the steps. He was smiling widely and although it was probably obvious that he was most interested in Sydney, he was also close friends with both of the other girls. He considered Sienna to be one of his closest friends and he and Jane frequently hooked up at parties, so he knew all three girls fairly well. "A vanilla iced coffee for Miss Vale, a grande salted caramel mocha for Miss Alvarez and a grande caramel mocha for the unnamed friend." Only Sienna and Sydney had requested drinks, so he distributed those to him and then took a moment to study the girls. He didn't pick up on the tension between the three girls, or more specifically, between Jane and the two others, but he didn't have time to delve into it either.

Charlotte had texted him, reminding him that he needed to get inside to get ready. Although most of the assembly was dictated by the deans of the schools, he and Lottie had to welcome back their classes at the start of it. He was sure that the Constance Billard president had prepared something extensive and professional, but he was just going to wing it. While Lottie had earned her spot as president by being the best candidate for the job, he had really only been elected by being friends with nearly everyone at the boy's school. "I have to go find Charlotte, but I'll see you guys inside," he said, leaving just as quickly as he had shown up. It was probably for the best though, since even if he didn't realize it, the girls probably wanted some privacy as the caught up for the first time in months.

He found Charlotte close by, heading into the school. "Hey, I just got your text. What's up?" She had said something about needing to vent, which didn't sound good. Though, it wouldn't have surprised him if she was just working herself up over the new school year. She always ended up going above and beyond with every one of her many commitments and responsibilities, but it didn't stop her from freaking out over most of them in the process.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Connor Harkins Character Portrait: Charlotte H. Buchanan Character Portrait: Dustin Sanderson

0.00 INK

#, as written by Secute
Piper Vine
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Piper waited for Jane's car to pull up when she felt her phone vibrate. Looking down she saw it was Connor asking is anyone wanted some coffee. The answer would be no. She was perfectly fine with drinking water. Coffee gives her the jitters. So instead of responding, she just left the text alone. As she put her phone away, it began to buzz again. This time it was Dustin saying he probably wouldn't be home after their school assembly. Connor replied to her text earlier, but she should be at school soon so she just left it.

To: Dustin
No problem!

Just as she put her phone away for good, Jane's car rolled up. Piper smiled as she got into the vehicle. "Hey girl!" Piper gave Jane a hug as she continued to smile. Then in typical Jane fashion she started talking rather quickly. Piper just let her finish before chiming in. "Well it was sort of a last minute trip. If I had known you were there as well I would've invited you." Piper didn't really pay too much attention to the pictures Jane would post, so she must have missed the one letting her know they were in the same place. Oh well. Piper was more concerned with Jane's health. She would be lying if she said during the car ride to school she didn't look at Jane's body to see if she gained any weight. Looking back on it Jane did look unhealthy skinny last school year. She wished she would have caught it sooner before it got to the point that it had. The whole ordeal made Piper feel like she should try to be better friend.

The rest of the car ride Jane's mainly talked about whatever. Finally they arrived at the school and Piper could sense Jane's nervousness. She had a right to be. She really didn't contact anyone, and piper knew that probably sent Sydney into a rage. Honestly she doesn't know why Jane is friends with Sydney, but whatever. Talking about Sydney just gives Piper a headache. Just as Jane got out Piper felt her phone ring. It was her brother calling. "I'll meet up with you and the girls in a second." If her brother was calling her there was no way she wasn't going to answer. Thomas was her everything.

Piper got out of the car and stood on the sidewalk as Jane went off to meet Sienna and Sydney. "What's up Thomas?" Piper questioned. "I saw some papers on your desk about this old couple? Are they related to us?" Thomas sounded excited at the possibilities, but Piper didn't share his enthusiasm. "No, they aren't related to us. But don't worry about it for now. I'll find them for sure. Now go to school!" Piper quickly hung up the phone before Thomas could talk any more. She completely forgot to tell him about it, but seeing as she hit a road block she figured it was best not to tell him. Turning, on her heels and headed to the steps.

She could see the three girls in the distance, plus a couple of other people. Piper saw Connor but he was leaving, Probably to go meet Charlotte. "Honestly the two should just date." She grinned to herself. Piper met the girls on the stairs and smiled to Sienna and briefly grinned at Sydney. "Hello girls." She put on her best smile. Her hatred for Sydney increased over the summer, so it was extremely hard to even look in her direction. "I'm assuming everyone's summer went okay?" Piper looked amongst the girls before checking the time. The assembly was starting soon, but honestly if she missed it she wouldn't even care. But going inside would be better than dealing with the current awkward atmosphere. Surely Sydney and Sienna were curious about Jane's absence over the summer. It's surprising neither of them had bombarded Jane yet. "By the way Sienna your outfit is too precious. It's very city chic." Piper complimented. "But I'm sure we should start heading inside for the assembly." The assembly was something Piper dreaded, but it would be better then standing on the being awkward.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Piper Vine

0.00 INK

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It wasn't fair that it had to be Jane betraying her. If it was Piper, Charlotte, Kelley, maybe even Sienna, it would have been very easy for Sydney to simply act like they weren't even speaking to her. When Jane appeared, looking noticeably nervous, it seemed impossible for Sydney to just cast her off. She was her best friend, the girl she had grown up with and no matter how annoyed and offended Sydney was by her secrecy, she couldn't keep her heartless reputation up around her. That wasn't to say that Sydney was going to forget the issue or just act like everything was fine, because it wasn't. It was completely egotistical, but Sydney was victimizing herself more than she was Jane. It was Jane who was walled up in some facility for an entire summer. It was Jane who had been so sick and so desperate to conceal her illness that she couldn't even let her friends know about the problem. It was Jane who had probably spent years suffering mentally, but it was Sydney who felt like she had been betrayed. In their circle, no one kept things from Sydney, and if she found out that they were, she couldn't understand why.

It was especially hurtful that it was Jane who was hiding this from her, though. Even though she was older than both her and Sienna, she was kind of the "baby" of the group. She was the absentminded, emotional, naive and frankly, the dumb one. It couldn't have taken Sydney by more of a surprise when she found out that she was also the deceitful one. Her innocence worked to her favor though, because it kept Sydney from being too cold to her. When Jane requested a hug, Sydney forced a half-smile and allowed the brunette to wrap her arms around her. She eventually wrapped her arms around Jane as well, but made a point of pinching her in the side before pulling away. It was a little way to signal that she wasn't happy with her, and as bad as it sounds, to see if she really was thin enough to have been sent to rehab. It was no secret that Jane was always stick-thin but had it really gotten that bad that it could be considered ill? Apparently so, but it bothered Sydney that she hadn't been perceptive enough to notice. Jane was a bad friend for hiding it from her, but maybe she was a bad friend for not picking up on it, especially when the person hiding it was as transparent as Jane was.

Her eyes met Sienna's before she released Jane, and her look hardened in that moment. It was her way of shaking her head and telling Sienna that this wasn't over. She probably didn't even need to give her the look to know that the girl was on the same page as her, though. When Jane requested that someone come shopping with her, Sienna surprisingly brushed past the question and changed the subject to Piper's whereabouts. Sydney wasn't excited to see the redhead in the least bit, but she did appreciate that Sienna didn't take Jane up on the offer to go shopping, since the pair frequently did that together.

Connor showed up right after the girls had finished hugging, and luckily, he didn't stick around long. She offered him a grateful smile as he handed her a drink, but was surprised when he offered Sienna two cups as well. Since when did he take orders from anyone besides her? It bothered Sydney, but she did her best to act unfazed. That was something she would have to deal with later. For now, they had a big enough problem and if she and Sienna were in agreement on one thing, she wasn't going to ruin that for someone as trivial as Connor.

"I don't have time to go shopping." It was true. Sydney would probably spend much of the afternoon making sure that everything was going to be perfect that night. Even if she was going to have a spare hour or two, it wouldn't be nearly long enough to shop with Jane. After years of knowing the girl, she knew that if there was one thing that Jane could focus on, it was shopping. It could take hours for her to get through a department store and not only did Sydney not have the time or patience for that tonight, she wasn't going to give in to Jane like that. Winning back Sydney's trust and friendship wasn't that easy. She looked Jane over for what felt like a while, and then glanced back towards the steps, expecting to see Piper appear at any moment. She didn't know if Jane would even have a chance to answer before Piper appeared, but she was going to take the chance. Sienna was usually the dramatic one, but this morning Sydney just couldn't keep up this facade. "Are you going to explain yourself, or do you expect us to just pretend like you didn't disappear all summer?" Sydney's expression was blank but her eyes were focused on Jane, who she expected to lie. It didn't matter though, because they knew the truth, and even if she was going to follow Sienna's direction and just ask like they believed whatever lie she wanted to give them, she wanted to see Jane squirm. She deserved it.

Just as she expected, there was barely any time after she finished speaking before Piper appeared. Sydney's gaze shifted towards her, but her expression remained stone cold. She didn't respond to her inquiry about their summers. Not only did she not care to share her summer experiences with Piper, but she also knew that the girl didn't care. Just as much as Piper probably knew that Sydney hated her, she knew that Piper wasn't her biggest fan either. Which was a shame, really. Piper could have made a nice minion for her. "We were just on our way in," she said, now acknowledging Piper. It wasn't true, but she wasn't going to let Piper dictate their plans. "Ready girls?" Her eyes were now mostly focused on Sienna. Even she realized how strange it was that she was making Sienna her right hand man today, but as of this morning, she seemed to be the most genuine friend there.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Piper Vine

0.00 INK

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There was consolation in Sydney's allowance of a hug, even if she did seem reluctant. The pinch to her side made Jane wince, not so much at actual pain from Sydney's touch, but because she wasn't comfortable with her body being grabbed. It was one thing to be hugged. Jane was a physical, touchy-feely person and was usually the one throwing herself onto people, but to have her skin, or what she would refer to as her "fat", acknowledged and grabbed made her grimace. She had to brush it off as Sydney just being Sydney, because Jane had no idea that she and Sienna knew about her body image issues, but it still made her uncomfortable. Maybe she deserved that, though. The amount of guilt she felt for abandoning her friends all summer and having to lie to them was untold, but she wasn't going to stop. She couldn't.

Although she got the hug she asked for, Sydney was quick to reject her shopping invitation. Even Sienna seemed to be bothered by her. Jane, normally obtuse, picked up on how Sienna brushed past her invitation for a shopping trip and asked where Piper was. She frowned at both of their reactions and anxiously ran her fingers through her ponytail. "She needed to take a call, I think," she replied in a lower and more distracted tone. Her eyes, no longer shielded by her sunglasses were looking past Sienna and Sydney in search of Piper. Jane might had been the biggest Piper-advocate in the group, and she had never wished for her presence more than now. At least if she were here, Sydney would have someone to hate more than her. Plus, Piper would side with her even if both of the other girls had magically formed a bond strong enough to gang up on her.

Piper didn't show up fast enough because just as Jane thought that she was in the clear of having to face an interrogation before the assembly, Sydney cut to the chase. "Are you going to explain yourself, or do you expect us to just pretend like you didn't disappear all summer?" Her best friend's tone was cold and if she wasn't listening, it could have been mistaken for the voice she would use to address Piper, or an underclassman who might have accidentally bumped into her in the hallway. She froze. What was she supposed to say?! Sydney's expression was probably blank, but Jane's mind talked it up as if the blonde was shooting daggers at her. She glanced at Sienna, hoping that maybe she would step in and change the subject, but her expression looked like she was expecting an honest answer just as much as Sydney.

"My mom and I were in A-" She was a second away from blurting out the completely unrealistic excuse of a story that she and her mother had spent the summer in Africa volunteering in some poor, off the grid village, when God answered her prayers. Piper. Jane's expression changed from that of a deer in headlights to one of utter relief. She instantly broke eye contact from Sienna and Sydney and made a blatant attempt to keep it away from them. Sydney's priorities seemed to shift, at least temporarily, to one-upping Piper, as she responded to the girl's innocent suggestion that they head inside by claiming that they were already planning on doing that. Jane was more willing to join the group heading inside, and pressed herself closer to Piper, her new closest alliance, when doing so. The welcome back presentations were always boring enough to nearly put Jane to sleep, but she was more than eager to be forced to sit in silence for hours if it meant that no one could question her. She had avoided the confrontation for now, and that was enough for her in the moment.

As they walked in, she could barely focus on the tons of familiar faces around her, when the girls closest to her seemed to hate her. Jane was being dramatic, since even she knew that if Sienna or Sydney actually hated her, there was no way they would be walking into the school with her, but there was no denying that their interactions had been cold. Sydney was probably going to be a lost cause until they actually had a chance to speak alone, which Jane was more than happy to avoid for now, but maybe she could get Sienna back on her team. Despite being only a few feet away, she shot her a quick text, knowing that Sydney would probably shoot down the attempt if it was at all verbal.

To: Sienna
Omg why does she hate me?

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Hailey Neilson Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Piper Vine Character Portrait: Vincent Mast Character Portrait: Connor Harkins Character Portrait: Charlotte H. Buchanan Character Portrait: Dustin Sanderson

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Sienna couldn't help but soften her expression more at the dejected look in Jane's eyes when she didn't contend to going along with their shopping antics like usual. That had not been out of being mean and she was used to mostly speaking her thoughts. Which had not happened, surprisingly, which was why Sienna realized that this was a serious matter at hand. She usually would have hissed out of frustration that Jane was late or had (if that had been the case) that the wench had left them high and dry - again. She would have been fuming and not even the espresso-infused cup of chocolate she was going to receive from Connor would have satiated her hunger for something. However, this was Jane and well, Sienna held many grudges over the years, like when she made it very clear that one of the group's favorite little minions, Claire, would never be invited to any of her parties without at least some sucking up for an entire week because the girl had slept with Vincent last year. But Jane wasn't a minion or some girl who had wronged her like the one she was currently siding with. And Sienna couldn't be mean to her, not forever.

When Connor came, Sienna offered him a very bright smile of appreciation and would have given him his money for the drinks had he not immediately set to leaving. The warmth from both beverages, which now took up both of her hands, felt good against her skin and she took a sip of her own, allowing the salty flake to melt in the warmth of chocolate, espresso and caramel.

She was just about to explain to Jane that she had studio time and would have loved to spend time with her though when Sydney cut right to the chase. Sienna sharply turned to Sydney, a bit taken aback but not surprised by Sydney's refusal to allow the lies to continue. Understanding that the situation called for it, Sienna turned back to face Jane fully, shifting on her feet idly when Jane appeared ready to give some kind of answer. However, Piper's voice cut in over their favorite brunette's and the annoyance of both blondes was probably tangible. Or, at least, it was visible on Sienna's face, if only for a few seconds. Unlike Sydney, Sienna didn't not like Piper. Piper was pretty cool and between Sydney and Piper sometimes, Sienna liked the redhead just a bit more because Sydney had the capacity to push Sienna towards violence. However, considering the fact that there were no such inclinations at the moment and the fact the redhead (though unwittingly) disrupted a serious situation, Sienna was not exactly a fan of Piper at the moment. Not that it kept her from greeting her. Besides, Sienna didn't just turn away a compliment! "Oh, thanks, sweetie," she replied cheerily, rearranging her bag on her shoulder. "Yeah, I think summer was pretty good. There were a good number of revelations," Sienna stated, looking directly at Jane for a minute before returning her gaze to Piper with a salacious wink. "And a whole lot more fun that I can't wait to talk about later." It was probably mean of her to keep Jane on her toes, but it was too late to take it back.

When Piper inquired of them heading inside, it was as if Sydney had called to her without words because Sienna's gaze immediately went to the queen bee without question. She nodded discreetly and set to following Sydney as the girls headed inside. It was still a surprise that they had not clashed on anything yet, though Sienna was not privy to accepting this standstill. She was too used to Sydney's underhanded jabs and sly words to truly feel at ease in her presence. At the same time, they were on the same team at the moment. Granted, their reasoning and ways of interpreting the situation was different. Sydney felt like it was a personal stab for Jane to not tell her, Sienna thought it may have been indicative of how Jane truly felt. That maybe she didn't trust neither Sydney nor Sienna enough with her illness. Like with anyone who had a different sexuality, background or disease, the person deciding to tell you would only make that decision if they thought you were trustworthy and that they could allow themselves to be vulnerable with you. Sienna may not have truly vented to Jane about the true extents of her feelings towards Vincent and their separation (not to mention Sydney's involvement in it) or even to the girls about her woes with her mother, but surely they had been friends, right? Jane should have been able to trust her and yet, she had not and Sienna was angry only because, damn...she thought they were better than that. Maybe it was still selfish or even spoke to Sienna's own insecurities, but it was all too complicated at the moment to contemplate any further.

At the moment, while she heard her phone ping at receiving a text message, she couldn't rearrange the drinks to answer it. It was only when they had gotten inside, though not that far in, that Sienna saw Hailey still with Vincent and a few friends. Pleased, Sienna was the first to break from the group to get to the others a bit faster. "Hey, guys!" she exclaimed, forgetting all about Sydney and Charlotte not getting along at the moment. She smiled at Hailey while handing her fellow singer her drink. "Seems I've caught up with you. I hope someone," she eyed Vincent surreptitiously, "didn't give you a hard time." Turning to Charlotte, Sienna beamed. "Morning, Madam President." She said, giving Charlotte a sideways hug in pursuit of her phone.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Hailey Neilson Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Piper Vine Character Portrait: Vincent Mast Character Portrait: Connor Harkins Character Portrait: Charlotte H. Buchanan

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Walking into Contance Billard brought the same reaction from classmates that it did every year on the first day. Younger girls, if they dared, would wave or say hello to Sydney and the others, sometimes to be awarded with a response and other times to be ignored. Boys would stare, sometimes audibly making fun of their friends for gawking so obviously. And their group of four would walk in with heads held high, knowing that they owned the school. This year, that was much easier since they were definitely at the top of the food chain now. They were seniors. This was their year. Sydney would have preferred to come into it with Jane and Sienna on her side, and she couldn't have been more surprised that out of the two of them, it was Sienna that she was preferring in the moment. She wouldn't have minded if Piper had fallen off the face of the earth this summer too and never returned, but even if Sydney wouldn't admit it, Piper's beauty didn't hurt their group. It probably helped it, if anything.

Sydney liked to be selective with who she socialized with in public. She had enemies, that was for sure, but many of her poor relationships consisted of her acting friendly to the person to their face and attempting to ruin them behind their back. She didn't genuinely like most of the people who came up to greet her that morning, and was far from Sienna's level of friendly, even towards the people that she did sometimes socialize with. She sipped her coffee as she watched Sienna separate from them and run over to Connor, Charlotte, Vincent and Hailey. She hoped that Piper would follow. Sydney and Piper were far from friends and she was sure that Piper liked Sienna better than Jane anyway. If Jane dared to distance herself though, Sydney would have snapped. She was already waiting for her friend's response from her earlier question, but figured that she had made her point enough earlier than to bring it up again. Besides, as far as Jane knew, Sydney had far more important things to worry about than whatever "vacation" she went on.

"Ask Nicole to pick you up something to wear while we're here," she said in a tone that came closer to an order than a suggestion. Remembering Sienna's earlier thought that Jane might end up skipping out on school, Sydney wouldn't have been surprised if she skipped out on the party too, claiming that she had nothing to wear and couldn't come. While Sydney had enough minions to go around, she wasn't going to spend her night with them. They weren't real friends, and even she knew that her good streak with Sienna wasn't going to last forever. It would only be a matter of time before the two were back at each other's throats, probably initiated by Sydney too. "I'm wearing black, so you can wear white." Sydney had decided on wearing black as soon as she chose the party's theme, but had only just decided that she wanted Jane in white. Maybe because she knew that Jane probably would have opted for black on her own, since everyone claims to look thinner in black. Maybe just because she liked the control that she could exert over Jane. Both Sienna and Piper had too big of mouths to let her demand them around in such a way, although that didn't stop her from doing so occasionally.

She was going to let Jane think their conversation about her summer was over for now, she decided definitely. Her attention had flitted towards the group that Sienna had joined, and her eyes locked onto Vincent's form. She didn't know if she would be audacious enough to go through with it later on, but he was looking good enough for her to want a repeat of their July 4th night together. Her guard fell for a few seconds but she quickly snapped her head back to Jane when she felt like she had been looking for too long. "Where's Sebastian?" It was completely random but she needed some change of topic to cover up for what she felt like was her being obviously googly eyed at Vincent.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Charlotte H. Buchanan

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Piper Vine
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Piper could see how Jane relaxed some at her presence. Sydney must've asked something very direct already. That and the brief look of annoyance of Sienna's face at her arrival. But oh well. Something told Piper that Jane may need her this first day of school. Sienna was rightfully upset, but like always, Piper thought that Sydney's anger about this past summer was coming from some place less genuine. At Sydney's sudden 'take charge' statement, Piper turned her head away from the girls so she could roll her eyes at Sydney's reaction. 'Is she that intimidated by me?' Piper couldn't help but smirk at the thought. Though Piper was jealous of Sydney for her wealth, she thinks that Sydney is intimidated by her looks. Whatever it wasn't really her concern at the moment.

While the foursome headed inside, Piper noticed Connor and Dustin along with a couple of other people. A large grin tugged at the corner of the redheads lips as she saw one of her good friends. It really has been too long since she has last seen him. She wondered how he was doing, since he often confided in her. Piper also couldn't help but see Charlotte in the group as well. 'Seriously they need to just date. Look how cute they look together! I just need to try and get him from under Sydney's mediocre manicured nails. Seriously look at how cute Charlotte is! The girl clearly has some goals for her to be class president. Plus she has the whole southern thing going on'. Piper turned to look at Jane, who was sticking closer to her than usual, and smiled. "We should go and say high to them." Just as soon as she finished her sentence, Sienna was the first to break away and talk to the group across the way.

Charlotte and Sydney didn't get along whatsoever, so Piper thought it was interesting how Sienna was so ready to break away from the group. Definitely something that she would put towards the back of her mind for now. Piper decided to wait to talk to Connor until after the assembly. She wanted to have a decent conversation not a short one. "Scratch that. We should go to the assembly first." Piper spoke, even though she heard Sydney ask about Vincent. However, she felt like making the blonde mad. Piper linked arms with Jane and grinned. "My feet are killing me already. I need to sit down." Without waiting to see if Jane would agree with her or not, she started pulling the girl along. "Oh, and we should go shopping later because I need something to wear tonight. Something that says 'hello peasants your queen has arrived' type of ensemble." Piper started to wave dramatically as if she was the queen of England. "It's a new year so I need to make a splash. Also I think you should get something for tonight as well. Sure Sydney wants you to wear white, but in my personal opinion you should wear something that makes a statement as well." Piper was clearly trying to make her own statement to Sydney, that this year she wasn't going to hold back as much as she did before.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Hailey Neilson Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Piper Vine Character Portrait: Sebastian Huntington Jr.

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Sebastian's phone buzzed with an incoming text as his driver pulled up to the front gates of Constance Billards. Fishing out his phone from his jeans pocket, Sebastian read both of Jane's texts and smiled, getting out of the car to go and find Jane in the courtyard.
However, just as he began making his way over to her, Jane walked into the school building with Sydney and some of her other friends. Rolling his eyes ever so slightly, Sebastian continues to follow them in. Jane obviously wasn't feeling very patient this morning as she hadn't bothered to wait for him - Regardless of her being the one who texted him to meet up.

Brushing it off, Sebastian surveys the other people arriving at the school and notices Lee. Stopping just in front of him to say hello, Sebastian stands there in silence for a split second, forgetting about what happened, before remembering and awkwardly moving on. His cheeks hot. Well that was more than just a little embarrassing. Taking a deep breath in an attempt to clear his head, Sebastian walks to the large doors that lead into the building and pushes them open, letting them swing shut behind him.

Inside, small clusters of people stood in the hallways, all chatting and laughing. Sebastian smiled slightly at the familiar sight; despite abhorring the academic side of school, Sebastian loved how social it was and had missed seeing all of his friends daily.

Seeing Jane, Sydney and Piper all standing together, Sebastian is about to make his way over before sensing the tension between the three of them. He wasn't too sure what had happened, but he assumed that he wasn't the only one Jane neglected to tell her plans to before vanishing this Summer, and while he may forgive her immediately, Sebastian knew Sydney was a lot harder to win over.
Deciding that if this was the case, Jane might want his support, Sebastian begins walking over to the three of them. Before he is stopped in his tracks by the sight of familiar blonde hair.

Was that Hailey? No it didn't make sense, she didn't go to Constance, and besides it wasn't like Hailey was the only blonde in the world. In fact, since Syndey's rise in popularity, the amount of (fake) blondes in the school had become overwhelming, all styling their hair like hers in the hopes to be just as popular as Sydney Vale.

Thinking that he may as well know for sure if it is, in fact, Hailey. Sebastian walks over to where the blonde stood, her head turned away from him. The girl then moves her head to look around at everyone and Sebastian gets a glimpse of her face. It was definitely Hailey.
Still confused but also incredibly happy, Sebastian lets out an excited "Hailey!" as he pulls the girl he hasn't seen for months and months into an embrace.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Piper Vine Character Portrait: Vincent Mast Character Portrait: Sebastian Huntington Jr. Character Portrait: Connor Harkins Character Portrait: Charlotte H. Buchanan Character Portrait: Dustin Sanderson

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Sienna winked back at Charlotte for their ever-present nickname exchange just as she finally reached her phone. She took a sip of her coffee before peering down at her phone, a small smile flitting across her face at the sight of a message from Isabella. She really wanted to see the brunette before they all went their separate ways, but her schedule probably wouldn't permit it. While Jane and Piper may have had time to blow and Sydney might very well make be making sure that everything was perfect for the party tonight - which Sienna had no problem with since she was exactly the same way - but Sienna did not have that luxury. She had to be prepared for school while also getting out music, which was always a hassle. And it infringed on a lot of her free time and she was pretty sure she was going develop an actual addiction to coffee in the near future, if she wasn't already addicted now.

Her eyes moved over to Jane and Piper as they disconnected from Sydney somewhat, watching the brunette with a smile still on her face. Sienna's habit of holding grudges just could not last - not when it came to Jane. And if there was one thing that she and her friend shared in common other than their loves for fashion and partying, it was their emotions. They felt things too deeply, far less composed than the icy queen bee. Granted, Sienna had her moments where she could be quietly vengeful and exchanging underhanded digs were just like second nature, but even she could not always hold it together. So, she was unsurprised by Jane's thinking that Sydney hated her. She just didn't want her to think that it was actually fact. Which was why she decided to text her back.

To: Jane
Nobody hates u, J. We all need 2 talk. No running. I can stall 4 the nite but its important.

Sienna returned her attention to the group, nodding to Hailey absentmindedly when the new girl thanked her for her drink. Her eyes, without much restraint, fell back on Vincent. She didn't mean to look at him, didn't mean to allow her gaze to rake over him in appreciation as she did. Definitely not little Vince anymore, her brain decided to taunt her, which was completely necessary because Sienna had noticed the change. Oh, she had noticed. Had taken all of this into account over the years - how much more lean he became, how his jaw line suddenly became more defined, how - no matter what - his eyes were still the same shade of blue...

Her gaze immediately sought out Sydney only for her lips to form a small smile. Just before Sydney's mask slipped back on, Sienna had seen it. Hunger. Appreciation. Entitlement. Lust. Perhaps the "entitlement" part was simply Sienna feeling suddenly bitchy, but she couldn't help it. She had to look away, concentrating on Hailey who said they should probably head inside and Charlotte who more than readily agreed. She should have known this would happen. She and Sydney could never truly get along, not unless this Vincent thing was out in the open. It was probably highly irrational for her to be as upset and despite any efforts on her part, the conflicted emotions were probably evident on her face. She didn't have a hold on Vincent anymore. He had made that clear when he wound up in bed with Sydney when they were still dating and even when he slept with another girl nearly a day or so after they officially broke up. That thought didn't, however, rid of her of the jealousy brewing inside of her.

"You're right. We should go before the Head comes out and throws a bitch fit," she said monotonously, hating herself for the edge still in her voice. She stepped away from the group then, not afraid to break away from her clique. Unlike Sydney and sometimes the others, Sienna had no problem with identifying herself with other groups. Her life revolved around remaining as open as possible, partly because she had always been friendly but also as a marketing tool. Her face and voice made her marketable, the curvy body she was growing into made her even more marketable, but it was her personality that truly sold everything. Besides, when she needed a break from her friends - when something Sydney did made her emotions all the more visible and barely contained - a refresher like talking to the girl from her biology class was sure to do the trick. However, she did not come in alone and turned back to call for Hailey only for the blonde to be engulfed in a tight hold.

Sienna almost dropped her coffee.

When she and Sebastian had hooked up last year, it had been more out of the heat of the moment than actual feelings. Which Sienna had felt just a bit bad for after the fact. She hated meaningless flings and sleeping around. It was a waste of time and sure, it sounded fun. She just didn't do it as often as people thought she did. However, once their fling fizzled or perhaps they simply both agreed to let it pass, she hadn't seen him again. She had heard Sydney and Jane in conversation talk about this elusive "Sebastian" figure plenty of times, and she was sure the others knew him as well. But when it came down to particular events, Sienna would have a prior engagement her mother and manager planned out, and she would always miss this figure. She had been beginning to think he didn't exist...

...until she saw Hailey being wrapped in familiar arms. Arms Sienna herself had been enveloped in. She gulped audibly, biting her lower lip as she took in the excited expression on Sebastian's face. He had been attractive back then and by God, he was gorgeous now! All tall, curly hair and pretty-eyed and she could remember why her team had chosen him as her faux boyfriend for the music video they chose. Her heart was thumping against her ribcage madly and she prayed like hell the others wouldn't notice the actual nervousness creeping onto her face. At the same time, she had to clarify - had to make this not be awkward.

"Sebastian?" She questioned, taking a step back towards him and Hailey.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Vincent Mast

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Outfit || Hair

Sydney's six-story townhouse was definitely large enough for entertaining big groups of people but tonight, it didn't feel like it. She wasn't known by her peers for her mental breakdowns, but only because she never had them in public. To balance that out, she tended to be a wreck behind closed doors when situations were stressful and now, as she barked orders at the party staff and stormed between floors, she felt like her house couldn't be any smaller. It was seven thirty and although her hair and makeup were already finished, she wasn't dressed yet. In fact, she was still in a pair of Vincent's lacrosse team sweatpants and a tank top, and that was the last thing she wanted her friends, specifically Sienna, to walk in on her wearing. Although she still had time before people would begin show up, she still felt like she had so much to do. In reality, everything was already taken care of. It had been for weeks, and the staff her grandfather had hired to wait, clean and assist at the party had arrived at three o'clock just to insure that everything would be ready, no matter how many things Sydney decided to alter last minute.

Normally, Sydney would have insisted that at least Jane come over an hour or so before the party. She never invited the girls over too early, since she wasn't even comfortable with them seeing her as emotional as she sometimes got during the party preparation, but she liked to get dressed with them. Compliment each other on their hair and makeup, ask where they bought their dresses and switch heels last minute when one decided that the other's matched their outfit better. It was one of the more normal, teenage girl things that the excessively privileged girls got to do together and Sydney genuinely enjoyed it. Granted, her role was generally the one nixing a suggested outfit that Sienna brought along because she secretly thought she would look too attractive in it, or forcing Jane to wear shorter heels because she already felt tiny standing next to her. Tonight, she hadn't extended that invite, though. Sienna had mentioned that she needed to work on her music after the assembly ended, Sydney wasn't in the mood to deal with Jane on her own, and it never even crossed her mind to invite Piper alone. Not like the girl would have wanted to come any more than Sydney wanted her to be there, though. Besides, she thought she had overheard her and Jane talking about shopping.

With less than an hour before her guests were scheduled to arrive, Sydney finally decided on a black Herve Leger dress and simple black Gucci heels as her attire for the night. The dress wasn't completely modest but at the same time, not too revealing. She would leave the hooker-look open for Sienna. Still, she wanted to look good. Her tan was still fresh from many days laying out on the beach and she couldn't let that go to waste, especially since earlier that day, her attraction to Vincent had suddenly vamped up a level. Maybe she was just feeling territorial since she was now having to deal with the unspoken Sienna competition again, though.

She was still in her bedroom, nitpicking her reflection in the mirror, when the intercom speaker rang. "Miss Vale, some of your guests are here." She didn't recognize the woman's voice to thank her by name, so she only responded with an, "okay, let them in." This year, she had expanded her guest list to include more people in her class. She didn't like many of them and had no intentions of befriending them, but after years of probably hoping to make it onto her guest list, she figured she would do something nice and let them in for her last one. Maybe she was egotistical, but she wasn't completely heartless. She was sure that these people arriving on time, or as she checked her phone, three minutes prior to nine, were some of those people that she couldn't care less about. That, or some of the few underclassmen that she had invited who were too eager for their own good. She didn't find it necessary to rush downstairs, especially since none of her friends had texted her that they were on their way yet.

The fifth and sixth floors of the townhouse consisted of private quarters: her bedroom, her grandfather's, her mother's, seven spare bedrooms and her grandfather's office. The fourth floor was almost completely occupied by a large library that Sydney rarely stepped foot in, and a home theater that sat forty viewers. Although the top three floors were looking as elegant as always, the party was only scheduled to take place on the lower three. The third floor had been designed for entertaining and tonight had been transformed into a club vibe, with black lights throughout the entire level, a DJ mix table on one side of the room, and the rest of the space left open for dancing. By the time Sydney passed through at 9:10 or so, the floor was already occupied by a fair number of people. She stopped briefly to speak with a few younger girls who were gushing about how excited they were to be there, and then to a few guys from the Collegiate School, another private academy in the city. Despite how attractive one of them was, and how she could feel him eyeing her more than usual, she couldn't keep her attention on him for too long. Her thoughts kept wandering back to Vincent, and wondering whether he was there yet or not. She doubted it. He was always late to her parties. The pretty boy liked to make an entrance, she reminded herself with a roll of her eyes.

As she proceeded down to the second floor, which normally consisted of her living room, dining room, and the kitchen the servers used when they were having dinner parties, she found more people. This floor was more intimate than the one above it, and while the music was loud enough to still be heard, it wasn't blaring. There were couches, tables, and a large bar set up on on one wall. It wasn't very necessary, though, since in addition to it, there were tens of waiters walking around with different black and white themed drinks. She had prepared a long list of drinks to be served, but didn't put much thought into which one she was actually going to drink tonight, since she accepted a drink from the first server that passed by. It was a pure shot of Blavod black vodka. Although the sober Sydney preferred mixed drinks, the burning sensation in her throat distracted her from how annoyed she was that one of the males on the other side of the room thought that navy blue was equivalent to black. She would have one of the bouncers that were checking names in the foyer address the young man about that later, but for now, she had guests to socialize with.

She was good at being fake. It was an acquired skill and after years of doing it, she was the master at perfectly-bright smiles accompanied by underhand digs or back-stabbing actions. She could pretend to listen to sophomores go on and on about where they bought their dress and how much it cost, before turning around and starting a conversation with someone new while they were mid-sentence. She didn't care about most people enough to be genuine, or at least most people that were here so far. Although Sydney frequently opted for late arrivals to parties, she was annoyed that none of her friends had shown their faces yet. She hoped, for their sake mostly, that they were just mixed in with the crowd somewhere. Just in case, she would text them.

To: Sienna, Jane
You know it's only okay to show up late to a party when i'm not hosting it.

To: Vincent
Keep in mind that the dress code is black or white. No coral pants tonight.

She had purposely opted for the group chat she had with Sienna and Jane rather than the one that included Piper. After she had snatched Jane away from her this morning, Sydney had seriously considered revoking Piper's invitation, but she couldn't be that catty. At least not for such a public party. She hated Piper, completely hated her, but she had to at least try to maintain the image that their friend group was tight. It took more thought on whether or not she should send the message to Vincent, but she did. It wasn't flirty or desperate or too thought out, she insisted to herself as she hit 'send'.

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Piper Vine Character Portrait: Sebastian Huntington Jr.

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Appearance

Piper was the only one who had agreed to go shopping with Jane after the morning assembly, but she readily took her up on the offer. They spent a couple of hours parading through department stores and smaller boutiques. Jane bought multiple potential dresses from every store they stopped in, but no matter how many outfits she tried on and purchased, she wasn't able to find one that really felt right. All of them were white, the color Sydney had demanded she wear, and normally, Jane wouldn't have thought too far into the color. She liked white, at least before labor day, but today she was feeling exceptionally self conscious about her body. Black would compliment her frame much better and maybe hide the ten pounds she had gained over the summer.

She had dropped Piper off before the redhead could suggest that they stop and get lunch and only minutes after returning home, had fallen back asleep. The stress of her morning, the interactions with Sydney and Sienna, and her clothing crisis, were definitely wearing on her. She wouldn't admit it, but her zero-calorie intake for the day wasn't helping easier. Months ago, it wasn't difficult for her to get through the day on a couple hundred calories. However, the program that she had been in had reintroduced her body to nutrition and now that it was used to being fed properly, it didn't want to stop. Sleeping was the only way to shut those cravings down, but when she woke up hours later to the sound of knocking on her door, the hunger pangs crept right back up on her.

"Your father wants you to eat with us tonight, Jane." Being woken up by Nicole twice in one day was doing nothing to help the hatred that Jane already had for her stepmother. She ignored the continuous knocks, glad that she had remembered to lock her door before passing out earlier. After a few similar comments, the knocking subsided but Jane couldn't go back to sleep anyway. It was eight o'clock and she had to get ready for Sydney's party. She had only managed to change out of the outfit she had put on earlier and into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt when the pestering knocks returned. The voice on the other side of the door was different this time though. It was her father's. "Jane , vous avez besoin de se asseoir et manger avec nous ce soir." He wasn't being nasty and he didn't sound upset, but just the fact that she was going to be forced to sit down and eat dinner with them pissed her off. She expected it, but part of her hoped that she would be able to come home to the careless and work-obsessed father that had raised her. "Je sais! Je me habillais. Je ai dit à Nicole je serais en bas dans une minute. Dieu, vous deux sont tellement agaçante!" She insisted that she had told Nicole that she was on her way down, which was a lie, but her father probably knew that already. Her answer was bratty, something that probably would have resulted in a fiery reaction from a normal parent, but Adrian was satisfied enough that she wasn't going to argue about eating to brush it off.

Minutes later, she appeared in the dining room, apparently looking like she had just rolled out of bed because her appearance seemed to garner a reaction in Nicole. Her eyebrow quirked and Jane was sure that she saw the woman smirk, but it might have just been her need to find something to hate about her. "Comment vous sentez-vous?" Maybe her dad noticed her pale and tired expression too, because he asked her how she was feeling as soon as she sat down. It was an impossible question to answer, or at least it would have been impossible for her to answer without bursting into tears. She was tired, her head was pounding, she was still sure that Sydney hated her even after Sienna denied it, she didn't even think that Sienna liked her anymore after she rejected a shopping trip, she was going to look disgusting in white, and now she was being forced to eat in front of her father and evil stepmother. "Fine," she mumbled. Two servers brought out their plates only moments later, which Jane was grateful for because it meant that they could take a break from small talk, but which she resented in a greater amount for more obvious reasons.

"Nicole suggested we have penne alla vodka tonight. It's your favorite, right?" He had opted to speak in English now since Nicole wasn't as fluent in French as the Lynch's were, and he wanted Nicole to know that he was making an effort to unite his daughter and wife. He was right that it was one of her favorite meals, which made her hate Nicole even more. It would have been easy to take a few bites out of something that she disliked but especially since she was hungry, it was going to be hard not to clean her plate. "It was my favorite when I was like... ten," she replied, though her eyes were more focused on her plate than anything else. She didn't notice Nicole eyeing her father, reassuring him that he was doing his best and that at least she appreciated him.

By the time the meal was over and Jane was finally excused from the table, she had eaten half of the food on her plate which was a big step for her, but she was also craving alcohol. Enough alcohol where she would black out. In addition, there was no way she was wearing white. After all of those calories, she needed every bit of help to disguise her growing frame.

To: Piper
Ur right. I'm gonna wear black tn. Syd won't care that much right??

Her closet was filled with clothes that had never been worn. She usually purged the items after each season and allowed her father to donate them to auctions, knowing she would never wear something from a past season. She was glad that she hadn't had a chance to do that before leaving for Illinois last spring, because at least now she still had some black items to work with. After a bit of searching, she paired a black hemmed mini skirt with a long-sleeved off the shoulder top, and black pointed pumps. She put on minimal makeup and straightened her hair since she was keeping it down.

It was almost 9:10 when Jane pulled up in front of Sydney's building, but she had her driver park around the block. She wasn't going in yet, especially after a text from Sydney suggested that Sienna wasn't there yet either. She couldn't go in first. Not with Sydney on her case about the summer, and especially not now that she wasn't wearing the correct color.

To: Jane, Sienna
Are either of you here yet?

To: Sebastian
Are you at Syd's?!?!

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Sydney Vale Character Portrait: Sienna Alvarez Character Portrait: Jane Lynch Character Portrait: Isabela Monroe Character Portrait: Piper Vine

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When Sienna finally awoke again, it was just a few minutes pass seven and she could honestly care less about anything other than the cloud she called a mattress. Seriously, if the assembly - which was not long at all, to be completely honest - had not already drained her just by having been made mandatory for all students, then the four hours she spent in the studio after that had done a number on her. In order to achieve her goal of getting the tape released on the due date she specified, it required that she be done with two of her songs before the month was out. So, the majority of her afternoon had been spent going back-and-forth between the isolation booth and the control room, working with looping and different modifications that would fit the sound she wanted to accomplish. As much as she loved her career and the many opportunities it brought her, to say Sienna had been glad to leave was an understatement.

After that, it had been around three in the afternoon and she did have time to actually check in with Jane to see if she and Piper were still shopping. After all, Sydney wouldn't be there and the last thing Sienna needed was for Sydney to even think about telling her what to wear for the party. She would be damned. Still, shopping had been the last thing on her mind and when Esmee proposed a relaxing spa day at Caudalie at the Plaza, Sienna was all for it. It was one of her favorite places and relaxation was the only way she was going to not skip out on Sydney's party. That and the fact that she honestly did not feel like arguing with the other blonde yet. They had actually started their day out on a good note, which was a refresher. Once there, Sienna decided on the whole nine yards. She had wanted a Pulp Friction Massage which included the use of fresh grapes, leaving her skin cocooned in a long-lasting softness that she absolutely loved. She also got the Grand Facial along with both a manicure and pedicure, leaving her to walk out of the establishment with a satisfied belly due to the wine and snacks provided and an equally sated body. Which had made itself very comfortable on her bed the second the girls returned. It was almost tempting to claim sick and remain in her current state, donning only a tank top and sweatpants.

"Are you serious right now?" Esmee exclaimed, walking into Sienna's bedroom as if she owned the place. The singer curled away from her sister, pulling her blanket over her head. Esmee sighed, hands on her hips, before a smirk formed. Deviously, she bounced on top of the bed, landing directly on top of her sister to which Sienna whined. Esmee sighed again, this time more dramatically, as she sprawled on top of her big sister's covered form. "Come on, Sia! The sky is awake, so now I'm awake, and now we have to play." She recited the lines from Frozen almost verbatim and Sienna, despite pretending to sob out of pain, couldn't help but chuckle. "Go away, Ana." Esmee laughed and tugged at the blankets Sienna used as a shield. "No! I am not missing my first Upper East Side party because you're feeling lazy," she stated in a matter-of-fact tone and Sienna rolled her eyes in response. "Besides, you promised you'd do my makeup and my hair, and I can't just show up without one of the hottest party girls in New York." Like always, Esmee knew exactly what to say to get her big sister moving and as Sienna would tell anyone, flattery could get them anywhere! A slow smirk flitted across Sienna's face. "I am pretty hot, aren't I?" Esmee groaned and rolled her eyes before shoving a pillow in the senior's face. "Just get up and take a shower."

Luckily for Sienna, she had already decided upon her outfit for the evening. So, she was allowed to take her twenty minute shower while Esmee rummaged through her closet looking for just the right dress. Not that Esmee didn't have a closet of her own and Sienna didn't already give her clothes on a regular basis or anything. "You're your own boutique," she had once told the pop star when Sia fake-complained. When she emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered and reeking of her signature jasmine-vanilla scent, Esmee already had a white cocktail dress with lace designs situated on Sienna's bed along with a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti shoes Sienna had bought her for her birthday. Sienna could only smile fondly as the girl seemed distracted by her phone, giggling at whatever messages the brunette seemed to be exchanging with her friends via a group message tab. Shaking her head in amusement, Sienna walked into her closet where her ensemble for the evening lay waiting. Once Sydney had let it be known what the theme for her party was going to be, Sienna had been clear that she wasn't going to be confined by one color specifically. She didn't like the look of herself with all black on and while white was cute, it was rather plain. So, she had decided on a short white-and-black chic playsuit from Miss Selfridge. The plunging neckline and the fact that it clung to her bust line had her using only her invisible bra and its length showed off her second best feature - her long, sleek tanned legs. Pairing it with a strappy pair of Christian Louboutin's, Sienna knew she was going to be fire for the night. It was never a spoken competition, but she had always prided herself on at least beating Sydney at something and that was fashion. Sydney was the queen of the school, had seemingly perfect grades (that she didn't always earn herself, if honesty was still a thing), and everyone wanted her or wanted to be her. Surely, there had to be some middle ground - some position Sienna could take that would allow her some kind of reprieve in the perfection that was the queen bee. And fashion seemed to be that place.

"I hate you," Esmee said the second Sienna stepped out of the large closet. Sienna cocked her head to the side curiously, closing the doors behind her. Esmee's eyes raked over her sister's slim form, shaking her head all the while. "I really hate you sometimes. Like, who do you think you are sometimes?" The playful note on the end of her admiring looks left Sienna smiling a little sheepishly; she wasn't always used to the open admiration Esmee gave her sometimes and still didn't understand why Esmee wouldn't want to emulate Cynthia or Sydney more. Those two were absolute perfection and Sienna was a pretty mess. To cover up her own insecurities, however, Sienna painted on a haughty grin. "The greatest, duh!" Esmee exhaled dramatically at that and Sienna only chuckled, heading over to her vanity to get started on the rest of her appearance. Before deciding on jewelry or even her makeup, Sienna wanted to get her hair out of the way. Especially considering the fact that she had not thought of Esmee's look yet and was more than happy to allow her sister the time to raid her jewelry box and admire her petite frame in the mirror. As Esmee ran out to find some Givenchy earrings she thought would really pop with her outfit, Sienna was already twisting her long and thick hair at the back of her head. The waves at the end of her hair would need a slight touch-up with the curler, but the overall look was simple enough and done by the time Esmee returned to her bedroom. She hadn't even noticed one of her favorite songs playing through Esmee's Pandora station.

"Don't forget to have your phone fully charged in case you leave with your friends before me," Sienna reminded her baby sister as she sanitized her hands. She didn't typically allow herself to touch her face directly after working with her hair, opting to keep her skin as clear and as clean as possible. Especially after the nice facial she had earlier and the fact that she had just exfoliated this morning. The focus of her makeup was more on the sexy red lip, provided by NYX. It made her naturally tanned skin stand out more and the dramatic eyeliner and mascara made her brown eyes pop even more. It made her look sexy and edgy, and she completed her look with several pieces of jewelry with accents of gold. The statement necklace was her overall favorite for the night. Satisfied with her look, Sienna whirled in her chair to face Esmee, who had just slid on her heels. Esmee whistled. "Remind me to let you do my wedding." A playful eyebrow rose as Sienna shot back, "Who said anyone else was gonna do it?" Before Esmee could come up with a retort, Sienna was quick to stand. "Just sit your tail in this chair so we can hurry up and go. I wouldn't be surprised if Sydney's already texted me."

It didn't take long to have Esmee's hair and makeup finished, the latter taking the longest. Sienna thought a sleek look for the night would suit her baby sister better and dramatic makeup in an otherwise drab - not that Esmee didn't look good, Sienna still had her reserves about wearing just white - attire just made Esmee stand out. After deeming their ensembles for the night acceptable, Sienna snatched up both her phone and her Chloe clutch, spritzed herself with her signature perfume, and then led Esmee out. Cynthia had gone out for a late show and dinner with her own group of friends, so she wouldn't see her two babies out. And well, Marcel would probably die if he saw the dress that only touched the middle of his youngest child's thighs and the neckline of his eldest daughter's attire, so it was probably a good thing that he was staying at his other place. It was around 9:10 when she decided to check her messages, their driver close to pulling up in front of Sydney's place. Already it was jam-packed, but Sienna was not worried. There had been too many times in the past where she had cut lines and tonight would not be the night that that changed. Besides, Sydney probably had expected her to be there on time and everyone knew Sienna didn't show up to things on time. At least, not parties. Anything else, she was more than prompt for. Also, she wasn't sure if Jane was there or not.

"Ready to do this, Minnie Me?" She asked, looking back at Esmee who had been wringing her hands. "Y-yeah, totally." Esmee sounded just a bit shaky now, considering the fact that their limo had pulled up right outside of the building where the line had formed for entry. Sienna only smirked and squeezed her sister's hand briefly, pulling her out of the limo when Sienna made her grand appearance. It wasn't really that grand, but the fact that the paparazzi seemed to be outside of the building only made it that much of a spectacle and Sienna could only grin cheekily, waving off her driver. Making sure that Esmee had gotten in despite a few Constance girls who had not gotten an invitation being there first, Sienna decided to send a few messages, opting to wait outside to see if she would have any of her friends coming in with her.

To: Sydney, Jane
Sister moments. Omw

To: Jane
I'm outside Syd's building. Where r u?

To: Piper
Where's my fave fashionista?

To: Isabela
U crashin dis party or nah?