Wealth, status, and beauty define the elite of Kensington Prep. Every one of them possesses the ability to get away with anything and everything they want, unscathed and remain as privileged and superior as ever.
But Amory Scout decides that tim...
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After dinner at Roko and half-off Mojitos at Belique, my stomach swells with the feeling of being extremely full, stuffed to the brim with vegan dynamite rolls, white rum, and soda water. It's such a concern for my food baby that as Parker dials for an Uber, Melissa and I make a break for the bathroom to check if our stomachs are bulging out in our figure-hugging dresses.
I stare at my reflection in the mirror. Surprisingly, my body is still intact despite stuffing myself full of food, sugar, and alcohol. While I don't have naturally big boobs like Luciana or a twenty-three-inch waist like Parker or a lean and mean body like Carmen, I have some pretty good curves leading from my doll waist to my slightly larger curves. My rear is the only thing I'm actually proud of. Nonetheless, I look Elite-material. Beverly Hills' tanned skin, hazel eyes, golden hair bleached to perfection where even the roots reflect a tawny halo colour, a heart-shaped face, and plump lips. I have to admit going blonde to fit into the agenda of Amory Scout is one of the best decisions I've ever made.
"You know I'm sort of surprised."
"Hmm?" I prompt as I reapply my Charlotte Tilbury lipstick, a shade which Luciana describes as 'guaranteed to get you any action, ten out of ten'.
Melissa tucks in a strand of dirty blonde hair behind her ear as she checks for any smudges. "That Carmen was so okay with you joining so fast," she says, "Especially without an Initiation."
I frown. "What do you mean?"
"Don't act stupid, Scout," Melissa snaps at me, "Everybody knows what it is. Initiation is a game you play and if you play it well, Carmen decides whether you're worthy or not to be part of the Elite."
"I've never heard of this game." Lies but pretenses have to be maintained.
"You'll see," Melissa muses. "Hopefully, your victim is a good choice. God forbid they do it to someone who doesn't deserve it."
"You say it like it's some sort of a secret society," I scoff, trying to be jokey but seriousness never strays from Melissa's pretty face.
"I'm serious, Scout. You're going to have to decide if it's worth all of it," Melissa advises as she dusts excessive blush away from her cheeks, coating it with some powder. "I know that it seems fantastic- but popularity comes at a price. And you have to decide what you are willing to sacrifice- your morals, your heart- in order to get it.
"Wow," is all I can say.
"I know," breathes Melissa. She turns to fully register me and chucks her compact into her makeup bag before sealing it back into her clutch. She pulls on a spare strand that has wandered away from my ponytail and smiles at me, genuinely, but I can see pieces of her flaking away; there are tears in her eyes and I wonder if she regretted being a foolhardy teenager in the past for trying so hard to get into the ranks of the Elite and now she can't get out. "Here, let me fix your hair."
