The Beverly Wilshire lobby was a hive thanks to Spring Break getting closer and closer with each week. Countless bell boys, celebrities, and wealthy business men were having a hassle with their luggage as they came in and out of elevators and doors.

However, Jac's eye was only on one bell boy in particular. Blake Evans was in the hotel's tacky red uniform near the glossy grey elevator doors, loading Louis Vuitton duffel bags on to a luggage cart. She took note of how his muscles seem to flex even through the thick fabric of his vest.

 Forcing herself to tear her eyes away from him, she went to the front desk - that was ran by a man who wasn't half as hot as the bell boy near the elevators - and got the number of her mother's hotel room.

Slipping on her J.Crew sunglasses - because she could care less about the unspoken rule of not wearing sunglasses inside - she made her way towards the elevator, passing Blake without even a glance his way.  

The small compartment quickly filled with posh mothers and their toddlers, celebrities and their bulky body guards, and men in Armani suits carrying suitcases. Jac felt the glance of every man on her as she pressed the button for her mother's floor and just as the elevator doors were about to close, a hand stopped them quickly.

Blake nearly bulldozed through the crammed elevator, rolling a luggage cart overloaded with designer bags inside, mumbling apologies as he went.

"Well, look whose here again, the girl who insulted my low income job." Jac turned to see him grinning at her.

"Uh, yeah, I'm really sorry about that," She said sheepishly, grimacing as she remembered her rude comment. "Its not your fault that you're a commoner - oh my gosh!"

Blake gasped, seeming appalled."You're literally the rudest person I've ever met."

Jac bit her lip, not knowing what else to say. She was meeting every criteria for the role of 'bitchy rich girl' at the moment. She reached for the handle of his luggage cart, only to have her hand brush against his. "Oh...um, I was going to help you with that."

Blake's appalling expression turned into an easy going smile. "I've got it. Ladies aren't supposed to do heavy lifting."

Jac tittered at that as the elevator doors eased open and everyone pushed past them, going left and right to their rooms.

"What room are you headed to?" Blake asked.

"Stalker much?" 

Blake frowned for just a moment. 'Can he not take a joke?' To ease the awkward moment, Jac told him her mother's room number. and he smiled again.

"These actually belong to the owner of that room." He said, gesturing to the designer bags on the cart.

"Yeah, that's my mom." Jac said, not caring that annoyance was dripping off her tone. She hadn't seen Eve or Jeffrey since the dinner. She figured they were both too horrified to talk to her but that was fine with Jac. However, her mother had made sure to leave a message on her phone, demanding Jac to meet her at the Beverly Wilshire and Jac was certain it was because she had come up with a ruthless punishment.

Blake followed close behind her, rolling the cart down the slightly crowded halls. "You don't seem to like her very much."

"I hate her guts."

"Pretty harsh."

"She's even worse." They stopped at the gold, mahogany door that blocked them from the evil dragon's slumber. Well, the dragon wasn't sleeping, she was apparently singing along to The Supremes.

"I saw Steve yesterday." Blake said, searching his vest pockets for the door key.

Jac always felt physically sick at the any mention of her used-to-be-best-gay-friend butler and the cringe worthy affair her father had committed. Sometimes, she considered the Felix children lucky. She'd rather have daddy issues than daddy-can't-keep-his-hands-to-himself issues anyday. "And?"

"I thought you'd want to know," Blake shrugged, finally pulling out a bronze key. "You seemed pretty interested in him a couple of weeks ago."

"Well what happened?"

"Apparently, he's moving to Hollywood to make a splash in the movie world."

Jac snickered. She knew Steve well enough to know that he was probably fleeing the city in case her father's secret spread any further.

"What did he do to you anyway?" Blake asked curiously.

Jac wasn't keen on telling any strangers - especially peasants -  about her business. Even if they did have nice hair and pretty eyes.  "It's best to just drop it. Whats done is done." To stop any further questions, she reached for the doorknob.

"Wait!" Blake exclaimed. "Just one more question."

"It can't be about Steve."

"Its not," Blake said, smiling timidly now. "If a guy in a ridiculous uniform wanted to ask out a girl whose sunglasses probably cost more than his life insurance.....what do you think the girl would say?"

Jac forced her jaw not to drop. Literally only five days after a break up and she was already getting asked out. She was relieved she'd put on her sunglasses upon entering the hotel or he would clearly see more prominent blush on her face. "Interesting pick-up line."

A blush appeared , accenting his cheeky grin.

'Oh what the hell? If Damon is moving on, so can I,' She thought triumphantly to herself. Besides, none of the boys at Alabaster were good enough for her anyway. "I think that girl would say 'what do you have in mind?'"

Blake outstretched his hand and Jac stared at it for nearly a minute before realizing he wanted her phone. Carefully, she handed one of her many babies over to him, praying silently that he'd know to be gentle with the diamond Chanel case.

He tapped her phone screen repeatedly before pulling out his own and Jac was almost taken aback by the fact he had a Samsung all the way from 2013. 'I really don't know the struggle,' She thought to herself humorously.

He handed her phone back to her. "I'll, um, I'll text you."

Before Jac could answer him, Eve swung the hotel door open - and frowned in disdain when she took in the view before her.  "Can you please hand me my bags and stop eyeing my daughter like she's a lottery ticket?"

Blake straightened his collar nervously, obviously intimidated by the gorgeous woman scowling at him. Wordlessly, he began unloading the cart and handing the bags to Eve who then tossed them on to the red velvet Queen-sized bed in the large hotel room.

Jac moved past her mother and into the room, taking in the large windows overlooking the city streets, the satin draped curtains, Picasso portraits hanging on the creme' colored walls, and the posh personal bathroom. For a hotel room, the place could be mistaken for a mini condo. 

Blake didn't dare say a word to Jac. Instead, he quickly retreated after his work was done and Eve slammed the door behind him.

"You don't have to be so mean." Jac retorted. Blake was proving to not be like the usual commoners she ran into. The ones who were so jealous that they quickly dismissed the wealthy as snobby, uptight losers who were missing out on "real living" - frankly, the snobby part was true in Jac's opinion.

"Do me a favor and don't associate yourself with those types of people," Eve snapped, sitting down on the edge of her lush bed. "Now sit down."

Sucking in a breath, Jac joined her mother on the bed. She was prepared for the ruthless punishment Eve was bound to come up with. The stunt at dinner, although the best moment of her life, was going to bring on a few worse moments too. 

"Me and your father have been discussing what we're going to do with you."

"Really? You guys were actually talking like civilized people?" Jac gasped sarcastically.

Eve crossed her arms and glowered. "If you interrupt me again, I'll have that hair of yours dangling on one of my Chanel earrings like a feather."

"Sorry." Jac mumbled because she knew Eve would actually do it and she cherished her hair far too much.

"Now me and your father have decided that we won't be cutting you off."

Jac forced back her surprise. Her heart had been pounding up until then and she had been shaking from head to toe. Being cut off was one of her biggest fears and she was so sure she was going to get the knife for the dinner party. This just proved her mother wasn't that cruel. "Why-why not?" She stammered.

"Because if we cut you off, everyone will think the rumors are true," Then Eve lowered her voice as if someone were actually listening to them. "They'll think you're father is gay."

"But he is."

"Well it shouldn't have been everyone's business," Eve said snidely. "And now because of you, your father has been forced to resign from his job."

"Resign?" Jac repeated, stunned. "As in....quit?"

Eve rolled her eyes, standing up to dig through one of her Louis Vuitton duffel bags until she found a Burberry swimsuit. "As in, he's being forced to quit because news spreads fast around here."

"Forced?" Jac suddenly felt the familiar feeling of nausea - and the urge to scream until her throat couldn't work.  "Are you telling me Dad doesn't have a job anymore?"

"No one wants to go to a gay plastic surgeon for their boob job"., Eve said calmly, although the expression on her face was derogatory. She turned and looked Jac directly in the eye, causing Jac to shudder under her glare.  "That means no more expensive clothes, no more ridiculously high vacations, and eventually....no more Beverly Hills."

"You mean we'll have to go back to Westchester?" The Lexingtons had an 'old money' reputation back in Westchester, New York and the schools were as good as Alabaster. 

"No, we'll be on our way to Idaho or some rural country."

She had a hard time registering those words but when they finally clicked, she was pretty sure she was about to be the first teenager to have a heart attack. "So....so....someone at the dinner told people?"

"Most likely that evil son of a bitch Matthew," Eve cursed."This is why I want you to stay away from Damon. Those Felixs are trouble."

"But what about you?" Jac cried. "Why can't you work?"

Eve snickered. "Me? Work? Please, just being around you and your father is labor. Now I'm going for a swim so why don't you run off somewhere."

It was ironic how Jac had thought Damon messing around with Veronica was the end of the world or how she'd thought looking like a slut was equivalent to being hit by a death star. Her father's words drifted back to her as if it were saying, 'I told you so.'  

'Think about everything you love in life because all of that depends on you keeping this a secret.' Jeffrey had urged but of course, Jac had let her emotions get the best of her and it was now blowing up in her face.

                                                                             ⓇⒾⒸⒽⓀⒾⒹⓈ

Erika had countless moments where she regretted even initiating a relationship with Chris Edwards - and today, as she stood in the posh store of BCBG, watching Chris strut around the boutique in a Zhanna evening gown with a dipping neckline for cleavage, she was starting to regret every second of her relationship.

The crystal white store was empty besides Erika, Chris and Paisely - and the cashier who kept staring at them as if she were afraid they were shoplifters. 'That's never happening again.' 

"I'm so hot, right?" Chris said in a shrill voice, waving at girls gawking at them through the large windows looking over the bustling streets. 

Paisely, who was lounging on one of the gold and silver couches, giggled - something she did every time Chris opened his mouth.

Erika ignored him, looking through a rack of pencil skirts. She didn't have any money to shop but figured the fact that she was a Felix might get her an exception - or a one hundred percent off discount. She was gaining a Peasant mentality when it came to stores and it horrified and fascinated her all at the same time.

"Excuse me, miss?" Chris said directly in her ear and she pushed him away with a scowl only to have him throw a purple lace bra towards the back of her head with a thwack!

The world froze and all Erika seen was red. With a swift turn, not even cracking a grin at the fact that Chris had replaced the evening gown with a bra and women boyfriend pants, Erika slapped him. "Stop acting like you're five and have some sense."

Chris touched his flushed red cheek. "Ouch."

"I thought it was funny." Paisely said sweetly.

"Well no one asked for your opinion." Erika snapped.

She was highly irritated already from the lack of money in her Burberry wallet. Turning her back to them again, Erika pulled out a white Elain long-sleeved lace top and pressed it against her slender frame. Satisfied, she looked at the price tag; 228 dollars which was cheap on rich standards.

Rolling her shoulders back, looking as Queenly as possible, Erika strutted her way to the pure glass counter table. The cashier,  a blonde woman imitating Lady Gaga's new toned down look,  put on her salesperson smile and began to ring up the shirt.

Erika pretended to search her wallet for dollar bills that she didn't have.  Being cut off was becoming the horror of the century.

"I'm assuming you'r broke huh?" The cashier said smugly.

Erika scoffed. "By the looks of your knock off Kenzo shirt, I'd assume you're just a mere commoner who needs this job to pay for a school tuition she can't afford."

The cashier gasped as if Erika had just guessed her life story. Pleased to have caught her off guard, Erika pulled out her Alabaster Prep student ID card and handed it to the girl. Her yearbook photo was Vogue worthy and Erika felt proud every time she looked at it. 

"What is this for?" The girl asked, unimpressed by the Felix label on her card.

Erika realized her plan wasn't going anywhere and with a frustrated groan, she snatched the card away from the girl's dirty hands  and slipped it back in her wallet. Then she grabbed the beloved shirt off the counter. "I'm going to do some more shopping."

As she turned away from the counter and headed back to Chris and Paisely - who were both stil cracking up over Chris in women's clothes - a new idea formed in Erika's head. 'God, I'm so smart.' Despite the down time she was in, her life still felt scripted, always working itself out in some way. 

"Paisely, I need to talk to you." Erika said in a sing-song voice, stopping a few feet away from the cashier.

Paisely, still giggling, stood up to meet her. Erika tried to find something annoying about the girl but came up with nothing. It was as if the kiss had changed her in some way or at least made her look at the blondie very differently.

All the things she'd once thought were wrong about Paisely were suddenly very right. The way she giggled like a ditsy idiot was actually pretty adorable. The innocent look in her eyes reminded Erika of a blonde, blue-eyed Lolita and the nice girl persona she portrayed - when she was actually just as much as a calculating bitch as Erika was - was clever and kind of....sexy.

Erika thought of what her father, Matthew might say about the matter if he wasn't so against.....genders liking other genders. However, it was clear. Mr. Felix would tell her if she wanted something then it is hers for the taking - and Erika realized that she wanted Paisely, not teary-eyed Paisely, but Paisely Mont Vernon.

She had a massive crush on Paisely and she didn't even have a clue up until now.

Nonetheless, she wasn't about to tell her that. Erika handed the shirt she so dearly wanted to Paisely. "I need you to get me this."

"Why?" Paisely giggle again, still sneaking glances at Chris who sat down on one of the comfy, white sofas texting on his phone - in a maxi skirt and kitten heels. "Don't you have money?"

"No, I need you to steal it." Erika hissed, hiding the smile tugging at her lips.

Paisely's face became flushed and she froze. 

"You owe me after that day at Barneys," Erika said simply, making sure her voice was justifying.

"But-"

"No buts," Erika interjected. "You have to do it."

Glowering slightly, Paisely took the shirt and went into one of the dressing rooms. Erika was chuckling at how easy that was. The girl was a major push over, not that Erika minded. She went back to browsing through the clothing racks, wondering how many clothes she could get Paisely to shoplift.

After nearly twenty minutes of browsing, Erika decided she would tell Paisely how she felt. Worst scenario was that the girl would reject but then she could always kick her out of the group, subjecting her to Loser Valley. However, one glance in one of the store mirrors proved Erika was immune to rejection and practically attracted acceptance.

She was tired of being fake, tired of annoying guys and exhausting relationships. She wanted to see what a real relationship could be like.  So what if her father disowned her? He'd already done that when he realized her mother was having a girl and if people gossiped, then let them. She was use to being the center of attention anyway, it was what she lived for.

Erika turned around to find Chris missing from his seat and figured that was a good thing. She'd rather break up with him over text anyway since it would sting more.

Erika called out Paisely's name, standing in front of the dressing room. "I've changed my mind, you don't have to do anything."

She got no answer.

"Paige?" Growing irritated, Erika gently grabbed the hem of the curtain blocking the dressing room, ready to snatch it off.  "Paisely?"

There was shuffling in the dressing room - and Erika snatched the thin, silk curtain away, revealing one of the most scandalous things that could ever happen in her social life.

Paisely cowered in the corner of the dressing room, the sleeve of her knit red Gucci shirt sliding off her shoulder. However, Erika was more stunned by the fact that Chris Edwards was also in the room, eyes on the white carpet. His lips showed the faint stain of pink lipstick that raised no question over where it came from.

'Did I just get cheated on?'

                                                                          ⓇⒾⒸⒽⓀⒾⒹⓈ

"Hey where are you going?"

Damon froze where he stood against the railing of the Conrad yacht. Only a few feet below was the dark, calm ocean that seemed to gleam against the moonlight. He had been trying to throw himself overboard and swim back to the dock because staying after the action wasn't his style - well, not with hook ups.

The million dollar yacht had been stripped of its patio decor and replaced with Gucci logo bed sheets and satin pillows shipped all the way from India. Veronica sat upright from where she was under the covers, not even bothering to hide her nudity. 

"I'm leaving." Damon shrugged although he was hesitant about swimming back to the dock. In this chilly night, the water was probably freezing.

Things had been fun with Veronica but at the end of the day, no one could ever be Jac. He had made the right decision breaking up with her, at least he thought so. but he still couldn't get the girl off his mind.

"Stay for a little," Veronica purred. "Whats the rush?"

Damon found himself slightly rolling his eyes but joined her back in the silk covers and Veronica gave a pleasing smile. "It kind of gets lonely y'know."

"Not really." In fact, Damon never had any time to himself. If his father wasn't pondering, it was his friends and if it wasn't his friends, it was Erika - or the cops.  

Veronica frowned, laying on her back then. "You're acting different."

Damon sighed. He figured he was having the 'after hook up' syndrome; in which all attraction fades. He didn't mean to be a jerk but he was tired of the yacht and the way it shifted back and forth with every tide that came in. He was tired of Veronica yapping about things that didn't matter especially when he had bigger problems than making up his own bed because the maid didn't show up.

When he didn't answer her, she rested her head on her palms with a pout. "So what? This is it? You're just gonna leave?"

"What did you think this was?" Damon asked and then felt a tad bit guilty because for once, the sleazy girl seemed like she wanted to cry. "Uh, sorry."

She smiled then. "Good because I practically committed social suicide for you and......."

Damon tuned her out because she quickly went into a conversation of every nasty insult she had wanted to say to his sister. The last thing he wanted to think about was Erika who, if he weren't an atheist, he would have called the Antichrist. 

"Damon, are you listening? Oh my god!" She exclaimed.

"What?"

"I was saying that Erika threw away all your Ivy League letters and-"

"Wait, what?" Damon was fully alert now. "Ivy League?" He was pretty sure he wasn't going to get a scout's attention after the catastrophic game he played. He had even come up with a Plan B if college really didn't work out; moving to Africa and doing community service to look like a good Samaritan.

"Yeah, you got one from Princeton and Yale," Veronica chirped. "I wasn't going to tell you at first because I was friends with that bitch."

Of course Erika would try to sabotage him. She'd hate to see their father having something to praise him about but college letters? That went over the line. This was his future that she was messing with. He jumped to his feet then, picking up his flannel Versace shirt off the wooden floor and heading for the railing. "I got to go."

"And you're still trying to leave." Veronica sighed with disdain.

"Well, yeah, especially after you told me that." Damon said pointedly.

Veronica got to her feet too, using the covers as a robe and coming to his side. Her looks were suddenly bland and he realized he was truly over her now. "Well, do you want to do this again sometime or maybe....all the time?"

"Uh, nah-"

"Damon, I'm asking you out!" She cried and then went bright red even against the dark moon. "Or is this just a one time thing?"

Before Damon could break the bad news to her, she covered her mouth, seeming appalled. "Oh my gosh, it is!"

Damon was surprised she seemed so blindsided. After all, she was the one who suggested they even do anything. Plus, everyone who was within two thousand miles of Alabaster Prep that when Jac and Damon broke up, no other girl was going to be the new bae.

Veronica rubbed her temples in shock. "Wow that means I got kicked out of the group for nothing."

"To what? Hook up with me?" Damon shook his head. He knew he was the school's certified hottie but it still amazed him what girls would do to even be near him.

"To be your girlfriend!" Veronica cried before letting out an exasperated sigh.

Then she erupted into sniffles and whimpers as if she were crying. Damon shifted from one leg to the other uncomfortably, wondering if it would be considered rude to just drive the yacht back to the dock and leave. However, he couldn't handle the water works. "Okay, sorry, maybe-"

"Yes, yes, yes, yes!" Veronica jumped in his arms, not seeming to care that she was revealed again due to her dropping the covers. "I'll be your girlfriend!"

Damon was too stunned to even hug her back. 'What the hell did I just get myself into?'

After having to pry Veronica off of him and getting back to the dock, Damon went home, kicking himself mentally for letting himself get pushed back into the 'Taken' status as soon as a girl started crying. 

Damon was ready to confront Erika when he got home and demand her to tell him where exactly his letters were. However, he wasn't ready for a disheveled Erika waiting for him in the Felix living room, crying into one of their foreign designer pillows.

He tried his best to ignore her but he ended up on the couch opposite to her because he just hated to see someone cry. He'd seen enough of that in his childhood from his mother and hauntingly enough, Erika looked almost exactly like Glory when she cried despite the fact she favored their father more.

"Go away." She mumbled, her voice muffled and shaky.

He had never seen his vile sister so vulnerable before. Sure, she deserved it after all the hell she'd put him through but he just couldn't be cold towards her even if Karma was biting her in the ass. "Can you stop acting human?"

She lifted her head up from the pillows, her usual perfect makeup splotchy marks on her face. "What?"

"Its kind of hard to enjoy your misery when you're acting like you  have a heart."

Her pout turned into a frown. "Fuck you." Then she stood up and began marching up the grand stairs.

"Wait." Damon called because he was intent on finding out what exactly happened to those letters - and he felt like a jerk for rubbing her misfortune in her face even though she did the same to him all the time.

With a dramatic sigh, Erika stopped, gripping the banister shakily. 

"What happened to those Ivy League letters?"

"Letters?" She said, mocking concern. "Why, I have no idea, big brother."

"Erika."

Erika smirked, an expression that looked misplaced on her somber hazel eyes. "I threw them away because I hate you. Don't even think about recovering them, Griselda already took out the trash."

"Besides, letters are the least of your worries," Erika said triumphantly. "Your parole officer called and it looks like you'll be facing the big judge in a week." Then she had the nerve to blow a kiss. "Good luck."

Damon officially didn't give two shits about her feelings. 

———————————

A/N:

Hope you guys liked this chapter! I think Erika's cliffhanger was my favorite! Any thoughts? Be sure to leave them and vote, of course. cx

And yes, I'm planning a sequel because I only have a few chapters to go with this. Its called Luxury and I've already got the cover and plot together!