a golden cage is still just a cage.

valerie had always had a complicated relationship with sylvie. she couldn’t help but feel jealous that the other girl got out while she still felt trapped. but she didn’t want to change. she liked being ambitious and having power. but the idea of having the fun that she never got to have in her earlier years did always intrigue her a bit. “the other day...you asked me if i was happy. and yeah, i am happy,” valerie started. “but i also...” she had never been one to talk about her feelings, much less to a member of the golden brats. “i think i might feel like i’m missing out on something, i just don’t know what.” sylvie had suggested therapy but that went in one ear and out the other. valerie didn’t need to listen to a therapist to know her mothers were the root of most of her problems, she figured that much out on her own. plus, she had always thought that reaching out for help would make her seem weak, which was never an option. 

“hey. ro, are you okay?” the kind of tenderness valerie was showing towards him was one that wasn’t reserved for many people when the cameras were off and people weren’t looking and valerie didn’t need to be a sweet girl. but there was something about the two that bonded them. “i know things haven’t been...the easiest recently.” 

“i would ask you what’s new with your life but my phone’s been blowing up every minute telling me via the groupchat.” valerie raised an eyebrow at the other. “but seriously, that whole thing was very...intense.”

“so, how long do you think it will take to get everything on alina’s list done?” valerie asked. what wasn’t spoken was the fact that she’d rather get it done now rather than later, but if you knew her, you could tell that from the slight urgency in her voice.

valerie was EXHAUSTED by this trip. from the obvious toll of finding out someone you grew up with had passed away and all the unnecessary drama, she just wanted to leave. closing her laptop after finishing a particularly grueling paper for grad school, she turned to cambrie. “are we the only ones here that have actual shit to do other than fight over boys?” she asked the other. “like i know you have much more important things to do than deal with this high school bs.” 

❛   that’s   very   easy   to   say   but   when   feelings   are   involved   ,   avoiding   everything   is   so   much   harder.   ❜   he   exhales.   if   only   the   other   knew   just   how   much   he’d   been   holding   back   this   entire   time.   desperate   to   prove   to   everybody   he   had   matured   in   some   way.   that   the   moody   teen   he   once   was   had   grown   up   but   deep   down   inside   he   wanted   to   go   crazy.   returning   to   his   former   self   and   showing   everyone   in   the   hamptons   how   he   really   felt.   ❛   but   i   am   trying.   please   give   me   some   type   of   credit   for   that.   ❜

❝   i   wish   i   could   understand   what   dogging   on   alina   will   do   anyway   ?   she’s   dead,   you   can’t   exactly   call   her   a   bitch   to   her   face.   as   for   the   fighting   i’m   getting    so    fucking   tired   of   all   of   it.   maybe   this   whole   thing   will   be   up   to   you   and   i   to   get   shit   done.   you   up   for   the   challenge,   baby   ?   ❞

❛   now   you   have   me   wishing   we   could   trade   places.   ❜   he   shrugs   ,   inventively   listening   to   other.   ❛   i   remember   my   father   used   to   say   that   trouble   could   find   me   no   matter   where   i   went   ❜

serena  shrugged ,  twirling  a  lock  of  raven  hair  around  her  finger .  ❛  she  kind  of  hated  you ,  actually ,  ❜  she  replied .  ❛  i  mean ,  i  never  really  got  why  either  of  you  cared  so  much  about  grades  and  stuff ,  but  it  really  pissed  her  off  that  you  were  better  than  her .  it’s  kinda  funny ,  this  whole  thing  is  making  me  remember  her ,  but  like  all  the  normal ,  kinda  mean  parts  of  her .  ❜

❛   you   have   a   point   but   i   probably   wouldn’t   have   come   back   if   not   for   me   already   being   here   .   .   .   this   drama   is   not   worth   it   at   all.   ❜

;; 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐃

❝   do   you   also   happen   get   the   feeling   that   maybe   coming   here   was   a   terrible   idea   ?   all   we’re   doing   is   fighting   &   i   can’t   take   it   anymore.   ❞