Author’s Note: I don’t own Beverly Hills, 90210.
Chatter filled the halls of West Beverly Hills High as conversations about the recently passed weekend buzzed between friends. Lockers slammed, laughter blared and complaints about the upcoming exams could be heard throughout the corridor. This would appear to be like any other high school you would find in the US, but it wasn’t. The halls were lined with every expensive clothing label you could name and it was flaunted as if normal. The mindset of this school was money and popularity. If you didn’t have either, you were a wall fly and a nuisance at West Beverly. The most popular got all the respect and the least popular got reminded of it on a daily basis.
Brenda Walsh, a member of the West Beverly elite, surveyed the bright halls around her as she quickly shut her locker. She waited for the usual roving hands of her boyfriend upon her back that never came. Her best friend Kelly came up behind her as she threw her back against her locker and stared at the clock that hung just 5 feet away wondering where exactly he could be. “Penny for your thoughts?” Kelly asked as she twirled the numbers of her lock around to free her books from their weekend cage. “Just wondering where Dylan is. He said he was coming to school today.” She replied keeping her eyes on the clock. “I wouldn’t worry too much,” Kelly attempted to cheer her up, “Maybe he just felt the beach calling. I know I’ve been craving it since the mention of exams last week.”
“Maybe,” Brenda commented as she turned away from the clock and to Kelly. From behind, Brandon and Andrea joined the two at their locker. “Everyone feeling cheery this morning?” he smiled as he patted Brenda on the back. She turned to him, “Brandon, have you seen Dylan today?” He began to shake his head, but something caught his attention. He looked up and smiled, “Speak of the devil.” Brenda turned her attention in the direction of Brandon’s gaze. There she watched as Dylan McKay made his way up to the group. He didn’t speak as he approached.
As he stopped close to the group Brenda joined him putting her arm around his back. Andrea tapped Brandon’s arm, “Hey guys, we gotta head to class, the bell’s about to ring,” she stated as she turned her attention to the classrooms at the end of the hall. “Heaven forbid, Andrea Zuckerman be late for a class,” Brandon added with his normal sweet smile as he follow her down the hall. Brenda noticed how reserved Dylan was being beside her and turned to question him, “Is everything okay?” Her question was interrupted as his eyes turned up to the end of the hallway.
There, a young woman, clad in a denim blue jean skirt, denim jean button up shirt, white undershirt and blue high heels turned the corner. Dylan and Kelly fell silent as they watched the girl slowly walk by. Brenda felt the tension rise between them as the girl turned her attention on both her boyfriend and best friend and quickly turned away. They all continued to stare as she made her way into a classroom at the end of the hall. Their attention soon turned back to each other.
“Who was that?” Brenda inquired. Kelly continued to stay silent; anything she could think to say was quickly choked back. Brenda turned her attention back and forth between the two waiting for an answer, neither one putting her at ease. “Dylan?” she broke the silence again. He let out a sigh, “Someone I used to know.” Brenda wasn’t satisfied with that answer and she began to ask him to elaborate when the bell rang.
“Damn it,” she said.
She turned her attention to the classroom “jean girl” had entered then turned back to Dylan who had already separated from the two and was heading in the opposite direction. She turned back to Kelly, “What’s going on?” Kelly began walking down the hall, “Bren, we’re late,” and with that she headed to her first class of the day. Brenda wasn’t satisfied, but it appeared as if she had the same class as the girl who made the two closest people to her very uncomfortable.
She made her way down to the door and caught it just before it was closed in her face. Mr. Jackson gave her his unapproved look as she quickly apologized and headed to her seat. She placed her books on her desk and searched the room. There she sat, two seats up and two rows to her left. Jean girl was keeping her attention on the blonde, letter jacket sporting track star beside her. Brenda became increasingly annoyed as she watched her tap the jock on the shoulder and giggle at all of his little comments. The questions began stirring around in Brenda’s head. How did Dylan and Kelly know this girl? What about her could possibly make the most confident person she knows go completely silent? Who is she?
Brenda let the questions take over and completely ignored the lesson that was blatantly written on the board in front of her. Her thoughts stirred from questions to observations, none of which were flattering to the girl who seemed to be consumed so much so with the guy she was flirting with. Mr. Jackson, on more than one occasion, walked between the two in hopes that their attention would turn from each other to him. She noted that he had no success.
Brenda had become so consumed she had completely forgotten to take out her notebook and at least appear to be paying attention. Her books remained closed and her eyes remained on everything but the board. She watched as jean girl got up from her perch and started making her way to the door with the jock quickly in toe. Everyone around her also stood up and started making their way out of the door located on both sides of the chalk board. The bell must have rung while Brenda was lost in her thoughts.
She was the last one out of the classroom and she again started searching through the halls to get a glimpse of this girl. She made it to her locker, spinning in her combination and releasing the latch that kept it closed. She looked to her left as she slid her geometry book inside, catching the image of jean girl out of the corner of her eye. There she stood, leaning up against the wall with Mr. Letter Jacket pressed close in front of her. She giggled again and turned her attention to something behind her. Brenda watched as the girl’s expression went from that of perpetual flirt to devoid of emotion. She couldn’t keep her eyes off of her and she soon saw who had turned the girl’s mood.
Dylan had approached her. ‘What was he doing there?’ Brenda thought. She watched as he made a comment to the jock who then walked away, leaving jean girl and Dylan alone. Brenda wanted to approach her and introduce herself; to be up close and personal with whoever she was. At least give her a name so she wasn’t constantly referring to her as “jean girl,” but she picked up on the mood shift and just continued to stare. She watched as the girl turned her eyes away from Dylan and he seemed to be trying to keep his cool with her. This scene almost mimicked similar images of Brenda and Dylan after a fight. Now jealousy was overcoming her as she continued to watch the scene play out.
The conversation played out quickly as Dylan attempted to talk to the girl, but she seemed as if she wasn’t at all interested in what he had to say. The anger in Dylan’s face grew as the girl began to coldly stare at him. Brenda got tired of watching as her boyfriend seemed to lose his normal cool. She desperately needed to hear what they were talking about so she grabbed her world history book from her locker, shut it and began walking in their direction. Before she could get close enough jean girl made one last statement and walked away from Dylan. As Brenda approached she asked, “Is everything okay?”
“Fine,” he stated seemingly attempting to stay calm, but obviously annoyed at the conversation that took place. Brenda tried joking with him to lighten the mood, “She isn’t someone I need to worry about you running away with, is she?” she let out a little laugh. Dylan, however, was not amused. “No,” he plainly stated as he quickly walked away.
That was it. Brenda needed to know who she was. She looked up at the clock and realized she was about late for class for the second time today and scurried her way down the hallway to her next class. She just beat the bell as she made her way to her seat next to Kelly who was seated in front of Donna. “Cutting it pretty close,” Donna commented to her.
Brenda ignored Donna’s comment and questioned Kelly, “Kelly, who is that girl?” Kelly gave her a confused look, “What girl?” Brenda’s interest and annoyance increased. “That girl from this morning; the girl that made you and Dylan nervous; the girl I just watched Dylan argue with in the hallway. Is she an old girlfriend of his?” Kelly clammed up beside her as Mrs. Guy began writing on the board at the front of the class.
“Kelly, who is she?” Brenda continued to stare at her. “It isn’t my business to tell you who she is. That’s up to Dylan.” Brenda now became angry, “It’s not your business? Your whole life is gossip and you can’t at least tell me her name?” “Ladies!” Mrs. Guy addressed the two girls, “Your personal issues need to stay out of my class room, understood?” They both nodded and Brenda turned her attention to the front board. The girls both fell silent, though Brenda was still obviously aggravated. Kelly took in a deep breathe and whispered, “Her name’s Stephanie Sloan.” Brenda nodded to Kelly and they both turned their attention back to the board.
He pulled up to the front entrance of the luxurious hotel. The valet met him at the door and took the keys he was handed. He stepped out allowing the valet to switch places with him as he closed the door. The valet sped off as he raised his eyes to gaze upon the brightly lit sign above him; Bel’age.
He was greeted by the door man and made his way through the glass doors into the lobby.
He already knew his way around the Bel’age hotel so he swiftly headed to the beautiful brass plated elevator doors. As he pressed the up arrow button he could feel the tension rise up from the pit of his stomach. His nerves became fiercer as the doors opened and he entered. There, he placed his finger on the button that would take him to some place he had been hiding from for a long time. The penthouse button lit up under his touch.
The doors closed and he secretly hoped that the elevator would take him away from the room he wanted that way he could justify not facing his past. That way it wouldn’t be his fault if he just walked away. He could convince himself it wasn’t meant to happen and leave it at that. There was no luck as the elevator made its way up the numerous floors to the top. The elevator jolted and soon opened up to reveal a single door placed dead center of the hall in front of him. He slowly stepped out and kept his eyes directed at the floor in front of him.
Though only 10 short steps, the walk seemed like an eternity. He stood in front of the ordinary oak door trying to convince his right hand to raise and knock. So far his hand was winning the fight, but eventually he was able to convince himself that he came this far, he needed to finish this. He could make out of sounds of the three light taps he conjured from the door. He stood there, unable to make out any sound coming from the other side of the oak barrier. He started to feel a small twinge of relief, but that was quickly subdued as the door crept open in front of him.
There she stood still dressed in the outfit she had sported earlier today only this time she was missing the high heels. She stared at the emotionally beaten gentleman in front of her. He just stared, unsure of the welcome he would receive. She sighed, “Dylan” she calmly stated. He broke contact with her eyes and asked, “Can I come in?” She hesitated, but pulled the door open to reveal the luxury accommodations that she lived in. The tension grew and soon Dylan found himself sharing a couch with a past he could no longer hide.
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