Midnight Memories

*Flashback to New Years Eve*

December 31, 2013

New Years Yves Party

8:29 PM

I placed my cup of steaming hot chocolate back on a passing waiter’s plate after burning my tongue for the fifth time. Today was officially the last night of 2013, and I was hoping to make it seem memorable. After the memories I’d created with the It Girls over the past year, and the future events yet to come in 2014, what more could I possibly want from my best friends?

Attendance to a party, that’s what. Devyn and the other girls hadn’t bothered to show up, leaving me looking like a huge loser with no friends. And especially on New Years Eve! This wasn’t exactly the best way to start off the New Year.

I sighed, checking my iPhone 7S for the billionth time. It was only a couple of hours until the infamous YSL clutch drop, the moment I’d been waiting for ever since 2013 started. Waiting for the biggest part of the night, alone, was hitting rock bottom. My father was on some sort of business trip to England, my brother was too busy hanging out with his girlfriend, and my mother was certainly not going to be there next to me. She was hosting the party with fellow talk show host, Merri Lee Marvil. They were rivals, but tonight, they were pretending that they were the best of friends.

Who knew leading such a perfect life could turn into a disaster, I thought, flipping open my Chanel compact mirror. Maybe I should’ve stayed home in California. At least there, people will act like your friends. Maybe then I still wouldn’t have been seen alone.

“Ashley? Is that you?” I heard an all-too-familiar voice say. I felt my heart beat quicken and my palms moisten. Is it really her? I thought she was back in Los Angelas..

I turned around and gasped, seeing Natalie Collins, just like I expected. For those of you who don’t know, Natalie was my best friend back in California. Back when I was ruling my former clique, The A-list, she’d been my second-in-command beta. Her slightly wavy brunette hair and hazel eyes were the same, just like I’d last seen them when I’d moved to New York five years ago.

“Natalie?” I gasped again, still in shock. What was she doing at a ritzy New York party? “Shouldn’t you be back in L.A?”

“I just wanted to drop by.” She looked around awkwardly at the loud, pulsating area. “Are you busy?”

“My friends are waiting for me inside a VIP tent,” I lied. “But I think I can spare some time.” 

“Oh.” Natalie was always an awkward person to talk to, if you weren’t her best friend. “Anyways, the other girls are here–”

“Really? Jocelyn, Brianna, and Grace are here too?” Jocelyn Taylor, Brianna Riley, and Grace Brooks were the other former members of the A-list. 

“Yeah.” She rocked back and forth on the heels of her Prada sandals. “How’s Devyn and the It Girls?” I narrowed my eyes when I heard ‘It Girls.’ No matter how much I tried to get over her backstabbing ditch, I couldn’t. But nothing some yoga couldn’t fix, right?

“Hey, Ashley!” Jocelyn’s familiar golden tresses and aqua-blue eyes appeared next to Natalie. “Wow, I haven’t seen you in a long time.”

I nodded with a smile. Grace and Brianna joined her, and it almost made me feel homesick for my hometown of Beverly Hills. I remembered the crash of the waves against the sandy dunes on the beach; the time where I could wear sandals over sweaters (don’t get me wrong, I love sweaters. But wearing them all seasons isn’t really my thing); and there wasn’t trash littered all over the streets in L.A. 

“Why are you guys here?” I asked suspiciously. I was glad to see them, but California is a long way from New York. They must have something important to tell me.

“We didn’t come here just to have a little chat.” Natalie nodded. “We noticed that without a true alpha, this New Year is going to be just as boring like the other years we didn’t have someone to lead us.” She exchanged a knowing glance with the other girls. “So we’re going to move to New York!”

“What?” I gasped, then grinned. “Why?”

“Because California is so mainstream. New York is way more ‘in.’ Besides, we want you to become our alpha again.. Y’know, if Devil Devyn will let you switch cliques.” Natalie twirled her light brown hair around her finger, the other girls nodding in sync behind her. Whenever we talked on AIM, she always referred to Devyn as ‘Devil Devyn.’

“Really?” My heart jumped. The same great times I had with my friends would finally be back. My friendship with the girls I’d first become friends with would finally come back. “I think I can come back as an alpha.” I tapped my chin thoughtfully as the girls stared at me with wide, begging eyes.

“I’m in!” I finally confirmed. “Yay!” they squealed. For seven years, I’d been best friends with these girls. Five years of my life had been wasted with being a lowly beta. I always knew I was meant to be the leading queen once again, so why not?

December 31, 2013

New Years Yves Party

11:59 PM

“There’s only thirty seconds ’till midnight!” Jocelyn shouted. We all fused together in a loving, 5-way group hug.

29.. 28.. 27.. 26.. 25..

People were screaming in sync with the infamous countdown, and others were shouting out their hopeful wishes for the new year. 

15.. 14.. 13.. 

“Promise us we’ll stay friends forever?” Natalie shouted over everyone else.

“Promise!” Jocelyn, Brianna, Grace, and I giggle-shouted. “A-list forever!” we screamed just as the countdown hit number one.

“Happy New Year, everyone!” Elizabeth, my mother, said into the microphone, cutting off the stream of shouts. 

Ahh, what will 2014 bring me next?

Ashley’s Announcements

• My, my, my. I’ve reached over 6,000 views! Thank you all so, so, so, so much. 

• If you haven’t noticed by the post, I’m taking a break with the It Girls for a while and have decided to become the alpha of my own clique. I’m not sure whether or not to hold auditions for the A-list yet, but I’ll let everyone know if I do. I also have updated a few of my pages, so be sure to check them out.

• Happy New Years, everyone! I know this is four days too late, but I just wanted to say a late bidding. How many of you are psyched for the new year? I know I am. 🙂

• Next time I post, I’ll do it when I reach 6,500 views. Or, if I can reach it, possibly 7K views. I’m grateful that I hit my goal of two hundred followers by the New Year! 

• I’m not going to be doing post shout-outs anymore, but will still be giving out shout-outs if you ask.

• I know I’m not going to be posting as much now, because, sadly Winter Break is coming to a close for me on Monday. I have a big project that I haven’t even started on in real life (it’s the art of procrastination, what do you expect?) and I need to work on that as well.

Ciao for now, lovely beauts!

Stay Lovely,

~ Ashley Ciara Moore

This has been Ashley Moore for her post announcements, saying, I Heart You.

All I Want For Christmas Is You

∞

The Moore Estate
December 25, 2013
8:19 PM

“Can I please see my presents now?” I whined, jumping up and down impatiently. “I’ve been waiting all day!”

“No,” my mother, Elizabeth, stated firmly. I’d been pestering her all day and I bet she was starting to get annoyed. “Now, go enjoy this special day with your darling cousins.” She walked away, which made me roll my eyes. Couldn’t a girl get some proper service around here?

 Today was officially Christmas Day, and my parents had deprived me of seeing any of my gifts until after 8:30 PM. They only did that because they wanted me to be eager to open my Christmas presents. Did I get the special-edition Chanel earrings? With the matching necklace and bracelets?

All of my cousins, aunts, and uncles had came over to the Moore Estate to celebrate Christmas. The house was always packed whenever my cousins come over, because I have a lot of cousins. Usually, the Moore Estate was quiet and empty, but on holidays, it was loud and bustling with my relatives.

“Ashley!” Ariana, my older cousin, rushed over to me. She was an Emilie Voe Nereng-look alike with an addiction to music, gymnastics, and Tumblr. “There you are; I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Where have you been?”

“Um..” I checked my new Gucci watch, which was a gift from Devyn and the It Girls. It was 8:24.. only 6 more minutes until I could open my Christmas presents. “Over here the entire time.”

“Huh, really?” She wrinkled her nose, twirling a piece of her blonde hair around her finger. “Anyways, I’m just letting you know, that once you get to my present, it’ll be the best yet.”

“Oh, cool.” I stifled a yawn and covered it with a smile. Everyone had been saying, “My present’s going to be the best!” all night, and it was really starting to get annoying. Ariana waved good bye and scurried over to enormous, 16-foot-tall Christmas tree. It wasn’t our biggest tree ever, but it was nice to have it shorter for a change. This year, we could actually put the gold star on the top without almost toppling over on the ladder. Under the tree was the coveted presents and main guest of honor for the night. Metallic wrapping paper covered boxes of who-knows-what-could-be-inside, and glistening bows topped off the presents. Jason and I had competed to see who would get the most presents, and, unfortunately, he won. Even though he got more presents than me, I still got a lot. Does having over twenty presents seem like a little bit? No.

“Hey, loser.” Jason, my older brother, smirked. “You’re allowed to see your presents now.”

“Really?” I glanced down at my watch: 8:31. Finally! The moment I’ve been waiting for has arrived. I raced over to the Christmas tree and was just about to tear open the first present..

“Wait, sweetie, look over here so I can take a picture!” Elizabeth grinned, pointing the new shining black camera I’d given her, at me.

I flashed a quick smile for the lens and then turned back to the heap of presents. I went through all of my presents, and was surprised to see that they were all ah-mazing. I had expected at least one or two horrible gifts, but each and every one of them was what I had wanted.

“Thanks, everyone!” I giggled, running a hand through my flowing blonde waves. I am so lucky that I actually got everything I wanted on my wish list.

“Wait, there’s one more left.” Colton, my dad, pointed at one last present I’d forgotten to open.

I opened up the present slowly, hoping they weren’t just playing a trick on me. Cautiously, I peered inside the present and..

“OHMYGODTHANKYOUSOMUCH!” I screamed. There, inside the box, was a letter. It said:

Congratulations, Miss Ashley Moore. You are officially the proud owner of your brand new BMW vehicle. All rights will go to you when you are legal to drive. Thank you, and happy holidays!

I hugged the letter (it was the closest object to hug) tight, a huge grin already on my face. I knew I was acting like a major LBR, especially in front of my cousins, but what did you expect? I was fifteen years old and already getting a car! Of course, I wouldn’t be able to drive yet. There would be forms to fill out, driver’s classes to take, and all the yawn-worthy things to do. But once I was finished with those things, I’d have my own car to drive around Westchester in. Wait until the It Girls heard about this!

∞

The Moore Estate
December 25, 2013
8:59 PM

“You’re so lucky!” Crystal, who was probably one of my favorite cousins, sighed. “I wish I got a car for Christmas.” She and I were both fifteen years young and both in tenth grade. We usually had annoying rants together, because we always got bored and had nothing else to do. “All I got was a new iPhone from Trevor, and he was like: ‘Yo, here ya go, sis. Go on Tumblr or whatever.’ I mean, seriously, everyone thinks teens go on Tumblr every day. It’s so stupid.” She shook her head, as if she couldn’t believe that the world was so cruel to her.

“Seriously? I love Tumblr,” I gasped. “How dare you!”

“I know, that’s why I said that.” She smirked. “Tumblr girls are usually annoying, like Acacia.”

“I heard my name.” My cousin, Acacia, butted into our conversation. “Did someone say my name? Or was that the paparazzi?”

“Hey, Acacia!” I beamed. “Did the paparazzi get you again?”

“Thank God, no. But they Acacia-nally do.” Acacia grinned at her pun. “Bye!”

“I meant Acacia Brinley, not Acacia Bellmont!” Crystal yelled over her shoulder when she left. “Ugh, she’s so clueless.”

I was about to say, “You don’t have to be so mean!” when my iPhone 7S dinged with a message. I glanced down, expecting a text from one of the It Girls, but gasped when I saw the name: Chris Harrington.

I hadn’t seen his name in forever, considering the fact that we broke up a while ago. According to Devyn, Acacia Owens (the loser Acacia Owens, not Acacia Brinley or Acacia Bellmont) had forced Chris to kiss her. But that wasn’t enough that the LBR had made him: he could’ve just slapped her and run.

Chris: Can U 2 Starbucks? We need to talk.

“Who is it?” Crystal peeked over my shoulder. “Wait, isn’t that the dude who you broke up with?”

“Nope.” I slipped the phone back in my skinny jean’s pocket. “Uh, I need to get some fresh air for a second.” I turned away awkwardly, hoping she wasn’t going to get suspicious.

“Um, okay. Have fun, I guess.” She sounded hurt, and I couldn’t blame her: I’d practically ditched her. But my mind was reeling from the thought that Chris had just texted me— something he hadn’t done in a long time. I wanted to ignore him, but, of course, curiosity overcame me. I pulled out my iPhone, my fingers typing up an acceptable text.

Ashley: I’ll B waiting near the one closest to my house.

Little girl, my inner, more devil-ish ego chided. Didn’t you know that curiosity killed the cat?

Ashley, you can do whatever your heart desires, my inner, more sweeter angel advised. You’re not a cat, so how can it kill you?

I decided to agree with my angel side, shushing the worse side of me. Besides, what harm could it do?

Starbucks
December 25, 2013
9:28 PM

“This is a really bad time to talk. You know that, right?” I raised an eyebrow at Chris as I entered Starbucks.

He laughed the type of laugh that I’d always never been able to resist. “Yeah, I know that.”

I looked out the large window of Starbucks, not sure where else to look. Snowflakes were beginning to fall, adding on to the thick, glistening layer of snow that covered the ground. Far off in the distance, you could see New York City’s bright lights sparkling in the crisp air. I saw Grayson, the family driver, waiting patiently inside the black Range Rover, so I willed that whatever he’d brought me here to do would be quick.

“Look, I’m sorry,” he blurted. I looked up from my perch near the window and cocked my head.

“You’re sorry for..?” I grinned. I knew what he was sorry for, but I wasn’t going to forgive someone who only said, “I’m sorry.”

He rolled his different-colored eyes. “I’m sorry for kissing Acacia, okay?”

“Why are you sorry for kissing Acacia?” I taunted.

He sighed, exasperated. “Do you want me to apologize or not?”

“Sorry, go on.”

“I’m sorry and I want you back.” He handed me a note that was folded up and tied with a ribbon. “Just don’t read it yet.”

Cher Loyd’s “Want U Back” played through my head and I smiled. Not because of the song, but because that I finally made up with him.

The Moore Estate
December 25, 2013
10:13 PM

I was currently listening to Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift’s Christmas albums, and had donned the diamond ring Chris had given me a year ago. I examined my hand, surprised that the ring still fit.

I opened up the folded piece of paper Chris had given me and smiled at the note.

∞

Bonjour, lovely beauts!

Ashley’s Announcements

• I know, this Christmas post is one day late, because I was busy on the actual Christmas day. I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

• I’ve reached 5,700 views! I’m so glad, and I’m debating whether or not to make a New Years post. I most likely will, so I’ll be posting again very soon!

• I know I’m not really sticking to the main plot line right now, but I’m going to be getting to that after New Years.

• I wanted to have 200 followers by 2014, but I already reached that goal. Thanks to everyone who followed this blog, liked my pages/posts, commented on my blog, and was able to stand my writing. Happy early New Year! 2014, here we come. 😉

• I’m sorry for the somewhat horrible post. I feel like I’m having writer’s block, so sorry if the words seem forced.

• Check out what Alison, Paris, Eleanor, and Claire have been up to recently. (AKA, I’m talking about my other blogs)

That’s it for this post! xx.

Stay Lovely,

~ Ashley Moore

P.S. Want a peek of how my Christmas week went like? (This isn’t an all-you-can-take slideshow for copiers out there.)

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