Poison Ivy
But now that Ruby is back, will the Upper East Side ever be the same? It takes two to tangle and girls like these don't go down without a fight.
We catch glimpses of Lucy, Ruby, Ben, Noah, Aiden, Kati, and Isabel preparing for another day at school. Each of them stands in front of their mirrors, meticulously examining their appearance. Lucy slips on her beautiful ruby ring, while Ruby adjusts her tie and fiddles with pins, brooches, and watches. We see Ruby expertly applying mascara to her lashes, while Lucy secures a white hairband in her hair. Kati and Isabel both style their hair with chequered hairbands, as Noah straightens his blazer and Aiden wraps his trademark scarf around his neck. Meanwhile, Ben is shaving himself, but it seems that he is having a bit of trouble as we see him cut himself frequently. After they complete their grooming routines, they all turn around and walk away from their mirrors, ready to face the day ahead.
There's plenty of upside to being the spawn of the fabulously wealthy, but the downside, is super successful parents expect nothing less from their offspring and when it comes to college that means the Ivy's. It's more than just getting into college, it's setting a course for the rest of your life and for those few who aren't legacies, the pressures are no less. When parents have sacrificed for their children's future, what kid would want to let them down?
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EXT CONSTANCE/ST.JUDE'S - COURTYARD
Aiden and Noah are walking side by side. Meanwhile, Lucy, Kati, and Isabel are walking together, immersed in a lively conversation. As Ben walks past Aiden and Noah, Aiden shoots him a hostile glare, indicating that there may be some bad blood between the two. Suddenly, Lucy turns around on the entrance stairs and catches Noah's eye. The two lock eyes and exchange a warm smile, suggesting a deeper connection between them.
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INT CONSTANCE/ST JUDE'S
Jenny and a group of girls are standing on the stage, singing in front of everyone. They finish their performance and walk away, leaving the stage to a male and female teacher, who walk on and take the center stage.
The female teacher smiles warmly and addresses the audience, "Thank you, ladies."
We see Ben, Aiden, Noah, Lucy, Kati, and Isabel watching this from the crowd. Aiden looks bored and disinterested.
The female teacher continues, "Good morning, students. I ask all of you to show a little sympathy for our junior class. They are almost through with Ivy Week."
The male teacher chimes in, "As is our long-standing tradition, the Constance Billard girls will be in charge of Friday night's mixer and the St. Jude's boys will provide the ushers for the visiting representatives."
The female teacher adds, "For those of you dreaming of attending an Ivy League school, this mixer is the most important event of your life."
The male teacher then tries to lighten the mood, "But no pressure." Both teachers laugh, and their eyes fall on Ben.
Ben looks embarrassed, his face turning red. The rest of the students watch knowingly, some giggling at the teasing.
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IN THE MADDENS HOME - KITCHEN
Huck entered the kitchen and found Ben sitting at the counter, drinking orange juice. Jenny stood beside him, pouring herself a glass. As Huck approached, he noticed that Ben's face was covered with tissue from where he had cut himself while shaving.
Huck tried to reassure Ben, "It's not that bad."
But Ben replied with a self-deprecating quip, "They'll think I shaved with a woodchipper."
Jenny chimed in, "I was going with more of a chainsaw."
Ben's mood was not lightened by her teasing, "Not helping."
Huck tried to inject some humor, "Hey, look on the bright side, you're not a hemophiliac, otherwise you'd be in the emergency room."
Jenny joked, "And that's helping?"
Ben stood up, not amused by the situation.
"Hmm... not really," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Jenny smiled and adjusted her tie before sitting back down.
Huck tried to reassure Ben about his upcoming interview, "Dartmouth's gonna love you."
But Ben was not convinced, "Yeah, well, I gotta believe that being able to shave is a prerequisite for attending."
Huck praised Ben's academic abilities, "No one is more qualified, no one is smarter, no one is more well-rounded-"
Ben interrupted, "Or wounded."
Jenny laughed at his comment.
"It's not like I've got a trust fund to fall back on, Ben. All I've got is up here," Ben said, signaling to his head. He then brought a finger to his lips, signaling for Jenny to be quiet.
Huck walked towards Ben, offering words of encouragement, "Well, that is the most important thing. College is about academic excellence. Besides, you're going to do great in your interview. You take after your dad that way, the spotlight doesn't faze us."
Jenny couldn't resist teasing her brother, "Ooh, you better hope there's not a spotlight involved."
Ben and Huck both turned to Jenny with disapproving faces.
Jenny just smiled and said, "I'm your sister, it's what I do."
Ben replied, "Not when it's about Dartmouth."
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IN CONSTANCE/ST JUDE'S
We see Ben sitting in a pew, looking visibly stressed. Noah and Aiden, his fellow interviewees, sit a few rows behind him. Aiden leans in towards Noah and whispers, "Noah, want a little wake and bake?" Noah quickly responds, "We've got our interviews today."
Aiden retorts, "My point exactly," before rummaging through his backpack and pulling out his one-hitter. "I've got my one-hitter." As Aiden shifts to the end of their row and looks back at Noah, Noah's face remains expressionless and he doesn't join Aiden. It's clear that the two have different coping mechanisms for handling their stress and anxiety.
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EXT CENTRAL PARK-
Noah and his father Anthony were jogging together in Central Park. Anthony was panting and sweating profusely, but Noah seemed to be in good shape and had even overtaken his father. As they both stopped jogging, Anthony gave Noah a serious look and said, "Try not to cut me off next time; you almost knocked me over the side of the bench."
"I didn't cut you off." Noah laughed a little, but then stopped when he saw how serious his father was. "I didn't mean to." he said defensively.
"If you win fair and square, nothing would make me prouder," Anthony said sternly.
"Dad, we've talked about me keeping my options open, looking out West," Noah said, trying to reason with his father.
"Yeah of course, but let's get serious here," Anthony responded. "If someone with your grades wants to get into Dartmouth, you need to appear to be working for it."
"Dad-" Noah started.
"Ushering the rep is a good step," Anthony interrupted.
"How come every time I bring up going to USC you act like it's a joke?" Noah asked, feeling frustrated.
"Noah, there's a plan here," Anthony said firmly.
"Maybe I want to make my own plan," Noah said, his voice shaking a little.
"Listen, your mother and I didn't work this hard for you to make things up as you go along," Anthony said, his tone becoming more forceful. "Dartmouth, law school, Lucy. Soon you're going to have everything, let's not make for work. Nail that interview today, go Green!"
Anthony nudged Noah playfully and then turned to start jogging away. Noah was left standing there, looking upset and overwhelmed by his father's expectations.
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IN CONSTANCE/ST JUDE'S
Noah sits in the middle of a row with a serious look on his face. He turns to look at Lucy, who catches his gaze and returns it. After a moment of contemplation, Noah shuffles to the end of the row and quietly exits the room with Aiden. Lucy watches him go, her expression one of concern and curiosity.
A female teacher stands at the front of the room, her voice carrying over the hushed murmurs of the other students. "At tomorrow night's mixer," she says, "Lucy Evans will announce the charity her community outreach committee will honor this year." Lucy's eyes light up at the mention of her name, and she turns to exchange a smile with Isabel.
As the teacher continues speaking, Kati interrupts with a question. "Have you seen Ruby?" she asks Lucy. Isabel shakes her head. "I wonder where she is," she says, her brow furrowed.
Lucy lets out a small sigh of frustration. "Know what I wonder?" she says, directing her question to Kati and Isabel. "How we're supposed to hear anything about Yale with all this talk about Ruby." Kati and Isabel turn to each other with a confused look on their faces, unsure of what Lucy means.
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IN THE HOME EVANS
Lucy gracefully descends the staircase, chatting with Dorota, her maid. She takes a seat on a plush chaise lounge, reminiscing about the past. "Do you remember when Dad gave me my first Yale sweatshirt?" she asks with a smile on her face. "I don't think any piece of clothing has ever fit me more perfectly, not to mention how adorable I found that bulldog." Lucy's eyes light up with the memory of her childhood. "Remember when I asked you if I could get a bulldog? Good call by the way saying no, and now the big day is finally here. Soon Nate and I will be at college, him going down to Yale, me going up to Dartmouth. Dad is flying in for the Princeton game, I hope it doesn't make you feel old watching me grow up."
Dorota turns around with a breakfast tray in her hand. She offers it to Lucy, insisting that she should eat a good breakfast. "Eat up Miss Lucy. Your mom would want you to have a good breakfast," she says gently. Lucy picks up a grape from the tray and puts it in her mouth, savoring the sweet taste. She looks pensive as she thinks about her future, leaving her childhood home and going to college.
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IN CONSTANCE/ST JUDE'S
Lucy turns to Kati and Isabel with a look of confusion on her face. "So Ruby's really not here?" she asks, hoping to get a different answer this time. Kati replies with a tone of annoyance, "That's what I said," while Isabel, who seems to be nervous, quickly interjects, "When you weren't supposed to be talking!" Lucy's eyebrows furrow as she tries to make sense of the situation, sensing the tension between the two girls.
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EXT CONSTANCE/ST. JUDE'S
Ruby as she exits a yellow taxi and rushes towards the entrance stairs of the Constance/St. Jude's building. The camera captures her running frantically, as if she is in a hurry to reach her destination. The building behind her has a grand entrance with tall pillars and a large door that seems to lead to an impressive interior. Her attire is a symphony of contrasting colors and textures that harmonize together in perfect fashion. Her long-sleeved white shirt is the canvas upon which her black vest and tie dance in elegant contrast, while her black skirt and long grey boots form a stunning duet that exudes power and sophistication. And her black bag, like a faithful companion, completes the ensemble with understated grace. She is a picture of poise and style, commanding attention and admiration with her every step.
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IN THE PALACE HOTEL - HART SUITE
Lilith walked over to Ruby, who was exiting a room while munching on a piece of toast. Lilith urged her, "Come on! Hurry up. You're going to be late." Ruby responded with a nod, saying, "I am... I know."
Lilith scolded her, "You know you shouldn't have stayed at your brother's again. Why sleep there? It's not like he can even see you, his eyes are closed." Ruby, while packing her schoolbag, retorted, "Do you have one maternal bone in your entire body?"
Lilith reasoned, "Ruby, you need your rest. It's Ivy Week." She handed Ruby a lip gloss, and Ruby applied it in front of the mirror. "I know, and if I can get out of this hotel room, it's my sole ambition in life to impress the Brown rep," Ruby said.
Lilith was pleased to hear that Ruby's college plans were still intact. "I'm so thrilled to hear that that's still your plan. I know it's something we've always talked about, but honestly, since you've been back, I've wondered if your mind was even on college," Lilith said.
Ruby replied, "Mom, I've had my mind on a lot of things. Since recent events, going away to college sounds pretty good." Lilith asked, "How... how did you leave things with Ben?" Ruby didn't want to talk about it. "I don't wanna talk about it."
Lilith probed further, "What's going on with you and Lucy?" Ruby pleaded, "Mom, please! All I wanna do is just finish high school in peace and go away to a state with people who don't know who I am and just start over, okay?"
As Ruby picked up her schoolbag and walked out the door, Lilith reminded her, "Get a cab, don't walk!"
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IN CONSTANCE/ST.JUDE'S -
As the assembly ends, the sea of students parts, revealing Ben in the middle of the crowd. Suddenly, Ruby darts up the stairs like a gazelle, her lustrous locks flowing behind her like a river in slow motion. She reaches Ben, who stands there like a statue, and the two of them lock eyes like magnets drawn together.
Ruby's shoulders sagging as she looked up at Ben. "Please don't tell me it's over." she said, desperation clear in her voice.
Ben raised an eyebrow in response. "What? You were there; I would say it's pretty over."
Ruby let out a deep sigh, realizing Ben had misunderstood her. "I meant the assembly." she clarified.
Ben shook his head, "Alright, no, yeah, it just ended, now.", he said, starting to walk away.
Ruby's frustration was palpable, "Damn it.", she muttered under her breath.
As Ben walked past her, "Alright, good luck". Ruby muttered a quick farewell, "Yeah, you too."
Lucy appeared out of nowhere, flanked by Kati and Isabel. "Aww too bad you missed the assembly.", Lucy taunted. "Not that it matters, Brown doesn't offer degrees in slut."
Ruby's face twisted in disgust, but she quickly forced a laugh as Lucy, Kati and Isabel walked past her. Lucy stopped at the stairs and glared back at Ruby, but Ruby simply smiled back, refusing to show any fear.
R not so fashionably late and dressed down by L. Game on ladies.
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EXT CONSTANCE BILLARD - FIELD
The sun shines brightly on the field of Constance Billard, where a group of girls, including Ruby and Lucy, play hockey. The game gets intense as both Ruby and Lucy attack each other for the ball.
Ruby tries to clear the air between them, "Look, I made a mistake with Noah ok, but you sabotaged me with Ben. We don't have to be friends-"
Suddenly, Lucy strikes Ruby down with her hockey stick. Ruby stands back up, her eyes blazing with anger, and hits the air with her hockey stick. The other girls stop playing, and the referee approaches them, "Evans?"
Lucy shrugs, "Sorry, slipped."
Ruby says she's fine, and the game continues. As Ruby walks past Lucy, she tries to reason with her, "I really wanna believe that that was an accident."
Lucy retorts, "Then you must be delusional." She runs and jabs Ruby in the side. The referee blows the whistle and gives Lucy a green card.
Ruby turns to the referee and says, "Thank you." The girls continue playing, but Lucy runs at Ruby with her stick and knocks her down. Ruby stands back up, and the referee blows his whistle, giving Lucy a yellow card.
"I'm running out of colors here, Lucy," says the referee.
Ruby moves close to Lucy, "And I'm running out of patience. Enough, okay?"
Lucy responds, "It's enough when I say it's enough." She walks away from Ruby, and the game continues.
Ruby runs towards Lucy and knocks her to the ground. They struggle and fight on the ground. The referee blows his whistle, and the other girls run to them, "Girls break it up!"
Ruby is on top of Lucy, hitting her. "Get off of me!" cries Lucy.
Ruby gets off Lucy and stands up. Lucy also stands up, and Ruby walks closer to her, "So we've actually come to physical blows, huh?"
"Truce?" Ruby suggests, hoping to end the fight.
Lucy thinks for a moment and then smiles, "My leg!" clutching her leg in agony.
"Ruby, you're out of here!" says the referee, shaking his head.
Ruby makes a face, and Kati and Isabel run to take care of Lucy. "I hope it's broken," mutters Ruby as she walks away. Kati and Isabel gather either side of Lucy and help her to walk, while she continues to make pained expressions. The referee examines her leg, and Lucy walks off the field with their help.
Hey Upper East Siders. We hear that World War Three just broke out and it's wearing knee socks. Choose your side or run and hide. We have a feeling that this one is to the death.