FAIREST

[lucy-the-lovely]

isabella-oftheball‌:

Ohmygosh. I mean, totally. You’re totally working all your angles, Duke! But c'mon, you know that ‘cute’ is the all occasion adjective. It has, like, all these layers to it and that so includes swarthy. Ah, yay! [ giggles ] I’ve got you. Okay, say hashtag-cutest-look-of-the-day!

I only know my angles cause you’re so good at capturing the perfect light. You’re right, what was I thinking? We should all strive to be cuter in general. Cute-but-troubled-bad-boy-with-a-past sounds better anyway. [makes a terrible selfie face before breaking into a laugh] Show me how to do the duck face thing again, I can’t get it right. I keep looking angry.

[lucy-the-lovely]

isabella-oftheball :

Ooooooooh my gosh! Sorry just- Can we pause for, like, a sec here? You look so cute today, I’m gonna cry! Can we just get a quick selfie? I so need to add you to mine and Ads’ instagram for hashtag-cute-looks-today!

I’m definitely flattered, but cute wasn’t the look I was going for. Am I not pulling off swarthy bad boy with a troubled past well enough? [laughs and puts his arm around her shoulders] Snap away. I leave the fate of my reputation to whatever tasteful filter you choose.

[lucy-the-lovely]

Duke Donovan is the kid who always wants more. He strives to be the best, the fastest, the smartest. He’s like a Nike quote came to life and enrolled in high school. He’s a football player, a member of the prom committee, the president of St. Jude’s Key Club, and he’s been on the president’s list every term since freshman year. The people to thank for his social and academic success? His parents, of course. Both Lucille and Julian were perfect in their own rights growing up, so it only made sense to push their son to be just as, if not more, perfect.

But all that pressure can wear on a kid, and Duke’s starting to realize that he doesn’t really have anything going on in his life that he does because he wants to and not because his parents want him to. Classic overachiever drama, right? At least he excels socially, fitting in with just about anyone he tries to, and getting invited to the best parties. Even occasionally helping to throw some--but never at his house. His parent would just know somehow.

Despite his otherwise perfect life, Duke has a secret. A big one. Several years ago--he doesn’t know how many, and he’s pretty sure he doesn’t want to--his father had an affair. An affair, and maybe even a kid. He only found out when he was snooping around his father’s office one night, but he’s been unable to stop thinking about it since, especially whenever they have a family dinner, and he knows there’s someone missing from the table. He hasn’t told anybody yet (his mother would probably die from the shock of it), but he knows it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out.

FACTS:

Seventeen years old

Junior at St. Jude’s

Daughter of Lucille Fairchild and Julian Donovan

FC: Cameron Boyce

That kid everybody knows, but nobody really knows

The word ‘overachiever’ was invented for him

Is CPR certified, so he’s the self-appointed lunchroom monitor

CONNECTIONS:

Emmy Vanderbilt: The cousin Duke can always count on, Emmy’s been there for him as long as he can remember. It’s hard keeping his father’s secret from her--his typical confidant--but she and Julian are really close, and Duke knows it would crush her.

Jade VanderBuren: Ohhhh boy. She’s the girl every guy wants, and Duke had her for a few brief moments. But she dumped him--Uh, they mutually agreed to break up--right before the biggest dance of the year, which definitely caused more drama than he wanted. Now he tries to avoid her as much as possible.

[lucy-the-lovely]

[Pulling her chosen codeword down and staring at it intently, trying to figure out who might be behind it. Surprisingly, there aren’t that many redheads on the Upper East Side, so she’s narrowed down her choices a lot. She’s muttering mostly to herself]....Flame boy? Please tell me he’s at least old enough to drink. I had planned a nice relaxing evening of wine tasting, and I don’t want that thrown off by a child.

@coolcat-caisson

[eric-vdw-blog1]

Eric wondered, deep down, in that part of him that was honest when most of the other parts were just in some kind of blissful denial, if he was really ready for this.  That part of him said he really, really wasn’t, and all of that just made him want to escape back into the little bubble that was Ostroff.  But it wasn’t a forever solution, and he knew that.  He took a soft, shaky breath and forced a smile, letting the nervous energy out by carefully readjusting his his hair with his fingers.  "So,“ he asked brightly, "What have I missed?”

[lucy-the-lovely]

Running into Eric van der Woodsen was never an unpleasant part of Lucille’s day. She liked him far more than she liked his sister, and though their families were friends, she’d never much liked Lily van der Woodsen. The woman was too obviously fake with the way she whispered about people with Anne Archibald all the time. Most of the other women didn’t notice, but Lucille did. She’d been trained to notice impoliteness in even the smallest of ways. “Eric! How lovely to see you. I heard you were in Florida. The sun did wonders for you skin.” She gave him a smile. “The real question is what didn’t you miss?” Brushing past the Fairchild ball, because she never wanted to talk about that, there was Isobel Prescott’s scandal... “I’m not one to gossip, you know that, but there was an unfortunate incident with Isobel Prescott claiming that Jess Knightly’s boyfriend--well, forced himself on her. She was disproved easily, but it’s been quite the scandal. We’re also still recovering from the news that Alex Vandervort is pregnant. I hardly thought she’d be the one to go first, really.”

[lucy-the-lovely]

At the #springfling event, Lucille has been chosen by the codeword "Flame Boy". What she doesn't know just yet is that her match is also known as: Caisson Andrews!!

….Does this mean he’s another redhead, or just an arsonist?

[former-fairestofthem-all]

[ Head held shockingly high, dramatic music playing and the walk obviously in high-heeled slow-motion; Emmeline makes her entrance with most of her shame left at the door. Sidenote: epic but not as epic as Elizabeth Baizen’s entrance ] … When the invite said ‘mocktail’, I didn’t think it really meant mocktail.

[lucy-the-lovely]

.....Oh my god...[Willing the heart palpitations to stop and looking around in horror for a shawl, or a napkin, or possibly a hunky gentleman willing to give his jacket up to cover her scantily clad sister, Lucille rushes across the room as fast as her heeled feet can carry her] I’m sure your intention wasn’t to send the guests into fits, but there are children here!

[jessknightly]

Party planning must be in our blood. Look how well my mother pulled everything together. This is amazing. I almost regret not filling out a questionnaire now. I can’t help that I’ve been too busy.

[lucy-the-lovely]

You really do come from quite the talented family. I’m surprised you two haven’t teamed up together to pull off some incredibly elaborate event that leaves everyone talking about it for years.

[camille-thehunter]

What kind of mother doesn’t let her own daughter look at her best friends’ surveys? 

[lucy-the-lovely]

Probably a mother who understands the value of secret keeping. You don’t want to spoil the fun, now do you? Besides some of these codewords are entirely obvious, so it won’t be that difficult to guess which one belongs where.

[itsyaboy-jase]

              [Watching the high school girls gossip in the corner] Yeah, no I’m starting to think I’m to old for all of this.

[lucy-the-lovely]

Oh, come now, it really isn’t all that bad. The games certainly seem to be quite popular.

[logantheluscious]

If anyone actually manages to make my dad laugh, I’ll personally see that there’s a hall of fame made up in your name in our house just so no one ever forgets.

Anyone besides my mom ‘cause that’d just be cheating. And she already has a hall of fame in our house.

[lucy-the-lovely]

As amusing as it would be to watch someone bother your father with jokes, I have a feeling that’s not really the first thing you want to talk about now that you’re out and about again. How have you been doing? I’m sure your mother wants to parade you around in front of her friends, are you hiding from her?

[juliettevanderbilt]

Juliette looked around the event, no person drawing her attention in particular. “This should be interesting.” She huffed slightly smirking slightly.  

[lucy-the-lovely]

“Interesting is one word for it. I, for one, am incredibly excited to see how this night turns out.” Lucille sips at the mocktail in her hand and smiles. “Do you have your eye on a codeword yet?”

[lucy-the-lovely]

archibaldgoldenboy :

“Thanks.” I guess. Nate knew that this wasn’t Lucille’s fault but she was just as much the socialite whispering behind a martini glass as the next guest from the ball and it made him feel uncomfortably defensive. Of what though? He shouldn’t have to defend his father. After all, hadn’t he looked him dead in the eye and begged him to get help? And hadn’t his father, in return, accused him of being the one with the problem and manipulated his mom into turning against her only son? “Huh?” He blinked a couple of times, trying to catch up with what Lucille had been saying before mimicking her smile. “Oh, yes of course. At least when something goes wrong, we can always learn from it and make sure it doesn’t happen next time. Not that I think this, specifically, is going to happen again. That’d just be terrible luck. Yeah, I guess so but I think I might just have to do.” His father wasn’t going to be out and around shaking hands again any time soon. At her questions however he couldn’t help but let out a laugh. “My birthday… Yeah, it was…that. I um, wasn’t really in a big mood for celebrating after but my mom and I went back to the Palace with the van der Woodsens. I think the breakfast the next morning was gift enough.”

He’d undoubtedly faced enough judgemental gazes from family and friends today, so Lucille schooled her expression into something politely understanding. She couldn’t understand, of course, because her parents were wonderful and would never have done anything like that (her sister was a different story) but it was important that Nate felt comfortable. “Well, we can never be too careful, can we? Perhaps you’re right, though. This was a truly extraordinary circumstance." Though she got the feeling he didn’t really want to be discussing the night any longer, so she decided to drop the subject. “That’s understandable, really. Though I do hope you find a moment to celebrate later this week once things have settled a bit. You only turn seventeen once, you know. If anyone knows how to have a celebration, it would be the van der Woodsen family, I’m sure breakfast was lovely. Although you must know how going to Serena van der Woodsen’s hotel room in the middle of the night will look to some people who are less understanding than I am. I hope you spoke to your date about it before you left.”

[lucy-the-lovely]

notorious-nicholas :

Anything you have on hand I’d be willing to sign but that very well might spoil your Christmas present.

Darling Lucille, would I ever expect you to put your shoes at risk? I think not. You look wonderful, all in all. Tell me, have you had lunch yet?

Unfortunately all I have on hand is one of those pocket tissue boxes, so unless you’re in the mood to sign a Kleenex, I think I’ll just have to wait for Christmas.

Of course you wouldn’t. You’re truly the gentleman every graduate of St. Jude’s wishes he could be. Thank you, thank you. As do you, I am loving that shirt. Is it from Tommy Hilfiger’s spring collection? You know I haven’t, take me somewhere and tell me everything I’ve missed since we last talked. I know you have the inside scoop on all of this Archibald madness. It’s not considered gossip if you’re merely filling in the host of the party that was caught in the crossfire of all the drama.

[lucy-the-lovely]

carefreediaz :

Did any of you actually fill that little questionnaire thing out? I like the concept and all, but come on. Why is it five hundred questions long?

That’s part of the fun. It’s not that deep, you just put in a few fun answers to get yourself started and then let the pen do the rest of the work. Why don’t I help you? Favorite food should be easy, lets start there.

[lucy-the-lovely]

notsolovely-lili :

“You kidding? They wouldn’t dare badmouth a Fairchild like that.”

“Well, not knowing you were within earshot to put them in their place. Which you could do with ease, of course. I hear your tackle is impressive.”

[lucy-the-lovely]

vanessa-films :

“I don’t think anyone’s ignoring all the work per say… It’s just something else to talk about, right? That’s how things are on the Upper East Side. Um, the ball was great though. All the uh, obvious stuff aside, everyone did work really hard and it all looked really good. All night I had complete strangers- your guests, I mean- coming up to me and asking for photos. Even after. The stuff.”

“That’s true, but I really think the work is far more important a topic to cover. I mean, really, how many events on the Upper East Side have ended with a police raid or ill-timed fistfight? Most of them, honestly.” This whole keep your head up and appear positive about things act was really only going so far, especially in the face of what Howard Archibald had done. Perhaps some flattery would help. “Everyone including you, there’s no need to be humble about it. Your photos were quite the talk of the town. I’m almost positive some of the guests will want to book you for private events of their own after this. I’ll be sure to pass along your number.”