Reputations

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Rating: Adult

Summary: High school. Bets. Makeovers. Prom. The Cruel Intentions/She's All That/Drive Me Crazy mashup no one was asking for. AU

Author's Note: Yep another story. Much thanks to sfstewart for being my beta.

Chapter 1:

Benedict Bitch

Fuck men.

Kathryn Merteuil was seriously considering going dyke full time. No more sucking dick until her jaw ached. No more bowing to the insufferable male ego. Just a straight diet of pussy and talking about feelings. She could make that work. Hell, she could make anything work.

Then again maybe that was just the alcohol talking. She probably shouldn't have indulged in that third mini bottle of scotch. But fuck it, she was thirsty and after the day she's had, she deserved it.

Kathryn shifted her Louis Vuitton carry on over her shoulder, trying to ignore the queasy feeling in her stomach as the elevator made its slow crawl to the top floor of her building. Her head was swimming with a dangerous mix of alcohol and righteous fury. That on top of her usual surly disposition made for a rather lethal combination.

She should be in Bali right now, enjoying the second week of her winter vacation, sipping mai tai's on the beach and deciding which beach hottie she wanted to take back to her room, but then her idiot boyfriend had to go and fuck that all up with his nonsense.

She's a bulimic headcase? Well no kidding Court. You wouldn't exactly be a picnic either if you had to put up with half the shit she did. Over critical mother. A whole society who views you as the perfect teenage role model when in reality you're anything but. And a boyfriend who sees you as nothing more than a piece of ass who props up his rep.

Court had no business besmirching her character. He was a selfish alcoholic prick whose less than enlightened views would make Trump blush in embarrassment. They were supposed to overlook these flaws in one another, it was part of the deal, but no. The dumbass couldn't follow the script.

Instead she got dumped for a retarded virgin in a mini skirt. When word got out about this Kathryn would be absolutely humiliated. Court claimed he was in love, which is in and of itself hysterical. High school love was bullshit; this was just common sense. Court Reynolds was many things but she didn't think willfully ignorant was one of them., Apparently tho, she overestimated him. He didn't want love. He wanted a girl who acted like Marcia Brady in public, bowed to him in private and let him stick it in her ass in the bedroom. Most men would be happy with two out of three. Not Court.

Well he'd get his. She was going to make damn sure of it.

The elevator dinged, signaling her arrival and the mahogany doors opened revealing the tastefully ornate foyer that served as a hallway between the buildings two penthouse suites. Kathryn stepped off the lift only to experience the unfortunate simultaneous combination of her knees going out and her head spinning that sent her teetering on her heels. She stumbled, hitting the marble floor hard and landing in an unlady like sprawl. Before she could completely get her bearings there was a flash, followed by warm masculine laughter. Tossing her hair out of her face she turned to find her neighbor standing over her with his ever present stupid camera.

"Well if it isn't our illustrious student body president making yet another memorable entrance," Sebastian Valmont drawled, in his typical clipped delivery. "Looks like someone had one to many cocktails on the way home."

"Eat a dick Valmont," she hissed, pulling herself to her feet. He of course didn't offer a hand as any gentleman would. Sebastian was about as far away from a proper gentleman as one could get.

Not even batting an eye at her insult, he tucked his camera away in his ratty leather messenger bag slung over his shoulder musing, "This should make a rather exciting entry to my collection of photographic evidence of your debauchery."

Kathryn winced when she was reminded of how many times he's caught her in situations such as this. Getting sick in the elevator. Passing out in the foyer. Somehow this asshole was always around to catch her at her worst. She really should consider investing is some kind of security.

Shaking it off, she squared her shoulders and put on her most ferocious haughty bitch face as she stepped to him. "That photo sees the light of day I'll have your balls surgically removed from your body and display them in the school courtyard." Smiling meanly she added in a honey sweet tone, "Need I remind you what happened last time you published an unauthorized photo of me?"

Sebastian used to run a popular website that's main focus was posting humiliating pictures and videos of prominent members of the Upper East Side. He only ever posted one picture of her and that had been the last thing he ever posted. Kathryn had the abomination shut down the following day, but she didn't stop there. After a helpful suggestion to his dear aunt, he was shipped off for the summer to some boot camp for wayward youths.

"Don't fuck with me pencil dick. I'm not in the mood."

She pushed past him and headed for her apartment, hoping he'd take the hint and leave. No such luck.

"Ooh someone's extra pissy tonight," he observed falling into step beside her. "What's wrong? Did you catch your Nazi boyfriend blowing the cabana boy or did you just forget to purge after you binged?"

Kathryn had a momentary flare of panic that he had discovered the truth about the status of her relationship, before she quickly remembered who she was dealing with. Valmont existed far too low on the social totem pole to be aware of anything that happens in her circle. To put it bluntly the boy was a social leper.

To be fair this was mostly his own doing. He had every advantage in the world and he stupidly squandered it away in favor of social exile. The Valmonts were one of the wealthiest families in the country. His aunt practically ran New York society. And yet for reasons she couldn't begin to comprehend he chose to dress like a homeless person and ostracize everyone he came in contact with. Freak.

"So much concern about my life," she sighed. "I know antisocial losers such as yourself don't have much going on, but if you'd kindly refrain from stalking me, that would be swell."

"Sure thing Benedict Bitch," he tossed back, righting the thick frames on his face. Kathryn wondered if he even needed eye glasses or if it was just another way to make himself look 'alternative'.

The elevator doors shot open behind them and several of her servants poured out carrying her many pieces of matching luggage up from the car. Sebastian headed for the lift. "Well as entertaining as this has all been, I have better places to be with much more interesting people."

She sincerely doubted that. To her knowledge there was only one person in this city who put up with Valmont's special brand of bullshit and she was just as insufferable as he was. "Oh send little Dorothy my best," Kathryn cooed with false sweetness.

Dogging her driver as he struggled with a heavy trunk carrying her shoes, Sebastian sneered over his shoulder, "Annette is twice the woman you'll ever be Merteuil."

"If by that you mean she's twice my size then we're in full agreement," she quipped dryly.

Her attention was diverted when her mother came sweeping across the grand entrance way of the Merteuil penthouse. Shit. Kathryn had been hoping she was still in St. Barts. Schooling her expression into a pleasant smile she greeted her, "Hello mother. I wasn't expecting you back until the end of the month."

Tiffany leaned in and offered up her only child a brief air kiss. She smelled like Channel and scotch. Like mother like daughter. "The hotel was a nightmare. I need a week at the spa just to recover." She drew back from her, gaze becoming sharp. "I thought you and Court were going to be in Bali for two weeks?"

"It's a long story."

Before anything more can be said on the subject Sebastian interrupts. "By the way Kathryn," he called loud and obnoxious, from the elevator. "I'll text you my doctor's number so you can get your snatch checked out. That kind of thing really should be looked at right away."

As the door closed on his smirking face Kathryn had to physically stop herself from flipping him off. Her mother looked back at her somewhat aghast. "What is that boy referring to?"

Rolling her eyes, she brushed past her into the apartment explaining, "Nothing mother, he's a vulgar idiot. Everyone knows that."

"You know there used to be a time you two were practically inseparable," Tiffany mused, turning her scrutinizing gaze on her. "What happened?"

"Puberty" she muttered darkly while handing off her carry on to her personal maid Mai-Lee. Kathryn was in desperate need of a bath and an exit out of this pointless trip down memory lane. She hated being reminded of her history with Sebastian. "Honestly mother, I'd thought you'd be happy I no longer socialize with that weirdo."

"The Valmont's aren't so bad."

That statement was enough to make Kathryn stop in her tracks and whip around. "Since when? You've been trying to get Edward Valmont banned from this building for years."

"There's no need to be dramatic darling," she sighed, taking a seat in one of the many plush chairs that occupied the parlor room. "The Valmont's are one of the most prominent families in the city. That earns a certain level of respect."

Kathryn cocked an eyebrow at this explanation, but before she could dig in further her mother abruptly changed the subject.

"Enough about that. Tell me about Bali." With a knowing glint in her eye she pushed, "What exactly happened with Court?"

Kathryn sighed. She was going to need another drink.