They were laughing, drunk, with each other when Serena took another shot. Nate closely followed and laughed after again. Serena looked at the empty shot glass and then at Nate. His man bangs were shorter than the last time she saw him. You could really see his eyes. "Do you realize that we haven't been out together, drinking alone since the—" She cut herself off, scared to talk about it.
But Nate didn't seem scared at all. "The Shepard wedding," he stated, remembering that night like it was yesterday. He remembered Serena's dress, and her legs wrapping around his waist.
Serena got all serious, even though she was drunk. "Yeah." She nodded. "The night that everything changed," she managed to say.
Nate nodded. "Yeah. Maybe we should get some food and sober up before anything happens," he joked. His pearl white teeth showing.
Serena laughed and nudged his right arm. "Come on Nate!" she shouted. "It's been three and a half years. I can control myself if you can," she challenged. They laughed again. Serena noticed Nate's teeth this time. They were perfect. She took her eyes off of Nate and looked at the bartender. "Another round please!" She hit the bar. Nate's phone then rang. "Awe, saved by the bell."
Nate laughed, noticing Serena's smile, and the way her eyes flashed at him. She was still as beautiful as the day she left for boarding school.
"Hey Tripp," Nate said in the phone, preoccupied with Serena on his mind. He finally focused on Tripp when he told Nate that Maureen was the one behind the drowning man. Nate listens intently and agrees when Tripp says he doesn't want to see Maureen ever again. Even though he knows it's a bad idea.
They finally hang up and Nate walks back to Serena. "Was that Dan again?" she asked. She was resting her head on her hand.
"Yeah, that guy's got the most complicated love life," Nate lied. He just didn't want to bring up Tripp when Serena was trying to forget about him. He also didn't want Serena thinking about his cousin when he was falling for her all over again. "Now, where's that round?" he asked, changing the subject.
Serena smiled and took her head off her hand. "Now there's the Nate I remember!" she shouted.
Nate laughed. They took another round, and another, and another. They stopped when they brought up the Sheppard wedding again. Nate decided this was as good as a time then any to clear his head. "You know, it took me a long time to get over what happened with us that night." He looked into Serena's eyes. They were sparkling. He scoffed, wondering if he should go on. "I actually, uh, well, two years ago at the masquerade ball, I tried to tell you I loved you." He wasn't looking at Serena, but he felt her expression burning in his heart. She was awed. He smiled and looked up at her. Then he scoffed again, laughing at himself when he said, "It turns out I told Jenny Humphrey. She was, wearing your mask," he finally admitted. He felt lighter, knowing that Serena knew what happened two years ago with him.
She looks more shocked than ever. "You," she gulped. "You loved me?" she asked.
Nate looks at her again. He then exhales, worried about what she might say in response to what he was about to say. "Of course I did. Serena, you're the most beautiful—" She smiled. "Amazing alive person I've ever known."
Serena was half smiling, but the other half, she was shocked. She never knew that Nate had ever felt that way ever since she came back. She knew that he liked her back then, but now he was saying how beautiful she was, three years later. "Nate…" she started.
The next thing they both knew, Nate was leaning in, and Serena was following his lead. They were four inches away when a familiar voice called out, "I hope I'm not interrupting something." It was Tripp.
Nate exhaled with annoyance. Yes, yes you are, he thought. He hated his cousin right now. The best thing in his life was about to happen, and he ruined it. But Serena had invited him to sit and drink with them. Of course she did, she was in love with the dude. His cousin, HIS COUSIN!
They started talking about Maureen and what she did. "So, Maureen…" Tripp nodded. "Wow," Serena gasped. She was half smiling, because she knew that maybe this would break them off. "I can't believe she did that."
Tripp nodded again. He didn't even notice Nate sighing in the background. "I called her, she admitted it." He scoffed.
"You okay?" Serena asked.
Tripp shook his head. "Not really. My wife isn't who I thought she was, and neither is the marriage," Tripp said. He was looking at Serena's eyes, knowing she was a bit happy about it. He was too. He wanted Serena, and that was just the fact. Serena was about to speak, but she didn't know what to say, so Tripp looked at Nate. "Hey thanks for hearing me out earlier. You're a great friend."
Nate re-positioned himself. It was awkward. He hated Tripp, but loved him at the same time. "Yeah, yeah, anytime."
Serena turned to him in the first time for what seemed like an hour. "Wait, you knew, why didn't you say anything to me?" she asked, annoyed with Nate right now.
"I—" Nate started, but Tripp cut him off.
"Look Serena, I don't know anything anymore." That caused Serena to look away from Nate and back at Tripp. "I just know I don't want to be alone." Nate shook his head in disgust. "Can we take a walk?" he asked.
Serena nodded. "Yeah."
She started to get up when Nate started talking again. "Hey wait, Serena, I didn't tell you about Maureen because Tripp's a married man. And if you go with him now you're going to cross the line."
She looked down at the bar and then back up at Nate. "Thank you for everything Nate, but, that line just got a little blurry." They looked into each other's eyes for a minute, until Serena got up and picked up her purse.
She was halfway out of the seat when Nate grabbed her arm and pulled her down to his face. "Wait—" he said before he crashed his lips on hers. They were kissing passionately. Soon, Serena forgot about her feelings for Tripp. Nate was smirking as he kissed her. He was waiting for this for three years. He couldn't believe it was finally happening. They both could feel eyes on them, and they could hear the gasps. They heard phones being whipped out and texting.
Serena was smiling and laughing when they broke off the kiss. Nate was laughing too, until he heard Tripp's footsteps coming up towards them. "I'm just gonna be going," he said awkwardly.
Serena immediately felt bad. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry Tripp."
"It's alright… I'm just going to talk to Maureen…" he said, obviously upset about Serena and Nate kissing.
"Look, man, it's just—she's just—" Nate held it off for a minute, trying to figure out a word that would describe Serena. "Look, she was my best friend; you were just kind of there. You babysat us. You were the one who used to bug me, telling me that I would marry Serena one day." Serena giggled. Nate smiled and then turned back to Tripp. "I'm sorry man."
Tripp shook his head and walked away. Once they were clear, Nate and Serena looked at each other again. "I'm sorry about that. I just wanted to do what we were about to. I wasn't just going to stand here and watch my cousin steal you away when you were two minutes away from being mine," Nate said.
"Nate, I'm not going to stand here and lie. I was pissed before, but now… after you said all that. I don't know," Serena said, looking down. She really wanted Tripp, but that kiss just messed everything up.
"Maybe this will clear things up," Nate said. He pulled Serena in for another kiss.
They broke off when their phones were buzzing.
What's this I hear? S and N finally expressing each other's feelings? Seen locking lips at the club. Poor Tripp, he was totally rooting for himself to be with S. Good thing N is a real man and took control. I know you're all with me when I say that everyone jealous of S even more than before.
xoxo,
Gossip Girl.
