Over.
Over with Blair, his first love.
He thought it would hurt more. It doesn't.
He always felt like a supporting character with her. As if she was the leading woman, but he wasn't the leading man. Everyone knew who was always meant for that part.
But despite all, he knew their time together was right then. And now it's over. And that's just as right.
Everything's getting quieter (or at least as quiet as a New York City street can get). The guests of the prom have left long ago. Yet he cannot move. He sits on the steps, with his arms on his knees and his head resting in his hands.
He closes his eyes and remembers Blair's hands all over his body. Her soft lips on his. Her whispers of love into his ear.
And so he admits to himself, that maybe it hurts a little bit more than he first thought.
He sighs and stands up on his feet, thinking what a failure he is, and is just about to leave when…
A blonde head in the darkness. Walking right in front of him. Past him.
"Jenny!" he says because it is his first instinct. He realizes that maybe he shouldn't have said anything, but knows it's too late.
She stops, with a somewhat frightened expression on her face first, until seeing it is Nate and her red lips turn her mouth into a smile.
"Nate! Hey!" she says with that up-beat voice she has. Nothing used to make him feel better.
She walks up the steps towards him, and gives him a friendly hug. They pull back and smile at each other.
"What are you doing here so late?" she says. "Prom ended quite a while ago, didn't it?"
She sits on the steps, which surprises him, and he sits down once again.
"Yes." is all he says and Jenny says nothing more. She understands. She always did.
"I heard." she says sadly and looks at him. He is, again, surprised. Not because she knew (remember, they're the Gossip Girl generation), but because she feels for him. He doesn't deserve it.
"It wasn't meant to be anymore." he says and clears his throat. "It's fine."
"I know you loved her." she says, staring in front of her. "I know how you feel."
For a moment he doesn't realize, but then he does. Was he the one that made her feel that way? Is it possible? But Nate couldn't believe it. Someone like Jenny couldn't love someone like Nate.
There's a comforting silence between them for a couple of minutes.
"I'm sorry." he says. She looks at him with questioning eyes. "You didn't deserve…"
He can't finish his sentence but she knows what he wants to say.
"I'm sad to have lost your friendship." he says and she nods.
"I am too."
She puts her hand over his, perhaps as a comforting gesture or to show that she means what she says, but either way neither of them expected to feel something. It was as if electricity went out from their united hands through their bodies. They look at each other and for a moment it feels like six months ago. Nate cannot help but wish it was. He'd kiss her then.
"I should go." she says and it feels like a stab in his chest. "It's late."
She stands up, as does he, and gives him a hug. It lasts for longer than the previous one, and Nate feels he wishes it could last for hours. He shivers when feeling her breath on his neck. The thought of her mouth so close to his skin…
In a moment the hug ends, and they share mumbling goodnights. Jenny starts to walk away but then he calls her name. She turns around.
"What were you doing out here so late anyway? It's not really your neighborhood." He laughs and she laughs along with him.
"I was looking for you." she tells him. At first he doesn't believe her. But then she smiles at him (that special one that used to be for only him) and he knows.
He realizes that the thoughts of Blair were now gone. In fact, they were now occupied by someone else.
He stands there for a while, in the middle of a dark New York City street and breathes in the cool spring air.
Then, he puts his hands in his pockets, turns around and walks away.
Maybe this is the time for a new beginning.