Gossip Girl – The Party's Over
Title: Gossip Girl – "The Party's Over"
Summary: What happens when Manhattan's elite realise it's time to be responsible for their pasts and plan for the future?
Rating: MA for mature readers.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters created by writer Cecily von Ziegesar or television series creators Josh Schwartz & Stephanie Savage. However, I do lay claim to all original characters. No copyright infringement is intended towards the CW Television Network and no financial reward has been gained.
A/N: Please take the time to review, follow or favour.
Chapter 1
07:00 Monday 08/30/2010
Rise & shine Upper East Siders!
It's Gossip Girl here with the latest.
Summer break is officially over & that
means more break ups, tears, hook ups,
a new school year with tons of fresh
gossip for all my readers.
Let's start with something really life
changing. It seems resident moral
compass D has not listened to his own
ethics; congratulations on becoming a
daddy on July 7th.
Sorry to hear V is not the mother &
just where is the spawn of Satan anyway?
Apparently, G left a note telling her baby's
daddy she had gone to the spa. The poor girl
seems to have lost directions back to Brooklyn;
she's not been seen since & it looks like D
literally did get left holding the baby.
You know you love me.
XO XO Gossip Girl.
-0-
07:15 Monday 08/30/2010
Gossip Girl here with more news just in!
A legendry & popular socialite darling from
before our time has returned to the city that
never sleeps after living abroad for two years.
Oh la la!
But before you start filling your flutes with
champagne & celebrating, this girl hasn't partied
for seven years, so SVW, your title of party girl
2010 is still safe. Although I have to say your
summer getaway with your BFF B was very low key
& un-newsworthy.
On the other matter, Little Girl Lost has come home
to mourn and has my condolences.
Stay tuned for an update.
You know you love me.
XO XO Gossip Girl.
-0-
07:29 Monday 08/30/2010
Gossip Girl here again!
The tips just keep rolling in. It looks like I'm in for
a busy fall with all the comings and goings of
Manhattan's elite.
Ooh kitty, watch the fur fly and the nails dig deep as
a certain toppled Queen B attempts to regain her once
lofty status as she embarks on her first day of orientation
at good ole Ivy League Columbia University. I hear there
was no ostentatious farewell at NYU.
What a shame, B loves a party, especially when she is the
centre of all that attention.
Until later,
You know you love me.
XO XO Gossip Girl.
-0-
Serena Celia van der Woodsen read the three blog messages on her Blackberry and turned to childhood best friend Blair Cornelia Waldorf, "Who are they referring to in the second one?"
The brunette shrugged her shoulders indicating she had little interest, "Beats me, but I'm sure my mother will know. In fact, I'm certain Lily will have an idea too, seems as she is the socialite queen."
"Sad but true, my mother knows everyone remotely considered upper class in this town."
"We can ask her after orientation and you really should have gotten a room on campus to experience your first year of college like everyone else."
Rolling blue eyes, the long haired blonde scoffed at the suggestion, "Yeah right, look how well that worked out for you your freshman year at NYU."
"Please, let's not rehash bad times S and I am a sophomore now and living in my own apartment."
Two phones sounded simultaneously with message alerts and both women retrieved their cells. "It's another snippet of news," noted Blair first.
-0-
07:31 Monday 08/30/2010
Gossip Girl with news just received!
BFFs S & B were seen having coffee on the West Side.
Insignificant S has finally decided to further her
education on subjects other than "How to throw yourself
at men first then ask questions later" & "Which bottle of
champagne should I drink?"
She will be attending her first day at Columbia. I wish
her well & hope she provides me with more sinful and
scintillating antics throughout the year.
Maybe B can steer her in the right direction while
desperately trying to stop another fall from grace.
You know you love me.
XO XO, Gossip Girl.
-0-
"Mother Focker!" exclaimed an agitated Blair. "It looks like we are in the limelight again without even trying."
"What a way to start the new term," bemoaned Serena while deleting the message.
"I was hoping Gossip Girl had forgotten about us over the summer break."
Serena glanced at her friend, "B, I really meant what we discussed in Paris."
"Come off it Serena, you won't last an entire year without dating."
"Seriously Blair, we won't be teenagers much longer and my past indiscretions with men have been too much of a distraction for me. It's time I grew up and stopped falling for liars, scammers and bastards."
"You do tend to attract them and it pains me to say this, but Humphrey was the only guy who didn't lie to you until after you fibbed to him too many times to count."
"I realise that, hence the reason I am taking a year off from boys."
"Come on, we better get going. We don't need to be late on our first day."
Standing and collecting her bag, Serena added, "B, don't forget I have that final internship interview this afternoon, so don't wait for me."
"I won't and I'll meet you at your place at six for dinner."
-0-
Five foot eleven, blue eyed and platinum blonde Bailey Lindquist looked up from the paperwork lying on her expansive cedar desk and focused on the stunning nineteen year old, five foot ten blonde wearing a Columbia University cashmere V-neck sweater, white Oxford shirt, black skirt and black lace up shoes.
Getting to her feet, the twenty two year old approached the front of the desk and leaned against the edge. "Please take a seat Miss van der Woodsen," she directed while motioning to the two handcrafted soft leather armchairs.
"Thank you and I apologise for my attire; I've come directly from College."
"No apology necessary Miss van der Woodsen. I am fully aware of your commitments to Columbia's orientation week. I've read your application as well as the other candidates that submitted for the position last month. I know you have already been interviewed by the company's publicity head Grace Newman, but when I saw the name van der Woodsen I was curious as to your reasons for wanting a job as a publicist intern with the company."
Serena's head turned slightly to the left, as did her eyes, "As you know by my résumé, I've interned in the field on two other occasions and thoroughly enjoyed the work. I feel that my future lies within a corporate organisation."
Long straight locks fell forward as Bailey lowered her head, "Miss van der Woodsen I don't believe in hiding facts or keeping secrets, so I'll be blunt." Raising her head, blue eyes locked onto blue, "I was stunned to discover you had applied for a part-time internship considering your background."
Confusion registered on Serena's face, "I don't understand."
"Your mother Lillian Humphrey sits on the board at Bass Industries, I'm sure she could have found you a suitable position."
"She did, but I declined the offer because I want to forge a career on my own merits and without my mother's considerable influence."
A perfectly shaped right blonde eyebrow arched inquisitively, "Your step-brother Charles owns and operates Bass Industries; surely you could have taken up employment with him?" Serena grimaced and it didn't go unnoticed, "I can see you have a dislike for the thought of working for him and fully understand your desire for independence. I also know you dislike authority."
"Pardon!" exclaimed Serena with surprise at the latter comment.
"I know all the secrets you have tried to keep over the years Miss van der Woodsen. In an attempt to avoid scandal in 2006, you volunteered to attend boarding school in Cornwall, Connecticut under the guise of wanting to sort out your problem with excessive alcohol and drug abuse. Your mother was relieved at the time, but your best friend Blair Waldorf was understandably heartbroken over your sudden departure without a word or explanation from you. Upon your return you informed her you had left in shame after having sex with her then boyfriend Nathaniel Archibald during the Sheppard wedding."
Stunned by the stranger's barrage of in-depth information, Serena shook her head, "Unfortunately that is all public knowledge amongst my peers."
"Yes, you were Gossip Girl's favourite subject for some time, but you and I both know that was only the tip of the iceberg. I'm aware of the overdose of Pete Fairman and the part Georgina Sparks and you played in that hotel room tragedy."
Serena was flabbergasted, "How could you possibly know that?"
"When someone seeks a position with Lindquist Global Industries, it is policy that as much data on the applicants as possible be gathered."
Feeling a little offended, Serena asked, "You paid for a private investigator to snoop into my personal life?"
"No, I took the liberty of completing the task myself and to be honest, your teenage years have been constant fodder for the media over a considerable period of time. It didn't take much research and your step-sister was more than willing to divulge delicate information when I spoke to her last month."
Affronted, Serena stood and glared at Bailey, "I don't believe this; I didn't come here for a character assassination."
"Miss van der Woodsen, please sit down and refrain from running away as is your habit when confronted, then falling into bed with the first male who says hello."
"You don't know the first thing about me," protested Serena vehemently. "And you certainly don't have the right to judge me."
"As I said before, I do know everything about you. Seven years ago I was just like you until I woke up to myself and stopped being a "fun time had by all". Unlike your mother, mine sought out professional help for me and didn't dismiss my partying frolics as a cry for help."
"Why did you ask me here?" enquired a calm Serena, realising there was much more than a job interview going on.
"I want to offer what no one else has. When you worked for KC Cunningham she treated you badly and used your connections within your social world to kiss ass with clients and had you lying about an actor's so called girlfriend just to keep his career afloat. You were pressured into the act to keep actress Olivia Burk pacified while she attended NYU. When the truth surfaced that she wasn't Patrick Robinson's girlfriend any longer, you were forced to improvise by kissing him in front of the cameras. The fact that you had to fabricate stories to keep the relationship between Burk and your old boyfriend Dan Humphrey a secret didn't help matters."
"Jenny really did a number on me," scoffed the younger blonde in disbelief.
"Of course the debacle of working for Tripp van der Bilt III was yet another example of bad judgement on your behave."
"How in the world did you learn about that?"
"His wife Maureen was a friend of my mother's and blurted it out during a luncheon of cocktails while he was off playing happy home with you. I also know the truth about the car accident he tried to blame on you."
"Jesus," mumbled Serena in utter shock.
"Miss van der Woodsen, you are in a vicious cycle of wanting to please everyone. You lie to protect others and yourself and in turn, are constantly used. Your mother has enabled your actions by either paying off those involved or telling more lies to cover up their scams or untruths. She has been more concerned with social status and appearance then ensuring those responsible pay. You have learnt nothing about how deceptive people can be and I believe the recent investment swindle perpetrated by Poppy Lifton and Gabriel Edwards proves that point."
Bailey took a second before continuing, "Because you were so desperate to reunite with your father, you ignored your friends and brother's warnings about his con job regard your mother's ill heath then treated your step-father Rufus poorly when the truth came out. You sold your soul to the media to lure William in when any one could have located him quickly in Palm Beach by simply looking up a medical doctor's registry. Finally, you exacerbated the deplorable situation when you aided and abetted his escape from the authorities."
Casting her eyes downward, Serena started to silently cry, "I'm ashamed of the way I have acted in the past and realise I have hurt people."
"Yes, but instead of facing them, you took off for Paris with Blair Waldorf."
Serena suddenly felt compelled to tell the stranger the truth and dried her eyes, "I promised Blair I would not date for a year and get my life together."
"Miss van der Woodsen, if the truth be told, I would hardly call it dating. You are too quick to offer yourself to any guy who looks at you because you have no self-respect when it comes to personal relationships and think that maybe the right man has arrived and he will be faithful or not use you."
"How the hell do you know so much about me?"
"I told you before I used to be just like you in trying to be the popular "it" girl. Now before you leave, I want to present you with a proposition, but first I want you to tell me what you know about Lindquist Industries.
Sitting up straight, Serena accepted the tissue Bailey offered her, "It's a multi-billion dollar company with corporate offices in Sydney, Vancouver, London, Paris, Dubai, Luxemburg, Prague, Johannesburg, Berlin, Mexico and Hong Kong. The company manufactures medical equipment and supplies, pharmaceuticals, steel and plastics. They own and run oil fields in Mexico and Bass Strait Australia as well as shopping centres and hospitals worldwide. There is also an extensive portfolio of property, mineral ore mines and affiliations to numerous charitable organisations."
Bailey smiled and high cheekbones rose, "That's very good and you appear to have done your homework. You have great potential Miss van der Woodsen, it's a shame you and others have allowed you to squander your intelligence over the years. Now what do you know about me?"
"To be perfectly honest, I don't know who you are except for the fact you are highly intelligent and had a similar lifestyle to mine. I was actually expecting to be interviewed with Mr Lindquist."
"What do you know about him then?"
"Oliver Lindquist took over the family business when his father Eugen suffered a fatal heart attack. Eugen passed away twenty years ago at the age of fifty one due to an undiagnosed cardiac embolism. He started the company after arriving in California from Sweden in 1949 at the age of twenty. He bought the rights to two small silver mines with his savings and built them into a profitable business within the first year. In time he expanded his business interests, married a woman from his home town in Sweden and she gave birth to their son Oliver in 1966."
"That's impressive research and memory retention Miss van der Woodsen."
"Thank you, but what is it you want from me?"
"It's not a case of what I want, but what you would like."
"You have me at a disadvantage."
"If you can carry out your internship here, keep an acceptable GPA at college and not feature unfavourably in the media or Gossip Girl blogs; a full time position will be waiting for you at the completion of your Business Administration Master's degree."
Serena's eyes widened, "Is there some kind of catch or other conditions?"
"No, all you have to do is stop lying and allowing yourself to be used as a doormat. I'm giving you the opportunity to make something of yourself on your own. It's entirely up to you if you take up the offer."
Rising to her feet, Serena stared at Bailey, "When do I start?"
"You already have and Miss van der Woodsen, one word of advice; learn to look people directly in the eye when speaking to them, not just when you are angry. People can read the sincerity on your face when you do."
"Thank you and I'm sorry if I appear shaken."
"Go see Grace Newman, head of the publicity department on the third floor and organise your work hours to coincide with your class schedule. I don't want you missing lessons or forfeiting study time and good luck when your classes begin next week."
"I understand and thank you for this opportunity, I won't let you down."
"It won't be me you let down Miss van der Woodsen, it will be you," reasoned Bailey as she straightened up and held out her hand. "My name is Bailey Lindquist, President, CEO and granddaughter of Eugen, welcome aboard."
A gobsmacked Serena fumbled for words, "Uhm thank you."
"There is a fund raising gala Grace is currently working on, that will be your first assignment."
"Thank you again."
Bailey observed the young woman as she left before phoning Grace and informing her of Serena's decision.
-0-
