Chuck Bass sat by the pool, alone for the first time in a few weeks, just a glass of scotch and his thoughts; often a deadly combination. It wasn't habitually he let his mind wander but it seemed as of lately the only thing that had been on his mind was Blair. Maybe he had been foolish to not show up that day they were to leave for Tuscany…or maybe he did both he and her a favor. To think that they would work out was naïve, though they knew each other's true colors well, and to many he could give her everything her heart desired. On the inside, underneath all of the material things he felt like he had nothing to offer her- thought he kept to himself and always would. That morning Chuck had overheard a phone conversation of Serena's, no doubt to Blair. He learned Blair would be arriving that afternoon on the Jitney. His heart had somehow managed to sit in his stomach all morning, his throat was tight, and he felt antsy. How could one woman have such an effect on him?
Chuck was shaken from his thoughts when his step sister Serena approached him by the pool, unnerving him for just a moment. "Well well Chuck Bass alone...isn't this the sight! Where are the triplets? Or have we moved on to the little cabana girl on the beach today?" she said with a sarcastic smirk. She had little good to say to Chuck these days, not that she had ever too much to begin with but after what he did to Blair he had reached an all time low in her eyes and she would make sure he knew it every chance she received.
"Ha ha...aren't you cute. Where's Nate?" Chuck retorted, rising from his seat to pour himself another glass of scotch, he had to somehow get his wits about him before Blair arrived. He wasn't quite sure how this was going to play out but it was never smart for anyone to underestimate him, even himself. Serena rolled her eyes, "You know Chuck, you seem awful nervous this morning. This couldn't have to do with a certain person coming in to town to stay today could it?" she asked, digging a little. "Oh are Lilly and Bart coming to join us?" he replied, turning his back to her.
"Come on Chuck...I saw you this morning outside my door, you know Blair is coming. I also hope you know you blew it and she will never forgive you for what you did. So if I were you I would just save myself the embarrassment of public failure and leave her alone. I won't see her hurt like that again." Serena said in a stern voice as she pushed her long blonde hair away from her face, her gaze still not leaving him.
Chuck turned towards her now, placing his glass down on a pool side table and took a few steps in her direction, not backing down from her gaze. "Serena, if I were you I'd worry about my fake relationship with Nathaniel instead of sticking your nose in my affairs. Now if you will excuse me I believe I have some business to attend to." He said in his smug manner as he left her standing there.
The afternoon seemed to pass in a slow, crawling pace. He had tried to busy himself with television, the beach, anything to keep him going, but here it was, the time she would arrive. He showered, then dressed, making sure to look his best and in his trademark style. A bright polo, plaid linen pants and a sport coat, he couldn't show up looking anything less than what she would expect of him. He also couldn't look like an idiot who had sat around pining for her the entire summer long. He looked in the mirror at himself, satisfied he ran his fingers through his hair, grabbed the beautiful bouquet of her favorite flowers and headed to where the Jitney would be dropping Blair off. What would happen next was out of his hands…a feeling he had never liked.