Couldn't live with the other ending.
"I still don't get why we have to go to this thing," Nate complained to his girlfriend of almost eight months. "We're going into our third year of college soon. I'm pretty sure no one will remember anyone."
I still remember him, thought Blair as she punched the earrings through her ear holes. "Aren't you excited to see everyone again?" She couldn't stop her voice from sounding elated. When was the last time she saw Chuck? A year or so? That seemed about right. She glanced at herself in the mirror. "Do I look okay?"
Nate gave her the once-over when she turned around and he chuckled. "You make me look so bad, Blair."
"Liar," she laughed and looked at what he was wearing for the first time. Dressed in light green polo and slacks, he really did pale in comparison to her with her neat bun and enticing red cocktail dress. "Well, let's go. Don't want to be too late." Slipping on her shoes, she grabbed her purse off the hanger and tossed the keys to Nate, who caught them easily.
- - -
"Oh my gosh, Blair!? Blair Waldorf!?"
Whipping her head around, a scream erupted from her throat. "Serena!"
"I haven't seen you in forever!" Serena screeched, hugging her old best friend.
"I know," Blair sighed. "Yale, you know. Too far away from NYU. I'm home for summer, though. Nate and I are spending it at my house. You should come visit." She smiled.
"Oh, so you and Nate are still going?" Her voice contained a little bit of disappointment.
"Yeah, of course," Blair said, cocking her head to the side slightly with an unruffled expression. "Why wouldn't we be?"
Shrugging, Serena glanced at the people in the hotel ballroom, where Constance and St. Jude were having a reunion, and replied, "I don't know. Have you seen Chuck yet?"
Blair's palms started to sweat and her insides froze at the mention of his name. Sure she was excited to see him—hell, that was the whole point they came!—but she wasn't quite positive how the encounter would make her feel. It'd been over a year since she last saw him, and she didn't know if he was dating now. She cringed at the thought of him holding another girl's hand. "No. Is he here?"
Nodding, the blonde pointed in the direction of the food table. "Last time I saw him, he was grabbing a sandwich or something."
"Oh, okay. I think I'll go say hi to him. I haven't seen him in a year, you know." Her voice quivered slightly.
Clasping her hand around Blair's wrist, Serena reminded her, "You're with Nate now. Don't let those old feelings get back at you, okay?"
"Please, Serena." She rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine. We're not in high school anymore." Pulling her hand away, she slowly walked in his direction. She could just make out a glimpse of his tousled hair. Her heartbeats sped up as she approached.
"Blair Waldorf, what a surprise."
Insides frozen, her feet stayed planted on the floor at the sound of his voice. It shouldn't be doing this to her. "Chuck Bass," she barely made out, "what a surprise, indeed."
He gently pushed the boy standing between them so that he could get to her. "It's been too long," he said and kissed her on the cheek.
Damn those butterflies. "Yes," she agreed and smiled. "That was exactly what I was thinking."
A smile tugged at the corners of his lips and he nodded. "Well, I just got here a few minutes ago, so excuse me. I still need to greet a few people. See you around?"
"Right," she replied and watched him walk away. Letting out a deep breath, she searched the food table and took a shot of vodka. "Excuse me," she said softly, tapping a girl on the shoulder, "have you seen Nate Archibald anywhere?"
"Blair!?"
"Oh my God, Kati?"
The former friends laughed and hugged as Chuck watched out of the corner of his eye across the room, where he was standing right next to Nathaniel himself.
- - -
"I'm going to take a breather," Blair giggled and touched her friends lightly on the arm. "Be back in a few minutes. If you see Nate, can you tell him that I'm looking for him?"
"Yeah, sure," a collective group replied, smiles in their voices.
Grabbing a beer bottle from the counter, Blair grinned at her former friends and made her way out of the hotel ballroom into the courtyard. Relieved that she was away from all the noise, she sighed and took a swig from the bottle of Heineken. She admired the decorations of the courtyard and the way the stars sparkled as she walked along the cobblestone steps. Turning her direction to a fountain in the midst of the courtyard, she saw a figure bent over on the stools next to it. "Chuck?" she called out and saw the figure's head snap up.
"Hey," he smiled. His smile. The one she's been missing for so long.
"Hey," she smiled back and took a seat next to him. "How've you been since the last time I saw you?"
He shrugged. "Good, bad, depends on the day. How about you? I talked to Nate, and he said you've been together for almost eight months. Congratulations."
"Thank you," she said quietly. Mustering courage, she asked, "So, are you dating anyone right now?"
"Nah," he shook his head. "I broke up with my girlfriend about two weeks ago."
"Why?"
"Just wasn't working out."
"I see." She nodded and took a sip of her beer bottle.
He watched her and chuckled.
"What?" she asked as she stared at him. Following his gaze, her eyes landed on the rim of her Heineken. "This?" She lifted the beer up, gesturing.
"Yes."
"You've changed me," she winked and took another sip.
He laughed, "I guess I have." Watching her twirl her hair silently, he questioned, "So, do you mind if I ask you something?"
"Depends on what you ask me."
Chuck took a deep breath. "Have you and Nate ever… you know…" he trailed off.
"Oh, no, no, no," Blair said quickly, shaking her head. "No. You're…" she sighed. "You're the only one I've ever slept with."
He turned his gaze on her and asked, "And why is that?"
Shrugging, she averted her eyes and looked at her feet. "I don't know. I guess I'm just…" She trailed off, unsure why she never did.
"Hm," was all he said in reply.
"Yes."
"Well, I should get going," he told her, pushing off the cold wood of the stool. "Have fun at the rest of the reunion."
"Why are you already going?" she asked, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.
"I have a plane to catch. I live in California now. I go to USC."
Her eyes widened a touch. "Really?"
"Yeah," he laughed. "What, didn't think I could get in?"
"No, that's not it," she quickly tries to cover up her slip.
He laughed and shook his head a bit. "It's quite all right. It's been great catching up with you, Blair."
"Same," she smiled. "Hey, can I have your number? You know, we haven't talked in a long time."
"Yeah, sure," he said and pulled out his phone to hand to her, grabbing hers to plug in his number. "There." He gave it back to her and looked in her eyes. "Talk to you later."
"Bye Chuck," she whispered and watched him leave the courtyard. She held her phone and looked at the new entry, a smile tugging at her lips.
Bleh. I know I've done much better, but it was just killing me that I haven't updated in months. Make my day and review? (: