This was the first time they had been properly drunk. Till now, it was only measured sips of champagne, wine (or scotch, in Chuck's case) at social gatherings. But this time they went wild with the hard alcohol Chuck had brought. After all, it was Nate's 14th birthday which was his 'transition to manhood', as Chuck put it.
It took 2 hours and 4 empty bottles for them to start enacting Romeo and Juliet. As usual Nate and Blair essayed the lead roles, with Chuck as Lord Paris and Serena as the evil maid.
"Romeo, oh Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" Blair cried. Nate sprang out of nowhere. "I'm here!" he said, running in slow motion towards his beloved, only to have Chuck trip him.
Serena pushed a glass towards Blair. "Drink it up, Mistress. Don't worry; it's not poisonous or anything." Blair lifted it off the tray and finished the drink in one gulp.
"Oh no, I'm going to die!" she gasped dramatically, and fell into Chuck's arms, while Serena cackled madly.
Nate was on his feet again and immediately started dueling with Chuck with a rolled newspaper, Blair lying forgotten on the carpet. Chuck won the fight (Nate's senses had become dimmer than usual) and flung Nate's 'sword' at Serena, which unfurled and hit her right at the face. Serena shrieked and bumped into a vase, which went crashing onto the floor and broke into pieces.
Nate stared at the thousand tiny fragments lying on the floor. Then he looked up at his friends-Chuck, who was enjoying this, Blair (she was sitting up now) who was shocked, and Serena, who looked guilty.
"Don't' worry, its only Ming!" he slurred.
And the death scene of Juliet resumed.
"Can someone please switch off the light?" Blair whined, for the 100th time, from somewhere behind Chuck.
"You know what you should you get Nate?" Serena said, propping herself on one elbow, "One of those remote controls that practically control the house." Chuck voiced his agreement and Nate knew that he'd already made up his mind to buy one.
After finishing Romeo and Juliet, the foursome had decided to do Hamlet, with Nate searching for his father's murderer, Chuck trying to drown Blair in the river and Serena once again playing a maid, but this time, a loyal one. ("Why do I always get to play the maid?")
Head slightly spinning, Nate had collapsed on the rug after a particularly funny scene and had decided to stay there. Soon, the rest of the Non Judging Breakfast Club had followed.
Realizing that no one was probably going to do it, Blair got up and switched off the light. Now the room's only source of illumination was the moonlight filtering through the windows.
Nate exhaled lazily. He felt content. His throat was warm from the drinks and he felt a little fuzzy. He was sure that he would pay for this in the morning, but right now, he didn't care. His bestest friends in the whole world were here with him.
Nate glanced to his left and saw Serena sleeping peacefully. She looked even more beautiful by moonlight. His drunken mind screamed at him to touch her and when he was about to brush off her hair obscuring her face, he felt movement by his side. He saw that Blair had switched places with Chuck and had now put her warm head on his arm. A moment passed, with Nate's arm still outstretched. Then he placed it down.
Nate sighed and closed his eyes.
