Nathaniel Archibald was running
His feet pounding the wet concrete in heavy thumps thwumps
His breathing isn't smooth and relaxed like usual but fast and hard
Shorts gasps and bursts of speed
The cold air freezes his bare legs and face
But Nathaniel Archibald doesn't feel it
His heart seizes in his chest and he knows he should stop but he doesn't
The images are still vivid in his mind
Its not the fact that he doesn't have what he wants
But the fact that Dan Humphrey gets them that's killing him
He gets Serena and Blair, that stupid college and perfect grades
He could be Nate
He could beat Nate at being Nate
And it isn't fair
Money and class was supposed to get you everything
Wasn't that what he had been brought up to believe?
But even as he ran Nathaniel Archibald knew that what he had been brought up on
Was a lie
Something parents in the Upper East Side told their kids day in and day out
Something they were told to believe with all their being
Bullshit
His strides are slower now and he's starting to tighten up
He wants to push himself
To make it a few more steps
But his legs give out on him, just like everything else
And he falls to the ground
Autumn leaves of every shade softening the blow
As Nathaniel Archibald bites it
Hard
He can taste the iron in his mouth and he spits red
It blends with the leaves and he can't find it
He wipes his mouth and his hand comes away sticky, he swears
Nate's breath goes out and coats the air with vapor
He attempts to blow rings but his breaths are too harsh
They scratch the night
And he gives up
Like he has on many things
Especially the ones that would have made him happy