This is a sequel to Just One Night. Not really necessary to read that one before this, because you can pretty much get an idea of what is going on, but it would be helpful.
Enjoy!
There are only a couple more hours until Blair needs to be ready for a party she's going to with Nate. She sits in her robe on the center of the bed with no make-up on, and her hair not brushed. Tears threaten her eyes, but she's already told herself she's cried enough.
Chuck Bass was not worth all of her tears.
Two weeks ago, he promised her he was ready for the world to know about them. A day later, he came to her and confessed all of it had been a game.
She had fallen for it.
She drags herself from her bed, and starts to dress. Nate had asked her to accompany him to the banquet that night, and he had such a hopeful look in his eye when she agreed. She's sure Nate wants her back.
She's not sure she can say no.
The strap to the red evening gown falls perfectly on her shoulder, and she sits at her vanity and starts to comb her hair. Her long, brown locks fall over her shoulders. Her reflection in the mirror is a ghost of who she was when she was with Chuck. Her eyes are void, and there are dark circles beneath them. She turns away, ashamed of what she is now because of Chuck Bass.
He's an ass that must pay for what she's become.
--
Chuck doesn't want to go to the party tonight. He hasn't wanted to do anything in two weeks. Tonight is different, though. Nate has told Chuck about his plans to escort Blair, and how he plans on finally sealing the deal with her before making her his again.
Sometimes he hates his best friend.
If it weren't for Nathaniel, Chuck would be going with Blair. Two weeks ago, he promised Blair he was ready for everyone to know about them. The next day, Nathaniel came to him and confessed his once again feelings for the brunette, and his plans to get her back.
Chuck knew better than to stand in the way.
He made up a lie about the pictures Gossip Girl posted of him and Blair, and immediately went to Blair and lied again.
He will never forget the look on her face as he told her the whole thing was a game.
He has a dark pink tie on under his black suit, and his hair is slicked back. Any other time, he would know he looks good. Tonight, he knows he looks like shit. Blair would be there, on Nathaniel's arm. Chuck needs Blair on his arm to know he would look good.
Blair's beauty would make any man look good.
Of course, any normal man would keep his distance from the woman he's just scorned. Any decent guy would leave her alone and let her move on with the guy she's always dreamed of being with.
Any other guy would, but he's Chuck Bass.
From across the room, he sees her laughing along with something Nathaniel has said. She holds her drink in one hand, and grabs Nathaniel's arm with her other. Of course she would move on so quickly.
He swirls the glass of scotch in his hand, then takes a big gulp finishing it off. Blair Waldorf would be the death of him if he let her.
--
Blair feels a headache coming on as she tries her best to laugh along to everything Nate is saying. She's trying so hard to be that perfect girl everyone knows her to be, but that is getting harder and harder to do everyday. She just wants to scream as loud as she can to let everyone know she is breaking.
"Excuse me, Nate," she delicately touches his arm, "I have to go to the ladies room."
"Sure, Blair," he nods and she quickly walks away.
Her chest is heaving by the time she gets to the stall and locks herself in. One time in her life, she would have given anything to be at a banquet with Nate holding her hand, and her head held high. She's always dreamt of being the princess of the ball, with her prince standing right next to her. Then, she got a taste of another life. A life where love knew no boundaries, and passion consumed her.
For years, she's tried to perfect the art of emptying her stomach without making a sound. She no longer has a gag reflex, just a simple heave of her stomach, and even the small amount of food she's consumed is swimming in the porcelain bowl in front of her. It's been so long since she's done it, she can't believe she remembers how, but not a sound comes out until the acidic contents hit the water. It's been since before Chuck came along and made her feel beautiful, and wanted, and…full.
Her entire life, she's been hungry. Her stomach hungers for food. She starves for attention from her mother, from Nate. She desires to be the envy of everyone's affection. She craves for the feeling of knowing she's just destroyed a fellow peer's social standing.
Not with Chuck. He gives her the feeling of satiation.
But he is a lie. Chuck Bass played her. Probably just to be able to claim he took her virginity. So he could say he has something Nate didn't have. But, she gets confused when she thinks about it. Chuck Bass never sleeps with the same girl twice. Chuck Bass never plays with emotions for more than one night.
Chuck Bass never kisses with his eyes closed.
She flattens her dress out, and pushes her hair out of her face before she opens the stall door. Her reflection in the mirror shows no evidence of the purging she's just done.
"Blair," his voice echoes from behind her.
"Chuck," she gasps, and twists around. "What are you doing?"
"You said you stopped," he ignores her question, and walks toward her. She unconsciously takes a step back, and hits the counter.
"You have no business being in the ladies room," she points out, wishing he would not get any closer to her, and trembling as he does.
"You told me you quit throwing up your food," he reiterates.
"I lied," she bites back.
Chuck stops only inches from her. "It's Nathaniel, isn't it?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about," she turns around and starts the faucet to wash her hands.
"Stop hiding, Blair," he grabs her arm and turns her around. "He doesn't make you feel worthy enough."
"Chuck, stop," she pleads.
"He never has," he continues. "Not like I did." His lips are too close to her ear. His scent is overwhelming her. His hand on her arm is burning her.
"Why are you doing this?" She whispers.
"You need me, Blair," his voice is low as he presses a kiss against her nape.
"I was a game to you," she closes her eyes as she speaks. Warmth thunders through her body.
"You can't erase me from your skin," he nuzzles his nose in her hair.
"I was your ultimate conquest." Her knees are weak.
His lips press against hers. His eyes are closed. She feels it again. The fullness. Their tongues mesh, and their hands explore. They devour each other. Teeth clash, tongues battle, lips swell. Her hands are on his belt buckle before she knows what she is doing, and his are pulling up her dress. His belt falls free and jingles, bringing her crashing back to reality. She shoves him away.
"You have no right," she says through clenched teeth.
"I had no choice to do what I did," he says, grabbing onto her waist, trying to pull her body back to his. She swats him away.
"You had a choice."
"Nathaniel's my best friend."
"You had a choice, Chuck," she turns around once again, and washes her hands.
"He's your prince Charming," he says. "He's all either of us have left."
"Not true," she turns back around.
"What? That we had each other?" He scoffs.
"Ass," she spits out.
"Nathaniel is my brother. I would give up anything for my brother."
"And I was anything?" She asks.
Chuck sets his jaw, and narrows his eyes. "Less than," he bites.
Blair narrows her eyes to mask the hurt. She gives him a small smirk before walking past him and out of the bathroom.
--
He watches her from across the room. He can still smell her on him, still feel her lips burn his. Still see the hurt masked behind narrowed eyes. He scotch burns his throat, but it's nothing compared to the way his lips are tingling.
He watches as she leans into Nathaniel and whispers something into his ear. Nathaniel immediately straightens, and then turns and says something to the older couple they were talking to. He then escorts Blair towards the stairs. Jus as they are about to ascend them, Nathaniel turns and catches Chuck's eyes. He winks.
Chuck knows he deserves that.
Chuck's heart starts to pound, overwhelming his hearing, and his blood burns his veins. The words that Nathaniel spoke earlier about finally sealing the deal with Blair echo in his head. The thought of Blair underneath his best friend makes his stomach turn, and he has to set down his drink.
How could he ever think he would be okay with giving Blair up to Nathaniel?
He should leave. He knows he should just leave. But, his body is betraying him. His legs won't move. His mouth won't form words. His hands tremble, and his face flushes. He can picture them, lips crashing, hands tearing clothes off. His stomach lurches again, and it sends him rushing for the bathroom.
When he's done, he splashes water on his face, and then dries it off. He returns to the party to find Nathaniel asking for him.
"Nathaniel?" Chuck questions, somewhat relieved by his presence. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you be sealing the deal with Blair?" Chuck hates that he has to say that.
"What the fuck, Chuck?" Nathaniel rushes towards him, grabbing his collar. "Blair?" He fumes.
She told him.
"Nathaniel, I-"
"Fuck you, Chuck. What the hell did you do?" Nathaniel spits out. "Why Blair? My Blair?"
The whole room is staring, wondering what could be going on between the best friends.
"You want to do this here?" Chuck asks, and Nathaniel lets go of his collar.
"Outside, guys," Serena walks up, and crosses her arms over her chest.
The walk outside is like a march of death, and Chuck contemplates jumping into his limo to avoid the whole confrontation. But, he stops and turns towards Nathaniel once they get outside.
"Why don't we just sleep on this and talk when we are-"
Nathaniel's fist collides with Chuck's cheek, sending him backwards against a parked car.
"She was mine, Chuck! Mine! And you took her virginity?" Nate grabs the front of Chuck's jacket, picks him up, and slams him back down. "It's Blair, Chuck! Not some whore!"
Chuck tries to regain some composure, "It wasn't like that!" He shouts.
"I'll tell you what it's like! Blair was the one girl you couldn't have, and you just had to go and prove that you could have her if you wanted! She's not like the other girls, Chuck! It's Blair! She can't handle your games, Chuck!"
"You don't know anything about Blair!" Chuck tries to stand, but Nate pushes him back down. "You have no idea who she is, what she wants!"
"I know that you took her virginity and then threw her away like she's some piece of garbage! Classic Chuck Bass move!"
Chuck stands, and squares his shoulders so he's face to face with Nate. "Ohh, dear Nathaniel," he goads, "it was more than once that I had her screaming my name."
"You son of a bitch," Nate brings his fist back and swings it at Chuck again. Chuck loses his balances, but gains it before he falls to the ground. "How could you? How could you do that to me? How could you do that to Blair?" Nate screams.
"It's not what you think, Nathaniel," Chuck's tone changes from the venom it was. "It wasn't just a lay, Nathaniel. It was more than that?"
"You expect me to believe that?" Nate scoffs. "I know you, Chuck. I know how you operate! You don't do more than just that, and you don't do more than just once. I just want to know. Why Blair?"
"I-I can't explain it, Nathaniel!" Chuck shouts. "She was just-she…"
"She was just another virgin on your list!" Nate shouts.
"She's not!" Chuck yells. "She wasn't!" He tries to correct. "It was..different, Nathaniel. I didn't set out to take her virginity! I didn't set out to do anything with her!"
"Liar!"
"You broke her, Nathaniel. You broke her into a million pieces, and I put her back together. She needed someone, and I was there!"
"You expect me to believe you have any kind of feeling or emotion at all?" Nate laughs. "You don't care about anyone or anything that is not you!"
"That's not true!" Chuck shouts.
Nate laughs again, and rolls his eyes. Before Chuck can react again, Nate's fist his hitting him and he's flying back into the parked car and sliding to the ground.
--
Blair watches as the friends fight over her, and for some reason, her heart swells with Chuck's words. He really does care about her. Nate swings at Chuck again, and Chuck stumbles backwards.
"Nate!" Blair shrieks, and runs towards the two. "Nate, stop!" She yells at him, and then crouches down next to Chuck. Nate rolls his eyes, and storms off. "Chuck, Chuck," Blair cups his face in her hand and wraps an arm around his neck. His eye is swollen, and his lip is cut.
"Blair," Chuck chokes out.
"Chuck, I'm here," she tells him.
"Blair, I'm sorry for ruining things with Nathaniel," he apologizes.
"No need to apologize for that," she tells him. "Chuck," she grabs both sides of his face, "I know that I mean more to you than anything," she searches his face for any sign of emotion. His eyes are soft, his jaw is slack. "Just tell me, Chuck. Tell me that I mean more to you than just anything. Than Nate."
He starts to struggle to stand, and she helps him up. "Blair," his voice cracks.
"That's all it'll take, Chuck. Just three words and all is forgiven. I will forget about Nate. I'll be yours," she persists.
He draws in a deep breath and turns towards her. His jaw is once again set, and his eyes are dark. She cowers back. "Three words?" He asks, and she nods. "I don't even like you right now, Blair." He bites. "You did this on purpose. I told you that Nathaniel was all I had, and you took him away to prove a point?"
"Not to prove a point," she tries to argue, "to show you that we are-"
"We are nothing, and we never will be." His words cut hard, just as he means them to. He extracts himself from her grasp, and turns to leave without another word spoken between them.