Thank you so much for taking the time to read the entries for the Anonymous "Out of this World" Contest!

Obviously this is an Anonymous Contest and we wish it to remain so and appreciate your assistance in keeping it that way. We encourage you to leave some love for the wonderful authors that have brought you these fabulous crossover stories. After the winner's have been announced on January 5th, we will be revealing the identities of the authors, so check back if you enjoyed the stories.

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Voting begins Sunday, December 20th and the polls will remain open until January 2nd, with the winner's being announced on January 5th on The Fictionators and TwiGirls Next Door.

Anonymous "Out of this World" One-Shot Crossover Contest

Title: Beautiful, Dirty, Rich

Movie Title, TV Show or Book and Author: Gossip Girl (TV Show)

Recognizable Character(s) from other world: Chuck Bass, Blair Waldorf, Serena van der Woodsen, Dorota Kishlovsky, Nate Archibald, Lily Bass, Isobel, Hazel, Penelope.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: All characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: New student alert, Upper Eastsiders: Three Cullens, two Hales and a Swan will be joining us for the new school year. Blair and Chuck have already set their sights on two of them, so this should be an eventful one. A Twilight/Gossip Girl Crossover.

Gossip Girl here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives on Manhattan's elite.

Rise and shine, Upper Eastsiders! Word on the street is there's a hot new doc on the block. The new star of TVs Doc. NYC 10075 has arrived and he brought his extensive family with him. The family tree is a bit complicated but we're sure you'll help us untangle the branches. Send in your pictures, boys and girls. With five new teenagers around, scandal is imminent.

Carlisle Cullen stood in the street, distractedly playing with the keys in his hand before opening the door. Their house in Paris had been nice, but this one was even bigger and more modern, something he knew his wife, Esme, would appreciate. He walked in and flicked on the lights in each room as he walked through. The kitchen was brand new and was easily big enough for the seven of them. He doubted whether any cooking would happen in here, but at least it was nice to look at.

He entered the room he had chosen for Alice, his youngest daughter. The walls were painted a soft cream, but he knew it didn't really matter. Soon, she would have them completely covered with pictures from fashion magazines and design sketches. She hadn't been all too excited about leaving Paris, but he knew that she would love NYC as soon as she got settled. It was still a fashion capital, and as long as she could be in a Couture environment, Alice would love it. Carlisle just hoped they could make her finish high school in the end Alice might just be starting her sophomore year but she sure had big plans for her designer future.

Next to Alice's room was the one chosen for Emmett, the oldest of the Cullen kids. Of all their children, Carlisle was the least worried about Emmett finding his place in the new city. He was an easygoing guy and would surely make new friends easily. The only worry that Carlisle had about his oldest son was that Emmett would somehow find a new rugby club where he would secretly start playing without telling his parents. Emmett had had a promising rugby career in Paris, but a dramatic injury had put a stop to that, causing him to be hospitalized for three months. The injury was the cause of Emmett repeating his senior year of high school. Instead of graduating the past summer, he would now be graduating with Edward, Jasper and Rosalie at the end of the school year.

Edward, the middle child in the Cullen family, was the one who would have the hardest time adjusting to New York. Edward had taken an instant liking to the French culture and lifestyle, and Carlisle was sure that he would return to Paris at some stage on his own. Edward was the typical troubled middle child and all Carlisle could hope for was that he would get along with the kids at his new school without driving them completely insane with his constant chatter about Parisian superiority.

The newest addition to the Cullen household were the Hale twins, Jasper and Rosalie. They were Esme's godchildren and had lived with the Cullens for the past year. Their parents both worked as diplomats in the Middle East and, to ensure that their children got a good education, it had been decided that Jasper and Rosalie should move in with the Cullens. The two families had always been close, so settling into the Cullen household had been an easy adjustment for Jasper and Rosalie as well as the rest of the Cullens. The kids all regarded each other as siblings. Despite the fact that Jasper and Rosalie were twins, they were completely different. Rosalie was outgoing and had made quite a name for herself in Paris, successfully working as a fashion model and being quite the little socialite. As long as she managed to keep up with school, Carlisle and Esme supported her choice of career.

Jasper was more introverted, and had never really taken a liking to Paris. Carlisle hoped that being back on American soil would help break Jasper out of his shell. Jasper was happiest when he was surrounded by his massive collection of Civil War books, and being a Texan, Jasper took great pride in knowing everything about the Confederate Army. Luckily, despite their many differences, Jasper and Emmett got along really well and neither of them ever missed an opportunity for a good bet. On more than one occasion Carlisle had caught the two of them scheming in Emmett's room, but as long as it seemed harmless, Carlisle decided to stay out of it.

The last room Carlisle entered on his tour through the house was the one that would be his new office. The cameras had already been set up and he figured it would take a while getting used to being filmed while working. At the same time, he was excited about this new career move. After all, this job was the reason the Cullens had moved to New York in the first place.

***

Spotted: Fashion model on the run? Rosalie Hale at The Palace hotel with only a cocktail to keep her company. Maybe Chuck Bass will help her drown her sorrows?

Rosalie Hale was sitting at The Palace bar, slowly sipping a dirty martini. She was not at all excited about starting at a new high school tomorrow, and since Esme was driving her crazy at home, she figured a cocktail or two were called for. She definitely wasn't in the mood for company, having already told several poor victims to get out of her face and leave her alone. She could curse like a sailor, and she wasn't above telling guys to get lost in a not-so-subtle manner.

She had been in the City many times before. Working as a fashion model meant traveling all over the world and Rose knew how to work the social scene in about every country she had been to. However, this time she was experiencing New York in a different way. Moving here meant all sort of changes and Rose didn't like it one bit. In Paris, everyone knew who she was. Designers and photographers called her for jobs, not the other way around. Rose was used to being desired and she preferred it that way. Although designers and photographers here would know her name, Rose was painfully aware of the fact that she would have to work hard to land jobs. To top it all off, the high school had informed her that her traveling would not be tolerated as it had been by her Parisian school. Rose sighed, knowing that entailed that she would have to fight even harder to make a name for herself here.

She took another sip of her cocktail, sensing someone approaching her from behind. She couldn't help but roll her eyes, not even bothering to turn around to look at him. She felt his hand on the small of her back and before she could fire a snarky comment at him, he leaned in to speak softly in her ear.

"So, are you ready to leave?"

Rose turned her head slightly to glare at the guy who had the nerve to talk to her like that. He was an attractive, dark haired specimen, probably around her own age. He was wearing a dark, plum-colored suit that would have looked ridiculous on anyone else, but somehow he made it work.

"What makes you think would I leave with you?" Rose asked, giving him the side eye.

"I'm Chuck Bass."

He said it with such confidence that Rose couldn't help but be impressed by his attitude. She thought it over in her head for a few moments, looking him up and down and examining him thoroughly. Finally she turned back in her seat, reached for her martini and drowned it in one sip before grabbing the black leather clutch next to her.

She stood up, met Chuck's gaze head on, raised one eyebrow and said, "Let's go."

Rosalie dragged a stumbling Chuck out of the bar by his scarf. Rose didn't know what it was about this guy, but she felt like she was being driven by her girl parts. His smooth, seductive voice made tingles shoot down her spine and she knew she had to have him as soon as possible. He pointed to what she assumed to be his limo, parked a few feet away, and accelerated her pace, still dragging him along behind her. With one swift jerk, she threw him up against the limo and pressed her body flush against his. He was already hard against her thigh and the feel of it fuelled the flames of her lust to even greater heights. Without a moment's hesitation, she crashed her lips to his and forced his mouth open, attacking his tongue with hers. He tasted like Scotch and cigars, just like a man should.

Chuck grabbed her thigh, slipping his fingers beneath the hem of her dress. He was pleasantly surprised to find that the smooth skin of her ass was bare. He let his fingers travel higher, attempting to establish whether she was wearing any underwear at all, to find a thin strip of lace covering her lower back. She was indeed wearing underwear, though not a whole lot of it.

"Maybe we should take this inside?" Chuck suggested, gesturing towards the limo behind him.

Rose quirked an eyebrow, glancing down at his purple suit imploringly. "I didn't peg you as someone who's afraid of the public eye, Mr. Bass."

"Afraid isn't the word I'd use. Let's just say, I'd like to keep you to myself."

Rosalie reached behind Chuck and pulled the limo door open. She crawled into the back seat, enjoying the smell of the leather and the feel of it beneath her bare legs. Chuck followed after her, his erection straining painfully in his pants. Chuck pulled the door closed behind him and could barely turn around before Rose was on top of him, straddling him. She dug her fingers into his hair and pulled aggressively, making him wince. It was painful, but the good kind of pain, the kind of pain that made him think that he would come right then and there. Chuck cupped Rosalie's ass in his hands, kissing her roughly as he did so. He was testing her boundaries to establish whether she enjoyed being on the receiving end of the pain, too. He bit down on her lower lip just a little harder than was called for, eliciting a hiss from her. He could feel her smile forming against his lips.

She liked it.

Rosalie yanked Chuck's scarf from his neck in one swift motion and ripped his shirt open, sending buttons flying everywhere. If he wasn't so turned on by it, he probably would've been horrified at the destruction of his favorite Armani shirt. Chuck tugged at the bottom of Rose's silky dress and pulled it over her head as enthusiastically as he could without ripping it. He prided himself on being a gentleman when it came to that sort of thing. The chivalry stopped there, though. Rosalie's bare breasts were exposed to him and he sucked her nipple into his mouth, biting down slightly. She pulled him to her, urging him to suck harder. She relished the stinging sensation and it thrilled her to think that she would probably be bruised in the morning. She loved mementos of nights like these.

Chuck glanced up at her, grazing her hardened nipple with his teeth before releasing it. "You like it rough?" he asked.

"Fuck, yes," Rosalie replied, nibbling his earlobe.

Chuck took her admission as permission and curled his fingers around the straps of her lacy panties. With one effortless tug, he ripped them from her body. She moaned in approval, wrenching his belt loose and pulling his pants down. Her eyes widened in surprise and appreciation when she realized he wasn't wearing any underwear for her to tear off him.

Chuck gave his Cheshire Cat smile as he popped open the compartment in the door to reveal a selection of condoms he kept stashed away for situations like these.

Rose snatched one of the condoms and tore the packet open with her teeth. "Nothing like a responsible man whore," she commented, rolling the condom over his impressive erection.

"I'm nothing if not prepared to have sex anywhere, any time," he purred back.

Rosalie grabbed a fistful of Chuck's hair and positioned herself over him. She was done with the chit chat. She wanted Chuck Bass, and she wanted him now.

They moaned in unison as Rosalie lowered herself down onto him teasingly, her slick heat enveloping him in the most maddening way. She paused for a moment, savoring the feeling of him filling her. She sucked his bottom lip into her mouth and started to move over him rhythmically, arching her back to deepen the sensation. Chuck groaned, getting impatient with the slow pace. He hooked his arms underneath hers and gripped her shoulders, pressing her down on him hard. She let out one of the sexiest moans Chuck had heard in all of his plentiful sexual encounters. She slammed herself down on him, swiveling her hips to increase the friction between them. Chuck grabbed her breast and pinched her nipple, a devilish smile playing on his lips. Rosalie dug her long fingernails into Chuck's back, leaving red welts behind. Chuck increased his thrusts, grunting with exertion as his hips rose from the seat.

He pulled Rosalie's shoulders back, causing her back to arch and her chest to align perfectly with his mouth. He licked in between her breasts and up her neck, where he paused and sucked hard, leaving a red mark that would soon turn purple. Rosalie screamed his name, her right leg jerking involuntarily. She kicked backwards and Chuck cringed as he recognized the sound of her high heel tearing into leather. He wasn't bothered for long, though, because the leverage she had found behind her caused her to grind down onto him more firmly. His hands returned to her ass, which he gripped securely, guiding her thrusts once more. She started to pant as her walls started to clamp down around him, drawing him to the edge with her. He came hard, digging his fingers into her ass. She was still contracting around him, screaming his name mixed with profanities as she rode out the orgasm.

She collapsed, panting against his chest, practically glowing from the best orgasm of her entire life. After a few moments, she regained her composure and removed herself from him, finding her dress under the seat and pulling it back over her head. She rooted around in her purse for a compact and attempted to salvage her smudged make-up while Chuck disposed of the condom, buckled his pants and shot lingering glances in her direction. She tried her best to ignore the vaguely puppy-like expression that softened his features every time he did so. Strange, she hadn't pegged Chuck Bass as the "strings" kind of guy. And besides, she was just in this for the sex, she had no interest in any kind of relationship at the moment. She had enough baggage at the tender age of eighteen to last her a lifetime and she had no intention of adding a Chuck tote to the collection.

"Well, this was fun," she said as lightly as she could muster, her hand poised on the door handle.

"We should do it again sometime." Chuck had seemed to regain some of his suave composure, but the twinkling in his eyes unsettled Rosalie. She couldn't afford to let this happen again. She had to let Chuck down now before he got any delusions of future encounters.

"No, we shouldn't." Rosalie kept her voice curt. Finality was key here. "Thanks for welcoming me to New York, Chuck, but I highly doubt we'll be seeing each other again."

Rosalie didn't allow Chuck another word as she swiftly exited the limo.

What she didn't know was that she would be seeing Chuck again much sooner than she could ever have thought.

***

Welcome to the first day of the new school year, Upper Eastsiders. I have it on very good authority that this is going to be an interesting one. Why, you may ask? Not only are some of our favorite people starting their senior year today, but both Constance and St. Jude's have experienced a sudden influx of new students. And, by the looks of them, their presence will not go unnoticed by the student body...

Blair Waldorf sat perched atop the steps- her steps- surveying her kingdom stretched out before her. Today was the first day of senior year, and she was Queen of Constance. All was the way it should be. Only, it wasn't. Despite her best efforts to convince herself and others of the contrary, she was still heartbroken over getting stood up by Chuck Bass in Tuscany at the start of summer vacation. But, being the perfect pretender she was, she had taken it in her stride and thrown herself into the European social scene with all the grace and enthusiasm that befitted a New York socialite. No one needed to know that she was devastated. And no one needed to know that she had spent most of her free time reading trashy teen vampire romance novels and eating ice cream straight out of the container. That was just gross, and wrong on soooo many levels.

Blair had promised herself that Chuck Bass would be nothing more than a distant memory by the time she returned to school in the fall. She would throw herself into her "royal" duties and make her senior year the most memorable in the history of Constance. And no one would stand in her way.

She was pulled from her reverie by the eager faces of two sophomores who had been accepted into their ranks for a probationary period, due to their excellent social performance in their respective freshman years. They held an assortment of frozen yogurts out in front of them, clearly pleased with the initiative they had taken. Blair didn't like initiative. Initiative meant independent thoughts and independence lead to rebellion. This kind of behavior could not be tolerated and had to be nipped in the bud early on.

"What's this?" Blair demanded with a piercing glare at the instantly bewildered girls in front of her.

"I-i-it's frozen yogurt to celebrate the first day of school. Strawberry, your favorite," the blonde one stammered, her light green eyes wide with fear.

"Who told you to get this?" Blair barked, flicking her glare between the two girls, whose faces mirrored equally bewildered expressions. "Who?" Blair persisted when neither of them responded, her tone rising with anger.

"N-no one," the redhead answered eventually, "we just thought..."

"You thought?" Blair's eyes narrowed as her voice dropped to a more threatening tone. The blonde and the redhead were trembling visibly, the cups of frozen yogurt rattling in their hands. "You were not chosen on your ability to think. You were chosen on your ability to follow orders. Those orders being mine or those of my ladies." Blair glanced to her left, indicating to Isobel and Penelope. "You don't so much as breathe without one of us telling you so. Do you understand?"

The two girls nodded vigorously and started backing away, eager to escape Blair's reprimands.

"Not so fast," Blair ordered, "leave the yogurt."

The girls handed Blair and the others their respective cups and scurried away like the frightened little mice they were. How would they ever begin to understand the social hierarchy of the Upper East Side if Blair wasn't there to guide them? One day, they would thank her for sharing her wisdom so generously.

"Who's that with Serena?" Penelope asked suddenly, the gossip dripping in her voice.

Blair looked to the bottom of the steps and saw Serena approaching with a very plain-looking brunette at her side. "This must be the cousin from Nowheresville who's staying with her family for senior year," Blair replied. "Her flight must have landed last night."

"Hey guys, this is my cousin, Bella," Serena announced excitedly when she reached them. "Bella, this is Blair, Hazel, Isobel and Penelope. Bella just moved here from Forks, Washington."

"Forks? Seriously? Is that even a real place?" Blair blurted out incredulously.

"It's just a few hours from Seattle." Judging by her tone of voice, Bella didn't seem impressed by Blair's dismissal of her home town as fictional.

Serena shot Blair, who was eyeing Bella's conservative school uniform with obvious distaste, a warning glance. They had a conversation earlier in the week about being accommodating and nice to Bella while she was there, and Serena wasn't pleased that Blair wasn't able to control herself long enough to be nice even for a minute.

Blair seemed to get the message, though, and rearranged her features into a benevolent smile that was more befitting of a Queen. "So, Bella, what brings you to New York?"

Serena rolled her eyes dramatically and resumed her glaring in Blair's direction. Serena had told Blair the real reason for Bella's move to New York and had asked her not to mention it, since it was such a sensitive situation. Serena hoped Bella wasn't too rattled and that she would stick to the cover story they had decided on.

"A New York private school education looks much more impressive on college application than good ol' Forks High," Bella responded without missing a beat.

The girls who flanked Blair nodded understandingly. Blair raised a skeptic eyebrow and pursed her lips, but said nothing further. She was already bored with the conversation and was about to steer it back to tales of her fabulous European summer when she heard simultaneous gasps from the girls on either side of her.

"What now?" Blair demanded, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Look," Hazel said, pointing to the bottom of the steps.

Blair found herself staring at the most beautiful guy she had seen in her seventeen years. While his bronze hair was messy, he was still perfectly groomed. His tie was neatly knotted at his neck and his navy blazer appeared to be perfectly tailored to fit his broad shoulders and slim hips. Blair's heart fluttered in excitement as his piercing green eyes scanned over the girls who were all obviously staring at him. Blair was convinced that his eyes lingered on her for a moment longer than any of the other girls. But then again, why wouldn't he notice her? She was Blair Waldorf and she was always the picture of perfection.

After a moment of silence a chatter broke out amongst the girls. Only then did Blair realize that the perfect guy was not alone. He stood with two other guys and two girls. The dark-haired guy was muscular- definitely a jock. He looked exceedingly uncomfortable in his school uniform and kept pulling at his tie. The blonde guy was tall, skinny and unimpressive with his glasses and nervous expression. The small girl standing with them had dark, spiky hair and appeared to be bouncing in excitement. Then, there was the perfectly beautiful, statuesque blonde that stood to one side, squirreling fervently on her Blackberry. Blair recognized her instantly as Rosalie Hale, famous European fashion model. Blair and Rosalie had seen each other in passing at many social events during the summer, but didn't hold one another in very high regard. Blair had attempted to compliment Rosalie on her outfit in a restroom in Paris one evening and Rosalie had merely smirked before leaving without another word. Blair's heart was racing. Between the gorgeous guy and the horribly bitchy bombshell, Blair had a feeling that senior year wasn't going to be as straightforward as she had anticipated.

"Wow." Bella's quiet exclamation angered Blair instantly, suspecting she knew who Bella was referring to.

"Who are you wowing at?" Blair asked, a nasty edge creeping into her voice.

"Him," Bella replied, "with the sex hair."

Blair's neck nearly snapped from the force of the abrupt glare she shot at Bella. In the first place, as Queen, that "him" belonged to Blair, and she wouldn't stand for anyone indicating otherwise. And secondly, she didn't appreciate the inconsistency between Bella's appearance and her vocabulary. Blair was the kind of girl who believed in continuity and this Bella girl was already starting to irk her. If she was going to dress like a good catholic school girl, she couldn't go around using terms like "sex hair."

Blair recovered from her momentary outrage and let out a forced-lighthearted laugh. "Bella, dear, since you're new here, I'll give you a free pass on that one, but you should understand this: I get first pick on new students. And I pick that one. So, hands off."

Bella raised an eyebrow at Blair's statement. "Excuse me?"

"Even though you're family with Serena, you are by no means high enough up on the social ladder to be taking any kind of liberties."

Bella looked questioningly to Serena who shrugged her shoulders helplessly. Serena knew better than to get involved in any of Blair's feuds. They never ended well.

After a moment's silence, Bella squared her shoulders, clearly having accepted Blair's unspoken challenge. "I really don't think that's for you to decide, Blair. I'm sure he's more than capable of making his own dating decisions. We'll see soon enough what he decides." With that, Bella turned and walked towards the main entrance of the school determinedly.

"B, was that really necessary?" Serena complained once Bella was out of ear shot.

"My dear S, will you never learn? If I treat one differently, soon enough they'll all be expecting special concessions. And we can't have that, now can we?"

Serena merely shook her head and mumbled her goodbyes as she hurried to catch up with Bella.

Blair glanced back towards the spot where the gorgeous green-eyed boy had been standing before to find it empty. Her heart sank momentarily before she regained her determination.

No one, especially Boring Bella from Bowls, would stand in the way of what Blair Waldorf wanted.

Spotted: Blair Waldorf having some kind of showdown with Serena's Plain Jane cousin. Could one of the new transfer students have anything to do with it? Just a warning, New Girl: Don't get on B's bad side. In the Waldorf cookbook, revenge is a dish best served cold with a side order of nasty.

***

Emmett Cullen sat uncomfortably in his seat. This was not what he had expected when Edward had asked him and Jasper if they wanted to go out tonight. Emmett had expected a club, some drinks, but most of all he had expected lots of New York hotties.

"What the hell is this, Edward?" Emmett hissed at his brother. "You promised me girls."

"There are girls, just look around you," Edward replied calmly.

Emmett quickly scoped out the dodgy bar, hoping that, by some miracle, the kind of girls he had been hoping for would suddenly appear.

"Those are not girls! Those are goth chicks- that doesn't count. It looks like they all just stepped out of a freaking vampire novel. I want hot New York girls with daddy issues. I haven't gotten laid in weeks," Emmett complained.

"Emmett," Jasper interrupted in a horrified voice, holding up a piece of paper he had found on the table, "this is a poetry reading."

"Oh, hell no!" Emmett boomed and jumped out of his seat. "I'm not doing this!"

"You better sit back down, Emmett," Edward smirked. "This is open mic night and if you get up now you'll get called on stage. Got any poetry you want to share with the rest of us?"

Emmett sank back in his seat. He had to admit defeat; this time Edward really had him. Both Emmett and Jasper groaned as a girl appeared on the tiny stage. She had long black hair, and was completely dressed in black, wearing knee-high black combat boots. Her face was covered in piercings and most of her clothes were held together with safety pins.

She stepped up to the microphone and began reciting, "My vagina is a flower. A precious, golden bloom. A sacred temple, untouched by man, but revered by woman."

Emmett slammed his head down on the table with a thud while Jasper buried his face in his hands.

Edward would pay for this.

***

What have we here? Time to put on your party dresses, boys and girls. Invitations to the Back to School Ball went out today and the theme is Black and White. Word on the street is that Lily Bass was the not-so-mastermind behind the theme, and new PTA mom Esme Cullen wasn't very impressed with it. Will she be putting a special spin on it? Guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow night to see...

***

Rose entered Emmett's room, phone in hand, without even bothering to knock. She knew she would find both Jasper and Emmett in there and she couldn't wait to show them this.

"Did you... Did you... Seriously?" She was laughing so hard she couldn't manage to get out a coherent sentence, and her brothers just looked at her like she was insane. She tossed the phone to Jasper and sat down on Emmett's bed, tears of laughter streaming down her face.

Jasper grabbed the phone, pushed his black-rimmed glasses further up his nose and began reading out loud.

Spotted: New additions to the New York gay scene? Two Cullens and a Hale entering a gay bar and staying for hours. Maybe someone special caught their eye, or were they really just there for the poetry?

"Did you two seriously go to a gay bar with Edward?" Rose managed to choke out between laughs.

Jasper ran his fingers nervously through his hair. This was clearly out of his comfort zone.

"What?" Emmett bellowed and snatched the phone out of Jasper's hand. "That little... I'm going to kill him!"

"I swear Rose, we didn't know it was a gay bar," Jasper explained worriedly. "Edward just asked if we wanted to go out. He promised us there would be girls, and then it turned out to be this pretentious poetry reading, and we couldn't get out until it actually ended. It was horrible."

Over the years Jasper had lost most of his Southern accent. Living in various cities and countries had toned most of it down, but when he was nervous his native drawl came through loud and clear.

"Dude, if this isn't him coming out of the closet, I don't know what it is. I've been saying this for years: Edward's gay and this just proves it. Jasper," Emmett said firmly, "we have to get back at him good for this one. Maybe even make him come out for real."

Jasper nodded in agreement. If only he could figure out how… Edward was definitely going to pay for this.

"Oh, I might be able to help," Rose said, looking at her brothers mischievously. She had a smirk on her face and a look in her eyes that said she was up to no good.

"Spill it, Rose, what you got?" Emmett asked. He was definitely intrigued now.

"Okay, so a couple of nights ago, Chuck Bass... um... showed me around New York." She winked and Emmett instantly caught on.

"Nice," he interrupted and raised his hand for a high five.

Rose shot him a dirty look- there was no way she was going to high five that- before she continued, "Don't interrupt me, Emmett. Chuck acts like he's the king of the world and I think we should give him a healthy dose of humility. Show him who's in charge now, you know?"

"Wait," Emmett interrupted, "who's Chuck Bass?"

"He's in our class at school," Jasper explained. Emmett remained blank. "You sat next to him all of yesterday? He has dark hair, wears a scarf all the time..."

"Oh, Scarf Guy! I know who he is."

Rose and Jasper both rolled their eyes. It was typical Emmett style not to bother learning someone's name and consistently refer to them by some recognizable feature instead. Last year, Emmett had insisted on referring to some of their classmates as Little Fatty, Sneezer and Ol' Blue Eyes.

"Will you let me finish?" Rose hissed. "So, anyway, I have a feeling that after our little encounter, Chuck would want to get together again and I'm curious to see how much he's willing to do. You guys want to confirm that Edward's gay so I say we dare Chuck Bass to kiss Edward. That way you'll get your proof, and I'll find a way to reward Chuck if he actually goes through with it."

Jasper and Emmett nodded in agreement; this plan was exactly what they needed to get back at Edward. They couldn't have planned it any better themselves.

"Come on, we're late." Rose glanced at her watch and they all hurried to gather their things, not wanting to be late for their second day of school.

***

When they arrived at St. Jude's, Emmett started to look for Chuck. He was anxious to set up the little dare as soon as possible.

"There he is," Jasper said, pointing to a corner where Chuck Bass stood talking to Nate Archibald.

"Yo, Scarf Guy! Get over here!" Emmett called out loudly, not bothering to walk over himself.

Chuck raised his head in the direction of the booming voice that was yelling all over the schoolyard. He saw two of the new transfer students motioning for him to join them. Chuck raised an eyebrow; didn't they know that he was Chuck Bass and he didn't take orders from anyone who referred to him as "Scarf Guy?" Clearly, they had to be joking. He examined them more closely. The tall geeky one wouldn't be an issue, but by the looks of the big jock it might be safer to walk over there voluntarily.

"What do you want?" Chuck asked, forcing authority into his voice.

"We hear you had a little late night encounter with our sister," Emmett said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Chuck swallowed hard. If that blonde model from the other night was these guys' sister, he might be in trouble.

"What's it to you?" Chuck asked, hoping Emmett couldn't tell how completely intimidated he was.

"Oh, we care," Emmett said, looking down at Chuck. He enjoyed making him feel uncomfortable. Emmett had a hard time taking him seriously with that ridiculous scarf he was wearing, and the more he could make him sweat, the better.

"We have a small bet for you, a dare if you will," Jasper said.

Chuck looked surprised, like he hadn't been expecting it.

"If you have any hopes about getting it on with Rose again, you need to kiss Edward. And I mean really kiss him, tongue and all."

"You have got to be kidding me." Chuck looked at them in disbelief. They couldn't be serious.

"We're not. Make Edward kiss you and Rose said she'd find a fun way to reward you," Emmett smirked.

"So, are you in or not?" Jasper asked.

Chuck thought it over for a few moments before he answered with as much confidence he could muster.

"I'm Chuck Bass. I always win."

With that he walked away, leaving Emmett and Jasper grinning behind him.

Spotted: Emmett Cullen and Jasper Hale coming to some sort of arrangement with Chuck Bass. Does anyone else smell a wager? Who's willing to bet that some interesting rewards hang in the balance?

***

Serena sat on the edge of Blair's bed, having been subjected to an endless parade of outfits for the previous two hours. The Back to School Ball was due to start in a few hours and Blair had yet to deign any outfit worthy of the occasion. Ever since her altercation with Bella yesterday, and then falling in love with brooding Edward Cullen at first sight, she had been an unstoppable force of nature. All her efforts (not to mention the efforts of her minions) had gone into finding the perfect dress to wear to the ball and Serena now sat surrounded by black and white choices of every possible style. Serena was reaching the edge of her own patience, but Blair was her best friend and she felt obligated to help her choose. Serena knew that Blair had been a bit of a mess since Chuck had stood her up, and if this new found infatuation with Edward Cullen was going to get her mind off it, Serena would encourage it as best she could.

The rivalry with Bella was a more complicated situation to manage, but Serena found that the best way to deal with it was to stay out of it. Serena had taken Bella shopping for dresses the previous day, but didn't dare mention it to Blair. Serena felt protective of her cousin, who had left Forks under difficult circumstances and felt responsible for her while she was staying in New York. Serena decided, though, that she preferred Blair's narcissistic scheming to Bella's incessant whining. She had never met anyone who was so constantly wrapped up in feeling sorry for themselves as Bella Swan.

"Why did Lily choose such a boring theme?" Blair complained, her hands on her hips, eyeing her simple black floor length gown disapprovingly.

"Aren't you the one who's always saying that black is the new black and everyone should wear it?" Serena raised a challenging eyebrow at Blair.

"Not when everyone else will be wearing black, too. Help me with the zip on this, will you?"

Serena had just dragged herself from the bed to unzip Blair's dress when the Waldorfs' housekeeper, Dorota burst into the room, holding a black garment bag in front of her excitedly.

"Mees Blair," Dorota exlaimed breathlessly, "dees just came for you from Dubai!" Dorota hung the dress on one of the posts of Blair's bed and unzipped it to expose the delicate fabric.

Blair's eyes started to twinkle with devious delight as she fingered the fabric. "Who sent it?" she asked.

"I believe designer ees friend of your father," Dorota replied. "Tere's card, too."

Blair removed the card from the envelope that was pinned to the bust of the Michael Cinco gown. "Nothing is too good for my princess. Knock 'em dead. Dad," Blair mumbled as she read.

"Blair, are you sure about this?" Serena asked worriedly. "It doesn't exactly go with the theme."

"It's perfect." Blair's eyes were glazed over in a way that Serena recognized all too well. Blair had made up her mind and wouldn't budge.

The next moment, both Blair and Serena's phones erupted with the sound of simultaneous incoming text messages. Serena was instantly nervous when she saw the name on the screen. A blast from Gossip Girl this close to the ball couldn't mean anything good. Serena opened the message to find a picture of none other than Chuck Bass pressed up against a limo by none other than Rosalie Hale. She swallowed heavily, glancing nervously at Blair who was still fixated on the dress in front of her.

Serena scrolled down to read the caption:

Spotted: Chuck Bass up to his old tricks with a brand new victim. But, by the looks of it, Rose might not be the victim in this situation. Will Chuck be the one left broken hearted? And what will B have to say about this? Keep your cameras at the ready, Upper Eastsiders, tonight's Black and White Ball could turn Black and Blue.

"What are you looking at?" Blair demanded abruptly, making Serena drop her phone accidentally.

"Nothing," Serena replied, attempting to cover her nervousness.

"Give it here," Blair insisted.

"Really, B, it's nothing."

"Dorota, get my phone," Blair ordered.

Serena wished she was somewhere else, she really didn't want to be here for this.

A few moments of strained silence passed before Blair screeched, "That Chuck Basstard!"

"B, I thought you said that Chuck didn't exist in your world any more?" Serena reminded her.

"I won't let him make a fool out of me with that Paris Hilton wannabe." Blair was clearly undeterred by Serena's reminder. "Dorota, call Stefan. I need reinforcements."

Serena fell back on the bed in defeat, covering her eyes with her hands. She recognized Blair's tone of voice.

This was war.

***

It was the night of the Black and White Back to School Ball and the ballroom was packed to capacity with eager young high school students, dressed in their finest for the inaugural social event of the season.

Serena stood with Bella and a few other girls, commenting on the modern decor, which included ice sculptures and half-naked models painted in shimmery black and silver paint. Although it was all very cool, even the students agreed that it seemed a bit "old" for this kind of event.

Serena wondered when Blair would show up, figuring that it would probably be as fashionably late as possible to make the biggest impact. Serena craned her neck toward the entrance when she heard excited whispers rising from the crowd, signaling the arrival of the Cullens and Hales. While they were each individually attractive, together, they were a startlingly beautiful group of people. The boys were all wearing obviously expensive designer suits. Even geeky, withdrawn Jasper had ditched his glasses for the evening to allow all the girls to appreciate his striking blue eyes and golden curls. Rosalie wore a flowing silver gown made of light shimmering fabric, the neckline plunging to showcase her ample assets in a way that was borderline risqué. Little Alice wore a knee length, strapless dress, with a large checkered bow on the front.

"How do I look?" Bella asked Serena as she fixed her sights on Edward.

Serena examined Bella's loose curls that were elegantly arranged in the nape of her neck. Her eyes were lined dramatically while her lips were a soft pink. Her black dress was simple at first glance but upon closer inspection, the singular shoulder strap was adorned with delicate beading and wove intricately with the bodice. She looked completely different to her normal conservative school appearance.

"Great." Serena smiled kindly. "Are you going to go talk to him now?"

"If I can find him." Bella frowned. "He was at the entrance just a minute ago." Her eyes scanned the crowd for a moment and her nostrils flared in anger when she spotted the newest guest to arrive at the ball.

As Blair Waldorf entered the foyer, the crowd first descended into silence, leaving only the sound of the background music to be heard. A moment later, the silence was broken by the sound of ill-disguised whispers and comments spreading through the crowd like wildfire.

"Can you believe it?"

"Only Blair would do something like that."

"It's stunning, though."

"Did you know about this?" Bella demanded, grabbing Serena's wrist.

Blair was standing at the entrance, wearing a stunning crimson gown. The bust sparkled with hundreds of tiny ruby-like crystals, chiffon billowing dramatically from the empire waistline. The striking scarlet of her lips matched that of the dress. Even in different circumstances it would've been dramatic, but in the sea of black and white, it was absolutely spectacular.

"I told you, Blair is unstoppable when she sets her mind on something." Serena shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. It was getting harder and harder to stay out of this conflict.

"I can't believe you would let her do this to me!" Bella's voice was getting whiny and her face was contorting into a nasty scowl.

"Seriously, Bella, I don't want anything to do with whatever you two have got going on. Please don't drag me into the middle of it."

Bella stared at Serena for a moment, completely dumbfounded at her lack of familial loyalty. "Well, since I see you're not going to help, I'll just have to find Edward before she does."

Blair saw Bella storm away from Serena and instantly knew that she was on her way to find Edward. Blair wasn't going to let that happen. She scanned the crowd, looking for a head of messy bronze hair. Her heart almost stopped when she found him and saw who was standing next to him: Chuck Bass. What confused her, though, was that Chuck was standing in his full on seduction stance. His head was bowed toward Edward and that all-too-familiar flirty smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. A flash of white teeth cemented it in Blair's mind. Although she couldn't fathom why, she knew that Chuck Bass was attempting to seduce Edward Cullen. And by the look on Edward's face, he might just be falling for it.

Blair heard the sound of a roaring engine behind her and turned to see an incredibly tall, tan and gorgeous guy cut the engine of his monster of a motorcycle. His silky black hair cascaded over his shoulders as he pulled his helmet from his head. His black leather jacket was well-worn and his dark jeans were torn in dangerous places. He approached Blair, the sound of his heavy boots on the marble floor echoing through the foyer.

He came to a stop next to Blair, who crinkled her nose in obvious disapproval.

"This the fancy ass prep school ball?" he asked, scanning the crowd as if he was looking for someone. Blair could hardly imagine that this guy could know anyone attending the ball.

"It is the back to school ball," Blair replied, "but I don't think you'll find who you're looking for here."

He glanced down at Blair and quirked an eyebrow at her. The way he looked at her immediately made her feel like she was insignificant- one thing Blair Waldorf had never experienced.

"I'll find exactly who I'm looking for, little girl. So, are you gonna help me or not?"

Blair rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest in a silent gesture of resignation.

"Wait, there she is." His face lit up immediately when he saw her. "Bells!" he called out as he bounded through the crowd.

A devious grin started to form on Blair's lips. She had the distinct feeling that the exact thing she needed to one-up Bella had just stumbled right into her lap.

My, my, Upper Eastsiders. The Back to School Ball has barely begun and we already have a love triangle that got some new players very soon. Who will win in the battle for Edward Cullen's affections? Will it be Blair, whose choice of outfit proves she's in it to win it? Or Bella, whose past just caught up with her- and on a motorcycle no less. My money's on Chuck Bass. Even Edward won't be able to resist his charms...

You know you love me.

XOXO

Gossip Girl.