Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, they belong to Cecily von Ziegesar.

What Next?

Nate sat on the bench in Central Park, watching the dogs run from the owners, kids scream, and parents yell at the kids to stop screaming. The one person he couldn't tear his eyes away was Blair. She sat on the bench next to him, watching the same thing he did.

Blair had come to him last night, after one of many arguments with Serena. She had begged him to forgive her and to take her back. Maybe he didn't want her back. He didn't know what he wanted right now because his head was still in a fog.

Why had he started to use drugs in the first place? It had been a stupid thing and now he couldn't get himself out of that fog. It seemed as though he would forever be stuck that way.

"Did I ever thank you, Nate?" Blair asked. Nate looked at her. He realized how hot she looked with little pieces of snow in her hair. He reached over and brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and held it in his fingers.

"Yeah, a million times," he said, sighing. Blair leaned on his shoulder.

"I don't think I ever say thank you to anyone enough. All I do is bicker at them, call them names, and then just flat out ignore them," she said, shaking her head. He looked down at her.

"Maybe you shouldn't be such a bitch, Blair," he said.

"Speaking of bitches," she said, sitting up. He followed her gaze. Serena and Dan were walking along one of the paths. He rolled his eyes at Blair's bitchiness.

"Look, Blair, people wouldn't hate you if you just wouldn't be so mean," he said. She looked at him in shock. "I'm done with you, Blair." He stood and started walking away.

"Nathaniel!" Blair called after him. He looked at her and shook his head before walking home.

Why did Blair have to think that everyone's lives revolved around her? Maybe it was the way her parents had raised her. Eleanor was the same way. Nate thought that if Blair hadn't had her step brothers, then she'd be even worse than she is. They were the ones who kept her head somewhat on.

He didn't know what he was going to do. His father was still pissed at him for stealing the boat and his mom was pissed along with him. He didn't want to go home and face them, but where else did he have to go? Hang out with the losers he called his friends? He couldn't do that.

He was leaving. He'd pack a bag and leave. Of course, that was only a fantasy because he knew he wouldn't last long. His parents would track him down and he'd be back in New York in a heartbeat with his parents even more pissed. Maybe he could last until graduation, maybe he couldn't.

Nate sighed and walked into his home. He could hear his parents arguing about him. Whoopee.