Okay so this a Nate and Jenny one-shot. Its right after episode "How to Succeed In Bassness" which aired last Money. It's basically a continuation of the scene when Jenny is throwing out her old clothes onto the floor with her sewing machine. Hope you like it!
Disclaimer- I own nothing!
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Nate Archibald was walking down the hallway of the Van Der Bass Humphrey apartment, when he heard of bunch of noises coming from the next room, on the right. As he walked into the doorway, a huge pile of clothes were thrown at him, hitting his hard chest then falling to the floor.
"Whoa," Nate exclaimed, throwing up his hands in defense. "Whatever I did, I'm sorry!" When he looked at who basically attacked him with couture clothes, it was the last person he expected to talk to tonight, Jenny Humphrey.
Jenny looked up, to see what happened "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there." she said apologetically. What was he doing here?
Nate chuckled, "It's alright." then he looked around to see how messy her room was with clothes piled on the floor "Fall cleaning?" he joked
Jenny shook her head "Just getting rid of some old stuff." What Jenny really wanted to know was why he was here in her room talking to her? They haven't had an actual conversation since The Age of Innocence play when she just handed him a scarf.
"Dan's not here you know. He's either at NYU or the loft." Jenny pointed out. Nate hadn't changed one bit, physically. He still had his man bangs with his piercing blue eyes that felt like they were looking at her soul.
"Yeah I know. I just came by to thank Lily and your Dad for giving a donation to Tripp's campaign before I went to Grandfather's for dinner."
"Oh yeah, you're cousin that's running for Congress. How's that going?" asked Jenny. She remembered when Nate told her about the Vanderbilt family a long time ago. How politics were their staple and how he never wanted to be like them after what they did to him and his mom. Guess some people change.
Nate shrugged "It's alright. Not that exciting, but keeps me busy."
Jenny nodded. So much for small talk. Will it ever stop being awkward being in the same room with him? It's almost been a year since their falling out; shouldn't it be better by now?
Nate refocused his attention to the clothes on the floor again, not knowing what to say to Jenny. He noticed he's seen the outfits on Jenny before, what catches his eye the most is the purple and pink dress Jenny made a about a year ago.
Nate Archibald was not the type of guy that remembered what a girl was wearing, he couldn't tell you what he wore yesterday, let alone a year ago. This outfit just stood out to him because it was the day that he'd never forget, the day he started seeing Jenny as more then a friend. It felt like that time was eons ago. Before the Vanderbilt's, before college, before anything. He secretly hated himself for what he did to Jenny and how he treated her, she deserved better then him.
"So why are you getting rid of the clothes you made?" asked Nate "Shouldn't you keep these for like a portfolio for college?"
"Nate college is two years away."
"Yeah I know, but won't you need designs for FIT?" asked Nate
"I'm not going to FIT." Jenny said as if that was just a random question
"Jenny. FIT is your dream, you've told me a million times you wanted to go there!" Nate asked in shock.
"That was old Brooklyn loser Jenny Humphrey. The new Jenny Humphrey wants to go to an Ivy League, as every Queen should." Jenny said robotically as if that was programmed into her system
Nate just stood there. Who was this girl because she was absolutely not Jenny Humphrey. The Jenny he knew wanted to be a designer and be different from everyone else. This girl he was staring at was a stranger to him.
"I heard that Constance is like as if Blair and the Nairtini's never left. What happened to a democracy and everyone will be accepted?" asked Nate
"Things changed." Jenny said throwing her sewing machine, on the ground
Nate couldn't take this any longer. The old Jenny needed to come back immediately. "The only thing that's change Jenny is you. I don't even recognize you anymore."
"Maybe that's because we haven't talked in almost a year." Jenny shot back
"Or maybe it's because your letting this power at Constance get to you. You're becoming into a mini Blair instead of being yourself."
"Being myself wasn't good enough to be Queen. They were about to overthrow me and I had to step in or I would be Little J again." Jenny said.
"Who cares? From what I know the Little J I knew was a good person and would never change herself for someone else's benefit."
"You have no right to judge me Nate. We're not even friends."
"Yeah and I really wish it wasn't like that, I miss us being friends. And speaking of friends, Eric told me what happened at Chuck's hotel opening. He and Jonathan were your friends and you didn't listen to them." Nate pointed out
"That's different."
"Is it? Because I don't think it is at all." Nate shot back then picked up her sewing machine "Jenny. Don't give up your life for girl's who don't even care about you."
"Why are you doing this?" Jenny said, exasperated. She didn't want to argue with him, it brought her back to the worst night of her life, the Snowflake Ball.
"Because I care about you Jen. I've always care about you."
That stopped Jenny right there. It brought her back to a whole other lifetime.
"You are not my father; you are not my brother so why do you care so much?"
Nate sighed "Because....."
That's when it all changed.
"If you cared about me, where were you when Agnes burned all of my designs and I was in a deserted alleyway crying? Where were you when I ran away from home? Where were you I spent my birthday alone in my room? You say you care about me Nate, but showing it is a whole nother thing." Jenny said as the tears from her eyes, fell down her face
Nate walked over to her and hugged her. It was the only he could do. She was right, he wasn't there for her. He screwed her over instead of actually showing how he really felt. "I'm so sorry Jenny."
Jenny breathed in Nate's scent. His scent reminded her of comfort and ease, back when everything was better and she was happier. "I screwed everything up."
Nate broke away from Jenny, moving a strand of hair out of her face. "You can fix it. You rule that school Jenny with or without those girls. You're so strong and you don't even know it. You being yourself is good enough."
Jenny looked up at Nate "You should get going. You'll be late at your Grandfathers."
Nate smiled "I get it. I've outstayed my welcome." Nate turned around and walked to the door before stopping and turning back to Jenny "It's nice to know the real Jenny Humphrey is still here." and then....he was gone.
Jenny didn't know how long she stood there. It could've have been seconds to minutes, but she just stood there, not believing she just poured all her feelings out for the past year on Nate, they guy who broke her heart. She looked at her pile of clothes and the lonely sewing machine standing and picked it up from the trash and place it on her desk, right where it belonged.
