Chapter One-
Serena looked out at the ocean of the beautiful beaches of California. The current month was July and she has been away from her home in Manhattan for almost 4 months and although she loved the peace and quiet, all-day tanning, and meeting cute surfer boys, she missed her UES friends. She took this vacation to clear her head and have some Serena time. Her life down in New York was getting to hectic, and she knew she had to get away before she did something drastic. She sat there thinking about her best friend, Blair, getting married in the fall to her Prince Louis. Serena was the maid of honor and she knew she should be there helping her best friend but she just couldn't bring herself to leave the sanctity of her beautiful beach house. She also thought about her cousin, Charlie, who almost committed suicide, but than left back to her house in Florida. She missed her cousin immensely and knew that if Charlie had stayed, Serena probably would have too. Serena knew that sooner or later she would have to come home and face reality, but things were so quiet and peaceful on the beach and although neither of them would give her the time of day, she missed Nate and Dan so much. She still cared for them more than anything and if one of them needed her back in Manhattan she would be on the next flight out of here. Too bad that they both will never love her again. Anyway that wouldn't happen because Nate and Chuck were on a cruise around the world together and Dan was with Eric in the Hamptons. But that was old news and now Serena was having a blast in California with her new job, with her new boss, a hollywood director. Things couldn't be better for her, and yet she found herself feeling so lonely at night. Blair promised she would visit her, but things were so hectic with her and the wedding. Serena was so happy for Blair and she totally approved of Prince Louis, they really were perfect for each other. Serena knew about Chuck and Blair and what happened between them and she knew that a part of Blair would always love Chuck but she was ready for a new chapter of her life, a more mature chapter. She knew that Blair was so happy and in love and Serena wanted to feel that way too. She made up her mind than, right there on the balcony that she would find a guy that summer that would make her as happy as Blair was feeling right now