"Where is she?" He demanded.
Serena turned her head swiftly and widened her eyes at the sound of his brisk tone. "What do you mean?" Serena said innocently, trying her best to sound oblivious and flaky.
"You know exactly what I mean. Where is Blair? Did she disappear off the face of this earth, dearest sister?" Chuck Bass stated loudly in the courtyard of St. Judes and Constance Billard. His voice was so stern and loud that a few heads had even turned to see what the commotion was about.
Serena stood up from the empty table she sat at, gathered her books and shoved them into her suede tote. "Basically." She said sadly before walking away from him.
Chuck Bass wasn't the type of man who let his questions go answered. Without another thought he chased after Serena and walked side by side with her, to her complete and utter annoyance.
"You know where she is. I want to know what happened."
Serena rolled her eyes and kept her pace quick. "Chuck aren't you the reason her social life is destructed? What does it matter, I highly doubt you are looking for her to apologize."
Chuck snickered. "Well it's been weeks since I've seen her and she's not in school. She's gone. I checked the school system and she isn't registered here anymore, in fact the office wasn't able to tell me what school she was even at now. So please by all means, try again and act like you know nothing."
Serena turned her head to the side in shock and stopped dead in her tracks. "Stalker much?"
"What can I say? I know something's up because even with all of the rumors and details about Blair's sex life out in the open, you and I both know that thee Blair Waldorf wouldn't run away and hide, she would come back and fight."
Serena raised an eyebrow. "Who knows? Maybe you took your toll on her."
Chuck raised his hands and closed his eyelids shut, frustrated. "Serena you're her best friend, you have to know."
"And remind me again why you need to? You're not her friend or her boyfriend. Maybe you never were." Serena finished off bitterly before walking away quickly.
Chuck couldn't argue his point much there. As Serena sauntered away, Chuck was left standing outside alone as the bells rang for the next period. In reality Chuck was faced with the truth that perhaps he was never either to Blair.
"You're not even going to tell me?" Erik Van der Woodsen said in complete shock.
Serena jiggled the mouse to her Apple Mac computer and finished off the e-mail she was writing to Blair. Once she was sure it was sent, she then deleted the file for safety, turned off the program and closed her laptop. With Chuck snooping around nowadays she wasn't sure what to expect from him. He was crazy enough to hire the CIA or have her phone calls and internet line tapped.
Serena turned around and kept her face emotionless. "Don't take it offensively, but I can't."
"Serena you tell me everything!" Erik said, offended.
"But this isn't something that is like some little rumor, this is huge and it's concerning my best friend. I'm not telling anyone, not even Dan. And to my dissatisfaction you and Chuck are extremely close now that we live under the same roof. I can't risk anything."
"I wouldn't tell Chuck anything you didn't want me to. Don't you trust me?" Erik said as he leaned up from his sister's bed.
"I trust you." Serena said earnestly, standing up and walking over to sit right at Erik's side on her silk covered bed. "I just made a promise to her. I-I can't."
Erik looked at her and than put his hand over hers. "Me and Chuck aren't close the way you and I are. You are my real sister. Besides you haven't been yourself lately, it's like you're keeping something hidden."
Serena nodded and looked away, truly plagued.
"Let's do what we used to do when we were little. We can talk about everything in code, or like say things without actually saying it." Erik said giddily.
Serena laughed. "Maybe."
"Maybe as in, yes?"
"Fine. Whatever just go."
"Blink for a yes or are we just gonna nod and stuff?" Erik said.
"Nod I guess."
"So Blair's not in Constance anymore?"
Serena shook her head no.
"Where is she?" Erik asked stupidly.
Serena threw up her hands. "Um these need to be yes or no questions. Hello?"
Erik chuckled and then nodded. "Is she gone for good?"
Serena gave him the I-Don't-Know gesture.
"Is she gone because of the whole gossip girl thing?"
Serena shook her head no.
Erik's lips parted as he nodded. "Wow, I totally thought that was the reason. Um…is she even in the city?"
Serena shook her head no.
"The state?"
Serena's head moved from right to left again.
"The country?" Erik joked.
But Serena shook her head no, seriously.
Erik's eyes widened. "What?"
Serena pursed her lips and nodded. "Yeah..."
"Are you the only one she told, that she was going away?"
Serena nodded.
"Not even her mom knows the real reason why?"
She shook her head no.
Erik thought about what Serena said before about Chuck being obsessed with finding out about Blair. Then he recalled the brief history between the two.
"Does Chuck have something to do with this?" Erik asked timidly.
Serena looked away and fidgeted her hands as her eyes stayed glued to the floor. Erik turned around and observed the closed door. "Serena come on, you already gave me some answers. Chuck's not even gonna be home for a while. Can you just speak?" he said anxiously.
"Kids, dinnertime." They both heard Lily shout from the other room.
Serena stood up quickly. "Maybe." She said softly.
Erik nodded, knowing that she was answering to his question prior to his explosion.
"But she's gonna come back right? Do you even know when?"
Serena nodded once as she walked near the door she stuck her head out to see if anyone was trying to listen. She then paused and after a few moments turned to look back at her brother. She looked back at Erik with serious eyes. "Maybe after 9 months." She replied gently and then exited the room as Erik's jaw dropped the floor.
"So Serena, I spoke with Eleanor a few days ago, and she informed me that Blair is finishing her semester in France!" Lily Van der Woodsen said exasperated, at the large Oakwood dinner table.
Serena stared down at her food and gulped as she dropped her fork noisily on the porcelain plate. The very moment Lily finished her sentence, Chuck appeared in the room with his Jack Spade messenger bag tucked under his shoulder.
"Evening everyone." He said with a smirk as he stared down Serena.
"Charles." Bart said gruffly as Chuck took his usual spot at the dinner table. Lily smiled up at him as she wiped her mouth with her napkin.
Once Chuck was seated and Serena looked up, their eyes met in an awkward, but tense stare down.
"So Blair is residing in France now, imagine that." Chuck stated out loud. He grinned to himself, now feeling accomplished that he had learned the information.
Serena winced and closed her eyes. Erik gulped as he took a sip of his drink and tried not to look at Chuck. He was sworn to secrecy by his sister to not ever repeat the truth he had recently learned.
"You can imagine my shock too." Lily stated.
"Well perhaps it's a good idea. It's a terrific learning experience. Charles perhaps if you didn't do so poorly in French, you could study abroad too." Bart said as he put his elbows up on the table, clasped his hands together and stared down his son.
Chuck half smiled and then met Serena's eyes. "Actually I'm doing quite well in French now; perhaps I can take you up on that offer."
"We'll see about that." Serena muttered bitterly.
Lily dropped her utensil and looked at Serena intently. "Serena, is something bothering you?"
"No mom." Serena said rolling her eyes, before glancing at Erik who looked extremely uncomfortable. She met her mother's eyes again and tried to force a smile. "I just miss Blair, that's all." It wasn't a complete lie. Even though Serena had Dan, Constance wasn't the same without her. No wonder why Blair had freaked out by her own disappearance a year ago.
Lily reached across the table and tried to pat Serena's hand. "Well it's alright, you two have spent time apart before. It's just so sudden that's all, I expected that something was wrong, not that Eleanor would admit it out loud." Lily pointed out.
"Perhaps something did go wrong…" Chuck taunted, before taking a sip of his drink.
Serena tried kicking him under the table. "No, nothing's wrong. She just took the necessary step to study aboard; it looks excellent for her college application. You know how much that would please Yale." She finished off smoothly. She glared at Chuck. If their parents hadn't been at the dinner table she would have said something mocking like, well something did go wrong and you Chuck had everything to do with it.
Lily smiled. "Well she's right. If you weren't seeing Dan, perhaps you could have gone with her."
Serena forced another smile with all of her lying; she was working up a nervous sweat. "I was planning on visiting her soon actually, if that would be alright."
Lily stopped smiling. "Serena darling, the wedding will be here before you know it, I would prefer if you could stick around."
"Now now, let's not worry about this now, I'm sure we'll hear and see from Blair soon, as for the wedding let's not worry about the arrangements, Serena of course will be present." Bart said briskly.
The family finished off the rest of their dinner in awkward silence. Erik gave Serena a soft smile, and as Serena smiled back encouragingly, she couldn't help but feel funny because she knew that Chuck was now watching her every move, and listening to her every word.
Good Morning Upper East Siders, Gossip Girl here and I have finally got the scoop on the scandal that had jaws dropping. Looks like our dethroned Queen B has packed up her things and decided to study aboard in France. Running from our mistakes are we now? Last time I checked no Waldorf gives up without putting up a fight. And studying abroad? That isn't fooling anyone B. The truth will come out just like it did last time. Just remember, you can run but you can't hide.
You know you love me, XOXO Gossip Girl.
Chuck watched as Serena rolled her eyes and clasped shut her phone. He knew what message she had just received. He had only gotten it moments earlier and was more than proud to admit that he hadn't been the one to spill the beans about Blair's whereabouts. He was certain that Serena would find a way to blame him. She was trying her best to avoid him altogether, and Chuck had to admit, for both of them to live under the same roof, she was doing a pretty good job of avoiding him at all costs.
Chuck leaned up against the bookcase and kept his safe distance. He watched as Serena put the book on the counter and purchased it dutifully. Chuck rolled his eyes. Serena in a bookstore? Something was definitely up.
His duty as a stepbrother should have entailed him to watch out for his sister. The last time she was seen purchasing several pregnancy tests, Gossip Girl had spread the word instantly. Serena really should be more careful.
He stayed discreet and followed as Serena walked out. He knew better than to get into his limo and have the driver tail Serena. It seemed that nowadays even she knew better, and as soon as you saw the Lincoln Town car behind you, it meant that Chuck Bass was following you and up to no good.
He wasn't much of a walker, but being friendless and being obsessed with Blair Waldorf only helped him out as he consistently watched Serena's every move. He had to know what happened to Blair and why she had left. He just had to.
To his surprise he was led to the post office where he followed in shortly after she entered. The corner he chose to watch from was perfect. Even if the blonde bombshell turned around it would be almost impossible to see him.
He watched as she spoke to the postal worker and picked out a box. She then removed the small book she had purchased minutes ago and placed it inside a fresh manilla colored package. Next she removed two pieces of paper from her bag and wrote down some information on the box and stuck the other paper in with the package. Once she was done paying the fee she looked around one last time to make sure no one was spying on her and revealing damaging information to Gossip Girl. Chuck smirked as he once again went unnoticed. Everything was going along too perfectly.
Chuck waited several moments before walking up to the same worker that had just helped Serena. To his benefit the postal worker was a young blonde woman.
"Hello today, how may I help you?" she greeted him happily, flashing him a flirtatious smile. Not at all professional.
Chuck leaned onto the counter and grinned back at her. "Hi there, you just finished helping my sister, I'm afraid we forgot to include something in the package, would it be alright if I just could have it back for a moment?" he said smoothly.
The girl bit her lip nervously and looked around. "I'm really not permitted to do so, it is private postal property now."
Chuck leaned closer to her and flashed her, his winning smile again. "Like I said she's my sister, it's just a book we're sending to France, I'm positive that it doesn't contain any sort of checks or money that would make this illegal." He stated.
The girl nodded. "Well I believe you then; you seem to know the contents and where it's going, so let me go get it for you." she replied reluctantly.
"Thanks."
A mere minute later the girl handed him the package. Just behind him a line started to form.
"If you could excuse me sir, you could just take the package down there, do what you need to do, and bring it back so I can re-seal it for you. I need to help the next person." She said as she waved a customer to bring their mail up.
"Sure." He said happily and moved down.
Before opening the package he grabbed a random envelope nearby and used the postal company's pen to scribble down the mailing address on the package, before putting it into his pocket. Step one accomplished. He then carefully opened the package and the first thing that came to his vision was a letter in Serena's sloppy handwriting.
B,
I miss you already and I hope you are doing well. I'm working on my mom letting me come visit you; it's just difficult with the wedding coming up and all. Not to worry about anything though, no one knows anything, not even Chuck although to your surprise, he is dying to find out what happened to you. I told you he always had it in for you. I do not want to stress you out but you really do need to tell him eventually, he does have a right to know. Anyways stay healthy and let me know when you've settled on a good doctor for the procedure. I thought it would be inappropriate to buy any gifts this early, but I thought this small gesture would help you out. It's in English, not French haha which is probably all you are used to seeing nowadays. Let me know how your dad is holding up with all of this happening. You know I love you.
Love S
Chuck narrowed his eyes and reread the letter a few times in confusion. Was Blair sick? Was that the big secret? Why was he involved? What did he have a right to know?
Just then he pushed the letter aside and stared down at the book for several moments before feeling lightheaded and letting his lips part in complete shock.
What to Expect When your Expecting, it read in big bold letters. And just like that, everything suddenly made sense.
