A/N: So, here is my Chapter 2 of The Truth. This is a bit cheesy but I hope you will like it.
If there are some grammatical errors please bear with me since English is my second language.
Please let me know your thoughts after reading the 2nd chapter. Constructive criticism is always welcome and will be appreciated.
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN GOSSIP GIRL OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS. SOME OF THE LINES WERE TAKEN FROM THE SHOW.
Chapter 2
The next day, as promised, Dan made pancakes and waffles for Blair. While he was preparing, he heard a loud knocked from his door. He immediately opened the door as he expected it was Blair but as the door was opened, he found Nate standing wearing his famous million dollar smile.
"Hey man! How are you?" Nate greeted Dan as he entered the loft.
Dan closed the door when Nate got inside.
"Never been better. What are you doing here? What's up?" Dan asked him smiling as he walked towards the kitchen and handed Nate a coffee.
"Thanks." Nate said as he took the cup of coffee. "Just checking up on you. It's been awhile that we both seen each other." Nate replied and sipped his brewed coffee.
"Yeah, it's been a long time. You are too busy with your NEW girl." Dan said emphasizing the word "NEW". He knew Nate was so busy dating with the girl he met in LA the last time he and Chuck went on a trip.
"Ha!" Nate laughed. "And look who's talking." Nate said smiling. "As if you are not too busy with Blair." Nate said grinning. He knew Dan's feelings towards Blair, Dan confessed to him a year ago. At first, he didn't believe him, but as days turned to months and months turned to a year and counting, he finally believed him because since then Dan never dated anyone. All his time was focused and rendered with Blair.
"How the things going in the both of you? Nate seriously asked.
"Same." Dan replied with a flat smile. "She and Chuck are taking another chance this time." Dan straightly said keeping his voice sounded normal. But Nate still noticed the sadness in his voice; he knew how much Dan loves Blair, more than anything in his life.
Nate nodded. "Chuck told me. They are both coming to the party tonight at the empire. Are you going, right?" Nate asked him and finishes his coffee.
" Naw. For starters, I am not invited, and I'll be going busy writing tonight." Dan said seriously.
"Of course you are invited! There is no need for Chuck to personally invite you." Nate said a matter of fact. He knew Dan was only making excuses and reasons so that he can't attend to Chuck's party. And he understood him. Nate knew how hard to see the person you love walks away with someone else.
"So be there. Anyway, what are these pancakes and waffles for? I mean, you cooked plenty of them just for yourself. And it smells good man." Nate asked a bit confused and hungry by looking to the pancakes and waffles that Dan cooked.
"Blair is coming today. We decided to eat breakfast together, that's why I cooked more than just for one person." Dan replied with a smile. "You know what, since you were here, you can join us too, I think I cooked enough for the three of us." Dan said smiling at Nate.
"I'm sorry man. I wish I can but I need to be somewhere else in a few minutes. Other thing, I also don't want to ruin your DATE with Blair." Nate said emphasizing the word "DATE" this time. "You really do love her." Nate said a matter of fact wearing his million dollar smile again.
"And who do you love Humphrey?" Blair asked confused and already standing beside the opened door. Dan and Nate were stunned; they didn't notice Blair entered the loft. They hadn't even noticed her open the door.
"Bla…blair…" Nate stammered. "You're already here!" He managed to calm himself and walked towards Blair with opened arms then hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. "Good morning." Nate whispered to her ear and looked to Dan who was still in shock.
Blair greeted Nate back and looked directly to Dan. "With whom do you love Humphrey?" Blair asked him and arched her left eyebrow. "I haven't noticed you've dated anyone since ages." Blair said a bit confused with arms crossed.
"Don't ask the obvious." Nate said to himself but Blair over heard it.
"What do you mean don't ask the obvious?" Blair asked and turned to Nate more puzzled and then suddenly realized. "Serena! Of course, how can I ever forget that?" Blair exclaimed rolling her eyes and tapped her forehead. "And what are you doing here?" Blair asked, removed her coat and walked towards the counter.
"Just sending my regards to Dan, actually, I should better be leaving now 'cause it's so rude to be late, I'm meeting someone." Nate replied and looked to Dan as a sign of goodbye.
Dan who was still in shock was able to manage a nod to Nate as he walked towards the door. Nate was already gone but Dan stood still looking endless.
"Humphrey! What the hell are you still doing? Aren't you going to prepare our breakfast?" Blair asked in a high pitch with raised eyebrows.
"Yeah." Dan uttered and cleared his throat and started getting plates for them. Blair walked towards the kitchen and helped him. As she helped him, she can feel that he was trembling.
"Hey." Blair stopped and tapped Dan's right shoulder. "Are you alright?" Blair asked him a bit worried. She's thinking if it was about Serena.
"Wha.. What made you say that?" Dan asked trying to sound normal.
"Don't answer my question with another question Humphrey!" Blair said looking at him straight in the eyes. "Is everything okay?" She worriedly questioned looking at him. She really didn't understand Dan recently, yesterday he seemed different. His changes of moods bother her most and she knew there was something wrong with him. She believed it was all about Serena.
"Of course I am okay. Why would I not be?" Dan answered confidently.
"Fine! If you say so! Now let's get to eat 'cause I'm already hungry." Blair snapped and walked to the other side of the counter and seated. She was pissed with his answer 'cause she knew that there was something wrong and she wanted to know about it.
Dan felt relieved because Blair dropped the topic. He hadn't noticed Blair furious face when he seated beside her and started to pick up some waffles and pancakes.
"So still Serena." Blair suddenly muttered after a quite couple of minutes.
So after all this time Dan still loves Serena even if she was dating somebody else. Ugh, how could he be so stupid loving a girl for years that doesn't want anything but friendship? Why can't he move on?She pathetically thought and she can't explain her feelings knowing that Dan still loves Serena.
"What?" Dan stopped while putting some syrup to his pancakes and faced Blair. "What do you mean Serena?" Dan questioned confused facing her.
"You heard me so don't act innocent you ass." Blair replied more annoyed this time and was totally shocked by her tone of voice and the word she used. She was furious, pissed, annoyed and she didn't even know why.
"Oh Serena." Dan remembered, he suddenly forgot that minutes ago they were talking about Serena, not actually talking but Serena was on the topic. "I guess so." He lied, acted normal and voice very serious just to convince her.
"Why do you still love her?" Blair stupidly queried and was astonished with her own question. She didn't know why she even bothered to ask him that but she wanted to know why he was still in love with her best friend after everything done and said. And for Christ sake, Serena had been dating a ton of men after they broke up. And just for the record, they broke up a long time ago.
Dan didn't know the answer to her question. He was no longer in love with Serena for a very long period of time; he can't even recall why he loves her. And even an ounce of attraction towards Serena was already vanished. He was still thinking of the right answer when Blair's phone rang.
Blair checked her phone and saw Serena's name. Speaking of Serena. She looked to Dan before answering it.
"B!" Serena excitedly said.
"Serena!" Blair responded, wondering why she'd call.
"Where are you? I have to tell you something important!" Serena excitedly said. Blair rolled her eyes 'cause she knew what this was all about – the new blonde guy Greg she was been seriously dating for the last three months.
"I'm at the loft with Dan. Why?" Blair questioned as she looked to Dan who stood up and refilled his coffee.
"I want to talk to you personally; you will be at Chuck's party tonight, right?" Serena said joyfully.
"Yeah, I'll meet you there and we can talk." Blair responded still looking to Dan refilling his coffee.
"Great. I'll see you then. Bye." Serena agreed smiling then hanged up.
Dan who was already backed on his seat looked to Blair as she hanged up. He was still thinking if Blair believed him and Nate that he was still madly in love with Serena.
"Was that Serena?" Dan asked while he continued eating his food.
"Yeah, she wanted to talk to me on something. We'll meet tonight." Blair answered and sipped her coffee. Dan nodded and finished his food.
"So, why do you still love her?" she asked in a serious tone and faced him. She never forgot her question and she wanted answers.
He looked up and caught Blair's eyes. He knew Blair will never stop if he will not give her answer to her question. "I just do." He lied. "Same as you love Chuck Bass." he stated in a low voice hiding the pain he felt of what he said.
"Ours were different; yes we've been on and off. But you and Serena, I mean you broke up a long time ago, and she's been dating lots of guys after you two broke up." Blair said a matter of fact not breaking the eye contact. She believed there was other reason why he still loves her, and she wanted to know what it was. And because she was Serena Vander Woodsen doesn't count.
"Blair, please. I don't want to talk about it. Serena's happy now, so please." Dan replied dropping the topic. Blair noticed the finality in his voice and decided not to dig any longer. She felt sorry for Dan and hoped that he will find the right girl for him someday. The girl that will truly love him, that will take care of him, that will be there for him through good times and bad times.
"Alright. Anyway, don't be late at the party tonight. Pick me up at 6." Blair said and stood up carrying her cup of coffee and walked towards the couch.
"Pick you up at 6?" Dan blurted almost choked. "I thought you'll be with Chuck."
"We'll just meet at the Empire." Blair simply said and placed her coffee to the table.
"I'll ask Nate to pick you since I'm not going at Chuck's party."
"And why not?" Blair arched her eye brow.
"I have something to do more important than be at Chuck's party." He reasoned out.
"And what is more important than Chuck's party?" Blair questioned and stomping her right foot on the floor.
"Trade secret." He replied with a smirk and joined her in the couch. "What movie do you want to watch?" He asked changing the topic as he looked at the DVD's they bought a few days ago.
"But I want you to be there!" Blair said shyly and bowed down her head.
"There is no need for me to be there." He said facing her and was surprised with what she said. He was thinking if Blair wanted him to be at her side if ever it might not turned out good between her and Chuck.
"Is it about Serena? I know you don't want to see her with her new beau." She said looking to him straightly.
Dan nodded and lied again. "I hope you understand Blair."
"But... please... for me, I want you to be there Dan..." Blair pleaded. He was astonished and immediately anticipated that Blair really needed him to be there. Blair Waldrof never begs and he absolutely knew that.
"Okay. I'll be there with you, for whatever you need." Dan agreed even if it hurts like hell seeing her with Chuck. He will do everything and anything for her because he was in love with her and he will always be there for her in every single day of her life even if it kills him. He was thinking that he will just leave the party if everything's going well.
Blair genuinely smiled. She was very grateful and thankful that Dan will be there at Chuck's party even if she knew that it will be hard for him to see Serena with his new boyfriend. But she needed him and she wanted Dan to be there without any reason, she just wanted.
"So, let's start to watch the movie now and after I can bring you home and we can both get ready to the party tonight." Dan said and gave her a full smile and looked back again with the DVD's.
"Alright." Blair answered very happy and was about to kiss him on the cheek when Dan turned to face her and instead it touches his lips. They were both stunned; their lips met and locked. They can feel each others breathing and it brought shivers through their spines. They both felt the world freeze that moment, and all they could hear was the sound of their heartbeats that were beating rapidly. Blair was about to close her eyes and to fully kiss him when Dan pulled away before she can do it. They were starring at each other, eyes locked, lips zipped and breathing uneven. Her heart was racing so fast and her knees were weakening. She was thankful that she was sitting on the couch because she knew anytime she will collapse. She needed something to hold on, and as if her life depended on the couch. She can't even break the eye contact and she was speechless. For the first time, she runs out of words to say. She wanted to say something but she can't utter it. The only thing that was bothering her was that she liked the kiss so very much and the fact that she wanted to kiss him again, to feel him, to touch him surprised her.
Dan summoned all self control to pull away from her. He was very glad that he was able to manage to stop the kiss before everything will go wrong and he might regret it after. His heart was beating rapidly and the taste of her lips and her smell were driving him crazy. She did smell and taste pretty nice, her lips tasted like honey and her scent was like a drug to him that he prayed that he can control himself not to kiss her again, put her in his arms and take her there. He can't believe what just had happened. He looked to Blair who was also stunned and confused. He was afraid of her reaction and their friendship might end just by that.
He broke the silence. "I...I...I'm sorry... I didn't have any idea that..." Dan said apologizing with a very low voice. He was worried that Blair will never talk to him after the kiss.
"… I know... It was my fault actually, I'm sorry." Blair replied shyly and avoided his gaze. She didn't know what to feel, she don't know what to do, all she could feel at the very moment was her lips were throbbing and she feel the need to kiss him again, to fully kiss him. She can still taste his lips on hers and there were butterflies in her stomach rambling around. And she didn't know why she felt all those things.
"No no no no! It was not your fault, it's mine. I mean, if I didn't…" Dan stopped at the mid of his sentence as Blair stared at him and smiled.
"It's okay, it was no ones fault." Blair said reassuring him starting to calm herself. "And I will be glad if we'll not talk about it and move forward. You know, it was just nothing, less than nothing, right?" Blair asked him as if it was nothing to her but the truth was she felt something when their lips met and she didn't know why she also wanted to know if Dan felt something about it.
"Sure… And yeah, it did nothing to me as it did to you." Dan gave him a flat smile and bowed his head. He was very hurt with what she said. He knew that Blair will never love him back but it was different this time 'cause Blair said it in front of his face. The pain he was dealing that time was unbearable and he was trying very hard to hide it.
Blair was a bit frustrated with his answer; she didn't know why it mattered to her if Dan felt something with the kiss. She cannot deny to herself the fact that she felt pain when Dan admitted to her that the kiss did and meant nothing to him.
"Then great!" She said with a smile hiding the disappointment she felt. "Now let's watch the movie so after we can prepare for the party tonight." She said taking her shoes off and making herself comfortable with the couch.
Dan looked at her and nodded. He stood up to get his laptop and started the movie. They both watched the movie but their minds were pre-occupied with the kiss they shared a moment ago.
After the movie, Dan brought her home and promised to pick her at 6.