Chapter Three

Blair was stuffing her books in the locker. She decided the events of last night never happened. Nevertheless, the incidents that were out of her control still made her feel edgy. She had a hard time closing the locker, but a kick with a foot did the job. It felt good to vent out, even for just a little. Others were waiting for her at the ice cream shop, making sure their spot at the table wasn't taken by tacky blonde and overly tanned wannabe Paris Hiltons of Brearley School. Nelly Yuki just texted the new menu when a flyer in the hallway snatched her attention.

It was a list for candidates that wanted to be a part of last school play of the year. They were doing 'Anna Karenina', one of Blair's favorite books. Russian realism had a soft spot in her heart. She was a sucker for love, even bigger one for tragedy too. Anna's courage was an inspiration. Blair would perform on stage, for her secret loved one. She would act with the deepest ardor for the certain someone to see. He would be in her mind as she quote the script. And he would perceive how her flame burned brighter than anyone else's. Brighter than his girlfriend's. It was romantic and perfect opportunity to solve everything.

This was her role. She had to sign up. There was no way Chuck would see how much she wants him without being too forward and exposed. She was looking for a pen in her purse when a boy passing behind her came to a halt and leaned on the wall.

''Don't even bother'' he said, running his hand through the blonde hair.

''Excuse me?''

''You don't really seem fit for a role.''

Her mouth hung open. Nobody dared to challenge Blair Waldorf, especially in this school. After she got over primary shock, predatory instinct kicked in. She refused to be patronized by anyone, let alone some snarky boy.

''I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was talking to director'' she snapped.

His icy blue eyes stared down at her.

''Assuming by the assault on your locker earlier, I highly doubt you will be the elegant Russian royalty we need.''

With those words and one haughty look, he left. Blair was about to burst. How dare he say she wasn't royalty. If she was born in any other time, she would have been a queen. An elegant one, with the graces of goddess. She grabbed a pen and threw it at his back in rage, but as if he somehow felt the attack, the boy merely stepped sideways. It flew past him.

He looked back at her.

''Like I said, don't even bother.''

Oh, bother she would. She will nail that audition and people would clap at her outstanding, realistic performance. Her version of Anna Karenina would be even better than Jacqueline Bisset. He would see the mistake he made and she would be there to rub it in his face. Her palms were burning. She rubbed them off her skirt, but they weren't sweaty. Blair furiously scribbled down her name and went to lunch. Large grey clouds rolled over Manhattan. Thunder in her chest rolled and echoed in the distance, way above the high buildings. She didn't even notice the storm rising from afar, let alone the one boiling inside of her.

Ice cream shop was packed. All students from nearby private schools came there. Blair marched inside with her head high. Everyone stopped to stare at the Constance queen. Spence royalties nodded and she nodded back. Brearley girls weren't even worth of glance. Her group was sitting at their spot and someone was in her chair talking merrily with Penelope. She was blonde and fragile looking. Everyone went quiet as she approached.

''Who is this person?''

The girl looked up timidly.

''Im E–'' she started to say, but Paige along with the rest of girls interrupted.

''She's nobody.'' they repeated, urgently signaling to girl with their eyes to go.

''Then move, Nobody.'' Blair exclaimed irritated.

Paige pushed the girl away, smiling apologetically. She went back to her friends, already forgotten. Blair received her portion of ice cream, inspected it and ate. Girls were talking about some new boy who transferred in St. Jude. They swooned over how mysterious and sexy he was. Blair didn't care. She felt off the market since she met Chuck. Nobody managed to even catch her attention anymore. Her excitement was vivid as she interrupted them to talk about the play.

''I hope we do the part when Count Vronsky falls off his horse. Her distress and cry as the FruFru hits the ground always gets me.'' Nobody spoke. Everyone looked at their ice creams or somewhere else.

''I comprehend if one of you wants to be Anna, but you have to understand it's my part. Nobody will have a chance against me now that I experienced some bits of Anna's life. I'm made to be tragic anti heroine, the belle of Russian créme de la créme. Don't worry, you'll do perfectly well as servants and mothers.'' Everyone looked even more uncomfortable, only Penelope stared offended at her.

''Just for your information'' Penelope snapped, ''Darla Pilchard is auditioning too. You can say goodbye to Anna.'' Her eyes moved towards Brearley table. There were four girls, one exceptionally dressed and extremely beautiful. Tall, skinny, with long straight black hair, Darla was the top of Brearly royalties. Her icy eyes met with Blair's. She whispered something to her friends and they all giggled.

''No way'' Blair whispered. She had to compete with her? The daughter of most famous New York director and play-writer. Darla would get the part just for the sake of him coming to the show.

''I'll deal with her later. Let's go.'' They all rose and went outside when Blair remembered she left her cellphone on the table. Thunder rolled again and little sprinkles of rain started to fall.

''You go, I'll catch up.'' She hurriedly came back and snatched phone just as other guests wanted to sit down. The thought of someone reading her emails and seeing countless pictures of Chuck Bass that she saved gave her shivers. She gave them dirty look and proceeded towards the doors. There was a crowd at the exit now. Some cavalier was holding the doors open for Brearley girls. They flocked around him, strong female perfumes mixing in an unbearable smell. Their forced giggles pierced her ears. She could't get out.

''Move, move!'' Blair yelled. As she elbowed a way out, face in the middle of colored shiny hairs came into view. Darla Pilchard was fixing his bow tie. Blair's fist involuntary clenched.

''I should have known'' she said as Chuck's smirk dropped at the sight of her. She pretended to look at her watch. The clock showed her that she was nowhere near late for class, but it was a good excuse.

''Blair... '' he started to speak.

''Sorry, can't talk. I'm late.'' She ran ahead, bombing entire Brearley school in her mind.

In the evening, Blair did her homework, took a shower, gotten dressed and left the house early. Serena agreed to meet her at the bar in Plaza hotel for casual drink. They haven't seen each other for a whole week. It was hard when they went to different schools. No matter how long they were apart, when they reunited again, it felt like no time has passed. Their friendship went through many trials and errors. They learned to rely on each other, but also to be independent.

Night was finally calm and the sky was starry. It cleared after the heavy rain. Summer was slowly settling into the city. Blair decided to walk since she had time to spare. Her red suede platform sandals were perfectly comfortable, black dress decent and pearls decorative enough. Truth be told, the word casual didn't exist in her dictionary. Shoes clacked against hard cold ground. They echoed after each step. She entered a long narrow alley that led to main square. The only street lamp in there blinked few times and died away. The path was deserted. Houses nearby were so quite it appeared nobody lived there.

A scruffy cat jumped from the garbage cans scaring Blair. It paused as if looking at her. She looked right back at it. Nothing more than a harmless cat. It hissed, hunching it's furry back. Blair hissed right back at it. She thought she heard a laugh behind her. Swiftly turning around, she perceived nobody. The cat ran away. Just in case there actually was someone behind, she moved on.

Blair finally got to the end of the alley when a sound of rummaging reached her. She gingerly turned around again, clutching her bag, ready to use it as a weapon. Maybe there was someone behind her after all. Something stirred in garbage bags. Another cat sprang from in between them to the middle of alley. This one was black and it's stench reached all the way to her nose. She covered it with her hand.

The cat looked at her and then quickly snapped it's head the other way, where Blair came from. It hissed furiously at something, lowering the front part of it's body. It kept hissing without moving an inch. She wondered what was scaring the cat, or who. Blair stared a while at the dark alley. Nothing moved. She turned around and walked into the main square, that was enough cats with rabies for her. Blair decided to hail a cab.

A yellow car pulled over and she opened the doors. There was a passenger inside already.

''Wait.'' Woman called. Blair bent over to look through the opened doors. Lady inside patted seat next to her.

''It's okay, I'll get into the next one.''

''I do not mind sharing it.'' She smiled with a peculiar smile.

There was nothing left to do. They rode together in silence. The woman was around fifty. With blonde hair, pointy nose and thin lips, she looked like Meryl Streep. They appeared to be both going to Plaza. Driver pulled in front of the hotel. Blair opened her purse to reach for the money. Her back stiffened. She opened the purse wide open and flipped it upside down, throwing every item on her lap. She forgot the wallet. Her cheeks flushed red.

''Well?'' driver impatiently looked at her in rear view mirror.

''This is so embarrassing. I forgot my wallet.''

He huffed in the front seat. ''You gotta be kiddin' me kid, right?''

''No'' she looked down on her hands. Blair was mortified, this never happened to her before. She was thinking what to do to get out of situation. Call Serena and beg for money? Would she make it on time? Ask to be taken home and redouble the bill?

''What am I going to do with you?!'' he sounded angry.

''I'm sorry.'' she said.

''Oh, relax. Here'' her companion threw bunch of money on the front seat. ''This should cover it. Let's go, dear.''

Blair got out of the car. ''Thank you! I promise I'll pay you back first thing in the morning!''

''It is alright. I'm glad I could help. Have fun tonight.'' With this, she smiled for the second time tonight, turned around and went for the elevator.

There was only one free spot at the bar. A hunched figure in black suit pants and black collar shirt sat next to it. His sleeves were rolled up to the elbow. It perfectly accentuated his tense muscles. He was rolling a glass of gin and tonic with a pale hand. His forehead was resting in the palm of the other. Colour of his hair was light blonde, the one you would expect from northern people. It's straight bangs, as Blair supposed, were probably perfectly cut. But they now interlaced with fingers, messily falling against his forehead and covering his eyes.

Someone grabbed her shoulders.

''Boo!'' In the corner of her eye, she saw him snapping his head up.

''Jesus, Serena!'' Her heart was rapidly beating. She could feel it violently thumping against her hand.

''I got you!'' her friend laughed. ''Why so edgy, Blair?''

''Daily embarrassments of Blair Waldorf, nothing new.''

''Okay, you can tell me all about it when we sit down. Quick, there's a free spot!''

Sure enough, when they turned around, the boy was gone.

Later on, they were sipping martinis. Serena was talking about summer plans. Places, activities and wardrobe. She started dating Nate too. Blair was chewing her olive, nodding in appropriate places and waiting for a sound of certain someone's name. It was selfish, but she couldn't help herself. She kept dreaming about him, his visage followed her everywhere, his face appeared in crowds.

''Okay, Blair. I know you're not listening to me.''

''Hmm?''

''You want to know what's Chuck been saying about you?''

''He has?'' her eyes lit up.

''He can't keep his mouth shut. Blair is so this, Blair is so that... You are the first girl whose name he actually remembers. He kept nagging me to give him your phone number.''

''What?'' she choked out. He even went that far?

''Yes, but I know how you feel about it. I said no. Also, I want him to man up and ask it yourself.''

''So...you...''

''Yeah, I support you two. Although, it's dangerous.''

''What do you mean?''

''You will destroy each other. You two are like burning stars. You're bound to collide and combust.''

''No, that's not going to happen. Nothing is going to happen as long as he has a girlfriend.'' Blair sulkily pressed the edge of glass between her lips.

Serena's face frowned. She let out a sigh. ''I don't think he is going to leave Eva. I'm pretty sure they are in love.''

That was the information Blair hoped she wouldn't hear. It was is if a wave came hurling and crashed her insides, leaving her to suffocate.

''Pretty sure? Either they are or they aren't. And besides, what kind of sick person would let her boyfriend cheat around? It's pathetic.''

''Yeah, I agree there. Maybe that's the reason why she's letting him do it, maybe she's so in love and too scared to lose him.''

''Or she is just pathetic and desperate. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to use the ladies'.''

Blair needed to refresh herself. This news about love hit her harder than she expected. She did secretly did hope he would break up with Eva and after some time, destiny would set them a date. That's the way things went in her dreams. But reality always found new and creative ways to prove Blair wrong. There was a strong chance him and Eva were in love and Blair was just a fling, instead of the other way around. She washed her face and looked herself in the mirror. She couldn't see herself anymore. His eyes stared right back at her. There was a lump forming in her throat.

How did she get in so deep? How did a boy control her emotions, words and actions without even trying?

It wasn't too late. She could still fix this. Of'course she could, she was Blair Waldorf. Nobody got a chance to crush her heart. Blair didn't want him to know what kind of impact he had over her and she would make damn sure he never did. After all, she swore to herself she will put an end to it.

Blair went back to the bar. Serena was talking to someone who had his back turned. He was wearing pink polo shirt. There was no doubt who it was, his scent gave him away.

''Bass.''

A/N: Next chapter is all about Chair! Sorry for not updating long. (: