Hi, I finally decided to update this story. Go ahead and read!
From now on, Chuck and Blair's interactions will be more. I hope you like this.
Don't forget to left me a comment :3
….
Few hours later, Blair found herself wrapped in a blue sequin dress dancing in the big hall of the Archibald's property. The light were soft, but not that much. The music wasn't that loud and the people looked great. Nate had managed to throw this party at the big salon he had, and he took advantage of the fact that his parents were on holiday in some Caribbean island to have a bit of fun. As if they didn't have much every day of the year.
Nate came from behind her, and he wrapped a hand on her hip. Blair smiled when she saw him. Nate was a handsome guy, and he was sweet. He was like a big brother to her, and he never failed to entertain her.
"Are you having fun?" He asked. Blair just nodded, and kept dancing close to her best friend.
They both kept the rhythm as the song went on a weird drum number, until Nate left her and she found herself in Serena's arms. She turned to find her other best friend smiling at her, always joyful and cheered up.
"I managed to come! See?" Blair noticed Serena's hair were so shiny even in the dark. She shifted her body completely to face her and noticed her friend was in her perfect mini silver dress, one they had bought together few days before. Serena didn't hesitate when she saw it. Blair found it lovely, but maybe the skirt was too short to be her style.
"I had a wonderful night last night!" She continued.
Blair wondered where Serena had been the night before, where she'd slept. Serena looked happy as ever when she started screaming in Blair's ear to tell her the great experience she had with her new friend, a teen model called Jenny. Blair kept nodding at her in approval, but couldn't bear the fact that Serena had to scream to be listened, so she suggested to go outside on the balcony.
Serena put her arm under Blair's, and both girls tried to go through the people dancing and drinking to reach the great balcony of the penthouse. It was cold outside. Not as cold as few hours earlier when she went out of her office, but quite cold to shiver. Her dress was strapless, but she had nylon stockings who saved her.
There were few people outside. Some of them were smoking, some of them drinking. There was even a couple making out in the corner near the entrance, and Blair made a disgusted expression when she spotted them. She wouldn't ever do something like that. When Blair was with Carter, her first and only boyfriend, they liked to do the dirty she let him do in his office down at Victrola. At least no one could spot them.
"You should come with me next time, B. Jenny is amazing and we had so much fun! We've played strip poker."
Blair giggled and looked at her friend in disapproval. "I hope you won." Blair didn't surely want to know about how she went topless for a stupid game, but it wouldn't be news to her. Serena was a pretty free spirit, she loved to party and try new things, especially sexual things.
"I just stayed few minutes with my panties and bra on then I won, yes!" Serena giggled and smiled widely. She was still shining in the dark of the balcony. Few guys turned to look at her. Blair was reasoning if they were drunk or not, but decided not to care. Everyone was partying that night, it was normal to be a bit crazy.
Blair rolled her eyes back. Sometimes she wished she was more free, like Serena.
She turned right to watch the city under them and she spotted some known face. She had to look more to be sure it was actually Carter near the other edge of the balcony. He was alone, and he was drinking something she couldn't recognize. Carter turned and held her gaze for a good minute, until Serena noticed. Blair saw her, and smiled unintentionally in Carter's direction. He didn't smile back, but he started to walk towards them.
Serena was caught off guard when the guy put a hand on her shoulder and asked kindly to leave them alone, leaving Blair the time to realize Carter was actually about to speak again to her after the brief moment of two nights before, and after two months they had broken up.
Blair decided not to follow every one of his movements, she tried to look at the few cars that were passing in the streets in that moment.
Carter leaned in and closed the distance between them. She could feel his arm pressed on hers as he put his elbows on the cool marble like she'd just done. They were silent for a while, and Blair liked it. It didn't hurt. Yet.
"I was thinking..." He started to say, his voice quite unstable. Blair thought he didn't want to finish that sentence yet. "How is everything going, Blair?"
Carter was looking in front of him, and Blair liked this way to exchange words with him. It still didn't hurt. He let the words out so randomly and slowly. Blair swallowed trying to hide she was shivering and fought to find a right answer to that question he had just asked.
She didn't want to tell him the truth. That she was sick for some days of the week, that she cried in her shower so tears would confound with water, and that she thought about him few times in a day, above all when she was in her bed trying to sleep.
"I'm quite good, actually. I have a new job and I'm about to graduate at Columbia. I am fine."
Last sentence was more to herself than to him. She looked fine, though. She played the part of the happy woman in career really good. She wondered if Carter would believe her lies.
"I've heard. Nate told me."
There was a slight pause. Blair saw him taking a joint from his jacket and he lightened it up. Their eyes met for a second, but Carter turned abruptly to watch the streets again. To Blair, it looked like he was trying to avoid her gaze for no reason. He smoked his joint with calmness, so slow. There was silence again.
"What do you think." Blair said in a low voice.
"I think you have to be careful, Blair." He turned to face her then, and his features were so hard she thought he was going to break into million pieces. His blue eyes looked concerned. He squeezed her arm lightly and made her shiver before throwing his joint from the balcony and walking away, leaving her alone.
She sighed with relief after he was gone. She thought that be careful was referred to Chuck. Carter hated Chuck. She had to go deep down this, she was eager to find out why on Earth the two guys hated each other.
What Chuck or Carter had possibly done to the other to gain the disrespect of the other? It was probably a matter that of women, or business. At least she thought.
She was thinking too much in that moment that she didn't hear her phone buzzing in her clutch. She opened it to find an unknown number on the display.
"Hello?" She asked, and for a brief second nobody replied back.
"Look below you." Said the voice, and she spotted someone on the sidewalk. It didn't take time to understand who it was, and she couldn't help but shaking her head and curse in her mind.
He was there, his phone in his hand and he was smirking as usual. Blair wondered how he had got there, how did he know she was at the Archibald's. Why he was there.
"What are you doing here?"
"I was looking for you. I have something from my father due for tomorrow, or you'll be fired."
She tried to put her head more on the edge of the balcony, and she noticed his wide smile from afar. She hated him already. How did he dare.
"You can't be serious." She said, anger in her voice. She would work the day after. There weren't things or papers due the next day in her job's to do list of the day. What the hell...
"Reach me here and I'll give you what you need."
Blair shook her head and decided to hang up. How did he dare to come there to her best friend's house, asking her to do something for him. It was eleven PM, not afternoon. She just wanted to have a good time with a good company of friends, she didn't certainly love to work at hours she didn't need to. If that meant losing her job, let be it.
She returned inside because it was starting to get colder and she took a drink. She sipped it in one gulp. Seeing Chuck Bass even from that far, made her anxious. She loathed the idea that he was already going that far, trying to find her whenever she was.
She now wanted to find Nate to ask him if he had a joint to cool her mood off. She knew it was bad for the health problem she had, but she didn't care at that moment. First Carter, then Chuck. Too much guys that looked to be prone to want her that night. She couldn't handle it.
Blair made her way through the dancing crowd until she found someone else waiting for her.
He had her dark blue wool coat, she noticed. He was holding it tightly in his big hands and he was smiling pleasantly, like he had just won a trophy.
"You know you're annoying, right?" Blair asked, took her coat from his hands and started for the opposite direction to put it in the coats room again, but Chuck held her arm. He was good at holding a firm grip. She stared at his hand on her arm. "What do you want?"
He pushed her towards him until their bodies almost touched. "I just need you to do something for me, Waldorf." It looked like a death threat. The way he was looking at her... she thought he was going to kill her with his hazel dark eyes.
"What if I don't."
He looked it up and giggled. He looked quite enthralled by her reactions. "You'll be fired and lose my father's respect."
Chuck looked really serious, and Blair couldn't help but rolling her eyes. She didn't want him to win though, she freed herself from his grasp and headed right. Who cared about the job, right? And what, he had respect for her? This made her giggle inside.
Once she found herself in the big dining room where they brought the coats when they arrived, she found Chuck following her trail again. She rolled her eyes and frowned. His presence was boring her to tears, he would never know.
She went to the other end of the table, trying to go as far away from him. There was a balcony not far and it communicated with the other room. She should have been quick to sneak in and run so that she would get in the other room and disappear into the crowd where no Chuck Bass would follow her.
Blair reached the window, was about to open it, but he stopped her again. His hand tightened on hers and she closed her eyes as to surrender. She sighed loudly and she could tell he was sensing the anxiety that was growing around them.
"I just want to have fun. Leave me alone." Blair pleaded, and she hated to plea.
She felt Chuck's body getting closer. His other hand placed on her hip. She shivered at the contact. How much she hated him. She couldn't find the strength to move him away and the situation got even more difficult when she felt him inhaling her hair. It looked so good, but confusing. Why he was doing that?
He leaned closer to whisper in her hear. "It will only take five minutes... I promise."
Chuck's voice sweetened and she felt different towards him. She knew he was trying to sooth her with good manners and she couldn't help but fell for this behavior. He was just too good at it and for some unknown reasons, she felt to trust him for at least one time.
Blair closed her eyes and felt his hand gripping on hers. It was hot, comfortable. She hated herself in that moment but she had to admit he was so convincing. She turned and broke that connection with him and agreed to be taken away from the party.
Nobody of her friends noticed she left. She didn't bother to inform anybody. She thought that Chuck would keep her for a few minutes then she could go up to the party again, but he didn't keep his promise. She found herself in his limo and didn't know where they were headed when he didn't give her any paper, but instead told his driver to take off.
She gave up. She thought he just wanted her to come to his party at Palace and she didn't complain at first. It wasn't that something bad had to happen, right?
Chuck got out of the limo first and she was surprised to find his hand waiting to take hers and to lead her inside. When they reached the room where he said the party was held, she saw it was empty. There was just a light in the dark and a tiny table with a vase with roses over it were lightened. She sighed when she understood why he had taken her there.
She didn't like it.
Chuck walked inside, but she let go of his hand, and stopped. He turned with confused eyes. "What's wrong?" He asked, unaware of how Blair was feeling. He got closer again.
"You tricked me. You selfish bastard."
Chuck burst into laughter instantly. It was so genuine Blair thought she was talking with another version of him and it wasn't funny.
"I like it when you offend me, Waldorf. I have this weird fantasy in my mind where you spank me with a stick... looks so perfectly fit on you." He said and she stopped her hand from slapping his shaved cheek.
It would be the second time in a row in few days. He was still her boss's son, she couldn't go that far now. She closed her hand in a fist and walked inside without adding a word. She was angry, he would pay for it.
….
"Why did you bring me here?" She asked after they silently ate the main course. Blair was still furious and didn't bother to hide her anger. He had to know she wasn't that happy he had taken her to that place, that he had lied to her.
Of all the things she loathed, lies were the worst.
Chuck looked up. His eyes were quite lost somewhere down her. She hoped he wasn't looking at something he shouldn't look at, like the small amount of cleavage exposed of her sequin dress. He swallowed a gulp of red wine before answering.
"I just wanted to spend time with you." He admitted. It looked so earnest that she thought he was being honest for real.
She thought Chuck was only being shy. Perhaps, it could have been the truth. She didn't know him well, she didn't know how he would react to something, anything.
"Why didn't you ask me directly?"
Chuck sighed and needed to take another sip from his glass. Blair didn't like the gesture much. She didn't want him to get drunk again but it seemed like drinking was an essential part of his life, his companion. It was like his friend."You'd say no." He answered and he looked true again even if his hazel eyes were looking down at his plate.
"Probably." She said honestly.
She noticed the change in his features. He looked miserable again. It was like he was thinking too much and he was caught in a bad thought, God knew what. Probably he was worried for something she didn't know of. One things was sure, he was moody. His mood looked like changed every minute. She wasn't sure she could bear that.
They kept eating in silence for the next few minutes. Blair didn't really know what to say. He was like more and more going into a private world, almost ignoring her. She thought why he wanted her there then. Did he really want to pass time with her? Why was he looking so worried? She didn't dare to ask.
It was when she was eating her last course than she felt a pain in her stomach. Chuck was still silent, still focused on his plate to care. She hurried for the bathroom and left her chair empty before he could realize she was gone.
Blair run there to the restroom and was glad it was empty. She stepped into one of the three rooms and knelt down. She started to do what she always did when she was feeling anxious. It took her less than a minute to provoke the reaction and she finished her job soon. Her day was saved again and she was thankful it had been faster that time.
She fixed her dress and looked into the mirror to see if everything was in place. She smiled at her reflection and when everything looked perfect, she decided to return to the room she and Chuck were having dinner.
When she got into the hall, Chuck was looking in her direction. His elbows were on the table and he looked like someone who was waiting. She thought he was waiting for her. He looked concerned. He studied her until she fell back on the chair in front of him. She smiled slightly and he opened his mouth a little, not sure of what to tell her.
"Are you okay?" He finally said and he looked worried for her. Genuinely.
Blair adjusted the tissue on her lap and stared at the plate she was eating few minutes before with fake pleasure. She was hating it. "Oh, I don't wanna eat anymore. I'm full." She smiled again, trying to look sincere. She took her plate away and sipped a glass of wine.
Chuck wasn't sure of her answer. "You look pale." He added, and frowned taking a sip of his glass of wine too.
There was a long silence and nobody said a word. For both of them looked perfectly fine. They didn't need much words to understand each other and Chuck had already figured out something about her that might be true, in her silences.
He was still looking at her with worried eyes and Blair didn't miss it. She didn't want him to find out about her problem, she kept a light smile on her face until he took her home.
He insisted on taking her to her door and she agreed just to be nice for once. She didn't want him to worry for nothing that wasn't his business.
Once they reached her door, it was time to say goodbye. Blair put the keys into the door lock and the door opened soon. She didn't open it completely because that would mean asking him in and she didn't want that. It was just a dinner, nothing more. There probably wouldn't be anymore, she was sure.
"I guess I'll see you at work." Chuck said with hesitation. He bit his lip and she swore he was about to lean in and do something, but he stopped himself.
She noticed his punch tightened.
He didn't wait for her answer, he just walked away.
As soon as he disappeared, Serena came back home and she wasn't alone this time.
The noise of the music in Serena's room was annoying her.
Blair kept rolling onto the sides of her bed trying to sleep but she didn't succeed. She didn't want to go in the other room to scream and ask Serena, Nate and Serena's model friend, Jenny, to stop it with the booze. Carter was there too and this was the most important reason she had decided to remain in her room and try to sleep. She had to go to work next day, but Serena had probably forgot.
It looked like they were having fun, but didn't they think some of the neighbors could get mad for all the noises?
She put her pillow over her ear and found that the noises didn't look lower than she expected. It wasn't a solution, though, but it could have helped her to fall asleep.
It passed how? Maybe twenty-thirty minutes, and she felt relaxed. Her body was finally giving in and the noises were almost gone. She felt her brain betraying her and suddenly take her into the world of dreams. She started rolling in her bed and she started dreaming about something that was upsetting her.
She was alone and in the dark hall of the Palace. She recognized a long figure from afar and was happy to see that the person turned and smiled politely when he spotted her.
He was dressed casual, not with one of his elegant suits. He had a black shirt and black trousers. She reached him and took his hand when he lend it to her and she felt a good sensation inebriating her as if he had the touch of God.
"Don't do it again, Waldorf. Don't."
His voice was sharp and held a certain charm, but it was also severe. He pointed to some room after a while, as lead her way.
She reached the door with him still holding her hand and found another version of herself in the bathroom, doing her trick again, deceiving herself again.
"You need help." He added and then disappeared.
Blair awoke when outside was already morning. She noticed cheerfully that she didn't wake up late for work. It was still seven and she had all the time of the world to dress up.
She was about to get up when she jolted and screamed a bit.
Someone was on the other side of the bed, asleep. He had the suit from last night still on and from his face, he looked plastered. He was sleeping like a little child and Blair couldn't help but smile after the morning surprise. He couldn't stay there, though. Blair didn't want him there, he had to take his coat and leave when he'll feel better.
She jumped on the bed and moved him a bit, trying to call his name and make him wake.
He gave up after a while, opened his eyes and smiled. "Serena's bed was full... there was Archibald and the new girl sleeping... I hope you don't mind." He said with a sleepy tone.
Blair sighed and scrolled her shoulders lightly. He was awake finally.
"No problem. But you need to go now." Her voice felt flat when she told him to go. She didn't want it to look like an order, but she knew he wouldn't have gone if she didn't sound serious. When she saw him closing his eyes again, she sighed. "I mean it, Carter."
The guy rolled on the side, so he wasn't facing her anymore. Blair waited patiently as he stood up and put his brown shoes on. It looked like an eternity, but he finally made it after ten minutes. Blair waited until he was out of her room to start preparing. He didn't say goodbye.
Blair wished he had never come to sleep there. Sometimes, she wished she would never see him again.
….
Few hours later, she went to work.
She was surprised to find Chuck waiting for her next to the elevator. He was looking like he had been waiting for long and now he was annoyed. She walked towards him because her legs were too tired from the night before to take the stairs and she suddenly noticed the change in his expression when he noticed her.
"Just in time, Waldorf. I was getting bored." He said with a smirk. He was teasing her and she thought he was probably playing with her because he had no other toy.
She didn't feel annoyed, just a bit afraid of this sudden interest that he was having day by day. It wasn't a daily routine for her that boys got interested in her. Carter had been the only one.
She pushed the button of the elevator and didn't add a word.
He stepped inside with her, a grin gracing his beautiful features. She could see it from the mirror that was there and he could see hers too. She decided to wear her neutral expression, as to look a bit 'Stop playing the douche, it's not working' face.
Thankfully for her, the elevator's doors opened soon. Work on floor three was certainly a good thing whenever he decided to be trapped in the elevator with her again and she was sure it was going to happen soon. Maybe later that day too.
She hurried for the door's office and slammed it behind her. She hoped it might crash on him, but Chuck looked to have good reflexes to make a poor figure with his co-workers.
She knew that was going to happen again and she felt her hand warm when he took it.
"Blair."
The way he said her name was so different than few minutes before. He was frowning now and to her, he looked like he was trying to find the right words to say.
"I hope you are fine today."
"Why do you care?" She answered harshly.
Chuck smirked and a tiny smile appeared on his face. "Because the competition starts now and I don't wanna play against an ill player. It wouldn't be fair."
She opened her mouth to respond, but he was faster. What did he mean by competition?
He dropped her hand and the warmth disappeared as soon as he was gone through the corridor to reach his father's office. She heard the door slamming few seconds later. She would think about his words later.
She went to her small office in the east part of the big room everyone worked in and found Dan Humphrey sitting on the chair next to hers again.
He was looking at the computer, probably reading on line documents that they needed to analyze for their work. She rolled her eyes in annoyance, she didn't want a master to guide her again, one day was suffice.
Dan acknowledged her presence soon by her surprise. She didn't think he was retarded, just... too distracted to care in time. He smiled lightly and pointed to the empty chair next to him.
Blair smiled back. Her smile wasn't as genuine, but she decided it was better not to create rivalry with her co-workers if she wanted to keep her job.
"I thought you had to take care of me only for the first day."
The guy giggled this time. "Apparently the boss wants me to stick with you for longer."
She tried to make a believable smile, but she wasn't that happy of the news. She hoped things were clear, and that Dan Humphrey understood that she wasn't happy of Bart's decision. She thought he took her to the letter when she informed him Dan was a nice guy, the day before. Ant that he had suggested his father to keep the guy next to her as a baby sitter.
He gave her a notebook to take random notes and then suggested her to turn on her computer, so they would start their tasks for the day. Blair nodded in annoyance.
Luckily for her Dan Humphrey had to leave early because of family matters, she was left alone the last two hours. She had to finish checking the papers they were analyzing. It was tiring, but she had to do it. She tried her best to finish before the work time was over. She did want to meet Chuck by the elevator again. The word 'competition' he had told her that morning was ringing into her head like a broken phone.
She had to know why he said that. Were they into a competition? He was barely out of the office he had in front of his father's to let her ask him while they were working.
She sneaked out of the office, trying to make as much noise as to alert him she was leaving.
She reached for the door and found the elevator opened again, but Chuck was not there. She had made it for the first time and she was happy about it.
Once outside, she found her car soon and found him waiting next to it. She thought she had won, instead...
He was standing still with hands in his pocket like a statue. He followed her gaze when he spotted her getting closer, as she sent him a questioning look.
"Are we in a competition?"
Chuck's features relaxed and he smirked. "Keep your hopes down, Waldorf. I always win."