4: Well, Hello
The first morning Abby woke up in Chuck's apartment she felt like she'd had the best sleep of her life. The mattress was so unbelievably comfortable; she didn't want to climb out of it. The only thing that made her get up was the time; she realized it was close to midday. Begrudgingly, she shuffled off the warmth of her satin lined duvet cover and hopped out of bed; and she actually did have to hop. When she sat on the edge of the bed, her feet dangled up off the ground by at least a foot. It was fun; she felt like a kid again, jumping around in her parents' too-big bed.
Feeling lighter than air, Abby yawned and stretched as she headed out of her room. It was twice the size of her one back in Memphis, but it still had a glorious view that let the sunlight in. There was a huge, comfy chair by the window she could just see herself sitting on and playing guitar, and there were fresh flowers right by the door. Abby noticed they were white roses; and could have sworn when she went to bed that they were lilies. Just another thing she supposed the numerous staff were up to as they scurried quietly around the penthouse; Abby found it quite off-putting; she didn't know if she'd turn a corner and run right into a maid as she had the night before on the way to the bathroom.
Before she'd even reached the door, Abby heard her cell phone go off. She assumed it would be her parents, or even Ezza, asking her how she was. Instead; it was an update from Gossip Girl:
Good morning Manhattan!
So, I'm here with the latest on our new Bass-ette.
Seems that Chuck was spotted leaving his luxurious digs alone this morning without little sis.
Oh, by the way, I have it on good authority that Chuck is still the first born Bass by a couple of minutes.
We're sure Chuck finds that comforting; biologically still being the first heir to the Bass fortune, and all.
In other news, B was spotted shopping without S. Aw, tension in the ranks? Again? Maybe Dear Abby can help them with their quarrel.
X-O-X-O
Gossip Girl
It had been less than twenty-four hours since Abby had landed in New York, and she was already well informed of this Gossip Girl website; a place where the secrets of the rich and famous socialites of Manhattan were broadcast for the world to see. Chuck was a big drawcard it would seem, Abby had spent some time before she'd fallen asleep scanning back through old Gossip Girl posts. And it was through this research that she knew B was Blair Waldorf, the girl Chuck was apparently in love with, and S was Serena Van Der Woodsen, Blair's best-or-ex-best friend, Abby wasn't sure; and Serena was also Chuck's step-sister, which made her Abby's step-sister along with her brother, Eric, and mother, Lily. As well as a brother, Abby would be meeting a whole new step-family. Yikes. When she thought about it; she couldn't believe she'd actually slept so well.
Her stomach rumbling for food, anything would do right now, Abby left her bedroom with her phone in hand and padded her bare feet to the kitchen. It was as big as any other room in the penthouse, every surface was stainless steel, and all the appliances were top of the line. With no clue how to even turn on what she thought was the coffee machine, Abby just went to the fridge. Thankfully there was a jug of orange juice waiting there for her.
After pouring a glass, she headed to out of the kitchen, and almost ran straight into someone she'd never seen before. Yelping, she almost dropped her glass, but pulled down the front of her oversized t-shirt, it was the only thing she was wearing over her underwear.
"Oh, sorry!" The guy said; shielding his eyes and turning around. "I didn't think anyone would be here. Chuck doesn't usually let his girls stay in the penthouse alone."
Abby didn't know if she should be offended or not, so she decided to wait and suss him out a little more. "No, no, I'm definitely not one of his girls." She said. "I'm Abby."
The guy turned back around. "Chuck's sister, Abby?" He said, his nervousness breaking into a smile. "Oh, wow, hi! It's great to meet you; I heard you were coming into town. I'm Nate."
Abby shook the hand he offered her, but shifted her naked legs behind the countertop so at least he wouldn't gawk at her. "You're a friend of Chuck's?" She eyed him up and down; he was classically gorgeous; Calvin Klein gorgeous. Perfect hair, teeth, eyes, clothes... nice to look at in every way.
"Yeah, ah, no... well," He laughed dryly. "Since his Dad... well, your Dad, too, I guess, ah, died... he's had it hard... so we've been a bit... off."
"Nathaniel?" Chuck's voice echoed through the kitchen. He was standing in the doorway, one hand in his pants pocket, one grasping a classy, black leather briefcase. He was giving Nate a strange look; definitely not a friendly, happy-to-see-a-friend look.
"Hey, man, I didn't know she'd be here today," Nate backed out of the kitchen. "I musta heard Serena wrong I, ah," The way Chuck was looking at him told him he was definitely not going to be able to talk to his friend like he wanted to. "I'll get out of your way." He turned back to Abby and waved as he exited the room. "Nice to meet you."
"You, too." Abby said, even though he was already gone. "Wow... tension." She muttered to Chuck as he set his briefcase on the coffee table and snapping it open.
"I trust you slept well." Chuck asked politely.
"Oh, like a log. That bed is magical." Abby said. "Do you want some juice?"
"No, thank you."
Abby put the jug back in the fridge and joined him at the coffee table. "I was in another one of those Gossip Girl thingies this morning."
"I saw." Chuck said, not looking up from his briefcase's contents. "It's best to try and ignore it; half the stuff she says is lies anyway."
"Where does she get her info?" Abby asked. "I mean, her "sources"." She made air quotes with her fingers.
"Everywhere and anywhere." Chuck replied. "Wannabe, low totem-pole socialites take photos, videos, and send them to her."
"Huh..." Abby sighed into her juice. "Kinda like the snake that eats its own tail."
"Ouroboros." Chuck said vaguely.
"Nerd." Abby teased. "Are we at the stage where we can call each other names? If not, I totally take that back."
Chuck looked up at her, and managed a smile. "Freak." He smirked.
Abby raised her glass to him. "Good one!"
"I have something for you." Chuck said, rifling through his briefcase. "The more I dig into my father's past, the more I find things he's hidden. Like this." He slid a photograph across the table to her.
"Oh, wow," Abby looked down at the photograph, it was a family portrait. She recognized herself, she'd kept those infant eyes her whole life, with a head of gently, blonde-almost-white curls, sitting on the lap of Evelyn, looking much younger and much less trouble. Beside her, was Bart Bass, handsome and serious, stiffly holding baby Chuck on his knee; he'd kept his infant eyes as well. "Man... the way things were, huh?" She muttered.
"How is your life?" Chuck asked her suddenly. "I apologize for being abrupt, but you said you were adopted?"
"Yeah, by a great family." Abby said, telling him about Bethany and Sam, as well as Ezza and Robbie. "I was lucky, I guess." She laughed a little. "I guess this is every adopted kid's dream... wishing that their birth family were royalty or something and couldn't take care of them due to their enormous wealth and commitments."
"It's not exactly a fairytale." Chuck said glumly.
"I'm beginning to see that."
"I hope you don't mind but I arranged for someone to show you around the city for the day," Chuck said, rustling his papers back into his briefcase. "My step-sister."
"That would be Serena?" Abby said; recalling the Gossip Girl post.
"Yes, she said she'll take you to lunch so," He glanced down at her clothes; or lack thereof. "You might want to get dressed."
"Right. Will do." Abby finished her juice and scuttled back into the kitchen to rinse out her glass. By the time she turned around to ask Chuck what his plans were; she realized he was gone. Shrugging, she retreated to her guest room and was slightly put off to see her bed was already made. Damn, those maids were quick. She also discovered that her rucksack was empty, and all of her clothes had been hung up in the closet or placed conveniently in the bureau. "Slightly... creepy..." She muttered, pulling out a pair of tight, white corduroys and a bright red t-shirt with a Chinese symbol printed on it in black ink. Thankful she'd packed her new pair of Converse sneakers - this set a teal green - as well as her shabby ones, Abby took her clothes and ducked into the bathroom; which was about the size of her room back home, to get ready.
She had no idea what to expect. From the Gossip Girl posts, Serena was a former wild, party-girl will constant boy troubles and Daddy issues who had ruined her friendship with Blair. And this was her tour guide for New York? Fun time ahead.
xxx
