Chapter 4
Summary: Blair is forcefully placed into group therapy at the Ostroff Center.
Disclaimer: I still don't own Gossip Girl, blah, blah, blah.
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For the very first time, Blair Wardolf was not ready. Her first day back at Constance had arrived. Eleanor had covered up her episode, explaining that she had sent Blair to a private health spa retreat at an undisclosed location. Gossip Girl didn't find out about what really happened, but she did take joy in poking at Blair's destroyed reputation. Her blog entries were often filled with information on Blair's disappearance from the Upper East Side. They were false, obviously, considering the only people who knew the truth were Serena, Chuck, Eleanor, and Nate, even though she had yet to see him. She hadn't yet called her father to explain everything, and she doubted Eleanor had, but she didn't really want to. She pushed that phone call back for as long as she could.
She readjusted her solid forest green headband. Serena was picking her up, sans Chuck, she promised. Blair was both disappointed and pleased by this. Chuck had not visited her after her episode in the hospital, and kept his distance from her. When Serena was with her, they never talked about what happened. She either wanted to avoid the conversation or pretend like it never happened. Blair didn't mind, but she somehow felt like she wasn't needed. She felt as if she would have died, she would have easily been forgotten, and everyone would go back to their every day schedules. But she would never tell anyone that. She simply never exposed her true feelings in situations like this, though she broke down every once in a while.
"Miss Blair, Miss Serena for you!" Dorota called from downstairs. "I'm coming!" Blair yelled as she rolled her eyes. She was wearing a jacket even though it was mid-spring and unseasonably warm outside. She made sure that it covered her wrists entirely. She didn't want anyone to see the wounds. People would speculate, sure, but no one would see. That was good enough for her.
Her Jimmy Choos clacked on the staircase as she swiftly made her way down. Serena was waiting, her blond hair messily put into a ponytail. "B, it's seventy degrees outside-" She offered. "I'm not taking the jacket off." Blair's tone was affirming. Serena didn't say anything. "And your hair looks horrible, by the way." Blair lightly attacked her to shy away from the subject. Serena simply sighed and let her hair loose. "Chuck's been asking about you," Serena offered Blair a smile. "He really wants to talk to you." Blair shook her head. "Screw Chuck. Can we go to school now?" She deadpanned. Serena stopped talking for a bit as they made their way outside and started walking.
"He knows he messed up," Serena tried again. "Blair, just talk to him. I've never seen him this depressed." Blair rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll talk to him if you'd shut the hell up." She honestly didn't understand why Serena was defending him. He had plenty of opportunities to talk to her in the two weeks she was in the hospital. She did push him away, but Chuck usually didn't listen to what she said. What was so special about this occasion?
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He looked at her coming into the courtyard. She was still beautiful as ever. His stomach felt odd, but he shook it away. He had kept his distance because Serena had asked him to, but he had almost pleaded to ask Blair to talk to him. He had so much to say to her, but she was pushing him away.
She was wearing a winter jacket in the warm weather. He knew why; she was trying to cover up her faults, but he saw right through her. He was one of the few people who did. She was one of his best friends, and they understood each other. As soon as their affair started and abruptly ended, nothing was ever the same. He definitely didn't regret their affair, but it didn't come without its complications. She immediately caught his eye, and headed up the stairs. Serena had talked to her. He had to somehow find a way to thank her later.
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"Is there something you want to say to me, Bass?" Blair pursed her lips, waiting for a response. Her impatience had definitely returned. Everyone was staring. She enjoyed the attention, but not when it centered around her and Chuck Bass. Chuck was smoking a joint, but immediately dropped it. Blair tapped her heels on the concrete. "I'm waiting." Chuck was dumbfounded; all he wanted to say was erased from his memory.
"Nice talking to you," Blair made her way back to Serena. "You're an idiot." Chuck didn't know what to say. "Blair, wait!" She didn't stop, her heels hitting the stairs. "Blair…I'm sorry." She stopped for a moment, and kept on going, tears stinging her eyes. His apology was a slice to the stomach. Chuck Bass never apologized to anyone.
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She didn't turn around. Serena gave him a look of pity; she really wanted things to work out between them. He had apologized to her and it made absolutely no difference. He took out another joint and lit it. There was nothing else to do but get high and imagine what things would be like if he had never said those harsh words to Blair at the bar.
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Serena gave her almost-stepbrother an apologizing look and headed into Constance with Blair. "Well, that was pointless," Blair rolled her eyes. "He really is sorry," Serena was almost pleading with her. "I know," Blair sighed. "I know." The bell rang.
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"Nathaniel, I think…" Chuck snickered for no reason. "I don't know what I'm thinking."
Nate snorted. "What happened between you and Blair this morning?"
"I'm more interested in the fact that you haven't contacted her for the past two weeks." Chuck stuttered. Nate was being a jackass. Even though Blair had an affair with him, that didn't leave Nate with a reason to avoid Blair after she almost killed herself. He was wasted, Nate was wasted…He didn't know why the hell he was talking to Nate in the first place. Weren't they supposed to be fighting?
"I couldn't face her, man," Nate looked at the ground. "I just couldn't see Blair like that." There was complete silence.
"You know I still hate you, right?" Chuck was finished smoking his fourth joint.
"Right back at you."
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"Mother, I refuse," Blair fell back on her bed, crossing her arms. Eleanor stood in front of her with a stoned face. "You're going, and that's final," Eleanor said through gritted teeth. "Think of how much the therapy helped Eric van der Woodsen."
"Eric hated it there," Blair smothered a pillow. "You don't have to stay there," Eleanor continued to argue with her. "It's just a weekly group therapy session." Blair screamed into the pillow. "I don't want to spend my Monday nights in therapy with a bunch of low-lifes who know absolutely nothing about me."
Eleanor was now seemingly annoyed. She threw a dress on the bed. "Blair Cornelia Wardolf, you're going to that damn therapy session and that's final."
Blair huffed as she shifted off of the bed. "Fine."
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Anyone who stepped into the room could feel how incredibly awkward it was. She suddenly wished that her mother was there to break the ice, but there was only a circle of weirdos around her.
A goth girl snapped some gum. "I'm Hallie." Blair saw the visible cuts on her arm. A very nervous and sweaty guy was next. "I-I'm Tyler." He shook uncontrollably. A blond girl, who Blair recognized as a visible slut, smirked. "I'm Alexis." A girl with a sports jacket had her eyebrows raised. "I'm Tammy." A pale and frozen guy bit his lip. "I'm Brian." Blair rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. "Blair."
She sighed. This was going to be a long and stressful night.
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Author's Note: Yes, Chuck and Nate still aren't talking to each other. They were just too high to notice. I have a new one-shot up called Seeing Clearly. It's all about Dan and Serena. This group therapy plot will delve deeper as months pass by, but Blair is very closed in right now, especially when it comes to Chuck. Reviews are appreciated! Thanks, Cass
