let's hope s stops b from leaving the upper east side

Serena van der Woodsen never felt more nostalgic. She had come back from a summer working on the movie Breakfast at Fred's and spent the fall going around the world, being recognized and living a celebrity's life. As if she wasn't already one. Now she was back in the Upper East Side, holding a sealed gold envelope with her name written on it in neat, black cursive writing. It was either an invitation to an exclusive movie premiere in Hollywood (she only wished) or another Christmas party invite. She had been invited by so many people, this better be one worth considering. She laid back on her bed, and ripped open the seal carelessly. A neatly folded paper fell out, obviously personal stationary because it had Isabel Coates' initials on it.

Another Christmas party indeed! This one was at the St. Claire Hotel, currently unnamed party but GUARANTEED to be equally amazing. As if any of Kati and Isabel's parties proved to disappoint! Serena decided she would go just to meet up with her friends but the one person who she couldn't put off seeing-or at least, the TWO persons- her best friend Blair and her ex-lover Nate Archibald. Serena sighed as she flashed back to when she and Blair stood at Grand Central waiting for Nate to show up. Nate never graduated from St. Jude's and didn't receive his diploma. Instead of repeating senior year, he decided to sail with Captain Chips around the world and sent text messages to both Blair and Serena saying he loved them both but basically at the same time, he dumped them both. After that? Blair went off to Yale while Serena enjoyed stardom like she didn't experience it twenty-four fucking seven.

Serena sighed, tossed the letter onto her desk and sat up, smoothing the new Juicy Couture shirtdress Ken Mogul, the director of her movie, gave to her as a present. Her parents were glad she was home and planned to take her out to dinner tonight at La Mer, the new French restaurant down Fifty-Sixth Street. Maybe before she left for the night, she could go visit Blair.

Serena took a cab down to the Waldorf penthouse. "Hi Eleanor," she grinned at Eleanor Waldorf Rose when the door opened. "Did Blair arrive yet? I wanted to see her before my parents and I went out tonight."

Eleanor smiled then sighed. "I was about to call you Serena dear. I have to tell you that Blair is still upset over the fact that she has to share room with Aaron and Tyler and decided to fly to France to visit Harold."

"She's going to France?!" Serena screeched. Isn't that a shocker attitude!

"I was also going to ask you to stop her," Eleanor looked desperate as she spoke. "Please go stop her Serena. I know that she's homesick for Yale and hates the fact that she's stuck with the boys again after her new found freedom-"

Serena barely heard her. She had already ran down to catch another cab. "I'll make sure to do that Eleanor!" she called, sliding into the seat and already paying the driver. "JFK airport please," she ordered, loving the edge in her voice. The man turned around. Serena was surprised to see that he looked like he was in his late twenties or early thirties. Usually taxi drivers were old.

"Aren't you the star of Breakfast at Fred's?" he asked excitedly.

"Oh yes, yes I am," Serena said smugly, forgetting Blair for a minute.

The man shuffled through his messy compartments. Empty coffee cups, burger wrappers, scribbled papers, and unpaid parking tickets flew out while the car itself smelled off cigarettes. Serena held her nose while the man searched for something, hopefully a can of Febreze.

"Aha!" the man whipped out an old magazine, surfed through it, and ripped out a picture. He handed the picture and a purple Sharpie to Serena. It was the old picture of Les Best's perfume, Serena's Tears. Serena was surprised that he'd have kept it the whole time. "Sign please," he grinned. "Oh and make it out to Jon and Melanie."

"Who's Melanie?" Serena quickly wrote down "To Jon and Melanie…you know you love me" and wrote her messy signature and drew a heart next to it. "Um here you go." She handed back the picture.

"Melanie's my girlfriend. Wait till she gets a load of this." Jon took a look at the signature then up at Serena. "Did you like the Juicy bag I sent you?"

"What?" Serena squinted at him.

"Never mind." Jon drove his way across four lanes of noisy Manhattan traffic while Serena tried calling Blair numerous times. She left thousands of messages.

Finally, when Jon pulled up at JFK, Serena bolted out, almost leaving her turquoise D&G handbag behind. "Wait right here I'll be right back."

"Sure thing Ms. van der Woodsen." Jon tapped the wheel and started whistling.

Serena ran into the airport and looked around for Blair. Quickly, she speed-dialed her. No answer again. "God damn it Blair," Serena muttered looking around until she finally spotted a sultry looking brunette wearing an Alberta Ferretti sundress and Coach clogs even though it was cold outside. Aha! Blair!

Serena ran in Blair's direction and screamed her name twice. Blair looked up and nearly fell over. "What the hell are you doing here?" Blair hissed catching Serena arm.

"Uh miss give me your ticket please," the lady behind the counter said in a bored, this-job-is-getting-on-my-nerves tone of voice.

"One minute," Blair held up a manicured finger, took off her sunglasses and stared straight at Serena. Suddenly, the girls screamed and hugged each other tightly. The minute they calmed down, Serena asked, "What are you doing? Why are you going to France?"

Blair flipped her glossy brown hair back and scoffed. "Please like I'd want to spend my winter break in Aaron's room and have Christmas dinner with the whole family."

"You won't have to! I have-"Serena's hands dug around her bag to find the invitation from Kati and Isabel but unfortunately it was at home. "Oh who cares? Kati and Isabel are hosting a currently untitled Christmas party at St. Claire. That and the fact that I'm- planning another New Year's Eve party," Serena finished, adding the last one out of desperation to get Blair to stay home.

"Really?" Blair cocked her head. She knew that Serena's last New Year's Party took a turn for the worst when Nate tried to cozy up to her for like the thousandth time and his little slut of a girlfriend, Jenny Humphrey broke up with him. But Blair was different this time; she had a new boyfriend, a great life in the college of her dreams, and she already spent exactly four minutes with Serena and they were still friends. This could be the beginning of something new for her.

With that, Blair tossed the ticket in the nearest trash bin, linked arms with Serena, and the two walked through the airport, dragging Blair's luggage with her. "Yes!" Serena cheered, "You're never going to believe this but the taxi driver who's waiting right now asked for my autograph!"

Once Blair and Serena were outside, Blair took out a cigarette and lit it. "Cute," she smiled, but inside she was shaking. She was like the charm dangling off the bracelet that was the famous Serena van der Woodsen. People kept asking her if she knew Serena or what it was like to be a best friend with a celebrity. Hello?? She was a celebrity too! Everybody back at Constance Billard School for Girls worshipped her and gossiped about her, especially when she was still with her ex-boyfriend Nate. Maybe Paris didn't sound so bad after all.

"Hey Serena I think maybe I should…" Blair was about to turn around until she felt her cell phone vibrate in her pocket. "That's weird I'm vibrating as well," Serena said, taking out her cell phone. The girls nearly fell over Blair's bags.

I think you would too if your message was:

Blair! Serena! I'm back!

-N