A/N: Today, my laptop was officially certified dead. The contents of my hard drive are still intact, which is why I was able to post this chapter, but the next update may take a little longer than usual. I am also posting a Chuck and Blair one-shot titled Hair today. Please give that a read as well should you have the time. "There are a lot of things Blair Waldorf likes about Chuck Bass, but secretly, what she likes about him most, is what he does to her hair." Oh and by the way, two lines in this chapter are indeed rephrased from a Hannah Montana episode before anyone burns me for it. Yes, I watch that show. Don't judge me. Please review!
Fall
The next morning, I am feeling on top of the world, absolutely unstoppable. Today, I am finally going to be promoted to marketing executive. Blackmail always does the trick, something I have long forgotten.
I glance at my watch. Perfect. I have just enough time to swing by Starbucks before heading off to work.
Ugh. Work. Apart from looking forward to the promotion, I really have nothing else to look forward to. Chuck is going to be meeting Nate in person today after all. My goal this morning: to find out when this visit will happen. I just have to be there, lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce on Chuck should he mention any of my secrets.
"B? Are you in there?" I hear Serena question, but she's already opening my bedroom door. "Oh good. You are. Now spill."
"Excuse me?" I stall, trying to collect my thoughts.
"Oh please," Penelope says, joining us in the room. "We would have asked you last night, but you were at Nate's. How did it go with Chuck?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," I insist, retrieving my purse from my chair, attempting to walk past them. "I never went."
"Oh, so I guess that's why my brand new heels don't look quite so brand new anymore?" she asks, a victorious smile on her lips.
"I wore those to dinner with Nate last night," I explain and I realize I'm not even biting my lip because technically, what I'm saying is true.
"Uh huh," Serena comments, still unwilling to believe me. "Sure B."
The three of us continue to stare each other down until one of us finally cracks and that, would be me.
"Alright, so I showed up at Desire last night after all," I confess with a sigh, heading out of my bedroom towards the kitchen.
Needless to say, they follow me.
"So spill then! What happened?" Serena pries, eager to know all the juicy details.
"Oh no," Penelope guesses when she sees the look on my face. "He didn't show up, did he? I can castrate him for you if you'd like."
"No, he showed up at eight," I defend him, before adding, "He had just left though when I arrived there at ten."
"Wait," Serena stops me, wondering, "Why did you show up at ten? I think you might have taken the whole 'fashionably late' thing a little too far there."
I roll my eyes. I just want to get to work already.
"I didn't want to show up," I explain, hoping this time I'll get through to them. "I actually did go to dinner with Nate at eight, but then at around nine, I just kept checking my watch, wondering, you know? So, finally, at around ten, I decided to drop by, just to see if he was there, just to satisfy my curiosity."
"But he wasn't there," Penelope points out knowingly.
"He had some important phone call to take according to the bartender there and just left," I repeat and they nod now, finally getting the picture.
"Must have been pretty damn important for him to bail like that," Serena states. "I mean, he waited for two hours, didn't he?"
"True," I agree and now, she's got me thinking.
What was so important about that phone call that he just had to leave? Maybe I'll ask him at work today, but then again, I'd rather he not know that I was there at all, lest I cause his ego to inflate even more. He is definitely the kind of guy who loves being right, like relishes in the fact that he's right.
"Hey, what's this B?" Penelope interrupts my thoughts, holding the CD I burned of Carter and Vanessa in her hands.
"Oh nothing," I say, grabbing it and stuffing it into my purse. "Just some work stuff, you know, documents and whatnot. I've got to go. See you girls later."
Before Penelope or Serena can ask for details, I'm out the door. It's not that I don't want to tell them about the blackmail, but I'd rather do it after I've secured my promotion, maybe when we're celebrating it tonight.
As I walk into Starbucks, I feel right at home. We have one across from the office and believe me, no one appreciates that more than Nelly and I do. We come here once or twice a day during office hours, so practically the entire staff knows us already.
"Hey Blair," I hear Bree say my name, my usual already in her hands.
Bless this girl and the best part is, I don't even have to pay for it yet. They send me my bill at the end of the every month. It's one of the perks of being a ridiculously loyal and frequent customer.
"Thanks Bree," I say, taking the cups from her hands. "Have a nice day."
"You too," she answers. "How are those yoga classes coming along by the way?"
I stop in my tracks. She suggested that I take yoga classes once and since then, she's been asking me about them. Well, I suppose I shouldn't have lied to her about taking them in the first place, but still.
"Oh great," I tell her, avoiding her gaze. "Thanks for asking."
"We should go together sometime," she offers and I return her smile.
"Yeah, sure," I say brightly. "I'll call you."
Before she can say anything else, I'm out the door, flying across the street to Bass Industries. Seriously. Why is everyone hounding me this morning? Never mind. Promotion, here I come!
I quickly drop Nelly's coffee off at her desk before heading over to mine. Eight o'clock. Perfect. Just in time. Like clockwork, Carter sticks his head out of his office then and addresses me.
"Blair, get in here," he says, retreating back into his office without even waiting for an answer.
I grab the CD from my purse and head on over, more confident than ever that I will be a marketing executive in about 15 minutes.
"Alright Blair, please take a seat," he starts, not even looking up from his clipboard to acknowledge me. "Let's get this over with. You've been doing fine, you're on time, you do what you're told, and all that jazz. Keep up the good work. You're an asset to this company. Now, get out of my office."
Wow. He is really just making this inevitable victory that much sweeter.
"Actually Carter," I begin, getting up into a standing position now, so that I'm looming over him. "Before I get the fuck out your office, I want to discuss my promotion with you."
He looks up at me then, bewildered at my unusual boldness.
"Excuse me?" he manages to say after awhile, still flabbergasted.
"I think I deserve to be promoted to marketing executive this year, don't you?" I continue, becoming more and more encouraged to go through with this.
"No," he answers bluntly, finally taking control of his shock. "I don't, not after the way you fucked up at that meeting with the CEO of Desire. Besides, I only promote a maximum of two of my staff every year and I'm afraid, I've already made my choices. Work hard and try again next year, alright Blair? Now, seriously. Get the hell out of my office and ask Dan to come in."
"Who are they?" I question, walking over to his side of the desk, ready to pop the CD in my hands into the hard drive. "Vanessa, perhaps?"
"Well, for your information, yes, but because she deserves it. She's worked really hard this year. Like I've said before, it wouldn't hurt to learn a thing or two from her," he reminds me, eyeing me carefully, but not stopping me as I slip the disk into his computer.
"You know Carter, I would, but I have this thing where I don't sleep with my boss to climb up the corporate ladder," I snarl, hitting play on the video.
"What the hell are you…?" he trails off as recognition hits him like a ton of bricks.
His eyes widen and he immediately snatches the mouse out of my hands, closing the video. Satisfied, I return to my seat. He can keep the disc. I have copies at home for the extra insurance.
"How did you get this?" he hisses, leaning over the desk to confront me.
I pretend to examine my nails for a moment before telling him, "Well, I realized I forgot my USB at the office last night, so I came back to get it. Little did I know that my boss was sticking his USB into my coworker's hard drive. See what I did there? Clever, right?"
"Have you told anyone?" he seethes, silently admitting to the fact that I have the upper hand here.
I smirk, leaning back into my chair. I've got him right where I want him.
"Well, no, not yet anyway," I say and the fury in his eyes is all too satisfying.
"You want that stupid promotion? Fine! You can have it," he tells me, scribbling something onto his clipboard. "Are we good now?"
I laugh.
"Not quite Carter," I inform him and he goes pale. "You see, getting my promotion will be so much more satisfying if Vanessa doesn't get hers."
"Come on Blair," he pleads with me. "You know I can't not promote her, especially since I've already told her I will. She'll sue me for sexual harassment or whatever even though she was the one who threw herself at me! You know that!"
I glance at him then and a small feeling of pity overcomes me. Alright. I suppose I don't have to take things so far. I mean, he slept with her already. The STDs he's going to get are punishment enough.
"Fine," I concede and he smiles gratefully at me. "But I get to be at the same level as her, whatever you're promoting her to."
"You got it," he says, scribbling something again onto his clipboard. "Two marketing directors coming right up! Are we done here now?"
"Yes," I answer, finally satisfied with my review. "Oh and you can keep the disc, you know, for your viewing pleasure. My lips are sealed."
He curses under his breath at my words, breaking the disc in half in front of me. I shrug. It doesn't matter to me. I got what I wanted out of this.
As I head back to my desk, Dan blocks my path.
"How was it?" he asks me, needing to know. "Did you get the promotion?"
Everyone already knew that Vanessa had gotten the first one, which meant that there was only one spot left on the promotion roster.
"Uh yeah," I tell him honestly, especially since Carter probably had to cut him out to accommodate me this year. "Sorry Humphrey."
"You got the promotion?" he asks me incredulously. "This is ridiculous."
I watch him storm into Carter's room and I almost feel bad for doing what I just did. Nah. Who am I kidding? I feel great!
"Blair, phone," Hazel informs me then, handing me the device, which I take happily.
Seriously. Best day ever.
"Hello?" I speak into the phone, forgetting to ask Hazel who was calling me.
"Blair, Jenny here," I hear the wicked witch of the Upper East Side announce, pure evil dripping from her voice.
"Jenny, what a surprise," I say nicely because I'm in such a good mood. "How can I help you?"
"Oh, actually, you mentioned you were getting a promotion the other day, so I thought I'd call and see how your review went," she explains and I smirk, dying to tell her the good news. "It was today, wasn't it? We're on speaker phone right now by the way. I have Eleanor and Harold here. I thought they should hear the good news too, you know?"
Ha! She thinks I didn't get the promotion! Bitch has another thing coming.
"Of course," I respond, still smiling. "How thoughtful of you Jenny."
"Well, go on dear," my mother speaks up then, getting impatient. "Did you get it or not?"
"Yes, do tell us Blair Bear," I hear my father urge beside her.
"Look," Jenny adds sympathetically. "If you didn't get it, don't worry about it. You could always hope for next year. You're used to doing that anyway, you know?"
"Thanks Jenny, but there's no need because I got the promotion," I reveal and her silence is victory enough.
"Wonderful," my mother comments and my dad echoes the sentiment. "So, are you the head of the marketing department at Bass Industries now?"
Thanks mom. Way to rain on my parade.
"Uh no, marketing director," I correct her, although I add, "But that would be the next step, you know."
"Right. Well, do aim for that next year then Blair," she finishes before informing my dad that they were late for some charity event or another.
God. She couldn't just have said how happy she was for me? Nothing is ever enough for her! I give up!
"Congratulations then I suppose," Jenny finishes, interrupting my thoughts. "I hope sleeping with the boss for this position was worth it."
Before I can retort, she hangs up on me. Ugh! I swear. Serena, Penelope, and I will be commencing the bringing-Jenny-down project soon, very soon. She better watch her back.
"You got promoted to marketing director too?" I hear Vanessa clarify in disbelief, wheeling over on her computer chair to sit beside me.
"Yeah," I say, a look of pride on my face. "And I didn't even need to sleep with the boss to get it."
Her face blanches for a moment.
"Excuse me? Are you insinuating that I slept with Carter to get my promotion?" she hisses quietly, making sure our coworkers won't overhear.
"Not at all," I inform her before pushing her out of the way, heading for the staff room. "But hey! If the shoe fits…"
I am grinning like an absolute idiot by the time I get to staff room, exceedingly pleased with myself.
"Thinking of me?" I hear a voice say.
Chuck.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night," I comment, walking past him.
He stops me, his hand on my wrist, pulling me back. Our faces are mere inches apart.
"You came last night," he observes and his eyes wander to my lips for a moment.
I wrench myself out of his grasp then because I know I am simply that close to kissing him. His lips look so kissable up close. No. Bad Blair. Focus!
"I have no idea what you're talking about," I respond, although I stay where I am, curious as to where this conversation is going.
"You're biting your lip," he notices before adding, "And the bartender already told me you were there, so quit fooling yourself. You're interested in me."
"I'm not," I insist, determined to set him straight. "I'm intrigued by you, yes, but that's only because I know so little about you. You're a mystery to me. I have someone who's loyal, and caring, and who's always going to be there for me. I'm not going to throw all of that away just to figure you out."
"Are you dating a person or a dog?" he comments, although I can see his face fall a little at my words.
"You know what I mean," I say, wanting to flip the attention onto him for a change. "What was that important phone call you had to take anyway?"
He raises his eyebrows for a moment, questioning my sources.
"I talked to the bartender too you know," I simply explain, to which he replies, "Of course. Well, whatever your source, I can't tell you. I'm afraid that phone conversation was private and will remain private."
Oh. So he has secrets too. Great. Now, I'm even more curious about him. What could that phone call possibly have been all about?
"Private?" I pry, lips pursed in thought. "Business sort of private or personal sort of private?"
"Personal sort of private," he answers. "And I'm serious about not telling you, so stop fishing Blair. I would also appreciate it if you kept the fact that I was in Denver recently to yourself."
"Ha!" I shout, noticing his slip up. "I never even mentioned Denver, so that phone call must have had something to do with Denver."
The look in his eyes tells me he realizes his mistake too now, but he remains silent, causing me to continue.
"Oh come on Chuck," I urge, hoping he'll tell me. "I told you all of my secrets!"
"Not by choice," he mutters, but he seems to waver for a split second.
Moments later, a smirk appears on his face and he leans in close, until his lips are a breadth away from touching my ear.
"Blair, can you keep a secret?" he asks me and I can feel my heart beat against my rib cage then, although I'm not sure whether it's because he's about to reveal a secret to me or because he's so darn close to me.
"Of course," I assure him, making sure he knows he can trust me.
"Good," he finishes. "Because I can too."
And with that, he walks away from me, making his presence known once again among my coworkers. As Carter steps out of his office to welcome him once more to the department, all I can do is curse him inside my head. Damn that motherchucker!
