Blair felt like something was burning inside of her. She shoved Chuck as hard as she could. "We're done. For good."

Chuck grabbed her arms to keep her from hitting him. "That picture was from before we got together!"

"Really! Because you're wearing the cuff links I gave you a month ago!"

Chuck was shocked. That wasn't possible. "Blair, I have never cheated on you."

She struck him hard on the cheek and held up the photo she'd found on her bed earlier. "Get out!"

"You should believe me."

She couldn't believe he was trying to defend himself. She had photographic evidence. He was caught in the act. "You're a piece of shit. I'm way too good for you. Now get out!"

Chuck shook his head and walked out of the door silently.

Blair slammed the door behind him. She looked around the room. Everything reminded her of Chuck, and she hated it. She wanted to call Serena but she'd left for California earlier that morning. Instead, she threw herself on her bed and cried until she felt numb.

…

"I've been trying to call you for days."

"Did Chuck tell you to?"

Nate shook his head. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm fine! I've been avoiding you for a reason."

Nate looked at her questioningly. He couldn't remember doing anything to Blair. "And why's that?"

Blair looked away. "I don't want to be your friend anymore."

Nate gave her a hurt look. "What do you mean? We've been friends since we were 5 years old."

"I know you talked him into it!"

"Talk who into what?"

"Just because you got dumped doesn't mean you had to ruin my relationship!"

Nate frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm just done."

"I didn't make Chuck cheat on you, Blair. I wasn't even there! I went home way before that."

Blair crossed her arms. "I don't believe you."

Nate shook his head. "Fine. Then don't."

Blair rolled her eyes. "Close the door on your way out!"

Nate had already let the door close but he went back to open it just to spite her. He turned away and smiled at himself for bugging Blair one last time.

…

Chuck drank his glass of scotch in one big sip. Blair hated him, Serena was gone, and Nate was the only friend he had. He thought about everything they'd been through together and now it was all falling apart.

Nate let himself in and plopped down on the couch next to Chuck. "I think Blair just dumped me too."

Chuck handed him a glad of scotch. "I need a blunt. Why don't you roll one up for old times sake?"

Nate nodded and walked to Chuck's room. He opened his bedside drawer to find the small box he always kept everything in. Instead he found a gun. He snatched it out of the drawer, being careful to only touch the handkerchief it was wrapped in. He walked back to Chuck. "I thought you were going to get rid of it."

"I was."

"Then why the hell is it in your nightstand?"

"I needed it."

"To shoot someone?"

"To scare someone." Chuck gave him a smirk. "Give it to the police. Then Serena would have to come back to town."

Nate shook his head at him. "Not funny. Just get rid of it."

"I will. I asked you to get weed, not a gun."

Nate frowned at him. "I think you're done for the night."

"Fine, I'll get it." Chuck got up and almost fell over. He'd been drinking for hours.

Nate steadied him and sat him back on the couch. Chuck elbowed Nate hard in the stomach. Nate kneeled over in pain and tried to catch his breath. "What the hell?"

Chuck laughed. "Stop being a girl." He snatched the gun and started waving it around.

Nate froze. "Put it down. It's not funny."

Chuck let the gun fall to the floor and Nate quickly snatched it. Chuck started laughing hysterically. "You take things too seriously."

Nate emptied the clip. "Yeah because I seriously don't want to get shot." He walked over to put the gun back in the nightstand drawer and when he walked back, Chuck was already asleep. He tossed a blanket over him.

…

Serena was nervous for her first day of school. It was senior year so everyone already had their friends. California was warm all the time so she paired her new uniform with Louboutin flats and grabbed a bright purse to add color to her outfit. She and Erik jumped into the car waiting for them. Everyone had a car in Los Angeles, especially all the seniors, but she was barely learning how to drive.

Serena felt eyes watching her as she walked down the hall of Crossroads, her new prep school. They were a week into the school year so she hoped there wouldn't be too much work to make up. She pretended to listen as her appointed guide, named all the buildings around them. Serena nodded politely when she was done. "Can you point me to my first class?"

The girl nodded and glanced at her schedule. She pointed down another hall. "Last door to your right."

Serena bit her lip when the teacher called on her to introduce herself. She hated these but she got up and gave her classmates a confident smile. "Hey everyone. My name is Serena and I just moved to California from Manhattan, New York. I enjoy long walks on the beach and candle lit dinners." She joked and was relieved to hear her classmates laugh. "No, but um, yeah that's pretty much it." She sat down.

Mrs. Johnson smiled at her. "I want you all to help Serena feel welcome. Now let's get started with the lesson."

Serena looked around the courtyard where the students had their lunch. They weren't allowed to leave campus to buy lunch but they had food carts set up and they were actually pretty good. She didn't expect to be this homesick. She just wanted to be with Nate, curled up against him. "Serena, right? You should sit with us. I'm Natalie, in your French class."

Serena snapped back from her daydream. "Oh, I remember. Thanks."

…

"So it's just over? You guys aren't even talking?"

Chuck shook his head. "Blair is being difficult. She's even mad at you. Have you talked to her?"

Nate nodded. "I'm not up for arguing."

"Have you talked to Serena?"

The blonde seemed to stare off into space. "She called me a couple of times. I didn't pick up, I have nothing to say to her. I mean, I do. But nothing nice."

"Did you really expect her to feel the same way? The girl can barely live with herself much less love someone else."

"You love Blair and you don't like yourself very much."

"The rules don't apply to me, I'm a different species."

Nate took a sip of his drink. "So if you love her so much why'd you cheat on her?"

Chuck shot him a dirty look. "I didn't!"

"She has a picture. How do you explain that?"

"I don't know…Wait! The real question is who sent her the picture, right? I asked her but she wouldn't say."

Nate felt a headache coming on. He didn't feel like playing Chuck's games. He nodded to seem interested.

Chuck speed-dialed his P.I. "Andrew? I need phone records. Last name Waldorf. Within the last 2 weeks. Emails too. It would be under Eleanor Waldorf. Bye."

Nate shook his head disapprovingly. "You're a creep, you know that right?"

"Maybe you should call Serena back."

Nate rolled his eyes. "I don't want to talk about that."

"Or maybe you should move on. But if you decide to move on then do it for good. We all know that if Serena was here you'd go running back with a snap at her fingers."

Nate put his drink down hard. He knew it was true but he hated hearing it. "You're not the most indicated person to give me advice. But thanks." He got up and headed for the door.

"Don't let the door hit you on your way out!" Chuck yelled after him. He took a big sip of scotch and felt it sting down his throat. He threw the glass hard against the wall and watched it shatter to pieces.