REMINDER: This story takes place after Desperately Seeking Serena (SAT eppy!). Hence, no video has been delivered to Serena. The sex tape does not exist thus far in the world I'm writing in. Doesn't mean I couldn't add one, but for now, it's not there.
Chapter Ten
"She's there now?"
"No, she just left," Dan replied. "No way was I leaving her alone with Jenny long enough to call you. "
"You said she came by just to see you?" Serena asked.
"Yeah, but then she started talking to Jenny while she was waiting and…" Dan trailed off, rubbing his head in frustration.
"Dan, I think it'll be okay," Serena said. "Why would she go after Jenny? I hardly talk to her any more and she's not someone I would include on my list of loves."
"Well, you wouldn't include Chuck on that list either, and she certainly did," he said with disgust.
"He's going to be my step brother, she probably just assumed… besides, we grew up together," Serena explained.
"Wait, you're not… are you telling me that you love Chuck Bass?" Dan couldn't resist asking.
"Ew! No! Gross!" she exclaimed. "He's just a very old friend, one who is very annoying at times."
"If you say so," he replied. He had to admit, Serena had a point about Jenny. There wasn't really any reason for her to go after Jenny to begin with… except…
"But she did try something with Vanessa," he pointed out. He'd been astounded when Serena told him about Georgina's phone manipulation. He was just glad Vanessa hadn't gotten hurt from that situation. "You don't love her very much either."
"She didn't hurt Vanessa," Serena explained. "She used Vanessa. To get to Nate and Chuck."
"Well, what if she decides to use Jenny?" he asked. He was not going to address her feelings about Nate; that was for sure.
"Dan, that's why you're the inside guy," Serena explained. "So we can be prepared. Blair's on the lookout for Jenny anyway." She didn't explain that further, he should already know about the war going on between the two of them. "We'll just take extra precautions around her."
"Serena, I don't want Jenny to have anything to do with her," he said, frustration building.
"Dan, if you tell Jenny who she can and cannot talk to, she's not going to listen to you," Serena said slowly. "You know that, don't you?"
"Well, she is pretty busy with the other girls and Asher, this guy she's been talking to," Dan said, thinking things through. "She won't have time for another friend right now."
"Exactly," she reassured. "Just stay calm. Everything's going to be alright."
"How can you know for sure?" he asked, suddenly feeling even more nervous.
"Because between all five of us, we should be able to dig something up to make her go away," Serena said. Between Chuck, Blair, Dan, Nate, and her, they could get this done… just as long as Blair held up and the secret managed to stay secret.
"So, how are things with Blair? Did you find out anything?" he asked.
He hadn't gotten to see Serena at all in school today. She was apparently glued to Blair's side all day long. He knew that Georgina had tried something with Blair again, but the details Serena gave were fuzzy. And the question about Blair possibly getting an abortion was still unanswered.
"Dan, the picture wasn't what we thought it was, just forget about that," Serena said, hoping he wouldn't hear the lie in her voice. She'd promised Blair that they would take the secret about her miscarriage to the grave. She hadn't been able to tell Blair that in her bid to get Dan to agree to the plan, she had to show him the picture.
"Okay?..." Dan trailed off. "So, if it's not what we thought it was, there's no reason for me to keep acting with Sar—I mean, Georgina, right?"
"No!" Serena almost yelped. "Not right, not okay. Just please, Dan? Keep it going a little longer? Chuck will figure something out. Please?" She didn't know what to do if he didn't agree.
"And how is he going to do that?" Dan asked. "He's leaving for his father's bachelor party this week, isn't he?"
"All the more reason to not try to figure this out right now," Serena said. "My mother is getting married next week. The entire thing will be ruined if I end up going to jail!"
"You aren't going to go to jail, Serena," Dan said firmly. "I told you, you did nothing wrong. You tried to help him."
"I don't want to take that chance," Serena said, her voice was getting clogged as she tried to hold on to her tears. "Just keep up the pretense another week. Please? After the wedding, if we've found nothing, I'll turn myself in and we'll be done with Georgina for good." At least she hoped Chuck found something in a week. There was no way she could possibly turn herself, and Georgina, in with that picture of Blair looming over her head.
She'd just have to cross that bridge when she came to it.
"Okay," Dan finally agreed, cursing himself for it and still worried about Jenny. "But only until after the wedding."
"Thank you."
"Hello, love."
"Georgina," Serena said warily, glancing at Blair who raised her head quickly. "Why are you calling me?"
"Just wanted to check in," Georgina said gaily. "How goes Snow White and her little dwarfs: sleazy, dumbass, and slutty? Did she get my present?"
"You're insane," Serena said, adding as much menace to her voice as possible. "That was beyond sick."
And she wondered how Georgina found out about Nate being involved in their lives again. He had to be the "dumbass" Georgina was referring to. Maybe Georgina had known all along that using Vanessa to get to Nate would bring Nate back into the group… but why would she want to get the four of them back together? None of this made any sense… but then, Georgina wasn't making much sense.
"Well, I would have sent a shiny apple, but I figured the apple of her eye would be better," Georgina said, amusement swelling her voice.
Serena's mouth dropped open and she clenched her eyes shut as the image of the doll flashed through her head again. "You know, it would be even more disturbing if Blair actually had an abortion."
She and Blair had decided that since Georgina couldn't possibly know that Blair had a miscarriage, they weren't going to act like Blair had, in fact, lost a baby. There was no need to give Georgina more information to use.
"She didn't? Aw, that's a shame," Georgina said teasingly. "Tell Blair she's ruining my fun!"
"I'll do that," Serena said between clenched teeth. She gave a nod to Blair to let her know everything was okay, that apparently Georgina believed her lie.
"Actually, she's not," Georgina said abruptly. "Because it doesn't matter if it's true or not. One photo sent to that silly little blogger and Blair is done for good. There's no redeeming yourself from that one. No prince charming is going to come along and make that poisonous slumber go away."
Serena was getting tired of the fairy tale analogies. Georgina had always lived in another world, one usually inhabited by girls with various accents. If Serena hadn't been so drunk most of the time, she might have realized sooner that Georgina didn't just pretend to be other people—she became them. Thinking back, Serena could remember entire evenings when Georgina played a certain character. She'd never thought twice about it because that was just Georgie being funny.
It wasn't funny anymore.
"So, was there a point to your call? Besides to threaten me and spout tall tales?" Serena finally asked, absolutely frustrated.
"But, Serena, you're my best friend," Georgina said in wonderment. "Best friends talk everyday, don't they?"
"Best friends also don't try to hurt each other," Serena deadpanned.
"Oh, don't be silly," Georgina laughed. "Best friends hurt each other all the time. For instance, you hurt me. Now, it's my turn!"
"You've already succeeded, Georgina," Serena said. "So can we let bygones be bygones then?"
"That's where you're wrong, and why it's clear that you're the blonde part of this friendship," Georgina explained. "I haven't hurt you yet! I've just sent some pictures, some presents, made a few threats, tried to break up a couple… none of it hurt you sweetie. It just made you feel really guilty."
"It hurts, Georgina," Serena said quietly.
"Oh, come on!" Georgina exclaimed. "Where's that stiff upper lip? Where's that backbone? Chin up! Roll with the punches."
Great, Serena thought. Now she's speaking in old slang terms.
"Will you please stop?" Serena tried to beg once again. "You've made your point. I'll… I'll be your friend again. We'll go out, hang. We could even go shopping. I'll be right there by your side until you have to return to boarding school."
There was silence on the other end for a disturbingly long amount of time.
"Georgina?" Serena finally asked.
There was still silence.
Then came the laughter.
Serena shivered. She couldn't help it. That laugh sounded like pure evil.
"Soon, S," Georgina finally said when the laughter ebbed. "We'll be together soon."
Serena started to respond but could already hear the little bubble noise her cell phone made when a call ended.
She looked at Blair.
"I think she just threatened me, but I'm not sure with what," Serena said, confused and anxious.
"It's just a threat," Blair said calmly. She was doing much better after the horror of yesterday evening. She'd already had a while to adjust to the news of her miscarriage. And though it was like pouring salt into a wound, the wound had healed marginally before Georgina's stunt. She was going to be okay—well, okay as she could be anyway—and she was more determined than ever to send Georgina back to whatever hell hole she came from.
"I'm sure Chuck will find something before she can see it through," Blair explained. It amazed her that she was speaking of him as if she had complete faith in his abilities. Just like back when she used to trust him. She needed to stop those thoughts. She didn't trust him. And never would again.
"But Dan is right," Serena said, throwing her hands up before going to plop on the bed next to Blair. "Chuck has to go to that bachelor getaway. He's best man; Bart would never let him stay behind. So, he's leaving in two days. What if he doesn't find something by then? And if Georgina really tries to use Jenny for something, what then?"
"Right now, Jenny is more concerned about trying to maintain a place on the A-list," Blair said with disgust. "Even if Georgina helps her, I've got that little wannabe covered. And Georgina won't use her ace in the hole unless she absolutely has to. She's not going to show Jenny that picture. Personally, I think it's stupid to use Jenny against me. Won't I see that coming? Are you even sure that she'll be coming after me again?"
"Chuck said that Georgina is jealous of you because you're my best friend and she wants to be," Serena said, recalling Chuck's words. "Who knows what she'll do next, but I have no doubt she'll try something else."
"Well, I'll be ready?" Blair tried to soothe, but knew the words came out choked. She wasn't going to be ready. She hadn't been prepared at all for yesterday's multiple attacks. First she was drugged, then she was threatened with life destroying pictures making her relive the absolute worst day of her life, and then she was sent that monstrosity of a gift. Georgina had struck hard and fast and Blair was still reeling.
"I just wish it were me," Serena said, agonizing over everything. "I wish she'd found incriminating pictures of me. I wish… I wish… then, at least, I could just go ahead to the authorities with everything. But I can't do this to you. I'm so sorry, B! All of this happened because you're my best friend! I bet you're wishing we'd never met." She was in tears by the time she finished.
"Hush," Blair said. She scooted across the bed to Serena and wrapped her arms around her tightly. "You're my best friend, S, my sister. I wouldn't have it any other way."
Serena didn't know what else to say, so she collapsed against Blair's shoulder, trying to find her composure, but she couldn't. She'd been trying to stay strong all weekend, but everything was just falling onto her now in this crush of emotions that wouldn't quit.
"I don't know what to do, B," Serena said between sobs. "I just… I don't know. And I feel so bad! I've done so many horrible things to you, and now this happens!"
"I've done and said some pretty horrible things to you, too," Blair whispered with a grimace.
"But what I did was far worse," Serena said, hiccupping. "You had every right to be horrible to me."
"Hush, S," Blair implored, hugging Serena close. "It's okay to cry. I think you need it. And I'm right here, like always."
Serena did as Blair said, succumbing to her tears. Thoughts were running through her head though, all the guilty thoughts that had plagued her since this first started happening. All she kept thinking was that Blair would be better off without her.
And then it hit her.
Her sobs stopped abruptly and she pulled away, making eye contact with Blair.
"What? What is it?" Blair asked.
"I know what we have to do."
"Sarah, hi!" Jenny exclaimed into her cell phone. "It's so good to hear from you!"
"Jenny, likewise," Georgina said, smiling. "It's so great when you really hit it off with someone, ya know? And, like, we almost never met! Can you imagine?"
"I'm sure we would have met eventually," Jenny said, wondering why Sarah was all of a sudden sounding kind of… valley-girl-like? "Dan always introduces me to his friends."
"He's such a cutie, isn't he?" Georgina gushed like a fan girl.
"Uh, no," Jenny said, disgusted. She wondered if this girl liked her brother. It was too weird! It was like, junior year hit and all of a sudden her brother was an Adonis? Vanessa had a thing for him; he scored with his dream girl, Serena; and now there was this new girl. Dan wasn't even that hot. Well, speaking from a sisterly point of view, because anything else was just ew.
"Speaking of cuties," Georgina laughed. "You never got the chance to tell me more about this guy you're seeing, Asher, was it?"
"Oh, well, it's all very new. We met a little over a week ago," Jenny gushed, eager to talk about her new boyfriend. Well, they were seeing each other and had only gone on a few dates, so maybe calling him a boyfriend was a bit premature… but she was fifteen, she still was immature!
"And…?"
Jenny felt a little weird talking about Asher with a girl she'd just met, but in a way it was kind of cool. It would have been easier to talk to Vanessa about it, but V was too busy with Dan or Nate lately, she didn't have too much time for her best friend's little sister anymore. She wasn't sure how to speak to the rest of her friends about Asher either. She constantly had to watch what she said because they came from such completely different worlds. Sarah was different from those other girls though because she wasn't from a rich or well-to-do family. She was just like Jenny, well minus the elite education.
So, she decided to spill like a broken dam.
"He's so amazing!" Jenny almost squealed. "He's from the Upper West Side and goes to Unity. He's on the lacrosse team. He's smart, he's funny; he owns a lot of dogs!"
Georgina laughed, "And? Why do you like him so much?"
Besides the fact that he was a well-to-do guy who was her ticket into the world she wanted into desperately? "He's very considerate of my feelings. And he's so sweet. I had to cancel plans with him because of my father, and then he just shows up at the loft and completely charms my Dad."
"Really?" Georgina asked.
"Yes," Jenny did squeal this time. "It didn't even faze him, you know? Spending the afternoon with me and my father. And there was a ton of hot dogs leftover."
"Hot dogs?" Georgina raised an eyebrow, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.
"Oh, well, we met a week ago when his dogs ran into me and I had just bought one for lunch from a street vendor, but dropped it because of them," Jenny explained quickly.
Georgina tried to follow that sentence, but decided she just really didn't care. "So, are you just seeing him, or is this more than that?"
"Well…" Jenny felt herself blushing even though no one could possibly see her right now.
"Yes?" Georgina prodded.
"I wouldn't officially call him my boyfriend yet, I mean, I don't know if I should call him that, you know? We haven't really talked about it, but I mean, I'm sure we're only seeing each other, not anyone else," Jenny paused for air, feeling as though she was rambling. Scratch that, she was rambling.
"Well, do you want to be his girlfriend?" Georgina asked.
"Well… yeah," Jenny shrugged.
"Then have at it, honey," Georgina instructed. "Tell him what you want. Make it official."
"Oh, but what if…" Jenny trailed off softly, suddenly feeling nervous at the idea.
"Why so serious?" Georgina asked. "You strike me as the type of girl who knows what she wants and goes after it, am I right?"
"Well, yeah," Jenny said, suddenly feeling more confident. "I'm going to do it."
"And then, you know, like, make it official," Georgina said.
"Official?" Jenny asked, confused. "Official, how? I mean, as long as he agrees then I guess it will be official. We will officially be boyfriend and girlfriend." Did she have to spell it out for the girl?
"Well, there are other ways to make things… official," Georgina said, smirking.
"Oh… you mean… but I," Jenny stuttered. It was far too soon to have sex with Asher. Definitely too soon… right?
"Wait, what do you think I mean?" Georgina asked, feigning confusion.
"Well…" Jenny felt herself flush a little. "Sex." She wanted to smack herself in the forehead. She needed to stop getting embarrassed when she talked about that.
"Oh, Jenny, don't be silly," Georgina said, laughing. "Sex doesn't make anything official. Unless you plan on telling everyone."
"Definitely not," Jenny denied. She'd be too afraid that information would get back to her brother. Now there was a conversation she never wanted to have.
"And even if you did tell everyone, sex is just sex, though very enjoyable," Georgina gave a mischievous edge to her voice. "And you might have to, you know, eventually, if you want to hold on to what's yours…"
Jenny felt flustered. She didn't believe that she would have to have sex just to keep Asher; Blair didn't have to have sex with Nate just to keep Nate, so why did Jenny have to give in? Of course… Blair didn't keep Nate, did she? Jenny felt a little anxious at the idea that her plans to defeat Blair and come out on top might be obliterated. But she couldn't have sex with Asher, could she?
"I mean, it depends how important he is to you, I guess," Georgina said after pausing for a moment. She smirked to herself because Jenny wasn't saying anything now, which meant she must be thinking hard. Ah, freshmen, she thought. They are so naïve.
"How far you're willing to go…" Georgina continued softly, hoping the words would seep into the little blonde's skull.
Jenny shook herself out of her musings. All this talk was just crazy, and how had they gotten on this topic? And why was she even talking about this with someone she just met?
"Okay, so if that's not what you meant by official, then what?" Jenny said, backpedaling and rolling her eyes. She was more than a little annoyed with herself and with Sarah and with this entire conversation.
"If you're official, then everyone needs to know about it, right?" Georgina asked. "I mean, that way everyone will know Asher's off the market, yes?"
And it would make Jenny look so much better with the girls if everyone knew things officially. "I guess," Jenny agreed. She had never had a boyfriend before, so she wasn't at all sure about things like this. "But what should I do?"
"Oh, I'm sure you'll figure something out," Georgina answered. "What's the best way to spread word?"
"Gossip Girl," Jenny said immediately.
"What?" Georgina asked, feigning ignorance because, really, how could she possibly know about GG? Sarah didn't grow up in the Upper East Side or go to high school there.
"Oh, never mind," Jenny said quickly. She kept forgetting that not everyone knew who Gossip Girl was. "It's just like a mailing list… er…" Sometimes she got as tongue tied as Dan, jeez.
"But nothing says official like seeing the real thing in person, does it?" Georgina asked.
Jenny thought for a minute. "I think I like the way your mind works."
Besides, she'd already decided it was time to fight Blair back to make sure she stayed away. She was worried. Blair had already won over Isabel and Nelly, and Hazel and Penelope were speaking to her again. Jenny's grasp at the top was becoming tenuous. She'd decided that very day to use Gossip Girl for her own gain anyway. If all went well, she'd be using Gossip Girl to swat B away while using Asher to gain recognition as B's replacement… officially.
"So, what are you going to do?" Georgina asked slyly.
"Simple," Jenny said. "Everyone likes a party."
"Perfect!" Georgina exclaimed in agreement.
"I just have to talk to Asher first," Jenny said, realizing that the entire plan depended on Asher agreeing to make things official with her. She started shifting uncomfortably. What if she had to have sex with him in order for him to agree?
"Well, what are you waiting for? Get on it," Georgina encouraged.
"I'll talk to him tomorrow," Jenny said.
"Sounds like a plan," Georgina said, smirking to her self.
"Thanks for… everything, S," Jenny said before realizing how weird it sounded to call her that. 'S' was supposed to be Serena.
"If you ever need anything else, just call me," Georgina insisted.
"I will, and… thank you," Jenny said again. While she was growing very anxious about the plans as far as Asher was concerned, she was also feeling very confident that things would go her way. Everything Sarah had said would be extremely helpful in combating Blair. She really was grateful to the girl, and no longer annoyed.
"What are friends for?" Georgina said ironically before hanging up.
She smiled to herself, hearing Jenny's appreciation in her head again. "S..."
My, but that has a nice ring to it…
She closed her phone with a snap.
"Gotcha," she smirked to herself.
SPOTTED: B at a biker bar in Brooklyn. Jeez, B, we knew you had a thing for bad boys, but we didn't think you liked them that bad. Tattoos and Hepatitis anyone?
"What the hell?" Blair looked at her phone in utter disgust and annoyance.
"Wow, B," Penelope murmured from her seat on the steps of the Met. "That's just… wow."
It was Tuesday morning and it was cold, but it was a bright and beautiful day on the Upper East Side.
Disgust was evident on all the girls' faces except for Nelly Yuki because she was still trying to get the gist of this weird world that she'd somehow managed to be invited into.
"Like I would ever," Blair denied, rolling her eyes. "When was I supposed to be at this roach infested dirt trap? This morning when I was picking up croissants with Is? Or how about last night when I was with Serena?"
Everyone looked to Serena for confirmation. Serena was shaking her head at the post. "This is ridiculous. Who would have said something like that? No one can possibly believe it."
"Well, S, you have been known to go a little wild, maybe you took B along for the ride," Hazel suggested smugly.
Serena glared at her and Hazel immediately became all apologetic. While Blair may be the one to watch if crossed, no one wanted to cross Serena because she was just incredibly sweet and made everyone around her shine that much brighter too. If someone got on Serena's bad side, it wouldn't make that person too popular at all.
"Kidding, S," Hazel stuttered. "I'm kidding."
"Of course you were, Hazel," Serena said, eyes flashing. She knew that calling the silly girl by her full name instead of 'H' would go a long way to telling the girl off. She didn't appreciate being reminded of her past and the insinuation that she was still that way. She had changed and everyone damn well knew it.
"Someone must have read their tea leaves wrong this morning," Blair dismissed the conversation, pretending indifferent amusement. "Gossip Girl is occasionally wrong."
"Except when she's not," Serena said pointedly, seeing a way to finally carry out the plan she'd concocted last night.
Blair paused for a moment, caught a little off guard that Serena wanted to do this so soon. She almost didn't want to go ahead with it. But she knew Serena was right. If they were going to get out of this Georgina situation in tact, they needed to change the tide a little.
"What are you insinuating?" Blair snapped. "That I snuck out after you left my house to go to that place?"
Everyone who was already a little flustered over Serena's reaction to Hazel's words, flinched at Blair's.
"I don't know," Serena said. "Maybe." She flipped her hair exaggeratedly.
"Oh, please, don't even think about going there," Blair said, disgusted. "If anyone would be doing something so stupid as going to a biker bar, it would definitely be you. And you had to snap at poor Hazel, when you know she was only speaking the truth."
"That was in the past, and you know it!" Serena exclaimed. Dread filled her at what she knew was coming, but she'd seen it as the only way.
"Oh, like so many other things are in the past?" Blair said mysteriously.
The other girls watched the exchange attentively; their eyes wide as they realized the two girls had gone into no-holds-bard mode. What was about to be revealed? They were too excited to interrupt the argument. Nelly was about to try to interfere and soothe some feathers but Penelope shot her a glare at her movement.
"Exactly, B," Serena said. "The past is over and done with. Things are different now."
"Right," Blair said. She sucked in a breath. Oh God, she was really going to say it. "Yeah, they're definitely different now because I'm no longer seeing Nate, so you hooking up with him wouldn't be cheating anymore, now would it."
Serena smiled and flinched on the inside at the same time. On the one hand, she was proud of Blair for following through her plan, but on the other… maybe they should have talked things through with Nate first…
The girls' mouths dropped open in utter shock. They'd read the little side comments on Gossip Girl back at the beginning of the year when she commented that she thought Nate had always had a thing for Serena, but they'd never known that to be true… or reciprocated.
"B, that's not fair," Serena said softly, glancing at the girls and not having to fake the flush of embarrassment overcoming her features. She knew what she was getting into when she decided to do this, but it was still mortifying to have one of their best kept secrets aired out.
"That was in the past," Serena almost whispered. She made sure to be loud enough that the girls could still hear but make them think she didn't want them to hear. "I'm with Dan now. I love Dan."
"And how long will that last?" Blair asked sarcastically. "We all know who you are Serena. A leopard doesn't change its spots and neither does a skank!"
"B, I thought we were past all that," Serena said with another sly embarrassed look at the girls. "I thought we had moved on."
"Well maybe you have moved on from the past into greener pastures," Blair said, rolling her eyes. "But I can't, not when your silly little friends from the past show up and decide to make my life hell because of you."
"B, I'm sorry about that," Serena shifted. This was the most important part. Without this mention, Georgina might think they had staged this argument for her benefit. But if they worked this out properly, it would look like reality, not pretend. "I tried to stop her."
"Well you didn't try hard enough, Serena!" Blair almost shouted in anger. "You know what? You're not worth this! Being friends with you only ends up hurting me! And I've tried to be your friend no matter what, but you know what? I'm done!"
"No, you're not, because I am," Serena snapped back just as angrily. "You think its easy being your friend? You're a bitch and never let anything go! It's like walking on egg shells because I never know what mood you're going to be in! And you know what? I've had enough of you, too!"
Serena grabbed her bag and stood up, preparing to stalk off.
"What? Can't take the heat? Going to run away from your problems again?" Blair said snarkily. "That is what you do best right? Run off to boarding school instead of facing the reality? Run, Serena, run away, like the bad little biker bar trash you are!"
Serena turned around and glared at her.
Blair smirked and gave an exaggerated eyebrow arch as if to say 'you have something else to say to me?'
"I hate you," Serena said, making her voice drip with as much anger and hatred as possible.
"Likewise," Blair said, knowing she should have said something better and something more hate-filled, but she didn't hate Serena and this fight had been one of the hardest things she'd ever done. She just couldn't say the word to her, especially not after Serena had sacrificed everything she'd worked so hard to rebuild by staging this argument to protect her.
The two best friends glared at each other with the most disgust and hate they could put into their faces before Serena scoffed to the girls, "Later girls, I'm not feeling very welcome right now."
She turned to leave again.
"Ironic, because you aren't," Penelope snarked.
Serena froze and turned around. She hadn't been expecting them to pipe in too.
"Excuse me?" Serena said, turning to glare at the girl.
"Welcome. Here," Penelope said with disgust on her face. "Not anymore." She was filled with so much jealousy at the news of Serena and Nate having an affair, she couldn't see straight. The guy still hadn't called her. Maybe it was because of this little skank. If that was the case, she'd have to take extra steps to make Serena appear as unattractive as possible to Nate. Gossip Girl was so getting this scoop from her.
Serena looked at the other girls' faces and noted that Hazel and Isabel were in absolute agreement with Penelope. And Nelly, who looked more confused than not, was following the other girls' lead.
She saw the small look on Blair's face before she covered it up—the look of regret. Neither she nor Blair had figured on the other girls having Blair's back; everyone was still on pretty shaky ground since her humiliation.
Serena saw that look and knew that she'd done the right thing. If they hadn't done this, the blow to Blair's reputation would have been so much worse than before, and worse than what was sure to follow Serena around now. It was good that she had followed through on this plan as soon as possible; otherwise Blair might have changed her mind.
Serena slowly nodded. "Understood."
Then she finally left, crossing the street to the school. She felt incredibly alone but also incredibly relieved. A weight was lifted from her shoulders. She'd managed to turn this all around, to shift the focus of Georgina's rampage. Now she could relax a little knowing that Blair would be okay…
As long as Georgina believed it…
Jenny and Elise were running a little late.
Jenny knew the girls wouldn't chew them out about it, not when they arrived in the lap of luxury—Asher's limo.
She wished she could have been there when Gossip Girl's post had hit the public, but she'd been on her way to meet Elise when Asher called asking if he could give her a ride to school. She hadn't been able to resist, and since she was almost to Elise's, she dragged her new freshman friend along.
When the limo finally pulled up, all she saw was Serena making her way across the street and all the girls sitting on the steps—Blair included, unfortunately.
Jenny sighed, but didn't let it get to her.
When the vehicle stopped, Asher got out and assisted Elise before turning to help Jenny.
Jenny smiled and took his hand, letting him pull her up. She grabbed her bag off the seat and was about to say her goodbyes when he reached up and brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear.
She looked at him, a little startled at the gesture, but still smiled even wider, if that were possible.
He leaned forward and traced a gentle kiss across her lips.
She froze, feeling knots in her stomach as all the air went to her head. Her first kiss!
And it was amazing. His lips were so gentle and warm, and she started to feel slightly light headed. When he pulled back, she just continued to stare at him, thoroughly bemused. She wanted to do it again.
She realized she might have been staring a little too long, so she adjusted her strap on her shoulder and said, "Call me," before she started to walk away. Then she turned back and reached up behind his neck and pulled him down again for that second kiss she really wanted. He went willingly.
Now this was a kiss, she thought to herself as his mouth met hers more fully.
She finally came up for air a few moments later and caught her breath—which had somehow managed to leave her in the space of those few moments. She smiled at him, and he smiled at her. "Bye, Jenny," he whispered.
"Bye, Asher" she sighed. She walked away in a daze, still looking back at him as he got back into the limo and shut the door. She sighed dreamily as he pulled off.
"Wow, Jenny," Elise said. "That was just… wow."
"Tell me about it," Jenny murmured.
Then she snapped back to attention and looked toward the girls who had all seen her entrance. Well, if that doesn't make it official, she thought to herself, she didn't know what would.
She saw Blair again, and, with renewed confidence, she made her way to the stairs.
"Morning girls!" Jenny announced. "Sorry we're late, but Asher offered to give us a ride and we just couldn't say no!"
"Asher Hornesby, right?" Penelope said, crinkling her eyes in thought. "From the Unity lacrosse team?"
"The very one," Jenny almost giggled.
"Nice, little J," Hazel said.
"So, did we miss anything?" Jenny gushed as she took a seat on the stairs as far away from Blair as possible. "Like maybe the motorcycle gang that blew in to drop Blair off?"
Blair glared at her.
Jenny smirked with amusement.
"Oh, that was so not true," Isabel brushed off the comment.
"Really?" Jenny said, still amused but wondering how Blair had managed to deflect the rumor so quickly.
"Really," Hazel said. "But you did miss something. Something huge!"
"Girls," Blair interjected. "I'm sure these two don't need all the gory details just now. They'll probably be on Gossip Girl later anyway. Plus, it is time for class." Blair looked at the two freshmen with disdain. "If you wanted to join us, you would have been on time."
Jenny opened her mouth to give a sarcastic reply but stopped when Blair stood up to leave and the rest of the girls followed suit.
What happened? Jenny thought, completely confused. How had her being late one morning get all the girls to follow Blair again like sheep?
She hurried to catch up; even Elise had scampered off to follow the rest of the girls as soon as they rose.
"I still wonder where that rumor came from," Isabel said. "Why would anyone say that about you, Blair?"
"Jealousy?" Blair shrugged. "Maybe someone wanted to cause some trouble?"
"Now, who would want to do something like that?" Jenny said knowingly, before flashing Blair a victorious grin.
"Someone who likes to dish it but probably can't handle it back," Blair said, smirking at Jenny. Now she knew where the rumor came from. Apparently little J wanted to play. Blair couldn't wait to dive into this battle. She might even be able to use it to get her mind off of the other more serious things plaguing her. She wondered for a moment if this was Georgina's doing, but decided it wasn't really the psycho's style.
"Well, whoever it was, we've got your back, B," Hazel said confidently, completely ignoring the fact that she'd been eager to dethrone Blair not too long ago.
"I know," Blair said before flashing Jenny a grin. She turned and continued across the street, confident that her entourage was following close behind.
Jenny almost stumbled at the words. She had turned her back for a second and was on the verge of losing everything again. She was going to have to do something to cement her place, but what?
Flashes of the kiss with Asher raced through her mind. Maybe she could sleep with him after all. She really did lo—like him. Wait, did she love him? He did make her flustered in a good way, and that kiss had definitely made her heart start to flutter.
She hadn't had the opportunity to talk to him yet about making things official, but that very public kiss this morning told her that he was probably on the same page as her. She'd go to see him tonight and approach him about a party. They'd have to do it at his place, of course… and her father probably wouldn't let her go. She'd just make up something. Yes, she could do this.
And if sleeping with Asher got her the crown along with a king, Blair's reign would be a thing of the past.
Right?
To be continued…