Chapter 21 – Feel the rain on your skin

Chuck's mouth was open in disbelief. "Blair?"

He had forgotten to bring the important contracts and returned to the mansion to get the file. Feeling bad that he was leaving Blair alone again, he had wanted to see her and apologise.

Blair's looked down. Chuck looked so shocked and hurt, she couldn't look into his eyes.

How could I? But it wasn't my fault! Chuck barely spent any time with me...what was I supposed to do?

"Chuck...I can explain," Blair started, but didn't continue when she saw how he was glaring at Stefan. The three stood there in a painfully awkward silence. Chuck finally stopped glaring and sighed, "you know what Blair? Maybe we should take a break from each other." Her eyes filled with tears as he walked away. How could he dump her? Blair Waldorf doesn't get dumped - she's the one who does the dumping.

"Chuck! Please," Blair wailed as he strode away. She ran after him grabbing his arm but he shook her off roughly and growled "get away from me." He grabbed the navy blue file he had come back for and quickly got into the waiting Mercedes.

Nate walked out to the living room, only to find Blair lying on the couch wearing sweatpants and a simple halter-top. Whoa, wait...since when does Blair wear sweatpants? Something's definitely up. Blair was watching Breakfast At Tiffany's and she only watched that when she was upset or extremely bored. "You okay?" Nate plopped down next to her. He noticed her face was tear-stained. "Yeah I'm fine, Chuck and I just broke up," she pulled her brown curls into a messy ponytail and sighed.

"Oh," Nate didn't probe further although he was secretly happy. He slung a comforting arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"Who wants to go to a party?" Jason walked in waving a bright yellow envelope. Seeing the two cuddled up on the sofa he raised a questioning eyebrow at Blair who threw him a shut-up-and-go-away look. He threw her the envelope and she ripped it open.

"The Fergusons live next door?" she asked incredulously as she read the invitation.

Spotted: C back in New York entering the Palace hotel with a long-legged brunette that definitely wasn't B. Trouble in paradise? Meanwhile, N and B were seen cuddling as though they were back together. Looks like C and B aren't together anymore and that she went running back to N. Well, I can't blame her...I mean, who wouldn't run back to N? D at a photo shoot by the Sydney Opera House modelling Penelope Brooks clothing. Wasn't B supposed to be doing that too?

"So how are you?" Serena asked Blair cautiously over the phone as she sipped her hot chocolate.

"What do you mean?" Blair snapped as she searched for something to wear for the Ferguson Christmas party.

"You know what I mean, B," Serena sighed. "Chuck's back in the city and you're still in Australia. Oh, and he was spotted with some slut - it's on Gossip Girl."

Blair resisted the urge to gasp. She hadn't accessed Gossip Girl in ages. Chuck was picking up sluts already?!

"Oh that," Blair said dismissively, not wanting to show that she didn't know this but knowing that Serena would figure it out. "Hey S, I have to go get ready for a party," she said hurriedly and hung up. She sat on the bed and surveyed the room. It was a complete mess. Designer dresses and shoes were scattered all over the place but Blair still didn't know what to wear to the Ferguson party. A low-cut Vera Wang shift dress that drove Chuck crazy caught her eye and she smiled. Blair dialled Nate's number.

"Hey, would you like to my date to the party tonight?" she asked sweetly, knowing that he wouldn't refuse.

Two can play this game, Chuck Bass.

She obviously wants to make Chuck jealous. I'm just a friend to her. Nate was thinking as he rummaged through his bags to look for his grey Gucci suit. His phone began ringing again. He glanced at the screen hoping it was Blair but the name flashing on the screen was Estelle. Sighing, he hit the ignore button and started to wear the suit. Tonight, I'm going to tell her that I think we should get back together, he thought confidently.

"This one?" Desiree posed in a black Jill Stuart halter dress. Ryan looked at her in a bored manner. Why did he have to be her fashion consultant? He was a guy for goodness sakes! He nodded his head slowly, "yeah it looks good." Desiree rolled her eyes at her unenthusiastic brother and disappeared into the walk-in closet again, slipping off the black dress. Sifting through the racks of clothes, she found a short Karl Lagerfeld dress. It was the same one she had worn to the Palace bar to seduce Chuck. A smile slowly crept onto her face. This is the dress I'm going to wear tonight.