Chapter Twenty Six: Pret-a-Poor J

"Hey, thanks for this" Nat had said once the 80's music and ice-cream had been put away and the Humphrey males had left for bed. Danni had perched herself on the arm rest of the sofa while Nat sat pushed up against the other side, legs stretched out along the length of the sofa.

"No problem" she told her with a shrug.

She was looking forward to having Nat around, Jeremy was right (not that she was ever going to tell him) she didn't really have any female friends. She loved Van, she did, but there were just some things he couldn't quite understand.

"You didn't have to do this" Nat pointed out.

"Yeah I did" she replied as she stood up "it's getting late, I'll see you in the morning"

"Night" Nat called after her.

…

She was officially back on speaking terms with Sebastian, they hadn't quite reached the level of friends but it was as if they were now required to at least be friendly towards each other, it was definitely a step up from ignoring each other.

They ran into each other in the school courtyard on Monday and made small talk for a while about classes before sitting down together.

"It was, uh, really good seeing you the other night" she told him "and I know the whole Danni/Sebastian friends thing didn't work out the first time but I thought maybe we can try again"

"Yeah, I'd like that" he replied with a smile.

"I'm helping out at the gallery after school, do you think maybe you'd want to stop by?" she asked.

"Sure"

…..

Andrew Collins was waiting for her at the gallery, apparently Van had let him in. She'd seen him around at school but hadn't spoken to him since she visited him in the hospital. She'd honestly never expected to talk to him again. He'd made some odd promise of friendship when she had visited him but never acted up on it, she'd ended up putting it down to the pain medication he must have been on.

"Hey" he greeted as she sat down across the table from him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as politely as she could manage, she wasn't trying to be mean she was just genuinely confused.

"I wanted to ask you something" he asked "you wouldn't happen to be busy next Friday night would you?"

"No, I don't think so" she told him "why?"

"My parents are having a party, I thought maybe you'd like to come?" he asked "my parents would be really glad if you could, I think you're my mother's new hero"

"I'd love to come, hey, as we're handing out invites, you should come tomorrow night" she said "it should be fun"

"Sure, I'll see you later okay?" he told her.

"Yeah, okay" she replied.

He stood up and shoot her a smile before heading for the door.

…..

"Hey, so who was that guy?" Van asked as the two of them double checked everything in the café "he was just waiting around when I got here, your father met him, I think he approves"

"You don't recognize him?" she asked, he looked up from the box he was looking through and shook his head "he was the guy from the party at the school, the one that ended up in hospital?"

"Oh, that guy" he said as he caught on "well at least you have an interesting story to tell the grandkids"

"We're not even dating" she pointed out "he just asked me to a party"

"Yeah with his parents" he reminded her.

"You, uh, don't think he thinks tonight is a date do you?" she asked him stopping what she was doing, pressing her palms into the edge of the table.

"Do you?" he asked "I've got to go meet your dad, I'll leave you alone to mull over this for a while"

…

She'd gotten a text from Sebastian not long after Van had left. She'd been carrying a box into the café, she placed it onto the counter when she heard her phone beep and picked it up of the nearby table she'd set it on.

Sorry. Can't make it right now. I'll see you tomorrow.

She hated that she was disappointed. She was actually really looking forward to spending time with him, with how crowded her father expected the place to be tomorrow night and the fact that she'd invited Andrew she'd probably wouldn't see much of him that night.

…..

"She wants me to tell her I love her" Blaine was saying, pacing the length of the room "which I don't, all I want…"

He had more to say but it was at this point that Sebastian stopped listening, he really didn't need to hear any more about the sexual exploits that were going on between his best friend and step-sister. He occupied himself with his phone, he checked the time first surprised at how late it actually was. He was supposed to meet Danni at the gallery hours ago. They'd be opening soon. He sent her a text and tuned back into Blaine's rant, keeping a careful eye on the time.

…..

Nat was the only one around when she woke up. She was sitting at the kitchen counter digging into a plate of waffles looking like she belonged in an ad for syrup. She didn't know how she managed to look so perfect at this time of the morning.

"Morning" she greeted cheerily "your dad made waffles, want some?"

She shook her head and Nat shrugged, sticking her fork back into her food.

"Suit yourself" she said "you better hurry up, we'll be late for school"

…

"So what's this I hear about you and a certain Collins boy?" Nat asked as they walked to school together.

"Where did you hear it from?" she asked, the only person who she'd talked to about it was Van and she didn't think he'd be talking to Nat about anything let alone Danni's love life.

"Jeremy, but apparently it's all over Gossip Girl" Nat said fixing the strap of her bag "boy, you really do have a type don't you?"

"What do you mean?" she asked

"Come on, tall, blonde son from a prestigious Upper East Side family" she said as they began climbing the steps up to Constance "doesn't remind you of anyone?"

…..

Nat was stretched out on the couch with a magazine when she left for the gallery. For someone who was supposedly so popular she didn't really seem to go out much, although if she was a member of the now infamous Archibald family she'd probably want to stay in too.

"So you're really not going to go?" she asked her.

"It's Van's thing you know, I don't think he'd really appreciate me being there" she replied, she didn't even look up from her magazine, flipping from one page to another as she spoke "have fun on your date"

"It's not a date" she called as she left.

Nat just laughed.

…

He literally bumped into Andrew Collins not even a minute after he'd walked in the door. He was surprised to see him here, the gallery wasn't really his kind of place. He adjusted his coat and hair as if by knocking his shoulder slightly Sebastian had unsettled them.

"Have you seen Danielle?" he asked.

It took him a moment to think of who he could be talking about. The only person he'd ever hear call Danni Danielle was his mother and Bart Bass. He'd never even heard the Humphrey's use the name to address her.

"I just got here" Sebastian told him "what are you doing here exactly?"

"Danielle invited me" he said "what about you?"

He didn't think Danni and Andrew Collins were that close, they didn't seem like the type of people to get along but then again she did save his life once upon a time. Maybe it was some sort of life debt thing.

"Hey Andrew" Danni greeted appearing by his side "and-and Sebastian, you're both here, at the same time…isn't that just great"

"That's one word for it" Sebastian told her "I'm going to look around, I'll catch up with you later?"

"Yeah, sure" she replied with a nod.

He retreated to the café, looking for Van. If anyone could tell him what was going on it was probably going to be him.

"Hey, you made it" he said "what do you think?"

"It's great, it really is" he told him "all your work really paid off, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead"

He nodded towards Danni and Andrew who were standing together near the archway leading into the café, she was laughing about something he'd just said.

"What's going on with them?"

"I'm not sure" he replied, shrugging "she assures me it's not a date, but I don't think he feels the same way"

…..

He wasn't sure how but according to Gossip Girl Blaine and Charlotte had officially become a couple. He was relieved there was only so much Blaine/Chuck relationship drama he could sit through before he broke. But in a way it kind of hurt, if Blaine and Charlotte could get their act together why couldn't he and Danni?

He didn't mean now, the time for rekindling their relationship had long since passed but back then. It hadn't been that badly messed up had it?

"I'm going to go" he told Van "tell Danni that I'm sorry"