Chapter 8
You do know your not suppose to smoke on school grounds, right?" Dan asked as he continued to fan away from the smoke. As the dark-haired teen was annoyed that someone was smoking near him. who was he to judge to when one does that he just wanted today to be over but he saw a young man smoking and it was bothering him.
"You can when your parents donate thousands of dollars to the school. It's public domain" Carter declared as Dan looked around in hopes that no one saw him with the cigarette.
"Public domain is on the sidewalk, this school is private" Dan replied.
"Are you always so straight-laced?" Carter asked with a slight grin on his face before taking another drag from his cigarette "I mean you smell of…" he said as he began to sniff Dan causing Dan to feel uncomfortable "A conscience. Oh, my God! This school has a conscience walking among them" he laughed with crazed abandonment.
"Okay, and on that note, I will be leaving," Dan said as he closed his locker and began to walk away but Carter only followed behind until he caught up with him.
"The name is Carter. Carter Baizen" Carter introduced himself as he held his hand out for Dan to shake.
"Nice to meet you, I guess" Dan shrugged "Look is there any way that we could separate, I would kind of like to fit in at this school," he said.
"Don't fit in, be abstract from that. Fitting in will morph you into one of them, and you strike me as a person that isn't the least bit interested in being like them" Carter said as he pointed on at their classmates.
"I guess you'd be right," Dan said before he took a seat at one of the tables.
"I know I'm right" Carter smiled "But I have come to rescue you from this hell hole that is the Upper Eastside," he said.
"I'm perfectly fine by myself," Dan said.
"Daniel, your in denial" Carter laughed.
"How do you know my name?" Dan asked in confusion just as Serena made her way over towards him and Carter with books in hand as she took a seat at their table. "Hey, Dan" Serena smiled "Carter" she then greeted with a smile.
"Serena van der Woodsen, that's how I know you. We shall talk later" Carter said patting him on his shoulder before he got up.
"I rather we don't" Dan sighed not wanting to go through all of the nonsense.
"Remember, I'm your guide. You'll thank me later" Carter said before leaving the two.
"How have you been?" Serena said looking at Dan.
"Uh, busy. I have been busy" Dan replied "You?" he then asked.
"I have been surviving, if that's event the word for it" Serena replied to his question with a bit of sadness "Blair won't take my phone calls or answer my texts hence leading me to the conclusion that she is still upset with me," she said.
"Can you blame her, you kissed her boyfriend" Dan replied as Serena found it a bit interesting that he hadn't heard the full story yet.
"Yeah, I kissed Nate" Serena replied strangely "But I guess I could add busy to the list with everything with my brother," she said sadly.
"What about your brother?" Dan asked "I didn't even know you had a brother," he said honestly not knowing.
"A little brother, to be exact" Serena smiled "He's…he's in rehab. The Ostroff center" she replied nervously.
"Oh, I'm sorry" Dan apologized to the girl he was crushing on but he had already known she had one but wanted to hear it from her.
"No, need. Every family has their issues, but with the added tension with Blair…it doesn't help" Serena sighed "Has she mentioned anything to you?" she asked.
"Me. Blair. Talking. Yeah, I think that's something that doesn't happen due to the laws of nature and if it were up to her, social standards to live by" Dan replied.
"You work for her though?" Serena asked wondering if she could get any details on her best friend.
"I work for Eleanor, not Blair" Dan corrected "So whatever progress she is making back to your estranged friendship, I would know nothing about" he then said as he looked over across the courtyard to see Blair with her minions grading the incoming class of freshmen. Rolling his eyes at her need to exact her power on those, who are just terrified if they can't find their class much less not possessing the latest bag from Marc Jacobs.
"And us? What progress are we making?" Serena asked before the school carrier came over to him with a pink note in hand to give to Dan "What is that?" she asked as Dan read the note.
"The headmistress wants to see me" Dan replied a little confused as he looked on at the note. So Dan left as Serena saw her other friend coming to school late as she could only scoff.
After leaving the Wardour residency Naruto saw both Serena and Dan talking and was wondering what they were talking about. It had looked like it was a heated conversation. So the redhead went in their direction as he saw that Serena was walking up to him very angrily. "Naru, why are boys such weird creatures, I went to talk to Dan about him working for Blair. "Nauro knew where this was going, " Serena don't you mean Blair,'s mother, because I don't think he would work for Blair unless she was the last person in the world. " The redhead said as he got a light punch to the shoulder to his arm to which he shrugged looking at his longtime friend. He then whispered, "you know Serena their gonna find out about why you went to school over there like you did." The red-head stated but the It girl just looked at her friend and continue to walk along with him as if she didn't hear what he said at all. Though both of them did see Blair go in the direction of the headmistress.
With Blair
It was all ready the first day and she was being called in by the headmistress, could this be that she was finally acknowledging the twenty letters of her college application she had sent over the summer. No, if there was going to be anyone in charge of her fate for Yale, Blair was determined for it to be up to her and not some headmistress with a salary that could barely afford a lobster with the steak at the finest of restaurants in New York had to offer. Though she did feel a bit thankful that she had been pulled away from freshmen intake, which was basically the judging of the crop to see who could even make it on to the waiting list of the waiting list to be one of the girls of the steps. Each day, Blair and her minions had lunch on the steps of the Met as some sort of preservation of the great beauties, the Met created masterpiece after masterpiece…so it was no shock that Blair felt the need to be surrounded by such creative genius by the many that graced the halls of the met, which is why it was no easy task to be one of those girls. This required rigorous tutelage from her and whatever thought her minions could muster up. Approaching the headmistress's office, Blair began to fix herself up before she entered the office to find that she was all ready expected. Lead to her office by the secretary, Blair forced the biggest of smiles onto her face before it quickly faded once she saw Humphrey sitting in a chair in front of the Headmistresses desk.
"What are you doing here?" Blair turned to ask him wondering why she was seeing him.
"Hello to you to Waldorf," Dan said forcing a smile as he didn't like the idea of being in the same room as her as much as she didn't.
"Blair, take a seat" The Headmistress instructed her as she did as told reluctantly.
"Shouldn't the headmaster be in charge of the boys, hence the term headmaster?" Blair asked.
"He's out on sick leave, apparently Vegas and fallacious women can do that to you in the city of sin" The Headmistress replied.
"Isn't the Headmaster your…oh, never mind" Dan said realizing that it was a sore subject to bring up seeing as the previous statement had said so much all ready.
"I hardly doubt that Humphrey and I would have anything in common that would require both of our presence in here," Blair said "I mean I thought we were going to discuss my college letters to Yale. I see no need for me to be present for his questions on applying for financial aid, though I always urge my esteemed parents to always help those who are less fortunate" she said.
"Do you even have a nice bone in your body?" Dan turned to ask her.
"I'm stating a fact. Fact, your not on the same level as me Humphrey. Fact, I find my time at this school valuable in my future endeavors" Blair said under her breath as the Headmistress just listened in on their banter.
"That's not fact, that's being an egotistical maniac" Dan scoffed at her notions of what was fact "And I do happen to be smart," he said.
"You heard that, right? I mean grammar mistakes after grammar mistakes….and I do happen to be smart" Blair quoted him towards the end "How was he even allowed an application for St. Jude's, I'm outraged that my tax dollars are supporting this walking fragment," she said.
"Okay, I've heard enough," The Headmistress said before she took a sip of her coffee "If you two can manage to bite your tongues for a mere ten minutes, then I might be able to accomplish more than finding a divorce attorney on my list of things to do today," she said "Now as you both know, it has been a long-standing tradition for us to have an Ivy Week," she told them.
"A tradition I come to admire" Blair smiled as she continued to listen.
"The Constance Billard girls will be in charge of Friday's night mixer, while the St. Jude's boys will provide ushers for the Ivy representatives," The Headmistress said as Dan began to perk up.
"Yes, a position in which I applied for…Dartmouth's representative to be exact" Dan replied as Blair laughed to herself.
"That's a tall tale" Blair replied still in disbelief.
"Laugh all you want, but there is the reason for Mr. Humphrey to be here Ms. Waldorf" The Headmistress replied.
"To be a thorn in my side is one reason. I still don't get why we're both here?… that's the part that leaves me in anticipation" Blair said.
"I'm sure if you were to refrain from all that is you, you would soon find out," Dan said to himself as Blair just glared over at his direction while he played with his tie
"You two hold the highest grade point average in your respective division of schools. Blair for Constance and Daniel for St. Jude's" The Headmistress said "Which is why we would like for you two, by the grace of God, to work together to put together the luncheon for Saturday" she said.
"Work together?" Blair asked "Can't this be divided into tasks for Constance and St. Jude's?" she asked.
"Yeah, I mean I'm already up to my eyeballs on exams, work, then impressing Dartmouth" Dan chimed in.
"For both of you, who are dreaming to attend an Ivy League, this luncheon is the most important focus" The Headmistress.
"I'm sorry…are you encouraging me to just put all my focus on this one luncheon that I have to plan with….put together over my studies?" Dan asked.
"Precisely, but its not pressure" The Headmistress smiled "Look, I have no doubt that you two will somehow work this out, as well as, tend to your studies," she said "This is something to be expected from you both. This is your dream and this is your opportunity" she then pointed out
"And the usher positions, am I automatically taken out of the running?" Dan asked still wondering curiously.
"Yes, but if this luncheon is the success I know it will be then you'll be memorable in other ways that will matter," The Headmistress said as Blair began to daydream about all the possibilities this could lead to as she'd have one more added bonus of extracurricular to put on her resume for Yale.