Guys, it's day...I don't even know what day of Quarantine we are on where I'm at anymore. Things are getting crazier and crazier but it's important for us all to know that we're in this together. I'm very thankful that I am able to spend some of this time focusing on writing this story and reading lots of wonderful fanfiction. For anyone out there that is bored, or anxious and in need of a good, long, distraction, I hope that this story can be whatever it is that you need.
This was a colossal of an update let me tell ya! We're talking 23,000+ words long. Some people might have not minded, but I really would feel like an asshole if I made anyone read that long of a chapter. I mean, I take my writing very seriously but at the end of the day this is just fanfiction, I'm not trying to exhaust anyone's eyes or brain.
Now, I know what you're thinking. Couldn't I just trim some stuff out? The answer is a stone-cold no because I refuse to rush plots and there were some things that needed to be covered before we get into the 'Seventeen Candles'- centric chapter. SO, I split this update in half. I hope you all can enjoy it, even if it wasn't what you were expecting(I know, I know, I said this chapter was going to cover Blair's birthday. I lied.)
As always, I want to thank each and everyone one of you for reading this and showing me support. Every view, follow, favorite, and review I get is extremely cherished and always inspires me to get more content out. I know there isn't a huge audience for OC stories, but I am so happy that there are some of you out there that have taken a true liking to Odette :)
Now to address a point brought up by a *certain* guest reviewer: Writing an original character into a pre-existing world is tough. Especially in a fandom as loved as Gossip Girl. Most people are so invested in their canon ships that it's difficult to read OC fanfiction and get into it. I understand that. But, I work extremely hard at developing my original characters. I don't like reading Mary-Sue's or 'carbon copies' of the canon's either, so I would never in a million years want to write my characters that way. If Odette comes off similar to *any* of the female canons, I apologize. I don't see the similarity but I will work harder at establishing her as her own character as we go along. Thank you.
This chapter is dedicated to S, for inspiring me daily and always going down the rabbit hole of story planning with me. Also, for being kind enough to allow our GG worlds to sometimes intertwine ;)
WARNING:
VULGAR LANGUAGE, SEXUAL SITUATIONS, TEENAGE ALCOHOL USE
WARNINGS WILL BE AT THE START OF ALL CHAPTERS.
All rights to 'Gossip Girl'; plots and characters belong to the author Cecily Von Ziegesar as well as TV Producers Josh Schwartz & Stephanie Savage. I only claim ownership of my original characters. And while they are part of the Rockefeller family, and mentions to the families infamy and status will be made, any and all mentions of them are purely fictional and none of the characters that comprise the family are based on the true family.
"Yeah, little sisters are never as loyal to us as we are to them. It's kind of the curse that comes with being the older sibling."
Once Odette finished cleaning up Blair's makeup stained face the haughty brunette had found an easy excuse to leave and hurried out of the Rockefeller's home in hopes that Odette wouldn't sense the obvious shift in her mood.
She might not have noticed her friends change in attitude but it did strike Odette as odd that Blair had left in such a hurry. Mainly because in the past when dealing with insecurity issues, it took her all night to build Blair back up. Once she was gone though Odette didn't spend much more time thinking into it.
She had plans for the night before Blair had shown up at her door a crying mess, as per usual. But maybe, despite the interruption, the night wasn't completely ruined.
Pulling her phone from her purse she's met with the notifications of two missed calls from Chuck. 'Great.' When she previously had heard the calls coming through she had assumed Chuck was on the other end of the line. Knowing for certain only made her feel worse. The last thing she had texted him was, 'We'll see.' It was meant to be her cute way of teasing him but instead, it was just that, a tease.
She takes a moment to study herself in her full-length mirror, fluffing her hair at the roots in an attempt to regain its previous volume. Once she's satisfied with her look she pulls Chuck's contact up on her phone and presses 'call'.
After a few spaced out rings, she is sent directly to his voicemail. He either was pissed at her or had gone ahead and made other plans for the night.
If she didn't know that she had some feelings for him before she definitely knew now because the idea of either scenario was making her stomach twist into knots.
Feeling a familiar wave of nerves wash over her Odette reaches over and pulls her prescription bottle from her nightstand drawer, popping a single white pill into her mouth. She swallows, without water, and chews on her inner lip as she debates taking more.
She had been overtaking them for so long now that the recommended amount didn't seem to do much of anything to help her. But she had recently decided that she wanted to start weaning herself off of her self-prescribed high dosages and she had stopped popping the pills as frequently in the last couple of weeks. Currently, though, she felt the overwhelming urge to swallow at least half the bottle.
She wasn't huge on confrontation but she figured the least she could do is show up and maybe attempt to make it up to him.
She wouldn't show up directly at his suite because if he did have someone over she didn't want to subject herself to see any part of that, but she could have someone at the front desk call up to him. If he wanted to see her then he would, and if he didn't then she'd probably die. Well, no that was overly dramatic but she would probably lock herself in her room for the rest of the month and claim she had mono. Just until the sting of rejection passed. Sure, the plan wasn't ideal by any means but anything was worth avoiding the embarrassment of being rejected by Chuck Bass...again.
Tucking her pills back into the drawer she grabs a tube of clear lipgloss off her bedside table and begins to hastily apply it. The better she looked the better the chances were of Chuck easily letting this go.
She gives herself one final, appreciative, lookover before heading out.
As she moves from her bedroom, down the hall, she can faintly hear the familiar sound of 'Cher's greatest hits' drifting up from the ground floor. Once she reaches the end of the main hallway she peers over the Juliet balcony, where the massive double staircases meet, and sees several bottles of wine scattered around the open foyer and living room below.
'One of those nights...'
Taking in a long-drawn breath Odette rolls her shoulders back, exhibiting perfect posture, and braces herself for whatever version of her mother she might be encountering.
Watching Odette descend the left grand staircase Anika's entire face lights up. She tosses back what little liquid remains in her oversized wine glass before clapping her hands together in excitement, " Dee, come dance! You love Cher!"
This was true but the sight of her mother piss-drunk was distracting her from the music. It didn't matter if Cher was the background noise or not, she would never be in the mood to put up with her mothers' theatrics. "I'm actually going out."
Anika's face falters, "To see Chuck?" Before Odette can react Anika picks up her Macbook and turns it so that her daughter can get a better look at the dimmed screen.
It takes almost no time for Odette to recognize the familiar layout of the Gossip Girl website, "Why...why are you reading that filth?" All across the page, Odette's name shows up in bolded highlight making it obvious that her mother was specifically searching her. She was seeing every picture and reading every single embarrassing, awful, thing that had ever been posted about her; true or not. Gossip Girl gave out more information than any person should know about another, certainly more than a parent ever should about their child. "Stop doing this." Odette quickly shuts the laptop and places it on the chair opposite her mother.
"Well, maybe if you shared more with me I wouldn't need to resort to reading about you."
So, this was the version of drunk Anika she was dealing with. The overly emotional Anika that blames everyone else for her lack of connection with them. "Well, you haven't always been the easiest to talk to mother."
Anika's large cerulean toned eyes begin to water, her filler-filled lips quivering as she speaks, "No, you just prefer your father and grandfather and all the Rockefeller clan really, over me. You always have." Stumbling over her own feet Anika moves towards Odette and grabs her face firmly with both hands so that she can look her directly in the eyes, "но я твоя мать"
Odette instantly recoils from her mothers' touch, breaking eye contact, as she feels a familiar pit build in her stomach. 'But I am your mother', it was something Anika felt the need to remind her of all her life.
Despite the fact that Odette tended to view herself in the parent role, in terms of her relationship with the irresponsible and mostly childish Anika, she was in fact just the child. Anika was her mother and she showed her no loyalty, ever.
Anika and J.D had a messy divorce, mainly due to financial arguments, that had only been settled three years prior.
Anika had been J.D's third wife so no one on the Upper East Side was terribly surprised when he filed for divorce. What did shock everyone was how desperate Anika was to walk away with a financial surplus.
Unlike his previous wives, Anika didn't come from family money and cashing in on the Rockefeller fortune had provided her with a certain lifestyle she wasn't fully ready to let go of. Her only real claim to a portion of the family fortune was to have full custody of her two daughters. However, when put before the judge and questioned on who she would like to go with, Odette all but yelled 'dad'. It spoke volumes to everyone present and Anika was devastated.
In the end, despite hearing his daughter's choice, J.D opted to leave the responsibility of the girls with their mother and only petitioned for visitation rights. Odette was devastated.
Anika ended up with sole custody of both girls and was offered a hefty settlement for it.
In place of paying child support J.D's father, David Rockefeller, would pay for the girls' insurance, school tuition, all extracurriculars, housing, any and all material items, as well as providing a monthly stipend for Coco, Odette, and Anika each. However, this agreement would only last until Cortney graduated highschool. From there, David would continue to financially support his granddaughters but Anika would not receive another dime of Rockefeller money.
Her daughters were essentially her meal tickets and Odette was old enough during the split and lengthy divorce to realize this. That only further added strain to their tumultuous relationship.
But, she wasn't heartless and though she would never outright admit to it, it did hurt her to see Anika hurting. Even if she knew, it was mostly from her own doing.
"Let's get you to bed mommy, it's been a long night." The word felt foreign coming from her mouth. Even as a child she had rarely called Anika that. But, that particular name always seemed to get drunk Anika to listen and do what Odette needed her to. And at this moment, Odette needed to put her ass to sleep.
While supporting her body weight, Odette guides her mother's footsteps across the polished floors. They move slowly so that Anika won't lose her balance and bring them both tumbling to the cold, hard, ground. Before they can reach the base of the stairs their attention shifts to the entrance of the penthouse as they hear the signal of the elevator gate opening, followed by the familiar click of stiletto heels echoing off the marbled floors.
"Whoa, looks like I missed the party?"
"Coco, my baby!" Anika looks as equally pleased to see Cortney as she had been when she saw Odette.
The younger blonde saunters over to the duo, giving her mother a sympathetic smile, "Hit the wine a little too hard tonight, Mom?"
Anika says nothing, wrapping her free arm around Coco's trim frame and pulling her in for further support.
Odette carefully scans Cortney up and down with overly judgemental eyes. Her makeup was semi-smeared, her hair was wildly messy, and one of her dress straps had fallen completely off her shoulder and she hadn't bothered to readjust it. She looked rough but Odette didn't really care to know why. "Help me get her to her bed?"
"Lead the way..."
The sisters had been in this situation more times than either of them could count and by this point, they knew how to operate together like clockwork.
As the two girls struggle to keep their mother upright enough to be able to guide her up the stairs Odette can feel Coco's eyes on her. Once they reach the top Odette finally takes a moment to return Coco's gaze and notices a familiar smugness about her. Narrowing her eyes in slight suspicion she finally asks, "What's up Cort?"
"Nothing." Cortney sounded completely innocent but her demeanor was anything but. The smirk that tugged at the corner of her lips would have been obvious to Odette had she not been so preoccupied with their mother.
Normally Cortney would be all too eager to burst her older sisters' bubble, especially when it had to do with Chuck, but the current timing didn't feel quite right. So, for the rest of the walk to their mother's bedroom, both girls stayed completely silent.
The only sound as they retreated deeper down the hallway was Anika faintly singing along to the music as Cher's iconic voice faded away in the distance.
By the time Coco and Odette had gotten Anika into her pajamas, cleaned off her makeup, and tucked her into her bed, the opportunity for Odette to show up at the Palace and see Chuck had long passed.
So instead she ended the night in her own bed, tossing and turning as she tried to get comfortable without disturbing Dottie from her peaceful sleep at the end of the bed.
She had essentially played babysitter all night. It started with Blair's sudden ambush and ended with her mothers' drunken stupor. She couldn't help but think back to that first initial text she had gotten from Chuck asking if she was busy. She didn't know it at the time, but apparently she was. She was pissed.
This wasn't at all how she saw her night going and she was getting really tired of putting her wants on hold to deal with the needs of other people. Rolling over onto one arm she feels under her pillow until she can find her phone. Pulling it out she types up a text for Chuck,
To: Chuck
From: Odette
Rlly srry about tonight, some stuff came up.
As she went to tuck her phone back under the pillow she's surprised to feel it vibrate in her hand, already alerting her of a new text.
To: Odette
From: Chuck
It's ok, some stuff came up here too.
She repeatedly skimmed this single line of text, a relieved smile growing with each new read. He had replied within seconds so he obviously wasn't that mad at her at least. However, he might have made plans with some other girl in her absence... she didn't really need to know though. After all, what she didn't know couldn't hurt her.
To: Chuck
From: Odette
Any chance you'd be down for a do-over 2mrw?
Waiting for his reply felt like torture.
It was interesting to see how the roles had reversed from when they last talked. Now it was her, anxiously waiting for his response.
To: Chuck
From: Odette
I have to go to this gallery show 2mrw for a school thing.
Would you wanna maybe meet me there and after we can hang out?
She was never one to break one of the cardinal rules but he had shown some, rarely seen, vulnerability when he invited her to hangout earlier and it seemed only fair that she show him the same humility. In fact...
To: Chuck
From: Odette
I rlly wanna see you, pls?
Maybe her pill from earlier was finally setting in, or maybe she felt more liberated getting to hide behind her phone screen, whatever the reason she had decided to triple text him.
Odette Rockefeller was officially a triple texter.
She couldn't help but frown at how desperate it possibly made her look. But maybe, he'd find her desperation endearing. Hopefully.
Despite the long waiting she had been doing once she sent her last text his response came through quickly.
To: Odette
From: Chuck
What Gallery?
He didn't acknowledge the fact that she had succumbed to triple texting, and she appreciated him for that. That spared her at least a quarter of her dignity.
To: Chuck
From: Odette
Williamsburg lol. Not your scene, I know. But maybe you'll reconsider?
She attached the physical address before pressing send.
Despite the fact that Brooklyn was a burgeoning neighborhood with real estate that could potentially rival Manhattans, most Upper East Side teens turned their noses up at the prospect of making the journey across the bridge. Deeming it and, in turn, it's residents far below their high-brow pedigree.
Odette had spent very little time in Brooklyn and while she didn't look down on the borough she also didn't love spending her free time there. Her attendance at this particular art show was for a grade though so she had no choice in the matter. However, having Chuck there to keep her company could potentially make the evening go smoother.
To: Odette
From: Chuck
We'll see.
Odette bites down on her lower lip as she re-reads his response.
He was playing her games now it seemed but she left this conversation at that. She didn't feel the need to humor him with another reply.
With a playful roll of her eyes, she places her phone back under her pillow and settles into her bed. He might come, or he might not, but at least she knew he wasn't upset with her. Knowing this allowed her to finally relax and begin to drift to sleep.
Dan had been nervous about the art show all week.
Not that he felt he needed to prove something to Odette per se, but well, maybe he did.
He knew this was in is head. A classic 'them vs. me' mentality, but he couldn't help it. Despite his greatest efforts and achievements, he was always viewed as a second-rate citizen in regard to his classmates. The gallery meant everything to his dad, and to their family. It had materialized due to the blood, sweat, and tears of the Humphrey family and his mothers' original artwork even adorned most of the walls. This place was like a second home to Dan and Jenny, and letting someone into it felt like he was letting them into somewhere deeply personal to him.
It felt like he was letting Odette into his bedroom, with his power ranger sheets, old comic books, and Cedric. It's like he was just asking for her to judge him and the way he lives. It was invasive, and beyond that, scary.
Odette ran with the Teen Queen of Mean, Blair Waldorf, so he was sure she was capable of nastiness. However, she had never really shown that side of herself to him. In fact, she had always been somewhat decent to him, critical at times sure, but she treated him like a human at least. She acknowledged him unlike so many of their mutual peers who preferred to act like he was invisible.
He didn't expect her to waltz in and be uber judgmental of his family or the way in which they earn their living, but she also was a Rockefeller and he had a hard time grasping her family's wealth and lifestyle. A place like this would hardly compare to the properties owned by her own family.
"You can be honest."
"I am, it's nice." Odette looks around the open floorplan of the Humphrey's gallery, her arms planted firmly at her sides. "It's charming."
'Charming?' Vanessa Abrams nose scrunches in disgust as she listens to the forced compliments coming out of Odette's mouth.
Vanessa had been friends with the Humphrey family for years, and in a lot of ways, Rufus had come to be somewhat of a father figure to her. Especially now that she was back in the city without her mom and with only her reckless older sister to look after her. She was close to the Humphries, and even more so, fiercely protective of them.
Rufus had purchased this gallery years ago as a way to show his support to Alison and encourage her to pursue her art more actively. Unfortunately, despite her talent, her pieces mainly went unsold. They had a few solid commissions per year but for the most part, the only people coming by the gallery were people that had stumbled upon it during their exploration of the surrounding neighborhood. Visitors loved to look around at the various sculptures and paintings, but they rarely had the means of purchasing anything.
Now that Alison was living in Hudson the gallery was receiving even less new content than before. The paintings that hung on the wall today were the same ones that had been there six months ago and as time went on even fewer buyers were coming by.
At this point, Rufus was losing money paying the expensive rent and utilities to keep this place running but he didn't have the heart to sell. To him, giving up on the gallery was the equivalent of giving up on his marriage. He had purchased this place as a testament of his love for Alison, what would it say if he now sold it?
He remained hopeful that the gallery would eventually take off, just as he remained hopeful that one day his wife would come back to him. But hope didn't pay the bills and his finances were quickly depleting what with keeping this place running, taking care of the loft, and paying what was left after the scholarship money for Dan and Jenny's tuition.
All he needed was to attract new faces. New faces, with deep pockets.
Recently Rufus had attended a dinner party with Lily Van der Woodsen at the home of Eleanor Waldorf, and despite feeling out of his comfort zone he decided to capitalize on the opportunity and made a point to introduce himself to a few possible clients. They seemed interested, for the most part. He took down their information and quickly got to work planning this event tonight. He sprung for an open bar, and lots of appetizers and various charcuterie boards. He was putting more money into this art show than he normally would, but he was also hoping for a high pay off by having Lily's Upper East Side friends in attendance.
All he was hoping for is that all the hard work he constantly put into this gallery would pay off tonight.
This event was important for the Humphreys and Vanessa didn't appreciate this snooty classmate of Dan's coming in and trying to downplay any part of it.
"Well it may not be the Met, but it has edge, and it's lively, and the art actually means something."
Odette barely looks at Dan's curly-haired side-kick for the evening as she walks over to the painting closest to them, "What do you think this one says?"
The picture depicted a woman, entirely made up of, individual, contrasting brush strokes, with her lips literally stitched together by metal wiring.
"Probably my mom's way of saying she felt she has no voice and was stuck in her marriage and her life here." Dan can only briefly look at the painting before shifting his gaze elsewhere. It felt like the sting of his mothers' absence was never going to get easier.
"I didn't know your mother was an artist Dan, I guess that's where you get your creativity from?" Odette offers him a gentle smile, feeling guilty for unintentionally bringing up his broken home life.
"Uh, Rufus?"
She wasn't sure if Dan's friend was a know-it-all in general or just wanted to prove that she knows it all about Dan, but she was quickly climbing the list of most irritating people.
"What's a Rufus?"
"That would be me," Looking over her shoulder Odette sees a middle-aged man, with messy brown hair approach them. After leaning a folding table against one of the concrete columns he turns to Odette, extending his hand to her with a warm smile, "Rufus Humphrey, nice to meet you."
This was Dan's dad? It was strange, he didn't really look like a dad. At least not the ones she was used to.
All the dads she knew were involved in some type of bis business and she'd never even seen most of them in anything other than a suit. But here was Rufus, wearing dark jeans and a black button-up with roses stitched to the shoulders.
The Humphrey's really never ceased to amaze...
"Odette Rockefeller, it's a pleasure."
'Rockefeller'
Vanessa all but scoffs as she hears her last name for the first name. This girl was getting more unlikable by the minute. "Rockefeller? Your family owns standard oil right?"
"Uh, kind of." Publicly, the Rockefeller's had owned Standard Oil before it was broken up into smaller pieces. Unbeknownst to the majority, their family owned large percentages in every company that Standard Oil had been broken down into. So in a way, they did still own it, they just didn't talk about it.
"Wow, you wouldn't believe the amount of protest I've been to against your family." Vanessa shakes her head in dismay.
The Rockefeller family represented so much of what she hated about the world. Mainly, greed. She couldn't imagine how Dan stomached going to school with people like this. People like her.
Odette carefully scans Vanessa over from head to toe, arching an eyebrow at her finally, "Oh, I believe it..."
Sensing the two girls differing personalities were about to come to a head Dan quickly steps in, "Dad," he calls for Rufus's attention in hopes that he'll catch on and help de-escalate the tension in the room, "thanks again for letting us cover your art show for our journalism assignment."
Hearing Dan, Odette pulls her attention away from Vanessa to smile at Rufus once again, "Yes, thank you, Mr. Humphrey. The space is great."
"I believe the words you used were charming and nice actually."
"Nice and charming is exactly what I was going for, so thank you Odette. Hopefully you kids can find something interesting enough to cover in your paper, but I appreciate the moral support nonetheless son." Clapping a hand against Dan's shoulder Rufus picks up the foldout table once more and heads off deeper into the gallery.
"You two seem close?" This was yet another thing that struck her as odd. The Humphrey's had a much different dynamic than any of the other families she'd ever been around. There was a genuine closeness there that she almost sort of envied.
"They are."
"Shut up..." Odette mutters under her breath as Vanessa speaks up once again, but before Odette can fully respond she notices a familiar, leggy, blonde, "Serena! Oh, thank God."
Considering Odette was a full year younger than the rest of the group, she had come into the mix much later.
Blair, Serena, Nate and Chuck had all known each other for years. In some cases, they had even grown up together.
Odette had known Nate almost her whole life, and through Nate she briefly met Chuck in the eighth grade. But it wasn't until she was a freshman that she finally met Serena and Blair and shortly after that Serena had up and left for boarding school before they had the opportunity to really get to know one another.
Needless to say, Serena and Odette weren't super close. Through Blair, they were becoming better friends but they still had never even hung out one-on-one before. At this moment Odette didn't care though, she was just so thankful to have someone to talk to besides Vanessa.
Serena quickly looks in the direction she hears her name called from and can't help but snicker as she sees Odette booking it towards her, "I don't think I've ever seen you move that fast."
"When you mentioned Dan's friend Vanessa you failed to mention how friendly she is."
Serena doesn't say anything but nods understandingly. In a way, she was happy someone else had finally met Vanessa and come away with the same impression. Now she at least knew she wasn't just being a jealous girlfriend.
Nate chewed quietly on one of the homemade peanut butter cookies Dorota had brought out for him and Blair to snack on, offering some to Blair every now and then even though he knew her answer wasn't going to change.
Snacks at the Waldorfs always seemed pointless because Blair rarely ever ate anything anymore.
This wasn't always the case though. In fact, there was a time when Blair was even somewhat chubby.
Most people would look at someone like Nate, handsome and athletic, and assume that he's really vain but that has never been the case.
Nate came from a very cookie-cutter, on all accounts, picture-perfect looking family, which made him somewhat crave something outside of that box.
From the time he realized he liked girls, he liked all types. This had never stopped.
Race was never an issue.
He didn't mind gingers at all.
And weight really didn't bother him.
Pretty much all her life Blair had always struggled with her fluctuating weight problems. She went from chubby to trim with each changing season. Nate never minded though.
But once things started to get bad she assumed his cheating was because of the way she looked. This, in addition to the years of insecurity she already felt from small comments Eleanor made, or by being best friends with Serena, made Blair resort to some not-so-healthy ways for losing the extra pounds.
She began dropping the weight so quickly that it was hard for anyone to catch when her illness started and by the time they realized it was way too late. Her parents had sent her to treatment over the summer between freshman and sophomore year but it didn't seem to help much. She still was way too thin, she still was barely eating, and you could still hear her in the bathroom with the water running and know exactly what she was doing.
This was yet another way in which Nate felt he ruined Blair. He cheated on her and he made her get a fucking eating disorder. It doesn't get worse than that.
How did people think he was such a great guy? He knew he wasn't.
He hadn't always been this person though.
He wanted nothing more than to be that good guy, 'golden-boy', everyone viewed him as but the longer he felt trapped in this relationship the further away from that person he felt.
'But, Blair's a good girl.'
'She's good for you Nathaniel.'
'I would be awfully disappointed if you ever broke up with her'
His parents' words play on repeat in his head. Anytime he thought about breaking up with Blair the voices just got louder and louder.
He wanted to believe he could make things work, make them all happy. But lately, it was getting harder and harder to see things in such a hopeful light.
Like tonight, they had been sitting in silence watching Tiffany's on repeat for hours. Nobody was really watching the movie, they were just avoiding having to speak to one another.
What kind of relationship was that?
Not one he particularly wanted to be in.
Not one he could see himself in long-term, yet that was the plan everyone had for him. Blair and his parents had written his future off for him a long time ago, but he had a hard time making peace with it.
When he thought about his future there were small things that he looked forward to that he was certain he wouldn't be able to enjoy with Blair. At their core, they were too different.
At the beginning of their relationship, Blair had tried really hard to pretend to like the same things that interested Nate but she didn't and she had stopped that charade a long time ago. Probably around the same time Nate realized he wasn't in love with her.
Blair would never want to go to Yankee's games with him or have quiet nights in where they cook for themselves, listening and dancing to old records. Sure, maybe those things didn't seem all that important to other people. But they were important to him.
She had made it very clear that she would always have hired help for household tasks, and the only old record she liked was 'Moon River'.
They even argued over stupid things, like when they were discussing what their first place together would look like. He dared mention that he'd like to maybe have a hot tub and Blair quickly vetoed it and went on a rant about how 'jacuzzis were cesspools' and didn't belong in someone's adult home. 'No one will take you seriously if you make impulse buys like a child.'
She sounded like his mother more and more as time went on.
Just the thought of that was giving Nate a migraine.
'But, Blair's a good girl.'
'She's good for you Nathaniel.'
'I would be awfully disappointed if you ever broke up with her'
Feeling the pressure in his head begin to build he starts to rub at his temples, praying for some type of relief.
Blair had been watching Nate out of the corner of her eye all evening. He was acting very strange but she had assumed it was due to their series of fights recently. This felt like something different though, "Are you okay?"
"Are you happy? Because I'm not."
The words come spilling out of his mouth before he can fully realize what he's getting himself into.
This wasn't a conversation he was ready to have.
But then again, when would he ever be ready for this?
"When are you ever happy Nate?" Blair was choosing not to take him seriously, wanting to believe this was Nate being dramatic. However, it did seem strange that he was suddenly telling her he wasn't happy the same week she found his sweatshirt under Odette's bed. "If you think I'm going to stand for you breaking up with me so that you can get with my friend, then the drugs have fried your brain more than I thought!"
Nate watches Blair pulls her knees to her chest before crossing her arms around herself tightly. She almost resembled a little kid throwing a tantrum.
"Blair, what are you talking about?" As usual, he always felt several steps behind when it came to their communication. "I've told you over and over that Serena was a mistake. I'm not leaving you for her."
"Oh, yeah? Was Odette a mistake too?"
Hearing this accusation stuns him. He wasn't sure where Blair could have possibly gotten that from, but it was clear she had already decided he was guilty.
As with most things, Blair played the role of, jury, judge, and executioner.
"I've never touched Odette, Blair." His tone matched his irritated expression, "This has nothing to do with anyone except you and me, Blair. We have nothing in common, it doesn't seem fair to either of us to-"
Blair doesn't give him the opportunity to finish that thought, "You want to talk about fair?" She twists her head to stare at him directly, her eyes darker in appearance than he was used to, "It's not fair that my dad left my mother and I for another man. It's not fair that no matter how hard I try, I will always feel second best to my best friend. It's not fair that my boyfriend has to get high to be around me." The more she talks, the more worked up she gets. All of this was a long time coming. Nate wasn't the only one that had been holding back. "It's not fair that my boyfriend constantly disrespects me by sleeping around behind my back. With not just strangers, but my friends."
The guilt sets in, as it always does, as she fights back tears and her face crumbles, "Blair..."
Holding a finger up to her mouth in an effort to silence him Blair takes a moment to collect herself. She had shed far too many tears over Nate, and he didn't deserve to see how broken he was making her feel.
When she finally starts to speak again, her tone settles back to its normal frequency, "Life isn't fair Nate, and relationships aren't always going to be fun and happy. Look at your parents. Do they always seem happy?"
They both knew the answer to that, "But what's wrong with me wanting more for myself?"
This time it was Nate's eyes that filled with tears. He was never one to cry really, but finally saying that out loud made him feel so many different emotions. Happy that he was finally able to get that off his chest, but defeated over the prospect that it didn't matter. He always lived his life the way others wanted him to but when was he going to get to live his life for himself?
Blair couldn't fathom where Nate was coming from and she certainly didn't understand what he meant by that last comment. In her mind, him wanting more meant she wasn't enough.
"All I've done, since day one, is love and support you Nate. I don't know what more I can do?"
"That's my whole point. Relationships are going to be hard, but they shouldn't take this much out of us. They shouldn't make us feel this defeated. Not at our age."
They were teenagers, their relationship should be one of the most exciting things in their lives, they should be having fun together. They shouldn't spend all their time fighting and they definitely shouldn't both be so clearly unhappy.
"So what are you saying? You want to break up?"
There were so many times Nate wanted to have this talk, so many times that he initiated it and chickened out for one reason or another. Now here they were, the ball was completely in his court and she was waiting for his answer.
He knew it needed to be done, he wanted it, but that didn't make saying the words any easier.
"Yeah."
He had the hardest time getting that one word out, but once he says it an instant feeling of relief washes over him.
"I'm sorry Blair, I know this is hurting you. I'll go." Nate collects his coat, subtly rummaging through the pockets to make sure his pre-rolled joint was still there. All he could think about now was going home, listening to some music, and sparking up. To say he was celebrating seemed harsh, but that's exactly how it felt.
He finally got the courage to be honest with Blair, which was huge for him.
His parents were another story entirely though.
He was going to enjoy this small win for now and break the news to them another day.
"No."
Nate was already headed towards the elevator when he heard Blair finally speak up. As he turns back to look at her he notices she's staring intently at her large tv screen, "Sorry, did you have something else you wanted to say?"
Blair slowly turns her head to look at him, her stare was piercing and cold. Before she responds she looks back at the tv just as the movies opening credits roll once more, "No, you aren't breaking up with me."
Standing awkwardly in the Waldorf's foyer, Nate shifts his weight from one foot to the other. Had he done it? Had he finally made Blair Waldorf crack?
He was pretty certain he had seen this exact situation on an episode of Dateline.
Picking up a cookie, Blair breaks it in two and holds one of the pieces out for Nate before taking a nibble out of her own half.
Everything about Blair's demeanor told him this was her last-ditch effort at gaining control of the situation. All he had to do was walk away.
He had two options being dangled before him.
One was to go with Blair, settle for their unhappy but safe relationship. Accept that his fate was sealed and ask no questions about any of it. He'd please everyone important to him, but at the cost of his own happiness.
The second option was to turn his back on her, walk out of this apartment, and never look back. He would disappoint a lot of people, but he would know happiness and peace in a way that he hadn't in a very long time.
He was almost at the elevator when she had stopped him. He had made it further with this attempt at ending things than he ever had, and he was too close to stop now.
"Nate, come sit and let's finish the movie."
"Blair, we've already watched this movie twice tonight." His voice sounds pained.
She isn't looking at him, probably trying to brace herself for him to blow off her request and walk out.
Deep down, she knew this was a long time coming. That didn't make it suck any less.
Nate wasn't the perfect boyfriend, but with him, she could envision a perfect life; perfect house, perfect kids. Above that, her entire life had been shaken up this last year. Through it all Nate was her constant, he was her security. She wasn't ready to give that up and she wasn't ready for him to give up on her.
'But, Blair's a good girl.'
'She's good for you Nathaniel.'
'I would be awfully disappointed if you ever broke up with her'
Looking between the elevator and Blair he knows what he wants, but as his parent's voices cloud his mind once again he's reminded of what everyone tells him he needs, and what everyone expects of him.
With all previous hope washed from his face, he walks back into the living room and sits next to Blair.
He takes his half of the cookie from her and the two sit in complete silence once again as Breakfast at Tiffany's plays for the third time.
As with so many things before in their relationship they would pretend this never happened and continue to carry on in the only way they knew how.
Denial.
Dan was pleasantly surprised by the number of people that filled the gallery tonight.
He wasn't sure he'd ever seen the place quite this busy.
On all accounts, the night was off to a huge success. His dad was making sales, Odette had gotten some good quotes from some of the guests for them to use, and most importantly, Serena was here. There wasn't much more he could hope for.
Except maybe wishing his mom, Mack and Jenny were here to witness the success as well. But the days of them all being together seemed long gone.
"Hey, where's Jenny tonight?"
Odette quickly scanned the crowded space in search of the petite, mousy, blonde but she was nowhere to be seen.
"She said she needed some 'girl time' with my mom and sister." Dan made the point to use air quotes, "She took a train to Hudson pretty much right after school."
Odette nods carefully but her brows start to furrow as she thinks about his answer more. "How come your other sister doesn't live with you guys?"
Hearing Odette's question both Serena and Vanessa's head snap to look at Dan. Due to each of their relationships with him they, of course, knew the sensitivity regarding the division in the Humphrey family but they also knew it wasn't really something Dan liked to talk about.
"Um," Dan scratched at his head as he tried to think of the best way to go about explaining his complicated family dynamic. Before he could even answer he was given a save,
"Deets?"
As soon as she hears the familiar pet name she knows exactly who it is.
"Aunt Adrienne? What are you doing here?"
Dan and the others watch as Odette gets up to hug the statuesque blonde that had just approached them.
"Lily told us about this charming little gallery event and we figured we'd swing by and check it out. Hi Serena." Adrienne smiles brightly to the familiar blonde, getting an animated wave in response.
There was that word again. 'Charming'
"Here hon," Adrienne's long-term partner, Alex, brings two drinks over for them before pulling Odette in for a tight squeeze, "Long time no see kid."
Alex and Adrienne were an interesting couple to see together. Mainly because they didn't really look like they fit.
Adrienne had legs for days, bright blue eyes, and long blonde hair that went down to her back. She was always dressed incredibly chic(Vivianne taught her well) and had the most soothing and sultry voice.
Alex, on the other hand, was quite short and had very dark features. She always dressed like she had just come from band practice, and by the looks of it, her band was Guns N Roses during their prime. She was brutally blunt and had an extremely raspy voice from the years of smoking. She looked nothing like what anyone had envisioned for Adrienne, mainly because she was a woman, but the two of them had been together for years now and they were happy. Which was a rare sight in their family.
"I've been around, it's you two that have been MIA."
The two middle-aged women share a glance before laughing.
"We just got back from an extended stay in India," Adrienne explains, pulling out her phone to find pictures for her niece.
Taking a large gulp of her mixed drink Alex nods, "Yes, your aunt had a very 'eat pray love' journey there." Both Odette and Alex share a mutual eye roll. The idea of it was so very Adrienne.
"Well, since you guys are here you should meet my friend Dan's dad?" Odette gestures for Dan to get up, "His dad owns this gallery."
Alex gives the place another look over, "It's a really neat space. Brooklyn is definitely the new Manhattan in my opinion."
"How can it be the new Manhattan, what would that make current-Manhattan then?"
"Old news." Alex winks playfully at her niece before focusing on Dan, "Is your dad available to have a quick chat?"
"Ye-yeah I'm sure. Let me go get him." Dan wasn't used to feeling flustered, but there was a certain presence this family seemed to demand. It caught him completely off guard.
"I'm going to grab another drink, non-alcoholic of course," Serena throws her hands up in defense as she clarifies for the adults, "Want me to grab you one Dette?"
"I'm good, thanks."
As the conversation picks up again Serena maneuvers her way through the crowd of people, trying her hardest not to rub up against anyone. Once she reaches the small, hand-made, bar she breathes a sigh of relief. "Um, just a water I guess." Definitely wasn't her first choice but this was Dan's dads' event, the last thing she wanted to do was embarrass them.
Once the bartender hands her a cup of lukewarm water Serena gives him a sheepish smile, taking a small sip and trying not to make a face at how unquenching it is. Turning her back to the bar she looks out into the crowd and can't help but notice the many different types of people here tonight. The hoards of people that filled this building were a true testament that art speaks to a lot of different people.
Art and an open bar.
An open bar that she can not partake in... it was almost too cruel.
But she was also proud of herself.
There was a time, not terribly long ago, that she wouldn't have been able to resist free drinks. Boyfriend and boyfriend's dad or not, she would have cleaned the open bar out and been too drunk to have to worry about the repercussions. It was somewhat jarring to think that's how she used to live her life.
Never taking responsibility and always, always, screwing something up. The new and improved Serena would never do the things old her did, and she was happy to be able to say that. For the first time in possibly her whole life she was happy with herself and who she was becoming.
She's pulled out of her thoughts of how wholesome she's become as she spots a familiar face at the gallery's front entrance. Pursing her lips together ever so slightly in confusion she makes her move across the room until she's only a couple feet away.
"What are you doing here?"
As Chuck's eyes land on Serena, he realizes she looks as lost to see him as he feels being here. "I'm here for the art."
"Did my mother invite you?" The idea of Lily Van der Woodsen inviting one of her classmates to an art gallery in Brooklyn was weird. Almost as weird as seeing Chuck Bass at an art gallery in Brooklyn. She needed some type of explanation.
Chuck didn't really want to tell Serena why he was here, mainly because he wasn't sure if Odette wanted people to know and he wanted to respect that. But, she did invite him here tonight, knowing Serena was probably going to be in attendance. So, maybe she didn't mind. "Odette invited me."
"Odette?"
"Yeah. Is she here?"
Serena nods very slowly before turning around and guiding Chuck back to where she left the group. By the time they reach everyone, Rufus is now in deep conversation with Adrienne and Alex about art and music, Vanessa and Dan are talking back and forth, and Odette is scrolling aimlessly through her phone.
"Hey guys, look who I found? Chuck." Serena shoots Odette a suspicious look before going to sit at Dan's side.
Despite feeling a few pairs of judgemental eyes on her a smile springs across Odette's face at the sight of Chuck, "You actually came."
"You asked me too." Chuck shrugged, trying to maintain his typical nonchalant attitude for the watching crowd.
His act was fooling no one though. Chuck Bass didn't attend functions like this, certainly not ones in Brooklyn hosted by Humphreys, but he came to this one because Odette had asked him too.
This was a lot to try and process.
Obviously the things Gossip Girl had been saying about them were true but even with the two of them standing right before her Serena was having a difficult time making sense of what was going on.
"I feel like someone just told me the Earth is flat." With an exhausted huff Serena throws her body weight against Dan, "Nothing makes sense anymore."
"You're telling me. The world stopped making sense back when you agreed to go on a first date with me."
Serena groans, "Awe no, not a corny, self-deprecating, joke."
"Those are the best kind though." Dan pulls Serena closer to him, enjoying being in this moment with her. There was so much uncertainty in his life, it made him extra thankful for the consistency Serena had brought him recently.
Serena finally tears her eyes away from Odette and Chuck, opting to enjoy the remainder of her time with her boyfriend. But, in the back of her head, all she could think about was telling Blair what she had witnessed tonight.
Much like her sister, running with an older crowd had always greatly appealed to Coco.
Mainly because she always aspired to be older than what she was, and above that, the upperclassmen girls were just cool.
They had fake ID's that got them into the best bars. They had access to all the fun parties and all the 'party favors'. They slept with the hottest guys at school and even sometimes hooked up with older guys. They were frequently featured on Gossip Girl which made them their own brand of Upper East Side-celebrity. They were the standard for cool in every aspect and everyone aspired to be like them.
Especially Coco.
She wasn't dumb, she knew she only was accepted into Blair's posse because of her sister. But, her sister only got her in the door. She was the one working so hard to establish relationships with all the girls in an effort to solidify her position in their ranks. It was harder to do so with Blair since Odette already had a strong claim on her, as far as friendship went. Kati and Iz were perfect for Coco though. They weren't as bitchy as Penelope, but not nearly as clueless as Hazel. There incessant need to be siamese twins was a bit weird, but it was also sort of a sign of their clear allegiance to one another.
The three girls had hit it off really quickly into the start of the year and by this point, they spent almost all their free time together.
"So what happened to you the other night?"
"Yeah, you like, totally bailed on us?"
The three of them were sprawled across Iz's bedroom floor doing hip thrust as they gossiped. Their thought was that if they were just going to lay around and socialize, they might as well work on getting their bodies right and tight in the meantime.
Coco had been trying to focus on her breathing but at the mention of the previous night she stops the mild work out and rolls over on her stomach, trying to fight her nervous smile.
"I might have done a thing. Or, rather, someone."
At this revelation, both Kati and Iz sit up, "Shut up!"
It was almost scary how frequently they spoke in perfect unison.
"You have to tell us."
"Yeah, we won't tell."
For as long as Kati and Iz had been friends they had no secrets. Maybe there were certain things they kept from the other girls, but never each other.
It was their loyalty for one another that had attracted Coco to them in the first place. She wanted nothing more than to have someone in her corner like that.
There was no one in her life she truly felt she could rely on and trust. Her mother was a drunk, her father was never around, and her and her sister fought all the time. But with Kati and Iz she had found that feeling of total security.
"I'll tell you, but you have to promise you won't say anything?" She looks between each of them, searching their faces for acknowledgment.
"I mean, duh. That goes without saying." Iz finally says, biting down on her lower lip as she leans in closer to Coco. Whatever secret she was about to spill was going to be huge and she wanted to make sure she didn't miss a thing.
Closing her eyes, Coco feels a tremor run through her body. Despite how confident she pretended to be most of the time, in reality, she was just an insecure, fourteen-year-old girl, desperately seeking validation.
"Chuck..." She carefully watches their reactions to see if they approve of this disclosure.
Both girls had lost their virginities to Chuck as well, which was her main reason for pursuing him as hard as she had been. She hoped that by sharing this mutual bond with them that maybe it would secure her a permanent spot in this friendship. Maybe their duo could officially turn into a trio? A girl could dream.
Kati's mouth is the first to drop, "...Bass?" As if there was any other, "I don't know who I expected you to say but he was not it. Chuck Bass, are you serious?"
"I thought Gossip Girl said him and your sister hooked up?" While her question is directed at Coco, Iz stares directly at Kati, "Does she know?"
'Unbelievable.'
A girl's virginity was a sacred thing and her big reveal about losing it was supposed to be huge. Yet somehow, someway, this conversation about her had been turned into a conversation about Odette. Despite Coco constantly trying to escape Odettes' shadow, even when her sister wasn't around she still always managed to block whatever light might briefly shine on her.
"I mean, I didn't ask him if that was true or not. And no, she doesn't. I haven't had the chance to tell her yet."
"Wow," Kati shakes her head in continued dismay, "I can't believe this." Within a second her expression goes from shocked to concerned, "How was it?"
As the conversation focus switched back to her, Coco brightened up, "It was..." she hesitates briefly, "It was good. Kind of painful but I expected that."
"I get that. I bled for days after my first time." Kati nods, reaching over to rub Coco's leg sympathetically.
Coco stares at her friend, completely horrified. That didn't sound normal, medically?
"You had fun though right?" Iz tilts her head slightly, trying to gauge Coco's true feelings. "I mean, from what I remember he's pretty good."
"Well he has enough experience, he should be." Kati rolls her eyes, never one to give Chuck the same props that Iz so frequently did. Kati also didn't have feelings for Chuck in the way Iz did during that time though. "He wasn't good enough to be worth the abortion."
At the harsh but needed reminder Iz's head drops in shame.
No one says anything for a few moments until Iz finally speaks up again, "My point is, I hope you actually enjoyed your first time? There's a lot I regret, and the way mine went down is definitely one."
"Same. If I could have a do-over I so would."
"What do you mean?" To say she was confused would be an understatement. Her understanding had always been that their mutual experiences with Chuck had made them close. They were supposed to be impressed that she was one of them now, they shouldn't be looking at her with such pity.
"Coco, I hooked up with Chuck drunk out of my mind. Not blaming him, I mean he was wasted too. But he did go a lot harder than I would have liked. I was in a lot of pain, covered in my own throw-up, and someone recorded us and sent the video to everyone. It was an all-around awful experience." With a small shrug, Kati gets up and walks across the room to find her phone. She didn't need it, but she also wanted an excuse to walk away.
She didn't like to show it, but thinking back to that time made her extremely uncomfortable.
Everyone assumed her and Iz were easy, but that wasn't exactly the case. She messed around with guys of course, but to this day she had never had penetrative sex again.
Iz's eyes follow Kati's movement across the room, knowing her friend well enough to know she was upset. "As for me, I actually really liked Chuck, like, a lot. And he knows what he's doing," she laughs, but the light in her eyes fades quickly, "He knows how to get what he wants. He made me feel special... which sounds so stupid now, of course. But at the time, I thought he was really into me. You know he kicked me out immediately after? And, well, you know how the rest goes."
Iz doesn't bother carrying the conversation on any further. She didn't have it in her to get into the details of how despite his poor treatment of her after they slept together she still tried to actively pursue him. She didn't like to think about what a pathetic loser she felt like when after months of throwing herself at him he finally told her to stop and that he didn't hook up with the same girl twice. Above all, she couldn't bear talking about the shame she carries daily from getting the abortion.
She did, however, feel it was important to ask, "You were safe right?" Not that it had mattered in her case. They took every precaution and still ended up in their situation.
"Duh, I'm not an idiot."
"No, you're just young." Iz tries to smile, but it doesn't mask the somber look in her eyes.
Having recollected herself Kati sits back on the floor and finally adds, "We just hope you don't end up regretting this. Especially if he's been messing with your sister. No guy is worth that drama, especially not Chuck."
This wasn't at all how Coco had been expecting this conversation to go and quite frankly she was feeling setup.
Above all, she was pissed that on top of everything else, they kept bringing up her stupid sister.
"Look, I'm sorry you guys had such bad experiences but honestly Chuck was the perfect gentlemen with me. It hurt for like a second but," She turns to Kati, "otherwise he was very gentle." she then shifts her attention to Iz, "He even offered to let me stay the night and invited me back over after school today for more." With a small sigh, she resumes her previous position on her back and starts her hip thrusts routine once more, "I don't regret a thing, especially in regards to Odette. My sister doesn't own him, and clearly he prefers me if I'm the one he keeps inviting around? Now, I'm bored of this conversation. Can we change the subject?"
Kati and Iz give each other a small sideways glance before laying back down and mimicking Coco's movements, "Should we discuss what we're wearing to Blair's birthday party?"
"Definitely! It was already difficult finding two identical dresses, now we'll need three. That's going to be a nightmare, but you know my mother's assistant is always up for a challenge."
Coco freezes mid-thrust, their words fully sinking in.
'Three?'
A triumphant smile spreads across her face as she picks up the set once more. That is exactly what she had been waiting for.
Odette is all smiles as she lounges on one of the chairs in Chuck's suite, "Thanks again for coming tonight."
Lifting his glass to her, he winks before taking a sip, "Thank you for the invite. Brooklyn still sucks but the art wasn't half bad. If you're into that suffering in silence type of work."
Sitting his empty glass on the coffee table, he scoots to the farthest end of the sofa so that he's sitting as close to Odette as he can without being obvious. "It's interesting seeing Serena and Humphrey together. I suppose she has her mother's penchant for finding worthy charity cases."
As Chuck snickers at his half-joke Odette shakes her head, "I don't know, I don't really think Dan's all that bad. Kind of a dork but I'd kind of even consider him a friend."
"Then you should probably learn to keep better company."
"But if I did that then you probably wouldn't make the list anymore." She raises her eyebrows at him teasingly, "No but seriously, you should give Dan more of a chance. He's harmless."
Listening to her disagree with him about Dan was strangely attractive. Usually, girls always told you what they thought you wanted to hear. He might not be overly vocal about it but he respected independent women. They had their own opinions and weren't afraid to upset anyone by speaking on it. They also appeared to be a rare breed when it came to the girls he knew. Most followed Blair around like her little lackies. They all acted, and in some cases even dressed, the exact same. He had a theory that they all shared the same brain.
Odette, despite being friends with them, seemed different though.
"No one is harmless Swan." Chuck runs his middle finger across his jawline as he speaks, "We all have our baggage and we all are capable of plenty."
Resting her elbow against the armrest of the chair, she props her head up, "What's your baggage?"
"Probably the whole dead mom thing." He says it almost like a joke, but she can see the hurt that flashes in his eyes anytime he's made to think of Evelyn.
After looking down at his shoes, contemplating for a moment, he continues, "Honestly, that's partly why I wanted to hang out last night."
She stares at him, confusion written all over her face.
"Yesterday was uh," Chuck picks up his glass, forgetting that he's already finished it. Once he makes the realization he sets it back once more, "Yesterday was the anniversary of my mom's death."
Once he's able to get the sentence out Odette's stomach drops. She had already felt bad for unintentionally blowing him off but now she felt sick over it. "I'm so sor-"
"No." Chuck quickly cuts her off, "I don't need your sympathy."
No one says anything and the two of them sit in silence.
Finishing what's left of her champagne, Odette sits her glass next to Chuck's. "Well for what it's worth, I did try to call you last night. I can't remember the exact time."
Chuck knew exactly what time she was referring to, and he knew exactly why he wasn't able to answer her call. Part of him felt like he should tell her, but he also didn't want to ruin what they had going for them.
All of this with Odette was way out of his typical comfort zone, but she put very little pressure on him which he appreciated. It made getting closer to her easier for him. He didn't want to specify anything about their situation, but he knew he enjoyed whatever it was because the thought of upsetting her and things reverting to how they were before worried him.
Not that he would explicitly tell her that, ever.
Feeling his phone suddenly vibrate in his pocket Chuck rolls his eyes, annoyed by the interruption. As he pulls his phone out he glances at the caller ID. "It's my father. I mentioned I was going to the art show tonight and he's seemed oddly interested in hearing about it?"
Bart and Chuck weren't close, they rarely even saw one another and therefore rarely spoke. But they had an early dinner together this evening, in memory of Evelyn. Neither of them mentioned that's why they were eating together, they never did though. Difficult conversations mainly went unsaid in the Bass household. That would probably explain why Chuck had such difficulty expressing himself now.
"Let me step out and take this, I'll be right back."
Odette watches Chuck retreat into the hall, already in full-fledged conversation as he's closing the door behind him. Once he's left the room, she takes a deep breath hoping to steady her growing nerves.
She couldn't help it.
As cool and collected as she acted with him most of the time, he did make her a little nervous. Especially now that their situation was escalating.
She was a little more than surprised that Chuck kept coming around. Only because he truly was a 'one and done' type of guy.
They hadn't even done anything beyond kissing though.
She wasn't a prude or anything, but she was enjoying her time with him and she knew what would happen once she put out. Part of her wanted to think that she was different, an exception to his rule maybe but rationally she knew better. There were plenty of girls out there that had thought the exact same thing and all of them had been wrong. Why would she be different?
Beyond that, the idea of having sex with Chuck was also sort of intimidating.
She was no Virgin Mary, but she wasn't nearly as experienced as him. What if she wasn't up to his standards?
She had hung out with him and Nate enough, as friends, to catch the way he would talk about certain partners on different occasions.
There was a reason so many people didn't like him, he was a dick and the idea of him discussing her on such a personal level with his 'boys' mortified her.
It takes her a moment to realize that she's subconsciously tracing the outline of her tennis bracelet - it was a habit she had recently picked up whenever she got lost in her thoughts about him.
She was way too into her own head.
Things didn't need to be so heavy and she didn't need to stress about any sort of expectations. They both seemed to be enjoying this for whatever it was, for now. She needed to focus more on that, and less on the unknown.
The reality was, things may never go any further than they were right now; physically or emotionally so what was the point in stressing about it.
She knew why she continued to stress over the thoughts of it all; she wanted things to progress on all fronts.
Taking both their empty glasses in one hand she makes a beeline for the bar. Walking to the back she pulls out another bottle from the cooler but quickly realizes she's never opened a bottle of champagne on her own before.
She really didn't want to make a huge mess of his space so, she'd wait.
Placing the bottle on the flat surface of the bar she scans the rest of his inventory. He had pretty much anything she could think of, not surprising with the number of parties and people he typically had over. His suite, strangely, looked a lot different when it was just the two of them here. Maybe she was just more keen to notice his little touches throughout.
Personal pictures of him and Nate through the course of their friendship, relics from the places he'd traveled with Bart, lots of music. Though he didn't have a record player which was a real shame because she was totally one of those people that swore up and down that everything sounded better on vinyl. That's okay though, maybe she'd get him a one and convert him. Not for any specific reason, as to not scare him off, even though he had gifted her a gorgeous and expensive piece of jewelry for her birthday.
At the thought of the extremely thoughtful gift, Odette glances down at her bracelet and admires how it shimmers, even with little to no light shining directly on it.
She hadn't told anyone that the diamond bracelet was from him because she assumed he would prefer that. He was a surprisingly private guy when it came to his actual personal life.
He had no issue recounting the details of his latest conquest to anyone that would listen, yet when it came to their current situation neither of them had said much about it to anyone. Based on the looks Serena had been giving her all night she had a feeling she would have to give some answers soon but, for the time being, it was kind of nice getting to be in her own private bubble with him.
There was something about having your entire life easily-accessible by the general public, mainly via gossip girl, that really made you appreciate private moments that you got to enjoy with no audience.
While admiring Chuck's gift to her a small piece of fabric on the floor catches her eye. Due to its dark shade blending in with the carpet she almost hadn't noticed it but as she kneels down for further inspection she easily recognizes the pattern.
It was a polka-dotted, satin thong. And she had a pair just like that.
She stood up quickly, shaking her head in disgust.
There was nothing that could kill a girl's mood quite like finding another woman's underwear tossed around the room of the guy you like.
She knew she couldn't completely fault him because she knew who he was, or rather how he was. She only hoped that whoever had been wearing the thong had been a guest from a long time ago.
But, Chuck had access to the same cleaning services that were offered to every other room in the Palace, so they couldn't be that old.
Her eyes involuntarily drift back down to the underwear and she notices a stitched detail along the hem.
Her polka-dotted thong had stitch work just like that. Coco stole her clothes so frequently that she had gone through a phase where she had her initials stitched into everything.
Everything.
This was too weird of a coincidence.
She was fairly certain that this thong laying in Chuck's suite was hers, but the idea of checking and it not being hers really grossed her out. She looks across the bar's storage for something, anything that might help.
'Perfect.'
Reaching into an empty ice bucket she finds a small pair of metal tongs. Without giving much more thought to the situation she grabs and pulls at the fabric with the tongs until the stitch work is fully exposed.
To her horror, 'O.R' is clearly visible in her signature vibrant pink threading.
Her first thought was that Chuck had rummaged through her drawers one of the times he had come over. Everyone knew he could be perverse, maybe stealing girls underwear was a kink for him or something.
Her brain doesn't even allow her the opportunity to really humor that thought as she remembers that she had been missing this pair of underwear for months now. Long before her and Chuck had started things up.
Suddenly visions of Coco's smug features from the night prior come quickly to mind.
'Of course...'
Once these dots connected it felt like everything stopped and stayed like that for a minute. She could feel the drinks and food from the night working it's way back up her throat.
She had been sitting here considering the repercussions of having sex with him, and admiring his gift and thinking about her feelings for him and low and behold, Chuck had slept with Coco? It felt like a sick joke.
He had promised her he wouldn't...
How stupid could she be to actually believe him?
She was an idiot for allowing herself to get caught up in his bullshit, yet again. He hadn't changed at all, he was the same piece of shit now that he was last year. He had just done a way better job at convincing her otherwise.
She can feel a cold sweat start to brim her forehead as she looks out on the suite, her eyes critically scanning every surface. Her and Chuck had just been making out in the seating area, was that where him and Coco had messed around too?
It didn't matter.
He had fucked her little sister, the precise location was irrelevant.
How could he invite her here tonight knowing what he did with her sister in this same room just the night before?
She quickly reached down and grabbed the thong, shoving it in her back pocket before hurrying for the door.
Chuck walks back in, taking a small step back as he sees her standing in front of the door.
"Sorry that took so long. He was surprisingly talkative tonight. I think he trying to get intel on Lily Van der Woodsen?" Completely unaware of the heavy tension surrounding Odette Chuck smirks to himself, "Did you want to open another bottle?"
Did she want to open another bottle, seriously? No, she wanted to smash a bottle against his fucking head.
"I actually have to get going?"
She was being weak and a coward. She should scream in his face, she should slap him, at the very least. She shouldn't act like nothings wrong. But that's exactly what she was going to do.
It was difficult to even look at him. When she did all she could see was the image of him and Coco, in every position imaginable, "I'm not feeling very well." That wasn't a lie.
Chuck dropped his head down to her level, studying her with a concerned look his face, "Are you running fever?" As he reaches out to feel her forehead she dodges her head back to avoid his touch.
"Yeah. I should go."
"Ok?" He couldn't lie and say he wasn't upset that she was leaving so abruptly, but he also felt bad that she was potentially sick, "It's from being in Brooklyn, I'm telling you that place sucks." His attempt at a joke goes nowhere as she blatantly ignores him. She moves around him, making the point to go extremely out of her way to avoid even slightly touching him.
"I'll check on you tomorrow I guess, Swan?"
"Don't even worry about it." She calls this over her shoulder as she quickly walks down the hall towards the elevator.
She didn't want to seem too eager to get away from him and make him suspicious but she was also afraid she might throw up if she was in this building even a second longer.
"...you know I'm not one to brag, but I am pretty proud of the turnout tonight."
Dan and Rufus were just barely arriving back to the loft. Once everyone had left by ten, Dan, Vanessa, and Rufus had operated as a makeshift cleaning crew.
Cleaning up after a group of that size was no joke. If he continued to host events like the one tonight he was going to have to spring for some hired help. He knew he could always count on Dan and Vanessa but relying solely on them made him feel like he was taking advantage of their generosity.
"Your friend's aunts were incredible to talk to. They had some great pointers, and even invited me to a 'gallery owners only' brunch sometime in Spring." Rufus pretends to fluff his collar, "Who said your old man wasn't cool?"
"Um, your kids. Often." Dan's voice becomes strained as he struggles to get the door open.
Their building was old and recently the foundation had shifted and caused the door to start jamming which made it nearly impossible to get open, but after messing with it for a bit he finally gets it.
"I'm only kidding," Dan continues as he walks into the loft, "I'm really happy for you Dad. Maybe this is the start to a whole new chapter for Rufus Humphrey."
"Maybe." It had been a long time since Rufus had felt this optimistic towards his life. For once, his mind wasn't on his failing marriage or his strained relationship with his oldest daughter. He wasn't worried about how he was going to keep the lights on at gallery, or if he had enough money for spring tuition. For the first time in a long while he was hopeful.
Before Rufus follows him into the loft Dan's eyes settle on the three women in their living room.
"Mackenzie? Mom? Jenny, what's going on?" They should be in Hudson, what were they doing here?
Dan tries to catch Mackenzie's attention, hoping through a shared look he can get an idea of what's going on. But his sister had been away too long and she was impossible to read as she sunk further into the armchair she was sitting in, avoiding eye contact.
Once Rufus walks in and sees Alison all color drains from his face.
He had been thinking about the moment when he might see her again for so long.
Throughout the day he would constantly play different conversation scenarios out in his head trying to figure out exactly what he would say to her when given the chance.
'A family should be together.' It was the only thing he kept repeating the day she packed her and Mackenzie's bags. He wasn't sure how else to try and get her to stay. To this day he still didn't.
His eyes slowly drift from Alison to Mackenzie.
She looked so much older and taller since the last time he'd seen her. It had only been six months though.
How was that possible? How had she changed so much in such a short amount of time?
There was so much that he was missing out on in her life now that she was gone. But he had missed out on plenty when they were under the same roof too. He knew the distance didn't help the divide in their relationship but it was far from the cause of it.
There was so much that he wanted to say, so much he could say, but for some reason, the only thing he manages to get out is, "I'm gonna make waffles."
Drama, drama, everywhere.
This chapter is officially my longest and oh boy, was it a lot of work! I've been worried that this chapter might not be all that interesting, but it was really important that I covered everything that I did in this update. I've said this before, but I'm not into gratuitous writing. Often times, especially in fanfiction, there are scenes that contribute nothing really to the plot or character growth. I can honestly say that there is a rhyme and a reason for every part of this story. Even if it might seem insignificant now, everything eventually will tie together.
There were some interesting revelations made in this chapter that I'm very curious to hear your reactions to. Overall, I love reading everyone's opinions on this story. I work extremely hard at developing 'Gilded' and you all make it very worth it to me.
Lastly, I want to thank the wonderfully talented 'greyspaces' for allowing me to include her original character in my GG-verse. Anyone that actually reads these notes at the start and end of each chapter knows how highly I think of my friend(my *literal* S), and how much I adore this character, so being able to have her exist in this realm of FF is pretty freakin' special to me! If you don't know who Mackenzie Humphrey is, I will do my *best* to explain her history as she comes more into the fold. But, her creator does it 100X better than I ever will be able to so I do highly, highly suggest you go and read 'The Chase' and it's ongoing sequel, 'Ultraviolet'. The writing is incredible, and I'm not just saying that because she's my friend. If you like OC's you'll like her stories, so go get after it!
Once more, thank you to everyone that gives this story, and in turn me, a chance. It means more than I can truly put into words.