A/N- Ya'll are the best! Please do enjoy!
The Lost Weekend
--
Chapter Seven
Don't worry- I'll let C do the talking. In case you need a little refresher course—previously, in Gossip Girl-land…
"Can't you just see it, Chuck? You and me, ruling the best of the Ivy Leagues, spending our weekends at the coast, slowly bending the entire freshman class to our will- Yale's not going to know what hit--"
"Blair?" Chuck cut her off, looking pale and terrified all of a sudden.
"What?"
"I love you."
There was a moment of stunned silence between them. Chuck wondered if it would be bad form to just run away. He didn't have much of a point of reference for telling people he loved them, since he literally never had.
"What did you say?" Blair asked a little shakily.
"I don't know. I wasn't thinking." Chuck said, terrified.
"You said you love me." She said, shaking her head in amazement.
"I guess I did."
Blair shook her head, her eyes glassy. "You do this now?" She sounded furious.
"When should I have done it?"
"Oh, I don't know! When I was begging you to at the White Party? When I didn't have a the most important dinner of my life to focus on?"
"I'm…sorry?" Chuck said slowly.
"You should be! Was this your grand plan? Throw me off my game with this random confession so you get the Yale spot?" Blair looked a little hysterical.
"No, Blair! I didn't plan any of this, believe me."
Blair took a deep breath. "Chuck, sometimes I hate you. I really do. I should have known you would pick the absolute worst time and place for this. I've worked for this weekend my whole life, and then you just sign up and change everything and make me feel-"
"Make you feel what?" He said, putting his hands on her hips and pulling her closer.
She sighed shakily, their foreheads touching. "Do you really want me to say it? You won't freak out and run away?"
"I'm done running away." He said softly, Blair's hands in his hair as she looked up at him.
"I love you, Chuck Bass." She said, feeling like an enormous load had been lifted off her shoulders by finally saying it out loud.
He kissed her gently, and for once, neither of them had their guard up, smiling at each other like idiots when they broke apart.
"Chuck?" Blair said, her arms around his neck.
"What?"
"Was that your first time?"
"We should probably get going, Blair." He said, obviously at his quota for emotional sharing for one night.
She smiled, knowing her hunch was right. Guess she and Chuck always ended up being each other's firsts.
"You're right. Our public awaits." She took his hand, picking up her purse.
"I'm sorry I couldn't think of anywhere better than a dorm room for the first time." Chuck said as they walked out the door.
"Oh, please. You in a Yale dorm room? Those are like two of my favorite things."
"Aww." Chuck laughed.
"See? And Serena says I can't be nice."
"Blair, you are many things. Nice is not one of them."
Blair smiled. "You don't mind having a not-nice girlfriend?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
"Good. Let's go show all these other wannabes how not nice we can be."
--
Chuck stared out the window on the drive home the following afternoon, wishing he could sleep as peacefully as his travel companion. Blair was passed out asleep on his shoulder (they had barely slept last night- the I-love-yous and dinner going so well had proved to be an aphrodisiac) but even though Chuck was tired, he couldn't fall asleep.
Something was nagging at him. A feeling honed from many years of anticipating outcomes that something bad was on the horizon. What could go wrong? Things were perfect with Blair, good with his family, good with Nate—but he couldn't shake it. There was something in the air—like the winds were changing.
It was very unsettling. Suddenly his phone rang. He clicked the talk button quickly, not wanting to wake up Blair.
"Hello?" He said, as quietly as he could.
"Charles. It's your father."
As if he had to say that every time.
"Dad. How can I help you?" Chuck said, feeling a little nervous. He and his dad never just talked.
"How was Yale? Did you and Blair have a good trip?"
"We attended the Dean's Dinner, and he loved us. It went very well." Chuck said, waiting for his dad to get to the point. No way was he just checking in.
"Look, Charles, I was wondering if we could get dinner when you get back into town. Victrola's doing so well that I'm looking to expand the business, and I've hired a new intern to work with you on perhaps expanding into a franchise, led by young, capable people like yourself and my new hire. I want to fully reintegrate you back into the company. I think you're ready. It would be wonderful if we could all meet—discuss the business' future."
Chuck tried not to sound too excited. "That would be great. Fantastic. I would love that."
"Great. Meet me at the office whenever you get back."
"I will. Thank you, father."
"Bye." His dad hung up, abruptly as always
Chuck looked over at Blair, dying to tell someone the news. His dad was actually entrusting him with something? And wanting to talk to him? This was unprecedented.
But still that same nagging feeling. A lifetime of getting screwed over had taught Chuck that when things seem too good to be true, it's usually because they're about go spectacularly wrong.
--
Chuck rode the elevator up to his dad's office, his phone buzzing with a text message. He flipped it open.
Don't worry; you'll be great. Thanks for an amazing weekend. Love U. B.
Chuck smiled, closing it. He would be great. This was the start of a whole new life for him- Blair was his girlfriend, his dad was finally counting on him—maybe he really could change from the person he used to be.
He walked down the hall to his father's vast corner office, and heard the sound of female laughter drifting out the open door.
"Sounds like you started without--" Chuck said, walking in and stopping dead.
Georgina Sparks was sitting across from his father. When she spotted Chuck, her face broke into a wide smile. She got up and walked over to him, holding out her hand.
"Chuck Bass. It really has been too long."
He took her hand, shaking it. "Georgina. This is a surprise."
"I told your dad how thrilled you'd be. You and me, working together- doesn't that sound fun?"
"That's one word for it."
"Chuck, try to be nice. You two will be spending a lot of time together." Bart said.
Suddenly, Bart's phone rang. He checked it, sighing. "You two go on down to the car. I'll meet you there in a moment."
Chuck took Georgina's arm, practically dragging her into the hallway. She laughed, letting him. "Bass, I knew you liked it rough, but not in your own father's office."
"Stop it," He growled, not letting go, "What the hell are you doing here? Break out of rehab again?"
"Hardly. I finished my program. Passed with flying colors. My parents thought an internship opportunity would be good for me to get back on track. Lo and behold, I found out your daddy dearest was looking for a fresh new face in his company. You remember how he always liked me? It wasn't even hard."
"Didn't you cause enough damage last time? I thought Blair made it pretty clear-- we all hate you, Georgina. Get it through your head."
She smiled, not buying it. "Oh, Chuck. You never hated me. I was the only one who let you be who you are. And if I recall correctly, sophomore year, you were the one calling me to come over at two o'clock in the morning and give you the best--"
"Things have changed, Georgina. I'm not that person anymore."
"Oh, come on!" She laughed out loud. "People like you and me don't change, Bass. That's the beauty of it. We're not complicated. We just pretend to be so that the Serenas and Blairs of the world don't see."
"See what?"
"Us. Who we really are. Rotten to the core." She said, and he suddenly realized how close she was standing.
"You're wrong." He said, stepping away from her.
"We'll see."
Bart stepped out of his office. "Ready, kids?"
"Ready, Mr. Bass. Thank you again for this opportunity." Georgina smiled sweetly.
"Chuck?"
"Ready, father."
Uh-oh, C. And just when things were going so well. G always did know how to push his buttons- and apparently those rumors about their sophomore year dalliances weren't so far off base. And you know what they say about never forgetting your first…hope B's ready for the fight of her life. I know one person who will understand her pain- are you listening, S? They say nothing brings people together like a common enemy. B and S, how about it? Bury the hatchet to bury Georgina Sparks? I've gotta say, the girl does keep things interesting…until next time. You know you love me. XOXO Gossip Girl.
A/N- Thanks for reading! I love reviews!