Knock, knock.
"Ma chérie?" Louis says. His french accent, the way he says that in a pleasant, endearing tone.
"Oui?" she replies back with a half smile. She is tired. She is worrying about whether she made the right choice. Is Louis really the one or is it just Blair's childhood fantasy, is only the idea of a fairytale that seems to have an appeal. She is sick, the wedding preparations are taking so long, everything needs to be done thoroughly, sometimes she can't help but think it's not what she applied for. She didn't expect it to be THAT arduous.
Then again, Louis loves her. And she loves him. He's her future husband and everything is going to be sheer perfection.
"Blair, I'd like to talk to you."
Yes, I know.
"About what?"
"Are you happy?"
The question leaves her staggered. How did he even come up with it? Of course she is. She has it all. The attention she gets wherever she goes, beautiful presents, all the sparkly, shiny and devilishly expencive jewelry. Of course, what's more important - a man who cares about her and her happiness. He is sensible, and nice, and genuinely a good person. Everything she always wanted from a man. And he treats her right. And she's expecting his baby.
Of course, she has less time for scheming with Chuck, and no more time to waste on watching old-school movies with a certain Dan Humphrey. But there's no need to cry over spilt milk, right? It's a price to pay, besides, who cares when it's totally worth it.
She has matured a lot. She doesn't even miss scheming, nor watching the movies with her "friend".
Blair can watch them all alone and she's perfectly fine. As a matter of fact, she started watching at least 3 per day.
And of course it's much better. And a lot more...productive. More quality time. There's no one to interrupt me during the most important, or my favorite part of the movie. No one to jab me in the arm offering popcorn. I hate popcorn, and you easily get used to eating them when Humphrey's around. True, usually we used to have our long witty discussions after. But sometimes he was so annyoing that he even pleaded me to retell some parts because he "didn't pay attention" to it. How rude, who does he think he is?
Okay, I may did feel slightly BORED time to time. And I did miss all those little things. But that was just, sometimes. Rarely. Almost never.
Stop thinking about that, now. Focuss Blair. Just focuss.
"I know for your past relationship...with..." He avoided that name. He was acting like Chuck's Voldemort, like his name's a curse, something bad from Blair's past. Sometimes he felt that Chuck had left such a strong mark in her life thinking he can't compete with it. That all the money and love and attempts to make her happy are futile.
"Louis Grimaldi," she interrupted "I am a happy woman and I love you."
Then she shut him with a long warm passionate kiss, and he believed.
But did she?
Xx
*an excerpt from the "Inside"*
Note : Italic are Serena's thoughts while reading it, everything else represents the content from "Dan's book".
"What are you doing here?" Clair asks, and I know I shouldn't be doing this. Why am I even trying when I know it leads nowhere. Who knows.
Some things that crossed my mind at that very moment. There was many more of course, but it's hard to describe, even for a writer.
My stomach flops as I breathe,
"I don't know, is Sabrina here?"
"No. What's going on, is everything okay?"
At that very moment I felt like we were connected. In a really strange way, but still, connected.
There was something in her voice, in how purse she had looked, that gave me the courage to continue.
"I've been walking 'round the city all night with one all-consuming paralising thought."
"Why am I walking 'round the city when I live in Brooklyn?" she mumbles suddenly very confused.
Dan is confident.
"What if my dad and Dora were right? What if, there's another reason we're keeping us a secret?"
She is giving a clear sign of disapproval.
"You need to go back to Brooklyn."
Blair sounds...a little harsh here. They kissed twice, the first time was , so this must be their real kiss.
Should I go? Should I stay here and "play with fire"?
Why didn't he leave? I am reading this for the 5th time for crying out lou...ERGH. That's the final line in this very scene.
It felt...incredible. It felt surreal. I felt like I was dreaming, and I didn't want it to end here. Somehow, I felt that she didn't want it too and that's what kept me going. Without losing confidence I swallowed my "pride" (what's left of it) and looked at her straight in the eyes.
"Not until I know, for sure they were wrong. That there's nothing between us."
"I can guarantee it."
There was still this undeniable pull between us, and I felt the urge to touch her. Anyhow.
This is so awkward.
I found myself fixing her strap. The strap of that dress I knew she had bought in Paris this summer. That dress that fit her so perfectly and pointed out...everything that definitely shouldn't be covered.
Oh my God.
She looked at me straight in the eyes, and I felt goose bumps rising all over my body.
Suddenly she changes her mind.
"But just so you're secure in that knowlege...what did you have in mind?" she adds trying to sound polite.
Did Blair really say that? Blair Waldorf who is supposed to despise him.
Yes yes I know I read it so many times, "Just one kiss then we can know without a doubt." "I suppose that would work" blahblahblah "Oh for crying out loud Hunter!"
Seriously? Blair was the one who initiated the kiss on the first place.
I can't do this to myself anymore. They both said it meant nothing yet Dan could've written another novel describing it with amusement and preciseness.
And he totally ditched me last week. I'm wondering what happened so he couldn't make it.
Maybe I should just...screw everything and get over it. Act like I don't care.
Maybe I should ... stick to my (our, including Jane as well) plan.
Oh for crying out loud Hunter!
Oh for crying out loud Hunter!
Oh for crying out loud Humphrey!
What if there's another reason...they're keeping them a secret?
What if Blair really is Clair from the book, and what if her feelings are actually well-described.
What if it's not just Dan's imagination.
And even if it was, it's a little striking...
Dan...and Blair? Could it be?
I can't with this anymore.
xx
Blair grabs her mobile phone and basically tosses him away in a millisecond.
Fine.
"We are just friends and I'm just gonna..."
Oh get over it Blair.
Fine.
She takes her phone again and enters the number she knows so well, even if it's not on her speed-dial. What would people think if they saw Dan Humphrey's number on speed dial.
Endless scrolling wasn't an option, and since they were...in contact for a *short* period of time she must have accidentally remembered it.
"Humphrey" she says in a whisper still having second thoughts about this one. Maybe it's not a good idea after all.
"Blair?" he says suprised, "Is everything alright?" He was worried. In fact, if her answer was negative she was pretty much sure he would fly from Brooklyn to her penthouse on Manhattan just to check up on her, see what's wrong and how can he help. That's who he was.
"Yeah" she answers a little more casually than planned. "I was just thinking...well, there's no reason for us not to speak, right? You were sorry about what you did, and...it's fine. You..." she stops a little "Love Serena in real life. A small dose of fanfiction and leaving something to desire is okay. Well it's not since you crossed that line but..let's pretend you didn't? Serena will forgive you sooner or later anyway."
He keeps quiet.
No I don't love Serena anymore. No it WAS NOT FANFICTION BLAIR. So many things to tell her, but...it doesn't really matter.
"Yeah, I guess I could do that." he smiles a little but then realize it sounded a little foolish for the conversation they were currently having.
"So.. I still have that SILLY cookbook you left in my room."
"Oh! Right. You didn't like my strawberry-nutella waffles? I knew it! I should have just tried a classic vanilla-coconut topping, and definitely keep in mind that you're not an evil dictator of taste only when it comes to clothes."
"That's ... Not the point. Nutella was good, as if it's hard to please a pregnant woman, they're always starving. It's just, since I know a Humphrey man waffle-obsession I thought you might need it."
"Great. You want us to meet so...so you can er."
"8 pm, Fan Forum. Don't be late" she cut him short.
"Fan Forum? I thought you wanted to give me my cookbook back?"
"One movie couldn't do any harm I guess."
He smiled for himself like a 4th grader.
"Great. Er, I mean, good."
xx
Is this one of her schemes?
Next moment his phone rang and he answered very quickly.
"Don't tell me we're back onto plausible deniability and making up exit-strategies. I am so not in the mood."
"It's not..that" she replied timidly. Dan was a bit shocked.
"So?"
"Listen, I'm at Vera Wang's trying my...wedding dress. I'm stuck here and I probably can't make it."
He was trying to imagine Blair saying this biting her lower lip in order to express guilt.
"Fine." he took a deep breath. "It's okay.."
Just when he was about to hang up she continued
"Listen, why don't you come here...so we can see the movie after?"
"Blair, I don't think that's a good idea."
No. He is not going to watch Blair and Louis living their "happily ever after".
"Dan." she stopped. "Please."
Whoa...
"I am all alone here. And, not that I could use a piece of advice but...I can't stand that cookbook hanging on the same shelves with my precious book colection anymore and..."
He could sniff begging in her voice.
A small smile appeared on his face and he swore he could scream all the way to Brooklyn and back.
"Fine. I'll be there. "
xxx
So, that's it for now. Did you like it or not? What hould I change? What did you like/hate?
The upcoming chapter is about Dair at Vera Wang's. (mmmh excited excited excited!).
xoxo