Chapter 13
Long ago, when European royals grew bored with palace balls, they took a page from the peons and added some pageantry. Couture and canapé are just another Saturday night, until you add a mask…
But preparing a ball is an event in and of itself, which is why Queens invented handmaidens.
As Blair and Serena lay together on Blair's bed after having a private sleepover for just the two of them, Blair felt her excitement grow more and more for the night ahead of her. This party was going to be perfect! And what was going to happen after the party was going to be perfect too. She smiled as she tuned back into what Serena was saying, "So Kati mentioned something about a custom-made corset, and I hear there are wigs involved?"
Blair laughed as she explained, "It's a masquerade. You have to conceal your identity, but I do have something special planned for Nate tonight. It's a game. It's a scavenger hunt. Nate starts the night with a clue, which leads him to a lady-in-waiting, who gives him a clue to the next lady-"
"Wait, hold on. You have ladies now?" Serena interrupted to confirm what it was that she was hearing.
"If he finds me before midnight when the masks come off, he can claim his prize," Blair continued on without bothering to reply to Serena's question.
"And what's that?" Serena smiled as she looked at her best friend. Blair tilted her head playfully at her blonde friend and wiggled her eyebrows, indicating that the prize in question would be her.
"Oh. Yeah, right. Sorry," Serena shook her head at her "blonde" moment.
Blair tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she laughed a bit, "I just figured after everything that's happened, or hasn't happened," she corrected herself as she leaned towards her best friend before continuing on, "I should find some way to make it special."
Blair watched as Serena looked at her, seeing the guilt build in Serena's eyes at the reminder of what happened last year, "Well, that's really romantic Blair. Really," Serena took a deep breath before offering, "Look, um, if you don't want me to come tonight, I totally understand. I could just-," she started as she sat up on the bed.
Blair looked at her in confusion as she too sat up, interrupting the blonde before she could continue further, smiling at her genuinely, "What?! No, I want you to come. In fact, I was hoping you would be one of my ladies. Would you give Nate the last clue?"
Blair smiled as she took in Serena's surprised face at her offer before she responded hesitantly, "Are you sure you want me to?"
Blair nodded softly, "Tonight is all about starting over. I trust you…and him."
Serena smiled as she sat up more before giving Blair her answer, "Well, then I will be honored to serve you, my queen." The two of them laughed as Serena bowed dramatically.
Blair continued on asking, "Well, besides, you're bringing Dan, right?"
Serena paused for a moment before explaining why she hasn't asked him, "I know him. A masked ball? Dan would never want to go to something that pretentious, where he has to wear a mask and a tux?"
Blair rolled her eyes and looked at Serena as if she were crazy, "He likes you. He would wear a tux and a mask and one of my mother's dresses if it meant that he could go out with you. Come on!" she teased her as Serena hid her face for a moment and laughed at the visual Blair created.
Blair smiled as she continued making her case, "What, are you worried that he already has a date? I mean he is Dan Humphrey."
Serena chuckled before saying lightly, "Shut up. I don't know. I guess a masked ball is better than a regular party because then all those kids from school that he hates…he won't even recognize them," she said with a light shrug.
Blair nodded as she grabbed Serena's phone from the bed and handed it to her, already resigned to the fact that Dan was a part of Serena's life and that he seemed to treat her best friend right and makes her happy, "All right. Invite him. I insist."
Blair smiled in triumph as Serena takes the phone from her and begins to dial Humphrey's number. She lay down across the bed as she watched Serena pep herself up to make the call, kind of surprised to see Serena so nervous about a guy.
"Hey, hi," Blair looked at her best friend as she glanced over as if to ask her what she should do next. Blair simply rolled her eyes and continued to smile, deciding to let Serena take it at her own pace for a second before she just said to Serena, "Go ahead. Do it!"
Blair smirked as Serena turned away and stood up from the bed as she began to speak into the phone, "Uh, hey I was wondering are you doing anything tonight?" Blair sighed as she cuddled up with one of her large pillows in her lap, laying her head down on it as she kept her eyes on Serena in case the blonde tried to chicken out of her mission.
"Good, because there's this thing and you're probably going to think it's stupid but…," Blair frowned and lifted her hands in the hair as if to say "what are you doing?" before Serena paused for a moment, asking a completely different question, "Who's that?"
Blair looked towards her door as little Jenny came in, carrying a tall pile of boxes from the errands Blair had her run this morning with, "Hey, Blair, what do you want me to do with this stuff?"
"Oh just leave them over there is fine," Blair waved over to the corner of her room before resting her head on her hand as she added with a smile, "I left you another list." Blair smirked in her head as she watched the freshman almost drop everything as she tried carefully to set them down and picked up her new list of instructions.
Blair watched as the freshman's face was overcome with a look of panic as she took in what she needed to do in a timely manner, almost waiting for Jenny to complain but, like a good handmaiden, she didn't as she fled from the room to do what needed to be done. Blair liked to call this stage of grooming and molding of her protégée as "paying her dues". One has to know their place in the social structure before she can even begin to think about moving up the ladder.
Blair glanced at Serena, seeing that she's still on the phone as she began to stumble over her worlds, "Um, I'm sorry. Uh…what?" Blair frowned at the look of disappointment on her face, unable to believe that Humphrey totally bombed his chance with her best friend. "The guy is more of an idiot than I thought," Blair thought silently.
"No, uh, never mind. Thank yo-, have a good day. Bye," Serena finished as she hung up the phone and turned back to Blair, the look of disappointment still on her face as she sighed and said bluntly, "I think I need a date."
xoxo
After assuring Serena that she'll make it happen with plenty of time for Serena to prepare for the ball, Blair sent her best friend off to head home with her outfit and mask and clue to give to Nate when he came to her. Even though she felt bad for Serena, Blair couldn't help but be ecstatic that she didn't have that Brooklynite invading her party. Sure they had a brief heart to heart last week at the fashion shoot, but they were by no means friends. Blair shuddered at the thought; the day that happened Blair would give up her beloved Louboutin shoes for crocks.
Figuring she'd start with potentials through the best in the game, Blair picked up her phone and made a phone call as she headed into her walk in closet after checking the time. It wouldn't do to greet her minions in her pajamas and the hair and make-up team was due to arrive in a few hours anyway. When he picked up the phone after a couple of rings, she smiled, "To what do I owe this call from the Queen herself on her big day?"
"Hello to you too, Bass. I've called because I'm in need of a favor," She got right to the point, even though she had Jenny running around New York doing her errands, Blair still had a lot to do before tonight to make everything as perfect as she envisioned.
"If it has anything to do with Nathaniel showing up and properly dressed, I've got that handled. I'm on my way over to his place now," Chuck said with a smirk.
Blair decided on something stylish, yet comfortable for her day wear as she spoke into the phone, "It doesn't, but thank you for confirming that. It's about Serena."
As she got dressed quickly she almost see Chuck's brows raise in question, "And what has our blonde princess gotten herself into this time?"
Blair took a seat at her vanity and put her phone on speaker as she began to brush her hair, "She made the mistake of depending on the Brooklynite to be her date tonight, granted even I thought that would have been a dependable assumption, but it turns out she was wrong and she's in need of a proper escort."
"You're not the only one, it's not as if he has a full social life, what could he possibly be doing other than sitting at home playing with his cabbage patch?" Chuck chuckled to himself, "I'll ask around and get back to you, but with it being so short notice you may need as many hands on deck as you can get to make this happen."
Blair figured as much and nodded even though she knew Chuck couldn't see her, "I plan to task the minions when they arrive to get ready for tonight. There's still so much to do to prepare for this ball as well as the scavenger hunt for Nate."
"Oh yes….is tonight the night that our virgin queen will be deflowered?" Chuck asked, finding himself not enjoying the discussion of Blair losing her virginity to Nate.
"How is it that you managed to make that question far dirtier than it actually is?" Blair rolled her eyes at her phone as she slipped on her shoes and took the phone off speaker as she heard two set of feet walk into her bedroom.
"It's a gift," Chuck responded as the car pulled up outside of Nathaniel's house, "Tell you what, I'll get on the Serena mission and get back to you when I have a prospective. I have to go."
Blair smiled as she stepped into her bedroom, seeing Kati and Iz sitting on her bed, waiting to be tasked, "Thank you. I'll see you tonight." She hung up the phone and set her phone on her nightstand as she began to explain to her minions what she wanted of them before they could get ready for the ball tonight as she lead them downstairs.
"Who does this Dan Humphrey think he is?" Blair stated with appropriate outrage for her best friend, "Serena is putting on a strong front, but I can see how hurt she is," Blair turned towards them as they stood in her foyer, just away from the stairs as she continued, "We have to help her heal her heart."
Iz spoke hesitantly, "But it's pretty late notice…"
"And most of the good ones are already taken," Kati added to back up Iz, trying to show their Queen that what she wanted was almost impossible.
Blair shook her head, not caring how much work it would provide for her minions, she just wanted this done and she didn't care how, "No more excuse. Serena must have the hottest date ever. If he's got plans, he'll change them, if he's got a girlfriend, he'll dump her, and if he's out of town, he'll charter a G5 and fly home. Make it happen."
With her task set, Blair turned away from her minions, effectively dismissing them to do as she said, and paused at the sight before her in her sitting room. While Blair was preparing for her ball, Eleanor Waldorf was preparing for her own party held here at the penthouse. Apparently it was supposed to be a Moroccan theme, and there the party planner was offering her mother a colorful bong of all things! And her mother had the nerve to say that it was outstanding!
Blair sighed as she willed the embarrassment to go away and slowly walked towards them making her presence known, "Is it a bong mother?"
Eleanor looked over at Blair with outrage, "Please!"
Blair continued on as she moved her eyes away, "I didn't take you for a stoner."
Eleanor began to explain herself as she waved her hands around the room as people moved around the room to set up for the party tonight, "It's a…a hookah! And it is adorable. It's perfect for my Moroccan-themed party."
Blair made it the rest of the way, not wishing to make a scene with her outrage, "Why do you have to celebrate your Bendel's deal by turning our penthouse into an opium den?"
It was Eleanor's response to Blair question that genuinely put her in shock to the point that she couldn't even respond, "Why not?" and she actually laughed! It was so weird to see her mother so lighthearted that after a moment, Blair could feel a smile begin to grow on her face.
xoxo
When Chuck walked into the Archibald household with his three masks and his outfit for Blair's masquerade party, he was immediately led to the Captain's study after setting his stuff down in Nate's room. Not really paying much attention as Nate started going through the drawers and books in the room, Chuck mentally started going over a list of his acquaintances that he knew to help Blair with her slight Serena problem. After all, a promise is a promise when it came to Blair Waldorf.
After coming up with a few worthy candidates he set out three masks along the mantel to make the final decision of the last detail for the night as he listened to Nathaniel explain to him what happened earlier before he came. After he finished speaking, Chuck still didn't get what they were doing so he asked as he put on one of the masks and looked at himself in the mirror, "So what exactly are you looking for?"
"Evidence," Nate simply stated as he continued rifling through the captain's things.
"Of what?" Chuck asked as he set the mask back down on the mantel and picked up another, needing more details he continued on with a joke, "The captain's dislike of starchy shirts? I totally sympathize. The collars chafe. Did you, uh, ask him about your missing college money?" Chuck asked as he turned to one of his best friends.
"Yeah, he said he was moving accounts around," Nate said, obviously not believing the Captain's words, "It was all back the next day."
Chuck frowned as he walked over to Nate, still playing with a couple of his masks, "So why worry? Mysterious financial transactions, warring parents; welcome to the Upper East Side." He said with a smirk as he compared the two masks in his hands, wanting to pick the one that best represent him and his reputation, so it took a moment to notice that Nate had something in his hand that he was showing Chuck.
Chuck recognize the packet of white powder and was a bit surprised, but he was the last one to pass judgment on anyone so he took it in stride with a smile, "Chi chi, get the llello." Nathaniel, I'm shocked! I thought you were strictly an herbal man."
"This isn't mine," Nate said, obviously troubled as he looked at the packet in his hand and then back at Chuck. The look on his face proved to Chuck that Nate wasn't lying, he was always a bad liar. It was still a surprise that Nate even thought of playing poker when Baizen came into town a couple of weeks ago.
After making the discovery, Nate looked as if his world was falling apart so Chuck suggested that he go out for a walk to clear his head before they got dressed for the party. Frankly having a parent that does drugs wasn't as big of a deal as Nate was making it out to be, but Chuck knew that Nate had naïve tendencies, just like Serena.
No parent on the Upper East Side was perfect, in fact they were the farthest from perfect that one could possibly get. In order for them to even pull of the façade of perfection they needed to be heavily medicated; as long as it was kept behind closed doors, it was acceptable in their society. But, if it started leaking out the way it was with the Captain in regards to their financial stabilities, that's when the whispers began and social destruction began to be plotted.
Chuck smirked to himself as he texted Blair the few names that he came up with for her mission that stated that they were more than available to take Serena to the ball. People thought that he and Blair were unmerciful, but frankly they were just the product of the people who ruled the Upper East Side. A reign that was expected to pass onto them when the time came and this was how their world worked.
xoxo
Blair smiled as Jenny started piling up everything from her last list of the day on top of her entry table. Blair had to admit that the girl did well, she did everything on the list without once complaining and it was a great weight off her shoulder to have this all done. Jenny sighed tiredly as she put the last package down, "Well that's all of it."
Blair checked everything over before nodding her approval, "Thank you so much. I don't know what I would've done without you. Thank you."
Jenny smiled at Blair's praise as she played it off like it wasn't a big deal, "That's okay. It was fun."
Blair tilted her head to the side, "I'm glad. It's all part of your education," because this was only the beginning for you little J, she added silently before she glanced at Jenny's wrist, finding herself once again impressed by this freshman as she picked up her arm, "And it looks like you're learning. It's a nice bracelet."
Blair began to examine the jewelry a bit closer as she spoke, "Vintage, right? The diamonds look real." Blair frowned as she took it in even more, realizing that they were and began to wonder how Little J could afford such an extravagance.
Jenny gently extracted her arm from Blair's grasp as she carefully said, "It's cause they sort of are…"
Blair raised her brows at the freshman, allowing her previous thought of how the freshman could afford it show on her face. Quickly Jenny gave an explanation, "Un, the man at the store lent it to me."
Blair felt her confusion rise a bit before putting the pieces together, but decided that she would give little Jenny the benefit of the doubt and asked, "Why would he do that?"
When Jenny didn't say anything and simply looked at Blair in confirmation of what Blair figured was the big picture to this freshman Blair gasped in shock, "Oh! Oh, sweetie, you didn't think you were gonna be able to come tonight, right?" Blair laughed lightly as she put one of her hands over her heart and the other on Jenny's arm in comfort.
As Jenny looked away, unable to mask her disappointment from Blair's knowing eyes, she spoke, "I thought maybe, yeah."
Blair looked at the freshman for a moment, deciding on how she was going to play this out. Deciding that the blonde simply didn't know any better Blair marked this down as a warning in her head as she began to explain, "Jenny, freshmen don't get to go to the masked ball. It's just tradition." Blair raised her hands in the air in a "what can you do" gesture before clasping them again in front of her.
Jenny tried to cover her tracks as she replied, "No, I know. It's just that there were five dresses."
Blair smiled as she crossed her arms in front of her with a smile as she spoke as if it were obvious, "Oh, it-, you always need back up! I mean, what if I spilled something or a zipper broke?" Blair shrugged lightly at the thought.
Jenny shook her head at her stupidity as she answered; it was obviously sinking in that the young blonde was not invited this time, "Yeah of course. I'll- I'll remember that. Have fun tonight!"
Blair sighed softly as Jenny tried to put on an appropriate enthusiastic look on her face, deciding to give the blonde a little hope for the future. Taking Jenny's hand in her own in comfort, "I will, and don't worry. Your time will come. I promise. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get ready." Blair gave the freshman a smile as she had Dorota send up her hair and make-up team upstairs to her room to get started on her big transformation.
xoxo
On the Upper East Side, appearances are often deceiving. From friends to hair color, there's always more than meets the eye…
As Blair smiled at her reflection as she held her mask to her face, she considered herself perfect as she led the way inside of the venue she chose for tonight's event. Making sure that the doorman knew not to let anyone in unless their name was on his specific list, she went inside and felt her smile grow. It was perfect. Everything was in place and everyone was either dancing, smiling, or laughing and she considered it to be a success.
She led her minions who stayed behind her over to get a glass of champagne as they began people watching, guessing who was who and speculated on what was going to happen come midnight when the masks were removed and everyone was revealed. Blair hoped that when that time came she could whisk Nate away to a private suite she reserved just for them and they could finally be together as she had always hoped they would be. Tonight was the beginning of starting completely over. Everyone who mattered would start on a clean slate with no bitterness or tension.
Blair could hardly wait.
Kati and Iz went off to get into position for Nate to find them, showing the appropriate enthusiasm for Blair on her big night. As they left Blair turned towards the room at large, smiling as she spotted Serena dancing with the date that Kati found at the last second and continued on with her gaze until she spotted Nate standing on the other side of the ballroom talking with whom else but Chuck at the refreshment table.
Seeing that he appeared to be in good spirits, Blair figured that whatever it was that he tried to call her about earlier was handled. She felt bad that she missed his call, priding herself on always being available to him whenever he needed her, but she figured that she could make it up to him tonight after he found her.
It was an hour before midnight, Blair had been waiting for Nate to begin his search for almost an hour and he still has not moved from his spot by the refreshment table. She did her best to keep her society smile in place on her face, not wanting the masses to sense that something was wrong, but she felt her irritation rise at how he wasn't even attempting to find her. Sure he didn't know what she had planned, but she was his girlfriend and this was her big night!
She felt her defenses crack a little as Chuck approached, obviously recognizing her instantly. She wished that Nate could be that observant to be able to find her without any aid at all, but Nate wasn't always the sharpest of people. As Chuck stood beside her she spoke, "What is Nate doing?! He's supposed to go find Kati and Iz. It's getting late, and I'm losing heat!"
"Well you look ravishing. If I were your man, I wouldn't need clues to find you," Chuck replied with a devilish smirk as he stood beside her.
Blair just rolled her eyes playfully at him as she responded with a smirk, "Or to ravish me I'm sure."
"Can I ask you something?" Chuck asked as he turned towards her, not sure if he was going to follow through with this.
Blair nods as she keeps an eye on Nate as he just stands across the way. "How many chances are you going to give him?"
It took a second for Blair to comprehend the question before she furrowed her brows and looked at Chuck, "What does that mean?"
"It means that you give him opportunity after opportunity and he keeps falling short. Look at him. He's not even trying to find you."
Blair pursed her lips as she took a deep breath before replying, feeling that out of everyone in her life she could be honest with him without fear of him thinking less of her. "I decided when I created this scavenger hunt for this ball that when he found me before midnight, he and I could finally be together and move forward after this whole mess. A clean slate, if you will."
"And what do you plan to do if he doesn't find you by midnight?" Chuck asked curiously.
Blair remained silent, not wanting to imagine it if it did. Chuck nodded as he looked around the room, catching the eye of a blonde and smirks before turning to Blair once again, "Before I go in pursuit of my new conquest," he motions to the blonde, smiling at the sight of Blair's small smirk as she thinks on his question, "Can I offer you some advice?" He asked softly, treading carefully, knowing that at any moment her walls would come down for protection.
Blair nodded silently before he spoke, "If he doesn't find you by midnight…I think you should let him go," he quickly continues on before she could say anything, "I think this because you deserve to be appreciated for all you have to offer, a smart, sexy, beautiful and capable woman, that you shouldn't ever be someone's second choice, and you shouldn't hide who you are just to avoid disapproval. You're Blair Waldorf, Queen of Constance, and this façade of lowering yourself in order make your supposed partner not look down on you, is beneath you." Chuck finished, not quite sure where these words came from but knowing that it's something he's been feeling for some time now, "Maybe it stems from this rustling in my stomach," he thought silently as he waited for Blair to speak.
After hearing his words, Blair could not deny how right he was; she couldn't help but think how Chuck Bass happened to know her better than her boyfriend of many years. Wanting to lighten the situation she smiled softly, "Careful Bass, people might think you actually care."
Chuck smirked and gave her a playful nudge, "You know that's supposed to be our little secret, Waldorf. You're supposed to be my best friend."
Blair nods, still smiling a bit, "You're mine too. Now, as your friend, I suggest you go after your mystery woman before she grows bored of your teasing."
Chuck looked over his shoulder, seeing the blonde still there, "Can't get anything passed you can I Waldorf? You're absolutely right," he turned his head back to Blair, "I'll see you at midnight." He pauses for a moment before adding, "I do hope he finds you in time…you deserve to be happy."
Blair, truly touched by his words, motions him towards the blonde for the night, who was probably some bitch from Chapin, and watches him go, feeling her stomach twist a bit at the sight of him in hot pursuit as she turned and watched Nate, Chuck's words swimming in her head. She quickly shook her head free of those fears, choosing to examine them at a later time. She still held hope that Nate would come through for her, it was the same hope she held in her heart when he gave her his ultimatum after the Sunday Brunch weeks ago; the only thing is that, as she watched him not bother to look for her, it appeared that she was wrong in her hope even back then.
xoxo
Chuck casually moved through the crowd, leaving Blair with her thoughts as she once again waited for Nate to make his move. He mentally hoped that Blair would see the light by the end of the night and slowly start making the moves herself to be rid of him.
Although Nate was one of his best friends and he would do anything for him, he was also in the same position in regards to Blair. Neither one of them deserve to be miserable and the way Nate has been dragging his feet as of late in regards to his relationship with Blair, it lead Chuck to believe that although he put on the façade that this was what he wanted, it wasn't truly.
Choosing to focus his full attention to the matter at hand until at least midnight, Chuck arrived at the side of the hot Blonde, whom he assumed was from Chapin, taking her hand in his gently as he kissed it and made his introductions, "Well, hello, angel. You must be my lucky night." He looked at the blonde's wrist and noticed the diamond bracelet and complimented, "And with taste to boot."
The blonde smiled and hid what part of her face remained visible behind her laced fan, giving off the air of being demure as she said softly, "Apparently not. I'm talking to you."
Chuck smirked and took it in stride, not missing a beat with, "Beautiful and mean? I've got chills. Care to dance with a poor devil?"
The blonde appeared to be considering it before she put her fan away as she looked him over, apparently liking what she saw she countered, "Why don't we just skip all that and, uh, go somewhere quiet to talk?"
Chuck thought silently, "This will be easier than I thought, but hopefully not too easy." Before he grinned up at the blonde and stood beside her as he whispered in her ear, "I'll get the champagne."
The blonde looked away with a small smile as she stated, "Find me in five." Chuck had a feeling that this would not be too easy at all for him. The girl obviously wasn't against a good time and a good game. He grinned as he walked away and picked up two glasses of champagne, glancing briefly over at Blair as she stood watching Nate, who still had not moved from his spot and sighed.
He debated going over to give Nate a helpful push, but paused when he saw Kati and Iz stand on either side of him. Figuring that Blair sent them to move him along with her game, he nodded to himself and went back to his own conquest of the night. Finding her easily and by the door leading up to the roof, Chuck had to commend her in her choice of location. He slowly walked up behind the blonde and whispered playfully, "Boo."
She was back to playing the demure card with her lacey fan shielding her face as he offered her the glass of champagne without another word. Without taking the glass she said softly, "Let's play a game."
Chuck grinned as he joked, "I'd say strip poker, but I don't have my cards."
The mystery blonde thought about it for a second before offering, "How about, uh, hide-and-seek? You hide. I'll seek."
Chuck put down the two glasses as he asked intrigued, "And how will you find me? I don't have any bread crumbs."
"Well," she paused for a moment as she walked towards him seductively, "You can leave me a trail…with your clothes," she smiled as she closed her fan and ran her fingers along of the lapel of his jacket.
Chuck watched her hand before looking up at the blonde and found himself enjoying where this game would lead, he whispered with a slow shake of his head, "I have truly died and gone to heaven." He slowly took of his jacket and raised it in the air before he dropped it to the floor, backing up towards the nearby door marked, stairway C, and walked through it, giving one last look to his mysterious blonde before closing the door behind him.
As he made his way to the roof, he took off his last article of clothing, his pants, and hid behind a nearby pillar in just his undershirt and silk boxers. Fortunately he didn't have to wait too long before he heard the door open again. Assuming that it was his mysterious blonde he called out from behind the pillar, "Feel free to find me!"
Confirming that it was his lady blonde when she responded, "I found your pants."
Chuck grinned as he called out a cheesy line, "Well, you're getting warmer. Which is an achievement considering you're already hot."
He heard the blonde laugh a bit before she spoke, "Well, you better hope it doesn't get cold."
Chuck frowned at her words, "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked as he felt the wind cause a bit of a chill when he heard the door close firmly. He glanced around the pillar at the sound and saw that his clothes and the girl were gone. He ran over to the door and tried to open it, finding it locked and his anger growing as he yelled, slamming his hand against the door, "What the hell?! Hey! My phone is in my pants, and I'm stuck up here, bitch!"
xoxo
After sending over Kati and Iz to Nate to try to get him to move along in his search for her, Blair sighed softly as she looked around the room. Somehow she lost sight of him and she hoped that it meant that he was finally in hot pursuit of finding Serena. He was pushing it close. According to the clock behind her there was only 5 minutes until it was midnight, and Chuck's advice from earlier swam through her head on what she was going to do if he didn't find her in time.
She thought she was doing everything right in regards to their relationship and that they were in a good place and was ready to move forward. But she found herself questioning all of this now in the final hour of her deadline. After one more desperate sweep of the room she saw the outfit she chose for Serena running by and she quickly made her way over to talk to her, "Serena, have you seen Nate?"
But Serena just ran right past her, Blair grabbed onto her wrist and tried to pull her back as she called, "Hey!" but the girl who she assumed was Serena slipped out of her grasp and fled leaving Blair with something in her hand. As Blair examined the piece of jewelry, she instantly recognized it from earlier in her penthouse and felt her anger over the entire situation boil over as she realized that the girl she saw wasn't Serena and she whispered with venom, "Jenny."
Just when she spoke the name the crowd around her yelled out at the end of their countdown, signaling that midnight had come and everyone took off their masks excitedly. Blair rested her arm as she took her mask away from her face as she watched everyone be revealed, desperately still trying to find Nate. She turned around and there he was, looking completely lost and not even attempting to make it right.
With midnight came the end of the party, and everyone began to say their goodbyes and slowly trickle their way out of the venue. Blair had yet to say anything to Nate as she set up the clean-up crew for the night and said her goodbyes to her guests as they gushed over how great the party was and thanked her for inviting them. "At least someone had fun tonight," Blair thought silently to herself with a polite smile on her face.
As she picked up her gift bag and Nate placed her shawl over her arms to keep her warm, she saw Chuck making his way over to them with a look of irritation on his face as well as an ill fitted suit that he wasn't wearing at the beginning of the night and no shoes. Blair sighed as she spoke to him with a frown, "Looks like your night went as well as mine. What happened?"
"Blondie turned out to be a bitch and locked me up on the roof in only my undershirt and boxers," he sneered causing Blair to laugh a bit at how ironic the situation for him turned out to be.
As Chuck glared at her, obviously not seeing the humor in the situation, Blair handed him the bracelet still in her hand as the trio walked out of the building, "Turns out the blonde was none other than Jenny Humphrey. Ironic, no? I'll deal with her later."
Chuck lifted the bracelet in the air, examining it and recognizing it as the one the blonde was wearing earlier, proving Blair right. He scoffed to himself as he flipped the broken bracelet over and over again as he mused out loud, "Little Jenny Humphrey manages to get my pants off and have me not enjoy it; quite the accomplishment."
Blair glanced over at her best friend and smirked as he handed the bracelet back to her mentally deciding that this was considered strike one against the freshman, "Good thing someone else at the party was as lecherous as you, or you'd still be up on that roof, and, no, I don't want to know what you had to do to get that tux." She said without being asked, causing Chuck to smirk at her primness. He gave her a pointed look before glancing over to Nate that stood beside him as if to ask how her night went; Blair looked from Chuck to Nate before turning her head to the side away from the street, pressing her lips together before rolling her head back in the direction of the cars as her answer.
She glanced at Chuck and motioned her minions to her limo with, "This is me," as she walked away from the guys without a goodbye.
It was when she heard Nate say his goodbyes to Chuck and started to follow her as if everything was fine, that she made her decision; an answer to the question that Chuck had asked her towards the beginning of the night when her hopes were still so fresh for the night ending as perfectly as she planned. She turned and looked at Nate with a frown, "Unh- unh. No, you didn't find me by midnight. No happily ever after for you."
"Blair, I'm-I'm sorry." Nate apologized, but Blair was over the apologies. She needed action.
Blair couldn't believe that she was actually going to do this, but the more she thought about it and remembered how she felt as she waited and waited for Nate to even attempt to find her and he kept coming up short she realized that, for now, this was what was best for her.
She sighed as she said what needed to be said, "All I wanted was for us to start over, and you didn't even try," she pressed her lips together as she glanced at Chuck for strength as she said her final words to Nate, "I think we would do well with a break from each other. So you can figure out what it is that you want, because it doesn't feel like it's me."
She turned away and slid into her waiting limo without waiting for his response, feeling her heart break at the fact that he didn't even attempt to stop her or change her mind. It made her see with clarity that she did the right thing in giving them some time apart. As she looked at the boys as the driver shut her door she saw Chuck, her best friend, smile at her in approval and nodded his head to her as a sign of respect.
She sighed as she sat alone in the back of her car as it took her towards the waiting hotel suite that she set up for another blunder of an attempt to lose her virginity to the boy she loved. As she arrived at the hotel and checked in, she felt a tightening in her chest at what was waiting for her in that suite. She almost considered just going home, but remembered that her mother's party was there and even though the guests would most likely be gone, the last thing she needed to deal with was other people in her vulnerable state.
As she turned the key and took a breath to prepare herself for what awaited for her inside, she opened the door and frowned in confusion at what she found. There was no lit candles around the room, no flowers arranged artfully and "Moon River" was playing in the background as the flat screen tv in the living area played Breakfast at Tiffany's, and at the center of it all was no one other than Chuck Bass, sitting on the couch with a box of macaroons raised in the air towards her in offering.
Blair tilted her head to the side as she felt her eyes fill up with tears as she shut the door behind her as she asked, "What's all this? What are you doing here?"
Chuck took a deep breath and leaned back into the couch as he set the box of macaroons beside him, not taking his eyes off of Blair, "Well, after I dropped Nathaniel off at his place, I got bored," playing his gesture off as if it were no big deal or worse that Blair thought he pitied her, "I figured I'd stop by and see what you were up to. Plus I lost my phone when that Humphrey girl stole my clothing so it's not as if I could call one of my many playmates to entertain me. So, I figured I'd come see my best friend."
Blair felt her face scrunch up as she released a breath and looked away from him as tears started to fall down her face. "You were bored?" she asked softly as she looked back at him and slowly made her way towards the couch beside him, not sitting down just yet as she asked another question, motioning around her, "And when did you have time to undo…everything?"
"I made a call from the limo's phone on my way over, I figured you weren't in any rush to get here and Dorota said that you weren't home and told me about Eleanor's party." Chuck watched as she stood before him, at his words he saw her shoulders relax in relief as she sat down beside him and he felt compelled to wrap his arm around her as he held her close as she rested her head on his chest.
As Blair picked up a macaroon and took a bite as they watched her favorite movie, she felt as if she was going to be alright after all. She had her best friend there with her through what was probably the hardest night of her life so far and truly cared about her. His answer of calling to clear out the room showed that; at first she was afraid that he cleared it before she spoke with Nate, before she- Blair couldn't even think the words just yet.
All she knew was that she was grateful to have her best friend here to give her comfort without asking, and being what she needed him to be. "If he wasn't such a pig he'd make someone an excellent boyfriend if he put his mind to it," she thought silently to herself as she smiled.
A/N: Yeah, you read right. Blair and Nate technically broke up just now. Whatcha gonna say about that? Lol Frankly I loved writing this chapter. I feel that it's the start of truly making the story my own and I'm hopeful that you my readers are willing to stay with me on this crazy ride because it's just getting started. We all know what's due to happen next chapter, but it may not go just the way you think so, as I've proven in this chapter, I have no fears of taking things a step further! Reviews would be lovely and who didn't love Chuck in the middle and at the end of this chapter?!
I received a review this past week from an Alyxoxo21 and I was truly touched by her words and her encouragement of this story. And to show my appreciation I dedicate this chapter to her. It made me even jump into my writing and I wrote up a couple more chapters and did some outlines this week and let me tell you these next few chapters are probably my favorites.
I can't believe that we're about at the halfway mark of the first season and I honestly don't know if I'm ready for it to come. So much happens in season 2 with Chuck that would affect anyone involved in a relationship or even if they weren't. *sighs* But let's just focus on the here and now :)
I hope you love this chapter as much as I do, my dear friend Danae said she adored it so she's a pretty good judge of opinion on these types of things. Shout out to my beta EvelynBass don't forget to check out Return Someday. Speaking of which, unfortunately as with life, EveylnBass has been swamped with rl and she doesn't have as much time as she used to have to help me with this story. Because of this I'm looking for a second pre-reader/beta for this story to help with the load. I need someone who's a slight grammar Nazi and who loves Gossip Girl because my main focus is being true to the characters I write about. If you're interested send me a PM and I'll get back to you this week!
I'll see you guys next Saturday with Victor/Victrola and what you've all been waiting for!
Love to you all!
-Plei4fun