Chapter 25
Spotted: Jenny Humphrey wading in the MET fountain, fishing for change…
Blair Waldorf, seen dallying at a strip club on a Monday night.
It looks like the battle between the Queen B. and little J. has moved from the streets to the blogs. Who's sending this debasing dish? I have a feeling…
Blair got situated in her seat on the top of the steps of the MET with most of her minions for a breakfast meeting before school as Hazel and Elise got into their appropriate spots after arriving with Jenny Humphrey, laughing over something. Blair only needed one guess, it seemed little Jenny Humphrey was growing more bolder with each passing day now that she had managed to nab Asher as her boyfriend. Blair had to admit silently that Humphrey did well when she chose her first official boyfriend and it did exactly what she wanted, made her relevant in Blair's circle. Making it a bit harder for Blair to squash her like the bug she was.
Blair sighed as Iz and Kati checked their phones for the latest gossip girl blast and looked over at them as they released a laugh. Blair raised her brow silently and they wasted no time showing her what the blast said. Blair smirked in approval. The good thing about being Queen was that Blair didn't have to get her hands too dirty if she didn't want to, and Kati and Iz were more than happy for Blair to delegate to them the task of spreading rumors via Gossip Girl about Humphrey to make the freshman's stock fall.
As Jenny and her little group got settled, checking their phones, Blair found herself smirk as she tossed over a dime at Jenny, "A nice, shiny dime to add to your collection." Officially throwing down the gauntlet to the freshman; the group looked to their Queen but remained silent. Her feelings more than clear that Jenny Humphrey's safety in the group was only going to last so long so it was best that they don't get too attached, otherwise they run the risk of suffering the same consequences as the freshman. Everyone still remembered and talked about what happened that day that Penelope made the decision to defend the blonde's honor against the Queen, and Penelope was only just now slowly moving back up the social ladder, not nearly as high as she was before the incident.
Jenny Humphrey looked down at her lap where the coin fell and without hesitation responded, "Nice stockings, B. Going somewhere exotic tonight?" Her implications very clear in reference to an earlier Gossip Girl blast, causing Elise and Hazel to chuckle a little to themselves, but quickly stopped when their Queen's ice cold glare snapped to them.
Blair continued to look at them as they looked away from her in fear as she spoke, "So what are we doing tonight?"
"Asher's parents are in Cannes," Penelope explained, "So he and Jenny are throwing a party at his house, remember B?"
Blair smirked a bit as she turned to the freshman, "I don't recall receiving that particular invitation."
The group paused and looked towards Blair, it was a total social faux pox to have such an elite event and not to, at the very least, invite the Queen. Not only would it result in giving the event a low grade before people even came, if they even decide to go without the promise of the entire A-list in attendance. It was also very risky because it was a sign of disrespect and with that disrespect, a social death.
Jenny quickly explained with a light shrug, "Oh, it's just a really small get-together with just our closest friends. I just figured that you'd be busy with Chuck so I didn't want to bother you about it."
"Well Chuck is out of town with his father as a sort of Bachelor trip in Monte Carlo, but how could you possibly know…" Blair responded with a shrug as she watched the blonde freshman scramble.
"Sorry, Blair," Humphrey responded, obviously not sorry.
"Blair can take my place," Nelly Yuki volunteered eagerly, sitting on the step just beneath Blair with Kati and Iz.
"Invitations are nontransferable," Jenny snapped at the newcomer and looked back at Blair, "She's new to the group."
Blair rolled her eyes at the freshman's speaking of the obvious in regards to Nelly Yuki as she speared a piece of fruit from her fruit cup on her lap, "You know, just because your name's on the invite doesn't make you a hostess."
Before Jenny could respond, her phone began to ring. After looking at the caller ID she smirked in triumph over at Blair with a simple, "Oh! Then why is the party planner calling me? Excuse me, girls." With that parting shot the freshman stood and walked up the steps to take the call.
Blair didn't even bother looking after the girl as she addressed the minions, "Well I hope you girls have fun tonight then."
Iz quickly responded, "I wasn't even thinking of going, Blair. It's probably going to be just as lame as that birthday party we went to. Maybe we could go out for drinks and dancing?"
"Yeah, it'll be like old times," Kati smiled and nodded in agreement.
"Sounds like a plan," Blair nodded in approval just as Jenny came back with a sigh.
"Sorry. Floral emergency," the freshman explained as she stood in the center of the group, before pointing to both Penelope and Hazel, "Oh, and you will be happy to know that the entire unity lacrosse team R.S.V.P.'d!"
The girls squealed in excitement causing Blair to mentally roll her eyes at their desperation just as a car pulled up and out walked Asher. Silently, Blair watched the wannabes flock after the blonde to go greet him, Penelope, smartly chose to stay behind with Blair, Kati, Iz, and Nelly. Blair scoffed to herself as she began to speak out loud, "How did little Jenny Humphrey become the next Brook Astor?"
"The same way they all do," Iz said with a slight shake of her head as she watched the pathetic display.
"Marry up," Nelly answered
Just then, Blair's own phone began to ring. She smiled at who it was and stood up to take the call, "Hey Bass, how's the Bachelor party?"
"Surprisingly fun, not something I expected, but Bart and I have miraculously begun to bond during this trip," Chuck responded with a smirk.
"I'm glad," Blair replied with a smile, "Have you talked to Serena?"
"Yes I have, Waldorf, and she claims that she hasn't spoken to G in the past two weeks, so it seems we're in the clear, for now." Blair sighed softly as she nodded in agreement on the "for now" part as Chuck continued speaking, "It appears that you've been kept busy though, if Gossip Girl is anything to go by. That freshman is refusing to let go, isn't she?"
"Unfortunately. Did you know she had the nerve to supposedly plan a party and didn't invite me? I swear if it wasn't for her recent move of gaining a boyfriend of status, I'd say she was an amateur or just stupid." Blair responded as she watched the Humphrey in question get into the back of the Phantom with Asher and drove away.
"Well you can still call her an amateur since she has only been working on a decent defense, gaining Asher as a boyfriend is the only play she has done that worked in her favor," Chuck consoled his girlfriend.
Blair sighed, "True, but the semester is almost over and I need to destroy Jenny Humphrey before it ends otherwise who knows what the masses are going to think."
"You'll succeed. You're Blair Waldorf and there is no one more cunning than you when it comes to getting what you want. The freshman will mess up soon enough and you'll be there to take full advantage to make sure that it is a mess so big that she can't fix."
Blair smirked at the image, "You're right. I just need to be patient and the perfect ammunition will come to me. Anyway, go back to your father and have fun. Call me later?"
"Of course, I love you," Chuck responded with a smile.
"I love you too," Blair replied before hanging up the phone with a smile. Humphrey may have gotten a boyfriend with status, but Blair Waldorf had the boyfriend that had it all and then some. Asher was no Chuck Bass and if the freshman thought that he would be enough to rise to the ranks of Queen, she was more naïve than Blair thought to begin with.
xoxo
Later that afternoon, Blair dismissed her minions for lunch as a sign of goodwill, so they'd have the time to go shopping for Jenny Humphrey's party. Blair figured that she could afford to be generous since her throne wasn't at risk, more like her patience with the freshman. With their Queen's blessing the girls went off with the blonde freshman to prepare while Iz, Kati and Nelly went off to do some things for class since it was obvious their Queen was spending lunch with Serena for a private time. Blair felt so fortunate that they seemed to get what she needed without her having to go through the trouble of asking for it.
Blair didn't waste any time telling Serena about the lack of invite to the freshman's party and her outrage over it. Serena listened and quickly tried to ease Blair's mind, "It's a snub from one party, B. Plus what's the big deal anyway? You don't even like Asher."
Blair scoffed, "I didn't like last season's Louis Viutton patchwork bag either, but that doesn't mean I want to see it all over town on Jenny Humphrey's arm."
Serena smiled and nodded, "Touché."
Blair reached over and held Serena's hand, "What do you say to coming out with me, Kati, and Iz tonight? They decided to skip the party and I could use my best friend there."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I can't. I have dinner with the family," Serena sadly explained.
"Let me remind you of a little promise you made," Blair looked at her best friend as she began to recite the words Serena spoke not so long ago, "Don't go to France. I'll be there for you."
"I'm really sorry I've been distant," Serena apologized as she squeezed Blair's shoulder gently, "But things will be better soon, I promise."
Blair frowned down at her latte cup as she noticed Humpty Dumpty climbing up the stairs towards them, choosing to drop the subject with a muttered, "Obviously starting tomorrow."
"Hey," Humphrey greeted his girlfriend with a brief kiss before he moved to sit t down at their feet.
"Hey," Serena smiled before noticing the look on Dan's face, "What's wrong? You look stressed, even for you."
"I'm still worried about Jenny," Dan explained with a sigh.
"You mean because she's self-obsessed, self-serving, self-centered, self-," Blair began with a smirk as she continued to bash the freshman.
"No," Dan interrupted, "No, I wish it was about her and herself, but it's more about who she's with." Blair frowned, intrigued as Dan continue on, "I can't get through to her. I tried, and she just completely blew me off, and she dissed my pants."
"Maybe I underestimated her," Blair spoke aloud as she glanced briefly at said hideous pants.
"She's just going through a phase," Serena explained, "We all went through it. And apparently, some of us still are in it."
Blair shared a brief look with Serena before turning her attention back to Humphrey to give him a bit of her own advice, "All that matters to someone like Jenny right now are the four G's: Guys, girlfriends, and Gossip Girl."
Serena looked down at her boyfriend with a nod as she took his hand in her own, "it's true. Don't feel bad. Unless it's coming from one of them, she's not going to hear it."
As the conversation wrapped up and the threesome split up to go to class, Blair began to silently think on her words of advice to Dan Humphrey. Maybe Chuck was right earlier, all Blair needed to do was be patient and wait for Jenny Humphrey to make a mess or a scandal so large that she couldn't recover from and exploit it. After all the freshman did it once with stealing Hazel's mother's Valentino, it was only a matter of time before did something else out of desperation again.
xoxo
This just in: Asher Hornsby spotted locking lips before class…but not with his girlfriend. Looks like gentlemen don't prefer blondes, little J. they prefer other gentlemen.
Is this just another round of blanks fired between B. and little J?
I'm tired of being the bearer of bad grudges.
This is the last item that goes to press without proof.
Blair smirk as she saw the latest Gossip girl blast as she headed to class with Iz and Kati, not at all perturbed about the new rule that Gossip girl decided to enforce, after all a picture is worth way more words than a mere rumor can circulate.
"I'm so glad Gossip Girl finally got her balls back," Iz spoke up as the group stood looking at their phones, "It was one thing if she posted a few of the things I sent, but to send everything?"
Kati nodded in agreement when their Queen didn't rebuke Iz, "She was totally turning into the new "Page six"."
Blair smiled as she passed by the rest of her minions as she headed to class, "Hope you girls have fun tonight." She called out to them as she continued on, not breaking her stride.
"Low blow," Jenny spoke as Blair glanced at the freshman.
Blair smirked as she fired back, "Wasn't me. Wish it was." Before continuing down the hall, not caring if the freshman believed her or not, already having an idea on who sent in the tip since Kati and Iz were just as shocked with the gossip as she was when they first received the text. Luckily she didn't have to look too far as she passed by her best friend in the courtyard and found her target.
"Dan Humphrey. Just who I hate to admit I was looking for," she said with a smirk as she stopped him from leaving as she spoke bluntly, "You're dirty."
"Wha- uh, what are you talking about?" Dan asked with a look of obvious guilt on his face.
"Cheating, drinking, drugs: it's all fair game," Blair said as she tilted her head to the side before she continued on with a laugh, "But outing your sister's boyfriend is dark. How did squeaky-clean Humphrey even come up with that?"
Dan rubbed his jaw with a sigh, knowing he had been caught, "I didn't come up with anything."
"Oh, my god," Blair said with a devious smirk, "You know something. Spill it."
"Yeah, I might have seen Asher kissing another guy," Dan said reluctantly.
Blair honestly could not have been happier. This was exactly what she needed to get rid of that blonde freshman for good! She just needed to know who it was that Asher was kissing and, since Humphrey was in such a giving mood, she figured that she may as well ask him, "So it's true? Who was he kissing?"
"I don't know. I couldn't see," Dan said with a shrug, closing his eyes, "But what does that even matter?"
Blair sighed as she explained, knowing exactly how to spin it in her favor, "Right now Gossip Girl's credibility is the same as Tinsely Mortimer's after a few martinis. But if I can prove that his duplicity is more than just a rumor, then they'll break up. That's what you want, isn't it?"
"Well, yeah, I guess," Dan spoke reluctantly.
Blair decided to send her point home while she spoke firmly, "Asher's just using your sister as a cover. It's your brotherly duty to save her from becoming the next Katie Holmes."
"And you're in this to help Jenny?" Dan asked, obviously wising up to Blair's motives.
"Motive is irrelevant as long as our endgame is the same," Blair said with a light shrug of her shoulder.
"No, Blair, this is not a game to me okay?" Dan tried to explain, "I don't want her to get hurt."
"Well, you should have thought that through before you told all of Manhattan that Jenny's a glorified hag," Blair spoke bluntly.
Dan sighed and looked away with a shake of his head before responding tiredly, "You know what? You're on your own."
Blair shrugged as she watched Humphrey walk away. She leaned against the stone patio table behind as she began to plan on her next move, speaking softly with a grin, "Suit yourself."
Later on that afternoon, Blair was smiling happily with her good fortune with a bag from Bergdorf's that held her new dress that she planned to wear tonight when she cashed Jenny Humphrey's party tonight and hopefully take down that blonde, Brooklyn freshman for good. She beamed as her two favorite and most trusted minions, Kati and Iz, came in after her, ready to report their findings. Blair found herself smiling as she carefully took out her dress for the evening to hang it up so it wouldn't wrinkle as she said faintly to herself, "Whoever said that money doesn't buy happiness didn't know where to shop. Lucky for me, I may have to go to Jenny Humphrey's party after all."
Blair hopped up onto her bed as her minions did the same, sharing her joy in the potential takedown of the evening. Blair knew that they were just happy to be involved this time since Blair usually turned to Chuck, but with her usual partner in crime away temporarily, Blair could sense how grateful her minions were to be of use to get rid of the current thorn in Blair's side. Everyone knew that Blair Waldorf could be very generous to those who've shown their loyalty during trying times. "Did you get it?" Blair asked excitedly as she got herself situated.
The two nodded and Kati handed over the item in question happily, "Lucky for you, Iz knows five ways to sneak into the Unity boy's locker room, and six to sneak out."
Blair smirked as she looked over at Iz and began to turn on Asher's phone that she had retrieved from his locker as Iz commented, "Asher takes an abnormally long shower after practice."
Blair scrunched up her nose at the information as Kati speculated, "Maybe his lacrosse stick isn't the only thing he likes to play with."
The minions laughed as Blair checked over the merchandize, lightly bit her bottom lip as she searched for the silver bullet she needed. "Why'd you want his phone so badly anyway?" Iz asked respectfully, hoping to get a juicy detail.
"It was once said that a person's eyes are the windows to their soul," Blair began as she looked at Iz with a smirk as she forwarded all the contents of the phone to her e-mail account, "that was before people had cell phones."
Unfortunately for the minions, Blair's hint was lost on them as they silently watched their Queen log onto her laptop and proceeded to flip through her new e-mail messages from Asher's phone as she started the process of finding what she was looking for. Blair only had so much time before the party tonight was set to begin and she needed everything to be set for this particular takedown.
xoxo
Breaking news: Asher Hornsby overheard bragging that Little J swiped her V card at his register. Didn't anyone teach you, J? You shouldn't give away the ending if you want him to pick up the book again.
xoxo
Gossip Girl
Blair glanced at her phone and saw the latest blast and scoffed at the obvious lie. It's amazing what little Jenny Humphrey would do just to remain relevant in Blair's circle. Blair knew that the Brooklyn mouse was desperate, but it was to the point of pathetic that Blair felt that any smidgen of doubt she had to sparing the freshman had be removed from her thoughts at the sight of the latest blast. She didn't believe for one moment that Jenny Humphrey didn't give up her V-card to Asher this afternoon, not after the information she had acquired and after tonight, everyone on the Upper East Side would know it too. Blair was grateful that she had already sent Kati and Iz to go home and get ready for the "takedown party" that Blair had come to rename it after she spoke to Dan Humphrey and began her mission to find out Asher's secret and the proof to prove it. She didn't need those two gossiping and speculating around her while Blair was working. All Blair needed was to find out who it was that Asher was sneaking around with and some photographic evidence…
It was then that Blair found it. The silver bullet, the evidence she needed to take down both Asher and Jenny Humphrey for good, but in order to take down them both, she'd be hurting someone else who she only just found out was also involved. A person she had already hurt once this year and refused to do so again. Blair quickly picked up her cell phone to make a call. Fortunately, Serena answered after two rings, "B., now's not a good time."
Blair quickly responded as she continued to look at her evidence on her computer, "It's important."
"Look, I know I told you I'd be more available, but I just can't right now," Serena continued on without even bothering to listen to Blair's pleas.
"But it can't wait," Blair tried to explain, but scoffed in frustration as she heard the call disconnect. Blair was honestly straddling a decision that she knew needed to be made very soon. Since she couldn't talk to Serena, she decided to talk to someone else who was equally invested in the person in question.
"Waldorf, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Chuck greeted after a few rings.
Blair sighed in relief, "You were right."
"I usually am, but please, be specific," Chuck smirked into the phone.
"What you said earlier about Jenny Humphrey creating her own mess and my being able to take advantage of it. It's happened, but, of course, there's a catch," Blair explained, trying to figure out how to do this the right way.
"All good things usually do. What's the price?" Chuck asked as he leaned against the wall, not in any rush to get back to the party.
Blair took a deep breath before proceeding, "Well, I'm sure you've read on Gossip Girl some of the rumors about Jenny Humphrey's boyfriend, Asher?"
"Yes, I can't say that I'm surprised though," Chuck responded, wondering where this was going.
"Well it turns out that it's true. I did a little digging and I have proof that he's involved with someone, and I can easily expose it, but the thing is-," Blair knew she was losing her momentum and was grateful when Chuck interrupted.
"Blair, I'm sorry, Eric is on the other line. Can I call you back?" Chuck asked concerned, knowing that Blair needed him as well as his future little brother needed him.
Blair quickly reassured him, "Yes, go ahead and talk to him. I'm just going to go get dressed for this thing while I wait for you to call me back. Send him my love?"
Chuck nodded even though he knew that she couldn't see him, "I will and thank you, for being so understanding about this."
Blair smiled faintly as she looked at her laptop screen, "I know how important Eric has become to you. He's important to all of us. I love you."
"I love you too," Chuck said softly before clicking over to Eric, "Eric, what can I do for you? Blair sends her love by the way."
"Hey Chuck," Eric spoke softly into the phone, sounding devastated.
Chuck immediately grew more concerned, "Eric? What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, I just needed to talk to someone and since you've always been very non-judgmental about everything we've talked about in the past…," Eric broke off hesitantly.
"Eric, you know you can tell me anything. I'm the last person to judge anyone, and I consider you my brother. And I protect mine with everything that I have," Chuck explained firmly into the phone, little bits from his conversation with Blair a few seconds ago began to trickle into Chuck's mind and he began to get the feeling that this was a defining moment for Eric Van Der Woodsen and his brother needed him to be his brother.
After a brief moment of silence, in which Chuck assumed Eric was gathering his courage, Eric spoke into the phone, "Georgina came over for dinner tonight with mom and Serena. She told them that she saw me and…she saw me kissing Asher Hornsby in front of the school."
Chuck felt his anger towards the psycho bitch increase tenfold, but refrained from letting it show in his voice, "So she took you out of the closet and Lily and Serena took it…?"
Eric sighed in relief at Chuck taking it so well, "You don't sound surprised by this…."
"I had an inkling that you were less into women, but I decided that you'd tell me when you were ready to, and simply be there like I am now to help you through it," Chuck responded with the truth. Just like the whole Asher rumor wasn't surprising to him, neither was Eric's coming out. Chuck had a reputation for not missing anything in regards to the people in his circle and around him, but, like he said, it wasn't his place to pass judgment. "Now, tell me how the rest of your family took it?"
Eric took a deep breath before answering, "Mom could barely look at me. At first she just denied it for me and then she finally asked me…and she just started crying. I couldn't bear to stick around to watch the rest."
Chuck closed his eyes, "You and I both know your mother isn't always the most observant when it comes to her children. She just had this bomb dropped on her lap. Now I agree she didn't handle it well, but you have to cut her some slack. To her it came out of left field with no warning, thanks to Georgina."
"I know you're right, it's just…it made me feel that I was wrong for having the feelings that I had," Eric explained softly.
"Is this the way that Asher makes you feel? As if what your feeling is wrong?" Chuck asked.
"He insists on keeping us a secret, and with him dating Jenny. It feels a lot of the time like he's ashamed of me. At first it felt like it was in my best interest to keep quiet because of what everyone would think about me being….gay, but lately with his current public relationship, I feel that it was more for his best interests to stay quiet," Eric did his best to articulate his point of view.
"Listen, Eric, you're a great guy. Remember what Blair said to you after your "make better" transformation? That anyone would be lucky to have you, and you don't deserve to be someone's dirty secret. You deserve to have what I have with Blair or even Serena has with Dan," Chuck spoke firmly into the phone, "My advice? Go talk to him and get the respect that you deserve."
"It's going to be hard," Eric responded softly.
"I don't think you'll be alone, Blair called me just before you did involving Asher and this current rumor and that was before she told me to send you her love. So you know you have Waldorf in your corner," Chuck smirked a bit into the phone.
Eric chuckled a bit, "Yeah, okay. Thanks."
Chuck heard someone call out to Eric through the phone and decided to let Eric go so he could call back his girlfriend, "I'll let you go, but I expect an update later. Give them hell."
"I will, bye," Eric finished, sounding better than he was when he first called; As Eric hung up the phone, Chuck heard Serena asking who Eric was talking to and found himself sighing in relief that someone in that household was at least making an effort to support Eric.
Chuck quickly called Blair back on the phone, grateful when she answered it quickly with, "Hey, is he okay?"
"He's fine, apparently that bitch Georgina was lurking around town and made an appearance tonight at dinner," Chuck explained as he rubbed his face in frustration.
"What?" Blair asked in outrage, "What did she do?"
"Apparently she told Lily and Serena at the dinner table that Eric was gay. Let's just say Lily didn't take it well and Eric got upset over it," Chuck sighed, "He told me he was seeing Asher, so I'm assuming that was what you were going to tell me earlier?"
Blair slipped on her heels for the party, having finished her overall look for the evening, "Yes, I also wanted your advice on it. I already accidentally hurt Eric once this year; I don't want to do it again. He should be off limits."
Chuck nodded in agreement, "I agree, and after talking to Eric about Asher...this guy doesn't seem to be good for Eric either. So my advice to you, my Queen: Take him down and out, but keep Eric out of it. He's been drug out of the closet enough for one day."
Blair immediately agreed, "I will do that. I may want Jenny Humphrey gone for good, but not at the expense of Eric. Hopefully I can just blackmail Asher to leave without following through, but I will leave Eric out of whatever I do."
"I know you will. I have to head back, but keep me updated?" Chuck asked as he began to make his way back to the room where his father and Prince Albert were last seen.
"You know I will," Blair smirked into the phone as she got everything prepared, "Have fun. I know I will."
Chuck smirked as he hung up the phone. This was probably the first time since he was away from New York that he wished that he was there. He had no doubts that thanks to Blair, heads would roll tonight and he only wished that he could be there to see it in person.
xoxo
Blair slid out of the back of her town car, followed by Kati and Iz with a smile on her face along with a look of determination. She was determined to make Asher Hornsby pay for the sins he has done against Eric, if not tonight than sometime in the very near future. Blair didn't get her reputation as a fiercely loyal friend by accident. People thought that her take downs her legendary, but the ones that were most easily brought to mind were when she felt her friends/loved ones were wronged by a person. Mess with Blair Waldorf and it's social suicide, but mess with those she cares about…expect to be massacred.
Blair smiled at the party goers as she passed, taking off her coat, knowing that she looked great, as she watched her presence was being made know to all as she began to hear the whispers. Everyone knew that Blair wasn't actually invited to the party and it was a big deal that the Queen of the school actually showed up anyway; it meant that she was there to make the party one to remember and no so much with pleasure for the host and hostess.
Blair smirked as that freshman, Elise, scampered away to go tell Jenny Humphrey of this new development as Nelly Yuki came over to Blair with a smile, "You look…"
"I know," Blair replied with a smile.
"Jenny's going to freak," Iz said covertly to Nelly with a smile.
Blair smirked at the smell of a take down in the air, speaking to all three of the girls, "Watch and learn, ladies. The most important parties to attend are the ones you're not invited to." Blair handed off her coat to Nelly as she asked, "Where's the host? I have something for him?" Blair waved a phone in her hand as she turned and continued on in search of her target, not breaking her stride.
Fortunately it didn't take Blair long to find him in the crowd, briefly noticing that Penelope and Hazel were with Jenny Humphrey a good distance away, giving Blair the relief of not being overheard until she deemed the time was right. Blair used the back of the cell phone in her hand and patted Asher on his shoulder to gain his attention. When he turned towards her, Blair got right to the point, "We need to talk."
At the sight of his phone in Blair's hand, Asher asked the group he was with to give them some space. Good. Maybe it was a sign that he was going to play this the smart way. "I thought you might want this back," Blair said with a smirk as she waved his phone in the air, not releasing it.
"Whatever you found, it's not what it looks like," Asher said lamely.
"It's always what it looks like," Blair replied bluntly, sensing her minions behind her to watch the show, she continued on, "And judging by the texts and photos, it looks like a little more than friendship."
"What are you going to do with them?" Asher spoke; fear showing in his eyes as he finally understood that he was under Blair's mercy.
"Well, lucky for you, your friend is someone I actually care about, or I would've used them against you and Jenny already," Blair explained with a light shrug, unaware that someone was about to join the conversation. "Too bad you don't care about him the same way."
"It's okay, Blair, I can handle this," Eric stepped out of the crowd and stood beside her. Blair quietly stepped to the right to allow him to have room and to say what he needed to say; whatever it was, Blair would support him.
"What's he doing here?" Asher said in outrage.
"What is she doing here?" Jenny came through the crowd, followed by the rest of the minions.
"You going to tell her or am I?" Eric asked, not backing down. Blair had never been more proud of him for choosing to stick to his guns.
"There's nothing to tell," Asher said with a forced laugh.
"Gossip Girl was right," Eric said loudly to their entire group, "Asher was kissing someone this morning…me."
The ripple of shock went through everyone that was able to hear and the whispers trickled back to the ones who couldn't as Asher went on in denial of the claims, "He's totally lying. Tell him, Jenny. I was with you all morning."
Blair silently watched the supposed "couple" as the looked at each other, intrigued with what was going to happen next as Jenny spoke up, "Yeah. Asher's right. I was with him. Eric's lying."
Blair just shook her head at the obvious lie and the lack of loyalty the freshman had to Eric. He was probably the only one in their crowd that genuinely liked her as a person and didn't care where she came from or what she could offer, and here she was throwing him under the bus; the lack of loyalty made Blair's stomach turn and made her despise the blonde Brooklynite even more than before.
"Why would I stand here, in front of everyone we know, and tell them if it wasn't true?" Eric asked the obvious question. "I'm gay…and so are you," Eric finished glaring at Asher.
"Get this Faggot out of here!" Asher yelled in disgust, causing Blair to glare at the insect in front of her and the vermin beside him choosing to protect him.
Eric leaned towards Blair and said swiftly, "Go ahead and do it," before he turned and left the party. Blair glanced towards him as he left with his blessing to Blair's original plan.
Choosing to not waste any more time, Blair set to work and sent everything to Gossip Girl from Asher's phone. She had just hit send as Asher realized that he wasn't quite in the clear and snatched the phone away from her as he asked, "What did you just do?"
"You'll see," Blair said with a smirk and a shrug as she turned her attention to Jenny, not saying anything to the freshman as the couple squirmed before Blair turned her back on them and left them to be destroyed with the truth, deciding to stay and watch the fireworks.
Weekend Update: A same-sex kiss hasn't caused this much controversy since Britney and Madonna. Looks like Little J. didn't spread her legs after all. She spread lies instead. Asher's gay and I have the correspondence to prove it.
Blair felt her smile grow in victory as everyone's phones went off in unison as she was followed by her entire group of minions. With Asher being pushed out of the closet and Jenny Humphrey lying to one and all about her supposedly losing her virginity, along with everything else the freshman had done this year, Blair could safely declare her done. Blair sighed in satisfaction at the fact that there was no coming back from this for little Jenny Humphrey.
"Looks like someone needs a semester in France," Blair said lightly as she turned towards her group, leaning against a side table. "Why don't we go get our things girls? It's probably best that we be leaving, yes?"
Everyone nodded in agreement as Elise went off to get everyone's coats and wraps as was her job while Jenny tried her best to salvage what was left of her social standing, which was nothing at all. "Wait guys, we can still have fun. Don't leave," the blonde freshman pled pathetically.
"It's kind of hard to party after the Gay bomb drops," Hazel explained, "but I'm going to do something out of character and give you the benefit of the doubt. Tell us Gossip Girl is wrong."
The group looked to their Queen as Hazel gave the freshman an out, to which Blair simply shrugged and smiled in agreement to wanting the answer even though she already knew that it was true as she watched Jenny squirm under their gaze, waiting. It didn't escape her attention that, even though Hazel was the one attempting to give the freshman a chance, Hazel was still firmly standing with Blair and the rest of the girls as a sign of loyalty.
"Did you or did you not sleep with Asher, Little J?" Blair asked as she shifted her weight.
"I…may have exaggerated a little bit," Jenny reluctantly admitted as she looked down to the floor, knowing that the game for her was over.
Penelope scoffed, "Dating a gay guy is an honest mistake, but lying to your girlfriends about sex is unforgivable."
"To think, I almost asked you to wear a matching dress tonight," Kati spoke up in disgust.
"You're branded now with the "L" word," Nelly hit the final nail on the head.
"Liar," Elise finished firmly, cementing that Jenny Humphrey had no allies in her corner.
Hazel turned towards her Queen as she tucked her clutch under her arm as she asked, "So what are we doing tonight?"
Blair lifted her head and tilted it to the side, "We are doing nothing. Two bad parties in one semester is exhausting, I hope it's not the beginning of a trend. I, however, am going home. But…I'm thinking maybe tomorrow, dinner at the Waverly and then 151 for drinks."
Blair smirked as the group nodded in agreement for the plan almost desperately and simply said, "I'll have Dorota blackberry everyone an itinerary." With one final glance at the fallen freshman, Blair turned and took her coat from Elise and left with a solid victory under belt.
Don't look so sad, Little J. The sun will come out tomorrow…even though your boyfriend did today.
xoxo
As Blair arrived home, she sat down on the lounger in her sitting room as she pulled up her laptop to look at her handy work in pure joy. One thing off of her list of things she wanted done by the end of semester and it was done with a complete photo finish. No one was going to forget this take down and Blair's position as Queen was set for the rest of the semester and summer. Blair began to reflect over all that had gone down this school year. How much things have changed.
She started off thinking that she was in love with Nate Archibald and that he and she were meant to be together forever. And then her best friend Serena returned home after being away for almost a whole year, causing everything to flip and the truth to come out. Although Blair was hurt then, she was now grateful because now she had found what real love was with Chuck. He was everything she had wanted in a boyfriend and so much more.
She was in a good place with those that mattered to her; even she and Eleanor were slowly forming an actual mother/daughter relationship. Blair's life was actually perfect and it wasn't just in Blair's head anymore! Blair was pulled from her thoughts at the sound of her phone ringing beside her. She smiled at who it was and answered eagerly, "I'm assuming you're calling because you saw the blast?"
"Yes, I did, but, Waldorf, I thought we agreed that Eric was going to stay out of it?" Chuck asked, obviously upset.
Blair quickly worked to soothe him, "I was going to, but Eric gave his blessing for me to post the text messages and photos after he told everyone at the party about him being gay. Honestly, Chuck, you would have been so proud of him; I know I was and still am."
Chuck sighed in relief at the news, "Well I'm glad that at least this was his decision. He's had enough people taking away his choices this year."
Blair nodded with a soft sigh, "I agree. You would not believe that Little Jenny Humphrey attempted to protect Asher when Eric first spoke up. It was pathetic that she held no loyalty to him, when he was probably her only true friend."
"Social climbers don't recognize true friendships, especially Jenny. She's under the delusion that her "real" friends are those minions of yours," Chuck said softly in thought.
"Now all she has left is what she started with, if even that," Blair added as she heard the sound of her elevator bell going off, informing her that she had a guest. "Chuck, I have to go, but I'll call you later, okay?"
"Okay. I love you," Chuck responded with a soft smile.
Blair felt herself beaming in pleasure as the blonde freshman walked in, "I love you too. Bye." Blair set her phone down and laced her hands together as she was approached by Jenny Humphrey, "My, my. If it isn't Little J., risen from the ashes."
"I came to tell you in person…" Jenny began, "You win."
Blair released a light chuckle as she slapped her hand down lightly on her thigh, "Oh, sweetie. We just started to play."
"No, you don't understand," Jenny shook her head, "I'm done…with you, with them, with all of it."
Blair tilted her head to the side as she saw that the blonde was on the verge of tears, but chose to stand strong and refused to let them fall. "Just like that, you wave the white flag?"
"I lied, and I stole, and I lost the respect of my family…for what?" Jenny asked, "So I can be like you? You asked me before if it was all worth it. My answer is, it's not."
Blair began to feel a bit sorry for the girl as she watched her walk away and called out to her, "I tried to warn you…there's a price to pay." As Jenny slowly turned towards Blair, Blair scoffed to herself, "I always knew a girl like you couldn't afford it."
"Well, you were right," Jenny conceded.
Blair took a deep breath as she leaned back into her chair, "Well, you put up a good fight…for freshman."
"Thanks," Jenny said softly.
Blair watched the girl just stand there and began to grow impatient, "I hope you don't expect a hug."
Jenny just shook her head and stated, "I don't expect anything anymore," before turning and leaving Blair's penthouse for, hopefully, the last time.
A few hours later after Jenny Humphrey left, Blair was preparing to head upstairs for her late night phone call with Chuck, as was tradition, before bed. Even though she knew that he was going to be home by the next morning, but Blair found that she had a hard time falling asleep without at least hearing his voice before she got settled in. Fortunately for her, Chuck was more than willing to indulge her. Blair sighed happily as she turns off all the lights, pausing at the sound of her elevator bell going off. Blair wrapped her silk robe around herself tightly as she slowly walked out of the kitchen towards the foyer where her best friend was slowly walking in, obviously upset.
Blair slowly made her way over to Serena carefully, very concerned about what had happened. Her mind immediately going to Georgina and the mess that the psycho had been stirring up for the past month, before she quickened her pace as Serena spoke her name, her voice breaking as she speaks, "Blair?"
"Serena, what are you doing here? It's late," Blair looked at her friend in concern as she took her friend's, who was a sister to her, hand in her own. Blair began to feel helpless as she watched Serena begin to sob. "Oh my god. What's happened? What's wrong?" She asked desperate to get to some answers.
Serena shook her head as she tried to turn away, but Blair held onto her firmly, "Talk to me."
"I can't," Serena sobbed in denial.
"Of course you can," Blair rebuked firmly.
Serena just continued to sob as she shook her head, "No. No, B., this is the one thing I can't tell you. I can't tell anyone."
"I'm not anyone. I'm me. You can tell me anything," Blair continued to speak firmly in order to get through to her best friend.
Serena continued to shake her head as she cried, making her way over to sit down on the stairs beside them as she spoke again, barely understandable, "No, I can't…because then that'd make you a part of it, and you can't be a part of this."
Blair frowned in confusion as she sat down beside Serena on the stairs, her fear growing as Serena kept going on about how she couldn't tell her what happened, leading Blair to only think the worse. At that point, Blair just wanted to help her friend and would do anything to accomplish that as she assured her, "What are you talking about? You're starting to scare me." As Serena continued to cry, Blair took a different approach, "Hey, hey, hey. We're sisters. You're my family. What is you, is me. There's nothing that you could ever say to make me let go. I love you."
As Serena continued to remain silent, Blair begged, "What is it?"
Serena took a deep breath and just blurted out, "I killed someone."
Ah yes, the truth always comes out. It's one of the fundamental rules of time. And when it comes out, it can set you free…or end everything you fought so hard for.
Another way the truth comes out, when you don't even mean it to...or when without saying a word, it's still loud and clear.
But the worst thing the truth can do is when you finally tell it, it doesn't set you free, but locks you away forever.
A/N: Just as I promised! Here's chapter 25 and chapter 26 is going to be posted on Saturday afternoon! Unfortunately, with Serena taking the center stage in these last few episodes, that results in my chapters being a bit shorter since they are less Chair-centric and that makes me sad! But you know me! I usually make it worth your time, after all it's about the quality of the work, not the quantity, right?
So, what do you think of the little J take down? With B still Queen throughout this entire experience, I hoped that I was able to show how different and more careful the minions like Hazel and Penelope had to be in regards to showing loyalty to J by way of friendship, or in P's case none at all since she still very much remembers what happened the last time stuck her neck out for the girl. I figured with B giving her blessings to them to go, gave them a reason to be present to witness the take down.
Plus, I've noticed that I've had B be a bit more nicer to the minions, like she was taking S's advice to a point from the last chapter, but she was only nice to a point before she snapped back to being a bitch and I feel that that is how B rules as Queen. She's a nice person when she gets her way, but she has a short span of patience for certain people. I like to call it a low tolerance for idiots (she and I have that in common)lol.
But anyway! You guys do not want to hear my psychoanalysis on my characters on why they do the things they do, so moving on! I know there's not a lot of Chucky, but he was off bonding with Bart! You at least got to hear his phone conversation with Eric when he was pushed out of the closet! He's such a great big brother!
Review and tell me your thoughts! I love you all and I can't believe that we're almost at the end and I'm almost at the 100 review mark! Who's going to get me to the other side? Because I personally lean towards the 100+ review FF when I'm on the hunt for something to read before I even read the summary and it just warms my heart that my story is about to join that first glance phase of my search if I wasn't already writing it lol if that makes any sense.
See you Saturday and I'm going to go ahead and wish myself a happy birthday! Tuesday is the official day, but Saturday night is my celebration day! ;)
-Plei4fun