Another afternoon and another study session up in Blair's bedroom. Rumpled on the floor was Dan's St Judes blazer, along with his tie and shirt tossed beside a ruby red headband. She comfortably rested on top of him with her own shirt slightly unbuttoned, showing off a slight amount of cleavage as well as her bra.

It had been a few weeks since Nate and Blair had broken up. No one knew the full story and many believed they were still together. It wasn't a topic that was discussed given that so many hook ups happening at various parties. Nate and Blair were the golden couple, but very little drama surrounded the perfect couple.

Behind doors, Dan and Blair were together. It wasn't official but it felt real. They'd stay up late watching movies together, order takeout and engage in hot make out sessions after school. She'd managed to keep it hidden from everyone. The same as she'd managed to not let it escape that Nate had cheated on her with Serena. Not even Dan knew and for the time being she intended to keep it that way. She hated Serena with all she had but there was something within Blair that still made her want to protect her.

Dan arched his back, grabbing onto the bed sheets with his hand and gripping them tightly as he writhed underneath the touch of Blair's soft lips. She placed painfully slow kisses down his bare chest, rubbing her hands against his hard-on through his restricting uniform pants. It felt too good. Holding back was the hardest thing he'd ever tried to accomplish. His shoulder blades dug into her soft mattress, letting small groans escape from his lips. She knew exactly how to touch him and send shivers down his spine. He moved his hands up her thigh, feeling the soft fabric of her tights as he pulled her skirt up.

"You're really, really good at doing that, Waldorf," he said in a deep voice, running one hand through her hair.

"Should I stop?" She asked with a teasing smile, tracing her fingers against Dan's stomach.

"Definitely not."

Both his hands moved down her back and cupped her firm ass. He was honestly surprised he hadn't prematurely ejaculated from all this heavy petting. There was no way he was about to push for sex. He respected Blair's boundaries too much to insist on something that he wasn't even sure he was ready for. There was no harm in playing around though surely.

Dan pulled her back up so her lips were able to meet his. He rolled her over onto her back, thrusting into her and evidently rubbing his erection against her crotch. Her fingers dug into his shoulders. Would it be wrong to just give in and do it? All Blair wanted to do was ignore the restrictions she'd allowed society to put on her. It was her own personal pleasure she wanted to seek out and explore, wasn't she entitled to having it?

At that moment, the Waldorf elevator dinged and this altered both Dan and Blair that an unexpected guest had arrived.

"Stay here and don't make a sound," Blair said, pushing her finger against Dan's lips before giving him one last kiss and slipping out from underneath him.

She practically skipped down the stairwell after buttoning up her top, grinning to herself. However, the smile evaporated into the cool air as her eyes fell on Nate's baby blues.

"Nate, what are you doing here?" She viciously asked, clearly put angered by his presence. She was sick of listening to his excuses; she'd heard a plentiful amount on her inbox. Enough was enough.

"I came to talk… about us. I know I have given you so many reasons to hate me but –," Nate said before Blair quickly cut him off in a snarky tone.

"Mostly just the one big reason, but do go on, Archibald."

He inhaled deeply, knowing that it was a lost cause. Like he'd constantly reminded himself, he had lost Blair. That was something he couldn't fix.

"We've been through so much, all of us. I hurt you. Badly. And I'm sorry, I really am. I wasn't honest with you and I kept hiding the truth because I didn't know how to handle everything. I am not trying to make excuses for why I did what I did, I just… I need to make things right with you. We've been planning on going to cotillion together since that time we went to Kati's party in freshmen year. I know things are different now, but I still feel the same."

She didn't forgive him. She couldn't forgive him. She'd tuned out of listening to everything he'd said until he mentioned cotillion and the time they'd began to talk about it. It did revoke some of her happier memories with Nate and stroked Blair's nostalgia.

"I'll go with you."

Her reasoning for saying yes had nothing to do with her feelings for him. Having him as her date meant he wouldn't be Serena's. It meant that no one would ask any questions about her love life. She didn't care about Serena's reputation, but she couldn't have anyone know that her best friend had sex with her boyfriend. It was humiliating. One last society event to diminish everything that was Nate and Blair, that's what she had in mind. She deserved to have her fairytale cotillion.

"I mean, it is the sensible thing to do. We learned the dance together, we fitted together; it is what is expected and that's it, Nate. It doesn't change anything."

Nate nodded and looked down at her hand to see the ruby ring he'd given her. Her wearing it made him feel that maybe she didn't hate him as much as she let on.

"I'll see you Friday, then."

After Blair was sure Nate was gone, she went back upstairs and found Dan standing near the staircase.

"You're going with him?" Dan asked, genuinely surprised.

"It's just a dance."

"That's fine, I don't have a problem with it. I mean, it is a little weird but like you said, it is just a dance."

Dan's neurotic side was in full heat and he knew he had to leave before he suffocated himself with his insecurities. He grabbed onto Blair's waist and pulled her into a kiss, reminding her that he was still the same Dan that had managed to captivate her.

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

Blair responded with a nod, watching him exit the penthouse.

On his way out, he ran into Serena in the foyer. It didn't come as a huge surprise to him, seeing as he believed them still to be friends. He'd managed to maintain his friendship with Serena as well as Nate, which had mostly gone unnoticed by Blair herself.

"Dan, hey," Serena said, excited to see him, "what are you doing here?"

He felt like he'd been caught out. Was it obvious? He shook his head, realizing that Serena wasn't exactly the brightest girl in the world. She might not have noticed his untucked shirt or loosely done on tie.

"Me and Blair study together in the afternoons. I'm really good at English Lit and she's really good at… well, everything."

Serena responded with a smile, nodding in agreement. She always found herself in awe of Blair's intellect. The mere thought of it made her nostalgic for the times when Blair would correct her improper sentence structure.

"It's nice you guys get along. It is unusual for Blair to like any of our new friends, so that's good news. It was great seeing you, Dan."

Serena was about to turn around and leave before quickly spinning around and calling out to Dan as he opened the entrance door.

"Wait, Dan," she said as she walked over to him, "my date for cotillion just flaked out on me, something about a relapse, so I was wondering if maybe you'd step in for him and be my escort?"

She bit her lip. The fact that he was hardly unmoved by Serena van der Woodsen asking him to be her date to the most formal event of the season just showed how much Dan had truly changed from the love struck teen he was only a month ago. Sure, it still made him smile and gush over to a degree but there were no real feelings there that he could latch onto.

"Yeah, of course," Dan said, "I'd love to."

In his eyes, he was doing a favour for his new friend. He was also been given an invitation to go and see Blair, despite her being on Nate's arm. He was clueless to how outraged Blair would be by him going with Serena, but was counting on her being at least a little jealous, just as he was that she was going with Nate and not him.

With that, Dan left and Serena made her way up to Blair's penthouse. She was sending herself into a death trap by going to see Blair. Numerous times she'd attempted to talk and make peace but Blair wasn't having any of it. She'd gone as far as threatening Serena's social extinction but the blonde valued her friendship with Blair more than her reputation. This was doubtable, given everything she'd done but Serena's love for both Nate and Blair consumed her.

Blair presumed it would be her mother when the elevator door dinged but was met by a blonde bombshell, ready to tear her world apart.

"Sorry, Serena. You just missed Nate. You know the exit." Blair flickered her hand over toward the elevator, completely snubbing Serena's arrival.

"Blair, we need to talk. You can be mad at me forever if you want, but can we at least just have a discussion?"

"What is there to discuss? I have nothing to say to you."

"B, I still love you. You're my best friend. I'm sorry, I really am.I can't tell you that everything that happened with Nate was a mistake, because I only feel that way to a degree. I loved him… I always loved him. I know that isn't what you want to hear, but I need you to know that he wasn't just some guy. I loved him before you two ever started dating. I tried to fight it because I didn't want to hurt you. It just happened and it was the only closeness I'd ever felt. What I do regret is the pain I caused you. I was selfish and I was stupid and childish and despicable. I should have told you how I felt instead of acting on my desires but I am glad you know now, even if it makes you hate me."

Blair tried to prevent her eyes from watering. She could see tears fall out of Serena's eyes and roll down her cheek, damping her glowing skin. Blair had to keep strong. What Serena did was the most horrible thing anyone had done to her. Blair loved Serena more than she ever loved Nate, which is why it hurt more that Serena had betrayed her. That was where her pain resided. Their friendship had been destroyed over a boy.

"Just stop talking, Serena." Blair held out her hand, shaking her head. "I always knew he had feelings for you. I knew that if you wanted to, you could have him. I just never thought you would do that to me. But you did."

Blair tilted her head to the side, looking Serena up and down. She could hardly recognize the girl she once considered her sister.

"Maybe one day I'll forgive you, but I wouldn't hold your breath. You broke my trust and trust is everything. The doors that way." Blair nodded in the direction before turning her back and walking back upstairs, looking down at Serena before disappearing completely out of sight.

Prepare yourselves. Next chapter is cotillion. It might go on for two chapters. That's where a lot is going to happen.