Chapter Eleven
Spotted: S and Little E are heading on a trip for some brother and sister time. The Hamptons are set to have the party of the decade with the Infamous White Party coming up. Sources have spotted S's boyfriend has left the Upper East Side. I suppose it was too much too handle leaving poor S all on her own. Newly single Nate will be sure to look after her… or maybe their complicated feelings will just be too complicated.
"Time to get up, Serena!" Blair pulled the bed cover off Serena causing her to jolt up in surprise.
"What are you doing Blair? I want to sleep." She grumbled sleepily. Blair giggled and waved her hand in dismissal.
"Please, you're going to the Hamptons with Erik today or did you already forget?" She put her hands on her hips and pointed in her face. Serena pushed Blair finger out of her face and walked into her huge walk-in wardrobe and began throwing out her clothes and shoes.
"I assume you want me to help you pack these clothes and shoes that you're throwing at me?"
"Thanks, B!" Serena sang out. The sisters spent the next few hours packing for Serena's two-week trip as well as listening to Blair's constant complaining about not being able to go.
"Miss Serena, Mr Erik is downstairs in the lobby waiting for you. Vanya will come up and bring your things downstairs." Dorota said standing at the door in her usual uniform. Serena nodded and followed Dorota down to the lobby. Erik stood there with Nate and Chuck, making Serena's face light up at seeing Nate.
"Good Morning sis, you ready to go?" Chuck smiled and gave Serena a hug. Nate followed after holding onto her tightly and longer than usual.
"I'm going to miss you." He whispered. Serena's heart fluttered. It was something she hadn't felt in a long time – it was something that Nate could only do, not even Oliver made her heart flutter like this. He pulled out of the hug and grinned.
"How about you all come over to the Hamptons next week for grandmother's white party? She asked me to help her organise it."
"S, are you sure you're up for it? You just have gone through a rough ordeal." Blair said with concern.
"I'll be fine, besides I need to do things to keep myself occupied. I don't want people to treat me as if I'm a patient." Serena rolled her eyes. Vanya walked over to the group and put Erik and Serena's bags into the limo that Chuck insisted them to use.
"Time for us to go S. Grandma is waiting for us to have lunch with her." Erik grabbed Serena's hand and interlaced his fingers with hers.
"I'll see you guys next week and please try not to call me all the time to check up on me. Only call me if you want to actually talk about life." Serena joked. Serena's best friends watched her and Erik leave with smiles on their faces finally accepting that she was back for good.
Nate spent the rest of his time in New York leading up to the white party, he was restless and driving his workers up the wall. He was frustrated with not having Serena in his life. Juliet was gone and he was glad that he didn't have to deal with her and her problems anymore. Nate spoke with Serena every day with Serena for at least an hour exchanging stories from the past five years they have been apart. He was missing her dreadfully today and it was only 9 am. Chuck walked through his office and through a leather duffel bag on the floor in front of Nate's desk.
"You're going to the Hamptons now. Here's your bag." Chuck said immediately after dropping the bag on the floor. Nate looked up from his phone with furrowed brows.
"What are you talking about? I can't leave work." Chuck walked over to the armchair in front of Nate and sat with his legs crossed.
"Yes you can and you will. Thanks to my sources, you have been frustrated all week and I quote acting like a dictator to your employees. I know you're missing Serena."
"Of course I miss her, don't you?" Nate huffed.
"I do, she's my sister but you miss her more after what happened between the two of you. Now, I have a car waiting for you with a bouquet of daisies sitting in the back. I'll take care of things here for the next few days till your actually temporary replacement gets here." Chuck stood up and buttons his suit blazer. "If you don't go now, you're going to run out of employees and from what Blair told me, Serena really misses you too." Chuck walked out of the office leaving Nate to think about his departing words. He stood up and grabbed the bag off the floor and walked out of his office, closing the door behind him.
"I'm leaving to the Hamptons today. Chuck is going to take care of things. For now, make sure no one calls me while I'm away and re-arrange all my meetings for today. For now, make sure everything is on hold. Lie if you have too." He began walking off when he heard his assistant mutter words of relief. He stopped and smiled.
"By the way, I'm sorry about this week. It's been a very frustrating week and I didn't mean to drive you crazy. Consider yourself the employee of the year – I'm giving you a pay rise." He said over his shoulder smirking at his assistant's squeals of joy.
Nate got into the car that Chuck left for him and the driver began the journey to the Hamptons. He looked down at the daisies and smiled. He was feeling genuinely happy for the first time in many years.
Serena raced down the stairs hearing the enthusiastic knocks at the front door. She was feeling great since she had been at the Hamptons – at times she still felt a bit faint or weak but she would push herself to make sure she was alright. Since she had been in Australia, she packed on some weight and muscle to her usual slender frame. She went from a size eight to a size ten and ate almost anything.
She opened the door and instantly beamed at the person in front of her. "Natie!" She squealed and wrapped her arms around his neck. He dropped the bag and wrapped his arm around her waist savouring the moment. She pulled away but kept her arm around his neck.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were coming with Chuck and Blair on Friday?"
"Chuck kicked me out of the office. He said my employees were complaining about me and driving them crazy with work because I was frustrated being away from you." He grinned. He brought the flowers from Serena's back and put it in front of her.
"Daisies!" She took the bouquet of his hands and walked into the house. "How did you know they were my favourite?" She asked over her shoulder as Nate followed behind dumping his bag next to lounge chair. Nate's eyes followed Serena's every movement as she put the flowers in a vase and placed it in the centre of the kitchen island.
"Nate! What are you doing here?" Erik walked down the stairs surprised to see Nate in their kitchen.
"I thought I come early and help you guys out with the white party, but from the looks of your garden, it looks like you're all ready." He chuckled walking over to the sliding doors overlooking the garden where people were setting up the furnishings, lighting and all.
"Grandma was so relieved to hear that we coming over to stay – she claims she needed a lot of help and that Serena was a lifesaver." Erik laughed remembering their Grandma's theatrics. Serena took out a cold bottle of water.
"I did most of the planning in about two days. Grandma would've taken a whole month – I only needed her for approval or more money." Serena giggled walking out towards the garden. Nate was confused and looked at Erik.
"Umm…where is Serena going?" He asked slowly.
"Oh, Serena is meeting Jess, her personal trainer. They train on the beach about three times a week."
"Should she be doing that? I mean with her condition, shouldn't she be taking it easy?" He asked cautiously.
"Don't let her hear you say that. She'll snap at you like she did at me when she told me she was doing PT sessions. She wants to be normal and she is a strong person to manage her own health. She said if she's learnt anything over the past five years being away, it is being independent and controlling her own health." Erik said diplomatically walking into the kitchen to help finish the set up for the white party. Nate sat on the lounge in the rumpus room looking out into the garden thinking about Serena and these feelings that are starting to arise in him again. He closed his eyes and slowly began drifting off.
"Great session today Serena, you're doing really well. How's your diet going?" Serena looked at Jess lifting the corner of her mouth.
"Please Jess; you should know by now that I never diet. Will you be at the party tomorrow?" Serena and Jess walked up the beach together.
"Of course – free booze and music… try and stop me." The girls giggled as they went their separate ways. Serena walked up to the garden and looked around. The pool was all cleaned with lounges around and inflatables in the pool. The multiple bars were set up in every corner of the garden. The empty buffet was set up under the veranda on the balcony. Serena had planned the party so quickly once she had the idea of a relaxed yet fun party – there would be drinks, lots of food, music, outdoor sofas and lounges. She smiled at her achievement and walked into the house. She opened the door and saw Nate sleeping on the couch. She smiled and took a deep breath when her heart starting beating faster at the sight of seeing her Nate, something she hadn't felt in such a long time.
She walked up the stairs and into her bedroom, shedding off her sweaty clothes and into the shower. The hot steam washed away all the sweat and sand. She took the Goat's Milk soap and began lathering up her body slowly including the areas that would scar her for the rest of her life because of her transplant surgery. She rinsed off and wrapped herself in a big fluffy towel and stepped out of the shower. She put on her bra and underwear and looked at herself in the mirror. Her hands ran across the huge scar. Her tears started flooding and whimpers started coming out of her mouth. She had not realised Nate walked into her bathroom and had seen her scar. He walked quietly and wrapped his arms around Serena's waist frightening the poor woman.
"Nate!" She sniffled. "What are you doing here?" She wiped away her tears away and tried to pull away from Nate's embrace but he only held onto her stronger.
"Let me go, Nate." She said strongly.
"No." He said stubbornly, pulling her closer into his arms. She gave up her struggles and leaned into his embrace. "I saw you touching your scar. I know what you are thinking."
"I'm ugly. This is not going to go away." She whispered. "I have to live with it for the rest of my life. No more bikinis." Tears fell from her eyes making her feeling more vulnerable than ever. Nate held onto her arms and turned her so they were both facing each other. He rested his hands on her cheeks and lifted her face up so their eyes were connected.
"Listen to me, Serena..." She tensed up waiting to hear her be scolded like her mother always did. "You are beautiful and you always have been – this scar," he ran his fingers down the multiple scars, "is the definition of your strength and courage that you have shown through the tough times with your health and fighting off cancer." He ran his hands down her body igniting Serena as his fingertips were sending heat through her body and electricity through his. Serena looked down and relaxed.
"Thank you, but no man would want me after seeing this scar on my body. It's not the same anymore." She looked up and was surprised to see Nate's blue eyes darken almost filled with lust but showed a hint of remorse.
"I do..." His eyes flickered to her luscious pink lips and her tongue darted out to moisten it. "I want you." He crashed his lips on hers and pulled her closer into his body. Serena immediately flung her arms around his neck and began kissing back. She nipped his bottom lip making him groan in satisfaction and slipped his tongue in, heating up the kiss. Serena continued kissing him until the image of Oliver appeared in her mind, realising that she couldn't close him off as she still loved him. She pulled away, both of them panting.
"I can't do this." She pulled out of Nate's embrace and walked into the bedroom where a yellow sundress was laid out on her bed.
"Serena…" He groaned, knowing what was going to happen again – rejection by Serena. She put on her dress and walked to the standing mirror to fix her hair.
"No, Nate. I'm not ready yet. I still love Oliver and it has only been a few weeks. I haven't heard from him yet, so there is still hope he might come back. He wouldn't do this to me." She said strongly, almost in disbelief with the last sentence as she knew deep down inside, there was almost no hope in Greg coming back. Nate came up from behind and rested his hands on her shoulders.
"I understand. What if he doesn't come back or he contacts you and tells you that you two can't be together anymore?" She turned around and looked his beautiful eyes – a feature of his that she loved.
"Then we can talk about what just happened in the bathroom." She said calmly.
Chuck and Blair arrived at the Hamptons a couple hours before the White Party started, to get settled in at the house that Serena's grandmother invited everyone to stay at. Henry was staying with his doting grandparents – Eleanor and Cyrus, while Lily and Rufus were spending the weekend at Brooklyn much too Serena's delight.
The party was starting and the garden was already full of people – young and old, male and female and a diverse range of race. Nothing says the Hamptons like its hot weather.
Serena walked out onto the balcony in a matching white blanket stitch + crochet bra style top and hipster bikini bottom that was also a blanket stitch that was covered with a see-through kimono and white thongs. She walked towards her best friends and Erik sitting together next to the pool. Blair was also wearing an all-white bikini but was covered in a white sundress. The boys looked to be in an intense card game while Blair was wearing her sunglasses soaking up the sun. Serena sat herself down at the end of Blair's seat smiling.
"You look like your old self again. I'm glad S." She smiled and took her sunglasses.
"Thanks, B, it's really hot today. Can you help me put some sun lotion on my back please?" She squirted some cream onto Blair's hand as Serena lathered her arms and legs and the front of her body.
"This scar from your transplant, S… what you have gone through…I'm so proud of you, S." Blair said strongly.
"Thanks, B; I couldn't have done it with you guys, but especially you. You're my best friend and sister." She turned around and gave Blair a hug after she had finished rubbing lotion on her back. Serena put her Kimono back on and went to the bar to get some drinks served the group.
She sat in between Erik and Chuck and joined in the card game, but it got to a point where it was becoming too hot for the girls. Blair walked over to Serena and pulled her up off the seat.
"I don't know Blair… Everyone is going to see my scar." Serena said nervously, biting her bottom lip.
"Who cares? You're Serena Van Der Woodsen. People will look at them for a quick second then go back to admiring you wearing this hot bikini. Now come on." Blair giggled. Both women took off their cover-ups and jumped into the pool immediately cooling down their hot skin. Soon, more people started jumping in the pool, and someone found a water hose and began spraying people with it. It seemed that everyone was enjoying themselves. Chuck and Erik jumped in as Serena was coming out of the pool, feeling hungry. Nate handed her over a towel for her to dry herself. He watched her every movement, from leaving the pool area to the bar to get herself a cocktail and over to the shirtless men barbequing the food. His eyes narrowed when one of the men fed her a piece of chicken sausage. However, she wasn't flirting with the men but was just enjoying the company. Dorota walked out with a phone in her hands towards Serena. They spoke in hush tones and Nate immediately noticed Serena's change in behaviour as she immediately took the phone out of Dorota's hand and walked out towards the edge of the garden by the waterfall.
Nate got up and closely followed Serena just to make sure she was alright. He was about to approach her but stopped.
"Oliver…" She breathed.