Chapter XXV
Golden Arches
There was silence, in Blair's world at least, as she stared at the screen. It wasn't just abject horror about what had just played in front of the entire school that caused her to be so stunned. That was a numb feeling in the back of her mind. No, surprisingly her head was filled with the sight of Chuck, lying like that… She was used to Chuck's self-destructive ways, they all were. When he had a fight with Bart he often locked himself in his suite. Not to mention the hedonistic depths he went to when his birthday approached… He always emerged composed and the better for it. But Blair had never had to actually witness the depths he sunk to. Unlike Serena he kept his most destructive behaviour to himself and there had never been need for Nate, Serena or herself to gather around him and try and revive his spirit. But now it wasn't some abstract concept, she had seen the things he joked about on a large screen and there was the sinking feeling inside of her stomach that she couldn't quite distinguish.
Loud clapping coming from her right startled her out of these thoughts. She glanced to see that Chuck was bringing his hands together to create rousing applause. He clearly elbowed Nate beside him, who sporadically started clapping, his mouth still agape. Dan followed more slowly. Blair, coming to herself and pushing her worries aside, decided to focus on the problem at hand. She too brought her hands together in a more constrained way, concentrating on looking composed and proper, as if this was all part of the plan. Serena followed her friend after a few minutes, clapping in a stilted manner as she looked at Blair urgently, obviously desperate to say something but unable to as they all felt Mistress Queller's gaze on them. Blair turned her gaze to the seats behind her, raising her eyebrows at her minions superiorly. They were all sitting there, mouths slightly agape, but at her frigid look they too enthusiastically joined the applause, and soon it spread like a tidal wave as people nudged each other and began clapping. Some recovered enough to cat call, murmuring to each other and grinning about what was obviously some kind of joke or prank. Chuck, smirking actually rose and turned to them, raising his hands as if he was a conductor calling for more applause, the cat calls increased, especially from the rows of seniors at the back.
"Yes, yes thank you Mr Bass I think that is quite enough," Mistress Queller said, springing into action now with a severe look at Chuck who took his seat with a nod and a smug smirk. "I said that's quite enough!" she called over the applause, taking her place at the podium and fixing them all with a steely glare. The applause died down at this look, she was the most intimidating principal they had. "I'd like to thank the committee again, for that interesting presentation," with that she surveyed them all with an ice cold sweep of her eyes, Serena, Dan and Nate squirmed uncomfortably in their seats, Blair tried to meet her gaze with complete and utter innocence, ignoring the titters of people behind her. "That concludes our assembly for our alcohol and drug awareness week. You may all file quietly and orderly back to your normal classes. I said in an orderly and quiet fashion!" She called as the seniors immediately rose, barely waiting for their teachers signal and began filing out of the hall in an uproar of noise. Giving up on trying to keep the seniors in order Mistress Queller moved from the podium, her eyes set upon one goal, she stopped in front of the row of the wide eyed committee.
"I would like you all to stay back so we can discuss your presentation," she said through thin lips, sweeping her gaze over them once more. The reactions varied, from Blair's innocent wide doe eyes, to Serena's slightly panicked blue ones, to Dan trying so hard not to show expression his eye twitched slightly, to Chuck's arrogant smirk and Nate's still stunned face.
"Uh, Mistress Queller," Penelope's simpering voice drifted from the row behind Blair. Blair barely contained an annoyed sound at the back of her throat at Penelope's honey sweet tone. "We, that is to say Kat, Iz, Nelly and I had nothing to do with the presentation. We just did the posters and flyers."
Mistress Queller turned her gaze to the three girls. "Well then Petunia, you may leave," she finally said, obviously satisfied that the girl was telling the truth, she already had her main culprits before her anyway.
"Thanks," Penelope said, her voice less honey sweet. Blair heard the three girls rise to leave but she was determined not to look behind her to see Penelope's smug look. Penelope was unintentionally doing Blair a favour anyway, the less witness' to this the better.
"I just have to have a word with Mr. Fray and I'll be with you in a moment," Mistress Queller noted the five of them, frowning slightly as something caught her attention across the hall. She hurried off to reprimand a tenth grader, as soon as she was sufficiently out of earshot Serena exploded.
"We're so dead!" she exclaimed what she had obviously been thinking through the whole ordeal. "What was that?!" Blair turned to Nate now with demanding brown eyes, as did the rest of them.
"I don't know," Nate said agitatedly, "I put in the tape we made last night, the one labelled Mockumentary…"
"Maybe you got them mixed up?" Dan suggested.
"No, I didn't, it said it right there on the tape, Vanessa said…" here Nate trailed off, his eyes unfocused slightly as he thought about it.
"Ah," it escaped from both Chuck and Blair's lips as the mystery was solved in their minds, both reaching the conclusion simultaneously.
"Wait, you can't think…" Dan began urgently, looking at them all. Before he could develop a defence for his friend Queller returned to them.
"So, would you all like to accompany me to my office," she enquired, it was clear it was not a request. Chuck opened his mouth but Dan dug him with his elbow, reminding him with a deadly look that it was not only his school career on the line but all of theirs. Chuck rolled his eyes but kept his mouth shut as they rose and followed Queller's clicking heels to her office.
The students who were now filing the halls watched them as they passed.
"Nice going Bass," some people whispered, obviously attributing the display of last night on the big screen to Chuck.
"Hey Serena, want to try my Big Mac," a sleazy undefined person hissed as a disgusted Serena passed. Mistress Queller didn't hear, or she chose not to, her back ramrod straight in front of them as she continued to walk.
Queller held the door open for them to enter the reception area, "If you'd be so kind as to go into my office, I'll be with you shortly," she said primly. They filed in obediently, as she turned to say something to her secretary.
"What are we going to do?" Dan was the one to groan it now as they took seats in front of her desk, feeling like snakes were writhing in his stomach. He put his head in his hands and Serena gently patted him on the back. "Do you think Karkov can give you illusions? Because I am literally seeing Yale waving goodbye to me right now…"
"Yale isn't going anywhere, don't be stupid Humphrey," Blair hissed.
"Yeah, well then how exactly can we explain the M rated presentation we showed to the whole student body?" Dan demanded, turning to her.
"We…" Blair felt her words fail her here, for once she was mentally blank.
"Isn't it obvious Humphrey, I thought you would have learnt it by now. We uphold the three hallowed words, deny, deny, deny," Chuck drawled, interjecting here. He was slouched in his favourite seat, he had his flask out and was brazenly taking a sip of it, even the sanctity of the headmistresses office was nothing to him. "Just follow my lead and we will all be out of here in five minutes."
Blair opened her mouth, unsure of what she was about to say, when Queller's office door opened and the headmistress herself entered. Chuck quickly slipped his flask into his pocket before she could spot it, not bothering to turn around, as the four others followed her path to the chair behind her desk with their eyes. He settled himself in his seat, straightening his blazer as if preparing for a show.
Queller did some of her own preparation for battle, ensuring her hair was settled in its strict bun she turned her gaze upon the five of them. Silence hang for a few minutes as they looked back in tense anxiety.
"I haven't had many occasions to call some of you to my office," she began, her tones controlled and neutral, she glanced at both Dan and Blair. Dan began nervously tapping his hand against his chair, perturbing Chuck, but he could do little about it as Dan sat three seats from him. "And some of you I have seen a bit too often for more serious misdemeanours," her gaze then swept over Serena and Chuck, bypassing the ever neutral Nate. "Now I don't know if this is a collective, or certain people's idea of a joke, but…"
"I think I speak for all of us when I say I'm not exactly sure I understand what you mean miss?" Chuck determined that this was the perfect time to intervene, before she began her lecture in earnest.
"Do you consider yourself the spokesperson for this little prank then, Mr Bass?" Queller turned her cool gaze on Chuck, who barely batted an eyelash at her interrogation.
"Prank? I don't know what you mean Mistress Queller?" Blair spoke up now, with wide eyes and just the right inflection of innocence and concern. Chuck held back a grin as he glanced at her, reminding himself sternly of last night.
"Miss Waldorf, I can hardly believe that you thought that display of underage drinking and highjinx-," Chuck had to bite back a snort at the use of this word. What age was Queller living in? She paused and glanced at him, as if she could tell he was amused, but didn't comment further as he kept his face as straight as he was capable of doing. She continued with thinner lips, turning her eyes back to Blair."-was appropriate to show to the whole student body. I do however, think you are an innocent party in this matter, and Mr Humphrey and maybe Mr Archibald too. Perhaps you feel the need to cover for whomever is responsible, but-"
"Miss Queller, haven't you heard of art imitating life?" Chuck interposed here again, interrupting with an easy drawl. He felt Nate shift in his seat uncomfortably, obviously feeling nervous every time his friend opened his mouth, for fear of what would come out of it. But Chuck was well aware of the situation, though he pretended to be blasé. He certainly did not want to have Bart rung at whatever resort he was staying with in the Bahamas to be told of Chuck's indiscretions. His threat about military school might actually become all too real. So he spoke with respect, trying to keep his mocking tone to the upmost minimum. "The whole point of a mockumentary is to make it look like a documentary."
"Mr Bass, are you suggesting that all of that footage was composed of mere acting, from all of you?" she looked at him straight in the eye and Chuck met her gaze.
"Are you suggesting we taped ourselves during a night of excessive illegal underage drinking and…'highjinx'," he couldn't resist repeating the word and as soon as it left his mouth Dan started coughing, either choking on a laugh or a squeak of terror he was unsure. He paused for it to subside, Serena patting her boyfriend on the back, and then continued. "And on top of that thought it would be a good idea to present it to the whole student body, not only garnering your displeasure but risking our whole futures in the process?"
"I am suggesting that some of your group may have found it amusing, Mr Bass," Queller countered with, and Chuck could tell this wasn't going to be as easy as a few riddled words and a bit of charm. Blair could obviously discern this too, for he felt her eyes upon him. The weight of all of her dreams were determined by her keeping up a perfect record. She'd spoken about it with Chuck on occasion, during the small period of newness, when even though she was determined to keep him at arms length and insisted it was nothing, she still couldn't help baring some of her soul. Unlike Chuck, Blair had plans, she cared…. His throat suddenly felt very dry, and he shifted in his seat, as he felt the stares of everyone in the room, his mouth opening of his own accord…
The door burst open and all their heads turned to stare as Mr Pieser rushed in, looking flushed, his glasses crooked and his hair ruffled and out of place.
"Mistress Queller sorry I'm late I-" he trailed off, his cheeks burning as he noticed there were students present. He quickly straightened his glasses and ran his hand through his grey hair, trying to look more composed he closed the door. "My apologies," he tried again, looking at Queller and ignoring the rest of them.
"That's all right Albert," Queller replied, sniffing with slight disapproval.. "I've called you here to discuss the presentation you were in charge of for drug and alcohol week. I wonder if you had a chance to approve the presentation before it was made?"
"Of course Mistress Queller, I read the script provided to me by Miss Waldorf and I thought it was quite good," Pieser replied, his eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to discern what was happening.
"And this script, did it involve the presentation of lewd behaviour and the breaking of the law Mr Pieser?" Queller interrogated.
Chuck slight amusement at Pieser's dishelved appearance deflated. As soon as it was revealed the finished product they provided resembled nothing of the script approved by the faculty they would be in trouble, regardless if Queller could prove the things shown on film were real or merely acting. Chuck glanced up at the man with loathing, waiting for him to destroy them all, and then he noticed that despite Pieser's best efforts he still had a slight stain of pink lipstick on the edge of his collar, a very familiar shade of pink and at the sight of it Chuck's smirk reappeared on his face. He felt the others eyes on him as he spoke up before Pieser could get a single syllable out, but he ignored them.
"Mr Pieser actually saw the presentation yesterday, I personally sent him a copy."
"Is this true?" Queller demanded.
"I have no idea what Mr Bass is referring to," Pieser began indignantly, straightening his glasses with agitation.
"I did send it to you, via Vivi-I mean Ms Reeves," Chuck drawled, glancing up at Pieser now with lazy indifference. "She assured me she would pass it on to you. I can't imagine why she wouldn't, unless when she said you two were conducting extra classes here together on Sunday she actual-"
"Mr Bass," Queller snapped. "Continue further on that disrespectful and defamatory vein and you'll be spending Sunday here for detention!"
"I certainly didn't mean anything by it, my apologies Mistress Queller," Chuck replied cordially as he glanced at her, satisfied by Pieser's wide eyes upon him and rather pale face that he'd achieved what he wanted to. Pieser now knew Chuck was very aware of what was happening between him and Ms Reeves, now all Chuck had to do was to continue to play with him.
"Yes, well, Albert if you could continue…"
"Oh, before you do Mr Pieser, I think you have a little something on your collar?" Chuck indicated the spot on Pieser's collar with a knowing smirk, turned paler as he glanced down and realised he had a lipstick stain. He quickly tried to scrub it off with his fingers, muttering something about strawberries for lunch, while Chuck watched on amused. "And here I thought teachers had to uphold a certain standard while on campus, a code of conduct as it were. Tell me Mistress Queller what does it take for you to expel a faculty member? I shudder to think what a reputation Constance and St Judes could get from teacher's walking around with stains, all over campus, for everyone to just snap pictures of and send straight to Gossip Girl."
That last part he borrowed from Blair's less direct approach, while Chuck's threats were usually more obvious and less guarded, Blair had always had a way to deal with faculty, and it appeared to be working. He knew he had Pieser now, the man was looking at him as if he wanted to throttle him, fully understanding Chuck's implications. Chuck had no proof of his little trist with Ms Reeves, but Pieser was not to know that. Faculty members weren't banned from having relationships, but Chuck was certain they were banned from engaging in inappropriate conduct on the school grounds, and he was quite certain Pieser had just come from such inappropriate conduct, which had possibly occurred in his very classroom, no doubt on multiple occasions.
"I appreciate your concern for the reputation of this school Mr Bass, but may I remind you I am the Headmistress, and the conduct of faculty is my business, and mine alone." Queller said primly, narrowing her eyes at him.
"Understood," Chuck held up his hands in surrender. "Well at least Mr Pieser I could give you the number of a superb dry cleaner to get that stain out for you, that is if I'm not being suspended?"
"That still remains to be seen Mr Bass," Queller retorted, trying to regain control of the situation. "Now Albert I would appreciate if you could tell me if you approved the students finished product or not?"
Chuck turned his head to regard Pieser, maintaining a confident arrogant air. He could tell the others beside him were holding their breath, Blair was silent, no doubt she knew he was playing an angle and she let him play out his course, for want of anything better. Nate, Serena and Dan were probably struck dumb from fear. They all watched Pieser, waiting to hear their verdict. Chuck casually took his phone out of his pocket, glancing down at the time on it then looking up at Pieser with raised eyebrows, hoping his message was clear.
"I did," Pieser answered as he looked at Chuck, his voice strained and thin.
"And you thought it was completely appropriate?" Queller raised her eyebrow speculatively.
"I thought it conveyed the message you were looking for…" Pieser blusted, tearing his eyes from Chuck to regard the headmistress. "It was within the parameters of your instructions.
"And you can verify that everything on that tape was mere acting?" Queller demanded.
"Of course," Pieser said, blindly, Chuck could tell he was probably wondering what on earth he was agreeing to, he was sweating slightly and he fiddled with his glasses, but he couldn't' retreat now.
"Mistress Queller, with all due respect, we would never have presented it if we thought it was in any way inappropriate," Blair spoke up now as Mistress Queller's lips thinned considerably in anger. "When our own teacher thought it was fine, how could we possibly have thought otherwise? I hope that you can forgive our lack of foresight, and appreciate that we were just trying to present a message in the way our peers could really appreciate. "
Her tone was honey sweet and placating, her eyes wide and innocent and touched with concern. Queller glanced at her star pupil and deflated somewhat, Chuck could tell the battle was over, and they had won.
"Perhaps you are right Miss Waldorf, mistakes are want to happen without the proper guidance," she shot a frosty look Pieser's way. "But I hope I don't have cause to call any of you back to my office for the rest of the school year for any further mistakes," she turned her piercing gaze on each one of them in turn, resting slightly longer on Chuck, he merely responded with an unaffected smirk. Sighing softly she eventually turned her gaze form him. "You may return to your classes now."
Five of them quickly rose, almost in synchronisation, eager to leave. Mr Pieser turned to open the door in front of them.
"Albert, if I could have a word with you before you go." Queller's voice sounded. Mr Pieser, who had just opened the door and stepped out, was forced to hold it open for the rest of them to file out before he could re-enter the office. They all tried to hide their grins as they walked past him, beside Chuck who did nothing to hide his triumphant smirk.
They paused in the hallway outside the main office door as it swung shut behind them. They all looked at each other, in different stages of shock.
"So, I'm not sure if I'm dreaming here, but can someone please explain how we are not getting expelled, suspended or even a detention?" Dan finally said with a hoarse voice.
"How did you do that man?" Nate asked, looking at Chuck.
"Leverage," Chuck shrugged.
"But what kind of leverage?" Serena asked, her brows furrowed as she tried to mentally review what had happened in the office. "Why was he so upset by the fact he had a stain on his collar?"
"Sis, really? I thought even you would have noticed what it was." Chuck drawled superiorly.
"Well, I have no idea so care to enlighten us…?" Dan queried.
"It was lipstick," Blair noted. "Chanel, a number 52 I think."
"True Waldorf, one I've become quite familiar with…" Chuck noted, turning his dark gaze on Blair. Now the trouble had passed he was reminded once more of what she had said to him last night, and his resentment arose afresh.
"I never wore that," Blair quickly responded.
"No, but Ms Reeve does and she just loved to leave it smudged all along my neck," Chuck couldn't help the barb, knowing it hurt though Blair was careful not to show any signs of it.
"How delightful," Serena responded dryly, trying to dispel the tension.
"Oh, she was a superb kisser," he replied to Serena without ever taking his eyes off Blair. "Of course in my experience nobody can really compare to a French woman when it comes to kissing, then again maybe I've just been kissing the wrong type of school girls." It was a low barb, he knew it was, but she had shoved a knife into a heart he hadn't even known he had and twisted ,and it had left him in no mood to be kind.
Blair looked at him, face unreadable, maintaining a cool mask, a mask she placed on when she was desperately trying to sustain control over her volatile emotions.
"I'm sure she'll love to hold your hair back while you puke in the toilet," she returned his barb with one of her own. "Maybe she can even hose you down before Bart gets home, get that smell of scotch and sleaze off you, then again I suppose even French women can't work miracles."
Chuck stepped forward, sneering, about to open his mouth to respond with a verbal lashing, but he was interrupted by the office door opening. They all jumped, looking with wide eyed fear, it was not Mistress Queller whose head appeared from behind the door but the receptionist. She regarded them from behind thick glasses with raised eyebrows.
"I thought Mistress Queller told you all to get to class," she noted in a nasal voice, "Not stand out here and chat. Unless you have a problem you'd like to discuss further with Mistress Queller?"
"No, no, we were just on our way to class," Dan was the one to interpose here. "Just heading there right now in actual fact." He smiled widely and very falsely. "Weren't we guys?"
"Yeah, sure," Serena and Nate both responded with exuberant agreement, nodding their heads, while Chuck and Blair just continued to glare at each other, completely ignoring everything else.
"Well then, get going!"
"C'mon man," Nate murmured, gently putting his hand on Chuck's arm. Chuck shook him off with annoyance.
"I can find my own way to class Nathaniel!"
"We better get going," Serena proclaimed loudly as she saw Blair open her mouth to say something biting, "C'mon B, we have Media," she invented wildly.
"No we don't, I have Literature," Blair said, distracted sufficiently in correcting Serena she tore her eyes from Chuck.
"Oh yeah, well we've got that too," Serena said, gripping Blair's hand with raised eyebrows and tugging her in the direction of the girl's corridors, all too aware of the receptionists disapproving gaze upon them.
"One moment young lady," the receptionist said as she regarded Serena with a raised eyebrow. "How high is that skirt of yours?"
"My skirt?" Serena responded with blankly.
"Yes… Miss Van der Woodsen if you can follow me, perhaps we can review the schools code of dress… I don't recall saying this was a group conversation, off you go, the rest of you,," she glared at the rest of them, who were standing stunned, not moving.
Dan hesitated, but at Serena's pointed look at her best friend who was clearly prepared to continue her verbal exchange, he hesitantly touched Blair's arm.
"Come on, we've got to get to class," he murmured.
"Hands off Humphrey," Blair snapped, pulling away from him, turning on her heel with indignation after shooting one last venomous look at Chuck she headed for double doors at the other end of the corridor. Dan blinked, then turned back to look at Serena, who had glanced behind her at Blair's outburst as she was following the receptionist into the office. 'Follow her, please,' she mouthed to him with a begging look. She of all people knew how serious it could be if you left Blair alone while she was down. After a second's hesitation, Dan sighed and nodded resignedly turning to follow after Blair.
"Blair wait up," he huffed as he got through the doors and saw she was half way down the corridor, he jogged to reach her, hoping no teachers were looking out the classroom door windows. "Chuck was-"
"Don't talk to me about Chuck!" Blair snarled turning on her heel. She was in a rage, barely noticing it was Dan she was talking to, her whole thoughts consumed by Chuck. "He is a disgusting, annoying, stupid, filthy, piggish Basshole!"
"Maybe you should ease up a bit on him…" Dan managed to pluck up the courage to say quietly a few seconds after her the brunette's vehement outburst. He was expecting for her to tear his head off, but instead she paused with surprise at his words. In what world did Dan Humphrey stand up for Chuck Bass?
"Ease up on him?!" she managed to recover from the rare phenomenon enough to hiss disdainfully.
"I know, but…he was pretty wasted last night…"
"When is he not?!" Blair snorted disparagingly.
"I mean…it was pretty serious…" Dan trailed off here, hesitating. He felt trepidation at mentioning this to Blair, knowing Chuck would hate him for it if he ever found out. But what he'd seen last night had worried him. Serena had tried to brush it off carelessly as Chuck just being Chuck, but Dan wasn't so sure. After seeing that tape in the light of the day, hearing those words and then remembering Chuck's behaviour last night, and then this morning… He probably never would have mentioned it, but for the fact he felt like he owed Chuck something…maybe he even found the other boy almost amusing, though he would never admit it. He felt Blair watching him now, her anger dissipating to be replaced with something else.
"What happened to him last night?" she demanded.
"I'm just…it was nothing really…" Dan began, feeling apprehensive and immediately regretting mentioning anything.
"Tell me what happened last night Humphrey!" Blair hissed, grabbing Dan's arm, allowing him no opportunity to escape. "Now, cabbage patch!"
"Fine, fine," Dan relented, rescuing his arms from her with an effort. "He just…well we, Serena and I went up to the suite and he was…he was on the couch…and there were lots of bottles and pills and stuff…and well you saw the tape right?" Dan rubbed the back of his neck anxiously, avoiding Blair's gaze. "It looked a lot like that…exactly like that in actual fact…"
"That's just Chuck being Chuck," Blair dismissed, pushing aside her own misgivings and trying to force herself to feel relief.
"Yeah, that's what Serena said too…but I don't know, it seemed kind of more serious than that…" Dan mumbled, examining his shoes and feeling extremely awkward.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean…well were you watching the tape…I mean really watching it…all that stuff about…He was just drinking his flask this morning and I thought it was a bit weird, you know…"
"You thought him drinking out of his flask was weird?" Blair repeated, raising her eyebrow derisively.
"Yes…I mean no…I mean, he drank way more than the rest of us and he doesn't even seem to take a break…He looked like he was about to go into a coma last night, and he didn't seem to even care…I don't know, I don't know him as well as you guys do…but doesn't that seem kind of strange to you…?"
He glanced up at this, expecting a snort and a cutting remark, but Blair was no longer looking at him with that frightening intensity, she appeared lost in her own thought. "Blair?" he asked tentatively.
"What?!" she snapped, coming to herself again and glaring at him. "Congratulations you made observations a five year old could. And you're right, you don't know Chuck as well as we do!"
"Is that it?" Dan asked blankly, he knew Blair could be selfish, but she thought at least she would take his concerns into consideration.
"What else do you want Humphrey?! I know you own a doll, but that doesn't mean it's any less creepy you trying to extend a dead conversation in order to hang around the girls corridor. Now scat!"
Dan, stunned by her sudden change in mood, stood there watching helplessly as she turned without a second thought for him and walked away. It was only until he heard a door slam that he recalled where he was and quickly headed for the double doors and back to hopefully sanity, or at least neutral country.
As soon as the bell rang Nate turned to Chuck, who had been sitting beside him for two periods with nary a word. Chuck quickly rose at the first note of the bell, grabbing his books. Nate opened his mouth, watching him with worried eyes, but he was distracted from following as one of his team mates grabbed his arm, asking him about when practice was scheduled. When Nate finally managed to brush off the jock and escape the classroom, Chuck was nowhere in the corridor. Sighing Nate headed for the courtyard in the hopes he might find his friend there.
The sunlight was piercing, some of his fellow lacrosse players called over to him from one of the corners of the corridor, inviting him to sit with them. Nate gave them a friendly wave but he continued walking, heading for the steps. He knew Chuck's favourite place, perched on the wall outside the gate, away from teacher's prying eyes. Surprisingly Blair's clique were not sitting on their usual spot on the steps, occasionally they liked to hold court elsewhere, to ensure the masses remembered who was running the school, and Nate supposed this was one of those days. Once he reached the bottom of the stairs he made a quick scan of the area before he discreetly stepped out of the school gates. Seniors were allowed off campus during breaks, but usually not during recess without permission, because of the likelihood that most students would just end up being tardy for the period after. That permission certainly was not given to smoke and drink in front of the school gates.
Unfortunately Chuck was not willing to be easy today, he was not in his familiar place of choice, resting against the school wall with a flask or a roach if a beverage was unavailable. Nate sighed, his shoulders dropping somewhat as he stepped back into the school. He was barely over the threshold when a girl stumbled into him, the large folio she was carrying dropping and her papers flying in all directions.
"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry," Jenny exclaimed, quickly bending down to pick up the pages without looking at him.
"It's okay," Nate said, bending down alongside her to assist. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
"Nate!" Jenny exclaimed, looking up with surprise at the older boy, as if she hadn't even noticed it was he she had run into.
Nate straightened once the last paper was retrieved with their combined efforts. He glanced at the page on top of the pile, there was a painting on it of a limp hand holding a rose with falling petals. "Did you draw these?" Nate asked, interrupting whatever she was about to say.
"Uh…yeah…" Jenny replied, blushing and playing at being extremely humble. "I wa-"
"Nate, Jenny hey," a voice interrupted them. Nate glanced behind him, completely forgetting about Jenny as he spotted Vanessa heading towards them from the street, smiling tentatively. Her smile dropped somewhat as she noticed the stiffening of his jaw and the hardening of his eyes but she squared her shoulders, attempting to face the worst, presumably from the almost argument they had last night. Nate stayed silent as Vanessa reached him, handing Jenny back her pages without even looking at her.
"I was just on my break and I thought I'd come down and see how the presentation went," Vanessa said, trying to maintain an upbeat air.
"Is that supposed to be some kind of joke?" Nate demanded, raising his eyebrows at her gall.
"Was it that bad?" Vanessa tried to be sympathetic and brushing aside his tone as remaining annoyance from last night. "I'm sure it can't have been as terrible as you think, no one seems to be laughing at you, at least, so there's that…" she reached out to take his hand lightly in her own but he stepped back from her as if she was diseased. Vanessa was all too aware of Jenny's wide eyes as she watched them, and a few other eyes from students who had noticed Nate's somewhat hostile attitude.
"I don't know how you could even talk to me right now Vanessa!" Nate snapped, not bothering to keep his voice low in his anger, so that everyone in the nearby vicinity had a clear idea about what was going on. "After what you did!"
"What I did?" Vanessa said, her mouth thin now as her pride took over. She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at Nate. Clearly, even though he was sober now, he had developed some complex against her giving Chuck and Blair a taste of their own medicine. "Please explain to me how what I did was so bad?"
"Maybe you don't care about the others, but you could have gotten me and Dan into serious trouble!"
"Trouble? How could it have possibly gotten you two into trouble?!" Vanessa snapped, extremely irate now. She knew Nate was under Chuck and Blair's thumb, but at least he always seemed to hold his own, in some shape or form, as an equal of sorts. This was just becoming ridiculous, he was speaking as if they were the mafia. "I'm sorry if you can't handle a bit of conflict, but I fail to see how that is my fault!"
"How it is…?" Nate blustered, almost lost for words. "Because of your little stunt I could have been expelled! Maybe you don't care about the institution of school, but my parents actually expect me to get into a decent college!"
"What are you talking about?!" Vanessa demanded, her anger rising at Nate's words but she definitely thought there was something she was missing. She was quite certain that neither Chuck nor Blair had the power to have Nate expelled in a single morning, nor the motivation to do so because of something Vanessa had done.
"You know what I'm talking about!" Nate scoffed, annoyed at her sudden turn around to denial. "That little presentation this morning… I thought we could trust you and instead you plaster us at our most vulnerable all over the school!"
Vanessa's eyes widened and her body language softened slightly as she realised what must have happened. "But that, that can't be possible. I gave Jenny the right tape, I told her which one to give you, I wrote on it myself!" Vanessa glanced at Jenny with wide eyes.
"Nate…maybe they got mixed up or something…by accident…" Jenny said, her voice awfully quiet as she studiously avoided Vanessa's gaze. "Maybe…"
"No, there's no way they could have been," Nate said, shaking his head. "It had the label on it and everything, the one I saw Vanessa write."
"Maybe the labels got switched around somehow…" Vanessa said, knowing it was foolish even as she said it but unable to think of any other explanation. "Mixed up…?"
"Yeah, sure, mixed up! That's why it was so perfectly edited!?" Nate replied with, a note of bitterness in his voice as he regarded Vanessa.
"Edited?" Vanessa repeated and she looked at Jenny now, seeing her with newer eyes as the other girl still avoided her gaze, her blue eyes firmly planted upon Nate.
"Yeah, I guess you've learnt our language now, huh Vanessa?"
"And you're just so ready to believe I would do something like that?!" Vanessa demanded, her anger growing at Nate's immediate attack. Had he even contemplated another explanation, he hadn't even bothered to ask her any questions before he went on the offensive.
"To 'these people', my friends and me, why not? You've made it abundantly clear you're too good for us. But you won't have to worry about slumming it anymore, at least not with me…" With those bitter words Nate turned, walking away from Vanessa without a backward glance, with each step the anger seemed to seep out of him and regret took its place. But it was pride that kept him from walking and not turning back and it was Vanessa's pride which kept her rooted to the spot, arms crossed as she watched Nate Archibald walk away and little Jenny Humphrey from Brooklyn follow.
"Nate, Nate, wait," Jenny called, struggling to run after him and keep her portfolio together. She finally managed to catch up to his long stride and grab onto Nate's jacket sleeve as the older boy didn't seem to hear her. He paused at her touch however, turning and clearly agitated but he was too polite to avoid such directness.
"I'm really sorry," Jenny blurted out as he looked at her with those blue eyes, one hand brushing through his hair, unconsciously ruffling it. She hadn't meant to be there when Nate and Vanessa had words, she'd only meant to run into Nate after the fiasco and sympathise with him, but then Vanessa had turned up and Jenny had felt rooted to the spot. It had been embarrassing and terrible and Jenny had felt regret for doing it as soon as the first few words were exchanged between the bitter Nate and the clueless Vanessa. Although she had repeatedly convinced herself last night that this was for the best, as she watched Vanessa wilt she couldn't help thinking about all of the times Vanessa had taken her to see a movie, or allowed her to test make up on her when she was a kid. And Nate had seemed more upset then she had thought, though he was angry he was clearly hurting as well. She had tried to intercede, she really had, but it was hard to, to intervene in front of all those people and steer the conversation to more amicable territory. Her words had been used against her, as ammunition in the war, just like with her parents.
But now Jenny was alone with Nate in the hallway, she could admit to everything, assuage her guilt. He would be angry at her, yes, he probably wouldn't speak to her for a while…. But there was Vanessa to consider, she was like a sister to Jenny, she deserved better... Jenny opened her mouth, trying to steel herself to say it.
"You don't have anything to be sorry about Jenny," Nate said firmly before she could speak. "This wasn't your fault…I guess most people are just not who you think they are… "
Jenny looked up at his face, there was a bitter curve to his lips, his blue eyes regarded her sadly. If she confessed they would never look at her the same way again, with such openness and trust. He would never speak to her again, like this, as if she was his equal. If she admitted things she knew she would always be pathetic desperate Little J to the great unreachable Nathaniel Archibald.
"I guess they aren't…" she finally echoed hoarsely.
Well, well, well, what an interesting day. We were treated to the sight of tears, tantrums and cat fights, as every girl was madly on their phones urging their maids to fight to the death for the best dresses, Gladiator style. Not only that, but the entire student body was also privy to a very risqué video at assembly from the Fabulous Four and Lonely Boy. And to top that all off Nathaniel Archibald, UES golden boy, was spotted having a very public breakup with Vanessa Abrams from Brooklyn…like that came as a surprise to anyone! Don't be too sad V, Chuck might let you still come to his party as Cinderella…before she got a fairy godmother of course.
Now to the major topic at hand, who is going to be Queen for the night? Word is that the current Queen B was not seen once on the phone with her maid and has shown no indication she is preparing in any shape or form for the Royal extravaganza. Perhaps the evident tension between her and C has given her the mean reds. Better watch out B, or while you're busy singing Moon River up in your tower, someone might snatch that pretty crown right from your head. It might even be me…
xoxo GG
"In your deluded dreams you little bi-" Blair began to snap, glaring angrily at her phone.
"What are you saying Mees Blair?" Dorota's stern voice floated from downstairs and Blair quickly bit her tongue before the rest of her sentence could be finished.
"Nothing Dorota," she called innocently down at the maid who was dusting a vase in the foyer with her back to Blair. Quickly turning she made her way up the rest of the stairs and to the sanctity of her bedroom, where she could perhaps do some therapeutic swearing into her pillow.
Today had certainly not been a good day for Blair. After talking to Dan, she'd looked for Chuck all day, all thoughts that she didn't care chased from her mind. Chuck, despite popular belief, didn't use to that extent often unless he was severely upset by something. His birthday and his mother's birthday were usually reserved for that kind of extreme self-medication, as he had called it once when he drunk dialled her in a stupor. For him to do that last night, in a weird perverse way Blair didn't want to really examine, showed he really did care about her. But it also meant that she couldn't help thinking about what Humphrey had said…couldn't help noticing the posters up all over the school urging people to seek help, the flyers shoved into her hand listing the signs of someone with a problem. Which was why she had to find Chuck, to ascertain he was the same boy she had known all these years, that nothing had changed, that there was absolutely nothing wrong with him, nothing they had all missed by brushing it aside as merely a 'Chuck Bass thing'... She at least had to know he wasn't about to collapse on them all.
Chuck had done a vanishing act however, she couldn't find him anywhere, searching practically the whole of the school besides the senior male toilets. She had considered risking it by searching them, but she knew her reputation would never out last such a scandal, and besides they were locked. Blair had raced for the door as soon as the last bell had rung, determined to at least corner Chuck before he left the school grounds, but by the time she reached the gates she saw him strolling towards his limo.
"Chuck," she called out, she saw his shoulders stiffen ever so slightly, but he ignored her, not even bothering to glance back as he slipped into his limo and it smoothly pulled away from the curb.
On top of her worries about Chuck, she'd had to withstand every girl on campus talking about the party tonight, about the dresses they had managed to score, and speculating about who was going to be the Queen in hushed tones as they stole curious glances her way. Blair had ignored them all, thinking she could worry about that after she had spoken with Chuck. But when she had seen him completely ignore her, entering his limo without even a glance her way, and not only that but her minions had seen, she resolved that she wouldn't bother with Chuck Bass, his problems or his pathetic party. Holding her head up high she'd stalked away cooly to her own town car as if nothing had happened. Chuck no doubt had hired a much older woman to stand as his Queen, or seduced some bimbo French model, and he was welcome to have her. Blair was above silly high school parties anyway, besides she had Lilly's number and a flyer to send her. She wondered how epic Chuck's party would be considered when it was broken up by his parents before it had even begun, like a pathetic virgin eighth graders. Chuck Bass would be the laughing stock of the school, and Blair Waldorf would remain untouched, undisputed Queen with no need for any stupid, selfish boy beside her.
Blair reached her room, she would require her computer to send the invitation to Lily, the file was in the wrong format for her phone, she couldn't wait for the days when technology no longer had frustrating time consuming limits. She carefully closed the door behind her and locked it, to ensure Dorota didn't meddle, turning to her bed where she'd left her laptop this morning. It was different however, the bed was made of course courtesy of Dorota, but lying on top of her quilt where her laptop had been was a garment bag, evidently holding a full length dress.
It was her mother, no doubt, Blair was sure of it. Eleanor often gave her some of her dresses to wear, using her daughter as her own personal advertisement billboard to garner fellow teenagers interest. But despite telling herself this Blair's satchel seemed to fall from her hands, spilling her books and papers on the floor. She didn't even notice, quickly rushing towards the garment bag as if she was excited, as if it was not her mother's typical design, though that would be ridiculous of course…
Blair touched the silver zip and it opened smoothly, revealing the contents within. She stared down at the dress in shock. She'd worn many beautiful dresses in her time, but this…this was red satin and black lace and encrusted jewels and elegance… And beside the garment bag Blair noticed now a large jewellery box sat on her satin cover. She quickly picked it up, opening it without hesitation already confident of what would be inside. There it sat, a beautiful tiara…completing the outfit fit for a Queen.
So Chuck had chosen her, she thought as she fiddled with the jewel encrusted piece of art. Not that there had been any doubt in her mind, of course. The only question now was, would she accept… Wouldn't it be like conceding to him? Of course, she reasoned, being Queen at the party had nothing to do with Chuck, she was the Queen of the UES and this was her kingdom, not his, he'd never cared enough to really rule. Being the Queen at the party was just that, being Queen, and if Chuck was dressed as a King…well they could be two monarchs, nothing more… She needn't even speak to him…
Without realising it Blair found herself placing the tiara upon her head, where it sat snugly, as if made to fit her. She moved towards the mirror, wondering what she looked like. She barely took a few steps towards it when she slipped on a piece of paper that had fallen from her satchel. She just managed to maintain her balance by windmilling her arms ridiculously, somewhat destroying the illusion she had in her mind of her elegance. Annoyed she quickly snatched the piece of paper from the ground, it was one of her stupid minions pamphlets which she was prepared to immediately ball up and throw in the garbage. Her eyes paused however when she caught sight of the title.
'How to tell if you, or someone you love is an alcoholic.'
Blair should have thrown it out then and there, but her thoughts drifted to Dan's words in that empty hall, and to the footage of Chuck lying on the couch surrounded by bottles...And so she continued to read. Perhaps being Queen wasn't the only important thing she had to establish tonight…
A/N: I know Ms Reeves calls Mr Pieser Louis, just goes to show how much she really knows him ; P. Next chapter, time to party like a royal!
Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed, I appreciate it. It takes me a few hours to write these chapters, but it only takes you a few seconds to review, so please do if you're reading the story ; ).
Was Blair a bit AU in this chapter with her concern for Chuck? Please share.
I haven't been able to edit this, I'll have to do it tomorrow so please ignore any glaring mistakes.
A/N: So I watched the season finale, I saved five episodes up so I could watch them all in one go. Gossip Girl is over, it's really over :'(. It's a bitter sweet ending. I loved the show, but I couldn't stand what the writers were doing to it, they apparently didn't care one jot for characterisation, or progression or the semblance of realism in the world they created… But enough witching.
It's over now and I'm going to miss it : (. The characters are the same age as me (I think) and though I did not marry, divorce or kill anyone over these six years, I have grown with them in a way. It made me fall in love with New York, with opulence and scheming and clothes and limos and headbands. I'm glad Blair and Chuck ended up together (freaky I always said if I have a boy I'm calling it Henry…) (Although their clothes were beautiful I wish the show hadn't wasted the extravagant wedding on Louis and Blair, it was such a waste it should have been Chuck and Blair's wedding, sigh...) I'm glad about SeDan, it felt natural and made me fall in love with that song now, and I'm glad Nate ended up being independent. I wish Lily hadn't ended up with William, he too was a jerk to her.
In hindsight I mostly wish they hadn't revealed Gossip Girl, I wish she always remained a mystery, they should have all come to the realisation that the blog didn't matter anymore, realise they were grown up. Or she should have shut down. There were too many plot holes with it being Dan, if they did want to reveal it and didn't know who it was from the beginning they should have had it as a fringe character who was always there but not directly affected by GG, like Nelly Yuki or something, I would even believe Jenny…But that's just my opinion. (Although now I'm afraid that when I watch old episodes I'm going to start thinking of GG in Dan's voice lol…: S)
Anyway, in my GG world Dan is not GG. Bart is not the sociopath he was made to be in the show, I'm working with the season one/two Bart, a cold distant father, but not an ice hearted Machiavellian villain, just a man.
I hope to still finish this, even though GG is over now, because I already have the whole plot planned out. I hope you guys continue to read, even after that huge A/N ; ).