She carefully pulls up the zipper of the purple, strapless Eleanor Waldorf original and scrutinizes herself in the mirror. Deciding that she actually doesn't look half bad, she exits the downstairs bathroom and steps out into the living room where her mother is waiting for her.
"Turn around" Eleanor orders and she walks and then spins in front of her, as her mother eyes her up and down with a crease on her forehead.
"Well?" Normally she wouldn't rush her mother's verdict, but her head is pounding from last night's celebration, and she doesn't want to spend one more minute playing dress up in front of Eleanor. All she wants to do is to go back to bed and nurse her massive hangover.
That, and try to forget all about a certain humiliating phone call.
"I think you should try on the blue one." Her mother states, motioning towards the navy dress with a square neckline and tulip shaped skirt that is laid down on the armrest of the sofa. "It will look more slimming on you."
You look disgusting.
"Much better" Eleanor nods as she returns in the navy dress moments later. "You will wear that one to the function tonight. I need you to look your very best. It is the first collaboration like this that I have agreed on, and everything needs to be perfect."
Then why did she tell you to be there?
She is about to respond when the elevator dings, and Serena steps out in, hiding behind huge, dark sunglasses.
She can easily tell that Serena is feeling about as good this morning as she is, which isn't that strange considering the many celebratory cocktails the bride-to-be downed last night.
That was last night. Before she returned home – by herself - and in a pathetic, delusional moment decided to call him. Honestly, what kind of masochist is she?
"Hey B; Mrs. Rose" Serena greets the two of them. "Wow, Blair you look great! Is that dress for tonight?"
"Yes." Her mother answers in her place, smiling at her best friend, "Good to see you Serena, dear."
"You too, Eleanor. Are you ready?" Serena smiles back, then turning her attention to her, "Brunch and then Bergdorf's?"
"Oh, are the two of you going shopping?"
Eleanor interrupts her once again, looking over to Serena curiously as her friend shoots her what must be an apologetic glance from behind her sunglasses.
"Yeah," Serena nods. "I need a dress for tonight. I haven't had any time to go shopping this week, and Blair offered to help me find something to wear."
"I guess you must have been terribly busy with your work, and then with the engagement of course…" Eleanor agrees, shooting her a telling look, before returning her attention to Serena,
"…I do have a dress that would look gorgeous on you…" Her mother suggests, picking up a golden dress the older Waldorf hadn't even considered to have her try on – deeming the dress too 'strong' for her - and showing it to Serena.
"It looks amazing," Serena agrees, "You would look great in that one too B."
"Blair will wear the one that she has on." Eleanor intervenes, "Now try this one; you will look absolutely amazing."
She always does, doesn't she?
"Please tell me you feel as bad as I do" Serena groans as they sit down at their table for brunch, and accept the offered menus from the waiter.
"You are a socialite, S" She points out teasingly, knowing how her friend feels about the title, "Surely being able to handle your cosmos is in your DNA?"
"Funny," Serena replies sarcastically, running a hand through her blonde locks. "Days like this just make me feel old. I never used to get hangovers back in the day…"
"Isn't that a comment you should save for after your first Botox injection, at least?" She smiles and Serena breaks out laughing, only to stop as soon as she begins to clutch her head in her hands.
Their waiter arrives and they place their orders. As the man walks away, Serena looks over to her with an expression on her face that tells her the blonde has something on her mind. Something she probably won't like hearing.
"How do you feel about tonight?" Serena asks tentatively, "…I mean, since Chuck will be there…The two of you didn't exactly get along last time…"
Serena's words are like a bucket of cold water, instantly washing away all remaining traces of her hangover and replacing it with complete and utter shock.
"What?" Her voice is not far from turning into a shriek. "He is coming tonight? Why? What business does he have attending my mother's party?"
"They are celebrating a collaboration between Bass Industries and your mother's company…" Serena replies slowly, looking at her like she has lost her mind or is just too hung-over to understand being spoken to in normal velocity, "…he wouldn't miss this."
When all she does is look back at her in confusion, her best friend gasps in disbelief, "Oh my God B, you didn't know?"
"This isn't the reaction I tend to save for non-surprising information," She replies sarcastically, doing her best to ignore the streaks of panic rushing through her insides. "So he will be there; that is just perfect."
"It is really sad to see the two of you like this Blair," Serena admits, and she knows that her friend is still desperate to understand what went down between the two of them. "You guys seemed to be destined for each other."
The memory of last night's drunken phone call springs back to her mind, and she can barely keep from visibly cringing at the thought. She is deftly ignoring the tiny stings of hurt that are mixing with the panic in the pit of her stomach.
"And when I was fifteen, I thought that I would marry Nate Archibald and the two of us would live happily ever after." She reminds Serena with a sardonic smirk; forcing indifference into her voice, "Things change, S. People change."
He changed things. Everything is his fault.
Liar.
From: Serena
To: Chuck
U better be nice to her tonight.
From: Chuck
To: Serena
I have no idea who U R talking about.
From: Serena
To: Chuck
Don't be an ass. U know who!
From: Chuck
To: Serena
Making promisesisn't really my thing.
From: Serena
To: Chuck
CHUCK!
"Al," He greets her as she answers his call. "Did you get my message?"
"No! You blind twat! That was onside!"
Wincing, he pulls the phone back from his ear and waits until he can tell that her exasperated tirade is coming to an end.
"Sorry Fish," She apologizes seconds later, "It is the semi-finals of the FA cup."
"I have no idea what you just said," He points out smirking. "About tonight…"
"Yes! That's more like it!" Al cheers, once again talking to the television, and he lets out a frustrated sigh.
"Should I just call you back later?" He asks dryly, knowing that it is fucking impossible to have a proper conversation with her in situations like this, "When you are not busy watching a bunch of sweaty thugs running around in the rain?"
"Don't offend my team, Fish," Al replies with humour in her voice. "There is no reason for you to be jealous; you know you are my favourite thug. And I will be there tonight, wouldn't miss it."
"Pick you up at eight?"
"You know what, I have some things to take care of; I will meet you there." She replies, then back to yelling, "Whaaat? A free kick?"
"Bye Al," He sighs, knowing he is fighting a battle he is bound to lose.
"…you wanker! You shouldn't be allowed within miles of a football field!"
tbc