Chapter 4: Go Do

Go sing, too loud
Make your voice break- Sing it out
Go scream, do shout
Make an earthquake...
Go drum, too proud
Make your hands ache - Play it out
Go march through crowds
Make your day break...

- "Go Do" Jonsi

Serena was feeling especially pleased with herself. She may have promised Chuck that she wouldn't insist on him making any romantic gestures toward Blair, but she never promised that she wouldn't make them on his behalf. She knew he was going to be upset with her, but her mother was hiring a florist for a brunch anyway and would never notice a few extra bouquets of pink peonies on her bill. Serena was sure that the sweet, pink flowers would delight Blair, and Chuck would forgive Serena as soon as she recounted the reaction that would no doubt be a positive one.

"Serena!" Serena's head jerked backwards as she recognized Dan's voice. What was he doing on the Upper East Side?

"Oh hey, Dan," she responded, running her fingers through her hair in an attempt make it look like she'd at least tried to brush it that morning. She didn't know why she always had this inferiority complex with the boy from Brooklyn; Blair had reminded her hundreds of times that she was far too good for someone like him. "Does he even shower?" Blair had added, rolling her eyes. Serena shook off the memory and instead looked at Dan, who appeared to be feeling very awkward. "So what brings you to this side of town so early?" she asked, attempting to get the conversation rolling.

"Oh, um, coffee," he said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other nervously.

"And you decided to drive all the way over the Brooklyn Bridge for…coffee?" Serena tried to suppress a smile. She didn't want to push him, but she was curious to see how he would respond.

"Uh, yeah, I just got this craving for the stuff from the little French breakfast place your mom recommended. It's the best stuff, really." Dan tugged at the straps on his messenger bag. "So, I guess I'll see you around, Serena. Better, uh, get that coffee." He gave her a little nervous laugh before turning around and beginning to walk. In the opposite direction of the French breakfast spot.

"Dan?" He turned back and cautiously returned to his previous spot.

"Yeah?"

"The breakfast place is the other direction."

"Oh," he said, laughing that anxious laugh again. It was started to make Serena anxious too. "Right, of course, yeah."

"Have a nice breakfast," Serena offered, giving him a small wave.

"Thanks. Good to see you, Serena." As he walked off, this time in the right direction, Serena smiled and watched him until he disappeared in the sea of people, just a small brushstroke lost among the painting that was Madison Avenue.

Spotted: B finally leaving her penthouse to meet S for a little retail therapy at Bergdorf's. Will she be showing off her buys at Insomniac on Friday? Only time will tell. You know you love me.

"Ugh, I look like a prostitute," Blair whined, turning this way and that as she examined herself in the Herve Leger bandage dress.

"A high class one, though!" Serena added in her usual upbeat way. But Blair could still tell something was off.

"What's going on S?" she asked. "Spill. Now."

"Nothing," Serena responded, unable to meet Blair's eyes. "I just ran into Dan this morning, and…I don't know. I think I miss him."

"No!" Blair screeched. "No you do not, Serena van der Woodsen!"

"Oh come on, Blair." Serena rolled her eyes. "I know you're not Dan's biggest fan – "

"I'm not a fan at all!" Blair interjected.

"Okay," said Serena, laughing a little while maintaining her serious demeanor. "I get it. But Dan and I had something really special, you know? He was my first real love, and I've never completely forgotten about him. He was the definition of great boyfriends."

"Please, S." Blair's voice was official with just a dash of condescension. "If you want the honest definition of Dan Humphrey as every other person on planet earth sees him with the exception of the badly-dressed hippie, his father, his tramp of a sister, and you, all you have to do is ask. I will hold nothing back."

"Alright, Blair," Serena sighed. "Let's hear it."

"Dan Humphrey," Blair announced. "Noun. The Dan Humphrey is a product of the disastrous experiment of the genetic merging of a black poodle and a middle-aged, bookish lesbian." She looked at Serena to make sure it was safe to continue. Serena was stifling a laugh; she was in the clear. "Despite his creepy and stalker-like ability to lurk in corners, spy on people, and eavesdrop, the Dan Humphrey's presence can always be realized by his distinct scent – sweat, Brooklyn dirt, and desperation." Serena could no longer hold it in; she erupted into fits of giggles. Blair was encouraged and continued, her voice becoming even louder and more like an obnoxious but informative narrator. "The Dan Humphrey's, also known as Lonely Boy's, hobbies include playing Scrabble with his father and also wondering why he has no life other than playing Scrabble with his father. Luckily, in an estimated seventy years, the Dan Humphrey population will become extinct, and no future generations will have to suffer from the species' horrible existence." Serena clapped loudly; Blair curtseyed. "Thank you, thank you," she said, grinning widely. "It was nice to get those feelings out in the open. I feel like there's been a weight lifted off my shoulders, but unfortunately it seems to be stuck on my lungs. I cannot breathe in this dress!" Both she and Serena were laughing now. The two best friends, one blond, one brunette, had not a care in the world for the first time in a while, and it felt good.

Spotted: S meeting C at the Empire for a meeting dressed to the nines. Unfortunately, the two don't seem to be prepping for a night on the town. Too bad. I always was a fan of mixing business and pleasure. You know you love me.

"Serena," Chuck said, his tone official and formal. "Lovely to see you. I was hoping to talk to you about a certain shipment of pink peonies set to be delivered to Blair tomorrow morning."

"No!" Serena cried. "How did you find out?"

Chuck looked at her incredulously. "Serena, did you honestly think Lily wouldn't notice an extra hundred bouquets she was being charged for? Especially coupled with the fact that they weren't even being shipped to her address."

"I guess it was pretty stupid," Serena admitted sheepishly. "I just got so worked up about it, I didn't really think it through. I'm sorry. I know you didn't want to do anything romantic."

"No," Chuck countered, "but flowers can be a friendly gesture too. They don't always have to be romantic."

"Really?" asked Serena, excited that Chuck seemed on board with her idea.

"Really. Which is why I ordered another 630 to go with the first hundred." Serena felt her jaw drop.

"You're sending her…" she did the math in her head. "730 bouquets? How does that make any sense?"

Chuck looked pensive as he responded simply, "Blair will understand."

You wish surprise would never stop wonders
You wish sunrise would never fall under
We should always know that we can do anything

Until next time – xoxo