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Chapter 18.
Carrying a large box with both hands, Serena slowly stepped out of the elevator leading to Nate and Chuck's suite at the Empire. Since it's Nate's birthday today, she, along with Blair and Chuck, decided to throw Nate a party - it's not a surprise party anymore because Nate accidentally overheard them talking about it and in fact, he even offered to help out but his three friends rejected the idea with Blair telling Nate how he wasn't allowed to help out since it's his special day.
So, while Nate was busy with work at the Spectator, Blair and Serena started decorating the suite. Chuck was somewhere in the hotel - probably, the bar - claiming that he needs peace and quiet so he could finalize the guest list - whatever that means.
"Blair? This is the last of the boxes!" Serena exclaimed, dropping the box on the couch just as Blair entered the room.
"Great! Thanks sweetie!" Blair smiled at her before grabbing the box and headed to the other side of the room. Serena followed, offering to help the brunette.
"No need. Your help is no longer wanted here."
"What?" Serena asked, incredulously. "Blair, I thought we agreed on decorating together."
"Well, change of plans, sweetie!" Blair simply states, pulling out streamers from one of the boxes. "I called some people to decorate the suite while I go dress shopping." The brunette frowned, dropping the streamers before grabbing another one. "Why does people not get simple instructions? I ordered for blue, red, and green streamers but instead I got none of those three! Amateurs!"
"Well, what am I going to do?"
"Go dress shopping, with me." Blair states, picking up her phone from the table to call the shop and complain.
"But I already have my dress."
"Well, then, you can get that champagne Nate likes. You know our tradition, once all the guests leave, we'll be drinking that, just the four of us." Blair smiles sweetly at her, before frowning and walking towards Chuck's old bedroom - probably to yell at the employees for being such amateurs - Blair's words, not Serena's.
Serena sighs before making a move to grab her purse. The decorating committee that Blair hired would probably be here soon which means that her best friend would be on her way to the mall to buy her dress. And Serena figures she should just get the damn champagne since she doesn't have to do anything anymore.
...
"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry." Serena states when she bumps into someone, making the things of said person tumble down the ground. She quickly clutched the champagne in her left arm before bending down to help.
"No, it's okay Serena."
Serena stills, confused, before she looks up and was met by a face she hadn't seen in a while, someone who was supposedly somewhere in Europe - at least, that's what she knew.
"Carter?" Serena asks, still not believing that he's here. "Carter Baizen?"
"In the flesh." The guy answers as they both stood up.
"Hi!" She makes a move to hug him and was slightly relieved when wrapped his arms around her. They pulled away after a few seconds. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in Europe!"
"Well, I was." He chuckles to himself before starting to walk side by side with the blonde. "But Europe got boring so I decided to pay Manhattan a visit."
"What brings you here?"
"Business, mostly. But I've got time to spare." He shrugs before taking notice of the champagne in Serena's arm. "You drinking that alone?"
She glances at the champagne before turning back to Carter.
"Umm... No, it's - it's uhh for Nate's birthday."
"Ah. The old gang's tradition." Carter nods off, as if in understanding.
"Hey, uhh, are you heading somewhere? Are you - umm... busy?"
"No, just wandering around. Why?"
"I just remembered I have to confirm that cake Blair ordered downtown, make sure they got it right." She laughs a bit, thinking about how if there's even a bit of cake out of place, Blair would throw a fit. "Do you wanna come with me?"
"Sure."
...
"Dan?"
The writer looks up and was met by not only Serena but also Carter Baizen. What the hell is he doing here? Last time Dan checked, Carter was off somewhere in Europe.
"S - Serena? What brings you here?"
"I could ask the same about you. What are you doing here?" Serena inquires, looking at him curiously.
"I asked you first." He states in a teasing way, making the blonde smile even more.
"I'm just here to make sure that the cake Blair ordered is perfect. You know Blair..."
"...a single thing out of place and she throws a fit." He finishes the statement, laughing with Serena. Carter stood by Serena's side, growing a bit uncomfortable.
"And I see you're with Carter Baizen." Dan stares at Carter for a full minute before shifting his eyes to Serena.
"Oh, I just bumped into him earlier and -"
"Serena." Dan interrupts, because he can see that Serena's clearly having a hard time explaining. He's not even really sure why she's explaining herself to him - she doesn't really have to. "You don't have to explain really."
"Oh." Serena stops, offering him a warm smile.
They stood like that for a few minutes before Carter cleared his throat, turning to Serena.
"Serena, umm, the cake?"
"Oh, right!" Serena exclaims. She turns to Dan and bids him goodbye before starting to walk away. She clearly did not see the way Carter smirked at Dan when she tugged on Carter's hand in a hurry to leave.
But Serena suddenly stops and faces Dan again.
"Hey, why don't you help us?" Serena asks, taking a step closer to him. "I'm thinking of going back to the Empire to help out decorating once I checked the cake. You should come."
"No, I don't want to impose." He politely shakes his head. "Besides, umm, I think you and Carter already got that covered."
"No, I insist. Carter doesn't mind. Right, Carter?" She doesn't even wait for her companion's response before interlacing her hands together with Dan's, tugging him forward. This time, it was him who smirked at one pissed off Carter Baizen.
...
"Humphrey." Dan looks up and sees Carter Baizen towering over him. Dan fights the urge to roll his eyes at the man in front of him because, seriously, he's getting on his last nerve, ever since they got to the Empire. Serena's currently talking - or, arguing - with Chuck on the other side of the room, obviously not hearing or noticing the two of them.
"Can I help you?"
"I wasn't aware that you and Serena are back together. I thought you were with that brunette? What's her name, umm -"
"No offense man..." He supplies, frowning. "But it's not really your business."
"Oh, but it is." Still with that stupid, annoying smirk that Dan loathes.
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, you see if you're not with her - actually, even if you are, I wanna be with her." Carter steps closer and leans closer to the writer. "And I get whatever I want."
Dan clenches his fists together, ready to punch Carter but before he could, Serena walks happily towards them, with a glaring Chuck - glaring not at Dan but at Carter, thankfully - behind her.
"Okay guys, I think we're all set. Thank you guys so much for helping out." The blonde hugs the both of them but hugged Dan for a second longer than Carter.
"Alright then, I'll just see you later then." Dan states awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.
"Okay." Serena replies before turning to Chuck. "I guess I'll see you tonight, Chuck?"
"Yeah, don't be late, sis. You know Blair would get mad at you if you're not on time." Chuck reminds her, to which the blonde simply laughs before agreeing with him.
"Oh, and I'll see you guys too?" Serena turns to the men who accompanied her today. Dan, of course, said that he'll definitely be there - he was invited by the birthday boy himself after all, so of course, he's going to come.
"Carter?"
"What?" He acts as if he's clueless but sends out a small smirk to Dan, as if telling him that he's been expecting this - and he was. "I'm not really -"
"Oh, non-sense!" Serena exclaims, gleefully. "You can come with me."
"No, I don't -" Dan clenches his fist, first because of how Carter's acting and second, because of how oblivious Serena is. Can't she see that that douche is just trying to get on his nerves. He won't allow Carter to win, so he simply stays put, allowing the scene to run its course.
"I am inviting you, Carter. I expect you to be there, okay?"
Carter finally relents, flashing a smile at Serena before turning to Dan and Chuck, giving them a smirk which did not go unnoticed by the two.
"Okay then, I better get going." Serena once again gives each guy a hug before turning and starting to leave, offering a pleasant goodbye.
"Serena!" Carter calls after her and when she turns again, he's speed-walking towards her, suggesting that they head out together, to which Serena simply smiles and nods her head. Both Dan and Chuck both watches them walking off together, until they can't see them anymore and once they heard the elevator door close, Chuck turns to the writer beside him.
"Please tell me I'm not the only one who wanted to punch that smirk off his face?"
"You're not the only one." Dan sighs, still staring at the direction Serena and Carter disappeared to.
"You know, Humphrey..." Chuck starts, and this time Dan turns to him, waiting for him to continue. "...as much as I am not really fond of you, I'd much rather see you and Serena together than see Carter with my sister."
"Thanks, I guess." Dan mumbles in response, not really sure how to respond because really, what do you say to that kind of statement? He wouldn't say that he thinks the same - even though he does - because of some circumstances that makes saying it out loud inappropriate.
After a beat or two of silence, Dan finally bids Chuck a goodbye, not even really waiting for Chuck to acknowledge it - not that Chuck did, because his phone suddenly rang and he's currently on the phone with Blair. And as Dan steps out of the Empire, it suddenly dawns to him that Nate's party is tonight and that Serena had invited Carter and knowing Carter, he'll probably talk the blonde into making him her date. Great, Dan thinks, this is going to be one interesting party.
.to be continued.
A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the late update! It's just that I have been bombarded with a lot of school work and we had our exams this week, so I haven't really been able to write much because, well, I needed to study.
So, next chapter will be set in Nate's birthday party, obviously. And almost everybody would be there (everybody meaning Dan and Serena's generation - meaning Lily and all the others' parents probably won't be there, but I'm not yet really sure.)
And since it's like a month since I last updated, here's a little treat for you guys. Here's a sneak peak of the next chapter:
"Why did you kiss me?"
"I'd do it again if you don't stop me."
Tada! There. I hope that excites you guys a bit. I will try my hardest to update as soon as possible, but in the meantime, I really, really, really hope you guys did enjoy this chapter! And I apologize for any spelling and grammar mistakes. :)
Oh, and your reviews are very welcome and really appreciated so just keep them coming! I enjoy reading all of them, it truly brightens my day! xx