Hey Upper East Siders. Gossip Girl here. And I have the biggest news ever. One of my many sources, Melanie91, sends us this: "Spotted at Grand Central, bags in hand: Serena van der Woodsen." Was it only a year ago our It Girl mysteriously disappeared for "boarding school"? And just as suddenly, she's back. Don't believe me? See for yourselves. Lucky for us, Melanie91 sent proof. Thanks for the photo, Mel. xoxo gossip girl
There wasn't much in this world that was interesting enough to pique Theadora's attention, however that being said. This latest gossip girl blast had her attention and then some. Serena van der Woodsen? Back in New York? And with certifiable proof? Now that was something of worth as the last few 'sightings' of Serena had been bogus, but this time there was photographic evidence. Now there was no way that the anonymous blogger would make a headline grabbing post like that unless she had some kind of proof. Gossip girl was many things, an annoying pain in the ass? Check. Stupid? Not so much. It was why she had remained under the rader for all these years.
Yet it was just Theadora's luck that straight off the bat of her gossip girl homecoming, here Serena was right in front of her eyes. It hadn't been long since the blast and yet the girl of the hour had waltzed right into the little soiree being thrown by the Wardolf's at their penthouse and turning heads as if no time had passed. Fate wasn't something that she put much stock in, but with the turn her day was taking, Theodora was willing to take a leap of faith.
"I'll see you at school tomorrow, kay?"
From a short distance Theodora watched Serena and her bestie, Blair Waldorf awkwardly interact with each other after quite a long time apart. The two of them had always been attached at the hip, B&S were the shinning stars in their world here on the Upper East Side. So this reunion was one of the book, and all around Theadora could see the eyes of her peers focusing on the two girls.
For most people they would have thought nothing of it, just seeing a happy reunion from an outsider's point of view. Yet, Theodora didn't wear those hippie dippy rose tinted glasses like some of the social climbing wannabees around them. She was no outsider. She was part of the inner circle having known Serena and Blair, for what seemed to be forever and a day and Theodroa knew that this reunion wasn't quite so happy.
Things had been a bit of a shit storm when Serena had left. Her homecoming was going to be just as bad as that as where there was Serena, trouble was never too far behind. Especially after disappearing for a good year in order to go to boarding school of all places. There had to be a very delectable story behind this disappearing act and Theadora couldn't wait to get to the bottom of it.
It was a rather delectable way to start junior year.
"As fun as things are, why don't we go off and have some real fun? Clothing is optional but preferably without…"
The low purring in her ears forced Theodora's attention away from the scene that was unfolding before her very eyes, throwing a brief glance over her right shoulder, a quiet chuckle slipped from her lips. Her dark haired companion had finally found his way back to her, no doubt having finally grown tired of Kati Farkas and Isobel Coates. Naturally with his trademark drink firmly in his hand; a single malt scotch. The glint in Chuck's eyes suggested nothing but indecency and perhaps that was the thing that Theadora loved most about her childhood friend Charles Bass. He always knew how to make things a lot more interesting and more often than not, it was not for polite company.
"Anyone ever told you that lurking is the pastime of perverts Bass?" Theodora quipped, a coy smile tugging at her lips as she proceeded to take a sip from her flute.
"Don't act like you don't love it Englert."
He had her there. She had no issue with the countless innuendos and the offer of sexual favours that came from her dark haired friend, it was all apart from his acquired charm and of course, she would never take him up on it.
Chuck's sleaziness came only second to his impeccable style, and that favoured scarf of his. By all accounts Theodora and Chuck shouldn't be friends, the two of them were different as night as day. Chuck came from new money and was without a doubt the wealthiest womaniser on this side of the east coast, whilst she came from very old money and had sworn off relationships. Yet she adored Chuck, she really did. But there was no way in hell Theodroa would touch her friend with a ten inch pole even if he had been disinfected by the CDC. She knew too much, seen too much for him to be a hint of a consideration. Plus, her affections for him were always in a platonic way with a side of playful innuendo.
"Take this."
Chuck's dark brows furrowed together, a look of mild disgust covering his face at being treated like the waiting staff, as Theodora handed her glass to him. Having more money than god himself meant that Bass Jr never had to do anything that resembled some kind of work.
"Why should B get to be the only one to reunite with an old friend? I'll be back soon, try to keep your clothes on whilst I'm gone."
With a practised smile that had long stopped being painful, spread across her face, Theodora seamlessly passed through the crowds that had gathered at the Waldorf penthouse. The best amongst society had assembled here and manoeuvring through them all without disgracing the Englert name, lingered in the back of Thea's mind. The people in this room were powerful people, some more than others but each other them were more than ready to put a knife in your back.
"Theodora! How's your father? I haven't seen Frederick since the Hillem-Stein wedding."
"Oh he's very well, on business in Malysia currently but I will let him know you were asking of him."
The etiquette lessons that had been stuffed down her throat for as long as Theodora could remember had served her well, despite not knowing where her father was. No doubt somewhere on this planet, but the exact location of Papa Englert was something she paid no mind to. That parental relationship was very loose at best. Yet, the act of being a doting daughter had to go on. Although Theodora's eyes rolled to the back of her head as soon as she was out of sight of that barely memorable acquaintance that knew of her family. The family name of Englert meant something in this part of society and Theodora would not be the one to damage that, well more so than her parents had already done in the past.
Countless names and faces passed Theodora, her miu miu pumps chiming against the marble floor as she continued to follow her blonde haired friends, forever grateful that Serena always stood heads above the rest in more ways that one.
It was the private elevator of the Waldorf penthouse that allowed Theodora to finally catch up to her old friend, and she expertly manoeuvred herself inside the elevator before Serena could get the doors to close.
"Did you really think you could waltz out of here without seeing me first? I know I may not show it at times S, but even my feeling can be hurt. " Theodora began, eyeing up her friend with a quizzical look and the look of surprise quickly faded from Serena's face and was replaced by a smile that radiated warm and affection.
"Thea."
To anyone who knew her, she was Theodora Englert. But to her family and a select few, her small circle of friends knew her as Thea and Serena was one of them.
The two friends embraced each other and it seemed like no time had passed at all, like the last year hadn't just happened. Yet as Theodora pulled herself out of her friend's embrace she could see that something was different. Serena was, different… Although it was hard for Theodora to put her finger on what it was exactly, as how could one even begin to describe Serena van der Woodsen? The ethereal golden haired goddess that could outshine the sun if that was possible, and there seemed to be no end to the reach of her charms, and her warmth extended to pretty much everyone that she came across.
"You should have called!" Theodora gently childed, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as the elevator began to make it's descent.
Serena's return to the Upper East Side had come as a surprise but not an unwelcome one, the absence of her 'it girl' has been noticeable, especially to the ones closest to her. The void that had been left been gaping and even though their world continued to move on, it had always felt like something was missing, and that something had been Serena. Theodora wasn't too big on open displays of emotion, but she was willing to admit that she had missed her friend this entire time.
"I know T…" Serena started, her head tilted to the side in a guilty manner with her small pout forming on her lips. "But things were complicated, I needed to get away for a while and before I knew it, staying away seemed to be for the best…"
"Well thank you for that luck lustre apology S, however I'm referring to the news of your reappearance not coming from you, but but gossip girl. You remember our not so friendly anonymous blogger? Always ready with a bitchy comment whenever there is a slightest hint of a scandal or just boredom on her part." Theodora quipped, waving off the apology as there was no point to it. Serena van der Woodsen was one of those annoying people whom it was impossible to ever really be mad at.
"She's still at it?"
"Of course, in even more force than before. I have to say that bitch, whoever she may be, missed you whilst you were gone and has certainly kept herself busy in your absence…" Theodora allowed herself to let you a small scoff, before the two young women fell into a somewhat awkward silence. Even now, after a whole year had passed, Theodora was still in the dark as to what had caused one of her eldest friends to go off on an houdini act and it wasn't for a lack of trying. "Well you redeemed yourself with the flowers. I didn't think I would hear from you on… that day."
The memory of the only contact she had with Serena during the latter's time away, had often played on repeat in Theodora's mind. The little card that came with the white gladiolus bouquet had a simple message in reflection of the most painful day of her life, years after the fact.
Thinking of you today and always, I love you - S.
"I would never forget, no matter where I was." Serena stated with a sharp certainty in her voice.
No one knew about this. Not Blair, Chuck or even Nate, this was a secret that Theodroa had kept from everyone that she knew. The note tucked away from prying eyes in her closet in a shoebox that nobody would ever know. It had come as a tremendous comfort in a difficult time and the note was something that Theodora had come to treasure. As closed off as Theodroa attempted to keep herself, it meant a lot that Serena had remembered. The reason for the secrecy? Theodora wasn't completely sure, she probably should have told her friends but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to do it.
Theodora's smile was threatening to falter, this stroll down memory to her deep dark trauma was not something that she had planned on, nor was it something that she wanted to continue to revisit. Forcing herself back to the present, Theodora forced a smile back onto her face. Today wasn't about her, it was about Serena's return back to the Upper East Side and all that was bound to come with it.
"You know S, I'm happy that you've come home for whatever the reason is… However, you know that coming back doesn't mean that things will go back to how they used to be? A year is a long time to be away and time waits for no man, or woman in this case. A lot of things have changed in your absence."
"T… What's that supposed to mean?" Serena questioned and a smirk tugged in the corner of Theodora's mouth as the elevator doors opened.
"You come for the Queen, then you had better not miss."