Chapter 33
Part 2
Once Blair had gotten Jenny comfortable and found her some other people to talk with, she met Chuck near the large window. He was looking out at the city. Blair followed his gaze.
“You know, you confuse the crap out of me, Chuck Bass,” she said finally.
Chuck looked at her. “Not knowing everything makes life a whole lot more interesting.” Blair avoided his look and continued staring at the city below.
“Yeah, well, I barely know anything anymore. Especially about you.” B sighed.
“Well, then, I’ll let you in on a few things,” Chuck said to her, sliding his hand around her waist. “Firstly, I hate Nathaniel.” Blair laughed. “Secondly, I like money.”
“No surprise there.” B rolled her eyes.
“I like money because it can buy things that make you happy,” Chuck added. Blair looked at him. He was gazing intently at her. Sometimes she felt like when he looked at her, he saw right through to her soul. It gave her the most eerie feeling, but also the most amazing rush, to gaze into his deep brown eyes and see the delicate care and fascination in his expression when he looked at her. Sighing quietly, Blair slipped out of his hands and turned to face him.
“Have you ever thought that maybe what truly makes me happy can’t be bought?” she said, looking at him, her head tilted slightly. Chuck was silent, for the first time, pondering over what to say.
“Blair,” he said finally, “I know what makes you happy.” He gave her a small smile, and, getting hold of her waist, pulled her into him. After a tiny moment of gazing into each other’s eyes, Chuck kissed her.
[Meanwhile…] Nate opened the door to Chuck’s suite and pushed his way through the crowds of people. He was searching for Chuck to try and find out why he hadn’t been invited. Nate slipped across the room until he reached the large bay window that hung over the city. And, pushing the last few people aside, he arrived just a few feet away from Blair and Chuck. Kissing.
The anger started to boil in Nate’s chest, rising up into his throat. He swallowed hard, and walked briskly over to Chuck. Prying him from B, he swung Chuck to face him, and punched him in the right eye. Before Chuck could fight back, Nate had grabbed his collar and pinned him to the window. N’s eyes were dark with rage.
“What, the hell, Chuck?!” Nate yelled, gripping C’s collar tighter.
“Get your hands off of me!” Chuck yelled back, shoving Nate away and quickly punching him in the jaw. Nate stumbled back and felt his bleeding face, but only for a moment. His glare swung back to Chuck and putting as much force as he could into it, Nate grabbed his friend and rammed him back into the window.
“You lay your hands on her again and you’re dead.” Nate emphasized his words with the extra shove he gave Chuck. C heard the window groan against the weight, and he glanced down at the street down below. Turning to face Nate again, he pushed back hard against him, causing N to fall to the floor.
And before half of the guests could come and see what was going on, Nate and Chuck were rolling on the floor, beating the crap out of each other. Blair just yelled at them desperately, but it was no use.
Eventually, a group of seniors from St. Jude’s were able to pull the two apart, and as some of them led Nate out of the suite, he was still yelling threats at Chuck. C rubbed his sore jaw as he rushed people out of the hotel room. When all of the guests were gone, he closed the door and sighed. Blair was sitting on the bed, watching him with a troubled look on her face.
“Why did you invite Nate without telling me?” she asked, although it sounded more like a statement than a question.
Chuck sighed. “Blair, I—” But B cut him off.
“Did you plan for him come and find out?” Blair studied Chuck intently as he walked towards her, rubbing the fresh bruise on his cheek.
“No, of course not,” C reassured her. He held out his arms when he reached the bed, but Blair just stood up and walked past him. As she reached the door, she looked back at him.
“I can’t believe you would do this,” Blair said coldly. Then she laughed, looking up at the ceiling. “Actually, I do believe you would do this. After all, you are Chuck Bass. And this is exactly the kind of crap you pull all the time.”
Chuck tried to say something, but B interrupted. “You know what, Chuck? Forget it. I’m sick of this. I guess it was just too good to be true. No matter what, you just can’t seem to behave yourself.” Blair opened the door, and looked back at him, a disappointed and hurt look on her face. “Not even for me.”
After Blair closed the door, Chuck let out a huge sigh and flopped down on the bed. He was just too tired to go after her.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Chapter 33 -Part 1
Chapter 33
Part 1
“So, how did you guys hook up?” Blair and Chuck were standing talking to a couple of sophomores at C’s party. Chuck had been shamelessly flaunting Blair for the past hour, showing off that he could, in fact, be committed to one girl.
“Well,” Chuck said, grinning, “it all started with a strip club, some cocktails, and a—” Blair jabbed her elbow into Chuck’s stomach, and smiled at the two sophomores.
“It’s a… long story,” she said as Chuck glared at her.
The guests walked off, and B whirled on her heels to face C. “I told you you could make us public,” she hissed, “not tell everyone our personal, private story!”
“Well, don’t you want people to know how we started?” Chuck had his usual smug grin on his face.
“No, I don’t! It’s not a very good, story, if you think about it!” Blair’s eyes were bright with anger. “And it sure as hell isn’t romantic!”
Chuck just stared at her, not saying a word. The smug grin was still on his lips, and Blair just wanted to slap it right off.
But they were in public.
“Behave yourself,” she breathed as she swiftly walked past him. C just watched her go, and swallowed the rest of his scotch.
B met Serena over on one of the sofas. “Dan hasn’t been answering my calls. He said he was busy.”
“Then he probably is,” Blair said, sitting down next to her. “Don’t worry about it. Maybe he just thinks you guys are spending too much time together.”
“Maybe...” Serena said, but she didn’t sound that sure of herself. “Oh, well. How’s your evening going?”
“Chuck’s screwing it up, as always,” Blair said, a little bitterly. “God, why does he have to be such an a** all the time?”
“Because he’s Chuck Bass,” Serena said, laughing. “He’s nothing without his smarminess.”
“Is that even a word?” Blair looked at her friend sceptically.
“Actually, I think it is. They made it up in honour of Chuck.”
“I’m sure they did.” Blair sighed and rose from the sofa. She got herself a cocktail at the bar, and noticed Jenny arriving. Before she could close the door, Chuck appeared by J’s side, offering to take her coat. B inched her way towards them casually, listening in.
“So glad you could make it, Little J,” Chuck was saying. “Yeah, well, I was in the neighbourhood.” Jenny laughed nervously as Chuck studied her face.
“Where’s your boyfriend?” C asked nonchalantly, adjusting the silver watch on his wrist.
“Oh, you mean Oliver? I don’t know; he couldn’t make it.” Chuck was about to say something when J quickly added, “And he’s not my boyfriend. We went out once.”
“Well, any guy would be lucky to have you.” Chuck said the words slowly, emphasizing every syllable. He kissed her hand gently; his eyes fixed to hers all the while. Sighing, Blair stood up from her seat nearby and walked over to them.
“Chuck, stop hitting on Jenny,” she scolded, giving J a sympathetic look.
“I wasn’t hitting on anyone, B. I was just being a friendly host.” Chuck gazed at Blair in a failed attempt to look innocent.
“Oh, please, I could spot you drooling from across the room,” Blair said, rolling her eyes. “Come on, J. Let’s leave old Bass here to his perverted fantasies.” B linked arms with Jenny, narrowed her eyes at Chuck, and headed to the other side of the room.
Part 1
“So, how did you guys hook up?” Blair and Chuck were standing talking to a couple of sophomores at C’s party. Chuck had been shamelessly flaunting Blair for the past hour, showing off that he could, in fact, be committed to one girl.
“Well,” Chuck said, grinning, “it all started with a strip club, some cocktails, and a—” Blair jabbed her elbow into Chuck’s stomach, and smiled at the two sophomores.
“It’s a… long story,” she said as Chuck glared at her.
The guests walked off, and B whirled on her heels to face C. “I told you you could make us public,” she hissed, “not tell everyone our personal, private story!”
“Well, don’t you want people to know how we started?” Chuck had his usual smug grin on his face.
“No, I don’t! It’s not a very good, story, if you think about it!” Blair’s eyes were bright with anger. “And it sure as hell isn’t romantic!”
Chuck just stared at her, not saying a word. The smug grin was still on his lips, and Blair just wanted to slap it right off.
But they were in public.
“Behave yourself,” she breathed as she swiftly walked past him. C just watched her go, and swallowed the rest of his scotch.
B met Serena over on one of the sofas. “Dan hasn’t been answering my calls. He said he was busy.”
“Then he probably is,” Blair said, sitting down next to her. “Don’t worry about it. Maybe he just thinks you guys are spending too much time together.”
“Maybe...” Serena said, but she didn’t sound that sure of herself. “Oh, well. How’s your evening going?”
“Chuck’s screwing it up, as always,” Blair said, a little bitterly. “God, why does he have to be such an a** all the time?”
“Because he’s Chuck Bass,” Serena said, laughing. “He’s nothing without his smarminess.”
“Is that even a word?” Blair looked at her friend sceptically.
“Actually, I think it is. They made it up in honour of Chuck.”
“I’m sure they did.” Blair sighed and rose from the sofa. She got herself a cocktail at the bar, and noticed Jenny arriving. Before she could close the door, Chuck appeared by J’s side, offering to take her coat. B inched her way towards them casually, listening in.
“So glad you could make it, Little J,” Chuck was saying. “Yeah, well, I was in the neighbourhood.” Jenny laughed nervously as Chuck studied her face.
“Where’s your boyfriend?” C asked nonchalantly, adjusting the silver watch on his wrist.
“Oh, you mean Oliver? I don’t know; he couldn’t make it.” Chuck was about to say something when J quickly added, “And he’s not my boyfriend. We went out once.”
“Well, any guy would be lucky to have you.” Chuck said the words slowly, emphasizing every syllable. He kissed her hand gently; his eyes fixed to hers all the while. Sighing, Blair stood up from her seat nearby and walked over to them.
“Chuck, stop hitting on Jenny,” she scolded, giving J a sympathetic look.
“I wasn’t hitting on anyone, B. I was just being a friendly host.” Chuck gazed at Blair in a failed attempt to look innocent.
“Oh, please, I could spot you drooling from across the room,” Blair said, rolling her eyes. “Come on, J. Let’s leave old Bass here to his perverted fantasies.” B linked arms with Jenny, narrowed her eyes at Chuck, and headed to the other side of the room.
Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Serena sighed as she waited for someone to pick up on the other line. She had been trying to call Dan for days, but it was almost like he kept avoiding her. Finally, he picked up.
“Dan? Um, I was just wondering if you could make it to Chuck’s party tomorrow?”
“Oh, uh, I’m busy.”
Serena looked confused. “But, last week I thought you said you were free.”
“Yeah, but I made other plans and I guess I forgot to tell you. Sorry.”
The line went dead, and Serena stared at her cell phone, confused.
Nate was sitting in his room watching TV when his phone started buzzing. Startled, he opened it up to see it was a text message.
N-
Just thought I’d invite u 2 the party of the yr. Chuck’s suite, Sunday, 8 pm. Guess he forgot ur invite.
-GG
Nate stared at the message. Chuck was having a party and didn’t invite him? Usually Nate was number one on the invitation list. Closing his phone, N sighed with confusion.
Spotted: S and N, the official spokespeople for confusing phone communication. Oops, was C’s little party supposed to be secret? Well, he should have considered that before inviting everyone on the Upper East Side, and even a couple Brooklyn dwellers. Settle down, I’m not talking about Lonely Boy. Any person could see that Chuck and Dan will never be BFFs. But I hear Chuck’s been looking for a Nathaniel Archibald replacement… a picture perfect friendship, down the tubes. And I’m almost certain Blair Waldorf had everything to do with it.
“So, you stoked for my party tomorrow?” Chuck asked between kisses. He had Blair pinned to her bed as he ran his hands up her thighs.
“Oh yes, I’m so excited about you showcasing us and our relationship for the entire world to see.” Blair pushed back the collar of his jacket, wrapping her hands around his neck.
“As you should be,” Chuck replied, grinning. “I’m quite a catch.”
“Oh, I know,” Blair exclaimed sarcastically. “I just hope my catch doesn’t come laden with crabs when I reel it in.”
“I’ll consider that a joke,” Chuck mumbled, kissing her neck. “A bad joke, but a joke nonetheless.”
Blair laughed. “I thought it was quite original.”
Chuck looked at her. “Please. That’s the oldest one in the book.”
“Oh, and what book is this?” Blair asked, amused.
“The Book of Sex Jokes. Chapter 3, How to Make STDs Funny.”
Blair laughed. “You’re really something,” she said to him. “But I’m not sure if I mean that in a good way.”
“You better mean it in a good way,” Chuck said, looking at her. “Or no more limo sex.”
B rolled her eyes. “Oh, I would be so lost without it.”
“I know. But that’s okay; we can always find new places.”
“Oh yeah? Like what?”
“Like the storage closets of certain French restaurants.”
“Hmm, yeah, there’s nothing like having sex in a closet and having a waitress walk in on you.”
“I know. We could ask her to join us.”
Blair pushed him away slightly. “You’re sick.”
“Sick but hot. Get over it.”
Laughing, B pushed off his jacket. “I think I already am,” she said, reaching up to kiss him.
Serena sighed as she waited for someone to pick up on the other line. She had been trying to call Dan for days, but it was almost like he kept avoiding her. Finally, he picked up.
“Dan? Um, I was just wondering if you could make it to Chuck’s party tomorrow?”
“Oh, uh, I’m busy.”
Serena looked confused. “But, last week I thought you said you were free.”
“Yeah, but I made other plans and I guess I forgot to tell you. Sorry.”
The line went dead, and Serena stared at her cell phone, confused.
Nate was sitting in his room watching TV when his phone started buzzing. Startled, he opened it up to see it was a text message.
N-
Just thought I’d invite u 2 the party of the yr. Chuck’s suite, Sunday, 8 pm. Guess he forgot ur invite.
-GG
Nate stared at the message. Chuck was having a party and didn’t invite him? Usually Nate was number one on the invitation list. Closing his phone, N sighed with confusion.
Spotted: S and N, the official spokespeople for confusing phone communication. Oops, was C’s little party supposed to be secret? Well, he should have considered that before inviting everyone on the Upper East Side, and even a couple Brooklyn dwellers. Settle down, I’m not talking about Lonely Boy. Any person could see that Chuck and Dan will never be BFFs. But I hear Chuck’s been looking for a Nathaniel Archibald replacement… a picture perfect friendship, down the tubes. And I’m almost certain Blair Waldorf had everything to do with it.
“So, you stoked for my party tomorrow?” Chuck asked between kisses. He had Blair pinned to her bed as he ran his hands up her thighs.
“Oh yes, I’m so excited about you showcasing us and our relationship for the entire world to see.” Blair pushed back the collar of his jacket, wrapping her hands around his neck.
“As you should be,” Chuck replied, grinning. “I’m quite a catch.”
“Oh, I know,” Blair exclaimed sarcastically. “I just hope my catch doesn’t come laden with crabs when I reel it in.”
“I’ll consider that a joke,” Chuck mumbled, kissing her neck. “A bad joke, but a joke nonetheless.”
Blair laughed. “I thought it was quite original.”
Chuck looked at her. “Please. That’s the oldest one in the book.”
“Oh, and what book is this?” Blair asked, amused.
“The Book of Sex Jokes. Chapter 3, How to Make STDs Funny.”
Blair laughed. “You’re really something,” she said to him. “But I’m not sure if I mean that in a good way.”
“You better mean it in a good way,” Chuck said, looking at her. “Or no more limo sex.”
B rolled her eyes. “Oh, I would be so lost without it.”
“I know. But that’s okay; we can always find new places.”
“Oh yeah? Like what?”
“Like the storage closets of certain French restaurants.”
“Hmm, yeah, there’s nothing like having sex in a closet and having a waitress walk in on you.”
“I know. We could ask her to join us.”
Blair pushed him away slightly. “You’re sick.”
“Sick but hot. Get over it.”
Laughing, B pushed off his jacket. “I think I already am,” she said, reaching up to kiss him.
Chapter 31
Chapter 31
“Serena? It’s Jenny. Can you come over? I’m having a major fashion crisis!” Jenny hung up the phone and went back to her closet. She searched the racks hopelessly. I have nothing to wear! was the only thought running through her mind as she pulled out random articles and tossed them aside carelessly.
When Jenny heard the knocking of the front door, she raced to answer it. “Thank goodness you’re here!” she exclaimed. “Serena, I have absolutely nothing to wear, and my date with Oliver is in an hour! Please help me!” Serena laughed at the pleading in J’s voice.
“Jenny, didn’t we go shopping like two days ago?”
“Yes, but none of that stuff is good enough! Oliver is like the picture perfect Upper East Sider!”
“Only less scandalous,” Serena added quietly, laughing.
“In any case, I really need to impress him! He won’t expect me to show up in some $20 blouse from Macy’s!”
“What’s wrong with Macy’s?” Serena asked, frowning, as she followed Jenny to her room.
“Everything, compared to the clothes his previous girlfriends have worn!” Jenny sighed as she flopped down on her bed. “Serena, what am I gonna do?”
“Well, I think you’re gonna stop moaning and try on this fabulous dress I bought for you yesterday.” Serena smiled as she reached into the shopping bag she was carrying. Jenny gasped as S pulled out a hot pink strapless Waldorf original. The gown looked like a prettier version of the gold dress Jenny wore the night of Blair’s sleepover.
“Blair and I went shopping, and we stopped by her mother’s boutique. Blair said the colour was a little dated, as in a few months ago, but I bought it anyway. I thought you wouldn’t mind.” Serena smiled as she handed the dress to Jenny. “So, what do you think?”
“Oh, Serena! It’s… it’s gorgeous! Thank you so much!”
“Don’t mention it. Oh, but you might want these, too.” S pulled out a matching pair of pink heels.
Jenny was overcome with joy. Screaming, she enveloped Serena in a huge hug. Laughing, S hugged back.
“Now you get ready. Oliver’s gonna be here soon, and you still don’t have your makeup done.” Serena smiled as she began to leave the room.
“Uh, Serena…” Jenny called after her.
“Yeah?”
“You wouldn’t happen to have a Sephora kit handy, would you?” Jenny smiled shyly. Grinning, S pulled a stuffed makeup bag out of her purse. She tossed it to Jenny.
“Here. Knock yourself out.”
After Serena had left, all Little J could do was hop around the room, ecstatic over what S had done for her.
“Oh, wow,” Oliver said, gaping at Jenny as she arrived outside the restaurant. “You look… amazing.”
Jenny smiled. She didn’t want him to pick her up from home and see where she lived, so she had asked him to meet her at a club in downtown Manhattan. “Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself.”
Oliver was in a navy blue dress shirt and dark jeans. His amazing green eyes glittered at the sight of her. Jenny looked him all over, wondering why he looked so vaguely familiar. Suddenly, she realized it. Oliver looked very much like a younger version of Nate.
Shaking the thought out of her head, Jenny linked arms with Oliver and walked into the restaurant.
“You look so good,” Oliver told her, smiling, once they had sat down. “Pink is your colour.”
“Yeah, well, I do like pink,” Jenny said, in a failing attempt to be funny. ‘I do like pink’? What am I, a four year old girl? Jenny sighed at her stupid remark while Oliver just looked puzzled.
“Um, yeah,” he said. “I’m sure you do.”
“So, uh, anyway,” Jenny said quickly, desperately trying to change the subject. “Blair told me you’re the captain of the debate team. What’s that like?”
“It’s interesting,” Oliver replied, taking a sip from the drink the waitress had just brought him. “Even though my dream is to study social sciences, I was always interested in being a lawyer, so I joined the team to improve my skills.”
“Wow. But I also heard you play lacrosse?”
“Yup.”
“You know, I didn’t expect the captain of the debate team also to be a sports buff.” Jenny cringed at her own use of the phrase sports buff.
Oliver laughed. “Hardly. I just play lacrosse to stay fit. I’m really more of an academic. But what about you? Do you play sports?”
“Well, no, unless you count shopping as a sport.” Jenny laughed nervously as she stirred her drink with a toothpick. Oliver studied her face, and then let out a strained laugh.
The evening went on in a similar way until it was late enough for both of them to call it a night. As the two walked outside, Oliver asked, “Do you need me to call you a cab or something?”
“Oh no, I’ll be fine. I’m sure the pink stretch limo will be here soon.” Jenny smiled at Oliver, trying to read his face to see if he got the joke. He just stared at her for a moment, and sighed.
“Jenny, I have to be honest with you. I don’t like stereotype girls. You know, the kinds who traipse around in designer shoes and forty-dollar lip gloss. I don’t care about that stuff. I like girls who are confident and don’t feel like they need to buy their way into society.
“That’s why I don’t date the Blair Waldorfs of the world. I mean, no offence to Blair Waldorf, but I find those girls shallow and superficial, not to mention insecure. I want to be with someone for who they are, not who they wear.” Oliver tried to make eye contact with Jenny, but she was just staring at the pavement below her. She could feel tears welling in her eyes.
“Jenny,” Oliver said, this time more gently, “Who are you?”
Forcing herself not to cry, J looked up at him. She swallowed, and took a deep breath in. “I’m Jenny Humphrey, and I’m a freshman at Constance Billiard School for Girls. I’m always trying to fit in with the girls at my school, but I just can’t because I’m not like them. I listen to the Spice Girls and shop at thrift stores, and the only reason I’m wearing an Eleanor Waldorf original tonight is because a friend bought it for me. I couldn’t afford it if I saved up for five years.” Sighing, Jenny felt a tear slip down her cheek. “I’m Jenny Humphrey, and I’m a Brooklyn girl living in an Upper East Side world.”
Smiling softly, Oliver wiped the tear from her cheek. “I knew you weren’t yourself tonight,” he told her quietly. “But I always want you to be yourself. You don’t have to pretend to be somebody else just to impress people. Sometimes the best thing is just to be honest and true.”
Jenny wiped her eyes and looked at Oliver. “I was afraid that if I told you who I was, you wouldn’t give me a chance.”
“You should have told me. I wouldn’t have judged you.”
Still sniffling, Jenny smiled slightly. “Are you judging me now?”
Oliver smiled back. “Well, now that I know that you’re an actual human being with feelings, I don’t have to.”
Oliver placed his hand gently on her cheek, and kissed her. Jenny felt happy to be in that perfect moment, staring into his warm eyes, feeling his gentle breath on her lips. It was like something out of a fairy tale.
Jenny hugged him, not needing to say a word. After a few minutes of silent cuddling on the sidewalk, Oliver called her a cab.
“Take this gorgeous girl home,” he said to the cab driver as he helped Jenny into the back. Smiling, Jenny told the driver to go to Brooklyn.
She said goodbye to Oliver just before she shut the door, and watched him through the window as the cab began to pull away.
Leaning back on the seat, Jenny sighed. For once in her life, she felt proud to be from Brooklyn.
“Serena? It’s Jenny. Can you come over? I’m having a major fashion crisis!” Jenny hung up the phone and went back to her closet. She searched the racks hopelessly. I have nothing to wear! was the only thought running through her mind as she pulled out random articles and tossed them aside carelessly.
When Jenny heard the knocking of the front door, she raced to answer it. “Thank goodness you’re here!” she exclaimed. “Serena, I have absolutely nothing to wear, and my date with Oliver is in an hour! Please help me!” Serena laughed at the pleading in J’s voice.
“Jenny, didn’t we go shopping like two days ago?”
“Yes, but none of that stuff is good enough! Oliver is like the picture perfect Upper East Sider!”
“Only less scandalous,” Serena added quietly, laughing.
“In any case, I really need to impress him! He won’t expect me to show up in some $20 blouse from Macy’s!”
“What’s wrong with Macy’s?” Serena asked, frowning, as she followed Jenny to her room.
“Everything, compared to the clothes his previous girlfriends have worn!” Jenny sighed as she flopped down on her bed. “Serena, what am I gonna do?”
“Well, I think you’re gonna stop moaning and try on this fabulous dress I bought for you yesterday.” Serena smiled as she reached into the shopping bag she was carrying. Jenny gasped as S pulled out a hot pink strapless Waldorf original. The gown looked like a prettier version of the gold dress Jenny wore the night of Blair’s sleepover.
“Blair and I went shopping, and we stopped by her mother’s boutique. Blair said the colour was a little dated, as in a few months ago, but I bought it anyway. I thought you wouldn’t mind.” Serena smiled as she handed the dress to Jenny. “So, what do you think?”
“Oh, Serena! It’s… it’s gorgeous! Thank you so much!”
“Don’t mention it. Oh, but you might want these, too.” S pulled out a matching pair of pink heels.
Jenny was overcome with joy. Screaming, she enveloped Serena in a huge hug. Laughing, S hugged back.
“Now you get ready. Oliver’s gonna be here soon, and you still don’t have your makeup done.” Serena smiled as she began to leave the room.
“Uh, Serena…” Jenny called after her.
“Yeah?”
“You wouldn’t happen to have a Sephora kit handy, would you?” Jenny smiled shyly. Grinning, S pulled a stuffed makeup bag out of her purse. She tossed it to Jenny.
“Here. Knock yourself out.”
After Serena had left, all Little J could do was hop around the room, ecstatic over what S had done for her.
“Oh, wow,” Oliver said, gaping at Jenny as she arrived outside the restaurant. “You look… amazing.”
Jenny smiled. She didn’t want him to pick her up from home and see where she lived, so she had asked him to meet her at a club in downtown Manhattan. “Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself.”
Oliver was in a navy blue dress shirt and dark jeans. His amazing green eyes glittered at the sight of her. Jenny looked him all over, wondering why he looked so vaguely familiar. Suddenly, she realized it. Oliver looked very much like a younger version of Nate.
Shaking the thought out of her head, Jenny linked arms with Oliver and walked into the restaurant.
“You look so good,” Oliver told her, smiling, once they had sat down. “Pink is your colour.”
“Yeah, well, I do like pink,” Jenny said, in a failing attempt to be funny. ‘I do like pink’? What am I, a four year old girl? Jenny sighed at her stupid remark while Oliver just looked puzzled.
“Um, yeah,” he said. “I’m sure you do.”
“So, uh, anyway,” Jenny said quickly, desperately trying to change the subject. “Blair told me you’re the captain of the debate team. What’s that like?”
“It’s interesting,” Oliver replied, taking a sip from the drink the waitress had just brought him. “Even though my dream is to study social sciences, I was always interested in being a lawyer, so I joined the team to improve my skills.”
“Wow. But I also heard you play lacrosse?”
“Yup.”
“You know, I didn’t expect the captain of the debate team also to be a sports buff.” Jenny cringed at her own use of the phrase sports buff.
Oliver laughed. “Hardly. I just play lacrosse to stay fit. I’m really more of an academic. But what about you? Do you play sports?”
“Well, no, unless you count shopping as a sport.” Jenny laughed nervously as she stirred her drink with a toothpick. Oliver studied her face, and then let out a strained laugh.
The evening went on in a similar way until it was late enough for both of them to call it a night. As the two walked outside, Oliver asked, “Do you need me to call you a cab or something?”
“Oh no, I’ll be fine. I’m sure the pink stretch limo will be here soon.” Jenny smiled at Oliver, trying to read his face to see if he got the joke. He just stared at her for a moment, and sighed.
“Jenny, I have to be honest with you. I don’t like stereotype girls. You know, the kinds who traipse around in designer shoes and forty-dollar lip gloss. I don’t care about that stuff. I like girls who are confident and don’t feel like they need to buy their way into society.
“That’s why I don’t date the Blair Waldorfs of the world. I mean, no offence to Blair Waldorf, but I find those girls shallow and superficial, not to mention insecure. I want to be with someone for who they are, not who they wear.” Oliver tried to make eye contact with Jenny, but she was just staring at the pavement below her. She could feel tears welling in her eyes.
“Jenny,” Oliver said, this time more gently, “Who are you?”
Forcing herself not to cry, J looked up at him. She swallowed, and took a deep breath in. “I’m Jenny Humphrey, and I’m a freshman at Constance Billiard School for Girls. I’m always trying to fit in with the girls at my school, but I just can’t because I’m not like them. I listen to the Spice Girls and shop at thrift stores, and the only reason I’m wearing an Eleanor Waldorf original tonight is because a friend bought it for me. I couldn’t afford it if I saved up for five years.” Sighing, Jenny felt a tear slip down her cheek. “I’m Jenny Humphrey, and I’m a Brooklyn girl living in an Upper East Side world.”
Smiling softly, Oliver wiped the tear from her cheek. “I knew you weren’t yourself tonight,” he told her quietly. “But I always want you to be yourself. You don’t have to pretend to be somebody else just to impress people. Sometimes the best thing is just to be honest and true.”
Jenny wiped her eyes and looked at Oliver. “I was afraid that if I told you who I was, you wouldn’t give me a chance.”
“You should have told me. I wouldn’t have judged you.”
Still sniffling, Jenny smiled slightly. “Are you judging me now?”
Oliver smiled back. “Well, now that I know that you’re an actual human being with feelings, I don’t have to.”
Oliver placed his hand gently on her cheek, and kissed her. Jenny felt happy to be in that perfect moment, staring into his warm eyes, feeling his gentle breath on her lips. It was like something out of a fairy tale.
Jenny hugged him, not needing to say a word. After a few minutes of silent cuddling on the sidewalk, Oliver called her a cab.
“Take this gorgeous girl home,” he said to the cab driver as he helped Jenny into the back. Smiling, Jenny told the driver to go to Brooklyn.
She said goodbye to Oliver just before she shut the door, and watched him through the window as the cab began to pull away.
Leaning back on the seat, Jenny sighed. For once in her life, she felt proud to be from Brooklyn.
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