Chapter 24 -Part 2

Chapter 24
Part 2

Finally, Nate arrived. His mother had come much earlier, but N was nervous. Walking slowly into the foyer, Nate walked over to Chuck.
“Where’s Blair?” he asked desperately. Chuck, without a word, pointed across the room. Jenny, Is, Kati, Blair, and Serena were all sitting on the penthouse stairs, laughing. Cocktails were scattered on the steps.
Nate walked closer, but noticed Serena first. She captured his attention with her smiling face and beautiful outfit. Her dress was short, and a deep purple with black sequins lining the straps and neck. The long V-Neck was met by a shimmery black band below the bust line, and the skirt of the dress flowed out. When S laughed, she tossed her head, her long blonde hair flowing out and cascading down her back.
Nate stared in awe at her. He barely noticed Blair’s designer snow white dress and expensive pearl accessories. At that moment, he finally realized that all this time, he was only pretending to love Blair. He needed to pretend, or he would lose her. But Serena was the real girl he wanted, and no other girl, not even Blair Waldorf, could measure up.
Chuck sauntered over to him, holding a drink, and followed Nate’s gaze.
“She’s beautiful,” Nate whispered.
Again, Chuck asked, “Which one?” N turned his head to his best friend. But this time, his eyes were clear with knowledge.
“Serena,” he said, turning back to the girls. “It’s always been Serena.”

After many journeys upstairs for secret make out sessions with Chuck, Blair finally returned to being the life of the party. She was enjoying the attention, and was glad Serena was being careful not to take it from her.
B had done her best to avoid N whenever he kept walking towards her, but when Blair was telling a story in the middle of the room, he squeezed his way into the crowd and led Serena out.
“Come outside with me,” he told her, being careful not to say it too loudly. Serena began to protest, but Nate interrupted her. “Blair won’t notice if you’re gone. And I really need to talk to you.”
Finally, Serena sighed, and agreed. Nate left first, and Serena slipped out after him a few moments later.
When they met outside of Blair’s building, Nate looked relieved. He could feel the tension when Blair ignored him, and there was fresh air outside. And, there was Serena van der Woodsen, of course.
“Serena, there’s something I have to tell you.” He led her down the steps and under the light of a street lamp.
“What is it, Nate?” Serena asked, sounding tired. “I already told you, Blair isn’t interested.”
“No, I… it’s not about Blair,” he said slowly. “Serena, it’s taken me a while to realize this, but…”
“But what?” Serena looked irritated. “Can we hurry this along? It’s getting cold out here.” She rubbed her bare arms.
“Serena…” Nate took a deep breath. “I love you.”
S laughed a little. “You’re kidding, right?” N looked down at the pavement below them.
“Oh my god,” Serena whispered. “Nate, no. You can’t.”
He looked up at her, his eyes intense with hurt. “I can’t help the way I feel, Serena. But everything about you, I just can’t resist it. I love you, and I just can’t keep it from you any longer.” S stared at him, not knowing what to say.
“Nate…” Serena began, but N interrupted her again.
“And you can’t use the Blair excuse anymore. You said yourself it’s over.”
“This isn’t just about Blair. Well, I mean it is, but that’s not all. I mean, there’s Dan, my boyfriend, and second, I can never be with you. I just can’t.”
Nate gave her a sceptical look. “You did it once already.”
“That doesn’t count!” Serena insisted. “We were both drunk and stupid, and you’d have to be insane to think that’s love.”
N licked his lips, not knowing what to say next. “Serena, this isn’t just about that one night. It’s about every time I see you, every time I touch you. I’ve been denying it for so long, but now I finally have to face it. And you do, too. I’m in love with you, and I know that you’re the one for me.”
A tear rolled down Serena’s cheek. “I have to go,” she said, her voice shaking. “Blair’s probably wondering where I am.” S ran up the steps and rushed into the building. Nate called after her, but every time he said her name, she just ran faster.
When she was gone, Nate sighed and went back outside. He couldn’t go back to the party. His evening was ruined. Sitting down on the building steps, he put his head in his hands.
Suddenly, a figure in a long blue coat appeared before him. “I couldn’t help but notice what just happened,” the person said, sitting down next to Nate. “And I know how to make her yours.”
Nate looked up at the person. He’d seen her before. “Oh, yeah? And how is that?” he asked doubtfully.
“By getting rid of a certain Dan Humphrey, of course.” Nate stared at the girl. Then he remembered who she was; that friend of Dan’s, Vanessa Abrams.
“Keep talking,” he said, giving her his full attention.
“All you have to do is tell Dan about what happened tonight. Only, of course, make it so the girl was the one in love with you. When he realizes what his little girlfriend has done to him, they’ll break up, and he’ll never trust her again. And with Dan out of the picture, you have a perfect chance at her.”
Nate sat, thinking about what Vanessa had just said. Her plan could work. But he knew she wanted something out of it, too. “And what’s in it for you?” he asked.
“Well, you can have Serena, and I’ll take Dan. He’ll never believe me if I was to tell him what happened, but he might listen to you.”
“So, we break them up, I take S, and you have the boy?”
“Precisely. It’s a win-win for all of us; we both know those two don’t belong together, and never will. So, Mr. Archibald, do we have a deal?” Vanessa held out her hand, looking at him hopefully.
Nate reached for her hand, and shook it. “Deal.”