Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Dan strode up to the studio apartment door and banged on it until someone began turning the doorknob. A startled Vanessa opened the door, a puzzled look on her face.
“Dan?”
“V, you were right all along about Serena. I never should have thought she could have changed.” Dan’s eyes were burning with intensity. Vanessa looked at him nervously, trying to read his expression. It was hard to understand; in his eyes was a mixture of anger and confidence, with… passion?
When Vanessa was silent, Dan continued. “I know it’s taken me a long time to realize it, but me and Serena just weren’t mean to be. We were from two totally different worlds, and I think it’s about time I get with someone more like me. Someone more artistic, and understanding. Someone like you.”
And with that, Dan grabbed V and kissed her passionately. It wasn’t like the gentle, romantic kisses he’d shared with Serena. This one was hot and fierce. Vanessa, overwhelmed with surprise, pleasure, and satisfaction, rested her hands on his shoulders and just took in the perfect moment.

Blair sat in her room, alternating between watching her phone, and watching her computer. Suddenly, her bedroom door opened, and one of the new maids came in.
“Miss Blair,” she said quietly, “there’s a young man downstairs that wishes to see you.”
B sighed. Chuck.
“Tell him I’m busy.”
The maid looked troubled. “Er, he says it’s important,” she said nervously.
Blair sighed. “I told you, tell him I’m busy! I’m not in the mood to see him right now.”
Hesitantly, the maid left.
A few moments later, there was a knock on the door. The same maid entered, but a guest followed behind her. Nate Archibald.
“Hello Blair,” he said in his usual tone. He walked over to her. The maid left, closing the door quietly behind her.
“What are you doing here, Nate?” Blair asked, trying to keep her tone positive.
“I just wanted to come and talk.”
Blair sighed. “Look, I’m not in the mood to talk about Chuck, okay?”
“Then let’s just talk about you. And me.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. We broke up, remember?”
“Yeah, I know, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still be friends.”
Blair laughed bitterly. “It kind of does. Nate, I know about that picture of you and Serena. You don’t have to explain; you just have to accept the fact that I’m over you and I don’t need you in my life anymore.”
Nate winced at B’s cold words. “Blair… I’m sorry.”
Blair just glared at him, shaking her head slightly. “Well ‘sorry’ doesn’t cut it. Our relationship is over, and so is our friendship. I have someone else now.”
Blair thought of Chuck. But when she thought of them together, memories of the old Chuck came flooding back into her mind. Memories of the way he used to be. Memories of everything he used to do. Blair thought about how much he had changed since that one night at Victrola, but she also thought about how he was probably just bored and had decided to torture her for his own personal pleasure. And finally, the game was over. They were over.
A tear rolled down B’s cheek as she pushed the thoughts of Chuck away. She remembered the last thing she had said to Nate, who was silently waiting for her to continue. What she had said to him was a lie. She didn’t have anyone else.
More tears trickled down Blair’s face without a sound as she looked at her lap. Nate just stared at her, his head cocked slightly to one side.
“Blair… is Chuck the one you lost your virginity to?” he asked slowly, his voice sounding anxious, like he was dreading her response.
She looked up slowly, her eyes shiny with tears. Nate saw the sadness in her expression. He sighed. He didn’t have the heart to be upset.
“Can I just ask you why?” he said finally.
Blair was about to say no, but she looked up into his beautiful blue eyes, and knew she at least owed him a reason.
“I needed him,” she said slowly, her voice quiet. “You weren’t there, and… and he was.”
Nate just stared at her, silently. A look of deep thought was fixed to his face. “I wasn’t there… when?”
“All of the times!” Blair exclaimed suddenly, tears continuing to pour down her face. She sobbed loudly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Without saying another word, she ran out of the room. Nate just stayed where he was, gazing at the door after she had rushed out.
Running to the elevator, Blair grabbed her coat and hurried out of the penthouse. Once outside, she hailed a cab and told the driver to go to the nearest ice cream shop.

Gazing at her giant ice cream sundae, Blair felt sick. But she forced the ice cream down anyway, along with the pain. With every mouthful, Blair felt worse and worse. The pain wouldn’t leave. But she tried harder still.
When the sundae dish was empty, Blair sat looking at it, almost in tears again. She swallowed hard. B took out her phone, and scanned through her contacts list. She passed Serena’s name without much thought; she didn’t feel like talking to S. Blair paused when she reached Chuck’s name. Her thumb lingered on the ‘talk’ button. She felt a growing desire rise in her chest. She wanted to be in his arms so badly. She wanted to feel his warmth against her own body. She wanted to hear his voice, which she loved so much, whispering in her ear.
But she knew she couldn’t. Not after he had purposely put her relationships with both him and Nate on the line. He didn’t care about her; he didn’t care about anyone but himself.
A wave of depression swallowed Blair. She closed her phone. Searching in her purse, B found a hair elastic. Still feeling sick, she tied her chestnut locks away from her face. Sighing, Blair got up and headed for the ladies’ room.