Ch.10 - Preview
They stared at each other head on, eyes heated, fury simmering between them. He was so angry and she was so frustrated. Both were bordering on panic.
They were so irritated with each other, more than they’d ever been in their entire relationship, that the desire to leave clawed at them with
increasing speed, but the need to prove the other wrong was stronger; so they stood their ground.
After hours of fighting it out and trying to distract him from the truth, Serena drew the last card she had to play even if she knew there would be serious repercussions. She just hoped Blair wouldn’t hate her after all was said and done.
“Fine, Nate. You’re right. Chuck and Blair are having an affair. I didn’t want to tell you, but now that I have, what are you going to do about it?”
6 hours earlier…
It started out relatively calm, but he could tell she didn’t want to be there. The last time they’d been alone like this he’d nearly hit on her, and the fact that he’d sounded so urgent on the phone had clearly not been lost on her. He was surprised she had shown up.
“So, what’s going on, Nate?” she asked, averting her eyes and crossing her arms across her chest. His eyes flickered. “I assume I’m not here
because you need my help devising a plan to apologize to Blair.”
He looked guilty when she finally looked back up at him. That confirmed her assumption, but it also tugged at her heartstrings a little. She hated to see any of her friends hurting, and Nate had perfected the puppy-dog eyes that always made her crumble.
She sighed. “I’m sorry. You don’t need that right now, even if you deserve it.” She offered a soft smile that he returned. “What’s up?”
He gestured to the couch, but she shook her head and half way to sitting down he decided against it. Best to not repeat the previous scene, not
even in similar gestures. It was best to get right to the point.
“I think Chuck and Blair are having an affair,” he said simply.
Serena’s lips parted. She was shocked and terrified that he would see right through her. Keeping Blair’s secret had seemed so easy when she promised it earlier that day. How Nate had even begun to suspect the affair made her feel incredibly wary.
“What?” she squeaked.
He nodded, solemn. “I saw Chuck’s phone today. It looks like they’ve been…sexting each other for weeks.”
She swallowed.
He shook his head and scoffed. “I guess I should have known. He never pursued her while we were together, but Chuck’s a sex-a-holic.
It was only a matter of time before he…seducedher.” His face crinkled up. He looked absolutely disgusted with life.
“Nate, stop-” she stepped forward quickly, catching his attention but making sure not to touch him. “This is Chuck we’re talking about, your best friend? For all the gross he can be, he would not sleep with Blair right after the two of you broke up.”
“Why not? He knew I was feeling less and less attached to her. I was starting to feel trapped. And even if he didn’t say it outright, he knows I’m in lo-”
He froze and their eyes locked. Serena took a few steps back. The silence between them settled. It was thick, heavy and uncomfortable.
“I…I think you’re overthinking this, Nate,” she finally managed.“Maybe you misinterpreted those texts.”
“Sexts.”
She sighed. “Nate…”
His brooding gaze remained downcast.
“Why don’t we go out for a drink?” she offered, regretting it almost instantly but knowing there was no way she could take it back. “Take the edge off.”
“I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
She stiffened, remembering their last drunken encounter. Blair’s angry, crying face flashed before her eyes, quickly followed by Dan’s disappointed stare and flashes back of the encounter and what followed after.
“I won’t get drunk,” she said confidently. “In fact I don’t even want to.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“You need to cut loose, Nate, but I don’t think I do. I’ll feel better when you do.”
He shook his head at her, amused, surprised and confused all at once. “What about Blair?” he asked.
Serena looked slightly panicked but then she reminded herself how happy Blair had looked today, all when the subject of Chuck had come up or he’d been in the vicinity. And technically she was helping her. Keeping Nate occupied would keep him distracted and away from suspecting Chuck and Blair as a…couple?
“I’ll make it up to her tomorrow,” she said smoothly.
Nate’s jaw dropped in shock, but his heart swelled at the opportunity before him. He and Blair were no longer together. He wouldn’t resist any longer.
“Alright,” he said, smiling slowly and charmingly. “You’ve convinced me.”
They were so irritated with each other, more than they’d ever been in their entire relationship, that the desire to leave clawed at them with
increasing speed, but the need to prove the other wrong was stronger; so they stood their ground.
After hours of fighting it out and trying to distract him from the truth, Serena drew the last card she had to play even if she knew there would be serious repercussions. She just hoped Blair wouldn’t hate her after all was said and done.
“Fine, Nate. You’re right. Chuck and Blair are having an affair. I didn’t want to tell you, but now that I have, what are you going to do about it?”
6 hours earlier…
It started out relatively calm, but he could tell she didn’t want to be there. The last time they’d been alone like this he’d nearly hit on her, and the fact that he’d sounded so urgent on the phone had clearly not been lost on her. He was surprised she had shown up.
“So, what’s going on, Nate?” she asked, averting her eyes and crossing her arms across her chest. His eyes flickered. “I assume I’m not here
because you need my help devising a plan to apologize to Blair.”
He looked guilty when she finally looked back up at him. That confirmed her assumption, but it also tugged at her heartstrings a little. She hated to see any of her friends hurting, and Nate had perfected the puppy-dog eyes that always made her crumble.
She sighed. “I’m sorry. You don’t need that right now, even if you deserve it.” She offered a soft smile that he returned. “What’s up?”
He gestured to the couch, but she shook her head and half way to sitting down he decided against it. Best to not repeat the previous scene, not
even in similar gestures. It was best to get right to the point.
“I think Chuck and Blair are having an affair,” he said simply.
Serena’s lips parted. She was shocked and terrified that he would see right through her. Keeping Blair’s secret had seemed so easy when she promised it earlier that day. How Nate had even begun to suspect the affair made her feel incredibly wary.
“What?” she squeaked.
He nodded, solemn. “I saw Chuck’s phone today. It looks like they’ve been…sexting each other for weeks.”
She swallowed.
He shook his head and scoffed. “I guess I should have known. He never pursued her while we were together, but Chuck’s a sex-a-holic.
It was only a matter of time before he…seducedher.” His face crinkled up. He looked absolutely disgusted with life.
“Nate, stop-” she stepped forward quickly, catching his attention but making sure not to touch him. “This is Chuck we’re talking about, your best friend? For all the gross he can be, he would not sleep with Blair right after the two of you broke up.”
“Why not? He knew I was feeling less and less attached to her. I was starting to feel trapped. And even if he didn’t say it outright, he knows I’m in lo-”
He froze and their eyes locked. Serena took a few steps back. The silence between them settled. It was thick, heavy and uncomfortable.
“I…I think you’re overthinking this, Nate,” she finally managed.“Maybe you misinterpreted those texts.”
“Sexts.”
She sighed. “Nate…”
His brooding gaze remained downcast.
“Why don’t we go out for a drink?” she offered, regretting it almost instantly but knowing there was no way she could take it back. “Take the edge off.”
“I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
She stiffened, remembering their last drunken encounter. Blair’s angry, crying face flashed before her eyes, quickly followed by Dan’s disappointed stare and flashes back of the encounter and what followed after.
“I won’t get drunk,” she said confidently. “In fact I don’t even want to.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“You need to cut loose, Nate, but I don’t think I do. I’ll feel better when you do.”
He shook his head at her, amused, surprised and confused all at once. “What about Blair?” he asked.
Serena looked slightly panicked but then she reminded herself how happy Blair had looked today, all when the subject of Chuck had come up or he’d been in the vicinity. And technically she was helping her. Keeping Nate occupied would keep him distracted and away from suspecting Chuck and Blair as a…couple?
“I’ll make it up to her tomorrow,” she said smoothly.
Nate’s jaw dropped in shock, but his heart swelled at the opportunity before him. He and Blair were no longer together. He wouldn’t resist any longer.
“Alright,” he said, smiling slowly and charmingly. “You’ve convinced me.”