The Art of Pretending

Chapter Eleven

Blair POV.
•••

A month goes by, and Natalie and I are completely fine. I've started to become closer with Emma though. Whenever Natalie is gone or goes to get lunch with Zack, I sit with Emma and her friends during lunch.

I also always gossip with Emma during art. Not that there's a lot going on in my life right now, but she always fills me in with all the latest news around the school or her personal life.

"Oh and then Ashlyn showed up, wearing the smallest bikini top and the shortest shorts. To a kids birthday party!" She laughed. She's telling me about how her mom and aunts don't like Ashlyn. Ashlyn made things worse by coming to Emma's little brothers swim party, dressed in almost nothing.

Oh yea, Grayson and Ashlyn got back together. They got back together a week after Grayson's and my kiss. We haven't talked to each other since the day I bitched him out. He does though, make it a daily thing to send me a dirty look.

"Oh god" I laugh.

"And then they got in a huge fight about something in front of everyone. He was yelling at her and she was yelling back, it was so bad."

"Damn, I wonder what they were fighting about."

"Same, do you want to come over to my house after school?" She asks. We've never hung out outside of school, but I've been meaning to ask her. I agree and we make plans to meet up once school is over.

***

School is finally over, and I see Natalie by our lockers. I walk up to her. "Hey, could Zack take you home today?" I ask.

"Yea, but why?"

"I'm going over to Emma's."

"Oh." I could of invited her, but I didn't want to. She's my best friend but I think it's important for us to have other friends too. We talk for a little before walking outside. I see Emma standing alone, texting on her phone.

I leave Natalie's side running up to Emma. "Boo!" I yell and she jumps. She drops her phone and I start laughing.

"Blair Knight you are a mean soul." She scolds but laughs. "So my car is in the shop, is it fine if you drive me to my house too?"

"Of course, we're both going there anyways."

"Great" she smiled, "oh follow me!" She starts to walk away and I follow. I then realize she's waking up to Ashlyn and Grayson. I can't hear what they're saying but I know they're having a heated conversation. "Hey Grayson" she walks up and they stop talking. "Blair is coming over so I'm just going to go with her."

He looks at me, now realizing I'm standing there and nods. "Ok Em."

"Of course she is." Ashlyn looks at me in disgust. "Using her to get to her cousin?" She snaps. Grayson's eyes widen, I'm wondering if he's debating if it's true or not.

"Oh shut up you stupid bitch" snaps Emma. All three of our eyes widen. The sweet Emma, the one who could do no harm, just told Ashlyn to shut up and then called her a stupid bitch. I laugh and pull Emma walking away.

"You did not just say that" we both start laughing our heads off.

"I've wanted to say that to her for so long." She laughed and I laughed harder. We stop laughing finally, until we look each other and make eye contact. Then we just start laughing more and harder.

I turn my head to see Grayson with a small smirk on his face, and Ashlyn with her jaw practically on the floor. I then turn my head to see Natalie staring at us with a slight frown. I know she's jealous I'm hanging out with Emma, and I feel kinda bad.