The Butterfly effect

Aftermath

Blair arrived at home to find a very uneasy Eleanor and a very preoccupied Serena.

Of course, the cause of all Eleanor's preoccupation wasn't about how Blair was and why she had gone missing all night and most part of the morning. She was tremendously worried about the whole Archibald fiasco the night before, and mostly the future of the deal now that the Captain was in jail. And then, she was a little worried about Blair, but mostly she hoped that Blair was with Nate, comforting him.

-Where had you been all night??? I tried to call you but you were gone!!! It's in all the news, the whole Captain thing, it's terrible!! I tried to check in on you. But you didn't even have your phone on!!! - Serena blurted all these words out as soon as Blair got out of the elevator.

Blair gave her best fake smile and prepared her most convincing voice.

-Don't be silly, S! You know where I've been all night. - Blair laughed and hugged her best friend.

-What do you mean? I don't... - Blair squeezed her hard, warning her. - Oh yes ok! Could you remind me where?

Eleanor took advantage of the moment to ask the question she had been wanting to know.

-You were surely with Nate, right, darling?

Blair shot a last significant look to Serena before turning to her mother.

-You too don't be silly, mom, of course I was with him, and with you too, at diner. But his father got arrested and he had to go stay with his family in this time of difficulty. - She said it like It was the most obvious thing in the universe.

Eleanor seemed to be losing hope.

-So where were you after that?

-I was at Serena's! - Blair blurted, and quickly recomposed. - I don't know why it seems like she lost her memory, were you drinking before I got there, S? Well, that's ok, I crashed there after the whole thing with Nate happened because I needed a friend and, at the morning, I left before she woke up because I had to.... put some jewelry on hold! The day before my birthday, remember? Now you two stop being silly and let's get to work, I have a party tomorrow. - she said the last sentence already at the top of the stairs. - S, you coming?

Serena and Eleanor looked at each other, both still confused. But Serena, having been warned by Blair, pretended like she remembered and excused herself to follow her best friend into her bedroom.

Arriving there, Serena closed the door behind her before reprimanding her friend.

-Are you crazy?? Telling your mother I was too drunk last night to even remember a thing? And where have you been, after all?? Tell me the truth!! I've been worried sick and I deserve to know.

-Shhhh, calm down! - Blair stopped her before she could continue with the indignant words - I'm going to tell you.

Suddenly Blair felt a little too aware of the dimension of what she had to tell. Serena would so freak out.

-So?? I'm waiting - Serena sat on her bed and looked at Blair, impatient.

Blair swallowed hard and couldn't get herself to speak what happened. She wasn't prepared to be judged by her best friend.

-I... I was... - Blair was suddenly paying a lot of attention to her hair stripes that were hanging from her night stand, not facing her best friend. - I crashed... At Chuck's.

Serena furrowed her brows, letting a laugh out.

-You poor thing, you probably had to sleep on the couch and listen to Chuck with some random bimbo on the bedroom.