The Butterfly effect

Make a wish

Chuck Bass arrived at Blair Waldorf's party fashionably late, as always. The music was blasting, even though the young upper east siders would never prioritize dancing over their all time favorite hobby: gossiping.

Nate's absence was fuel for hungry tongues to exercise. Whispers and mean chuckles could be heard from anywhere in the room.

She hadn't seen Chuck since the day before, when she got out of his house after the busy night when they shared a bed. Nate, on the other hand, she had had the displeasure of seeing more than once until the time her party started.

She, too, had a feeling he wouldn't be coming.

Chuck didn't make any contact with Blair after she left his room. The news Nate dropped on him switched his mood for good, making him bury himself in the bliss of booze and marijuana, forgetful, voiding further more the hole he had somewhere inside him, that seemed to grumble and crumble all day and all night...

Now, arriving at her party, feeling his chest burn where he carried a little package tied with a ribbon, he was determined. He was sure now she and Nate were back together, how could they not be? But he didn't care. He didn't care his best friend was dating this girl. He had his turn, he had his turn for a very long and waisted time. He lost her, right when he, Chuck, found her, and it just wasn't fair. He would have her, he would, and he would love her all night long again, it didn't matter what he had to do to make it happen, and he would have her say she chose him.

Blair was sitting alone in the mini bar, looking stressed.

Nate appeared at her house that very morning, right after the flowers arrived. She was surprised, because he never got her flowers. And he certainly never got her favorite ones right.

When he got out of the elevator, she was arranging them on the table, humming a silly song and twirling around.

-You look very happy this morning.

Blair jumped in surprise, halting in front of him. She never expected him to come.

-Well, it is my birthday after all. - radiant smile on her face. She furrowed her brows slightly, tilting her head in the direction of the red peonies in the crystal jar. - Did you...?

Nate always had that look on his face, like he was lost, like he never knew what anyone meant.

-Well, I mean...

-Thank you. - Blair smiled genuinely. She wasn't used to his attention. It felt nice, but bitter. Like she didn't belong there, smiling at him, thanking him. Not anymore.

-Well, I tried. - Nate smiled, still looking confused. - Look, Blair... I came here to apologize. Things between us, well, they were...

-Messy? Confusing? Horrible? Fake?

It was Nate's time to smile bitterly.

-Yes, something like that

-Well, there are a lot of words to describe it indeed. - Blair's smile was still glued on her face, but her eyes had a warning to them.

-But it wasn't all that bad, was it? I mean, we had our good times.

Blair stopped to think a little. Yes, they had. They had been together for so long, and of course they had bright moments. They were the light at the end of the tunnel, the thing that kept her going even when all hopes seemed lost.

-Yes, we had. - Blair stated, sincerely.

-Don't you think we could, you know... try again? For those time's sake.