𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ━━ 𝘨𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘱 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭

𝟬𝟬𝟳. you knew her?

【 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ━━ 𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 】

❪ 007 | it's mixer time ❫
𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 - 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘃𝘆.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

❝ B, DO YOU HAVE a-" I start, walking into said girls room. Being alone with the older Bass, who whistles at my towel only wear, "What's Chuck doing here?" I ask confused.

"Leaving now."

Dropping her blanket, he purses his lips, "You can repay me another time." he says before leaving. Making my brows furrow, "Repay him for what?" I ask her. Moving her laptop I see the pictures of Serena, "B, you can't—"

"Why not?" she cuts off, "It's Ivy week. I get that you're angry but this isn't just something. This is her academic career." I remind her. Seeing how it makes no impression on her — and in some way only seem to push her more too it —I shake my head, "Do you have my blue blouse?" I ask instead.

Moving to her closet she takes said blouse out, thanking her I move back to the bathroom, "I will be there in a minute." she tells me, "No need." I deny, "Val—"

Shaking my head, I turn around, "I know you, Blair. Maybe better than you know yourself. And you are not this person." I remind her, "Serena, did-" she starts, "A bad thing." I fill in, "It's unforgivable." she corrects.

"The lies or the deed?" I question. Seeing the look on her face, I take a deep breath. Placing the blouse down, "It's that she lied and that Nate lied. You are angry with Nate, but you love him too much to destroy him. So you lash out on S. But we both know it's a two-way street."

Sniffing she sits down, breaking into tears. Even though my hair is still wet and I've nothing but a towel to cover my, I pull her into a hug. Holding me closer to her, she continues to cry, "I got you." I whisper.

"I want you to meet someone." Tom announces the moment he sees me. Taking my hand in his, he pulls me with me. Catching the person he's pushing me to I start to shake my head, "No, no, no." I deny turning around.

Taking my hips, he pulls me with him anyway, "Yes, yes, yes." he counters. An attempt to move away is failed as he turns me around, right in front of the man, "Sir, this is Valerie Lolita Tesfaye." introducing me to the Colombia usher.

As the man turns, his face pales, "Agnus?" he mumbles. My brows furrowing at the name leaving his lips, "Excuse me?" I ask, a little stunned by his possible connection of my face and my mother's name.

"Sorry, you— you look exactly like an old friend of mine." he informs me, "Agnus Hassan, by any chance?" I question, hopeful. Where the man nods to, "That was my mother."

Frowning at my choice of words, he looks at me sadly, "Was?" he asks me.

"Was."

"I'm so sorry for your loss." he apologizes, "I'm sorry for yours. I never got to meet her." wanting to shake his hand, he pulls my hand and me into a hug, "Marc Colburn." he introduced himself, pulling away. Taking a card from his pocket, "Maybe I could tell you a few things about her. If that's okay with you, Mister Bass."

Both looking at said bot, he nods, "Yes, of course." now noticing he was still holding my hand, I intertwine our fingers. Smiling softly at the boy, we stand there. We talk about academics, Colombia, my mother — noticeably telling me more about my mother in these thirty minutes than my father ever has, "She does that too."

"I do not." I deny moving my nose, "See." they say, pointing the action out. Looking down, I bite down my lip, "If you're half as brilliant as your mother was. Colombia would be honoured to have you."

Squeezing my arm before leaving. As soon as Mister Colburn is out of sight, I squeak — making the youngest Bass smile amused, "Thank you so much."

Hugging the boy, "Anything." he whispers into my hair, "May I have everyone's attention." a familiar voice starts.

Pulling away, we — along with everyone else — attention turn to the stage, who has Blair on it, "Welcome, again, to the Constance Billard and St. Jude's Ivy mixer. I'm Blair Waldorf, chair of the outreach committee." she starts her speech earning applause.

Smiling at the girl, I cheer softly, "Every year our school chooses to support one local institution that we feel benefits our community. This year our schools have chosen to honour the Ostroff Center."

My smile swiftly fading at the mention of the institution, "This year's choice is a very personal one because the centre has helped one of our own." B continues, not so discreetly stealing glances at Serena.

"It's because of their excellent program which aids so many young addicts and alcoholics, that a student here with us today is clean and sober..." B confesses, "At least for now." she adds sassily, "Can I please have Serena Van Der Woodsen join me on stage?"

The question makes everyone turn to the Van der Woodsen's. Which is exactly what Blair wanted, even though she said she wouldn't do it. While S looks to be in a state of shock and the verge of tears. Eric looks like he's out for blood. Leaning closer to her brother she whispers something — I can't hear — shooting Lily a reassuring smile, before heading up the stage.

Stepping on to the stage, Blair leans closer to the girl. Telling the blond something, a victory smile pulling up her lips, before walking away with a bounce in her step.

As B stay at the end of the stairs. S waves, "Hey, I'm Serena Van der Woodsen. I just want thank my friend—" Serena starts glancing at Blair before shifting her gaze back to the crowd, "Blair Waldorf, for recognising the Ostroff Center, and all of the good things that they do." she continues.

Taking a deep breath, "Thank you, Blair." applauding B, which is soon joined in by the rest of us, "In the Ostroff Center, one of the main things that we learn is forgiveness." S starts, "In order to move forward for our future, we must forgive those who have wronged us in the past."

Mildly turning her head to Blair as she does, "And we must ask for forgiveness from those whom we've wronged." she continues now clearly looking at Blair. Making me wonder what happened between the time she said she wouldn't go through with it and now, "Without this forgiveness, innocent people get hurt—" as Serena says this, Blair can no longer listen to the speech.

Resulting in her walking on the stage and taking the mic from the blond, "Thank you, Serena! Thank you! Thank you!" smiling broughtly as she moves Serena out of the way. Who vastly disappeared in the crowd of Ivy ushers.

"I need to talk to Blair."