Gossip Girl

Serena's Back?

Everyone was gathered at the Waldorf Residence for another one of Eleanor's parties.

Nate and Madeline were gathered around both their father's and their father's respected 'friends'.

"So, Nate, you started thinking about college?" One of the men asked. Deep down Maddie wanted to just walk away and avoid all this talk but she knew she couldn't.

"Well, actually I'm a Dartmouth man" Nate's father Howard said. Nate's father was persistent about Nate attending Dartmouth his alma mater and made sure he told everyone.

"Yes, dad's always spoke very highly of Dartmouth, but I'd like to check out west. You know maybe U.S.C, U.C.L.A" Nate began but was immediately cut off by his father.

"His mother wouldn't hear of it. Dartmouth is far enough away for her"

"Yes well Dartmouth is my first choice" Nate said as Blair came up behind him.

"Excuse me Captain. Nate, can I borrow you?" Blair asked. Nate followed after Blair down the hall leaving Maddie with all these nosy 50 year old men.

"So Madeline what about you?" The same man asked. She had been briefed by her dad on what to say if this came up.

"Yale is my top choice. It would be a privilege and honor to study at the same ivy as my father" Madeline said with a fake smile. They all chuckled in delighted by her response.

"Excuse me" Maddie said letting out a breath of relief as soon as she was out of their sight.

"Chuck?" Maddie asked as she entered the room where he was seated. His arm wrapped around two girls.

"Oh look who's back from hiding." Chuck lectured.

"I wasn't hiding" Maddie lectured.

"No you just happened to spend the whole summer cooped up in the penthouse. Weird I picture you more of Hampton's girl, naked on the beach" Chuck sassed.

"Enough" Maddie snapped hoping Chuck stopped thinking his dirty perverted thoughts about her.

Maddie and Chuck were destined to be together by their parents for capital gain. Maddie's dad provided real estate for Bart Bass who built hotels and such. The two, however, have been fighting off the idea ever since their parents proposed it.

"We are at a party can you just drop it" Maddie hissed. Chuck took that as a hint that Maddie needed occupying.

The girls that were once seated next to him were shooed away, left to their own vices. Maddie speculated they were heading to look for Blair. After all they were her minions.

"There happy now?" He asked standing up. He walked right up to Maddie's side.

The two entered the party looking for some sort of entertainment.

"Serena" Nate said shocked causing both Maddie and Chuck to turn around.

"I have to go. I don't feel well" Serena mumbled.

"What was that about?" Maddie asked Chuck curious as to why Serena who was so quick to disappear had returned only to make it seem like a mistake.

Maddie noticed Chuck's smirk at Serena and then to Nate.

"You know something. Don't you" Maddie whispered into his ear. Chuck turned to face Maddie.

"You'll know soon, everyone will know soon" Chuck said before walking towards Nate and taking him outside.

Maddie huffed at Chuck's stubbornness before continuing on with the formal conversations with socialites of the Upper East Side.
———
The following day marked the first day of Junior year for Maddie and her friends. Maddie was currently at the kitchen counter eating her breakfast before the town car showed up.

"Remember Ivy Leagues are looking at you this year. No scandals" Maddie's father sternly lectured. Maddie shoved the last of the croissant into her mouth before heading out the door.

The drive was short, extremely short, a five minute drive at most. Something Maddie could have easily walked but her dad insisted she take a car service everyday.

The car stopped, and Maddie quickly opened her own door before the driver could even exit from his seat.

"Thank you" she shouted waving goodbye to the driver. Maddie walked up to the steps of the Met, a ritual meeting spot Blair had created freshman year.

It was where Blair and here minions were currently seated. Blair eating yogurt while the others worked hard completing the tasks Blair had assigned them.

"Ahh Maddie just the person I was looking for. Here's your invitation to the kiss on the lips party this Saturday. I'm assuming you'll be there" Blair sweetly said as she handed the invitation to Maddie.

"I don't know Blair" Maddie said hesitantly. She like every other upper east sider loved partying until she got treatment.

Maddie afraid of rebounding would have to cling next to Chuck pretending to be amused all night while he eyed all the girls. Afraid that if she was left alone she would slip up and disappoint her father.

The idea of hanging out with Nate and Blair meant Maddie would have to watch the two of them be infatuated with each other. Blair loved to show people who her boyfriend was, whereas Maddie thought of it to be quite clingy.

"M you have to come. I won't take no for an answer" Blair whined.

"Fine" Maddie gave in, faking a smile to make Blair happy.

"These invitations are stunning" Maddie exclaimed as she pulled the invitation out of the envelope.

"Jenny here made them. Jenny this is Madeline Rose" Blair introduced.

"I know- I mean hi, I'm Jenny" Jenny nervously spewed.

"You're cute" Maddie said as the invitation that was once in her hand had been snatched by someone else.

"Uh-" Maddie began before being face to face with Serena.

"Maddie how are you?" Serena asked. "Is this the kiss on the lips party?"

"Yes and you're not invited" Blair sassed. She gathered her things and began to walk thinking she got the last word in.

"Blair can you meet me tonight?" Serena asked causing Blair to stop abruptly.

"I can't I have this thing with Nate"

"Nate can wait. Palace 8pm"

"I guess I can do a half an hour" Blair said before scurrying off.

"So you left me a whole year to deal with Blair, Nate and Chuck by myself while you went to Connecticut for boarding school for god knows what reason" Maddie said with slight annoyance in her voice.

"Hey it wasn't like that. I had to get away immediately. I heard you took your own hiatus this summer" Serena said trying to catch up on the all the gossip.

"Who did you hear that from?" Maddie asked. They walked into the front courtyard shared by St. Judes and Constance Billard.

"Ah your girlfriend is here" Chuck said softly to Nate.

"Serena can we talk?" Nate asked but Serena hurried up the steps and straight into school.

"Hey are you okay? You've been MIA all summer and didn't get in touch with us once" Nate asked. Chuck raised an eyebrow curious as to the excuse Maddie would give.

"You all didn't reach out either" Maddie hissed walking into the school and down the hallway to class.