Hide and Seek

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Blair Waldorf tightened her jet-setting scarf and looked out. Here she was, two months premature, back in her beloved Manhattan. She'd done all of her shopping and bonding, and was positively glowing from the French spa her gay father took her every week to. The French aristocrats didn't hurt, either. She rehearsed the lines she was going to use on Serena—of course, she didn't have to use much. One look in her pretty blue eyes and the story would pretty much unveil itself, which was why she made sure to buy three pairs of sunglasses.

Her heels clacked against the linoleum floor as she spied on glorious reunions and happy homecomings. She smiled to herself. Knowing Serena, she would probably have a bouquet of flowers in hand and a big, glittery sign that says 'welcome back, B!' As she looked at the crowd around her, she couldn't ignore the pair of glittering green eyes that have been trailing her. She was going to kill Serena and keep the extra pair of Christian Louboutin pumps for herself. Or maybe give her an extra handbag.

"Where's Serena?" she asked, thrusting her shopping bags into Nate's arms.

"With Dan," Nate answered.

"Humphrey?" Blair peeked from her giant Gucci sunglasses, her expression showing distaste. "I thought they broke up."

"For about a week," Nate said, following her to the luggage area. Blair tried to keep her chin as high up as possible, so that she could focus on Nate's hair instead of his handsomely tanned, chiselled face.

"Sick," Blair scoffed, remembering how revoltingly sweet Serena and Dan were to each other. She tried to be happy for her best friend, she really did, but right now, being dumped at the last minute still had quite a hold on her.

"So what brings you back to New York?" Nate dared to ask. A day after they were scheduled to leave, Nate saw Chuck with a girl at one of the summer parties Serena made him attend. He almost broke Chuck's jaw that night.

"You know," Blair trailed off, waving her hand dramatically. Nate bit back a smile to see Blair act like one of the old movie actresses she loved so much, nostalgia hitting him.

"You missed me, didn't you?" Nate said, smirking at her playfully. Blair wanted to jump him right there and then.

"You wish." Blair managed to say before walking a little faster to hide the blush creeping in her face.

"Actually, I'm glad you're back." Nate called out, which made Blair stop in her tracks. He wasn't supposed to be talking to her, much less flirting with her, but there was something so familiar in the way they talked, and so foreign in the way she hid behind those oversized glasses.

"Why is that?" Blair asked, frowning, suspecting something amiss.

"I don't really want to be alone with Dan and Serena." Nate laughed, his body just inches from hers.

"What about Chuck?"

Nate noticed his name escape like venom from her lips. "What about him?"

"Nothing," Blair said, turning around and walking again. "Listen, Nate, I just need you to help me with my luggage and I'll be fine."

"I was thinking maybe we could hang out—"

"Why are you doing this?" Blair said curtly, cutting him off. "A few weeks ago you wouldn't even look at me. Now you're talking and laughing," she sighed, "Jesus, Nate."

It was ridiculous, these games they played. They both knew that after Serena and Chuck and Vanessa and god knows who else, they would still have those Yale diplomas on their penthouse overlooking Central Park with their Ralph Lauren-type babies. He would be building boats and she would be doing everything in between. They would laugh at times like these and think it ludicrous for them to ever be apart, but now they were too young and foolish and frankly, blinded by the Hampton sun and designer shades to do something about it.

Gingerly, Nate took off Blair's sunglasses. He smiled warmly. "I don't see why you have to hide your beautiful eyes."

Blair rolled her eyes and smiled with him. They had to start again somewhere.

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