So, Upper East Siders, I hear that there's a little party out there somewhere celebrating the death of a certain somebody. And it looks like Lil' J's is out looking for the right material for her homemade dress. I wonder what C has to say to this? If he's anywhere around here that is… I wonder if he even remembers how 'loving' he is to his little girlfriend? Or even if he's invited anyone to his pity party… Stay tuned to find out more.

You know you love me,

xoxo

Gossip Girl.

Jenny rolled her eyes as she read the new Gossip Girl blast. It seemed that as of lately she's had less and less interesting things to say about everyone, and the string was just wearing even thinner by the minute. With everyone caught up with something, the funeral for example, they didn't look out for any juicy gossip or rumours, even Blair's posse of gossip loving followers.

"Dear, I'm afraid that we'll be closing soon so you need to hurry up."

Jenny turned her head to look at the elderly woman who spoke up. She was wearing a long black velvet skirt and a simple white blouse with ruffles on the sleeves. She had large pearl earrings weighing her ear lobes down and a matching pearl necklace. Both milk white and simple. Simply old that is.

"Um, I though the store wasn't supposed to close until eight?" Jenny had hoped that she could waste away her time in the old store where she always bought her fabric and other stuff like used dresses.

"No, today we have to close early. We're having a very special costumer who wishes to come at a time when there won't be any crowds. So, I'm afraid that you'll need to leave soon. I'll give you ten minutes."

Jenny nodded, not really acknowledging what the woman had said to her. She looked back at the fabric that she had been staring at for the past five minutes. She had just been browsing the store, not really looking for anything in particular. But then she had spotted the light blue material. She already had in mind what she could sew out of it but she felt embarrassed at having thought of it.

I could always make a dress with it. That would look nice. Jenny lifted a hand to touch the fabric while her other hand stashed her phone back into her bag. She wasn't feeling like mulling over what Gossip Girl had said about her or Chuck. Instead she'd rather immerse herself in one of the things she liked doing the most.

"Excuse me, I was just wondering," Jenny turned around to catch the elderly woman's attention again, "how much you have of this fabric?"

The woman took a deep breathe and came over to Jenny. She put her hand on her chest, her fingers fumbling with her pearl necklace. "We didn't have a very big demand on this fabric or color so we don't have too much of it, if you need a lot. I believe that we have only so much that could make a dress and something small."

"That's fine. How much is it?" Jenny asked, her hand instantly reaching inside her bag for her purse. One thing she didn't mind in Brooklyn was that no one looked at you oddly if you paid for anything like dresses or clothing of any type with cash and not a credit card.

The elderly woman chuckled lightly. "I'm afraid that it's a bit too expensive for you, dear." With that the woman waved her hand around in a small circle as if dismissing Jenny and walked back over to the counter where she had been writing something on her chart.

"Um, I'm sorry but what makes you think that I can't pay for it?" Jenny took a step away from the material and closer to the woman at the counter.

The woman let her eyes wander back to Jenny and to Jenny's liking she blushed.

"Well….It's just that….It's just…"

"Do I look like I'm poor or something?"

The woman's blush increased and she dropped her ink pen onto the counter in shame. "No! It's…. You just…Um…I'm so sorry, I just thought-"

"Yeah, you should be sorry. Does the name Bass ring in bells in your head?" Jenny didn't know what was leading her to say this but she was amused to see the elderly woman squirm after saying what she said to Jenny. What could have possibly given away that she wasn't exactly dirty rich?

"I'm so sorry. It was a mistake. It's just we don't have very, um, somewhat rich people stop by here." Now the woman was only bluffing.

"Well, ring this up and pack it up, please. I wish to buy it." Jenny said, raising her eyebrows to dare the woman to say anything else about her. There was only one problem she was facing now; the fabric may be too expensive for her to pay for. She just hoped that there'd be enough. Though now, she knew that there were exceptions to her thought of no judgment in Brooklyn about cash or credit.

As she searched her bag for her purse she noticed something wink back at her in the glare of the overhead light. Taking a closer inspection Jenny saw that it was a credit card.

Chuck Bass's credit card to be more precise.

"Do you want to pay in cash or card?" The elderly woman kept her gaze on the register, hoping that nothing else slipped out before the girl before her left.

Jenny stood still, pondering if she should pay in her own cash or Chuck's credit card. On one hand, she wouldn't have to owe Chuck anything -other than their obvious deal- but on the other hand she could show just how rich she was to the shop assistant.

"Card."

Jenny watched as the woman quickly pulled the roll of fabric off the rack and proceeded to grab a sheet of plastic. She carefully but quickly wrapped it up and stuck it into a large carrier bag.

As Jenny held out Chuck's card she wondered how she was going to pay him back. She had the money -if it was enough- but she didn't think that going up to him and handing him a wad of cash was any type of cool. She sighed, she would figure this out once she got home -whenever she'd get home.

"Thank you for shopping here, Miss."

Jenny just nodded to the elderly woman and took the carrier bag as it was handed to her. Before the woman behind the counter could say anything else Jenny began walking towards the door.

"Look in a mirror and you'll see how poor you look." Just as Jenny was opening the door she heard the elderly woman mutter. She seemed like a much older version of one of Blair's croonies.

As baffled as she was, Jenny quickly stepped out, putting Chuck's card back into her bag before she could drop it. How did she look poor? Black was black, no one would ever call a person all in black poor or unfashionable. So what could the woman possibly have meant.

As Jenny passed the window of the fabric and vintage dress shop she looked at her reflection. Shock ran through her once she caught a glance of her face.

A large, hand shaped, red mark could be easily be seen on her left cheek. Especially against her slightly pale complexion and black clothing it stood out like neon coloring.

Jenny looked around to see if there were any passer-by's and when she didn't see anyone she appraised the thought of running into the closest coffee joint to check herself out in the bathroom mirrors. She cursed herself for not bringing a compact mirror.

As she reached a small corner coffee shop she slipped in, hoping to be unnoticeable. Too bad that Nate Archibald sat in a seat at the counter, talking to Vanessa.

Jenny sighed in frustration once she saw them and rolled her eyes. She knew where the bathrooms were so she didn't have to bother to ask Vanessa- who seemed too busy anyway.

Vanessa noticed movement near the door from her field of vision and instantly stopped talking to Nate, in hopes that she wasn't caught off duty.

As the figure of a young girl raced past them Vanessa put down the mug she had been holding. "Hey! You can't use the bathroom unless you're a costumer!"

What she said went unnoticed by Jenny as she attempted to get into the bathroom before Vanessa or Nate could see who she was.

Nate stared after the petite girl as she jammed herself into the bathroom. "She's in a real hurry." He said as he took another sip of his coffee. He glanced back at Vanessa to see that she was also staring at the bathroom door.

"I'll tell her that she better buy something after she comes out. Last time I let someone into the bathroom without them buying anything I got in deep trouble." Vanessa grabbed a cloth and began to wipe the counter clean where the last costumer had eaten a croissant without a plate or napkin that Vanessa had offered more than once.

"Well, hopefully that goes down well for you but I, ah, have to go. Dan wanted to meet up with me to talk about something. Said it was important." Vanessa nodded with a smile on her face.

"I'll see you later then?"

Nate picked up his polystyrene coffee cup and gathered a few of the books that he had brought with him to talk about with Vanessa. "Yeah, sure, later. I'll call you afterwards."

With that Nate slung his backpack with all of his books in it and stepped out of the small café.

Jenny looked at her reflection of a new found disgust. Never had she pinned Chuck as the type of guy to hit anyone even when driven to do so. Provoked or not, Chuck would have to apologize sincerely to her if he still wanted to go along with their deal. Though whatever he wanted he could probably easily get himself. Quite easily.

Quickly getting out her small make-up kit Jenny took out her barely used foundation and squeezed a bit out onto her finger. Slowly she applied the make-up onto her cheek, wincing when she felt a small sting.

Once the red mark was hard to notice again Jenny popped the foundation along with the rest of her kit back into her bag and quickly washed her hands. Next all she had to do was get past Nate and Vanessa without having them ask her any question. She had an idea that Vanessa may try to act amiable but she knew Nate well enough to know that he'd probably stay silent.

Sticking her head out from behind the bathroom door Jenny warily checked to see if she be noticed by Vanessa or Nate while departing the coffee shop.

Vanessa had her back to Jenny, trying to clean the coffee machine before another costumer came in to order a drink. Nate wasn't in the seat that Jenny had first saw him in and his things or coffee weren't spread on the counter anymore so Jenny took this as a sign that he had already left. Now this was easy, with only Vanessa there. And if Vanessa did happen to stop her, Jenny had a few things to say that would make Vanessa's mouth open in shock.

So while Vanessa's back was still turned, Jenny quietly stepped away from the bathroom and then bolted for the exit. As she stepped out of the café she heard Vanessa protest.

Ignoring the girl in the coffee shop Jenny moved the strap of her bag back up her shoulder and began to head back in the direction of her house, swinging her carrier bag.

Suddenly, as she was stepping around the corner of the café, somebody stepped up and Jenny collided into them. Jenny staggered back, shocked, and dropped the carrier bag.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you! Sorry!" She held up her hand to her nose which hurt slightly.

As soon as the girl caught a glance of who she had collided with she rolled her eyes. "Oh, it's just you. I'm not sorry then."

Nate gave Jenny a curious look before bending down and picking up her large carrier bag. "Here." He handed it over to her, wondering if she'd take a chance to claw at his hand.

"Thanks," Jenny muttered under her breath. "Now, if you excuse me, I have places to be." She took a step away from the older boy and skirted around him.

"Hey, wait, I just wanted to talk to you."

"What else would you have to say to me? Something to add to what you last said?" Jenny gritted her teeth together in anger. She had never imagined how mad she could get with Nate. If she had gotten angry with him before it was either over something that could hurt him somehow or when he had decided to act like her older brother after catching her letting loose to have a bit of fun.

"Look, can you just slow down?" Jenny hadn't noticed how she had increased the speed at which she was walking at and even though she didn't want to do anything that Nate asked of her she still slowed down.

"What?"

"Why did you run into the café like that? You could have said hi to Vanessa, you know."

Jenny rolled her eyes and laughed. "Now why would I say any form of greeting to Vanessa?"

"Because you two are friends?" Nate offered like it was obvious.

"We are not friends, and won't be any time soon."

"You're acting childish, Jenny. Look what happened, happened but you need to get over it. You're just making an idiot of yourself by doing this."

"Doing what, Nate? Trying to keep away from you so I don't think of all the hurtful things you said to me?"

"Look, I'm sure it hurt when Vanessa went behind your back like that but-"

"You think that's what hurt? God, Nate, don't act like an idiot about this! What you said hurt me!"

The anger that Nate had been trying to keep a leash on was slowly rearing it's ugly head in where no one wanted it. Not at the moment anyway. He knew that he could be a little confused at times, or not be able to catch up as fast as others but it wasn't ever pointed out to him that he was acting like a idiot about something. Heck, he didn't even get himself into these kind of situations, just being happy to avoid those types of confrontations.

"What, so you're a big baby who can't take the truth? Funny. Since you know, you've been trying to show the world that you're all grown up, that you can take anything and still make it out alive. You know what, Jenny? I think that it was all a load of bull! You probably ran home and cried your eyes out about what I said. I guess it's called the ugly truth."

Jenny blinked twice in amazement up at Nate. Never had she heard him raise his voice like that. At her anyway. He just didn't seem like the guy who got so serious and yelled and gave out like that. It just wasn't in his nature. Nate was the kind, caring guy who just so happened to have a very long list of admirers and bed partners. But that wasn't a crime in Manhattan. Not if he happened to be extremely cute or hot, to have lots of money, a Golden Boy reputation and a genuine smile that screamed 'Follow me!'. Though there was an exception Nate still was that guy who would be excused from what he does. Of course, though not by all those girls.

As she inhaled a deep breath, Jenny wondered what good it was talking to Nate right now. It would only anger both of them, and her anger always got the better of her.

"I'm sorry that I'm such a disappointment. Gee, now I know why my dad looks at me the way he does. I'd love to stay and chat but I don't want to stay and chat. Bye." Before she could rethink what she was doing she just put one foot before the other and continued walking down the street.

Nate stared after the younger girl as she walked away from him. The realization of what he had heard slowly seeped into his brain. Groaning, Nate stuffed his hands into his hoodie packets. He tried to ignore the part of his brain that told him to run after Jenny because all he knew was that it would end with either one doing or saying something they'd regret. That was something that was definite.

Jenny walked away from Nate, wishing that living in New York wasn't so hard. Had her mom never left them and pretended that she wasn't doing just that then maybe Jenny would be living with a happy family. Had she not been going to Constance Billard School of Girls she may have a normal life without all the drama and Gossip Girl. Had she not wanted to be apart of the Blair wannabe club then maybe she wouldn't have landed herself in so many problems and awkward situations with her father.

Jenny huffed and kicked a small stone. There was no point in having a pity party. It wouldn't make her feel better in any way whatsoever. But it was a little hard to just try to overlook things like that and get on with life.

Jenny knew that to win the position of Queen Bee in school she had to stay strong and not let little things in her way. Not while people were looking anyway. But while being behind closed doors and with no eavesdroppers everyone cried it out.

Sighing Jenny went up the steps to the apartment where her home was and swung the doors opened. She stepped inside and was met with the face of a still half drunk Chuck Bass.

Chuck was holding his phone in one hand and his other hand was tucked into the pocket of his yellow Phillip Lim relaxed fit tapered trousers that just made Jenny question how drunk Chuck was to have put them on.

"There you are."

"What do you want, Chuck?" Jenny wondered if he was back to bring up her father and Lily having been together on the night his father was in the car accident. If he was she'd just have to ignore him and go upstairs to the loft.

"I came here to apologize for what happened this morning. I wouldn't ever hit a woman in my right state of mind. I was drunk."

"I know you were drunk. It was hard to miss."

"Are you trying to purposely make it hard for me to apologize?"

"You'll never know," Jenny said in a sing-song voice. She didn't want it to become awkward between the two of them, at the moment anyway. And Jenny still needed Chuck for her plan to become Queen.

"Well, are you going to accept it?"

"What?" Jenny blinked and looked closely at Chuck.

He rolled his eyes. "The apology."

"Oh." Jenny nearly slapped her hand to her forehead. He had just apologized to her and she spaced out so far that she forgot. "Yeah. Sure. I guessed that even you wouldn't hit a woman. You don't seem like the type."

"You know, people sometimes do unexpected things. So types never counts."

Jenny took her turn to roll her eyes now. "Well, that sounds like something you would say. You're like some kind of Games Master."

Chuck chuckled, one side of his lips quirking upwards into a smirk. "You have no idea," he whispered so softly that Jenny didn't catch it, despite them being the only ones in the quiet shabby corridor of the apartment building.

"Well, I need to go. I think my dad will get worried and then mad if I don't come home soon. So, um, I'll see you in school then."

"I actually came to talk to you about something else. Something important. I see that I'm not the only ones with distractions."

"What do you mean?" Jenny's eyebrows knit together in confusion.

Wordlessly Chuck brought his hand up and held his phone out to Jenny. She stretched out her arm and took the phone from her fake boyfriend, giving him a quizzical look.

Quickly looking down at the screen of the phone Jenny found the answer to her unspoken question.

It's Gossip Girl here again.

Spotted today, much later after the funeral, Lil' J getting cosy again with N. I thought those two were over with a capital OVER? What happened behind closed doors and my back that no one can catch a hold of? The only question now is if Lil' J happened to call quits on her 'relationship' with C or if she calls this a 'secret' love affair? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Xoxo,

GG.

Author's note:

I know...I know...Why didn't I update when I promised I would? I have no idea. I could have forgotten (easily) because, y'know, even though I'm fifteen I'm still plenty busy. But from now on I'll just keep my promises to myself, unspoken, as I seem to not do what I said I will if I actually promise. It's weird but true

This chapter may be a little bit boring (or a lot) but the next one is actually going to be better. Plenty better. And to make it up to you guys, here's a sneak peek:

Jenny shut her eyes, praying to God that she hadn't gotten her mascara smeared over his crisp white shirt. It would be a little uncomfortable, especially as it probably cost most than five hundred dollars alone. Instantly her hand reached up to slowly wipe away the tears from her face. Half way through a handkerchief appeared before her face.

"Take it. And don't worry about make it dirty. I don't really care."

Immediately Jenny sobered up. She opened her eyes and looked up, through her lashes, at the man she was hugging tightly. "Is that it? Do you really care what happens around you? Do you really care about your...family? Friends? Do you even really care about me?"

Her question caught the man off guard. His mouth opened and closed. Never before had he been asked that question. Blair had posed that question once -differently though- but she wanted the answer for all the wrong reasons.

"Don't just look at me, Chuck Bass. Answer me." Jenny leaned away from him, standing up straight, her eyes catching the smear of black on his shirt. Like she cared about that right now. "Is there anything that you actually care about? Anything!"

"Why are you asking this? Why are you even like this?"

"Why am I like this? Like this? Because, Chuck, I just found out how much people really dislike me. For whatever reason that may be! I try to make my dad proud. I try to have a good bond with my brother. I try to be a good friend to Vanessa. I try to give good advice. I try to find something that I can excel at that won't leave me in a rut with no money. I try to be a good person! I try! I try! But nothing I do seems to be good enough for anyone! Anytime I make a small mistake compared to other's mistakes -Dan's, my dad's, Vanessa's, Nate's, Blair's- I'm criticized, I'm pushed around and then I'm left out. By my own family sometimes! And I don't like this feeling! Like how do you think it felt when I got home from that stupid Snowflake Ball and later found out that Vanessa and Nate were going to have dinner here, as if it wouldn't be awkward? How do you think it felt when Nate said that I'm worse than everybody else? For one mistake that I made because I was so in love with him! And what Vanessa did wasn't even a big deal! What she said she didn't even apologize for!" New tears were coming, Jenny could feel it through the stinging at the back of her eyes and her nose. The last thing she wanted was to be so vulnerable in front of Chuck. "I just feel like no one cares. They say they do but what I want is for them to hug me, to tell me everything will get better. But they don't!" A sob escaped her lips before Jenny could stop it.

Chuck acted before his mind could filter his actions. His arms reached out towards the girl's shaking body. One hand touched her shoulder and the other wrapped around her and came to rest on the middle of her back. Quickly Chuck pulled and Jenny stumbled into his embrace. "I know how it feels. I know what it's like. I hate it, too. I care. They don't understand what it's like, to be touched in such a way that everything falls apart, so they don't know what to do, how to help. It just looks like can't care enough to help...That's not real or right, Jen."

Another sob came from Jenny as she grabbed tightly onto the back of Chuck's shirt. "You just called me Jen."

"Well, it seemed a fine time to do so." Chuck chuckled lightly, the vibrations from his chest moving to Jenny's body -so close to each other they were.

"Can I try something?"

Chuck nodded silently, the skin of his cheek moving against Jenny's head. Without warning Jenny pulled away quickly. Her hands came down on Chuck's shoulders and before he could look up at her to question what it was that she was trying he felt her warm breath on his face. He blinked and looked right into Jenny's eyes. Shimmering blue stones, sadness filling them. Slowly letting out a breath Chuck looked at Jenny's lips. They were slightly cracked, not the usual moist that they were.

"Don't move." She whispered hoarsely, moving one of her hands up Chuck's neck, leaving goosebumps behind. As her hand reached his jaw line, her fingers spread out and her thumb gently caressed his dry lips. Licking her lips to moisten them a bit, Jenny leaned in, inclining her head to her right. A breath away a feeling of excitement rushed into her stomach, bringing a new feeling of butterflies. And they hadn't even touched yet...