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ight； he was an Oxford University scholar。 He’d transferred there after pleting two years at Deep Springs； and ever since their paths crossed that fateful day； they’d been practically inseparable。
“I’ll give you the recipe；” Harold offered； smiling at the pliment。 “As if you can really cook in those horrible dorms Blair’s plained to me about。 Many times；” he added with a teasing wink at his daughter。
Blair rolled her eyes。 “I was thinking about moving to a flat in town when we get back。 We could probably find something on College Street。” Right now； Chuck lived with a bunch of his rowing buddies in a house on the mortifyingly named Titmarsh Lane。 It would be nice to have a little more privacy； and a bigger bed。
And a better mailing address？
“If that’s okay with you； Daddy；” Blair added。
“Wonderful；” Harold said。 He’d always trusted Blair pletely。
Blair sighed happily and nuzzled closer to Chuck。 She couldn’t believe this was the same Chuck Bass she’d known growing up。 He was sweet and sensitive and got along well with everyone。 Blair imagined them settling down in Sloane Square。 She’d be a barrister； he’d work as a banker in Canary Wharf； and they’d have three children with adorable accents and picnic in Kensington Gardens on weekends。
“Moving in already。 Sounds serious！” Harold said with a twinkle in his eye。
“I apologize for your meddling dad；” Giles piped up from his tea party in the corner。 “That’s why I prefer hanging out with the knee…high set。” Giles ruffled Pierre’s dark hair。
Suddenly； the sound of the doorbell filled the house。
“Did we order something？” Giles asked。
Blair threw the plaid blanket from her knees； ran to the entryway； and flung open the door； half expecting to find a singing messenger or some over…the…top surprise that Chuck or her generous father had planned for her as a post…Christmas surprise。 A car？ A pony？ A private plane to sweep them all off to St。 Barts for New Year’s？
Instead； her eyes fell on Serena van der Woodsen； Nate Archibald； that younger girl who’d been kicked out of Constance for extreme sluttiness； and her shaggy…haired older brother； who she’d heard Serena was actually seeing。 It was like a band of carolers gone wrong。
What。 The。 Fuck？ Was this some sort of joke？ A hallucination from too many glasses of red wine and not enough exercise？
Or a late visit from the Ghosts of Christmas Past？
“What the hell are you doing here？” Blair asked rudely。 The shaggy…haired guy awkwardly shifted his weight from foot to foot； as if he had to pee。
“We’ll leave。 Sorry for the confusion；” he said quickly； turning on the sole of his ugly loafer。
Serena finally managed to clear her throat。 Of course she’d suggested staying at Blair’s house； but the thought that Blair might actually be here hadn’t even occurred to her。 “Yeah； we’ll find a hotel in town。” Serena glanced nervously at Blair； whose veins were throbbing at her temples。 This was not how she wanted to see her former best friend for the first time after a year apart。 Blair had gone to Oxford to get away from Serena； and now here she was； standing on her doorstep like a stalker。
“Hey guys！” Chuck said； sidling up next to Blair。 Serena tried to stop the gasp that formed in her throat。 What was Chuck Bass doing here？ Chuck’s hand rested protectively on Blair’s petite shoulder。 Was he… with Blair？ “Dan Humphrey； long time no see；” he said enthusiastically； reaching out a hand。
“Hi Chuck；” Dan muttered； limply shaking Chuck’s hand。 He hadn’t thought it was possible for the night to get any weirder； but apparently； it could。 What the fuck was his Riverside Prep nemesis doing here； in a pair of cashmere pajamas？
“Who do we have here？” Harold boomed as he strode down the entryway。 “Serena van der Woodsen and Nate Archibald！ Why didn’t you tell me they were ing； Bear？” Harold cried； kissing Serena on both cheeks and leaning in to clap Nate on the back。 “e in； e in！” Harold escorted everyone inside； pumping hands enthusiastically as if he were an ambassador。
To a very hostile country？
“Thanks； sir！” Serena said weakly as she shuffled into the house。 She didn’t really have a choice。
“So； what brings you this way？” Harold asked； throwing more logs onto the crackling fire and settling back into his leather wingback chair as if preparing for an all…night chat。 Jenny； Nate； and Dan all clustered around Serena； delegating explanation responsibilities to her。
“Mr。 Waldorf； I’m really sorry to intrude。 This is my boyfriend； Dan Humphrey。” Serena emphasized the word boyfriend。 Maybe if Blair knew she wasn’t with Nate； she’d soften a little。 “And his sister； Jenny。 Jenny was visiting colleges and ran into Nate on a tour of Brown。 And we were all driving back to the city and got stuck in the snow。” She shrugged； as if that explained everything。
Blair narrowed her eyes。 Of course Serena would play the Miss Innocent card； as if they’d just happened to be driving right past the Newport house。 Newport wasn’t exactly in Brown’s backyard。
“So you just ran into each other？” Blair asked icily。
“Yeah。” Nate tried to catch Blair’s eye。 In his time at Deep Springs； he’d almost forgotten how pretty she was。 Her hair framed her small； fine…featured face； her eyes were bright； and she wore a black sweater that hugged her petite frame。 Nate forced himself to glance away。 She looked happy now。 The last thing he wanted to do was get in the way。 “We can leave。 Blair； we’ll leave；” he repeated quietly； trying to let Blair know that he wasn’t here to fuck up her life。
Again。
“In this weather？ Nonsense！ We’re thrilled to have you。 I see Pierre and Pauline have already made a friend！” Harold nodded to the corner； where Jenny was kneeling on the Oriental…carpeted floor； patiently asking the twins about their train set。 “It’s almost their bedtime。 Almost my bedtime； too；” Harold chuckled； draining the last of his wine。 “But we have plenty of food； and we all know Blair has plenty of clothes to share with the girls。 Our house is your house； so please； make yourselves at home。 It’ll be like a big pajama party！”
Hooray！
“We’ll set Serena and Dan up in the downstairs guest room。 Jennifer； you can have the upstairs； and Nate gets the attic。 Will that work？”
Blair shrugged。 “Fine。 Chuck and I are going to bed；” she announced； grabbing Chuck’s elbow and yanking him up the stairs。 Hopefully by tomorrow morning the snow would have stopped and they could all go back to wherever the fuck they came from。 Better yet； she’d wake up and discover this was all just a big； terrible nightmare。
Sleep tight！
nice day for an imaginary white wedding
Jenny woke up to sunlight streaming onto her face。 She stretched lazily； reveling in the softness of the goose…down pillows surrounding her。 The delicate hands of the silver clock on the nightstand pointed to 7 a。m。 She was momentarily disoriented； then remembered that she was at Blair Waldorf’s Newport house。
It had been awkward when they’d first arrived。 Everyone had guiltily headed to the rooms Harold assigned them； but Jenny had lain awake in bed； thinking about Nate in the attic above her。
She swung her feet onto the walnut floor and looked out one of the east…facing bay windows。 Frost covered the windowpanes； and in the distance she could see the ocean； waves slowly rolling toward the shore。 The expansive land surrounding the house was covered with a thick blanket of snow； and icicles hung on the branches of the fir trees that edged the slate walkway。 Snow was still falling heavily。 Jenny felt a shiver of anticipation run up her spine。 How could she possibly sleep when she was in such a beautiful place？
She carefully pushed the door open and padded down the lengthy hallway； bringing her sketchbook and a pencil from her bag。 She’d head to the attic and sketch the snowstorm； and if she just happened to run into a boxer…clad Nate； she wouldn’t plain。
She slowly tiptoed up the creaky stairs that led to the attic and gasped。 She’d been imagining a creepy； cobwebby crawl space。 Instead； Oriental rugs covered the dark oak floors。 Louis Vuitton steamer trunks and abandoned antique furniture vied for space。 Clothes were hanging on coatracks； and bookshelves were overflowing with first editions。 The old sleigh bed in the corner looked slept in； but Nate wasn’t in it。 She couldn’t be disappointed； though—there was so much else to look at。
Jenny timidly pulled open one of the doors of an antique…looking wardrobe。
“Oh！” she breathed in surprise。 Packed in the small space were dresses of all different colors and styles； hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of couture。 It was even better than shopping at Next to New； the vintage store in Rhinecliff that all the Waverly girls visited when they needed a one…of…a…kind party outfit。 Jenny found herself pulling out a short Nina Ricci sparkly halter dress。 It probably hadn’t been worn or even looked at in years。 It was practically her duty to try it on。
She wedged herself behind the wardrobe； pulled off the baby pink Senior Spa Weekend T…shirt she’d found in the guest room； and shimmied into the dress。