chapter TWENTYONE.

Blair stayed where she sat on one of the school benches out in the courtyard, her dark brown hair thoroughly soaked and her outfit ruined due to the rain. If anyone had been looking closely, they would have noticed the tears rolling down her cheeks, hidden beneath the rain; but seeing as school ended over an hour ago, there weren't much people around to spot her.

Chuck's bitter-yet-honest words rang through her skull repeatedly; she couldn't stop thinking about them. You just grab whatever's right in front of you and hold on as tight as you can, just because you think it'll be easier and you won't get hurt as much. More tears seeped through her closed eyelids and she cradled her head in her hands as rain continued to fall, growing harder with each passing minute. Deep, gray puddles of rainwater had already gathered upon the cement of the courtyard.

Blair swallowed hard and then lifted her chin, looking around for the flask she'd chucked earlier; sadly, it was nowhere to be seen. Some other student had probably found it, given it a taste, and figured they scored, running away from the school grounds, flask in hand.

She looked around and finally realized that the halls were empty and the doorways were hushed. It almost seemed a little eery since she was so used to seeing the school alive with bratty children all talking about her. Running a gloved hand through her wet hair, Blair pushed herself off the bench and stood up, sliding her purse onto her shoulder and finally about to leave Constance Billard, maybe for good. Perhaps she'd move to France after all. . .

Just as she was about to make her way past the tall, black gate of the adjoining schools, however, the faint sounds of high heels click-clacking against the pavement echoed throughout her ears. The sound was getting louder. Blair turned around but before she could catch sight of who it was, she felt herself being pushed roughly against the gate and being pinned there.

Blair looked down at the girl with wary eyes. "Oh. It's you."

It was little Jenny Humphrey, probably hoping to have the last word in the situation. . . Fat chance. Tears were in the young blonde's crystal blue eyes and her eyebrows were furrowed with pure hate. Her lower lip trembled in that distinct way only fourteen year olds could pull off without looking totally pathetic. . . Pathetic, sure; just not totally pathetic.

"I can't believe what you did to me, Blair!" Jenny screamed at her, fuming.

Blair's eyebrows raised and she smiled cluelessly. "What are you talking about?"

Jenny shook her head in disbelief, her hands clenching and unclenching. Blair had never seen the girl so riled up before, and with all Jenny had done to her she couldn't help feeling a twinge of satisfaction. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?! Leo just finished breaking up with me! I hope you're happy!"

Blair sighed softly and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and forcing the tears away as rain continued to fall on them both. "Oh Jenny, Jenny, Jenny. You've got so much to learn; you took everything I had away from me and now I'm doing the same. Starting with that lacrosse player you liked so much. And mark my words, it won't stop there."

"You have no right to meddle in my personal relationships!"

One of Blair's eyebrows arched. "Oh, really? I guess you should have taken that into consideration when you medddled in my personal relationships."

Jenny was sobbing now, furiously wiping away her tears and wishing she hadn't appeared quite so vulnerable in Blair's presence.

"Now if you'll excuse me, little J, I've got a reputation to repair."

Blair turned to leave but Jenny stood in front of her, crossing her arms in the same way Blair had been just moments before. "Oh I don't think so, B. Because now we're even. . . Which means I can do this." She grabbed the brunette by the shoulders and kneed her in the gut. When Blair yelped and keeled over in pain, Jenny grabbed her hair and threw her back against the dark, metal poles of the gate.

She was about to pin her against the metallic contraption yet again, but Blair stood up quicker than she'd expected and shoved Jenny into the bench she'd been sitting in earlier. The young blonde shrieked in pain and Blair pulled her hair as well, looking into her eyes at first and then pulling her off the bench and letting her fall to the wet floor of the courtyard.

"All you had to do was keep your mouth shut and stay out of my way for good and you couldn't even manage to do that, Jenny Humphrey. It's just like I've been trying to tell you since day one: I brought you into this world and I can just as easily throw you out of it."

Jenny's lower lip had a bloody gash in it as she peered up at Blair from where she lay sprawled across the ground, tears still in her eyes. And that's when she noticed that Blair was crying, too. . . Had she really hurt her that much? Jenny swallowed hard and Blair shook her head.

"And to think all of this could have been avoided if you'd simply listened to me, you ungrateful little brat." Blair knew she was being a little harsh, but so was Jenny. . . And besides, she needed someone to take all of her bottled up anger out on. "Goodbye."


Spotted: B and J rolling around the floor of the courtyard in Constance Billard. I for one saw that coming, whether any of you did or not. . . And I think little J might just be wise enough to come up with a little plan of her own. And if not, something tells me she'll get back at B either way.

you know you love me.
xoxo; gossip girl