Gossip Girl (Book Four)

Seven

I was supposed to be meeting Blair and Serena, but not only was Nate and Sebastian there when I got there, but I ended up walking in with Chuck, who was supposed to be meeting Sebastian and Nate. "What is he doing here?" I asked the same time Chuck asked. "What's she doing here?"

Then a lady in a brown suit walked into the room. "And who brought the Avon lady?" I asked.

"She's a court stenographer. There's a notary on the way." Nate stated.

"We've witnessed the Owen/Bass wars firsthand." Sebastian stated.

"We know you both. You have nuclear capability. Sooner or later, one of you is gonna press the other's button, and we're gonna end up with nothing but cockroaches." Blair stated.

"You know, we're way ahead of you." I stated, crossing my arms.

"Yeah, we're in a truce." Chuck agreed.

"Which is why we figured you wouldn't have a problem making it official." Serena stated. "A peace treaty based on more than just a handshake."

"So that's why we're gonna sit down and hammer out the provisions of a cease-fire." Nate said.

"And if either of you decide to break the treaty. He or she will be excommunicated." Sebastian stated.

"We'll no longer be your friends." Blair explained and I sighed.

I am supposed to be a year older today. I should be acting like it. "Well, I suppose as I leave my teens, that I should start to think about my legacy." I stated looking over at Chuck.

"I have no objection to order in the kingdom." Chuck said and we both finally left the doorway of the room.

"Let the negotiations begin." Sebastian said.

"I can't believe you're on his side." I stated looking at my brother.

"I, honestly, don't care. It just isn't fair to have three on two. Let that happen and Chuck would get nothing." I rolled my eyes. He's got a point. The three of us could destroy them all.

We all sat at the table, letting negotiations begin. It was going to take some time. "If you give me the Standard on weeknights, I'll give you the Carlyle for the entire Christmas season." Chuck stated.

"Done, but I want an addendum that you can't bed hostesses from a roster of restaurants I frequent." I stated.

It would get heated on some points, but that was mainly because he was being unreasonable. "You can't have fashion week in both Paris and Milan. You have to choose." Chuck demanded.

"Never, but I will give you art basel in Miami and Switzerland." I stated and Chuck nodded.

"Okay, moving on to article 47 Strip clubs in the outer boroughs." Nate stated moving on.

"Sidebar." I stood up from my chair and the girls joined me away from the table.

"Why are we sidebar-ing? Do you really want access to strip clubs?" Blair asked.

"No, I just don't want to seem like I'm ceding territory too easily. So pretend like we're talking about something serious, like my birthday, or have you figured out that anniversary situation?" I asked and Serena sighed.

"Lena, what can I do? They're already planning a family thing." Serena stated.

"Unacceptable Just like that sex glow you're sporting." I stated.

"There was no sex. Just coffee." Serena stated and Blair rolled her eyes.

"Coffee is the thing you have before you pay the check to go have sex." Blair said.