§Not What It Seem§ |Gossip Girl|

10.

Blair didn't lose her hand, FYI.

Nora had to refrain herself from crushing Blair's hand as she forced her to hung up her phone after confiscating it.

She was going to cry later, why ruin things now?

By the next morning, Nora who didn't want to interrupt the boys' Lost Weekend, remained with the girls, joining them to the scheduled session.

Nora kept by the back as Blair attempted to pose to the photographer, looking too stiff and awkward that she was tempted to remove the girl from the area before she embarrassed herself even more.

There was a grimace playing on her lips as Serena stood next to her.

"This is painful to watch" Nora murmured as Terry, the photographer kept instructing Blair the way he wanted her to. But every indication was met with stiff, unnatural poses. Nora could tell Terry was getting frustrated. She glanced at the blonde next to her as she nodded with a grimace.

Terry lowered his camera, looking frustrated as he called out a break, "Who chose this girl?"

"Eleanor" Nora answered, raising her eyebrows. Terry pursed his lips at the girl he knew had power in the room. "Why? Is there a problem?"

Serena, used to Nora talking down people, awkwardly stepped back.

"Miss Bass" Terry began carefully, raising his camera as if to prove a point, "She is so prim and stiff, like a bookcase, it's unnatural"

Nora made no move to defend Blair. She knew he was right.

Laurel, Eleanor's assistant did though, giving him a look, "Yes but she looks stunning in the clothes, don't you agree?"

"To my eye, like a goddess" Terry tell them honestly, then gestured down at his camera, grimacing. "To this eye, yuck. Like a statue. This is retail. It's not an editorial. She needs to let go, have fun, loosen up. How's the client gonna like the dress if the model doesn't even like herself?"

Terry walked off, leaving the girls alone.

Nora hummed, slowly turning to Serena. "She's more natural when being silly with you. She's more her than with everyone else, even me"

Serena's eyes lit up. "Are you suggesting that I help her? What have you done to our Nora?"

Nora's lips curled in a smile. It didn't reach her eyes, something Serena failed to notice or simply didn't bother to acknowledge, "You're my best friends. Who else would I want if not you two to success?"

Serena smiled so brightly, hugging her. "I knew you were still sweet deep down. At least with us"

Nora didn't hug Serena back, stiff in the hug. "This is for Blair. Don't forget that I still haven't forgiven you"

Dejected, Serena pulled away from the hug, her smile replaced with a frown, "Oh. I... I knew that. It's okay though. You being here means a lot, even if it isn't for me"

Serena backed away, turning around to walk towards Blair who was having a conversation with the girl fixing her make up.

"Yeah, you won't think so soon" Nora murmured to herself as she watched her supposal best friends talking. She walked to Terry, clearing her throat.

Terry was cleaning the lenses of his camera, jumping a bit at Nora's presence, "Miss Bass"

"Ready your camera" Nora commanded, "You're having your goddess"

Terry grimaced, looking towards Blair, "She will not change from one minute to the other"

Nora smirked, leaning closer as if to tell him a secret, "I wasn't talking about Blair"