Cotillion Chaos (dair)

#5

Cotillion is only a few days away! Does Princess Blair need saving from her ivory tower? I heard there's been a name change... again! Xoxo, Gossip Girl.

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"Oh, B, I'm a bit busy right now. Can I call you back?"

"No, I'm sorry Serena but this can't wait. Have you spoken to your grandmother? She made a deal and is now backing-"

"Hey! My grandma didn't back out on you, Blair."

"Are you being serious? She offered me Carter as in Carter Baizen, the gambling darling of Connecticut. How proper when Cece first offered a Duke! You know your grandmother took advantage of me, my family and our generosity, Serena!"

"My grandma wouldn't do that and you know it!"

"Oh, screw you, Serena! And your rotten family!" And then Serena was deserted with the dial tone.

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Don't tell me we actually have an evil grandmother in our midst! Oh my! Be careful of her shiny red offers! They look tasty until you take a bite. Right, B? Xoxo, Gossip Girl.

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Blair showed up in the dance studio with drinks and snacks for the next rehearsal. The last practice before the Cotillion and she wasn't sure of what to expect. She always knew this week would be chaotic but she never expected this dismay! Serena to hide behind her grandmother's skirts and for Cece to be such a cheap bitch and to Blair of all people!

"What did I ever do but go along with this stupid plan," she complained as she pulled out the snacks that Dorota had prepared. Mostly cut up vegetables, fruit and some dips since Blair's stomach had been finicky since the stress of the Cotillion and Serena's family. She couldn't hold down much else.

She thought the stress of this week would consist of welcoming Lucas and learning the dance with him. Plus maybe flirting a bit with the Duke and getting invited to his summer house in Switzerland and might as well go visit daddy in Paris while across the ocean...

Oh and getting used to sharing the dance studio and instructor with Serena and Dan who would also need to get acquainted so they could also dance in the Cotillion if Serena had said yes.

She didn't realize Cece Rhodes was a bomb that would go off if the old woman didn't get her way when it came to Serena being in the Cotillion.

Yet how did she end up with the aftermath of Serena's terrible decisions again?

None of this was going how she imagined. She didn't attend dance classes with her friends and peers. She had no idea how this dance looked performed as a group unlike her friends. Who knows what else she missed out on and now she was boyfriend less, Cotillion date less and maybe even practice date less too since Dan still wasn't here and she hadn't gotten his word that he would be here anyway. He had no reason to show up again.

Honestly, she was lucky the first time since he had no obligation to this entire event anymore. She was beginning to wonder if she should just go and practice alone in her bedroom when the front door made a noise.

"Hey! Sorry!" Dan shivered from the cold before coming forward with a take-out bag. "I'm late because I got this brilliant - but now looking back - stupid idea that I should go get sushi from my place in Brooklyn because my sister mentioned they had returned from their vacation finally and I kind of owed you from last time but the train back was a nightmare. I'm not saying a guy had a knife but I think that guy had a knife there!"

It's disgusting the amount of relief that washes over her when she sees him. Maybe it's the rough couple of days but Blair doesn't know what comes over her. The relief must show on her face as tears appeared in the corner of her eyes. However, she manages to hide the wet evidence by sliding her arms around him and hiding her face in his jacket.