Eric Is Back (A Gossip Girl Novel)

1. 2009

"Oh... Eric! You're... y-you're back!"

Daniel Humphrey's eyes were bulging so much out of his skull that I thought they might spill out of their sockets and land on the floor with a SPLAT! I couldn't blame Dan for looking like he'd just seen a ghost. He'd probably thought I'd died or something. Everyone did.

For the last two years... I might as well have been dead.

"Yeah..." I mumbled, looking away from Dan's face. "I guess I am."

Over the last two years, I'd rehearsed this scene over and over and over again. In one take, I'd slapped Dan across the face for doing... well, you know what he did to me! In another, I'd pulled out a carton of eggs and pelted him with them for doing... well, I don't have to remind you what he did to me! But now, I couldn't stop my voice from shaking. My legs from wobbling. My eyes from dropping to the floor. I should have been braver. I should have gathered everyone around me and outed Dan for the person he really was!

But I just couldn't do it.

"A-are you just here for the party or...?"

"No," I answered. "I'm starting back at St Jude's."

I didn't think Dan's face could get any whiter. I was wrong. He turned as white as snow!

"S-so you're back for good?" he said, his voice coming out all squeaky.

I shrugged. "Looks that way."

Dan scratched the back of his neck. "Oh... how c-come?"

"I dunno," I said. "My mom wanted me to graduate here, I guess. You know, better school and all that?"

Dan nodded. "Right."

My fingers twitched. I was dying to ask Dan about what he'd been up to over the last two years. I mean, I'd pictured him rocking back and forth in his bed, his arms wrapped around a framed picture of me, tears rolling down his cheeks, staining the pillows.

But just as I was about to say something, a man in a hideous, chequered three-piece suit loped towards us and said loudly, "Hear ye! Hear ye! The Prodigal Son has returned!"

Ew...

A cold shiver ran through me.

It was Chuck Bass.

"Oh... hi, Chuck," I said flatly, not even trying to sound happy to see him.

"Hello to you, too," he replied in that low, sleazy drawl of his. "And where have you been hiding over the last two years?"

"Um... um..."

"Let me guess!" he said, holding up his hand. "Coked out of your mind in rehab?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Singing kumbaya at a Christian camp?"

"No."

"Dropping the soap in prison?"

Dan was scratching the back of his neck again. Beads of sweat were sliding down his forehead. I couldn't blame him for being so nervous right now, especially with all of this prison talk! But after all that he'd put me through, he deserved to squirm.

"Boarding school," I said quickly, just wanting to shut Chuck up.

"Hmm, okay," he said. "Around here 'boarding school' is usually code for something else. But don't worry – I'll find out what it is."

I laughed nervously. Dan did, too.

"Alright, then," Chuck said, "I guess I'll leave you two to catch up on old times. Au revoir!"

With rolling eyes, I watched Chuck stumble away from us. As I did, I downed the flute of champagne that I had been holding in my hand. Dan did the same.

"S-so how have you been?" he asked when none of us spoke.

I just snorted, looking down at my empty flute.

"I know..." he sighed. "That was a stupid thing to say."

"Just forget about it," I said, shaking my head. "I'm not here to ruin your life. So, go ahead and feel free to live it. It's over. What happened between us... it's in the past. Your secret is safe with me."

"Look, I didn't mean for things to work out the way they did. I had to say what I said – I had no other choice."

I snorted way too loudly. "You had no choice but to send me to boarding school and turn my fucking parents against me?"

Dropping the F-bomb made Dan flinch. "If I hadn't done that..." he said, "I could have ended up in prison!"

I stroked my chin dramatically. "Hmm, okay... and what do think boarding school was like for me?"

"Look, I know the last two years have been rough for you –"

"Pfft! You know nothing! I haven't even heard from you for two fucking years!"

Dan squeezed my arm and said gently, "Just calm down, okay?"

His hand on my arm made my heart flip. I hated the instant effect he was having on me. I mean, it had been two years! I just didn't think I'd react to him like this so quickly.

"We were supposed to be boyfriends," I said bitterly. "We were supposed to be a team!"

"I know!" Dan huffed. "I fucked up. I know I did. And I'm sorry."

At that moment, I saw my mother making her way towards me. Looking down, Dan's hand was tight around my arm. Quickly, I pushed it away, praying to God that Mom hadn't seen it.

"Hey, Mom!" I said, forcing a smile on my mouth. "I-I was just catching up with Dan."

Mom's eyes flickered between mine and Dan's faces. I could see that night flashing through her eyes.

Don't listen to him... Dan's lying... We're together... We're boyfriends... We've been seeing each other for months...

I was surprised she was letting me and Dan be in the same room together!

"Yes, Eric – I can see that," she snapped, her face tightening. "Your sister, Serena is over there. Why don't you go and talk to her instead?"

"Um, sure, Mom," I said. "I guess I'll see you around, Dan."

Dan nodded quickly. "Yeah, sure thing, Eric."

Doing as I was told, I walked over to Serena. Just before I reached her, I looked over my shoulder at my mother and Dan. If I could lip-read, I imagined her telling Dan to stay the hell away from me.

But that was going to be impossible.

My mom and Dan's dad were married.

Dan wasn't just my ex-boyfriend...

He was my stepbrother, too!