Heiress ∣ Nate Archibald

Bonfire of the Vanity

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"Though it seems like just yesterday, Serena, Ophelia and I were 8 and playing dress up in my mother's vintage Manolo's my 18th birthday has finally arrived." Blair mused with excitement as she sat amongst a table with her closest friend, her cousin and her minions in her prestigious apartment. Her minions giggling with happiness at the thought of the grand soiree about to be held. "The party needs to be perfect. So, blood-orange martinis or beluga and Belvedere?" 

"Why don't we make the drinks tonight and do taste tests?" Penelope suggested, excited for an excuse to drink whilst Serena's phone went off, an action Ophelia found herself glaring at given there were strict instructions prior to the meeting to have all phones on mute. "Oh, I can't. I'm meeting my mother's new boyfriend." Blair's announcement caused her minions to gasp in excitement for Eleanor, all of whom worshipped the heiress' aunt. "I'm just glad Aunt Eleanor has managed to move on, she deserves love - and hopefully it calms her down on top of it all." 

"Even moms have boyfriends, and I don't." Hazel moped, picking up a cherry from the table and inspecting it before placing it in her mouth with sadness. "Cyrus has been my mom's attorney since the divorce. He asked her out when they first met, but she didn't want to mix business with pleasure. Finally, his amorous overtures wore her down and she agreed to dinner. She's been smitten ever since." Blair mused, happy for her mother and also reveling in the romantic stories she had been told prior to meeting Cyrus.

Ophelia couldn't help but feel excited for both her aunt and her cousin about this new man being in Eleanor's life. She hoped that it would help Blair to move on from her father's betrayal of leaving their family for a man whilst also calming Eleanor down enough that she would no longer take her problems out on her own daughter. Either way, she was just happy that someone else had managed to find their love. 

"Oh, that's so romantic." One of the minions gushed, feeling slight jealousy of the older woman but still masking it with happiness. "One thing my mom has is good taste in men. Maybe a dashing stepdad is just what I need." Blair smiled, wiping the top of her champagne glass before taking a sip. "Maybe Aunt Eleanor can give us a hand in finding a good man for a change." Ophelia joked, clinking her glass against her cousins who simply nodded in agreement. 

"Speaking of good taste in men, how's the sexy artist, Serena?". Penelope wondered, taking note at how the blonde beside Blair had barely taken her eyes off of her phone. "Oh, Aaron's amazing. He's been sending me these maps to the most beautiful places. The other day, I ended up in a private room in the Cloisters overlooking the gardens." "Spare them the details, Serena. Hazel will kill herself from envy." Ophelia joked, laughing at how the girl at the end of the table was seemingly frothing at the mere thought of romance. "Oh, this is him again. I gotta go." 

Serena attempted to excused herself, not caring she was ditching her best friend's birthday planning for a boy she knew once as a child. "What? What about my party?". Blair interrupted, frustrated she was being abandoned so easily. "Blood-orange martinis, all the way." The blonde leant forward and placed her hand on her best friend's arm before getting up and leaving without another word spoken, not letting anyone talk her into staying. "This means we go for beluga and Belvedere now, right? Considering the person who leaves the table early definitely doesn't get a say." Ophelia sassed, sick of how flakey the van der Woodsen was towards her best friend any time a guy was in the picture.