Coffee and Croissants

Chapter 1

"Humphrey", Blair says so quietly, it's almost a whisper. Words she thought she would never say again.

And then, she turns and runs away from him.

---

It had been the first campus event of the semester. Spring at The American University of Paris was full of promise, especially since it was her final one. Soon she would have her masters in journalism.

She had gone to campus tonight for the mixer hosted in the library. It was a mix of students and professors plus, her friends Clémence and Aimee would be there. She was enrolled in one of the courses that would be taught by the guest professors so between seeing friends and who her new professor would be, she figured it would be a good idea to go.

But then, she got through the crowds of students and saw him. Dan Humphrey. Hair still disheveled, curls astray. He was more handsome than she remembered, wearing a blazer and slim tie.

She froze at the very sight of him. Just then, he turned from who he was speaking to. He was staring back at her. That's when turned and ran. Forgetting her friends and her plans.

Later, that night Blair was back in her apartment. Surrounded by rustic-chic furniture she picked up at the flea markets which were full of hidden treasures. Like her favorite piece, a 1920s typewriter which she bought to remind her of him.

She stares at the typewriter and contemplates the incident. What was he doing in Paris? At her school? She felt furious that he had waltzed into her life in such a casual manner. Certainly, he must be a student then. Now she would face the possibility of running into him every time she set foot on the tiled floors of the hallways. Fantastic.

It's not like she hadn't thought of him since then. 3 years ago. they had broken off whatever it was they were. Friends... Not friends... Boyfriend and girlfriend... It was undefined but real.

She had returned to Chuck, convinced he was the right choice. Partially pushed towards him by Dan who claimed he wanted her to be happy. She went back to Chuck because clearly Dan didn't want to be with her all that much if he could even suggest her being with Chuck.

Furthermore, she was convinced she would have never been Dan's first choice. He had been in love with Serena first, her best friend. Not her. The girl everyone fell in love with instead of her. Nate... Dan.. Every guy except Chuck.

But she wondered, late at night if she had made the wrong choice. If Dan and her would have lasted. If he really did love and only her like he said. Unlike Chuck. Chuck had quickly fallen back to his old ways. Drinking too much, staying out too late, working too late, and eventually doing who knows what with other women. The breaking point for Blair. It crumbled so quickly, less than one year later and it was done.

She had no choice but to get out of the city. Moving to Paris seemed like a logical option. To escape the failure of yet another relationship and go to the fashion capital of the world.

Here she had been happy. She started studying at The American University of Paris, enrolled in the Masters of Global Arts Fashion Track Program.

In her time at the university, she had continued to contribute to The Peacock magazine. Even though it was a small production, it helped her build a solid writing portfolio. Students loved her articles. She wrote trend articles and also profiles where she would interview a professor each month and share their background and interests.

Though her time was fairly filled up with classes, the paper, friends, and Noah, it could be lonely at times being so far from home. But she loved the little delights of Paris. Like how each Sunday morning, she could walk just down the street to get a chocolate croissant and a latte.

She had a suddenly horrifying thought. What if he was in one of her classes? Worse yet, enrolled in her program? Obviously not on the fashion track but the Global Arts program could be applicable to him. It wouldn't be the first time they had shared the same education and career goals. She thought back to the W internship.

Her shock at seeing him there that first day and imagined that now, she might relieve that.

Regardless, she would have to get through this semester without speaking to him or forming any sort of friendship. The last thing she needed to ruin her last semester was rekindling their non-friendship. That would just bring back the feelings that had been so difficult to push aside. She couldn't risk it.

She vowed that if she walked in class on Monday and saw him, confirming her worst fears she would get through it just as she had planned. She would sit in the back of the class, far away from him as possible.

She would dutifully take notes, focus on her class, and pretend she had never been in love with Dan Humphrey.