i want it all - gg

𝙚𝙭 𝙝𝙪𝙨𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨

Salinger Humphrey and Delilah Bass chatted away obliviously while Henry, Scarlett and Hadley sat in shifty silence, all silently praying that the speeches would start and they could look at something other than their napkins or the ceiling.

As if the gods had heard their prayers, and said 'fuck you I'll make it more awkward', Gabriel Archibald arrived. Hadley gulped, her eyes resting on his perfect face, surrounded by scruffy hair and a not-so-scruffy Armani Tuxedo. His glittering blue eyes met hers, and Hadley could feel her heart and stomach do a synchronised gymnastics routine, so she looked away quickly.

Gabriel sighed as Hadley's perfect head turned away from him. He could make his name out on a card at the seat next to Scarlett at the table, and headed over awkwardly.

Scarlett smiled at Gabriel tensely as he sat down beside her, Hadley shooting her a venomous look. This was so excruciating.

Well when God closes a window, he always opens the door. I think that's the saying, or maybe it's: when Gossip Girl makes things extra awkward for everyone, she allows them some sort of relief. Cue the speeches!

The lights dimmed, and spotlight shone on Serena Van der Woodsen, looking exquisite in her Badgley Mischka floor length gown.

Thank God, Henry, Hadley, Scarlett and Gabriel all thought in unison.

No, thank you Gossip Girl!

xoxo

Half way through the speech, Hadley grabbed her clutch from under her chair and slipped out through the side door stealthily. Thankfully the only favourable thing about the table she'd been seated at was that it was located right next to the exit, so nobody saw her slip out.

Nobody except Gabriel Archibald, of course.

Stepping out onto the pavement, Hadley shivered in the chilly September air as she silently cursed Kalmanovich for making her gorgeous dress so hard to pull off with a coat. The girl pulled out a Marlboro light from the secret pocket in her clutch and lit it with shaky hands.

This night was becoming more and more hard to survive, she needed a smoke now or she might actually lose her mind. She loved her aunt Serena, but how dim witted did she have to be to sit her at the same table as all the worst possible people. Jesus, she'd rather be stuck with her irritating step-uncle Aaron Rose and his stupid hippy artist friends, not that they even came to these things.

"Those things'll kill you one day, Hadley," a voice said, sending a shock down her spine so sudden that she almost dropped her cigarette.

She turned to see Gabriel, his tie missing, and two buttons of his crisp white shirt unbuttoned.

Hmm. Nice attention to detail, H.

Hadley said nothing, only frowned and took another drag. Normally, she'd be deathly embarrassed that someone had found her shame-smoking, but it was Gabriel, and she was trying to prove to him that she didn't care.

"When did you start smoking, then?" He asked.

Hadley stayed silent.

Gabriel scoffed and shook his head. He felt an overwhelming urge to just grab her and scream in her face that he was sorry he left and that he was in love with her and then kiss her, but he held back. Too much time had passed, that much was clear.

"What, you won't even talk to me anymore?" He asked, crossing his arms.

Hadley turned back to him furiously and looked him. In the Manhattan sunset, Gabriel's eyes looked like those sapphire cuff-links her father wore on his suit when they went to the opera. Those eyes almost melted her every time, but this time she was too angry.

"We had sex, and then you disappeared off to France without so much as a text, so excuse me if I don't want to have sleepovers and braid each other's hair," Hadley spat, angrily stamping out her half-smoked cigarette onto the pavement with her Manolo. She stormed past Gabriel and back into the building, spraying CK One onto her neck to mask the tobacco smell.

Gabriel sighed and leaned backwards onto the side of the building, shutting his eyes. In that moment, all hope seemed lost, like everything good Gabriel had before he left was gone for good.

Don't worry Gabie, I still love you!

xoxo

"Thank you to everyone who made a donation," Scarlett Van der Woodsen smiled despite her mood. The room erupted into claps, and she grinned again while camera shutters clicked.

Just as she was walking down to sit at her table, a symphony of beeps and buzzes filled the room. Everyone under 18 checked their phones, and Serena, Blair, Dan and Nate exchanged looks of perplexed déja-vu.

Shame Chuck isn't around to see this. Did you miss me, my favourite Manhattanites?