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chapter twenty-two. the ex-files
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Wakey wakey, Upper East Siders. Welcome to the first day of senior year and the onset of a new social dynasty. The big question is, with Serena single and on top of the world will Constance become the house of Van Der Woodsen?
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NEVER HAD VICTORIA dreaded the return back to Constance Billard as much as she did the morning when her alarm clock rung at six o'clock, to force her back into the strict routine she had during the school period. Getting out of bed came with great reluctancy with the realisation of what was due to happen when she stepped through the gates of her school. Now, it wasn't because summer was over and her free time was non-existence with her senior year, it was more so revolved around Nathaniel Archibald. It was common knowledge that while she attended Constance Billard, he attended St. Jude's. Their school might've been big, but it wasn't big enough to continue her avoidance of the Archibald ( who she hadn't seen since Blair Waldorf's back to school party ).
When Catherine Beaton threatened Victoria to stay away from Nate, she found it achingly easy. The boy would call, she would ignore. He would text, she would ignore. However, the one thing that Victoria didn't know how to handle was if they bumped into each other on the corridor. What was to be her solution? Hide behind a book? Hide behind a person? Or just run? All she could think about was the ways she was to protect Nate and his family from further pain than what they endure within the moment of time.
That is what caused Victoria's dread. Since the party and the few days between until the first school day arrived, she had ended her internship with Aria Huntington. The woman completely mesmerised by her artwork when it came to be revealed. Aria Huntington swore to Victoria that she was far talented and a bright future was ahead of her. Her painting showed emotion, the loneliness and the pain in a beautiful manor with different colours. Even Riven was gobsmacked with her piece as he made sure he was there to see what his mother's students had conjured. Well, he just wanted to see what Victoria's looked like.
With closing her internship for the summer, Victoria had found it took more of her time. It was deeply impossible for Nate to bump into her on the streets of New York City. But it didn't stop him calling. While Victoria sat in the kitchen with her father and brother, the older man realising that it was the twins' first last day at Constance and St. Jude's and Dan only feared for the possible encounters he were to have with Serena. It was a big school just not big enough.
Victoria twirled her fork in her grasp as she poked at her scrambled eggs, her lips were pressed together as she chewed the forkful she had consumed. Dan's anxiety had been eating him up with the thought of seeing Serena, and if there was to be a civil ground between them after their break up. "It'll be fine, right?" Dan searched for the opinion of his father, even though Jenny and Victoria had been kind enough to give their thoughts that seemingly didn't reassure their older sibling.
