A Cinderella Christmas

Girls and Gossip

Blair unlocked the Humphrey Diner, stamping her cold feet on the worn doormat to rid the snow slush that had gathered around her boots.

The diner was dark and cold so Blair started her usual routine of opening, turning on the florescent lights, heating up the oven, mainly for warmth, and cleaning the booths down.

Eventually Blair flipped the closed sign to open and turned to go stand behind the counter when something caught her eye. It was the Jukebox, standing in the corner, bright neon lights flashing feebly. She walked over, and felt the bumps of the buttons on the machine, it was an old thing...from Rufus's rock star days. She spotted 'Christmas by Mariah Carey', the song Chuck had played in the diner only a few days ago.

Blair fished around in her jean pockets and found some loose change, slotting a few coins into the box she pressed number 43, 'The Whole of the Moon by The Waterboys'. She smiled to herself as she danced back to her counter, just as she was considering jumping on the counter to dance, the door to the diner opened and a cold breeze made Blair shiver.

A woman entered, her long blonde hair framed her face perfectly, her nose and cheeks were flushed red in an annoyingly endearing way. Even though Serena Van Derwoodsen was wearing a normal coat, with knee-high leather boots, she looked like just as much of an angel than she had last night in her golden dress.

Blair had frozen mid dance move, shocked that her feeble plan had actually worked. Realising that her arms that were still above her head, Blair dropped them awkwardly and gave Serena an embarrassed smile. Serena giggled slightly as she walked up to the counter, "I love this song!" she grinned.

Blair returned her smile, "Sorry...I was...erm...Can I help you?"

Serena sat down at one of the stools at the counter, she glanced at the menu in front of her, "I'll just have a coffee thanks" She said quickly.

Blair nodded and started making the coffee, wondering how she could casually bring up Gossip Girl and Chuck...

"You're like the only shop open in Brooklyn today," Serena said, laughing slightly, "not even Starbucks is open!"

Blair gave a snorted, "If I had it my way we wouldn't be open either!"

Serena laughed and then after a moment said, "I know you, don't I?"

Blair cleared her throat uncomfortably, "I don't think so..." She busied herself with the coffee, turning her back to Serena.

"No, I do, you're Blair Waldorf, aren't you?" Serena asked.

Blair poured out the coffee and handed it to Serena, Serena's blue eyes seemed to search Blair's brown ones curiously. Blair cleared her throat again, "Yh, yh I am."

Serena accepted the coffee and gently cradled the mug between her perfectly manicured hands, "You were at the Bass party last night weren't you!"

"How did you know that?" Blair asked, there was no way she remembered the eye contact they had shared when Blair was rushing out.

Serena shrugged, "I saw you there, plus it was all over Gossip Girl!"

Blair raised her eyebrows, she had remembered! "Right, this Gossip Girl website is a thing now..."

Serena laughed, "Its been a thing for years! It's mostly harmless, just some bored idiot on the Upper East Side who loves spreading rumors!"

"Like you sleeping with Brad Pitt?!" Blair laughed, it made a lot more sense that that wasn't real.

Serena's smile faltered a bit, "Well..."

"Oh my God! No! You didn't?!" Blair grinned.

A grin slowly crept over Serena's face as she met Blair's eyes, "Maybe...."