Gossip Girl

The Truth

The door to her room at the Ostroff Center opened to reveal her father looking quite unhappy.

Her father had come in so late last night that Maddie and her father didn't see each other until this morning. Maddie wasn't looking forward to the talk and lecture by her dad.

"So you got me the upgraded room this time I see" Maddie joked hoping her father would lighten up the look on his face.

"Before you go off on me. I don't remember any of it"  Maddie said in defense as her father stripped his winter coat and placed it on the chair near the door.

"Sounds just like the last time. I thought we were over this" her dad said with a disapproving look.

"I did move on. I don't know what happened" Maddie sternly said.

"Your friends are here to see. You've got a few minutes to talk to them while I sort out the papers" her father said.  Maddie could tell he was extremely disappointed in her.

His hand reached out for her cell phone before closing the door behind him.

Maddie sat on the bed her legs to her chest looking out the window. She honestly didn't want to see anyone. She was embarrassed about what happened and confused on how this all took place. Her friends weren't the most accepting when it comes to things like this despite what they may say.

Everyone judged everyone when it came to the upper east side.

She knew Chuck was going to be silently disappointed in her. After all he was the first to know about the Ostroff center and her drug problem in high school.

The door slowly creaked opened to reveal Blair first. Her head barely peeking out of the cracked doorway.

"Hey M" Blair softly said as she walked in waving on with Serena, Chuck, Nate and Dan to follow behind her.

Maddie remained silent. Occasionally glazing in their direction.

"How are you?" Serena asked trying to create a conversation.

"I'm back in the same position I was in the summer of Junior year " Maddie muttered.

"They are going to help you again" Chuck said.

"What do you know about this? Last I remember none of you knew or cared to know where I was that summer. I'm assuming you'll all do the same for this" Maddie snapped.

"Hey no need to be mean" Nate said trying to diffuse the tension.

Dan stood awkwardly in the back while Serena looked annoyed, Blair and Chuck looking concerned with Nate looking at Maddie sympathetically. 

"I can see you all judging me behind those sad looking eyes"

"No one is judging you M" Blair said. Maddie huffed at this comment.

"Look I appreciate you all being here but I didn't do this to myself. I would never take an antidepressant and mix it. I'd probably fall of the bandwagon doing cocaine before anything else. I just know this isn't me"

"Maddie-" Chuck began

"I've changed. I promise" Maddie softly begged.

The groups conversation was interrupted by a gossip girl notification. The group looked at their phones when Maddie's father barraged into the room angry.

"You know you can say this wasn't you but this photo looks an awfully like the old you" her father said flashing her a gossip girl post on her phone.

"I think you can all leave and just like last time don't bother looking for me" Maddie said disgusted with herself.

The gossip girl post revealed Maddie snorting a line of cocaine in her Saint and Sinner's outfit.

They all stood still for a minute before they began to file out of the room leaving Dan last.

"Hey for what it's worth, I don't think this was you either" Dan said. Maddie softly smiled at him as he walked out closing the door behind him.

Dan was an outsider but it was comforting knowing he had her back.

Maddie sat quietly on the bed when her dad walked back in after saying goodbye to her friends.

Maddie's heart was crushed at the sight of the photo gossip girl had posted.

"I want the best treatment, I don't want to be this person" Maddie cried. Her father shook his head and left the room.
———
A few days later Maddie who had been in great spirits and on the road to recover was startled by Juliet.

The light flicked on in the corner of the room catching Maddie's attention.

"What are you doing here?" Maddie asked.

"Here to tell the truth" Juliet said. Maddie sat on the corner of her bed waiting to her what Juliet had to say.

"You're in here because of me. I staged the photo of you taking drugs. I staged the whole thing at the Saint and Sinners party" Juliet began.

"How?"

"I dressed up like you and partied like it was 2007" Juliet said with no remorse.

"I knew it wasn't me" Maddie said in disbelief. "And you just left me for dead in a motel room? Why because of Colin?"

"No you stupid bitch! Because you destroyed my brother's life"

"Who's your brother?"

"Ben Donavan" Juliet snapped. Maddie looked at her stunned.

"Ben is your brother? What did I ever do to him?" Maddie asked confused. The last she had interacted with him was when he was her private tutor sophomore year and into the summer of junior year.

"Thanks to you my brother is serving a 10- year sentence. For a crime he didn't commit, accused of giving drugs to a minor leading to an overdose"

"I never accused your brother of anything. Especially not selling and soliciting drugs to me. He's the reason I passed Calculus with flying colors that year" Maddie explained.

"I saw the affidavit" Juliet responded.

"I didn't sign anything I swear" Maddie pleaded.

"Then who did?" Juliet asked. Maddie in that moment knew her father was behind this and responsible.