Starting Over: rewrite

Judging Books

Sorry for the long wait in between updates. I am finding it harder than I initially thought to do a rewrite of my Gossip Girl books. No worries I will continue to update this book but it won't be at the same frequency of my other books.

Nate's POV

"I guess I'll just take the check." I hear Vanessa say to her waitress Cora.

"Hey, hold that, will ya?" I call out stopping Cora, as I take my seat in the booth with Vanessa.

"Daylight savings moved to March. Maybe no one told you." Vanessa jokes with me.

"I know I'm late." I state to her.

"Coffee Nate?" Cora asks me which surprises Vanessa.

"Yeah, thanks, Cora." I reply.

"You two know each other?" She asks me shocked.

"I've been here before." I answer.

"Are you telling me you come all the way to Brooklyn for Greek food?"

"Well, when I'm in Brooklyn, I like to come here, yes." I explain to her.

"Cause you're in Brooklyn all the time." I can tell Vanessa doesn't believe me.

"Well, my father's in rehab a couple of blocks away. And which by the way, is why I'm late. I was...visiting hours." I finally get everything out in the open.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"No, I mean, it's not like it's some big secret. It was on the front page of every newspaper in the city." I state to Vanessa and her face softens.

"I guess it was. Yeah." Vanessa admits.

"Sometimes after I'm done seeing him, I'm not ready to go back and see my mom just yet. So I come here and I just sit, uh..."

"Think about how hard it is to get your dad to notice you. See you for more than just something to boast about in meetings. Just a shiny trophy that seems shallow to everyone else. " I look at Vanessa confused. "Confession I read one of your practice essays. And that's why I called you...to apologize.

"Uh, that was actually Ella's." I state.

"What?"

"Yeah, I guess Ella must have used one of the books at some point and...that's her essay."

"Are you sure?" Vanessa asks me still with a puzzled look on her face. "Because I thought..."

"Ella is not what she portrays herself to be."

"Some shallow model who has all the money in the world."

"Yeah she is partially those things but there is so much more to her." I try to explain to Vanessa.

"I don't understand."

"I know I shouldn't be...Ella and her brother Chuck lost their mother on the day of their birth. Their father has never been the most nurturing type. They were raised shipped off to different nanny's who barely paid them attention. They did what they had to do to survive. Chuck is...he found his own dubious ways but Ella is an amazing writer."

"The essay was really good. I...it read like a novel that I wished never stopped." Vanessa exclaims.

"Ella's dad expects a lot from her and Chuck. He sets the bar high and any falter in that he lets them know how disappointed he is."

"Don't all parents do that?"

"Do all parents blame their children for being born and ruining their lives?" I blurt out.