''Jesus!''

''Shh!'' Rose Ange Noir hissed, pressing a finger against her lips as she does so.

Victoria narrows her eyes and cranes her neck forward. ''Mom?'' She shakes her head. ''What the hell?''

''Me?'' Her eyes blew wide. ''What the hell you?''

''It is six in the morning, my uniform explains it all,'' She counters while taking a taunting step forward. ''Your turn.''

She looks away with a sigh.

''Oh my god,'' She gapes at her. ''Mom, it's been three weeks and even after that conversation you had with dad, you're avoiding him? Seriously?''

Rose Ange Noir and Victoria Ange Noir stood at the front door of the penthouse, head to head competing to be the first one to leave for the day.

''Sweetheart,'' She breathes out. ''Yes, we had one single conversation but words aren't enough. I need action, I need the visual proof of desire he claims he still has for us. Besides, I'm just heading into work a little early.''

Her head dulls to the side. ''It takes two to tango, mom. He needs to know that you're in it just as much as him.''

Rose emits a disapproving hum. ''But, I didn't start this mess. He did.''

''Why are you so hard on him? He has good intentions-''

''Victoria,'' She raises a brow. ''I need to know he still holds that need to show effort. I'll feel reassured about what we have then. But as for now,-'' She shakes her head. ''I can't let this effect my worth ethics.''

She leans over and pressed her cheek with Victoria's, blowing a kiss. ''I'll see you later, bonita.''

-

''I thought I made it clear that we need to find Chuck, the perfect date,'' Blair Waldorf prompts as she paces back and forth in the dining room from behind Dorota; the maid who sat in front of a computer screen going through a list of possible candidates. It was only after school where Blair consumed the task at hand, winning a bet negotiated with Chuck Bass, involving the annual Snowflake Ball. ''Kristin Curran is the loosest girl in our class. Don't you know that Chuck doesn't like his fruit pre-picked?''

''She has long hair,'' Dorota argues. ''In Poland, long hair symbolizes-'' She jumps in her seat when Blair shouts, ''And Elizabeth Phillips is somewhere between Mormon and moron! How did you come up with these?''

In a small voice, Dorota responds, ''Facebook. I joined few groups.''

''This has to be Chuck's dream girl,'' Blair says. ''Intelligent, but not a book worm, strong willed, but still feminine. An equal. And he likes brunettes with deep brown eyes.''

''But, Ms. Blair, that's you-''

''No,'' She turns at the heels of her foot, barking at her. ''That girl is out there, and you better hope for your sake that I find her!''

''Please,'' She whines. ''I don't want to shine Mr. Chuck's shoes for month.''

Blair scoffs. ''Yeah, his shoes if you're lucky.''

''What?''

''Nothing. Now get back to work,'' She demands. ''Tick tock, tick tock.''

''What about her, Ms. Blair?'' Dorota points at the screen, anticipation deriving her to see if she finally struck gold. Blair rushed up to her side and leans forward to find Victoria Ange Noir Facebook page on the school.

''Victoria,'' She breathes out. ''Dorota?''

She hums in response, her eyes wide to examine her reaction.

''I think I'm going to pay Victoria's lonesome a little visit.''

-

Victoria Ange Noir opened the front door that afternoon. ''Blair?''

''Hello,'' She grins. ''I see you've gotten yourself ready for bed at only-'' She lifts up her phone to check the time. ''four in the afternoon.''

She flattens her lips into a thin line, bopping her head. ''Anything that you want?''

''Yes, you.''

She furrows her brows. ''Pardon?''

''For the Snowflake Ball,'' She began to gush. ''I have a friend who has had his eye on you for quite some time now. Poor thing just starts to quiver in his boots whenever he's around you, though.''

Letting go of the doorknob, Victoria folds her arms against her chest. ''Really? Who?''

''I prefer he'd remain anonymous, at least for right now.''

Victoria wasn't buying it, not one bit. She was known to never party, and everyone thought she was too good for the human race so of course she wasn't the most admired girl at school. Plus, Blair Waldorf doing a good deed for a friend? When you read a few blasts here and there, you learn some things. This girl was just bad news.

''I think I'll just sit this one out, Blair-''

''Wha-'' She gasps.

''Thanks for the visit.'' She took a step back and began to close the door until she stuck a foot in between the frame and the door, preventing it from closing.

''Victoria,'' She sighs. ''The only reason why I feel it's best if he stays anonymous is because I'm afraid once you hear the name, it might cloud your judgement. I want you to be able to give him a chance. He's a.. sweet kid.''

''His name would only cloud my judgement based off of his reputation,'' She opens the door and tilts her head to the side. ''And I think you know that as well, or else it wouldn't be so annonymous.''

''Smart girl.''

''Tell me something, what do I get from going out tonight?''

Blair shrugs her shoulders. ''A chance at love?''

She inhales deeply while lifting her head high.

''You could have anything you want with the snap of your fingers, what good is my wager?'' Blair questions incredulously. ''It's not about you, anyway. I just thought I would do a friend a favor.''

''God, fine,'' She groans.

-

''Oh, you have got to be kidding me,'' Chuck Bass and Victoria Ange Noir released a disgusted comment in unison once they stood in front of each other and Blair Waldorf in the middle of it all.

She had taken the time to curl her hair and dress in an Marchesa Notte floral embroided high and low dress in the hue of blue, all to have been disappointed by the presence of Chuck Bass.

''If you were going to assign me a snore fest, why bother dealing?'' Chuck questions her, talking as if Victoria wasn't standing there at all.

''I also didn't sign up to be paired with a local STD,'' Victoria remarks sharply, her words coming off bitter to the Waldorf.

Blair rolls her eyes. ''Because it's a catastrophe to spend a Saturday night out instead in what you call pajamas, and I call clothes purchased from the good will. If anything, I'd appreciate some gratitude. You could use a life, you know.''

Victoria's features grew stern as she took daring steps forward until she was face to face with her. ''Let it be known, that I am not a commoner, Blair Waldorf. Next time you waste my time to use me as for rouse for a game, I will strike a move you will never forget.'' She scans her up and down. ''So make sure this was your last.''

She walked past her, making sure to bump into her shoulder on her way, away from the scene.

Chuck grins at the sight of Blair's astonished features.

Victoria shakes her head, a sigh of stress falling from her lips.

She had no idea what to do at one of these things. How do you socialize with a bunch of people who thinks you're a high class bitch? 

Victoria slowly stopped in her footsteps when she met eyes with Nate Archibald. They still haven't spoken since the night at the gala. It's almost been a little over a month since Victoria and Nathaniel last spoke.

Which is probably what didn't make it so healthy for her to see him right now. It felt like she was going through a relapse. She's gotten back into the routine of her regular life before he entered. But seeing him standing there in a dashing suit, eyeing her, it was like she was back at square one all over again. Angry and remorseful.

All that seemed to have washed away, however, when Vanessa approached him, sparring his attention off of her.

Of course, he had came her with Vanessa. There was a blast about him and her on Gossip Girl just a day before the event.

Maybe, it was none of her business to know what girl, Nate would settle down in an actual decent and stable relationship. Maybe neither one were ready to even be acquired as friends.

With one twirl around, Victoria Ange Noir and disappeared within the crowd.

-

''Dad..''

Victoria's Marc Jacobs Kasia thick heel clanked against the floorboards of their penthouse, the closer she got towards the couch. All the lights were turn off in the house. The only possible source illuminating the house were the large windows that seek in the city lights.

Raphael Ange Noir sat in the middle of the couch, leaned over with a glass bottle of Scotch on the coffee table. There was a glass cup beside the bottle, filled with the assortment liquor barely reaching halfway.

''Dad,'' She sternly calls out to him. ''Are you okay?''

He had only remain silent.

Pursing her lips, she looks around the penthouse. It was eerily quiet. More than usual. The atmosphere had felt different, like there was a sense of change to the apartment. A change that was unsettling and not so welcoming.

''Dad, where's mom?''

She walks around the couch as he leans over more, reaching for his glass. She plants a seat next to him while he takes a sip.

He licks the excess taste off of his lips once he tore away from the rip of the cup and sighs. ''She left, Victoria.''

She could feel her curious stance deflating as soon as the news had settled in.

''What?'' She whispers almost breathlessly.

''I tried,'' He mumbles. ''I really tried. I wrote her little notes on a breakfast tray that I cook for in bed. I cut my day a little shorter so when she's in bed, she could talk to me about her day. I even took her down to the restaurant I used to work at back when I was your age. But she said that it wasn't enough. That being here doesn't make her happy anymore.''

''But,'' She stammers. ''She always made it seem like she was happy around here. That-'' She shakes her head vigorously. ''Dad, this doesn't make any sense.''

''We all have a mask, Victoria. Some are tied tighter than others.'' Even in the dark, she could find the muscle in his jaw tightening. He was clenching his teeth. ''She's going to file for a divorce.''

''Are you okay?'' She asks once more. She reaches over and grasped him by his arm.

''Victoria,-'' He groans. ''I try preserve a strong front for you because wearing your emotions on your sleeves-''

''Are for the weak,'' She finishes for him. She nods her head. ''Yeah, I remember. I always remember.''

He shakes his head. ''That was one of many qualities of loved about your mother. She always reminded me to show that I'm happy instead of intimidating people with my temper. I've learned to accept the fact that it's okay to not be okay. So, no, bonita. I'm not okay.'' He placed a hand of her knee and angle his head to the side to see her. ''Are you okay?''

She rests her head on his shoulder and takes a deep breath. ''I will be. We will be. As long as we're together.''