【 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ━━ 𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 】

𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻, happy turkey day
𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲 - 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗳 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗶𝗲.
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PER OUR THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS, not checking Gossip Girl for a whole day. While my family tries to make their way home for this holiday. Thinking back to last year's Thanksgiving; it can never get worst, right?

"I mean, who gets wasted on Thanksgiving?" B questions as I support a very drunk Serena. Making the blond giggle, "The holidays are lonely for people. I wanted to keep them company." she tells Blair.

Pulling away she spins around loudly cheering, "Your mom is freaking out!" I tell her, "So, our mom is freaking out." B continues, "What, which means you two freak out? Blair, Val, it's my duty as your best friend to let you cut the cords. Go nuts. Come on!"

Sighing B holds her with me. As I am the smallest of all our friends. They can easily lift me up and take me anywhere if they wanted too, "Let's do shots!" S suggests, "I told Lily that you were out buying a pie." B replies.

Immediately gaining the blond's attention, "Oh, pie." she breaths out, "Where is your purse?" I ask Serena. Glancing back at the bar she smiles sweetly at me, "Just, stay here. I will get it." I sigh, "No, V!" B calls as I step in the surprisingly crowded bar.

"Serena stay here. Don't move, or hit on anything." Blair says before walking into the bar herself.

Standing by the bar a man comes awfully close. Pushing his face off I take a sanitiser from my bag. Cleaning my hands deeply, "Don't talk to me." I shush before he can say anything.

"I'm impressed." a familiar voice says. Turning around my brows furrow, "Tommy?" I question. Seeing the brunette, "Hey." he grins, "What are you doing here?" I ask him confused — drunken day drinkers didn't seem to be his usual crowed than again nothing really is.

"I could ask you the same." he says raising a brow, "Looking for Serena's purse. She forgot it here somewhere." I tell him.

Whistling he calls the bartender over. Then proceeds to ask him about it, as he has the purse I want to take it. Pulling it back, he has a smirk playing on his lips, "I want a go—" the bartender starts.

Wrapping his arm around my waist he kisses the side of my face, "This is my girlfriend." Tommy tells him, "Valerie, right?" the unknown man questions. Furrowing my brows I look at the boy, "You talked about me?" I ask amused.

Shaking his head, he looks down at me, "No." he denies quickly.

In walks a very protective best friend, her balls going off the second she sees a seemingly foreign male's hands on her best friend. Turning the boy around, B sprays him in the face with disinfectant. Gasping when she identifies the boy.

"Tommy?"

"He was helping me to get S her bag." I breathe out shocked as Tom rubs out at the burning sensation. Holding him up as he continues to rub his eyes. Trying to wrap his arm around me, he doesn't let me, "You're hurt." I remind him.

Taking a deep breath he nods, "And this bar is depressing." B adds, "You shouldn't spend Thanksgiving here." I tell the younger Bass. Nodding, he groans, "Now, will you stop being stubborn and let me help you?" wrapping his arm around me, he nods.

Holding him close to me, we make our way out of the bar. To find Serena standing on the middle of the road with a random guy, "And you need to keep your hands off of her." Blair tells the boy annoyed, "Hey, V! B!" Serena smiles drunkenly. Seeing the boy she raises her arms, "Tommy!" she cheers.

Making the boy's brows furrow, "I talked to you five minutes ago." he reminds her, "Did you cry?"

"No." he denies wiping his eyes, "She pepper-sprayed me." he tells the blond, waving in the general direction the girl was standing, "It was hand sanitiser, you will be fine." I reassure, as B rolls her eyes. Turning to the unknown boy I raise my brow, "Now you. You should not take advantage of girls on holiday." I tell him.

"Come on, Serena." B says opening the cab. Letting Tommy step in first, me second, "Bye, Dave." Serena waves — who is most likely not named Dave — "This is not working." B denies, "Move over." she says waving her hand, having an arm around my waist, Tommy pulls me onto his lap. Which makes enough space for Blair.

Back to this year's Thanksgiving, I have kept my vow of a Gossip Girl free day. By simply keeping myself distracted from the person, I crave the most reassurance from — B calls it an obsessive need, but I have it totally under control.

Trailing my kisses down, a soft moan leaves the boys lips. Only to have B come into my room, and stop the action. Dragging me out of my room, along with it my distraction, "I need to find this recipe before dad gets here."

"And we needed to be here because...?" Campbell questions, "Because we all love ourselves some Bobby Flay." I smile at him, "The infamous Waldorf Pumpkin pie, huh?" S smiles, "It may not have been his, but it didn't stop dad from taking credit for it."

Chuckling softly I hum, stuffing some bread pieces in my face, looking up at my friends, "It's going to be perfect." B squeaks, "Look at you. Quite the chipper Sous-Chef."

"Well, I'm in a good mood. It happens. Sometimes because I increase my Lexapro, sometimes because my dad's in town." Blair informs the blond, paging the cookbook. Folding the napkins, Serena hums, "And sometimes — mostly — because things are good with a boy." S says, "You and Nate got back together?" she asks, "And I'm out." Campbell announces.

Turning my head to him I nod, as he kissing my lips. Making it unable for me not to smile, "Call you later?" he asks me. Nodding, I grin at the boy. As he presses one last kiss to my cheek before he leaves, "You mean since Gossip Girl posted pictures of him and that skank?" B asks.

"So, that's a no." Serena hums, "It's no because it's not Nate." I sing. Making her Blair her eyes widen, "What's Chuck doing today?" the blond questions instead, knowing more than she lets on, "Why are you asking me?" B asks, playing dumb — the smartest approach when Serena suspects something.

"Well, you guys are friends. And, Blair, look, you know you can't tell me anything. I'd be the last person to judge anyone."

"With good reason."

"Blair." I scold, "I saw you with Chuck." S reveals. Making B sigh, "I don't know what I was thinking." B denies, looking up from the book. Rubbing her face, "Sleeping with him once, maybe you could understand. But twice." she confesses.

Raising my hand I smile proudly, "Well, I called it." making the young Waldorf roll her eyes, "Wait, you slept with him?" Serena asks flabbergasted. Making B shush the loud-worded blond, "Ugh, Blair." S groans disgusted — rightfully so — "What happened to not judging?" I ask, taking a sip.

"I'm not," she denies, "but I thought you wanted to wait. I thought you wanted to make things special." raising my brow, "So, Nate gets a free pass and all of a sudden Blair is a slut?"

"That's not what I mean." S denies turning to Blair, "Tell me you didn't sleep with Chuck for revenge." pursing her lips, B shrugs at the question, "Well, it wasn't because I like his natural musk. Besides nothing hurts more than sleeping with the best friend, right, S?"

"Way to prove a point." Serena hums, "I learned from the master." B retorts. Standing up S moves towards the kitchen door, "If you're sleeping with Chuck, I'd say the student has become the master." S denies, "Are you jealous you didn't get to sleep with him first? There has to be somebody left on the Upper East Side." Blair snaps.

Looking up, I see both of their gaze' on me, "I'm not entering this battle." I shake my head, "V." Blair sighs, "You are both my best friends. I'm not getting in the middle of this. I'm not choosing sides."

"Blair, darling, are you going to help me at all?" Elenore asks walking into the kitchen. Seeing me, she kisses the top of my head, not yet catching on to the thick tension filling the room.

"How was your morning, honey?" she asks me, not having seen her since yesterday, "Adequate." nodding at my words she turns to the only blond, "Serena do you know when your mother's arriving?" Elenore asks her, "She's not. We are not doing Thanksgiving here anymore."

"Oh, why not?"

Which is a good question as she has no idea nor witnessed the last five minutes, "Because I uninvited them." B says casually, "And you were in on this?" Elenore asks me flabbergasted, "Val isn't a part of this." they deny in unison.

Taking a deep breath, I shake my head. Not being able to stop myself from thinking about last Thanksgiving. How easy everything was then, compared to now.

While Serena tries to stuff mashed potatoes in our faces. I'm helping Tom to the best of my abilities, "Found it, I need my Sous-Chefs." Harold calls walking in, "Ready and waiting orders." B smiles. As I get my hands pulled away by Tommy, "I'm trying to help."

"I am fine." the brunette reassures, "You whined about getting pepper-sprayed." I raise a brow, "Well, now I'm fine." he says raises a brow back, "Unless you just want to touch me. I won't deny you that." he smirks.

Rolling my eyes, I stand up, "Okay, then." I say. Only to be pulled back on to his lap, "No!" chuckling at his action, I turn around to properly sit on his lap, "Looks like we have some extra help this year." Harold hums.

Making all of us nod. Yet as soon as he sees Tom he gets concerned by the red eyes, which any parent would, "Thomas are you okay?" Harold asks worriedly, "Well, your lovely daughter pepper-sprayed me. And V was nice enough to play my sexy nurse." he smiles.

"Shut up." I mumble, not being able to deny the heat rising to my cheeks. Kissing my cheek he holds me closer to him, "They are spending Thanksgiving with us this year." B tells Harold, "Only Abel, and the party can get started." Harold grins, "Oh, he won't be coming this year."

Making his shoulders slum instantly, "Why not?" he asks me sadly, "He's stuck at school. The UK isn't big on Thanksgiving." I shrug. Humming he tries to smile at me, "I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe next year?" he tries. Which all you can ask really, "Maybe." I nod.

"The Canapés were a huge success." the older Waldorf says walking in. Looking around she kissing the top of my head. Glancing to the boy I'm seated on, her brows furrow, "Have you been crying, Thomas?" Elenore questions concerned.

"No, just got pepper-sprayed by Blair." he shrugs. Rolling my eyes, I glance back at him, "Stop whining. You said you were fine, you big baby."

"We already have pet names for each other." he tells me amused, "Shut up." I laugh, looking away. Not realising the other, "I like you two together. Tom and Val. Val and Tom. It just works, you know?" a drunk Serena tells us.

"No." we deny in unison, "See!" she smiles pointing at us. Clearing my throat, I want to stand up. Only to be held closer, "I saved a couple for you two." Elenore says holding the plate out.

Smiling, I make grabby hands at the Canapés, taking one off the plate. Moaning softly at its taste, "I'm not really hungry." B denies, "What does that mean? You're not really hungry?"

"Well, I had like fifteen of them when daddy first made them." B reminds her mom, "Fifteen?" she asks out of disbelief. Yet before she could continue to ask a familiar fawn haired boy walked in, "Hey, Nate." I smile as he made his round.

Leaning over to hug me, as I am still seated on Tom, "Tommy?" he asks confused. Quickly followed with a look of worry, "Man, are you okay?" Nate asks concerned.

"Yeah, your girlfriend happened." Tom shrugs, "Stop crying about it." B rolls her eyes, "You cried?" Nate asks surprised, "No." Thomas scuffs. Rubbing his eyes.

Which leads the Archibald to his next question, "Why is Val on your lap then?" he asks. Causing a smirk to tuck up, "Well, I do like my woman on top." Tom tells his best friend amused.

"No, nope, no, never happening." I deny. Standing up, he stands with me. Making it able for me to move freely. Looking up at him, I shake my head, "You're disgusting." I tell him.

"I know." he smirks back. Rolling my eyes I don't know why his smile effects me as much as it does. Or maybe I do. Yet, I decide to ignore it as I push him back on the chair, letting my eyes wander to anything but him.