wild promises // nate archibald

2.21

Four wise men once said: "I get by with a little help from my friends." On the Upper East Side, there's the added challenge of figuring out who those friends really are.

Chuck holds up a flask. "Do you have a glass?"

I give him a look. "It's a car, Chuck, not a bar."

"It's your car so it was worth a shoot." Chucks phone rings. "Hello?"

I gesture for him to move closer so I can hear the call.

"It's as bad as we thought. Maybe worse," Serena says.

"How so?" Chuck asks.

"Gabriel didn't just skip town. He took off with the money he got my mom and the co-op to invest. And he took Poppy's money too. The entire thing was a scam," Serena explains.

"Well, his suits never did fit right. How much did he get?" Chuck asks.

"I'm not sure. I'm on my way home to tell my mom right now. When are you gonna be back?" Serena questions.

Chuck smirks. "As fast as I can, given my current transportation situation."

"Hey, Chuck, I really am sorry for not believing you, Blair, and Arabella earlier. You never did tell me how you found out he was lying about meeting me," Serena says.

"I'll explain when I get there," Chuck tells her. Chuck offers the flask to Georgina.

"No, thank you. The Lord cannot enter a body sullied by alcohol," Georgina tells him.

"Good, because I like to be the one doing the entering. To each their own holy water," Chuck says.

I smack him again. "Stop being gross."

"Stop hitting me," Chuck states.

"I'll stop when you stop being gross," I counter.

"You two are cute," Georgina says.

I make a face. "There is no Chuck and I."

Chuck smirks. "It'll take someone with more patience than me to tame Arabella Rynsburger."

My phone rings.

"Hey, Arabella, it's me," Serena says.

"Okay," I reply.

"I need your help again," Serena states.

"I've just got a few annoying problems to handle and then I'll be right over," I tell her."

"Annoying? I'm heartbroken," Chuck remarks.

Chuck and I lead Georgina into the van der Woodsen apartment.

"Where's Blair?" Georgina questions.

"I agreed to give you a ride. That's all. Meals are not included," Chuck tells her.

"I told you, I just want to apologize. One of the most sacred acts is the ritual of forgiveness," Georgina says.

"Why is it when you say ritual' I think human sacrifice?" I remark.

"If I wanted to hurt Blair, don't you think I would've done it by now?" Georgina asks.

"Wait here," Chuck tells her.

Chuck and I walk into Serena's room. Blair and Nate are there with her.

Serena is on the phone, "Sorry I never came back this morning. But I was coming to tell you something, and then I... I got scared because.."

"I hope you had an enjoyable ride back on my leather seats," Chuck taunts Blair.

"Shh," Blair tells him.