Chapter 31
In literature, there are thousands of endings. Some happy, some sad. Some end with a twist, some stories open the door for something more. And then there are fairytale endings, where the girl gets her prince, and endings that turn you introspective about your own life and your place in the world. And then there's the ending that you saw coming a mile away but somehow still takes you by surprise. But don't worry my Upper East Side friends, this story isn't ending. We're just at the start of a brand new chapter.
-Gossip Girl
Dan Humphrey called Logan and I over to the Penthouse at the Palace, said he has something to tell us.
We arrive, meeting Serena in the elevator. She smiles gleefully, her teeth showing.
"I'm so happy for you guys. It warms my heart knowing you two are getting married." Serena says, her hand held over her chest as she looks at Logan and I with soft eyes. "You really scared me when I saw that Gossip Girl post." She adds, ruining the moment.
The mere mention shifts Logan's entire mood. I can feel his body tense even though we're not touching, his body and face says it all.
The elevator doors slide open, Serena linking her arms with mine and Logan's, dragging us out.
"Good, we're all here." A smiling Dan says, clapping his hands together and rubbing them.
Blair, Chuck, Rufus, Lily,and Nate are here as well.
"What is this all about?"
"Is everything all right?"
"This isn't about me, right?"
"Yeah, what's going on, Dan?"
"This is going to be fun."
"I'm sorry to call everyone here on such short notice, but, uh All right, you know how there's been all this speculation about the book that's being published by an anonymous author?" Dan says
"I don't" I say, Gossip Girl has been my least interest for a while now.
"Yeah. Gossip Girl said it was about us."
"Yeah, it was probably written by some loser who doesn't even know us."
"Well, not exactly. I am that loser. I wrote it. And it is based on you, sort of all of you." Dan remarks, a serious look across his face.
Dan has passed around a copy to each of us, Lily and I had opened one and skimmed through reading a rather comical part.
"Hey. "-"What are you doing? I thought you were waiting downstairs."-"I'm tired of waiting. When are you gonna tell them?"-"Soon. I promise."- "Soon" isn't soon enough. It's time they all knew about us."
"What's so funny?" Nate asks, watching us Lily and I laugh as we glance at Nate.
"Think you should ask Dan." Lily says, controlling her laughter.
"Well, I might've made your character a little gay. I hope that's okay." Dan explains a little nervous.
"Do I have game? " Nate asks
"Oh, definitely." Dan responds
"I'm cool with that." Nate says, nodding his head.
At least I know Dan didn't write about my relationship with Nate, he may just be the gay best friend.
"Why didn't you tell me you were writing this? This is is amazing." I say to Dan, rising up from beside Lily.
"I was gonna ask you co-write with me actually but then..." Dan began with a smile but it faded quickly as he drifted off.
"Then what?" I ask, my eyebrows lowering.
"I didn't." Dan responds, clearing his throat. There was something in his eyes that made it obvious there was an actual reason. A reason he chose not to say but it made me feel curious and slightly offended.
Nate noticed it as well, his expression reflecting off of mine.
"Am I even in here?" Logan asks, flipping through the book. His eyebrows knitted together as his eyes remain on the book.
"Uh yeah. You're Landon Newport." Dan responds with a light chuckle.
"Oh." Logan says as he settles on a page of the book, his eyebrows unknit and raise slightly "Oh." He says but in a more satisfied tone.
I walk to Nate, kneeling beside the armchair he sits in. I rests my arms on the armrest and lay my chin on my fist. His blue eyes divert to me, a smile on his face.
"Yes, LouLou?" He asks
"Don't say that." I say disapprovingly as I scrunch my nose in disgust.
"Fine." He chuckles "What's up?"
Before I could thank Nate for helping me control the false engagement news, Rufus speaks of it obviously uninformed" Oh, hey. I never got to congratulate you two on the engagement, congratulations!" A toothy grin across Rufus's face.
That horrible feeling returned to my stomach, the humiliation and annoyance.
"Actually Rufus..." Lily began with a worried look.
"We're not engaged." Nate clarifies, chuckling. First time he has found humor in it, should I as well because I think it's horrible.
Rufus's eyebrows knit together in confusion, he points to the engagement ring on my finger.
"I'm engaged but not to Nate." I say, pointing to Nate. My eyes flicker to Logan who watches us, we had distracted him from his reading as the book still remains open in his hands. "To Logan." My finger pointing over to Logan.
Rufus's lips form into an 'O' shape "Oh, Lena I'm sorry..." He began.
"It's fine, Rufus. I understand, you're not the first." I say with a reassuring smile as I rise up from my knees.
"More times than you can count, literally." Nate adds, scratching his head with lowered eyebrows.
"We know Gossip Girl sent..." I began before Rufus interrupted.
"Gossip Girl?" Rufus asks, his eyebrows knitted in confusion. "I didn't find out from some wannabe celebrity."
Nate and I exchange a look, both confused as well.
"I overheard Lily talking about how Lena is engaged, she didn't say who. I assumed it was you two because it made sense. best friends, you two are so close and I don't know, I just thought about you two." Rufus explains, snickering as he talked. "But you and Logan, even better!"
Nate pulled himself up from the armchair "I'm gonna go. Rufus." He says, nodding to Rufus before turning to me with open arms for a hug but I held out my fist for a fist pump.
We looked at each other gestures, changing into the one we had before. His fist up and my arms open. The awkwardness was tense and noticeable. I held out my hand, he mimicked mine and I high-fived him.
"See ya later." I say as we past each other.
"Yup." Nate says plainly.
I walked around the table, finding my way in front of the kitchen where Logan stands. The book now closed and by his side.
"Ready to go?" I ask with a small smile, forcing myself to appear fine.
"Yeah." He responds with a short nod.
I send Rufus and Lily a short wave as I head to the elevator. I grab my copy of the book from a table before walking into an elevator.
The elevator rides down slowly or so it feels as slow as ever. Logan and I stand quiet, beside each other but barely touching by arms. My fingers search for his hand, finding it and gently intertwining our fingers together.
"I'm sorry." I say with a sigh .
"For what?" Logan asks. My eyes divert to him, his eyes already on me.
"For not being more careful. If the stupid chain didn't break because I yanked the scarf off of my neck than the ring wouldn't have fallen and Nate wouldn't have kneeled down to pick it up therefore resulting in the stupid gossip girl post. I should've just worn the ring and we wouldn't be in this situation." I explain, my annoyance and shame spilling out.
My eyes had averted from him, after not hearing a response I return my eyes to him. His eyes not on me but the doors.
"You agree?" I ask, reading his expression clearly.
"I didn't say that." He says, his eyes now shifting to me as the door slide open.
"You didn't have to." I say lowly before exiting the elevator.
OoOoO
Logan went to go meet his dad for dinner, obviously not a catching up get together. Thomas hasn't been a father lately more of a business partner.
The chowmein resting on the table in front of me is already cold. Once I began reading Dan's book, The Inside, I haven't put it down once.
It's captivating, compelling, informative. It's all the drama I've lived through the past years except that it's been altered and I'm reading it from a different point of view. Sabrina van skoneker returning to New York was just the beginning.
Dan is a talented and self-worthy author that I gladly call a... "TRAITOR"
I was going to say best friend but that was before I read the first few lines about me.
The front door unlocks, the sound notifying me that. The door opens, I glance up from the book to see Logan walk in then I return my eyes to book. Flipping through the pages to find information about me.
"How's that going?" I hear Logan ask, I see him lay his coat on the chair across from me.
"Oh it's going." I respond, my eyes scanning each page.
"I'm going to shower." He says.
"Mhm." I hum not paying any attention to him.
As he showered, I read about myself from a different perspective, from a way I never knew people might've thought of me.
The book is taken from my hands, my eyes following it into Logan's hands. I look up to his eyes as he looks down at me "I called you three times. Bed, now." He says in all seriousness.
I knew I wouldn't be able to get that book back, not while he's awake at least. So I waited, he wanted to talk but I turned my back to him and pretended to try and fall asleep. I knew I gave him the impression that I was still upset with him when I'm not but I desperately need that book which I got.
I made myself a large pot of coffee, sat myself in the living room floor, furthest away from the bedroom.
I wish I never read that book.
"Lena"
The sound of my name woke me, I sat up wiping my eyes with a big yawn. My body still exhausted from the sleepless night/ morning.
"What are you doing in here?" I hear Logan, he's angry.
I peel back my eyelids, revealing an indeed not happy Logan. I reclose my eyes and lay back down on the pillow I had used.
"You faked sleep and got up to read the book. Of course you did." He says with a short chuckle, not surprised. "How long?"
I sit up "I don't know, I wasn't timing myself." I huff, already annoyed.
His eyebrows are raised taking notice of my unhappy mood "Coffee, coming up." He says, heading into the kitchen.
My eyes rolled, landing on the book. That stupid book. My anger, betrayal, shame, and hurt rushes all back to me. I pushed myself up from the floor and walked to the bathroom where I took a shower.
After that I slipped on warm clothes and shoes, applying a little makeup before I head to the door.
"Hey. Where are you going?" Logan asks full of curiosity.
"I need go do something." I say opening the front door but glancing at Logan to see the book in front of him. I shut the door and approached him, swiping the book. "Don't read it." I say sternly.
I grab my copy from the floor and head back to the door.
"Why? Why are upset?" He questions me, following me to the door.
"Just don't read it, any of them, please." I respond in a soft tone.
I open the door only for Logan to close it, holding it close with his hand. "What's in there you don't want me to read?" He asks, his eyes studying my face.
"Everything." I respond
"There's nothing in here that I don't already know about you at least nothing I don't already want to know. It's just a book." He says
"It's not just a book, Logan. Read about you then tell me if it's just a book?" I say sternly, shoving a copy into his chest before leaving.
I went to Nate, as a friend. He's the only friend I can to talk to about this who'll understand me even though I know I'm engaged to someone who despises me being alone with.
We went to Dan's book party together but not to celebrate.
"Hey, you guys made it." Dan smiles, gleefully.
"We need to talk." I state sternly, not a trace hint of a good vibes.
Dan's eyes flicker to Nate before nodding and leading us into an VIP room.
"I know what you guys are going go say, it's book. I know but it's fictional..." Dan began as he tried to defend himself and his work.
"It's not fictional Dan! This is based on actuality, my life is in this book without my consent." I say, my tone raised and body fueling with anger.
"Your name is not in the book, no one can correlate you to the character." Dan says.
"Lana Covet. Wow, such a difference." I remark sarcastically. "I told you things because I trusted you not so you could later put into your book to add spice." I add, my glare intensifying.
"She doesn't deserve to be humiliated like this." Nate says, defending me. "None of us do."
"I've gone through some tough situations myself, ok. Being from Brooklyn and attending a wealthy prestigious high school isn't exactly easy." Dan interjects, still attempting to defend himself.
"Now you're playing the Brooklyn card. When did you become so shallow? Dan, I came from San Diego, from a father who yes was a surgeon but we didn't live like kings who ruled the world and didn't give a crap about anyone just like the way you portrayed me. Heartless and utterly selfish." I reflect.
"It's just a story..." Dan says lowly
"To you." I say. "You're not the one who played two guys heart at the same time for attention. Or the one who is such a pushover and judgmental who is stubborn and perceives people from their first encounter. And you didn't break someone's heart so much that you turned them gay."
"I'm not even a full person." Nate adds in regards of his character being combined with Eric's.
"What hurts me most was that you wrote exactly everything I told you...everything. Word for word. My feelings are not a choice of dialogue. You shared something that wasn't meant to be." I say, my eyes wet with tears but none to fall yet. "And now everyone is reading about it."
I turn around to leave only to see my friends there and Logan who have witnessed the conversation, who knows how much.
I avert my eyes, keeping my head down as I head for the door. Logan stops me by grabbing my arm. His eyes are fixated on Dan, he approaches Dan "Dan, your book sucks." Logan says.
Dan was about to counter that comment but couldn't when Logan punched him in the face.
"Don't come near her, ever." Logan commands
I'm somewhat surprised but unfazed. Logan grabs my hand and leads me out.
Home
I lay under the bedcovers as Logan brings in tea, the book by my feet waiting for me to grab it.
"What do you think?" I ask as I accept the cup of tea Logan hands me. I prepare myself for Logan's thoughts.
"I don't know. I didn't read it." He responds with a shrug of his shoulders.
"You didn't?" I ask surprised as I watch him, waiting for an answer.
"You told me not to so I didn't." He says before sipping his tea.
I chuckle "I need to work on listening to you. You always seem to be right." I say.
"I don't want to sound cocky but yeah." He responds with a smirk. "So are you ok?" He asks, his expression softening.
"I don't know." I mutter, my eyes fixated on the book. "Am I being too sensitive? I know I have been lately. Did I overreact?" I ask, my eyes shifting to Logan.
"I don't know what it was you shared with Dan that he put in the book but I know it's not ok to publicize private information without consent." Logan replies.
It isn't ok but it's not all of Dan's fault, I shouldn't have told him all of those things. It's only going to get worst when they find out.
A/N
Unedited, sorry! Guys I think someone is copying my book, this story. Not cool... never would I have thought that it would happen to me because i am not a huge author. 🤦♀️😡