This book is dedicated to
Katie.
This joke has gone way too far...
Blair Waldorf put her hands around the black coffee she had made herself, hoping it would warm them up. She was standing behind the counter of the diner she had worked in all her adult life. Granted that was about three years but staring at the blizzard raging outside, she thought it felt like a lifetime.
She was wearing the red polo shirt worn by all Humphrey Diner employees. Although it was tattered with grease stains, it was the only shirt she was allowed to wear in this god forsaken place.
Blair jumped slightly as a sharp cough echoed from behind her. She turned to see her manager, Lily Van Derwoodsen standing, arms folded, eyebrows raised, staring at her, "Aren't you supposed to be working?" Lily asked, her glasses dangling from her hand.
Blair glanced around the empty diner, "I am Mrs Van Derwoodsen, but we don't have any customers at the moment...". The intense blizzard outside was looking like it could snow them in at any moment. No one was brave enough to be outside, leaving the usually busy Brooklyn streets empty and quiet.
Blair guessed the streets were empty and quiet, she could barely see three feet outside because of all the snow and fog.
Lily frowned, "Well the least you could do is clean up! This place is a mess!"
"Yes, Mrs Van Derwoodsen." Blair said through clenched teeth. She'd just finished cleaning, the counters were spotless, she could even see her own reflection in the plastic tables!
"I'm going up stairs to do some business work..." Lily said putting on her glasses, Blair was sure she only wore them to make herself seem more 'professional'. She turned to walk up the stairs that led to the tiny managers office, "Oh, and you better have payed for that coffee!" She said over her shoulder as she disappeared.
"Yes, Mrs Van Derwoodsen!" Blair called up the stairs. She opened the till, it made the dinging noise as the money popped out. She messed with the change, making sure the clinking sound was loud enough to carry up the stairs and then shut it again. The clang echoed off the walls.
Blair took a sip of her coffee, she burnt her tongue, it was still too hot. She settled for cradling the mug like a small child to her chest and watched the snow fall outside.
It was Christmas Eve, the day when every child waited excitedly for presents, parents stressed about preparing lunch for the next day and people did their last minute shopping. But not Blair. Blair was working, in the diner she always worked in, with the manager she hated and the smell of greasy Eric, the diner chef, to keep her company.
Years ago, Blair's Mother, Eleanor, had run a fashion brand, Waldorf Designs. She'd been the most sort after designer in New York City, every celebrity wanted one of her handbags or dresses or shoes. But then Blair's Father had died and Eleanor was never quite the same. Her designs started slipping, suddenly no one wanted her handbags or dresses or shoes. She was considered an embarrassment, cheap, tacky.
That's when Rufus Humphrey had appeared, with two children from his previous marriage tagging along behind him. Dan and Hannah. Dan was the same age as Blair but Hannah was a few years younger. Still at high school, she was trying, and failing, to be the Queen B of Constant's School for Girls. The same school Blair had gone to, and had run the social scene effortlessly.
When Eleanor had married Rufus, Blair was initially pleased. If this Rufus guy made her Mom happy then she might get her designer brand back on trend, ready for Blair to inherit one day! Plus the added bonus of gaining two siblings! Blair had been an only child and had always wanted someone to borrow clothes from or gossip with.
The reality though was quite different, Dan just tended to ignore her and read his books in silence and Hannah never seemed to be home. Always out somewhere or other, Rufus not seeming to care about where his daughter ended up. As far as Waldorf designs becoming the it brand went, quite the opposite actually happened.
Years of no one buying the brand meant shares had decreased and the business was in debt, Eleanor ended up selling the company and with the money they had saved the new family moved to from the Upper East Side to Brooklyn.
Now, Eleanor Waldorf had passed away, drunk driving. Leaving Blair alone with her step family.
Rufus had used the money Eleanor had left behind to buy a cheap diner and when Blair graduated high school, asked her to help out.
She had to start with, thinking it would be good to get her mind off things and earn some money but Rufus payed her the bare minimum, saying he was saving up to buy an art gallery very time Blair mentioned it.
When it came to going to College Blair had hopped to study fashion design at NYU but mysteriously there wasn't enough money for her to go, there was however enough money for Dan to go and study English Literature and live in Manhattan with all his friends.
Blair blew into her coffee, a feeble attempt to cool it down. Just as she was thinking about asking greasy Eric to make her a pancake the door to the diner burst open, sending a gush of freezing cold air in her direction.
Blair pulled back from the counter slightly as a tall figure bundled his way in. Covered in snow he shook his hair sending water everywhere. He was dressed in what looked like expensive clothing. A navy blue coat that was the kind business people wore, and a maroon scarf was tied around his neck. His polished shoes were wet from the snow and as he walked up to the counter they squeaked slightly.
"Do you have a phone I could use?" He asked, leaning his elbow on the counter in front of Blair and look up at her with big brown eyes and cheek bones that looked like they could cut glass. This voice was deep and smooth, Blair cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure.
"Yh...I'll get the land line..." unable to look him in the eye she hurried to the store room in the back to pick up the phone.
She checked her hair in mirror that hung on the back of the door, it was messy and all over the place, frizzy strands had erupted all over the place making her look vaguely like a clown.
She swore, trying to comb it down with her hands. After a moment of frantically running her fingers through her long brown hair she decided if she took any longer the man at the counter would wonder what was happening. Deciding it would have to do she walked back to him, willing her legs not to turn to jelly.
"Here," she passed him the phone. He gave her a look that was somewhere between a smirk and a smile and took the phone.
He walked a few paces away, dialling a number. Blair glanced behind her, there was no movement from Mrs Van Derwoodsen upstairs. There was a small hatch that lead to the kitchen where Blair could see Eric, his headphones on, dancing wildly.
"Erm, it's not working..." the man handed the phone back to her. Blair took it, holding her breath so her hands wouldn't shake. She held it up to her ear, a dull buzzing rang out.
"The line must have gone down..." she muttered, pulling out her own mobile, she had zero bars, "All the snow must've stopped the lines from working..."
The man sighed and sat in one of the red bar stools that lined the counter, "I'm going to kill Louis. Come to Brooklyn he said, it's going to be a great party he said!"
Blair chuckled, "You we're going to a party?" This guy seemed too rich for Brooklyn, she eyed the golden watch he had on his wrist and wondered how expensive it was...probably expensive enough to pay for her college...
He shook his head slightly, "He's this French Prince my Dad said I have to befriend...something about needing his support with the investors."
Blair felt her eyebrows raise, French Prince? In Brooklyn?
"I told him the snow was too bad so he should cancel but he just said it would make it 'more realistic', whatever that means. Anyway, the taxi I got refused to go further than Brooklyn Bridge because of all the snow so I've been wondering around trying to find somewhere to call him, my phone died" he explained.
"Sounds like you've had quite the day..." Blair laughed, "You're welcome to stay here until the snow calms down if you want? We don't close until 11pm."
The man's eyebrows raised and he leaned back in his chair, "Isn't that a bit late for Christmas Eve?"
"Yh, our boss wants to get enough money to buy an art gallery and hang is guitar collection from when he was a famous rock star!" Blair rolled her eyes as he laughed.
He picked up a menu that was stood on the counter, "Would I know of him?" He asked, looking at the menu.
Blair shrugged, "Rufus Humphrey? He was in a band called Lincoln Hawk in like the 80's I think..."
Wrinkles appeared in the mans forehead as he frowned, "The name doesn't ring a bell..."
Blair snorted, "I didn't think it would"
He grinned and Blair had to hold onto the counter to keep herself from falling over.
"I think I'll have a Belgian Waffle and a coffee, thanks" he said, looking up from the menu, "If I'm going to be stuck here, at least it's in a diner!"
"Sure" Blair smiled, she wrote down the order and passed it through the hatch to Eric, who had calmed down his dancing enough to notice the piece of paper that had appeared.
Blair got to work making the coffee, brewing a new pot.
"So, why are you working Christmas Eve?" He asked, taking off his navy coat and scarf. A similar navy suit was underneath with a red, tartan tie, he defiantly knew how to dress.
"I need the money basically," she said frankly, "The owner, Rufus, is my Step Dad so I agreed to help out and hopefully I can save enough money to go to NYU next year..."
"NYU, huh?" He asked, "What would you study?"
"If I tell you, you have to promise not to laugh..." Blair said, pouring out the coffee.
He smirked again, his brown, chocolate eyes twinkling, "I promise..."
"I want to study fashion design and have my own brand!" Blair admitted, passing the mug over.
He took the mug and wrapped his hands around it, "Sounds like a good choice to me," he said seriously, "You should do what makes you happy!"
Blair smiled gratefully, at least he hadn't laughed like Lily had, or told her she was being a 'typical girl' like Dan had.
"What do you do?" Blair asked the man. She usually didn't talk to customers this much but the place was practically empty and she still had 4 hours of her shift left!
The man took a sip of his coffee, he flinched as it burnt his mouth. "Erm, actually my I work for my Dad too..." he said, putting the mug down, "He owns a bunch of hotels in Manhattan, which I help him run..." he explained.
Just then Eric rang the bell and the hatch opened, delivering a Belgian Waffle, "Thanks Eric!" Blair called, she got no response as Eric still had his headphones on, oblivious to the world.
Blair set the plate in front of him, "One Belgian Waffle," she smiled.
He gave her a half smile back, "Thanks," he started to dig into his waffle. The site made Blair's stomach rumble.
She felt herself blush at the noise as he looked up, "Do you want some?" He asked, nodding at the waffle.
"No, no it's fine-"
"Honestly I don't mind-"
"No seriously, I'm fine-"
"Here at least have this bit-"
"Fine!" Blair gave in and took the corner of waffle he had ripped off. It was warm and doughy, "Thank you..." Blair mumbled through waffle.
He chuckled and continued eating, Blair pretended to busy herself by cleaning the counter, she thought it would probably be weird if she continued to stare at him eating.
"So," he said finally, swallowing a bit of waffle, "Looking forward to tomorrow?"
Blair looked up from the cleaning and sighed, "I guess so..." she shrugged, "I don't really have much to look forward to. What about you?"
He shrugged, "My family are having a big party..."
"That sounds nice," Blair smiled.
He gave a humourless laugh, "I guess but it's a black tie event at the Met! Not really going to be a nice family night in, just going to be a hall full of rich idiots trying to get into my Father's good books."
Blair sighed, resting her elbows on the counter, in front of him, "Still, it sounds magical...I wish I could go to something that fancy...it sounds like an old 50's movie..."
He look at her for a moment, a slow smile crept on his lips.
"What?" Blair asked self consciously, oh no, had she let slip too much about how she fantasised daily that she was in a 50's movie...
"Come with me!" He said, his deep voice seemed to echo slightly.
Blair continued to stare at him blankly, "Come with you?"
"To the party at the Met tomorrow!" He grinned, "You're going to appreciate it a lot more than I ever will!"
Blair felt her heart rate increase at the thought, "Ok!" She grinned, trying to contain her excitement.
They continued to talk as he finished his waffle and payed the $15.89 he owed.
There was an awkward silence after he payed as Blair waited reluctantly for him to get up and leave. Instead he was looking around the diner, "You have a Jukebox?!" He asked excitedly. Getting up and practically running towards the small Jukebox that was nestled in the corner.
"It doesn't play that much" Blair laughed, walking out from behind the counter towards him, "It's mainly old rock bands that Rufus likes..."
But he ignored Blair, shoving coins in and pressing buttons, "It's got the best song in the world!" He grinned, turning back to look at her.
Mariah Carey's Christmas started to play.
'Christmas! The snows comin' down! Christmas! I'm watching it fall! Christmas! Lots of people around! Christmas! Baby please come home!'
Blair laughed as he sung the words and danced towards her. He held out his hand as the music continued playing. Grinning she took it and he pulled her into him, placing his other hand on her waist, she placed her free hand on his shoulder and they swayed to the music.
He spun her under his arm, Blair's hair fanned out and he started doing a kind of Dad dancing that involved shaking his hips at her. Blair laughing so much her stomach hurt.
"Christmas!" Chuck sang, changing tactics and doing the macarena instead.
Still unable to stop laughing Blair joined in and soon they were dancing all over the shop. Just as the song was winding down they were dancing together again, his hand on Blair's waist and Blair's hand on his shoulder. The last note rang out and the Jukebox stopped. They stood together for a moment breathing heavily.
He cleared his throat and looked over Blair's head to the window outside, "I should probably get going..."
Blair nodded and she dropped her hand from his shoulder, letting him go, "Yh..." she muttered. She turned away from him to look out the window.
Outside the snow had finally calmed down and now a pale blanket, covered every available surface. It was pitch black outside now, only the dull orange glow of the street lamps lit the streets.
As he put his coat on Blair walked closer to the window, peering out, no cars went by, the streets were deserted, cozy lights shone in apartments, making the streets eerily quiet.
"Are you sure you don't want to wait and see if a taxi will come and get you here?" Blair asked hopefully.
He smiled, "Don't worry, it's not as bad as it was earlier, I'm sure someone will be around..."
Blair smiled back, still concerned but unable to persuade him to stay, "Well stay safe then"
"I will," he leaned in towards her and gave her a kiss on the cheek, it was just a light peck but Blair's stomach was doing somersaults, "I'll see you tomorrow."
His brown eyes seemed to melt her as he took his last look, he winked and opened the door. The freezing air raised goosebumps on Blair's arms, he wrapped his coat closer to him and stepped outside. The door swung shut behind him and Blair watched as he disappeared into the night.
She laughed to herself, she was going to a Met ball tomorrow! On Christmas Day! Laughing she went back to the counter to clear his plate, she went to pick up the plate but stopped mid motion. Wait, what time was she meant to be there?! What was she going to wear?!
And worst of all, what his name?!