❛ hearts rebuilt from hope resurrect dreams killed by hate ❜
GOSSIP GIRL WAS SOMETHING MARGOT CERTAINLY DIDN'T MISS WHEN SHE WAS ON HER HOLIDAY WITH HER NOTIFICATIONS TURNED OFF. Whoever found joy in publishing the dramas and insecurities of the teenagers of Constance and St Jude's made her blood boil. She hated that she felt like everything she did could be made into a post on the wretched blog and make her out to be the biggest scandal in New York.
She was rarely the target of the post on the blog, but many of the people that she cared about and wanted to protect were the continual targets of the gossip monger.
She walked down the streets of Manhattan with her coffee in her hand, trying to find something anything for her to gain inspiration for her new art piece. Margot felt disappointed and scrolled through her phone and pressed dial on Serena van der Woodsen's contact, after a couple of rings tones before the phone was answered.
"What are you doing right?" Margot asked, not even bothering with the pleasantries at the beginning of the call.
"Shopping with Erik after breaking him out of house arrest." Serena stated, as though she was about start laughing at the bluntness of her friend,
"Care for some company the streets aren't giving me any inspiration." Margot complained, with a playful undertone in her voice.
"I can imagine that New York can't be as inspiring as the streets of Paris, the Amalfi Coast or the streets of Madrid." Serena said in mock pity, which was clear to Margot that it was followed by the blonde rolling her eyes.
"Exactly, I am struggling." Margot whined, stopping by the side of the sidewalk.
"Come here right now." Erik's voice came over the phone.
"Hi Erik." Margot laughed, with a genuine smile at hearing the young boys voice again.
"I echo my deranged brother's sentiments, come over we are just doing retail therapy." Serena stated, with a happy tone in her voice evident even over the phone.
"Great I will see you soon."
Margot hung with a smile on her features as she started to walk with a purpose towards Wendell's department store where she knew Serena and Erik would be. She was excited to see Erik again, he was always like an extra little brother who would hang around the girls whenever they went over to the van der Woodsens.
She had a wide smile on her lips when she spotted the blonde siblings looking at dresses, she was glad that they hadn't seen her yet. Margot sneakily jumped onto the back of Erik and gave him a big bear hug from behind causing the boy to release a small scream before he noticed the familiar bracelet on the girl's wrist.
"Maggie." Erik exclaimed, turning around to hug her properly.
"My favourite blonde." Margot laughed, ruffling his hair like she did with her own brothers.
"What about me?" Serena asked, with a bright smile on her face at seeing her brother genuinely happy.
"You're my third favourite blonde after Reese Witherspoon." Margot stated as though it was obvious. "Elle Woods is quite literally my ideal and she has been since I was ten."
"That is completely understandable." Erik agreed, keeping his arms still wrapped around her waist. "And I am incredibly pleased that you have put in at number one even above the queen herself Reese Witherspoon."
Serena rolled her eyes at the pair's antics. "Okay you two are annoying so let's get me back to retail therapy."
The trio just went through the racks of clothing and Margot found it calming to be around the van der Woodsens siblings. Margot always loved spending time with not just her friends but also their families. She never could forget the feeling of being completely and utterly alone in her childhood. She enjoyed seeing the different family dynamics that the Upper East Side had to offer, though most of them weren't healthy.
"Serena, can I talk to you alone for a moment." Margot asked, as she played with the material of the clothes on the rack.
"I can take the cue." Erik stated and immediately walked away from them towards the other side of the store floor.
"What is it?" Serena asked with worried expression on her features.
"I know what happened." Margot stated with a unreadable expression.
Serena looked at her friend with dread in her eyes. "Margot ―"
"No, I can't say that I understand but I know that you were probably incredibly drunk and clearly you regretted it because you ran to boarding school." Margot stated, wanting the girl to know why she didn't hate her after what she knew.
"How did you know?" Serena asked, with an unsure undertone in her voice.
"Nate let it slip before summer break."
"How do you not hate me?" Serena asked earnestly.
"Because whilst you didn't come clean you didn't pretend like nothing happened, like Nate has." Margot stated simply. "Though you have to tell her the truth, because I know that it will always come out and it's not my lie to tell."
"I thought it was something that only Nate and I knew." Serena muttered, looking down at her feet.
"Well Nate is actually a very bad lair except when it comes to Blair." Margot said, then a smile came over her features. "Now you and I are not going to discuss this any further, and while I will try to help smooth things over, we both know how Blair is like when someone crosses her."
The pair went back towards Erik who managed to find something for Margot for the party later that day. Margot had managed to find a couple of new pieces to add to her wardrobe, and so had the others. The trio walked through the store heading in the direction of the cash register the brunette of the pair spotted the young blonde from the MET steps looking through dresses that would fit the theme of the Kiss on the Lips party.
"Hey, Jenny, right?" Margot asked with a polite smile on her lips, as she waved at the girl.
"Yeah." Jenny said with shy expression on her features as she walked over to the group.
"Nice to see you again." Serena said with a welcoming smile, before she turned to introduce her younger brother. "This is my ..."
"Stylist and personal shopper." Erik said in a joking manner, reaching out his hand. "Erik, hi."
"Hi, uhm, this is my brother ..." Jenny gestures behind her only to notice that her brother had disappeared, she shakes her head before turning back to the trio.
Margot tries not to laugh as she notices a teenage boy hiding behind a rack of dresses. She had seen him around their high school, but she had never actually spoken to him outside the occasional greeting in the hallway. She gave him a discreet wave towards him to show him that she saw him.
Serena shook her head, as she gestured to the dress that the young blonde was wearing. "So, is this your dress for the Kiss On The Lips party?"
"Sort of, speaking of that." Jenny said with a bright smile as she reached over into her bag and gave Serena the invitation that had the same impressive calligraphy written on it. "Here, I made you one during free period, but anyone asks where you got it, I know nothing."
"Thanks." Serena said as she looked down at the invitation with a look that was hard to decipher, and then lead brother in the direction of the cash register.
Margot looked at the red dress again. "Jenny, that dress would look even better in black with gold jewellery."
"Black." Jenny stated looking down at her dress. "Cool. Thanks."
"I look forward to seeing you there later." Margot stated with a smile before she followed behind the blonde siblings.
˖*. ♔ ˖*.
SEX, DRUGS, AND GETTING DRUNK TILL WALKING IN ASTRAIGHT LINE WAS NO LONGER AN OPTION. That's what parties consisted of when being thrown by the teenagers of the Upper East Side. Margot always just thought of it as an excuse to dress up and just enjoy herself. She knew it was inevitable that, normally Chuck, would cause drama that would ruin the entire evening, but at that point in the night she is already looking for a reason to leave.
Since reaching the age where they could attend parties without having to listen to their parent's constant disapproval, Elliot and Margot had made the choice to always get ready together, and go together and when even one of them want to go, they left together. It was a deal that neither of them ever turned their back on.
Music flooded the room as the pair mindlessly began getting ready. Margot hummed to herself as she stared at herself in the mirror, beginning to do her make-up. She always found make-up ironic in this opulent world, it was as though they were all putting on a mask to create a layer of protection before, they entered the lion's den.
She zoned out as she just kept staring at herself, over and over she checked her makeup making sure not a single pore was seen, styling her hair so not a single strand hung out, smoothing her outfit out making sure there was no wrinkle. She put on her jewellery that always in some way gave her strength.
Elliot stood behind her, focusing on ensuring his hair was perfect. Margot turned to him, watching him with curiosity. Sensing the gaze, Elliot's eyes lashed up to her, a smile sprouting on his lips. "What?"
Margot shook her head. "Nothing, just glad that I have you as my best friend."
"I know I am truly the best person to ever exist." Elliot replied, running his hands through his hair to give it a windswept effect. "Though I have to ask why I didn't get a call that you were leaving for an entire summer."
Margot looked down at her fingers, playing with the rings that laced her fingers. "I needed space from New York. I needed to not be surrounded by the same people of the time, the people that only see a fortunate orphan who was plucked out of a line up for charity work."
"Who gives a fuck what those pretentious single-minded assholes think?" Elliot stated, grabbing her hands and allowing his thumb to rub against her skin to provide a soothing sensation. "You are Margot Hartley, your parents love you and your siblings love you. And more importantly I love you."
"So what you are saying is that you love me?" Margot stated with a smile on her features as she rest her chins on her hands, looking up at him.
"That's the part you chose to focus on." Elliot sighed exasperatedly, throwing his hands up in the air.
Margot shrugged her shoulders and smiled teasingly. "I just like hearing that I'm loveable."
"Anyway you need to stop distracting me." Elliot stated, running his hand through his hair once again. "So who cares what anyone thinks."
"That's why I needed to leave." Margot sat on the bed enjoying the peace of the moment before they had to arrive at the party on time. "Find that confidence in myself."
"Did you?"
"I'm getting there."
"Okay, that's enough mushy, let's get tonight over with first."
"Sounds good." Margot jumped up from the bed, nodding along with her words, grabbing her phone off of the dresser. The Hartley girl look around ensuring that she had everything she need with a smile evident on her face.
Margot gave her sister a kiss on the forehead as she came out of her room to see what her sister was wearing. She waved the pair down them the stairs, where the pair got into a car and they were on their way. In the car it was quiet, the pair were always content in each other's company they didn't need to talk all the time.
There was something about Manhatten at night that felt magical, seeing all the lights that lit up the street as people never stopped in this city, it was truly the city that never sleeps.
The car eventually pulled to a stop outside of the venue for Kiss on the Lips. Margot got out of the car and smiled sarcastically as she reached her hand out to Elliot. "I am anticipating so much drama tonight."
"Then let's not wait any longer." Elliot said, dragging her by her hand into the party full of the children of privilege.
Margot rolled her eyes as she looked around at the pink and black aesthetic, fluorescent lights in every corner of the room, and alcohol served under the guise of punch. People were already flooding the dance floor. She knew how much effort Blair put into this party, she only ever wanted the Kiss on the Lips one of the most memorable events for the rest of their junior.
Margot sighed as she found the group of people that she knew she would spend most of the night with. Chuck was sitting in the middle as though he was holding court with Blair's lesser minions. Margot sat down with Elliot by her side as he pasted her a drink that he had grabbed from the bartender on their way over to the couch. She played with the umbrella in her drink, something she had done often.
"Well look who is finally here?"
"Look is who was born with the incurable condition of being a complete and utter asshole." Margot stated with an annoyed expression on her face.
"And here I thought that you were nicest orphan I have ever meet."
Chuck had his numerous shortcomings, but she knew he was capable of being a good and decent person. He was one of the first people who had been genuinely welcoming to her when she first entered this opulent world, but as he got older, his father's influence grew. Bart Bass had managed to stamp out the sweet boy he used to be and turned him into a playboy and womanizer.
"Who's the newbie?" Chuck asked as he sipped his drink ignoring the Larson's girl snub, with his gaze staring at the young blonde who had done the invitation for the party.
"Jenny Humphrey."
"She's a freshman, Charles." Margot stated harshly, glaring at Chuck not liking the way he was staring at the young blonde. "So, stay away."
"But you know my love of freshman." Chuck commented, ignoring the Larson girls direct warning. "They're so ..."
Isabel smiled over the top of her drink. "Fresh?"
"Anything about her on Gossip Girl?" Chuck commented and drowned the rest of his drink.
"No." Isabel slurred as showed the Gossip Girl site. "Not till you're done with her."
Margot rolled her eyes as she watches Chuck walking over to Jenny, though she had this feeling in the pit of her stomach that wouldn't go away. She could tell that Jenny was new to this type of crowd, and she started to fear what Chuck would do until she watches the pair separate and disperse into the party.
Margot's smile slipped from her face when she noticed Serena crashed the party, with the mystery boy from the department store. She could see the trepidation on the blonde's features, her head whipping around the club in search of something. Serena's eye landed on Margot, and she made her way through the crowd and over towards the brunette. "Rory, thank god I found you."
"You know that Blair will actually murder you." Margot stated, though her mind was starting to sober up. "You weren't technically on the invite list and I'm not sober enough to play referee."
"That's the lowest thing on my priority list right now, Margot." Serena exclaimed, dragging Margot to the side of the crowd of people so she could properly hear her. "Have you seen Chuck?"
"No, I saw him earlier, but he disappeared." Margot shook her head, though the despair evident on the blonde's facial features, made the familiar pit in her stomach come back as she remember what happened earlier in the evening. "Why? What's going on, S?"
"Have you seen Jenny? The young girl we meet ―"
"Yeah, she was here earlier." Margot muttered, her eyes went wide as her mind managed to piece the puzzle pieces together. "And she was talking to Chuck."
"Shit!" Serena exclaimed as her attention was drawn to the same mysterious boy that she had entered the party with. "Hey, no luck?"
"No I can't see her anywhere."
"Elliot." Margot yelled, over the noise of the music, ignoring the looks that the other two were sending her. "He'll have a better idea."
"Yeah." Elliot stated, appearing suddenly next to the young girl, making her jump slightly.
"Shit! You scared me." Margot exclaimed, before looking at him with an imploring look on her features. "Have you seen Chuck anywhere?"
Elliot ran a hand through his hair as he took another swig of his drink. "Yeah, saw him go to the roof about ... I dunno, fifteen minutes ago?"
Serena and the mystery boy ran in the direction of the stairs, that lead to the rooftop of the club. Margot ignored the questioning look from Elliot before following the pair. She thought back to earlier in the night regret and shame creeping into her mind, how she knew that Chuck couldn't be trusted and she didn't do anything to stop it. She found Chuck's signature scarf that he had been wearing that night lying on the ground.
"Shit!" Margot muttered, causing the other teenagers to look at her. "It's Chuck's scarf."
"Oh god!"
Dan didn't hesitate to push past the teenager and slammed the doors onto the roof open, with Serena sprinting up the stairs to the top of the roof. Margot stared down at the scarf in her hands and felt her finger clench tighter around it as she followed behind them, but she froze at the sight that meet her eyes.
"Hey! Jenny!"
"Chuck! Get off of her!"
Chuck had turned around at the commotion in Jenny had managed to break free of Chuck's hold at her shoulder, it was a tight grip that secured her trapped between him and the skylight, to be able to force himself on her for the night. Margot rushed forward and pulled Jenny away from the situation and made sure that she was standing behind her. The young girl clung to the arm of the brunette as she could feel her body shake in fear.
"Are you okay?" Margot asked, noticing the marks on her skin that looked like they were already starting to bruise.
"Son of a –"
Chuck pushes the brother away from him, as he turned to stare at the group. "What the hell is your problem? It's a party. Things happen. Who are you anyway?"
"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm in your class. My name is Dan Humphrey." Dan gripped Chuck's collar and pointed over to Jenny. "And that is my little sister."
Dan then punched Chuck in the face, who stumbled back as he held onto the side of his face in pain. He could feel a throb just beneath his eye whilst Dan hissed in pain, shaking his hand to ease the pain as he pulled his hand back. Margot noticed the way that Chuck was glaring at Dan and Serena that he would only make matters worse than they already were.
"Charles!" Margot yelled, making the boy turn to look at one of the people he cared for most, though he would never actually show it. "I told you not to go near her, you are a disgusting excuse of a human being."
"She wanted it." Chucked pulled out his handkerchief and wiped the blood away from his nose.
"No, she didn't." Margot exclaimed as she turned back around to leave the rooftop. "All she wanted was to be invited into our world and you assaulted her!"
"I'm sorry, Maggie."
"Don't apologize to me you creep." Margot yelled, pushing the boy away from her. "Apologise to that little girl."