ook the tray from the side table and brought it back to the bed； balancing it on her knees。 Her boyfriend had deserted her。 She didn’t have to worry about calories。
It had been four days since Pete had gone to stay with his brother Jason in Philadelphia。 Since then； Blair had barely left the Tribeca Star。 She’d been ordering room service； but room service was never fun when you had no one to share it with； and she’d caught up on all of her favorite gossip blogs and online shopping sites until she felt like she’d reached the end of the Internet。 She’d meant for this break to be relaxing； a reward for surviving an academically challenging semester。 Instead； it was more stressful than an early morning final exam。
The hotel room looked like it had just been cleaned by the maid service； even though she’d placed a DO NOT DISTURB sign on the doorknob Saturday morning。 She’d kept the room clean just so it would be ready for Pete whenever he came back。 It was only now that she realized he probably wasn’t ing back。 All of her phone calls had gone directly to voice mail。 All of her texts had been unanswered。
Last semester； she’d taken a psychology class in which they learned about the five stages of loss。 Right now； Blair had just passed stage one—denial—and was in stage two： anger。 How could Pete do this to her？ At least she’d been honest with him。
Blair pushed her anemic…looking omelet around on her plate； suddenly losing her appetite。 It was cold and she was tempted to call the downstairs restaurant and plain； just to have the satisfaction of hearing someone apologize to her。
Or the chance to speak to another human being？
She unearthed her iPhone from the depths of her white down forter； but dialed her mother instead。
“Hello； Blair darling；” Eleanor Waldorf answered the phone breathily。 “I’m just in the middle of my private doga session。 Mookie loves it！ I may not let Aaron bring him back to Boston；” she trilled； naming Blair’s stepbrother and his mangy mutt。
“Hi； Mom；” Blair sighed。 She was immediately reminded why she didn’t often call her mother。 Eleanor Waldorf had always been slightly batty； but living in LA had pushed her over the edge。 Now； in addition to a maid and a chef on the payroll； she also had a reflexologist； an astrologist； and a crystal…arts healer。 And apparently； a dog…yoga teacher； too。
It takes a village。
“So； how is New York？” Eleanor asked； doga forgotten。
Blair shrugged； even though her mom couldn’t see her。 She flipped the channels on the muted TV； setting down the remote when she got to an old black…and…white film。 “It’s sort of weird to not have a home here anymore。”
“That must be hard；” Eleanor’s voice softened a bit。 “But you must be having fun showing Pete around。 Has he met Serena and Nate yet？”
No； but he knows all about them。
“Yeah；” Blair said dismissively。 “But I don’t think I’ll be back here for a while。” She took a bite of crispy bacon and wiped her fingers on the duvet。
“Blair； don’t be ridiculous。 It’s your city no matter where we live。 Now； do me a favor； go to Barneys and buy yourself something fabulous；” her mother urged。 Mookie barked in the background。 “Oops。 I think Mookie’s losing his focus。 Gotta jet—love you； sweetie！” Eleanor trilled before hanging up。
Blair sighed and lay back on the bed。 If only her life could be sorted out by a pair of Manolos。 But Eleanor did have a point。 It wasn’t healthy to be by herself in the room； watching endless ancient movies and episodes of year…in…review shows。 Maybe a little shopping trip was what she needed。 Audrey had said that nothing bad could ever happen at Tiffany； but surely that rule applied to Barneys； too。
After her shower； Blair pulled on a pair of new J Brand skinny jeans she’d ordered； pleased that they felt a little loose around her hips； and pulled on a thin eggplant…colored Theory cashmere sweater。 She belted her Burberry coat； pausing for a moment at the door。 What if Pete came back and she wasn’t here？ She shook her head； dismissing the notion； and let the door close with a definitive click。
She rode the elevator downstairs and tromped noisily through the parquet floor lobby in her dusty pink Chanel pointy…toed boots。 She passed through the revolving door and took a deep breath。 The air felt cold but fresh。 She looked hopefully at the bright blue sky。 This was a new day。
Blair stepped into one of the yellow cabs idling at the entrance of the hotel。 “Sixtieth and Madison；” she manded； feeling better than she had in almost a week。
It is called retail therapy for a reason。
She entered Barneys； invigorated by the multicolored purses； the scent of Creed Fleurissimo in the air； the upbeat chatter of excited shoppers surrounding her。 In her hotel room； time had felt suspended。 Here； people were moving； buying； laughing in a way that was reassuring。
Blair followed a thirtysomething Gucci…clad woman toward the elevator bank。 She had honey blond hair； an Hermès scarf tied around her neck； and a huge five…carat diamond ring on her left hand。 She’d probably never been left by her boyfriend； Blair thought jealously。
Upstairs； she idly strolled through the expansive loftlike space； not looking for anything； but shopping purely on instinct。 She’d know what she needed when she saw it。 She picked out a black and white dress by Alexander Wang that was hanging by itself on a silver rack in the center of the sparsely filled floor。 It looked like something Edie Sedgwick might have worn to a fabulous Factory party。
“May I help you； miss？” A saleswoman came up to her eagerly； her Prada pumps clacking against the floor。 Her name tag read DANIELLE。
“Thanks。” Blair offered a small smile as she plucked the dress from the rack。 The tag sewn into the thick wool said eight； far too large for Blair’s size…two frame。 “I need this in a two。”
Danielle’s friendly smile turned into a frown。 “I’m sorry； it’s the only size we have left。 It does run small though。 Would you like to try it？”
Blair narrowed her eyes。 Was Danielle calling her fat？
“No；” Blair snapped angrily。 Suddenly her eye caught sight of the same dress； hanging next to a corner dressing area。 “There it is！” Blair announced gleefully； charging toward the dress。
Danielle followed on her heels。 “Someone else is trying that on。 I’ll be sure to find you if she doesn’t take it。”
“But she’s obviously done with it；” Blair protested； already pulling the size…two dress off the hanger。 “Now； where can I try this on？” She used the same voice she had last semester when protesting the B she’d received on a paper in Persuasion in Politics。 Professor Balmer had changed it to an A…； simply because of the passionate way she’d argued her point。
Danielle wrung her hands nervously。 “Miss； I’d be happy to call in the dress； but—”
“Blair？” came a voice from behind the heavy black dressing room curtain。 Out stepped Serena van der Woodsen； clad in a flesh…colored scoop back Catherine Malandrino knit dress that made her look naked。 What the fuck？ Blair narrowed her eyes； praying that in just a moment she’d wake up with a Veuve Clicquot hangover and the promise of room service just a phone call away。
No such luck。
“Oh my God！” Serena squealed when she saw Blair。 She’d been feeling lonely ever since she’d kicked Nate out on New Year’s Day。 She’d thought of calling Blair but had always stopped short。 She’d spent a lot of time at Doma； reading Anna Karenina and trying to make eye contact with the weirdos at her munal table。 In the book； Anna was forced into bad choice after bad choice； until she eventually threw herself under a train。 Serena wouldn’t do that； but there were only so many times she could pick herself up； dust herself off； and pretend everything was fine。
No matter how much she tried to pretend otherwise； the Nate thing had taken a lot out of her。 The love of her life was in love with someone else。
Sounds familiar。
“How are you？ It’s good to see you！” Serena enveloped her old friend in a huge hug。 Now that Blair was here； maybe things would be different。 After all； it wasn’t Blair’s fault Nate was still in love with her。
Blair stood stiffly； her arms at her sides。 It was good for Serena to see her？ Well； it was terrible for Blair to see Serena。 Serena was the reason she had just spent four days locked in a hotel room。 If Serena hadn’t been at the party； making out with Nate； Blair would still be with Pete。 Serena had fucked up Blair’s current relationship； her past relationship； and if she gave her the chance； she’d probably fuck up her future relationships too。
“Are you okay？” Serena stepped back and frowned。 Blair’s cheeks looked flushed。
“Well； I’ll just hold on to this； and when one of you ladies would like it； just find me。” Danielle grabbed the dress and quickly speed…walked away； as if at any moment one or both of them might tackle her。
“How was your New Year’s？” Blair asked icily。
“It was good；” Serena said lightly。 “I saw Nate…。” She trailed off uncertainly； noticing an ominous flicker in Blair’s blue eyes。 “Where’s your boyfriend？” Serena changed the subject。 Maybe giving Blair the chance to talk about her perfect relationship would warm her up a little bit。
Blair shook her head。 There was no way she was going to tell Serena what had happened between her and Pete。 She hugged her arms across her chest。 “You saw Nate？” she repeated sarcastically。
Serena’s blue eyes widened as she caught on to the meaning behind Blair’s tone。 Could Blair have heard what happened？ Or worse； seen her and Nate together at the party？
But it wasn’t like Serena had done anything wrong。 After all； she and Nate were both single。 Blair was the one with the boyfriend。
“You’re not with Nate anymore；” Serena reminded her。 Even though he wishes you were。 Serena suddenly remembered fighting with Blair over the battered polar bear they’d gotten on their first…grade field trip to the Central Park Zoo。 Serena had snatched it from Blair in an uncharacteristically aggressive move； and Blair had broken into tears。 “It didn’t mean anything。 It was just a dumb New Year’s Eve hookup；” Serena said softly； searching her friend’s face。
Blair narrowed her icy blue eyes。 What the fuck was Serena’s problem； practically screaming that she and Nate had hooked up？ Serena had probably followed her into Barneys； just to have the chance to gloat and humiliate her。 Blair knew it didn’t make sense； really； but she also knew that there was no room in her life anymore for Serena。 Maybe when they were younger； they could laugh and make up； but they were adults now。 And it was time for Serena to start taking responsibility for her actions。
“Maybe we can go get lunch？” Serena smiled encouragingly。 “At Fred’s？”
Blair glared at Serena。 Was she totally dense？ Did she actually have to spell it out for her？ “I don’t think so。” She shook her head。 “We’re not friends anymore。” She turned on her heel and angrily stomped off to the elevators。
Bitchfest at Barneys？
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everything old is new again
Maybe you dusted off your white Oscar de la Renta mencement dress and repurposed it for your a