You Can Have Whatever You Like

“Ashley!” Serena called me, coming from the doorway of my penthouse.

“I”m in here!” I said, looking at my short new black and silver Marc Jacobs dress in the mirror.

“Hey, girl! looking pretty as always!” Serena complimented and hugged me.

“Hey S! Looking good too,” I laughed.

“Where’s B?” I asked, suddenly wondering where my other best friend could be.

“She’s waiting in the limo. She refused to get her new jimmy choo’s wet in the rain,” Serena rolled her eyes.

“Oh, I could’ve guessed that.”

“Come ‘on. We’re going to be late for the party!” she said enthusiastically, pulling me out of my room.

My mother and father were at a social event, and it was guaranteed for all of their teenagers to come, apparently we showed disrespect often, and out of everyone, my parents didn’t tolerate it.

“Alice, I’ll be home at 3 probably,” I said.

My maid responded with, “Yes, Miss Buckingham.”

Serena and I took the elevator down to the first floor and ran in our high heels to the limo.

“Come on, A!” Blair said, pushing the limo door open impatiently.

“Chill out girl,” I said.

“So, who’s going to be at this event again?” I asked, situating myself in the limo.

“We’ll Nate and Chuck will probably be there,” Blair said.

“Hm…and possibly Aaron?” Serena said, her mouth forming into a smile.

“You have a thing for Arty?” I asked.

“No,” Serena blushed.

“Oh, please S. it’s like he’s Andy Warhol and you’re his muse. That never worked out you know,” Blair said.

“You’re just a downer B,” Serena disagreed.

“Maybe, she likes his charm?” I asked Blair.

“I don’t care! You need to be with a guy that isn’t so…oh, I don’t know, LAME?” Blair said.

“Just because it didn’t work out with Marcus Blair, doesn’t mean you have to rain on Serena’s parade,” I argued.

“I’m over Marcus. I need a new man!” Blair declared.

“My step-brother certainly has a thing for you,” Serena said, nudging me lightly in the arm.

“Chuck? I don’t think so.”

“I think so,” Blair said.

“Nate’s also pretty cute too,” Blair added.

“Yes, he’s very sweet,” I said.

“I think I’m going to go for some renounced college boy,” Blair said, smiling devilishly at her evil plan.

“You would B, you would,” Serena said.

“Let’s get drunk and have some fun tonight Girls!” I said.

“Yes!” B and S agreed.

Gossip girl here, your one and only source for Manhattan’s Elite. I’ve been informed by my sources that there’s a huge party going on at the Palace Hotel. It belongs to the one and only womanizer’s family. The Bass’. It looks like the new queen, Ashley Buckingham, will take this party by storm. Where ever there’s a party, you know I’m there. I’ll keep you posted.

You know you love me,

Xoxo

Gossip Girl.

I looked at my phone. It was a message from Gossip Girl.

“Ah, shit,” I said.

“What is it A?” Blair asked.

“Nothing. Gossip Girl is on my ass again,” I said.

“Oh, whatever, we’re the best anyways. Every girl at Constance Billiard wants to be like us,” Blair said.

“True,” S agreed.

“We’ll I guess you’re right,” I shrugged.

“Girl, we need to work on your arrogance,” Blair said.

“We’re here,” the driver stated.

“Thank you Sam,” Blair said.

The driver came around to the other side, and held the door out for Serena, Blair and I.

“Thank you,” Blair said and walked with us.

“Come ‘on. We’re already fashionably late!” Blair said, hooking arms with Serena and me.

I have to admit, we really were the best girls there. Blair’s lame-o friends Penelope, Elise, and Hazel were there also. They were secretly really annoying, but I would never tell Blair that. I think she just needed them because she wanted them to wait on her hand and foot.

“Ashley, dear, you look ravishing,” Chuck whispered into my ear and groped my butt, taking some of the material in his hand and making me uncomfortable.

“Charles, you’re so bad,” I laughed.

“Oh, right, I forgot this was a social event,” he said.

Blair had spotted the jockey college guys and was already chatting it up with them.

“Hey, Ashley, how’s it going sweetie?” Nate asked coming up to me and hugging me.

“Back off Archibald, she’s mine,” Chuck snarled.

“Calm down Chuck,” I said, patting him on the back.

“Alright, can I please say hi to my parents before we get totally wasted?” I asked them.

“Of course,” Chuck said.

I walked over to my parents, where they were talking to Lily and Bart Bass, the hostesses for the event.

I tried to play the ‘good girl.’ And yet, Lily knew that both Serena and I weren’t the ‘good’ type.

“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Bass, it’s a pleasure to see you again,” I said, kissing Lily and Bart on the cheek.

“Oh, Ashley! It’s always wonderful to see you dear. How are you?” Lily asked.

“I’m good thank you,” I said politely as I could.

“Have you seen Serena?” she asked.

“Yes, I arrived with her just a little while ago. She was socializing with people last time I saw her,” I said.

I always had to make sure that Serena was covered; otherwise, Lily wouldn’t be too happy with Serena.

“Oh, and you brought Charles as your date? How lovely!” lily said.

“Actually I-“

“Yes, it is very nice,” Chuck said, interjecting.

“We’ll this is a wonderful party Mr. and Mrs. Bass. I will see you later on,” I said.

I turned to my mom and dad.

“Hey, mommy, hey daddy,” I said and hugged them both.

“Ashley, dear, did you tell Alice that you’d be home later on in the evening so she wouldn’t have to wait up for you?” my mom asked.

She was more of a socialist than a mother if you ask me. She cared about my sister and me, but she and I definitely knew where the invisible line was between socialist and mother. My father owns a rather large company, a clothing company, called Amore. It is featured all over the world. He’s a very busy man, and sometimes, we rarely see him. He and Bart Bass work together on special projects. My mother and Lily are especially close, because my father and Bart were best friends. She and my mother go on weekly shopping trips with Serena and I, and we always go to Saks, Bendel’s, and Chanel. Our favorite stores. My great-grandmother Coco Chanel started Chanel when she was younger, growing up in France. Now it is a billion-dollar company, and it is one of the biggest name brands known world-wide. My mother especially is proud of our heritage.
“Yes, mother, I told her.”

“Okay, run along now, that is all.”

“Bye.”

“Bitch,” I muttered as I walked with Chuck.

“Oh, come on. She’s not terrible.”

“Charles! Yes she is. She’s a filthy whore.”

“Ash, sweetie. Calm down,” Nate said.

“No, where’s the booze at? Let’s get me wasted! Come ‘on!” I said, looking around the room.

Chuck took my hand and led me to his apartment on the 20th floor. He and Nate were beside me.

“Hazel was looking at you Nate,” I said.

“And?” he questioned a smile.

“She’s not right for you,” I said.

“Because now I listen to you?” he asked smiling.

“Yes, because Hazel is annoying, nonindependent, follower, and a stupid lowlife!” I screamed.

“You better give her alcohol Bass,” Nate smiled.

“I’m on it. Which do you prefer Madame? Scotch or Vodka?” Chuck asked.

“Make it both,” I said.

“Oh. Someone’s being adventurous tonight,” Chuck said.

“That still doesn’t mean that you’re getting in my pants Chuck,” I said.

“Or in this case, dress,” he said.

“Give me the alcohol, before I grow tired to consume it,” I said.

“Feisty this one,” Chuck said.

He poured Scotch and Vodka in a cup and handed it to me.

“Thanks babe,” I said.

“No problem,” Chuck said, now sitting next to me on his couch, playing with wisps of my hair.

Nate sat on the other side of me. They knew I was about to get restless.

“Call Blair and Serena,” I said.