You Can Have Whatever You Like

The rest of the day was quite awkward. People would look at me like I was crazy. Resisting the hottest boy at St. Jude’s? I had other boys in mind.

After school, I found Leon parked outside.

“Hey Leon, can we go to Lincoln Toni’s?” I asked.

“Sure Miss Buckingham,” Leon said.

“Ashley, we need to talk,” I heard Chuck behind me.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” I said.

“I don’t care what people at school think of me,” he said.

“We’ll I care what they think of me…and they think we did something thanks to you,” I said, not bothering to turn around to face him.

“Let me make it up to you,” he said with devilish eyes.

“Please chuck, I think you’ve done enough damage to my reputation; now do guys not only think I am easy, they think that I’m a complete asshole because I’m turning you down,” I said.

“Then don’t turn me down. I’ll make a…proposition for you,” he said.

“Chuck, I’m not a business deal. You can’t just pass me along to all of your friends, I’m not like that,” I said.

“No one said you were, love,” he said.

“Ugh, you’re so disgusting,” I said.

“Tell me who it is,” he said.

“Who?” I asked.

“This lover who you talk about,” he said.

“I don’t talk about anyone,” I said.

“Oh please, I’m no idiot, Serena talks to you on the phone more than Blair. Who’s this boy that you are crushing on Buckingham?” he asked.

“Nate Archibald,” I said simply.

“We’ll that’s easy enough, we can get him to crack,” he said.

“What the hell are you talking about Bass?” I asked.

“Slid in, we’re going to talk this over,” he said.

I did what I was told, and Leon was on his way to Lincoln Toni’s.

“If you seriously want to be with him more than me, we can arrange a deal,” he said.

“What the hell chuck? I have no idea where you’re getting at,” I said.

“If you wish, Ms. Buckingham, you can pretend to be my girlfriend to make Archie jealous,” he said.

“Ha! You actually think I’d be your girlfriend? It’s more like you’re gonna pretend that you’re my boyfriend. I’m not going to look like the pathetic one here,” I said.

“Fine, only if I get Ms. Waldorf in the end,” Chuck said.

“What the fuck Bass? I thought you liked me? that’s why you’ve been so perve-ish?” I asked.

“Hey, people have said I’m a great actor. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that we don’t have to do stuff. We can still act like a couple. Do couple things….” He smile grew wider.

We were now sitting in Lincoln Toni’s, waiting to be served.

“We just need gossip girl here to make it official,” I said.

“We’ll? Start acting like my girlfriend,” he said.

“Start acting like my boyfriend,” I said.

This was definitely going to be something different I’ve never done before.

Chuck slid his chair over to my side of the table, and started acting intimate. As much as I wanted to pull away, Chuck really had a way with his hands. God, what am I saying? Is he really that manipulative?

“Hello, I’m Mario, I’ll be your waiter this afternoon,” a cheerful 18 year-old college freshman stood at the foot of the table and smiled at Chuck and I.

“The lady and I will have the flounder, lightly toasted. And for an appetizer we will both have Manhattan clam chowder. And, don’t rush between courses,” Chuck said, keeping his eyes on me the entire time.

“This isn’t weird at all for you?” I whispered.

“No, it feels normal to me,” Chuck smiled.

“We’ll then, kiss me. We’re going to have to get the kiss down pat if we want to fool Blair. She’s one girl who knows you’re lying, right on the spot,” I said.

“Very well then, my lady,” Chuck said.

He kissed me and he tasted like sweet cotton candy on my lips. I didn’t want to pull away.

“I think we’ll be just fine in that area,” Chuck whispered.