[February 15th, the Catscratch Club]

[turnthebadinme]

Spotted: Nate Archibald, birthday boy extraordinaire. When in doubt, it's been said, turn to the local strip club. It may not exactly be tea and cupcakes or dinner at Socialista, but with the alcohol flowing and friends around, who cares? I'm sorry, was that sappy? Call me nostalgic, but put these Upper East Siders in a club and I just know all my

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[turnthebadinme]

A lot had changed since the last party Serena had helped orchestrate. Blair's birthday had been a success socially. Looking back, it seemed to her that all the trouble had started there, even if she knew that wasn't true. It had all started to unravel earlier than that. The argument with Dan, though, had only been the first stepping stone. The fight between all of them, the weeks of silence, the disappearance of some of her closest friends - after that, it all tangled together. This was the first party without Lyla, the first without Octavia or Dan. Writing out the guest list, she'd itched to add their names only to realize all over again there was no point.

She did her best to focus her attention on keeping the party running smoothly instead. Her new wardrobe had provided the perfect dress for the occasion and Christian Lacroix heels to match, and she took refuge in the good cheer a good outfit could provide - not to mention a couple of drinks. It was a party, after all, and she was surrounded mostly by friends. This once, it couldn

[learnwhatsreal]

In retrospect, it was probably a bad idea to have invited Jason as her +1 to Nate's birthday party. All things considered, though, Jenny wasn't overly concerned. As far as anyone else had to know, the two of them were just friends, if friends with an unusually large age gap between them. And sure, Serena knew about the kiss at midnight on New Year's, but that was always an exception, and it wasn't like anyone else had been there with her.

They'd specified no presents, but Jenny had come with gifts anyway: some clothes she had made, in what she had eyeballed to be as close to Nate's size as she could get them without asking him for measurements. Her dress, though, wasn't one of her own creations, but rather a Badgley Mischka she'd borrowed from Serena, with Louboutin heels to go with it. If ever there were a time to look her best, she figured this was it.

[turnthebadinme]

For her own part, Serena was having a blast, happy with the way everything had come together, easily thrilled by little things. Heading over to Jenny, she laid a hand on her shoulder as she looked her over, grinning. "It really suits you," she said, pleased with the overall effect. The island had been kind to her and she saw no reason not to share the bounty. "Are you having fun?"

[learnwhatsreal]

"Oh, yes," Jenny said eagerly, bouncing just a little. "This came together so well, it really was a great idea." Privately, she was pleased they'd decided to hold it in the strip club. It wasn't like she was interested in watching people pole dance or whatever, but just knowing that she wouldn't have otherwise been allowed in only heightened its appeal. "And the dress is perfect, thank you so much."

[turnthebadinme]

"It's really no problem," Serena insisted, shaking her head absently. With a closetful of dresses, it wasn't like she didn't have enough to go around. As for the idea, she was sure it wasn't the most original, but at least they were first. That wasn't supposed to mean anything, and the part of her that felt guilty for being giddy over couture felt bad about that note of entitlement, too, but it was true all the same. They were always meant to be first, and no one else had had a party at the club yet. "I'm just glad it all worked out and that the cake's probably not going to poison anyone."

[forhawkeye]

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little surprised by the invite, but I'm not about to turn it down. Serena's probably the closest friend I have here, and though I've only met Nate the two times, he seems like a decent guy. The eye candy doesn't hurt, either, not that I'm about to admit that out loud anytime soon.

Drinking was never a regular occurrence for me back home, and since I've already had my fill of it for at least a month, I'm making do with a mixed drink of the non-alcoholic variety. The dress I found is a little nautical for my taste, but it works. I lost patience with my hair about half-way through and decided to just throw it into a loose updo. I'm a little short on accessories that aren't weapons so I forgo the jewelery entirely, going for a minimalist fresh look that I'm sure some magazine's featured back home. Wearing my best society smile I make my way through the party, taking in the familiar faces and making note of new ones.

[turnthebadinme]

Serena's thrilled to see nearly everyone there, trotting around the party all smiles, like it's been years rather than hours, at most days, since she's seen people. Eighteen might not mean that much to them technically, not with the way they've lived, but she's determined that Nate's party be memorable. If nothing else, they've managed to scare up a good crowd. He needs friends. They're too used to being surrounded by people for anything else.

Heading over to Kate, she beams, steady on her heels despite a couple drinks and a decline in practice. "Hey," she says, hand on Kate's arm, a matter of habit. "I'm so glad you came."

[forhawkeye]

"As if I have anything better to do," I tease with a roll of my eyes, and my smile turns sincere in short order. Serena just has that effect, like she's this ball of sunshine that can brighten the whole room with the simplest of gestures. I take a second to look at her outfit, stopping when I get to her feet. "And those are some fantastic shoes." Bringing my free hand to my temple, I close my eyes and do my best impersonation of a TV psychic. "I'm guessing...Christian Lacroix." I open my eyes and flash her a grin. "Am I right? I'm totally right."

[turnthebadinme]

Grinning, the teeniest bit smug, Serena shrugs a shoulder, somewhere between preening and dismissive. "You're right." She gives a little dip, lifting a foot. "One more part of the island's oh-so-generous gift to me." There's a part of her, admittedly, that feels bad for being so gleeful over her return to couture, but mostly, she's just at ease, perfectly at home again.

[number_unlucky]

I didn't usually do socialite parties with Manhattanites, the closest I got were the clubs in Greenwich Village when I had a little money for once. But if Nate's friends were good enough to invite me to his party...well, why not. The one girl, Blair, had tipped me off to what I'd suspected--fancy clothes, what Carson Kressley would call couture. At least I found a dress that was nice enough to wear again in case the box made me the hooker deal some other time, and a decent pair of shoes.

The fact that Nate, the charming woman I'd met in the Hub and the charming young guy I'd met again, was turning eighteen...well, I didn't really have anything good to say to that. Other than that I hoped I wasn't a perv for thinking he was hot. House would have given me major shit.

I just needed to remember that this was a goddamn island, and that I was a doctor and not the 'poor' end prep school kid I'd been a decade ago. No one could touch me.

[turnthebadinme]

It was just like Nate to somehow make friends with women beautiful enough to be notable even here, on this island and in this crowd. She was one of the few present whom Serena had never properly met, something she was intent on rectifying. Once everything had settled into place a little more and everyone seemed occupied with mingling, Serena headed over with a smile. "Hey," she said warmly, holding out a hand. "I'm Serena. A friend of Nate's from home."

[number_unlucky]

One of the girls who'd invited me--blonde, nice smile, not one of my classmates from my dear alma mater, that I had to remember. I shifted my drink into my other hand, napkin and all, and shook hers firmly. "Hi," I said, "I'm Remy, from Princeton by way of Cambridge Mass. I met Nate when he was a girl."

Shit, was I the oldest person here?

[turnthebadinme]

Serena laughed, nodding. "It's nice to meet you, Remy," she said warmly. "That was... an interesting few days. I don't think he actually minded all that much." Aside from concerns about Chuck, he hadn't seemed all that put off by the ordeal, at least not at first. By the last night, it had been a good thing Chuck had suggested they break out the drinks.

[renegade_reaper]

No matter how many parties Beat went to, he still felt a little lost 'mong the crowd. 'Course, this never stopped him from comin', and he was even gettin' better 'bout not sulkin' about an' trying to keep outta the attention of people. He didn't know how to dress, so he went for somethin' between what he usually wore an' the kinda stuff he saw her guy friends wear sometimes. The neater shirt an' pants, an', especially, no hat made him think that maybe he was close to how he was supposed to look.

With a drink in hand, he looked 'round the room, seein' if he could spot anyone he knew, or someone he wanted to talk to. No sense jus' keepin' to himself the entire time.

[wizard_alive]

"Wait! You're Beat, aren't you." That's not really the best way to actually greet someone, and Nita's cheeks turned red. "Uh. Sorry, I-" She stuck out her hand.

"Hi. I'm Nita."

[renegade_reaper]

Beat was gettin' used to people at these things knowin' him an' him not knowin' them back. He didn't mind it or nothin' - Serena talkin' 'bout him was a good thing, after all.

"Yeah, that's me, yo," he said, takin' her hand an' shakin' it. "You're...one of Serena's friends, right? Think she's mentioned you before."

The name sounded familiar anyway. Serena knew so many people, it was kinda hard to keep track.

[wizard_alive]

Nita smiled - probably a reflex to 'being one of Serena's friends'. "Yeah, I... I guess I am." She grinned at him. "I've actually heard a lot about you." She looked away for a second, then laughed. "It.. that's not too weird, anyway."

She had heard a lot about him, but there were only a couple of ways to take that without it ending up kind of creepy, which was totally not how she meant it.