A soft light illuminates the porch of the Rogers' elegant household as we arrive one hour and a half later than our curfew. Crickets sing into the night and I sigh. We're finally here.

"How do we keep getting into these situations?" Merina parks the car and takes off her seatbelt.

"It's been over a decade of friendship and I still don't know," I mimic her actions and open the door, the cold wind greets me again.

"Do you think they got the plates?" Merina looks worn out and worried. I hope she doesn't pass out, she used to do it a lot when we were younger. She ate so little she was borderline anemic and passed out a handful of times in front of the whole school after being in stressful situations. That was until she listened to her parents and started living a healthy life. Something I'm still trying to achieve.

"I think they didn't, you drove us out of there pretty fast," I assure her.

We walk into the house quietly and as soon as the door closes Mrs. Rogers' steps echo through the hallway.

"Merina? Blair? Where the hell where you girls?! It's almost three in the morning!"

"I'm sorry mom, my car ran out of gas and we had to tell some guys at the party to help us get it to the nearest gas station, I had no money..." Mer lies.

"How could you not realize it didn't have enough gas... you were so careless. Something could've happened to you!"

"We're okay mom, chill... I'm really, really sorry,"

"Well, your dad fell asleep but he was really mad earlier, this talk isn't over, missus, prepare for a word from him tomorrow,"

"I know mom, I'm sorry," she apologizes again and a short pause follows.

"We'll talk about this little adventure in the morning," Mrs. Rogers sighs tiredly and we say goodnight to each other before we get into Merina's room quietly.

"I have to tell you something," Meri says as soon as she closes the door.

Six words, seven syllables that when coming from your best friend, can only mean that she's got some juicy gossip to spill or she's about to confess something that you'll take to the grave.

"Oh God, what?" I squeal and plump down on the soft covers of the king-sized bed.

"Well, you know I was looking all over the place for you... I had already looked everywhere except upstairs, so I went up and guess what?" She sits down beside me with her eyes wide open with excitement.

"You found Cole in bed with someone else," I say knowingly.

"I found Cole-" She starts excitedly but then frowns disappointed. "Yeah, how do you know?"

"Natalie told me she saw you come in there so I was the second witness of the whole thing," I scrunch my face in disgust.

"Well... there was a third and a fourth," Merina tells me while she cryptically purses her lips.

Now that I didn't know. "Oh shit, and who was it?"

"Who do you think?" She smirks mischievously at me while curiosity eats me alive.

"Just tell me! I'm too tired to think," I whine.

"His girlfriend,"

I gasp and cover my agape mouth that opened wide with surprise. Poor girl. Cole has always been known for his good looks among the female population and I have to admit that there might've been a time in elementary school when I was crushing hard on him.

He and his friends are like that, and they're also known for not keeping a girl for more than a month. I really don't understand why they keep coming to them. The only ones who I assume haven't been in bed with them are their friends, which happen to be Emily, Lucy, Jen, Natalie... they form Liberty's popular clique.

"But wait, Regina found him because she was also searching for a room,"

Merina tries to hide her Cheshire cat smile while she relishes in my dumbstruck state.

That must have been entertaining to watch, I always miss all the fun.

"And what happened?" I ask coming back from my shocked state.

"Well, they're exes now, obviously,"

"Damn. Well, that was expected. And who was the guy?"

"A boy from Mountain High you probably don't know," She dismisses me.

I choose to ignore the last part of the comment.

"They beat the shit out of each other and the second round was Cole versus Regina. She slapped him and I don't know what happened afterward, she just left,"

"Wow, you can't trust anyone these days," I mumble and realize and it's pretty sad actually.

"And you?"

"What do you mean?" I ask confusedly.

"Oh come on, don't play dumb with me. What about you and Reid?" She nudges me and I roll my eyes. As if she didn't know me.

"Nothing. He was out, I was out, he came over and we talked. That's all,"

"So he came to you, huh?" She wiggles her eyebrows and I feel the urge to laugh.

"Stop saying things with that... tone." Ah... I thought I would avoid telling her this but she's my best friend, I can't keep it from her.

I feel the red blush creeping up my neck, heating up my cheeks and ears. "The only reason he came to talk to me might have been because I tripped and fell onto him..."

"No way," Her smile is big and then her body starts trembling with laughter. Her eyes water as I keep trying to excuse myself and explain everything to her but to no avail and I feel my face growing hotter and redder.

"Shut up," I grunt with my face smacked against one of her white furry pillows. "It's not funny!"

"Yes, it is. Oh God, why didn't I see that?" She lets out a breath and her laugh dies down a little. "Ah, but I'll stop. I'm sorry." She presses her lips into a fine line for a few seconds until she snorts and laughs again.

I can't help it and giggle a little. It was funny I have to admit it. I laugh along with her until I remember...

"Anyway... How did you find me? I searched everywhere for you,"

She stops laughing little by little and coughs up recomposing herself. "Uh, well I looked everywhere inside the house and I thought that you might be out," She fidgets with her hands and her gaze won't meet my eyes. She's hiding something.

I squint my eyes at her. "I was literally beside the house, how could you not see me? Come on I know when you're lying so, spill," I see a faint blush cover her cheeks and she looks away and mutters something under her breath that I couldn't catch.

"What?"

"Might've...in... o' wee..."

"You had weed?!" I yell totally forgetting about her parents down the corridor.

She slaps me on the arm.

"Hey-!"

"Shh! You idiot my parents!" She whispers-yells at me while I rub my arm. "And no! Oh God, no! You know I wouldn't do that."

"Then what was it?" I pout and continue to caress my upper arm, soothing my skin.

She sighs and blushes deeper. "Well, before the party I drank too much water and while I was searching for you I drank the water I got for us so I needed to pee, but the bathroom was trashed and reeked of vomit so I took some toilet paper and..."

No, she couldn't have. "Don't tell me you-"

She shrugs and smiles sheepishly at me. "I watered the neighbor's plants,"

We both start laughing hysterically, her parents momentarily forgotten. Our eyes water, my stomach, and my head start hurting but I can't stop.

"The neighbor must be pleased," I wheeze out.

"Maybe some sparkly, exotic flower will bloom there," She says and we crack up again.

We hear movement on the other room and then Merina's bedroom door opens.

"Girls, keep it down, please you're waking up your dad," Mrs. Rogers looks at Mer pointedly and we just smile apologetically. The door is closed again.

"Did you seriously pee in someone's yard?" I hush and I can't believe it as I say it right now.

"Well, I hope not. It was dark and far away from any house. I doubt it,"

"Did anyone see you?" My tone drops to a serious tone.

"No, I made sure to check my surroundings to pee in peace," She waves her hand dismissively and I relax closing my eyes, tiredness catching up to me after my adrenaline high.

Ugh, I have to take my makeup off, wash my teeth, and change into my pajamas.

I yawn. "Well, we sure had a bizarre night," I stand to retrieve my bag and go behind the wooden screen to take my clothes off.

Meri giggles from her bed. "You can say that again..." Merina yawns and continues. "but don't,"

She too stands up from her bed and once we're both changed we go to the bathroom to wash our teeth.

Back in her room, we both get into bed shoving our worries and secrets of our eventful night under the sheets.

"Goodnight, B,"

"Night, Mer,"

I cover myself all the way up to my chin and rapidly fall into unconsciousness as soon as I close my tired eyes.

*****

The sun rays that filter from the light blue curtains illuminate the quiet bedroom the next morning. The pillow is soft under my cheek and the smooth blankets caress my skin deliciously.

I really, really should open my eyes now. My mom or dad, whoever deigns to come and pick me up, should be here soon.

God, but this bed is so great. I grunt and nuzzle more into the pillow.

To get up or not to get up, that is the question.

Hmm... I could just close my eyes for five more minutes and put an alarm to be ready in time...

"Shit." I spring out of bed as I hear a beep I know all too well; my dad has just arrived for me.

I don't remember falling back asleep but apparently, I did.

I swear I feel like part of me is still on the bed and it is trying to pull me back. My head spins a little while I try to wake up from my slumber and put my flip flops on.

If postponing an alarm in the morning is something, it is fascinating but oh so dangerous.

The door opens to reveal a freshly showered Merina with towels wrapped around her head and body. "Oh, you woke up,"

"Well apparently." I smile at her and shove everything into my bag hurriedly. "My dad's already out,"

"Oh, let me get changed and accompany you to the door,"

"Sure,"

Two minutes later I cross the door and my dad is typing a message probably with only his index finger taking him years.

I turn around and hug Merina goodbye and tell her to thank her mom for letting me stay and text me to know how it all went with her dad later.

I climb into the car, close the door and wave Merina one last time before she disappears inside her house.

"Hey daddy," I kiss his cheek and he kisses mine next.

"Hey baby, how was the party?"

Ha, well I actually wasn't even invited so I had to sneak in. I got lost, my friends left me and then someone spilled a drink on me. I caught an idiot having sex with someone who wasn't his girlfriend and spent the night with a total stranger. Oh, Merina peed outdoors in a tree and then we came back to the house. Have I mentioned we almost got arrested?

As I recount last night's events in my head and realize there is nothing really worth to be highlighted I stick with the good ol' response which is:

"Great. It was pretty cool,"

My dad scoffs. "You always tell me that,"

"Well, you always ask the same," He gives me a look and I smile innocently at him. He chooses not to comment about me making him wait outside and I thank the heavens.

"Are we having lunch together today?" I ask as I buckle my seatbelt.

"Actually, today is Meredith's mother's birthday and we're going to the club to have lunch with her family," His eyes with his eyes trained on the road.

"Oh," My smile falters but I cover it up as best as I can. So this means we won't see my dad until later tonight.

"Would you like to come with us?" My dad looks at me expectantly and I look away suddenly finding the trees outside way more exciting than ever before. He already knows the answer but continues to ask in case we agree someday.

"I don't know..." Another all too familiar and all too used response to that same question asked every now and then.

A response which only softens the true words stuck in my mouth which are "hell no".

I hate not having the guts to flat out refuse to ever meet with that family or just embrace them once and for all. I feel like I'm always walking on the fine line of one of those two options but never going for one.

It is really awkward to go with Meredith's family because for starters my sister, Molly, and I feel like we are intruding on the whole thing. No one talks to us besides Meredith, her parents and my dad.

Secondly, they're more my dad's family than ours so we also feel like it's none of our business to attend their family dinners but despite our reasons, Meredith and my dad still try to unite us all.

"Well, we're leaving at three if you are coming just text me before that. We'll be back soon tonight though, we can have dinner at Nana's house?"

I smile even though I'm very sure that they won't be back by then. "Okay,"

The rest of the trip is spent listening to my music coming out softly from the speakers and having small talk about how our weeks went.

Six songs later I arrive at my house.

"Well, see you later dad," I say, more out of habit than because I really mean it.

"Bye, sweetheart. Say hi to Molly from me. I'll call you guys later,"

"Yeah, I'll text you after I tell Molly about the club thing,"

He nods his head and waits for me to reach the porch.

"I'm home!" I yell as soon as I open the door and my dad goes down the driveway in his Mustang.

I walk into the kitchen and find Molly having pancakes at the bar stool.

"Hey, fat." She greets me.

"Hey, fatter," I say and we both smile. Ah, the sisterly love.

"Where's mom?" I ask her and open the fridge. Maybe something will inspire me to know what to have for breakfast. I settle for yogurt with fruit and granola.

"Don't know. I just woke up." I roll my eyes at her and while I cut my apple in little cubes methodically I tell her that we're having lunch here.

"Why?"

"Dad's going to have lunch with Meredith's family because of her mother's birthday... He told me we could go,"

"Hell no. To be ignored like a snot on the wall? No, thanks." I knew she would say that.

"Okay, I'll text him later that we're not going," I say as I pour the yogurt and sprinkle some granola on top. I should message my dad first before I forget it.

After texting my dad I go in search of my mom to say hi.

I feel guilty rejecting my dad like that and a little bad for Meredith too, but I cannot spend my afternoon smiling at people who I barely know and couldn't give a fuck less about me or my sister.

As I am about to knock on my mother's door she comes out of the bathroom and says,

"When did you get home?" She looks up at me due to her small frame. Her eyes have bags under them; her hair is entangled in a tight bun contrasting with her usual style with a shirt four sizes too large and 'comfortable' shorts.

"Well, hi to you too," I roll my eyes and she ignores me.

She scoffs and waves her hand in front of her nose. "For the love of God, Blair, go shower before you stink the room of cigarettes,"

"Okay, just let me finish my breakfast,"

"Well, do it fast, because after you shower I want you to pick up your room; it looks like a fucking hurricane came over and trashed it all,"

"What? I picked everything up,"

"No young lady, you left a dress and a shirt on your bed, two pairs of shoes are out, and there're some earrings on the floor,"

"Oh," I frown. I remember I left everything in order before going to Merina's.

"I can't believe you can't keep anything in order. I do everything in the house, I never ask you to clean!" She flails her arms. "Just to keep it all in order! Is that so hard?"

"I'm sorry, I'll pick everything-"

"Well, it is about time. Your desk is a mess too-"

"Okay, I get it!" It's almost ten in the morning and she managed to annoy me in less than a minute. "I got it, I said I'll do it,"

Silence reigns finally in the room, but full of tension. Molly sits on the couch of the neighboring living room indifferent to the usual yelling.

Sensing my change in humor my mom asks, "How was it yesterday?"

"Great," I grunt and shove a spoonful of yogurt because I have lost the will to have a civil conversation with her for now. It is not because she told me to pick up my crap but the way she says it. Just a simple 'You left some clothes out, please hang them back on' would suffice, why make a storm in a glass of water?

"Is your dad picking you guys up later?"

"Nope, he's having lunch with Meredith's family," I tell her.

She sighs and curses under her breath. "I hoped I didn't have to cook anything today," she mumbles all the way to the laundry room and shoves the door forcefully earning an eye roll from me and my sister.

We have gotten used to her strong temper and attitude since we were little, but as we got older we grew tired of her negative stance towards almost anything in general and started to block her out.

I feel guilty though, feeling this way about her. She was just strict before, and never carried such bitterness until my dad left us. They fought a lot until he decided he had enough. My father walked out of the house one night after a fight and never came back.

A few weeks later, he already had another woman. Of course, he didn't meet her right after leaving us, nobody finds someone so easily.

I was naïve and innocent then, I didn't understand what that meant for my mom, for us... All I knew was that he was not with me and it broke my heart. It continued to break every time I walked into my mother's room to see her cry silently by herself, every time my sister refused to eat more than half of her plate, every time I saw my friends with their parents together, every time kids mocked me and told me I had no father anymore, every time I felt I belonged nowhere because my family was broken...

My mom fought against all that and her own problems alone, with two little girls under her care and a broken heart. I have always recognized and admired my mom for the way she got through it all, and how she handled everything with maturity.

Not once did she not let my dad come and visit us and denied him his rights as a father... she simply forgave him; after everything she gave him, she gave even more but it broke her spirit. She wasn't the same after that. She hardened and became this guarded, bitter, angry person and I don't blame her for it but I wish she would let go.

I blink and come back to the kitchen. I get up and wash the bowl I used before walking up to my bedroom to take a very quick shower. I've got a room to clean up apparently.

*****

Chapter 4 is F I N I S H E D!! My eyes actually teared up writing this, it is so sad. Has anyone been identified with Blair yet?

On the other hand, this was the last introducing-you-to-Blair's-world-chapter and in the next one, the good stuff begins!! jnejnfekjf I'm so excited!

Also, I've added a picture of Zendaya, whom I picture as Merina Rogers!

Thank you for reading!! I really appreciate it!

Comment and vote, please! I want to know what you think so far.

Lots of love

-P.S.