Somebody Save Jennifer - Chapter Fourteen
Title: Somebody Save Jennifer
Fandom: Gossip Girl
Pairing/Character(s): Nate/Jenny; additional characters
Rating: Mature
Type: Hurt/Comfort/Romance
Spoilers: Completely AU
Summary: We all have problems, but for Jennifer Humphrey they' re much bigger. Will she be able to get over her addiction with his help and the help of others around her?
A/N: Thanks so much to my beta Jenna {_chngingx3lanes } You are amazing! I love you! Thanks so much for helping me out with the chapter!
Chapter Fourteen - Moments That Matter
Looking back on the photo album of my life
It's the little things that make us smile
Like very first time that you discovered true love
It's a feeling you can't describe
But it always stays on your mind
Or the first time you hear a song on the radio
That gives you goose bumps all over from head to toe
Or the time you stayed up all night talking on the phone
And you looked up and realize she's staring at the same star as you
That's what gets me sentimental
That's what life's all about
That's what gets me all emotional
Bothered with all the things I can do without
'Cause I figured out these are the moments that matter
And I figured out, that these are the moments that mean the most to me
'Cause I know I got friends, trust, family, and love
The smell of pine filled the nose of Jenny Humphrey the moment she stepped out of her uncle's overpriced car. The aroma was strong and potent around her, preventing her from smelling her own perfume which she'd put on that morning for the occasion. Dan was standing beside her, wiping the sleep-crust away from his brown eyes, mouth open to let out a yawn. Bex looked dead on her feet, dark hair piled on top of her head. The two of them were groaning and complaining, furious at Rufus for awakening them from deep sleeps so early in the day. Rufus had awoken everyone up bright and early that morning, insisting they drive into the countryside of New York to pick up a real Christmas tree. But while her cousin and soon-to-be aunt were complaining, Jenny was loving the idea of picking out their own tree. It was something she’d never done with her father and mother in the past, and Rufus was happy to fulfill the experience she’d never gotten. It wasn’t like her uncle to pick out his own Christmas tree, having people do the task for him, but this year was different.
Three days prior, Jenny was released from the hospital. Rufus decided on the decision of not returning her to the previous rehabilitation center she attended after her last trip to the hospital. Instead, Jenny was to stay with him and Bex in the city, completing the rest of the school year away from SJCB. Jenny was upset at first, not wanting to spend the rest of her days away from Nate, Eric, and Agnes. But after a long talk with her therapist, Susan Boyd, Jenny saw the reason for the change. She wasn’t ready to be trusted backing into the world her peers. Their comments about her would not doubt send her back into a relapse. All of her friends and Nate were supportive of the idea, deciding that it was best for Jenny. She needed to be in an environment that was less crowded, a place where she could be herself after the accident, without judgment.
Jenny knew that she was going to hate being separated form Nate the most, the two of them spending every waking hour together since departing for the Christmas holiday. Nate was currently spending the holidays with his mother, Anne, at her house in the Hampton. Jenny was a bit sad when he told her of his plan, knowing that was going to miss him terribly. But she also knew that he hadn’t seen his mother in a long time, the time spend with her would be a good thing for him. So Jenny put on her bravest face, trying not to be selfish as she encouraged him to spend Christmas with his mother. Nate agreed to her that he would come back for Rufus’s New Years concert, not wanting her to miss out on a chance to kiss him at midnight.
“Alright, everybody, let the tree hunting begin.” Rufus clapped his gloved clad hands together, a wide smile on his face. He was enjoying the sudden tradition more than anyone. “We split into teams. Jenny and Dan against Bex and I.”
Jenny raised her hand into the air. “What do the winners get?” She bounced on the balls of her feet, anticipating the response.
If possible, the smile on Rufus’ face grew wider. He rubbed the stubble on his chin, thinking of a good prize for the wining team. “…the winning team will get to choose everyone’s outfits for this years Christmas card.”
Dan yawned loudly, totally uninterested. “Since when do we take pictures for Christmas cards?”
Rufus rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “Since now.” He gave Dan 'the look', which meant he wasn't allowed to question him further on the sudden decision he'd made.
“I like the idea, Uncle Rufus.” Jenny beamed, honestly. She loved the idea of sending out family Christmas cards, wearing matching outfits. It seemed so normal, and normal was what Jenny was aiming for in the new year.
After going over the rules of the game, Rufus grabbed Bex's hand saying, “Let the games began.” With that, he was off into the pine.
Jenny grabbed her cousins arm, dragging him further into the lot of trees. She scanned the rows, looking for the perfect tree. She could remember the one her mother use to order from the catalogue, but those were always artificial due to her father’s allergies. Which didn’t help her in the current situation she was in. Looking over at Dan, his eyes halfway closed, she sighed, knowing he wouldn’t be any help.
“Are you going to help me look at all?” Jenny wondered, turning slightly to look at his face. Dan wiped his eyes of sleep, shaking his head softly. He was in no condition to help anyone.
“Jenny, I really don't want to do this.” She crossed her arms over the front of her sweater, glaring at him. This was suppose to be a fun family activity, and Dan was bringing her down.
Jenny threw her hands into the air, letting out a sigh of frustration, before stopping off away from her joy-kill cousin. Dan trailed behind her, not wanting to fall out from sleep without having a family member close by. He really wanted to help Jenny find the perfect tree, but the sleep he'd been deprived of for the past couple days wouldn't let him. When they crossed paths with Bex and Rufus, it looked as though they were having the same problem. Bex sleepwalked next to Rufus, while he tried to keep her from falling to the ground.
“Uncle Rufus, I demand a partner switch!” Jenny stomped her foot, pointing towards Dan.
Without hesitation, Rufus let go of Bex. “I agree.” He grabbed a hold of Jenny's arm, the two of the walking away from their sleepy tree picking partners.
Once they were gone, Dan turned to Bex. “Wanna go get back in the car and sleep?” Bex held up Rufus' keys, jingling them, before leading the way to the car.
It had been a while since she’d had a normal Christmas, temporarily making her forget what the holiday was all about. It was a bout something more than just presents. It was the birth of something great, something special. It was a time for families to come together, engrave traditions into their world, keeping them until the end of time. Because of the demise of her family, Jenny had forgotten about everything that involved the holiday. It used to be just another day to her, trying to dodge the furious blows of her father’s fist, huddling in a small blanket to keep the freezing cold at bay. But this year was different, this year she had people in her life that cared for deeply. This year, Jenny was going to make the most of it, enable traditions she’d never been apart of.
Jenny spent the rest of the tree hunting mission with Rufus, looking for the perfect tree to fit inside of the penthouse. They were unsuccessful for a while, finding ones that were either too big, too small, too green, too brown, too spikey, the list of imperfections getting longer and longer. But just when Rufus was ready to give up, have one of his assistants find a tree, Jenny gasped. She'd spotted the perfect tree, it's green leaves succulent and bright. It was the perfect size to fit inside of the penthouse, tall, but not enough to overpower the rest of the room. Rufus immediately snatched up the tree, paying more than he usually would for it.
The moment they arrived home, Amelia had set out ornaments, different shapes, sizes, colors, and style for them to put on the tree. Dan and Bex rushed towards their room, leaving Jenny and Rufus to decorate the tree, giving them a chance to bond. Rufus wanted them all to makeup the tree together as a family, but he was more than happy to spend the time alone with Jenny, the two of them catching up on all the time they’d missed together. After being placed in the right spot-in front of the big window in the living room next to the fire place-and trimmed, Jenny and Rufus began placing items on the tree.
Rufus picked up a silver glass ornament, placing it on his side of the three. “So, how are things with you and Nate?”
Jenny glanced at her uncle, picking up a blue round ornament. Ever since she and Nate began dating, her uncle finding out, he’d never asked about their relationship, until now. “Good. I can’t wait to see him on New Years.”
She waited patiently for Rufus to speak, eyeing him curiously. She was glad he’d asked about her relationship, but it was still uncomfortable. Rufus placed another ornament on the tree, thinking of another direction in which he could take the conversation. There were some things he wanted to know about Jenny, and how her love life was going with a boy older than her was not on the list. The overprotective father in him was surfacing, an emotion that only came around when he’d first found out about Jenny’s first boyfriend and that day at the hospital, when he’d ask Nate to leave.
“I‘m glad that you’re happy with Nate,” Rufus smiled, throwing the empty box that was once filled with ornaments into the trash.
Jenny smiled, tucking a clump of hair behind one ear, before placing anther ornament on the tree. “Thanks, Uncle Rufus.”
He smiled back, sitting down on the couch, admiring the progress they’d made. “Are the two of you going to exchange gifts?”
She sat down next to him, pulling her legs up to her chest, hugging them. “Yeah, but I don’t know what to get him.”
“I can help you,” Rufus offered, running hand over his dark brown hair. “…I am after all, a male, like Nate.”
Jenny laughed, swatting her uncle on the arm. “Yeah, but he is so much younger than you.”
Rufus' jaw dropped, hand over his chest as if was hurt. The playfulness in his eyes told Jenny it was all an act. “Are you calling me old?”
She placed a hand on her hip, standing her ground. “If the orthopedic shoes fit, grandpa.” She giggled, waiting for his comeback.
He nodded, rubbing hand down his scruffy face. Without warning, he lunged towards Jenny, tickling her sides, making her giggle with delight. It was a moment she’d never shared with her own father, the love he was never able to give to her. But with Rufus it was natural, their love for each other obvious to one another and the people around them. She was his blue-eyed girl and he was her savior, the one person besides Nate that pledged never to hurt her like the people she’d left in her past life.
~*~
Jenny stood on the sidelines of the party with Eric and Agnes, watching as the parental units of the Upper East Side made fools of themselves, downing multiple glasses of champagne. It was Christmas day, and everyone was gathered at the home of Lily and Bart Bass, Upper East Side's most powerful adult couple. When arriving to the party, Jenny said her 'hellos' to the couple, before Lily pointed her in the direction of Eric's bedroom. When Jenny arrived at her friend’s door, she pushed it open softly, waiting until he was done with his phone conversation with Madison to make her appearance known. Eric was happy to see her, his smile bright, the two of them embracing in a tight friendly hug. The two of them spent have the party up in Eric’s room, talking about the upcoming school year, how much fun they’ll have as juniors. Eric showed Jenny his music and book selection, the two of them comparing favorites. After a while, Agnes popped into the room, her long mahogany hair bunched up on the top of her head.
After spending so much time in Eric’s room, the trio became hungry, joining the party for food. Agnes somehow got them an invite into the kitchen, the three of them eating hot and fresh roll from the oven, talking randomly with the serving staff. One of the waiters, a twenty year old college student, recognized Agnes from her clothing ads, telling her that he was a huge fan. Agnes ended up signing his white shirt, forcing him to go into a sea of rich people with her name written in sharpie marker on his back. They laughed every time he walked past them. Jenny was having a great time with her friends, happy that they were in her life, as well as her family.
Earlier in the day, Jenny and the fest of her family exchanged gifts. For the ones she loved, Jenny gave Rufus a new leather jacket, the one he’d been wearing ragged and old. She wanted him to go into the new year with a new look. Rufus graciously accepted the gift. For Dan, she gave him book filled with all of his favorite writers, their most famous work of their lifetime. Dan was overexcited about his gift, giving Jenny a big hug. For Bex, she gave her a one of a kind, Jenny Humphrey design. Bex was jubilant, telling Jenny that she loved the halter shaped, black satin dress. Jenny was overjoyed that her family loved the gifts she’d gotten them, with Nate’s help of course.
Jenny herself received a diamond charm bracelet from Rufus. He’d promised that every time a song of his reached the top of the charts, he would add a charm. So far, Jenny had one, a small gold microphone, representing the song he’d already made a hit because of her influence. Jenny smiled at the gift, never receiving anything like it. From Dan, she received four new sketch books for her designs, complete with a set of different types of drawing utensils and sample fabrics. Jenny loved the gift, telling Dan he was the best. Bex gave her a new sewing machine with new 23 sewing patterns as the one she’d brought last month with Serena. Jenny was gracious for all of the gifts she’d received that morning from her family. She’d never been apart of anything like she had that morning. Even before her father’s business went under, he was always too busy in the past to care about Christmas morning, while her mother simply went own as if it were a normal day.
“What time is it?” Agnes turned towards Eric. He glanced at his watch, telling her the time. It was almost midnight. “You wanna do the gift exchange now?”
“Yeah,” Jenny nodded, following Eric and Agnes back upstairs. At the beginning of the week, the three of them made a deal to get each other a gift, exchanging them at midnight. Once in Eric's room, they each sat down on the bed, getting ready.
“I have a suggestion,” Agnes piped in, holding both of the presents she'd brought for Jenny and Eric in her lap. “Before we give a person their gift, you have to say one thing you like about the person.”
“…and something you don't like about the person,” Eric added, a playful smile. Both girls nodded in agreement. “Agnes, you go first.”
She handed a small silver box to Jenny. “I like that you don't judge me for the things I do.” She opened the box, reveling a diamond pair of earrings.
“Thank you, A.” Agnes and Jenny hugged. She ran a hand over the diamond, a smile on her face. “Now, what don't you like about me?”
Agnes groaned, throwing her head back. “I don't like that you have no idea how strong you are, because you're the strongest person I know.” The girls hugged again, a tear escaping Jenny's eye.
“Alright, alright, it's my turn now.” Eric announced, waiting for Agnes to reveal his gift.
“Eric, I like how you're always there for me and Jenny no matter what.” She handed him a blue box. He opened it, revealing a watch, with matching cufflinks. The pair hugged. “I don't like how you hide your light. You tend to shy away from who you really are.”
He nodded, while Jenny brought forward her gifts. She handed a small red box to Agnes. “I like how you're always able to make me laugh when I'm feeling low.”
Agnes opened the box, reveling a silver charm bracelet with a skull and crossbones. “It's just like yours.” She lifted it from the box, letting Eric clamp it onto her wrist.
Jenny smiled, holding up her arm, showing Agnes her own bracelet. “Now we match.” The girls hugged, wiping away each other’s joyful tears. “…and I don't like how you let your sister walk over you.”
Agnes nodded. “Me either.” She tucked a strand of hair behind one ear, a sad smile on her face. Eric patted her shoulder, sympathetically, before taking the present Jenny handed him. He opened the box, a smile on his face. It was a framed picture of the two of them, holding the self-help books they'd gotten from group therapy.
“I like that you're always there for me, especially when I'm being a baby.” Jenny smiled, smacking her friend on the shoulder. “...and I don't like how you never share things with me.”
Eric reached behind him, grabbing the two gift bags off of the floor. He handed the red one to Jenny. “I like that you're not one of those girls that ditch her friends for her boyfriend.” The three of them laughed, Jenny smacking Eric upside of the head. Once the laughter died down, he continued, “...and I don't like how you don't give yourself enough credit. You're a really strong person, Jenny.”
He handed Jenny her present. It was a picture of the three of them under their favorite tree at school. Below the picture, it said: 'The Best of Times'. Jenny glanced at both of friends. She was more than lucky to have them in her life. “I love you, guys.”
Agnes smiled, patting Jenny's hair. She turned her attention to Eric, holding her hands out. He handed her the bag. Inside was a framed picture of herself, the first International print ad she'd ever done. It had been a while since she'd seen it. “I like that you're the most original person I've ever met.”
She lunged forward, hugging him tightly to her. “Thank you!” Jenny smiled at her friends, joyful of how they all got along with one another.
“Alright, now for the bad part,” Eric laughed playfully. He looked Agnes in the eyes. “I agree with Jenny. I don't like how you let Georgina treat you.”
The three of them sat for a while, processing the truth of each other's words, trying to figure out what was next. Jenny appreciated their opinion, but there was just something inside of her that had a hard time believing that she was a strong person. All her life she considered herself to be different things, but none of them ever stuck, always dissolving in a matter of days. To think of herself as a strong willed person was impossible. In her mind, she hadn’t done anything that she consider to make her a strong person. Sure she'd gotten over a horrible thing that happened to her, but that was all because of the help of her friends and family.
“Oh my effing god!” Agnes shrieked, running towards Eric's bedroom door, startling her friends. Without word, she ran out the door, forcing Eric and Jenny to follow after her. She ran through the party of people, Jenny and Eric catching up with her just in time to ride the elevator down to the lobby.
“Agnes, what the hell is going on with you?” Eric yelled after her, the three of the running out of the lobby doors.
Agnes ran towards the street, twirling around with her hands in the hair. “It’s snowing!” she screamed into the air.
Jenny and Eric looked up at the sky, noticing for the first time that they were covered in falling snow. The day after she’d been released from the hospital, it had stopped snowing, the weathermen and woman claiming it would be the last of it, but looking into the sky it was clear to see that they were wrong. Eric and Jenny glanced at each other, before running to join their friend, dancing and laughing in the freezing cold.
“You know what this means, right?” Agnes turned to them. Eric and Jenny shook their heads. “In a couple days it will be a new year, marking a new us, and everything we hate about ourselves can change.”
And she was right. In a short amount of days, a new year was upon them, changing the atmosphere. And just like the snow, all of their problems will dissolve, leaving the past behind them. They would find new adventures, new problems, a new version of themselves, and they were going to do it together.
Chapter Thirteen <<---------------------->> Chapter Fifteen - The Final Chapter
Fandom: Gossip Girl
Pairing/Character(s): Nate/Jenny; additional characters
Rating: Mature
Type: Hurt/Comfort/Romance
Spoilers: Completely AU
Summary: We all have problems, but for Jennifer Humphrey they' re much bigger. Will she be able to get over her addiction with his help and the help of others around her?
A/N: Thanks so much to my beta Jenna {_chngingx3lanes } You are amazing! I love you! Thanks so much for helping me out with the chapter!
Chapter Fourteen - Moments That Matter
Looking back on the photo album of my life
It's the little things that make us smile
Like very first time that you discovered true love
It's a feeling you can't describe
But it always stays on your mind
Or the first time you hear a song on the radio
That gives you goose bumps all over from head to toe
Or the time you stayed up all night talking on the phone
And you looked up and realize she's staring at the same star as you
That's what gets me sentimental
That's what life's all about
That's what gets me all emotional
Bothered with all the things I can do without
'Cause I figured out these are the moments that matter
And I figured out, that these are the moments that mean the most to me
'Cause I know I got friends, trust, family, and love
The smell of pine filled the nose of Jenny Humphrey the moment she stepped out of her uncle's overpriced car. The aroma was strong and potent around her, preventing her from smelling her own perfume which she'd put on that morning for the occasion. Dan was standing beside her, wiping the sleep-crust away from his brown eyes, mouth open to let out a yawn. Bex looked dead on her feet, dark hair piled on top of her head. The two of them were groaning and complaining, furious at Rufus for awakening them from deep sleeps so early in the day. Rufus had awoken everyone up bright and early that morning, insisting they drive into the countryside of New York to pick up a real Christmas tree. But while her cousin and soon-to-be aunt were complaining, Jenny was loving the idea of picking out their own tree. It was something she’d never done with her father and mother in the past, and Rufus was happy to fulfill the experience she’d never gotten. It wasn’t like her uncle to pick out his own Christmas tree, having people do the task for him, but this year was different.
Three days prior, Jenny was released from the hospital. Rufus decided on the decision of not returning her to the previous rehabilitation center she attended after her last trip to the hospital. Instead, Jenny was to stay with him and Bex in the city, completing the rest of the school year away from SJCB. Jenny was upset at first, not wanting to spend the rest of her days away from Nate, Eric, and Agnes. But after a long talk with her therapist, Susan Boyd, Jenny saw the reason for the change. She wasn’t ready to be trusted backing into the world her peers. Their comments about her would not doubt send her back into a relapse. All of her friends and Nate were supportive of the idea, deciding that it was best for Jenny. She needed to be in an environment that was less crowded, a place where she could be herself after the accident, without judgment.
Jenny knew that she was going to hate being separated form Nate the most, the two of them spending every waking hour together since departing for the Christmas holiday. Nate was currently spending the holidays with his mother, Anne, at her house in the Hampton. Jenny was a bit sad when he told her of his plan, knowing that was going to miss him terribly. But she also knew that he hadn’t seen his mother in a long time, the time spend with her would be a good thing for him. So Jenny put on her bravest face, trying not to be selfish as she encouraged him to spend Christmas with his mother. Nate agreed to her that he would come back for Rufus’s New Years concert, not wanting her to miss out on a chance to kiss him at midnight.
“Alright, everybody, let the tree hunting begin.” Rufus clapped his gloved clad hands together, a wide smile on his face. He was enjoying the sudden tradition more than anyone. “We split into teams. Jenny and Dan against Bex and I.”
Jenny raised her hand into the air. “What do the winners get?” She bounced on the balls of her feet, anticipating the response.
If possible, the smile on Rufus’ face grew wider. He rubbed the stubble on his chin, thinking of a good prize for the wining team. “…the winning team will get to choose everyone’s outfits for this years Christmas card.”
Dan yawned loudly, totally uninterested. “Since when do we take pictures for Christmas cards?”
Rufus rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “Since now.” He gave Dan 'the look', which meant he wasn't allowed to question him further on the sudden decision he'd made.
“I like the idea, Uncle Rufus.” Jenny beamed, honestly. She loved the idea of sending out family Christmas cards, wearing matching outfits. It seemed so normal, and normal was what Jenny was aiming for in the new year.
After going over the rules of the game, Rufus grabbed Bex's hand saying, “Let the games began.” With that, he was off into the pine.
Jenny grabbed her cousins arm, dragging him further into the lot of trees. She scanned the rows, looking for the perfect tree. She could remember the one her mother use to order from the catalogue, but those were always artificial due to her father’s allergies. Which didn’t help her in the current situation she was in. Looking over at Dan, his eyes halfway closed, she sighed, knowing he wouldn’t be any help.
“Are you going to help me look at all?” Jenny wondered, turning slightly to look at his face. Dan wiped his eyes of sleep, shaking his head softly. He was in no condition to help anyone.
“Jenny, I really don't want to do this.” She crossed her arms over the front of her sweater, glaring at him. This was suppose to be a fun family activity, and Dan was bringing her down.
Jenny threw her hands into the air, letting out a sigh of frustration, before stopping off away from her joy-kill cousin. Dan trailed behind her, not wanting to fall out from sleep without having a family member close by. He really wanted to help Jenny find the perfect tree, but the sleep he'd been deprived of for the past couple days wouldn't let him. When they crossed paths with Bex and Rufus, it looked as though they were having the same problem. Bex sleepwalked next to Rufus, while he tried to keep her from falling to the ground.
“Uncle Rufus, I demand a partner switch!” Jenny stomped her foot, pointing towards Dan.
Without hesitation, Rufus let go of Bex. “I agree.” He grabbed a hold of Jenny's arm, the two of the walking away from their sleepy tree picking partners.
Once they were gone, Dan turned to Bex. “Wanna go get back in the car and sleep?” Bex held up Rufus' keys, jingling them, before leading the way to the car.
It had been a while since she’d had a normal Christmas, temporarily making her forget what the holiday was all about. It was a bout something more than just presents. It was the birth of something great, something special. It was a time for families to come together, engrave traditions into their world, keeping them until the end of time. Because of the demise of her family, Jenny had forgotten about everything that involved the holiday. It used to be just another day to her, trying to dodge the furious blows of her father’s fist, huddling in a small blanket to keep the freezing cold at bay. But this year was different, this year she had people in her life that cared for deeply. This year, Jenny was going to make the most of it, enable traditions she’d never been apart of.
Jenny spent the rest of the tree hunting mission with Rufus, looking for the perfect tree to fit inside of the penthouse. They were unsuccessful for a while, finding ones that were either too big, too small, too green, too brown, too spikey, the list of imperfections getting longer and longer. But just when Rufus was ready to give up, have one of his assistants find a tree, Jenny gasped. She'd spotted the perfect tree, it's green leaves succulent and bright. It was the perfect size to fit inside of the penthouse, tall, but not enough to overpower the rest of the room. Rufus immediately snatched up the tree, paying more than he usually would for it.
The moment they arrived home, Amelia had set out ornaments, different shapes, sizes, colors, and style for them to put on the tree. Dan and Bex rushed towards their room, leaving Jenny and Rufus to decorate the tree, giving them a chance to bond. Rufus wanted them all to makeup the tree together as a family, but he was more than happy to spend the time alone with Jenny, the two of them catching up on all the time they’d missed together. After being placed in the right spot-in front of the big window in the living room next to the fire place-and trimmed, Jenny and Rufus began placing items on the tree.
Rufus picked up a silver glass ornament, placing it on his side of the three. “So, how are things with you and Nate?”
Jenny glanced at her uncle, picking up a blue round ornament. Ever since she and Nate began dating, her uncle finding out, he’d never asked about their relationship, until now. “Good. I can’t wait to see him on New Years.”
She waited patiently for Rufus to speak, eyeing him curiously. She was glad he’d asked about her relationship, but it was still uncomfortable. Rufus placed another ornament on the tree, thinking of another direction in which he could take the conversation. There were some things he wanted to know about Jenny, and how her love life was going with a boy older than her was not on the list. The overprotective father in him was surfacing, an emotion that only came around when he’d first found out about Jenny’s first boyfriend and that day at the hospital, when he’d ask Nate to leave.
“I‘m glad that you’re happy with Nate,” Rufus smiled, throwing the empty box that was once filled with ornaments into the trash.
Jenny smiled, tucking a clump of hair behind one ear, before placing anther ornament on the tree. “Thanks, Uncle Rufus.”
He smiled back, sitting down on the couch, admiring the progress they’d made. “Are the two of you going to exchange gifts?”
She sat down next to him, pulling her legs up to her chest, hugging them. “Yeah, but I don’t know what to get him.”
“I can help you,” Rufus offered, running hand over his dark brown hair. “…I am after all, a male, like Nate.”
Jenny laughed, swatting her uncle on the arm. “Yeah, but he is so much younger than you.”
Rufus' jaw dropped, hand over his chest as if was hurt. The playfulness in his eyes told Jenny it was all an act. “Are you calling me old?”
She placed a hand on her hip, standing her ground. “If the orthopedic shoes fit, grandpa.” She giggled, waiting for his comeback.
He nodded, rubbing hand down his scruffy face. Without warning, he lunged towards Jenny, tickling her sides, making her giggle with delight. It was a moment she’d never shared with her own father, the love he was never able to give to her. But with Rufus it was natural, their love for each other obvious to one another and the people around them. She was his blue-eyed girl and he was her savior, the one person besides Nate that pledged never to hurt her like the people she’d left in her past life.
~*~
Jenny stood on the sidelines of the party with Eric and Agnes, watching as the parental units of the Upper East Side made fools of themselves, downing multiple glasses of champagne. It was Christmas day, and everyone was gathered at the home of Lily and Bart Bass, Upper East Side's most powerful adult couple. When arriving to the party, Jenny said her 'hellos' to the couple, before Lily pointed her in the direction of Eric's bedroom. When Jenny arrived at her friend’s door, she pushed it open softly, waiting until he was done with his phone conversation with Madison to make her appearance known. Eric was happy to see her, his smile bright, the two of them embracing in a tight friendly hug. The two of them spent have the party up in Eric’s room, talking about the upcoming school year, how much fun they’ll have as juniors. Eric showed Jenny his music and book selection, the two of them comparing favorites. After a while, Agnes popped into the room, her long mahogany hair bunched up on the top of her head.
After spending so much time in Eric’s room, the trio became hungry, joining the party for food. Agnes somehow got them an invite into the kitchen, the three of them eating hot and fresh roll from the oven, talking randomly with the serving staff. One of the waiters, a twenty year old college student, recognized Agnes from her clothing ads, telling her that he was a huge fan. Agnes ended up signing his white shirt, forcing him to go into a sea of rich people with her name written in sharpie marker on his back. They laughed every time he walked past them. Jenny was having a great time with her friends, happy that they were in her life, as well as her family.
Earlier in the day, Jenny and the fest of her family exchanged gifts. For the ones she loved, Jenny gave Rufus a new leather jacket, the one he’d been wearing ragged and old. She wanted him to go into the new year with a new look. Rufus graciously accepted the gift. For Dan, she gave him book filled with all of his favorite writers, their most famous work of their lifetime. Dan was overexcited about his gift, giving Jenny a big hug. For Bex, she gave her a one of a kind, Jenny Humphrey design. Bex was jubilant, telling Jenny that she loved the halter shaped, black satin dress. Jenny was overjoyed that her family loved the gifts she’d gotten them, with Nate’s help of course.
Jenny herself received a diamond charm bracelet from Rufus. He’d promised that every time a song of his reached the top of the charts, he would add a charm. So far, Jenny had one, a small gold microphone, representing the song he’d already made a hit because of her influence. Jenny smiled at the gift, never receiving anything like it. From Dan, she received four new sketch books for her designs, complete with a set of different types of drawing utensils and sample fabrics. Jenny loved the gift, telling Dan he was the best. Bex gave her a new sewing machine with new 23 sewing patterns as the one she’d brought last month with Serena. Jenny was gracious for all of the gifts she’d received that morning from her family. She’d never been apart of anything like she had that morning. Even before her father’s business went under, he was always too busy in the past to care about Christmas morning, while her mother simply went own as if it were a normal day.
“What time is it?” Agnes turned towards Eric. He glanced at his watch, telling her the time. It was almost midnight. “You wanna do the gift exchange now?”
“Yeah,” Jenny nodded, following Eric and Agnes back upstairs. At the beginning of the week, the three of them made a deal to get each other a gift, exchanging them at midnight. Once in Eric's room, they each sat down on the bed, getting ready.
“I have a suggestion,” Agnes piped in, holding both of the presents she'd brought for Jenny and Eric in her lap. “Before we give a person their gift, you have to say one thing you like about the person.”
“…and something you don't like about the person,” Eric added, a playful smile. Both girls nodded in agreement. “Agnes, you go first.”
She handed a small silver box to Jenny. “I like that you don't judge me for the things I do.” She opened the box, reveling a diamond pair of earrings.
“Thank you, A.” Agnes and Jenny hugged. She ran a hand over the diamond, a smile on her face. “Now, what don't you like about me?”
Agnes groaned, throwing her head back. “I don't like that you have no idea how strong you are, because you're the strongest person I know.” The girls hugged again, a tear escaping Jenny's eye.
“Alright, alright, it's my turn now.” Eric announced, waiting for Agnes to reveal his gift.
“Eric, I like how you're always there for me and Jenny no matter what.” She handed him a blue box. He opened it, revealing a watch, with matching cufflinks. The pair hugged. “I don't like how you hide your light. You tend to shy away from who you really are.”
He nodded, while Jenny brought forward her gifts. She handed a small red box to Agnes. “I like how you're always able to make me laugh when I'm feeling low.”
Agnes opened the box, reveling a silver charm bracelet with a skull and crossbones. “It's just like yours.” She lifted it from the box, letting Eric clamp it onto her wrist.
Jenny smiled, holding up her arm, showing Agnes her own bracelet. “Now we match.” The girls hugged, wiping away each other’s joyful tears. “…and I don't like how you let your sister walk over you.”
Agnes nodded. “Me either.” She tucked a strand of hair behind one ear, a sad smile on her face. Eric patted her shoulder, sympathetically, before taking the present Jenny handed him. He opened the box, a smile on his face. It was a framed picture of the two of them, holding the self-help books they'd gotten from group therapy.
“I like that you're always there for me, especially when I'm being a baby.” Jenny smiled, smacking her friend on the shoulder. “...and I don't like how you never share things with me.”
Eric reached behind him, grabbing the two gift bags off of the floor. He handed the red one to Jenny. “I like that you're not one of those girls that ditch her friends for her boyfriend.” The three of them laughed, Jenny smacking Eric upside of the head. Once the laughter died down, he continued, “...and I don't like how you don't give yourself enough credit. You're a really strong person, Jenny.”
He handed Jenny her present. It was a picture of the three of them under their favorite tree at school. Below the picture, it said: 'The Best of Times'. Jenny glanced at both of friends. She was more than lucky to have them in her life. “I love you, guys.”
Agnes smiled, patting Jenny's hair. She turned her attention to Eric, holding her hands out. He handed her the bag. Inside was a framed picture of herself, the first International print ad she'd ever done. It had been a while since she'd seen it. “I like that you're the most original person I've ever met.”
She lunged forward, hugging him tightly to her. “Thank you!” Jenny smiled at her friends, joyful of how they all got along with one another.
“Alright, now for the bad part,” Eric laughed playfully. He looked Agnes in the eyes. “I agree with Jenny. I don't like how you let Georgina treat you.”
The three of them sat for a while, processing the truth of each other's words, trying to figure out what was next. Jenny appreciated their opinion, but there was just something inside of her that had a hard time believing that she was a strong person. All her life she considered herself to be different things, but none of them ever stuck, always dissolving in a matter of days. To think of herself as a strong willed person was impossible. In her mind, she hadn’t done anything that she consider to make her a strong person. Sure she'd gotten over a horrible thing that happened to her, but that was all because of the help of her friends and family.
“Oh my effing god!” Agnes shrieked, running towards Eric's bedroom door, startling her friends. Without word, she ran out the door, forcing Eric and Jenny to follow after her. She ran through the party of people, Jenny and Eric catching up with her just in time to ride the elevator down to the lobby.
“Agnes, what the hell is going on with you?” Eric yelled after her, the three of the running out of the lobby doors.
Agnes ran towards the street, twirling around with her hands in the hair. “It’s snowing!” she screamed into the air.
Jenny and Eric looked up at the sky, noticing for the first time that they were covered in falling snow. The day after she’d been released from the hospital, it had stopped snowing, the weathermen and woman claiming it would be the last of it, but looking into the sky it was clear to see that they were wrong. Eric and Jenny glanced at each other, before running to join their friend, dancing and laughing in the freezing cold.
“You know what this means, right?” Agnes turned to them. Eric and Jenny shook their heads. “In a couple days it will be a new year, marking a new us, and everything we hate about ourselves can change.”
And she was right. In a short amount of days, a new year was upon them, changing the atmosphere. And just like the snow, all of their problems will dissolve, leaving the past behind them. They would find new adventures, new problems, a new version of themselves, and they were going to do it together.
Chapter Thirteen <<---------------------->> Chapter Fifteen - The Final Chapter