mirror　above　the　bar。　Her　chestnut　brown　hair　was　limp　around　her　face　and　her　black　La　Perla　bra　strap　had　inched　down　her　shoulder。　Her　small；　lean　face　was　blotchy　and　red。　And　still；　Pete　loved　her。　Real　couples　loved　each　other　no　matter　what。　He　needed　to　know　everything。　And　then　it　really　would　be　over。

She　ran　her　hands　through　her　hair　and　turned　around；　waiting　until　Pete’s　eyes　connected　with　hers。　“Last　winter　break；　Nate　and　I　hooked　up　on　New　Year’s；”　Blair　said　quickly。　“I　didn’t　even　know　he　would　be　in　New　York；　I　thought　he　was　sailing　around　the　world；　but　then　we　ended　up　at　the　same　party；　and　we　were　both　by　ourselves　and　you　were　in　Costa　Rica　and　‘no　ring；　no　bring；’　and　it　just　happened。　But　that　was　last　year；　it　only　happened　once；　and　now　it　seems　he　and　Serena　are　together；　so　good　for　them；”　Blair　finished。　There。　That　didn’t　sound　too　bad。　She’d　acknowledged　it　for　what　it　was：　a　dumb　mistake　that　would　never　happen　again。

Never　say　never…。

Blair　picked　up　her　glass　and　took　a　long；　relieved　sip。　She　felt　like　a　weight　had　been　lifted　from　her　chest。　“I’m　really　glad　I　told　you；”　Blair　confessed；　reaching　out　to　grab　Pete’s　hand。

Pete　yanked　his　arm　away　as　if　he’d　been　burned。　His　face　looked　ashen。　“You　mean；　you　slept　with　him；”　he　finally　choked　out。

“But　it　didn’t　mean　anything！”　Blair　said　quickly。　She　hadn’t　really　thought　through　what　her　confession　would　mean　to　Pete。　“It　was　just　a　dumb；　onetime　mistake　that　happened　because　a　lot　of　old　feelings　got　stirred　up。”

“You　cheated。”　Pete　shook　his　head　in　disbelief。　“Jesus　Christ；　I’m　a　fucking　idiot！　You　cheated　and　you　never　told　me。　I　gave　you　a　ring！”

“No！”　Blair　said　desperately。　She　had　to　make　him　understand　that　it　hadn’t　mean