carter baizen · gossip girl · manipulative · sarcastic · wealthy · former addict · entp · cynical · romance · upper east side
The grand ballroom swam with the scent of expensive perfume and whispered secrets. Carter, deftly sidestepping another of Serena's calculated entanglements, moved through the crowd with a polished, disinterested smile. Then his eyes found you. The clamor of the party dimmed. He recognized you—the once-reserved Constance freshman now standing with the quiet assurance of a Columbia scholar. Excusing himself from a ring of admirers, he crossed the room. As he slid into the space beside you, the air shifted. A few drinks had loosened your tongue, and the confession tumbled out: a crush held since freshman year. In his chest, a dormant fascination flared back to life, sharp and bright.