Royalty // Chuck Bass

Chapter 2

The Wild Brunch

I bet you're wondering what Gossip Girl is doing up so early. Truth is, I never went to bed. Why waste precious time dreaming when waking life is so much better? Is there really anything better than a lazy Sunday? Reading the paper in bed, sipping coffee, scrambling an egg or two. Yeah, right. We Upper East Siders don't do lazy. Breakfast is brunch and it comes with champagne, a dress code, and a hundred of our closest friends. And enemies. Chuck's dad, Bart Bass, and Anna's dad, Andrew Hawthorne are hosting the annual brunch for their foundation. Everyone is invited. Well... not everyone.

Anna looked in the large mirror in front of her at her white dressing table as her hand smoothed out her baby pink dress while Elena fixed her long locks of brunette hair, which was curled slightly more than usual. It was the morning of her father and Bart Bass's Annual Foundation Brunch at the Palace Hotel and being the daughter of the co-owner of Bass Industries means attendance followed by perfect manners, grace and elegance.

"Anastasia are you nearly dressed?" Her mother's modulated voice called as she made her way through the big halls of the Hawthorne penthouse.

"Yes Mother." Anna replied as she inserted her diamond dangle earrings into her ears and put her matching pink shoes on.

"Oh hunny you look beautiful." Diana spoke as she looked up and down at her daughter's outfit choice.

"As do you mother." Anna answered as she examined her mother's navy knee length dress with silver shoes and a matching purse in her left hand.

"Your father is nearly ready and then we'll be leaving. Bart wants us there nice and early along with himself and Charles in order to great the guests as they arrive." Her mother said as she looked in her daughter's dressing table mirror and fixed her own hair slightly with her hand before adjusting a piece behind her left ear.

"Of course." Anna faked smiled at the thought of seeing the young Bass boy again after their encounter in the empty Palace hotel kitchen and him being punched by Dan Humphrey at Blair's party.

"I'll call you when we're ready to go." Diana spoke as she headed downstairs to the living room.

"Elena would you please get me a strong latte. I'm gonna need it." Anna asked the maid as she fixed her dress for what seemed like the millionth time. She was nervous and couldn't understand why. It was a simple brunch. She had attended many of them in her life but something about this one felt different.

"Of course Miss Anna." The woman excused herself and left to get the coffee the young girl requested.

Anna sat down at her dressing table and put a couple of things like mascara, lipstick and gloss in her bag along with her cell phone.

Elena arrived with the coffee and left it in front of the brunette before excusing herself and leaving. Anna simply drank her coffee as she looked in the mirror, enjoying the silence in the room. But that silence didn't last long as five minutes later Elena arrived back to inform Anna that they were leaving for the brunch.

Anna took a deep breath and looked in the mirror once more before grabbing her bag and heading downstairs. She arrived in the living room to see her mother fixing her father's suit tie

"Anna you look lovely." Her father commented as he spotted his daughter descending the last few steps of the staircase.

"Thanks dad." He placed a kiss on her head as she spoke. "Let's go."