gossip girl 12 终结-第24部分

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St。　Jude’s　classmates。　Jeremy　had　always　been　excessively　skinny　and　only　about　five　foot　two；　but　he’d　obviously　had　a　late…adolescent　growth　spurt　in　college。　He　was　huge；　massive！　Jeremy　was　trailed　by　Charlie　Dern　and　Anthony　Avuldsen；　who　were　wearing　matching　Hamilton　College　visors　perched　on　the　sides　of　their　heads　to　plement　their　matching　beer　guts。

Nate　held　out　a　hand　and　Jeremy；　Charlie；　and　Anthony　all　slapped　it　in　turn；　their　customary　salute。　Charlie’s　eyes　bugged　beneath　his　floppy　bangs　as　he　took　in　his　old　friend。　“I　thought　you　were　in；　like；　the　army。”

Close　enough。

“Nah；　I　was　in　school；”　Nate　said。　While　he　was　excited　to　see　his　old　St。　Jude’s　buddies；　he　didn’t　really　feel　like　playing　catch…up。　How　could　he　explain　about　sailing　the　world；　about　Chips；　about　what　he　was　up　to　now？　They　probably　had　no　clue　what　Deep　Springs　was　or　what　it　was　really　about。　But　he　knew　Serena　would　get　it。　He　suddenly　wanted　to　be　with　Serena；　alone。

“Where　have　you　guys　been？　Beer　Pong　State？”　Serena　easily　teased　the　guys。

Nate　cracked　a　grin；　glad　that　Serena　was　acting　so　chill。　She　hadn’t　grabbed　his　wrist；　dragged　him　to　a　corner；　and　yelled　at　him　for　being　an　asshole。　That　was　nice。

Nate　realized　that　everyone　was　looking　at　him　curiously　and　snapped　out　of　his　reverie。　“I　know　how　to　milk　a　cow；”　he　said　randomly。

Congratulations。

“Man；　really？”　Jeremy　asked；　his　eyes　wide。　“So；　like；　you　just　squeeze？”

“Well；　sort　of。”　Nate　thought　back　to　Juliet；　his　favorite　cow　in　the　barn。　He’d　sometimes　find　himself　whispering　to　her；　telling　her　stories　about　the　day　or　asking　her　questions。　He’d　always　feel　reassured　when　she’d　moo　back；　as　if　she　understood　what　he　meant。　In　a　way；　it　was　the　same　way　he　felt　when　he　was　with　Serena。　Not　like　Serena　reminded　him　of　a　cow；　but　he　didn’t　feel　nervous　or　scared　or　judged　when　he　was　with　her。　It　was　nice。

“Really？”　Serena　asked；　grinning　as　if　it　was　the　most　amusing　thing　she’d　heard　all　day。　Nate　felt　a　surge　of　pride　to　realize　he　could　still　make　her　smile。　Did　that　mean　she　forgave　him？

Maybe　he　should　ask　his　cow　what　she　thinks。

“Yeah。　Her　name’s　Juliet；”　Nate　said。　He　didn’t　really　want　to　talk　about　cows　anymore；　but　if　he　wasn’t　talking　about　that；　he　didn’t　know　what　he’d　start　babbling　about。　Cows　seemed　like　a　pretty　safe　choice。　“She　has　really　long　eyelashes　and　likes　to　be　touched　behind　the　ears。”

Don’t　we　all？

“Should　I　be　worried？”　Serena　giggled。　She　couldn’t　believe　she’d　been　so　nervous　about　talking　to　Nate。

“Dude；　you　either　got　really　fucking　weird　or　you　have　some　fucking　amazing　weed　I　need　to　sample　immediately。”　Anthony　wiggled　his　eyebrows　crazily。

“Nah；”　Nate　replied　simply。

“I’m　getting　some　brews。”　Anthony　turned　on　his　heel；　trailed　by　Charlie　and　Jeremy。

Nate　shook　his　head　dreamily；　as　if　he　hadn’t　noticed　they’d　already　left。　“I　can’t　believe　you’re　here；”　he　said　to　Serena。　A　stray　eyelash　sat　on　her　cheekbone。　He　gently　brushed　it　away　with　his　index　finger　before　he　realized　he　should　have　saved　it。　When　they　were　little；　Serena　had　taught　him　to　make　a　wish　on　an　eyelash　and　then　blow　it　away。

“Did　you　steal　my　wish？”　Serena　asked；　tilting　her　face　up　toward　him。

“I　hope　not；”　Nate　whispered　huskily　as　he　leaned　down　to　kiss　her。

Wish　granted。

for　auld　lang　syne

“Are　you　ready？”　Blair　fidgeted　with　the　clasp　on　her　Prada　clutch　while　Pete　sipped　his　cappuccino。　It　was　already　eleven　o’clock。　They　were　at　Da　Silvano　on　West　Fourth　for　a　romantic　New　Year’s　dinner　before　they　headed　to　the　party　in　the　Bass　suite。　She　couldn’t　wait　to　show　off　Pete　to　all　her　bitchy　former　Constance　classmates—including　Serena。　Blair　figured　she’d　be　there　and　planned　to　act　cordial。　After　all；　it　must　be　hard　to　be　a　boyfriendless；　confused；　washed…up　ex–movie　star　at　the　tender　age　of　nineteen。

How　generous　of　her。

Blair　wore　a　tight　black　and　silver　DVF　dress；　and　Pete’s　blond　hair　flopped　adorably　into　his　blue　eyes。　In　his　bright　blue　Thomas　Pink　button…down；　he　made　the　perfect　accessory。

She　smiled　in　satisfaction；　trying　to　stifle　a　yawn。　She　didn’t　want　to　be　tired；　but　it　had　been　a　long　day。　They’d　spent　Christmas　in　LA　with　her　family；　and　had　just　gotten　to　the　city　this　afternoon。　Pete　had　always　wanted　to　celebrate　New　Year’s　in　New　York；　and　Blair　was　excited　to　show　him　where　she　grew　up；　especially　after　spending　a　week　in　her　family’s　tacky　Pacific　Palisades　McMansion。　She　couldn’t　wait　to　reexperience　all　the　cheesy　romantic　things　New　York　had　to　offer　with　her　boyfriend。　She　wanted　to　go　skating　at　Wollman　Rink；　take　a　horse…drawn　carriage　ride　through　Central　Park　while　sipping　mulled　wine　out　of　a　thermos；　and　have　drinks　at　Top　of　the　Rock。　Even　though　Blair　hated　cheesiness；　she　didn’t　mind　it　when　she　was　with　Pete。

Aw。

“Ready。”　Pete　put　down　his　cup　and　signaled　to　the　waiter　for　the　check。　“So；　remind　me　who　I’m　going　to　meet　tonight？”　He　took　his　AmEx　from　his　worn　leather　wallet　and　slipped　it　in　the　folder。

“Well；　Chuck　is　hosting　the　party。　He’s…　plicated；”　Blair　began。　plicated　was　an　understatement。　Senior　year；　Chuck　had　practically　molested　every　member　of　the　Constance　Billard　student　body；　then　had　bee　what　could　only　be　described　as　gay；　wearing　socks　with　monkey　appliqués　on　them。　Now　he　went　to　Deep　Springs；　some　queer…sounding　all…guys　college　in　California。　Deep　Springs　was　a　working　farm　where　students　cultivated　alfalfa　and　read　Proust。　Which　was　all　random；　but　sort　of　fit　Chuck’s　try…anything…once　personality。　The　most　bizarre　thing　was　that　Nate　was　apparently　there　as　well。　When　he’d　run　out　on　her　and　Serena　last　winter；　Blair　had　half　expected　him　to　e　to　Yale　anyway。　But　when　the　first　week　of　classes　came　and　went　without　him；　and　when　she　called　his　cell　and　found　it　was　disconnected；　she’d　known　he　was　gone　for　good。　Which　was　probably　for　the　best。

A　few　weeks　after　the　start　of　the　semester；　on　a　snowy　Wednesday；　she’d　spotted　Pete　walking　into　the　student　center。　She’d　spontaneously　gone　to　the　coffee　bar；　bought　a　medium　coffee；　skim　milk；　no　sugar；　walked　up　to　the　table　where　he　was　reading　The　Love　Poems　of　Pablo　Neruda；　and　offered　it　to　him。　It　was　a　gesture　that　surprised　him—almost　as　much　as　she　surprised　herself。　They’d　ended　up　cutting　their　afternoon　classes；　cuddling　underneath　his　duvet；　and　ordering　a　greasy　pizza　from　Yorkside。　And　ever　since　then；　it　had　been　her　and　Pete。　They’d　lived　in　New　Haven　together　over　the　summer—Blair　had　worked　on　the　campaign　for　a　Connecticut　senator　while　Pete　did　research　for　his　history　professor。　At　night；　they’d　wear　as　little　clothing　as　possible　to　keep　cool　in　the　un…air…conditioned　house。　She’d　make　brunch　every　weekend　and　they’d　spend　Sundays　in　bed　reading　the　Times。　Being　with　Pete　made　her　feel　like　a　grown…up。　Pete　was　a　real　man；　and　Nate　was　just　a　sad　little　adolescent　who　had　no　idea　what　he　wanted。

Is　that　so？

“Well；　it’s　Chuck’s　party；　and　then　there’ll　probably　be　Kati　Farkas　and　Isabel　Coates　and　Laura　Salmon。　Just　these　girls　from　school；”　Blair　said　hurriedly；　trying　to　get　the　conversation　back　on　track。

“What　about　Serena？”　Pete　cocked　his　head　expectantly。　Blair　shrugged。　Normally；　she　loved　how　Pete　remembered　every　little　thing　she’d　told　him—like　how　the　only　Audrey　Hepburn　movie　she　didn’t　like　was　Wait　Until　Dark　and　how　she’d　accidentally　kissed　her　first　Yale　interviewer。　But　he　didn’t　know　how　plicated　her　best　friendship　with　Serena　was；　and　Blair　wanted　to　keep　it　that　way。

Wonder　why？

“I　don’t　know。”　Blair　shrugged　and　scraped　her　chair　away　from　the　table。　They’d　barely　spoken　at　all　since　last　winter。　Serena　had　sent　her　tickets　to　the　premiere　of　Coffee　at　the　Palace；　but　of　course　Blair　hadn’t　gone。

She　hovered　over　Pete　as　he　signed　his　messy　boy　signature　on　the　check。　Briefly；　she　wondered　if　Nate　could　possibly　be　at　the　party；　then　shook　off　the　idea。　Once；　in　high　school；　when　she　and　Serena　were　smoking　Merits　on　the　steps　of　the　Met；　they　came　up　with　the　theory　that　you　had　an　almos