gossip girl 12 终结-第38部分

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As　he　approached　the　campus　gates；　he　noticed　a　pretty　girl　in　a　bright　red　coat；　squinting　at　the　campus　map。　She　was　obviously　lost。　Something　about　her　made　Nate　want　to　go　over　and　help　her；　and　he　found　himself　stepping　away　from　the　group。

As　he　got　closer；　he　took　in　the　girl’s　long；　curly　brown　hair　and　milky　white　skin。　It　was　Jennifer　Humphrey；　the　sweet；　big…chested　freshman　he’d　hooked　up　with　senior　year！

Jenny　squinted　up　at　the　map　of　the　Brown　campus。　She’d　e　to　Providence　to　tour　RISD；　where　she’d　applied　back　in　November；　but　Brown　was　right　next　door；　and　she　figured　she　might　as　well　look　around。　If　she　could　ever　find　anything。　It　looked　a　lot　like　Waverly—the　snow…covered　green；　the　oversize　brick　buildings；　the　occasional　preppie…boho　student　who　crossed　her　path—except　bigger。　She　felt　a　tap　on　her　shoulder　and　turned　to　find　herself　looking　up　into　a　familiar　pair　of　glittering　green　eyes。

“Nate？”　she　squeaked；　her　voice　going　up　an　octave。　“I　mean；　Nate；”　she　repeated；　trying　to　sound　like　the　mature　and　collected　eighteen…year…old　she　was。　Or　would　be；　if　she　hadn’t　just　been　confronted　by　her　high　school　crush。

“Jennifer；　right？”　Nate　smiled　easily；　his　whole　face　lighting　up。

Jenny　nodded　mutely；　trying　to　ignore　the　sweat　beads　forming　along　her　hairline　and　her　heart　hammering　in　her　chest。　She　was　glad　her　belted　red　Searle　coat　was　buttoned　up　all　the　way；　so　Nate　couldn’t　see　the　red　hives　that　sprang　up　on　her　chest　when　she　was　embarrassed。

“Long　time　no　see。”　Nate　smiled。　“Do　you　go　here？”　His　green　eyes　searched　Jenny’s　dark　brown　ones。

Jenny　shook　her　head；　her　brunette　curls　bouncing　around　her　head　like　vines。　“I　just　went　on　a　tour　of　RISD。　I　applied　there；　and　Pratt；　but　I　can’t　decide　between　them。　I’m　a　senior　this　year；”　she　explained　nervously；　feeling　like　she’d　traveled　back　in　time　to　her　awkward　high　school　years。　She　might　as　well　be　wearing　her　seersucker　Constance　Billard　uniform；　worrying　about　whether　Mrs。　M　was　going　to　bust　her　for　talking　to　a　boy　on　campus。　“Do　you　go　here？”

“Nah。”　Nate　shuffled　from　side　to　side。　“Just　looking。　Where　are　you　headed　now？”

“My　brother’s　supposed　to　pick　me　up　on　Thayer　Street。　Think　you　can　help　me　find　it？”　Jenny　asked　coyly。

Who　can　resist　a　damsel　in　distress？

“I　think　it’s　that　way。”　Nate　pointed　to　a　set　of　tall　wrought…iron　gates　on　the　other　side　of　the　snowy　campus。　“I’ll　walk　over　there　with　you；”　he　offered；　and　led　the　way　down　a　path　that　ran　along　a　squat；　ivy…covered　building。

“Thanks！”　Jenny　practically　had　to　run　in　her　distressed　Frye　cowboy　boots　to　keep　up　with　Nate’s　long　strides。

Nate　slowed　down。　He’d　gotten　used　to　a　faster　clip；　keeping　up　with　Gertie　and　the　other　girls　on　the　farm。　“So；　do　you　go　to　Constance？”　he　asked。

“No；　I　go　to　Waverly。　It’s　a　boarding　school　upstate。　But　what　about　you？　Didn’t　you　go　to　Yale？”　She　remembered　hearing　about　Nate　getting　into　all　the　schools　he’d　applied　to；　despite　being　a　well…known　stoner　and　slacker。　She　hoped　she　didn’t　sound　like　a　stalker。

“I　go　to　Deep　Springs。　It’s　a　working　ranch　in　California。　We　spend　the　morning　reading　and　in　classes　and　then　the　afternoon　doing　manual　labor　on　the　ranch。”

“Oh。”　Jenny　wrinkled　her　nose。　Poor　Nate！　“Did　your　parents　make　you　go　there？”

Nate　shook　his　head；　his　green　eyes　suddenly　far…off。　Jenny　wondered　what　he　was　thinking　about。　He　seemed　so　much　older　than　the　guys　at　Waverly；　who　bragged　about　sneaking　booze　to　the　Crater；　Waverly’s　best　outdoor　party　spot；　or　how　many　times　they’d　fallen　asleep　in　Ms。　Hummerton’s　Texts　of　the　Twentieth　Century　class。　She　loved　Waverly；　but　she　was　more　than　ready　for　her　next　adventure。

And　it　might　just　be　more　imminent　than　she　thinks。

They　were　nearing　the　center　of　campus　and　Jenny　felt　her　heart　flutter　in　anticipation。　She　could　imagine　everyone　passing　them　thinking　they　were　a　couple　back　early　from　break；　deep　in　conversation　about　what　to　do　for　New　Year’s。

“So；　why　did　you　go　to　Deep　Springs？”　Jenny　pressed。

“I　just　needed　to　get　away　from　everything。　But　the　program　only　lasts　two　years；　and　then　you　transfer。　Next　year；　I’m　thinking　Brown。”　Nate　nodded　definitively。　The　tour　guide　had　been　annoying；　but　the　campus　was　pretty　and　Yale　was　out　of　the　question　now　that　both　Blair　and　Serena　were　there。　Or　so　he’d　heard。

Jenny　scanned　the　parked　cars　for　Dan’s　beat…up　Buick　Skylark　when　they　reached　Thayer　Street。　The　redbrick　sidewalk　was　confettied　with　coarse　salt。　“I’m　seriously　considering　RISD…。”　She　trailed　off；　hoping　Nate　would　make　the　connection。

Nate　smiled。　Jennifer　looked　really　cute　in　her　red　coat；　with　her　hair　pulled　back　from　her　round；　cherubic　face。　“Well；　if　you’re　at　RISD　and　I’m　here；　I　guess　we　may　be　seeing　each　other　a　lot　next　year。”

Jenny　smiled　right　back。　She’d　make　sure　of　it！

Just　the　sort　of　determination　every　college　admissions　officer　wants　in　a　college　candidate。

watching　him　watching　her　watching　him

It　was　a　Saturday　night　and　Vanessa　was　curled　up　on　the　black　leather　couch；　eating　takeout　straight　from　the　carton　and　watching　Flesh；　the　1968　Paul　Morrissey　movie　about　a　hustler　in　New　York　who　has　a　whole　lot　of　sex。　When　she’d　first　watched　it　in　high　school；　she’d　thought　she’d　missed　something。　Now；　she　realized　that　there　really　wasn’t　much　else　going　on　in　the　film。　It　was　practically　a　porno。

In　a　way；　everything—the　movie；　the　takeout；　the　fact　that　it　wasn’t　even　ten　o’clock　on　a　Saturday　night　and　she　was　curled　up　on　the　couch　wearing　an　oversize　purple　NYU　sweatshirt　and　a　pair　of　Hollis’s　boxer　shorts—was　the　same　as　her　life　had　been　five　years　ago；　when　she　was　fifteen　and　friendless。

Except　she　wasn’t　fifteen　anymore；　and　she　was　far　from　friendless—she　was　dating　Hollis　Lyons；　even　if　he　had　been　away　in　Iceland　for　the　last　ten　months。　She　was　living　in　a　spacious　loft　with　its　own　elevator　and　a　gorgeous　view　of　the　Williamsburg　Bridge。　She　was　a　junior　at　the　Tisch　School　of　the　Arts。　She　had　a　so…ugly…it’s…cute　reddish…brown　choodle；　currently　snoring　gently　on　the　floor。　She　had　everything　she　wanted。　So　why　did　she　feel　so　lame？

The　inter　buzzed；　which　was　odd；　since　she　wasn’t　expecting　anyone。　She　didn’t　hang　out　with　her　friends　much　anymore；　preferring　to　be　home　in　case　Hollis　called　from　Reykjavík。　The　movie　shoot　had　raged　on　for　months　and　months　longer　than　originally　planned；　and　now　he　was　still　there；　editing　on　location　until　the　end　of　January。　She’d　visited　once；　during　her　spring　break　in　April。　It　had　been　amazing　to　see　him；　but　devastating　to　leave　after　only　five　days。　They　e…mailed　as　much　as　they　could；　but　between　the　time　difference　and　his　insane　work　schedule；　they’d　barely　even　spoken　save　for　a　crackly　ten…minute　call　on　Christmas。　It　had　been　so　long　since　they’d　seen　each　other　that　Vanessa　sometimes　wondered　if　Hollis　had　been　a　figment　of　her　imagination。

Filmmakers　are　creative　people。

Vanessa　quickly　threw　the　empty　aluminum　container　into　the　plastic　takeout　bag　and　skidded　on　her　stockinged　feet　over　to　the　door；　pressing　the　video　inter　buzzer。　A　grainy　image　of　Ruby　and　her　baby；　Moxie；　sprang　onto　the　screen。

“It’s　your　sister　and　your　favorite　niece！”　Ruby　trilled；　unaware　that　Vanessa　could　see　them。　“And　it’s　fucking　freezing　down　here；”　she　added。

“e　on　up！”　Vanessa　yelled　happily。　Ruby　and　Piotr　had　moved　to　a　two…bedroom　apartment　in　Prospect　Heights　right　after　they’d　had　Moxie。　It　was　two　subway　rides　away；　and　Vanessa　missed　having　them　right　around　the　corner。　She　hurriedly　picked　up　a　pair　of　jeans　from　the　floor　and　pulled　them　on　over　the　boxers。

The　elevator　door　slid　open。　Ruby　was　bundled　up　in　a　black　Brooklyn　Industries　puffer　coat　and　a　red　hat；　and　eight…month…old　Moxie　wore　a　white　fur　hood。　She　looked　like　the　monkey　Chuck　Bass　used　to　tote　around　in　high　school。

Vanessa　immediately　plucked　the　baby　from　her　sister’s　hands。

“Don’t　say　hi　to　me。　I’m　just　the　mom；”　Ruby　joked　as　she　walked　into　the　large　loft。　“So；　Piotr’s　family　is　here　through