gossip girl 12 终结-第4部分

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ty　Fair；　part　of　her　felt　stuck。　She’d　e　home　from　her　big　premiere；　thinking　it　would　be　the　greatest　night　of　her　life；　to　her　same　pink　childhood　bedroom　in　her　parents’　sprawling　Upper　East　Side　penthouse。　If　possible；　she　almost　felt　less　grown…up　than　she　had　before　graduating；　especially　since　she　now　had　an　agent　and　a　publicist　who　told　her　exactly　what　to　wear；　what　to　say；　and　who　to　be　seen　with。　The　real　world　felt　a　lot　different　than　she’d　imagined。

“A　sequel　sounds　great！”　Isabel　cooed。　“Anyway；　I　was　just　showing　Casey　all　of　our　old　haunts。　Remember　hours　trying　things　on　at　Barneys；　and　then　so　much　time　just　eating　spaghetti　and　meatballs　upstairs　at　Fred’s？　That　all　feels　like　so　long　ago　now；”　she　mused；　nuzzling　her　head　against　Casey’s。　The　guys　standing　around　them　were　all　drooling　over　the　lesbian…chic　couple。

“It　does；”　Serena　agreed　wholeheartedly。　Just　a　matter　of　months　ago；　she　and　Blair　and　Kati　and　Isabel　would　meet　before　school　to　smoke　Merits　on　the　Met　steps　and　imagine　their　lives　in　college。　Now；　Blair　was　pre…law　at　Yale；　Isabel　was　a　lesbian；　Kati　was　running　around　with　pink　Greek　letters　on　her　ass；　and　Serena　was　trying　to　make　a　go　of　it　in　the　movies。

“So；　have　you　seen　anyone　yet？”　Isabel　asked。

“No。”　Serena　shook　her　head。　For　her；　only　two　people　really　mattered：　Blair　and　Nate。　She　and　Blair　had　kept　in　touch　since　Blair　headed　up　to　New　Haven；　and　once　Serena　had　sent　Blair　a　package　full　of　Wolford　stockings　and　black…and…white　cookies；　in　a　bow…tied　Barneys　bag—some　of　Blair’s　favorite　New　York　things。　Blair　had　reciprocated　with　a　stuffed　bulldog　wearing　a　Yale　T…shirt。　It　was　sitting　on　Serena’s　dresser；　next　to　a　silver…framed　picture　of　the　two　of　them　wearing　enormous　hats　at　a　Kentucky　Derby　party　sophomore　year。　They’d　send　e…mails　and　texts；　but　never　anything　long　or　involved。　It　was　fine；　though。　Blair　and　Serena　were　the　type　of　friends　who　could　go　for　weeks　and　even；　one　time；　months　without　speaking；　then　pick　up　right　where　they　left　off。

As　for　Nate…　Serena　hadn’t　talked　to　him　since　he　left；　to　sail　the　world　for　a　year。　He　had　left　her　crushed；　and　she　wondered　if　she’d　ever　see　him　again。　But　she　didn’t　want　to　think　about　that　right　now。

Or　ever。

“Are　you　going　to　Chuck’s　New　Year’s　party？”　Isabel　asked；　draining　the　rest　of　her　Grey　Goose　and　cranberry。　“I　mean；　I　know　he’s；　like；　such　a　misogynist；　but　I　figured；　you　can　only　protest　so　much；　you　know？　I　prepared　Casey。”

“Wait；　Chuck　is　back　from　military　school？”　Serena　asked；　suddenly　eager　to　hear　everything。　She　hadn’t　thought　about　Chuck—with　his　sketchy　history；　his　trademark　monogrammed　scarf；　or　his　questionable　sexuality—since　graduation。　But　the　last　she’d　heard；　after　getting　rejected　from　all　twelve　schools　he’d　applied　to；　he’d　gone　to　some　tiny　underground；　remote…country…boot…camp　men’s　college。　Of　course　her　parents　saw　Chuck’s　parents　socially；　but　they　never　mentioned　what　he　was　doing。　It　was　an　unspoken　rule　on　the　Upper　East　Side　that　parents　didn’t　discuss　their　unsuccessful　children。

“He　must　be。”　Isabel　shrugged。　“The　party’s　on。　I　saw　Laura　Salmon　at　City　Bakery　this　morning　and　she　told　me　she　was　hanging　out　with　Rain　Hoffstetter　at　some　lame　Constance　alum　tea　party　that　Mrs。　M　organized。　Thank　God　we　missed　that。　But；　anyway；　I　guess　she　talked　to　Chuck。　I　don’t　know。　It’s　at　his　place　at　the　Tribeca　Star。　But　I　guess　since　you’re　a　movie　star　and　all　now；　you　probably　have　to　host　some　MTV　countdown　special　or　something；　right？”

“Well…”　Serena　trailed　off。　In　truth；　she　already　had　an　invite　to　a　New　Year’s　party　at　Thaddeus　Smith’s　West　Village　loft。　Thaddeus　had　been　her　Breakfast　at　Fred’s　costar　and　was　a　true　friend。　But　he　wouldn’t　mind　if　she　stopped　by　to　say　hi　and　then　went　off　to　Chuck’s　party。　Maybe　seeing　old　friends　was　all　she　needed　to　pull　herself　out　of　her　mood。

Alysia　tapped　Serena　urgently　on　the　shoulder。　“Let’s　go　someplace　else。　There’s　no　one　fun　here；”　she　pronounced　as　Amanda　and　Alison　nodded　their　bobbleheads　in　agreement。

“Please？”　Alison　whined。　She　stuck　out　her　Stila…glossed　lower　lip　and　whined　like　a　shih　tzu。

Serena　nodded　before　turning　to　Isabel。　“I’ll　see　you　at　Chuck’s；”　she　promised。　She　smiled　faintly　as　she　trailed　the　three　A’s　toward　the　door。　How　could　she　not　see　her　old　high　school　crowd？　While　she　might　not　have　been　thinking　of　them　all　that　much　recently；　it　wasn’t　like　she’d　forgotten　them。

And　they　certainly　haven’t　forgotten　her。

a　trip　can’t　last　forever；　even　for　n

Nate　Archibald’s　elbow　hit　a　beam；　and　he　woke　up　with　a　start。　His　tanned；　athletic　frame　was　wedged　in　the　crow’s　nest　of　the　Belinda；　the　ship　he　called　home。

Nate　was　traveling　the　world　with　his　mentor　and　friend　Chips。　Chips　had　been　Nate’s　father’s　mentor　way　back　when　he　was　in　the　navy；　and　for　the　past　four　months　they’d　followed　the　wind　and　the　stars　and　the　moon；　aided　only　by　Chips’s　antique　silver　pass。　It　was　amazing。　Nate　had　always　been　a　sailor；　and　had　even　taken　his　father’s　boat；　the　Charlotte；　up　and　down　the　eastern　seaboard　with　his　girlfriend；　Blair；　last　June。

Doesn’t　he　mean　ex…girlfriend？

Nate　rubbed　the　sleep　out　of　his　glittering　green　eyes　and　yawned。　They　were　somewhere　in　the　Bahamas；　but　it　felt　light…years　away　from　the　Upper　East　Side。　Maybe　it　was　the　tropical　air　and　the　nautical　living；　but　everything　about　his　old　life　seemed　far　away。　Sometimes；　he’d　try　to　remember　a　specific　event—the　first　time　he’d　bought　pot　from　the　pizza　dude　on　Lex　by　asking　for　two　slices　with　extra　oregano；　the　time　he’d　stolen　the　Charlotte　and　spent　a　weekend　with　Anthony　and　Charlie；　doing　bong　hits　and　eating　Oreos；　cruising　toward　Bermuda　at　half　a　mile　an　hour—but　the　scenes　were　always　fuzzy。　It　was　like　remembering　an　old　movie；　where　you　could　recall　random　moments；　but　not　the　beginning　or　ending。

Nate　leaned　back　against　the　rough…hewn　beams。　There　were　some　memories；　though；　that　he　replayed　almost　every　night。　In　the　moments　before　the　subtle　rocking　of　the　ocean　lulled　him　to　sleep；　he　pictured　Blair；　and　Serena　van　der　Woodsen；　his　other　best　friend　and　the　girl　he’d　lost　his　virginity　to。　Blair　cheesily　posing　in　front　of　the　polar…bear　exhibit　at　the　zoo；　Serena　with　her　blond　head　tipped　back；　laughing　hysterically　at　a　joke　only　she　found　funny；　Blair　in　front　of　Tiffany；　her　favorite　place　on　earth；　doing　her　best　Audrey　Hepburn　impression。　Serena　splashing　around　in　the　Venus　fountain　in　his　backyard；　looking　like　the　goddess　she　was。　He　wondered　if　they　ever　thought　about　him。

If　not；　there　are　plenty　of　girls　who　do。

He　knew　they　probably　weren’t　pining　for　him。　In　fact；　they　probably　hated　him。　He　loved　them　both；　and　of　course　he’d　never　been　able　to　choose　between　them。　This　past　summer；　he’d　even　cheated　on　Blair　with　Serena。　Finally；　when　he　couldn’t　decide　whether　to　go　to　Yale　with　Blair　or　stay　in　the　city　with　Serena；　he’d　chosen　to　travel　the　world　with　Chips。　He’d　been　so　confused。　So　conflicted。　So　afraid　to　make　a　choice；　in　case　he　chose　wrong。　But　now；　he　felt　different。

He　even　looked　different。　Months　of　sailing　had　tanned　his　skin　a　dark　bronze　color；　and　his　golden　brown　hair　was　now　almost　platinum…blond　in　places。　His　face　was　angular　and　hardened　and　a　blondish…brown　beard　covered　his　chin。　The　scruff　made　his　green　eyes　stand　out　that　much　more。　He　hadn’t　smoked　any　pot　since　they’d　left；　not　by　choice；　but　still；　it　felt　good。　His　head　felt　lighter；　clearer　somehow。

Nate　climbed　down　the　crow’s　nest　onto　the　polished　wood　deck。　It　was　just　after　sunrise　and　the　sky　was　suffused　with　a　pinkish　tint。　“Hello？”　he　called　out。　“Chips？”

“Nathaniel！”　Chips　called　from　the　boat’s　stern。　He　was　coiling　a　mass　of　rope；　a　frown　etched　on　his　weather…beaten　face。　With　his　white　linen　trousers；　navy　windbreaker；　and　shock　of　white　hair；　Chips　looked　like　a　tall　stocky　sea　captain　on　the　menu　of　a　lobster　restaurant。　But　beneath　his　stern　veneer；　he　was　actually　a　pretty　cool　guy；　especially　after　he’d　had　his　evening　tumbler　of　scotch。