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第3部分（第2页）

“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。

“Take　a　look。”　Chips　passed　the　binoculars　over　to　Nate。　He　could　just　make　out　land；　fuzzy　in　the　distance。　“By　New　Year’s　Eve；　we’ll　be　at　the　Breakers；”　Chips　declared；　almost　to　himself。

“I’m　sorry？”　Nate　asked。　Wasn’t　the　Breakers　a　resort　in　Palm　Beach？　He　was　ready　to　stop　somewhere；　make　a　couple　calls　back　home；　sure。　He’d　thrown　his　phone　overboard　when　he’d　made　the　decision　to　sail　with　Chips　back　in　August；　so　he’d　only　been　able　to　call　home　occasionally；　when　they　stopped　at　various　islands。　He　hadn’t　even　been　able　to　wish　his　parents　a　Merry　Christmas。　Still；　he’d　been　hoping　their　next　stop　would　be　somewhere　a　little　more　adventurous；　like　Costa　Rica。　He’d　always　wanted　to　go　there。

Join　the　club。

“So　we’re　stopping　in　Palm　Beach？　And　where　to　after　that？”　Nate　asked。　Ever　since　they’d　left；　he’d　trusted　Chips　to　guide　them。　But　he　was　kind　of　wondering　what　Chips’s　grand　plan　was。

Instead　of　answering　his　question；　Chips　pulled　himself　back　up　into　a　stand