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第10部分（第2页）

“It’s　fine。　It’s　a　lot　of　sitting　around　and　waiting　for　something　to　happen　or　running　from　place　to　place；　meeting　people　you’re　never　going　to　see　again。　I　kind　of　wish　I　could　just　lie　in　the　grass　somewhere　and　read　books；”　Serena　mused。

“College　isn’t　really　about　lying　around　and　reading　books；”　Blair　scoffed；　placing　her　hand　territorially　on　Nate’s　thigh。

“I　know。”　Serena　sighed。　“I　just　miss　the　way　it　used　to　be；　sometimes。”

“I　don’t；”　Blair　said　as　the　waiter　set　their　plates　of　food　in　front　of　them。　“I　feel　like　our　real　lives　have　started。　Don’t　you　agree？”　She　turned　sharply　toward　Nate　and　snatched　a　slice　of　bacon　from　his　plate。

Suddenly；　Serena　couldn’t　stand　it　anymore。　If　she　had　to　watch　them　be　couply　with　each　other；　she　at　least　needed　a　drink。

She　cocked　her　head　and　gestured　to　the　waiter。　“A　round　of　mimosas？　We’re　celebrating！”　she　announced。　All　she　had　to　do　was　pretend　she　was　in　a　movie；　and　she’d　be　able　to　make　it　through　the　rest　of　breakfast。

And　would　that　movie　be　called　The　Flat　Tire　on　the　Perpetual　Third　Wheel？

who　says　you　can’t　go　home？

“Daniel…san！”　Can　you　get　more　rocks　for　the　fire　pit？”　Rufus　asked；　poking　his　head　out　of　a　lopsided　canvas…and…log　structure　that　served　as　a　sweat　lodge。　Dan　had　spent　the　last　few　days　in　an　upstate　New　York　campsite　with　Rufus　and　his　motley　group　of　friends：　Mika；　Herbert；　and　Ron。　Ron　preferred　to　be　called　Running　Rainbow；　and　when　he　wasn’t　serving　as　a　barista　at　Starbucks；　he　taught　tai　chi　for　free　in　Central　Park。　Mika　and　Herbert　were　tall；　skinny；　bald　members　of　a　folk…rock　band　that　played　open…mic　nights　around　the　city。　Rufus　had　met　all　three　of　them　at　a　seminar　at　the　Ninety…second　Street　Y　called　Bringing　the　Age　of　Aquarius　into　the　Age　of　the　Internet。

Rufus　emerged　from　the　sweat　lodge　wearing　a　blue…and…yellow　striped　towel　around　his　waist　and　white　Crocs。　He　didn’t　seem　the　least　bit　cold；　despite　the　fact　that　the　temperature　hovered　near　freezing。　Dan　was　shivering　in　a　Patagonia　parka　he’d　inadvertently　stolen　from　his　Evergreen　roommate。

“Okay；”　Dan　mumbled。　They’d　only　been　in　the　woods　for　two　nights；　but　it　felt　like　a　lifetime；　especially　since　he　didn’t　even　get　cell　service。　He’d　wanted　to　call　Vanessa　at　midnight　on　New　Year’s　Eve；　but　no　matter　how　far　away　he　walked　from　the　campsite；　he　couldn’t　get　reception。

Dan　sighed　and　grabbed　a　large　moss…covered　rock；　groaning　as　he　picked　it　up。

“Here。”　He　dropped　the　rock　next　to　Rufus’s　Crocs。　Inside；　Herbert　and　Mika　were　banging　on　bongo　drums。

“Thanks；”　Herbert　called。　“I　think　we’re　ready　to　begin　the　ceremony。”　He　poked　his　head　out　of　the　structure　like　a　puppy　in　an　extra…large　doghouse。　“And　Dan；　since　you’re　the　youngest；　you　can　be　the　dog　soldier；”　he　announced。

“Excuse　me？”　Dog　soldier？

“You　need　to　protect　the　door　while　we　chant　away　our　demons；”　Herbert　explained。　“We　have　extra　animal　skins　if　you　get　cold。”

Dan　did　a　double　take。　Was　this　guy　serious？　Protect　the　door？　Not　only　was　it　broad　daylight；　but　the　wooded　area　they　were　staying　in　was　right　next　to　a　farmhouse。　What　he’d　thought　had　been　a　rushing　river　when　they’d　gotten　to　the　site　after　dark　on　New　Year’s　had　actually　been　the　whooshing　of　cars　across　a　highway。　But　it　was　no　use　arguing。　Herbert　had　already　retreated　back　into　the　sweat　lodge　with　his　bongo　drum。

Dan　sighed　and　sat　on　a　log　outside　the　lodge。　Fuck；　he　was　cold。　He　wondered　what　Vanessa　was　doing。　Knowing　she　was　in　New　York　while　he　was　here　was　almost　too　much　to　bear。

Sounds　like　he’s　the　negative　spirit。

He　pulled　a　pen　and　a　crumpled　receipt　from　the　pocket　of　his　jacket。　Maybe　he　should　focus　on　writing。　Maybe　suffering　would　be　good　for　him—he　wasn’t　going　to　suffer　at　all　once　he　and　Vanessa　were　living　together。　Smoothing　out　the　paper　on　his　thigh；　he　began　to　write。

Sweat；　skin　heat；　cold；　wet　sweet。

It　was　no　use。　The　poem　sounded　like　the　beginning　of　an　erotic　version　of　The　Cat　in　the　Hat。　There　was　no　way　he　could　do　this　for　two　more　days。　Besides；　sitting　outside　and　guarding　against　evil　spirits　didn’t　really　equate　to　bonding　time　with　his　dad。　That　was　it。　He　was　going　home。

“Dad？”　Dan　whispered　hesitantly　through　the　canvas…flapped　door　of　the　lean…to。

“What？”　Rufus’s　wiry　hair　was　slick　with　sweat　and　his　face　was　bright　red　as　he　swayed　back　and　forth　in　front　of　the　central　fire。

“I　don’t　think　this　is　working　for　me；”　Dan　said　carefully。　“I　need　to　see　Vanessa。”

Rufus　shook　his　grizzly　head　sadly　and　stood　up。　Dan　cringed。　His　dad　was　only　wearing　a　tiny　purple　Speedo　that　sagged　in　the　ass。　“Are　you　sure？”　he　asked；　clapping　Dan　on　the　shoulder。　“Because　if　you　want　me　to　take　over　dog　soldier　duty　so　you　can　sweat　it　out；　that’d　be