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第24部分（第2页）

A　shadow　of　a　frown　crossed　Serena’s　face。　“Then　let’s　go　somewhere　else！”　she　decided；　grabbing　Dan’s　hand。　Dan　felt　himself　blush。　“We　could　go　for　a　walk　or　something；”　she　said　easily。

Walk？　No。　Dan　did　not　want　to　walk。　In　fact；　all　he　wanted　to　do　was　stare　at　Serena’s　silken　hair　and　ocean　blue　eyes　and…　“There　has　to　be　a　bar　around　here　somewhere；”　he　croaked。

Liquid　courage　always　helps。

They　crossed　Seventh　Avenue；　and　as　they　did；　a　flash　went　off。　Serena　turned　her　head　away　from　the　photographer；　clearly　used　to　this　kind　of　thing。　“How　about　there？”　She　nodded　toward　an　oak　door　to　a　bar　with　dark　windows　and　no　discernable　sign。

Dan　nodded。　It　seemed　like　a　good　bet；　the　sort　of　place　where　a　New　York　writer　would　take　his　muse。　“Let’s　go；”　he　decided；　pulling　Serena　inside。

The　bar　was　grimy　and　dark　and　smelled　like　Lysol　and　Bud　Lite。　They　were　the　only　people　there　besides　two　red…faced　old　men　frowning　over　crossword　puzzles。

“I　love　it！”　Serena　pronounced；　sliding　onto　one　of　the　cracked　vinyl　booths　in　the　front。　She　shrugged　off　her　coat；　then　took　off　her　gloves。　“Aren’t　you　hot？”　she　asked；　looking　expectantly　up　at　Dan；　who　was　still　clad　in　his　black　puffer　coat。

“Yeah；”　Dan　admitted；　feeling　slightly　nauseous。　He　shrugged　off　his　coat　and　slid　it　on　the　bench　opposite　her。　“I’ll　get　drinks。”　He　strode　up　to　the　pockmarked　bar；　wondering　what　the　hell　he　should　order　for　Serena。　She　probably　drank　hundred…dollar　glasses　of　champagne。

“We’ve　got　five…dollar　pitchers　of　Bud　Lite　until　five。　Manager’s　special；”　the　ancient　bartender　growled；　not　looking　up　from　his　sudoku　puzzle。

“Sure；　fine；”　Dan　said　distractedly；　slapping　the　money　on　the　table。　He　carried　back　the　pitcher；　along　with　two　plastic　cups；　and　carefully　poured　drinks　for　both　of　them。

“Cheers！”　Serena　held　up　her　cup　toward　Dan。　“Thanks　for　meeting　me。　I　know　it’s　random；　but　when　I　opened　up　that　New　Yorker；　I　can’t　even　tell　you　how　badly　I　needed　to　hear　something　nice。　And　then　I　saw　my　name…　and　then　I　saw　your　name…。　Anyway；　I　really　liked　it；”　Serena　trailed　off　uncertainly。　Did　she　sound　like　a　total　stalker？　Maybe　the　poem　wasn’t　about　her　at　all—maybe　it　was　about　his　dog　or　his　mom　or　maybe　he　just　randomly　chose　the　name　from　a　name　book。　Maybe　her　whole　problem　was　she　was　just　too　much　of　a　romantic；　seeing　love　when　it　wasn’t　there。　She　took　a　long　swig　of　beer。

“Oh。”　Dan　blushed。　He’d　been　trying　to　figure　out　how　to　explain　the　poem　to　Serena　without　sounding　like　a　stalker　or　a　loser；　but　so　far；　he　had　nothing。　He　figured　the　words　would　e　to　him。　He　took　a　big　gulp　of　beer；　even　though　he　hated　the　taste　of　it。　He　much　preferred　scotch　or　whiskey。　“I　actually　wrote　that　in　high　school。　Right　after　we　dated。”　Maybe　the　truth　was　the　best　way　to　go。

“Really？”　Serena　gazed　up　at　Dan’s　sweet　and　sincere　face。　She　and　Dan　had　dated　for　a　little　bit　their　senior　year；　but　had　quickly　realized　they　were　just　too　different。　He’d　been　nice；　but　way　too　intense　with　his　poetry；　and　looking　back；　she　could　hardly　remember　what　they’d　done　or　spoken　about　when　they’d　been　together。

“I　hope　you　don’t　mind；”　Dan　mumbled。　He　couldn’t　believe　he　and　Serena　van　der　Woodsen；　his　high　school　crush；　his　former　muse；　were　just　chatting　over　Bud　Lights　at　four　o’clock　in　the　afternoon。　It　was　so　bizarre；　it　almost　felt　normal。

Serena　broke　into　a　smile。　“I　loved　it。　Except　I　had　to　look　up　a　few　of　the　Ovid　references。　If　you　weren’t　such　a　good　writer；　I’d　think　you　were　trying　to　make　people　feel　dumb。”　She　smiled；　then　ducked　under　the　table；　pulling　out　a　dog…eared　copy　of　Ovid　from　her　large　white　purse。　“It’s　from　that　myth；　right？　About　the　two　lovers　who　are　turned　into　birds　because　one　can’t　live　without　the　other？　I　cried　when　I　read　it；”　Serena　confessed。　It　was　so　nice　to　actually　talk　about　everything　she’d　been　reading。

Dan　blinked。　Serena　had　actually　looked　up　the　Greek　mythology　allusion　in　the　poem？　He　didn’t　think　Serena　van　der　Woodsen　read　literature。

Or　The　New　Yorker？

“So；　how’s　Columbia？”　Serena　asked　after　a　pause。　She　hadn’t　been　sure　what　they’d　talk　about　when　they　met；　and　right　now；　Dan　wasn’t　doing　much　talking　at　all。　Maybe　it　was　an　artist　thing。　Maybe　she　was　distracting　him　from　an　afternoon　of　poetry　writing。　What　was　he　thinking？　His　eyes　looked　so　large　and　brown　and　kept　flicking　toward　her；　then　away。　He　was　mysterious。　He　had　substance。　And；　especially　recently；　Serena　hadn’t　hung　out　with　many　guys　who　had　substance。

“It’s　great！”　Dan　said　enthusiastically；　glad　they’d　landed　on　a　less　awkward　topic。　He　could　talk　about　college。　“I　get　to　spend　my　time　reading　great　books　and　talking　to　people　who　actually　care　about　them；　not　just　people　who　are　trying　to　get　good　grades；”　Dan　said；　hoping　Serena　didn’t　think　he　was　hopelessly　dorky。　“In　high　school　I　felt　like　I　was　just　wasting　my　life　doing　what　other　people　wanted　me　to　do。　I’m　reading　The　Fountainhead。　Have　you　read　it？”　Dan　asked　hopefully。

Serena　shook　her　head　slowly。　She’d　forgotten　how　intense　Dan　Humphrey　was。　She　leaned　in　close。　“Tell　me　about　it。”

“Oh；　well；　it’s　about　this　architect　who　decides　to　accept　obscurity　and　ridicule　instead　of　promising　his　ideals　in　his　designs。　It’s　about　choosing　good　art　above　all　else；”　Dan　said　seriously。　“And　that’s　what　I　feel　like　college　is　all　about。　Figuring　out　what’s　important　to　you　in　life；　the　thing　you’ll　follow　to　the　end　of　the　earth。　Figuring　out　what　you　care　about　most。”　Dan　blushed　and　looked　down　into　his　mug。　If　she　didn’t　think　he　was　a　giant　dork　before；　she　definitely　would　now。

Serena　nodded。　That　made　sense。　“I　could　see　that；”　she　offered。　“I’ve　been　taking　a　break　from　acting　to　figure　out　what　I　want；　but　I　still　don’t　know。”　She　grabbed　the　pitcher　and　refilled　their　plastic　cups。　“I’m　not　really　passionate　about　anything　like　you　are。”

“I　think　you’re　passionate；”　Dan　said。　“I　mean；　I　think　you　must　have　a　passion。”　He　blushed　and　gulped　his　beer。　What　was　his　problem？　The　more　he　tried　not　to　sound　like　a　creepy　stalker；　the　more　stalkerish　he　sounded。　“Would　you　ever　think　about　college？”　he　asked；　hoping　he　didn’t　sound　like　a　pushy　parent。

“I’m　actually　deferred　from　Yale　right　now。”　Serena　sighed。　Ins