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第28部分（第1页）

nd　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。