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第44部分（第1页）

else。　Tonight；　though；　the　sheets　felt　cozy　and　warm　against　her　body。　She　leaned　back　against　the　pillows　contemplatively。　It　was　weird　that　the　last　time　she’d　really　spent　time　here　was　four　years　ago。　In　four　years；　she’d　be　twenty…six。　What　would　that　be　like？

Serena　burst　in；　holding　a　bottle　of　Grey　Goose　in　one　hand；　two　highball　glasses　in　the　other；　and　two　DVDs　between　her　laser　white　front　teeth。　She　scattered　them　on　the　duvet　cover　and　grinned。

“Breakfast　at　Tiffany’s　or　Some　Like　It　Hot？”　Serena　asked；　setting　up　a　makeshift　bar　on　Nate’s　dresser　and　splashing　vodka　in　the　two　glasses。

“Do　you　even　have　to　ask？”　Blair　asked；　wiggling　out　of　her　pants　and　throwing　them　out　from　under　the　covers。　She　sighed　happily。　It　was　like　old　times。

Old　times　without　underpants？

Serena　grinned　and　took　a　large　sip　of　her　drink。　“Obviously；”　Serena　said；　popping　Breakfast　at　Tiffany’s　into　the　DVD　player。　“Here　you　go。”　Serena　offered　a　glass　to　Blair。　Then；　she　unbuttoned　her　own　knee…length　black　Dries　van　Noten　dress　and　pulled　her　black　Wolford　stockings　off。

“So　much　better！”　she　said；　crawling　into　bed　next　to　Blair　in　her　beige　Cosabella　boy　shorts　and　pink　Calvin　Klein　camisole　and　cuddling　up　next　to　Blair　like　an　overgrown　puppy。　Blair　lay　back　against　the　pillow　and　gulped　her　highball；　feeling　giddier　and　more　at　home　than　she　had　in　ages。

Nate　woke　up　with　a　start。　He’d　been　dreaming　that　he　was　sailing　by　himself　in　the　middle　of　a　calm；　blue；　endless　sea；　until　all　of　a　sudden　his　boat　had　been　attacked　by　sharks。　He　glanced　at　the　flat　screen；　currently　playing　Shark　Week　reruns；　before　flicking　it　off。　He　rubbed　his　bleary　eyes。　Where　was　Jenny？　And　what　time　was　it？　He　heard　muffled　voices　ing　from　upstairs。　“Jenny？”　he　called；　his　voice　echoing　in　the　town　house。

“I’m　ing　to　find　you；”　Nate　called；　taking　the　stairs　to　his　bedroom　two　at　a　time。　But　there；　lying　in　a　tangled　heap　as　if　they　belonged　there；　were　Serena　and　Blair。

He　blinked　in　amazement。　They　were　singing　along　to　the　black…and…white　movie　on　his　TV。　Breakfast　at　Tiffany’s。　Of　course。　It　was　a　scene　he’d　walked　in　on　a　million　times　back　in　high　school。　But　this　wasn’t　high　school。　What　were　they　doing　here？　Was　he　still　dreaming？

“‘Moon　River　and’—Natie！”　Serena　squealed；　bounding　off　the　bed　and　rushing　toward　him。　She　was　wearing　only　a　pair　of　underpants　and　a　tank　top　that　didn’t　match。　Nate　blushed。

“Where’s　Jenny？”　Nate　asked　suspiciously；　glancing　between　the　two　of　them。

“We　didn’t　kill　her。”　Blair　snorted。　“My　brother　invited　her　to　a　party　downtown。　She’s　probably　there。”

He　glanced　from　Serena　to　Blair；　not　knowing　what　to　do。　They　looked　like　they’d　been　there　for　a　while。　Wrinkles　from　the　pillowcase　were　indented　into　Blair’s　cheek；　making　her　look　adorably　rumpled　and　reminding　him　of　all　the　sleepovers　they’d　had　over　the　years。　Serena’s　tank　top　strap　had　fallen　off　her　shoulder；　revealing　her　glittery　skin；　surprisingly　tan　for　December。

Nate　gingerly　perched　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　watching　as　Holly　and　her　boyfriend　wandered　around　Tiffany。　He　must　have　watched　this　movie　a　hundred　times。　What　was　one　more？

“I’m　getting　ice　cream；”　Blair　announced；　stepping　out　of　bed。　Nate　gazed　at　her　as　she　padded　toward　the　door。　She　was　wearing　her　bra　and　underwear　and　every　inch　of　her　looked　amazing。　And　Serena　was　so　long　and　lean　and　leggy　and…

Down　boy！

Blair　came　back　with　a　two…gallon　tub　of　Rocky　Road　that　she’d　unearthed　from　the　back　of　the　freezer　and　three　spoons。　“Natie；　you’ve　got　to　have　a　talk　with　Regina　about　her　ice　cream　selections。　What　happened　to　the　mint　chocolate　chip？”　Blair　settled　back　into　bed；　loving　how　she　could　say　whatever　she　wanted—be　whoever　she　wanted—in　front　of　her　two　oldest　friends。　She　hoped　no　matter　what　happened；　it　could　always　be　that　way。

“Let’s　make　a　promise！”　Serena　said　spontaneously；　as　if　reading　Blair’s　mind。　She　took　a　gigantic　scoop　from　the　carton；　licked　her　spoon；　and　held　it　up。　“No　matter　who　we　marry　or　how　many　kids　we　have；　we’ll　always　have　slumber　parties。”

Blair　clinked　her　spoon　against　Serena’s。　She　took　another　large　scoop　of　ice　cream　and　bit　into　it；　not　caring　about　the　calories　or　the　fact　that　she　was　dripping　all　over　herself　or　that　they　were　acting　like　a　bunch　of　seventh　graders。

“I’m　in；　but　only　if　I　can　hold　the　carton。”　Nate　grabbed　the　ice　cream　and　scooped　out　a　large　spoonful。　He　felt　happier　than　he　had　in　a　long　time。

Next　up：　creative　use　of　whipped　cream？

a　kiss　is　never　just　a　kiss

Vanessa　lay　on　her　bed　in　the　Humphreys’　apartment；　Marx　by　her　side　and　Norma　snoring　contentedly　on　the　floor。　Norma　loved　living　at　the　Humphreys’；　so　at　least　Vanessa　wouldn’t　have　to　worry　about　finding　a　home　for　her　while　she　was　in　Indonesia。　The　dog　actually　begged　for　Rufus’s　soufflés　and　other　kitchen　experiments　gone　wrong。

Unlike　everyone　else　with　a　sense　of　smell。

The　only　sound　in　the　apartment　was　the　annoying…yet…forting　hum　of　the　fluorescent　light　in　the　hallway　that　Rufus　always　meant　to　replace　but　never　got　around　to。　Vanessa　typed　Indonesia　into　Google’s　search　box　and　pressed　enter。　Immediately；　maps；　travel　reviews；　and　NYTimes。　articles　sprung　onto　the　screen。　Nothing　helpful。　Nothing　that　told　her　whether　or　not　she　should　go。　She　heard　the　key　scrape　in　the　lock。　Rufus　was　spending　time　with　his　anarchist　friends；　and　Jenny　was　probably　with　Nate；　so　it　had　to　be　Dan　ing　home。　Vanessa　was　surprised　by　how　eager　she　felt　to　see　him。　She　slid　off　the　bed　and　headed　toward　the　living　room　to　investigate。

“Hey；”　Dan　said　as　he　unwrapped　a　Burberry　scarf　from　his　neck　and　flung　it　on　the　couch。　Serena　had　given　him　the　scarf　as　a　Thanksgiving　present。

Usually；　the　fact　that　he　and　Serena　had　grown　up　in　such　different　worlds　didn’t　matter　to　him。　But　there　were　times—like　when　he　received　a　Thanksgiving　present　that　cost　more　than　a　month　of　working　at　the　circulation　desk　in　Butler　Library；　or　when　she　invited　him　to　stay　at　her　parents’　sprawling　Connecticut　house—that　it　became　apparent　how　fundamentally　different　their　backgrounds　were。