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第48部分（第1页）

Blair　stared　at　her　friend’s　retreating　back。　Her　phone　buzzed。

WAITING　OUTSIDE。　YOU　HERE？—NATE

Blair　blinked　at　the　message。　What　the　fuck？　Had　Serena　gotten　the　exact　same　message？　She　pulled　herself　out　of　the　hot　tub；　threw　on　her　dress；　even　though　it　was　silk　and　would　stain；　and　raced　out　of　the　party。

And　who　says　all　the　drama　happens　at　midnight？

Nate　glanced　up　at　the　towering　Tribeca　Star　Hotel；　his　hands　jammed　in　his　pockets；　unsure　whether　or　not　to　go　in。　Part　of　him　wanted　to　find　Anthony　or　Charlie　or　any　of　the　old　St。　Jude’s　guys；　fire　up　a　gigantic　bong；　and　flirt　with　as　many　hot　girls　as　he　could；　just　to　prove　that　he　still　had　it　in　him。　The　other　part　of　him　wanted　to　go　back　to　his　parents’　town　house　and　sit　in　the　living　room　and　eat　Jell…O　pudding　cups。　How　was　it　that　he’d　sailed　the　world；　learned　how　to　milk　cows；　debated　the　arguments　of　all　the　Greek　philosophers；　and　majored　in　American　studies　at　an　Ivy　League　university—but　was　still　as　confused　as　ever？

He’d　texted　Serena　and　Blair；　but　neither　of　them　had　responded。　Maybe　he’d　missed　his　chance　with　them。　He　glanced　up　at　the　sky。　There　were　no　stars；　at　least　none　that　could　be　seen　through　the　New　York　smog。　He　just　wished　he　had　something　to　follow；　some　kind　of　sign。

Just　then；　one　of　the　gold　revolving　doors　whooshed　open；　and　Serena　burst　out。　Her　long　blond　hair　was　wet　and　pulled　into　a　ponytail　that　stuck　to　the　back　of　her　leather　coat。　She　still　looked　gorgeous。

“Serena！”　Nate　exclaimed。　Was　that　his　sign？

She　smiled　broadly。　“I　got　your　text。”　She　threw　her　arms　around　him　and　pulled　back。　Her　teeth　were　chattering。

“Are　you　okay？”　Nate　asked。

“Just　cold；”　Serena　said；　and　Nate　pulled　her　closer　toward　him。　Maybe　Serena　was　whom　he　was　looking　for　the　whole　time；　and　he　was　just　too　much　of　an　idiot　to　realize　it。

“So；　I　was　thinking…”　Serena　gazed　into　Nate’s　glittering　green　eyes　and　took　a　deep　breath。　“I　wanted　to　ask　you…”　She　pictured　setting　sail；　seeing　ancient　temples　and　forgotten　ruins　and　eating　food　she　had　never　tasted　before。　But　when　she　pictured　the　person　across　from　her；　it　wasn’t　Nate。　“I　wanted　to　ask　you　to　e　inside；”　she　finished。

Serena　felt　a　rough　tap　on　her　shoulder。　She　whirled　around　and　saw　Blair；　hands　on　her　hips；　not　wearing　a　coat；　her　silk　dress　clinging　to　her　bikini…clad　body。　Serena　pulled　away　from　Nate。

“Blair！”　Nate　glanced　between　the　two　girls。

“What　are　you　doing？”　Blair　asked　them　coldly。　She　glanced　from　Serena　to　Nate。　Serena　looked　amused；　while　Nate　looked　incredibly　confused；　his　mouth　hanging　open　slightly　and　his　eyes　flicking　between　the　two　of　them　as　if　he　were　watching　a　tennis　match。

“I　was　thinking　we　need　to　go　on　an　adventure；”　Serena　began。　“We　could　take　one　of　those　sleeper　trains　that　you’ve　always　wanted　to　go　on。　We　could　start　with　Europe；”　she　said；　ing　up　with　a　trip　itinerary　on　the　spot。　She　and　Blair　had　the　biggest　fights；　sure；　but　they　also　had　the　best　times　together。

Blair　narrowed　her　eyes　in　anger。　She　couldn’t　believe　Serena　was　planning　a　romantic　adventure　with　Nate。　“Have　a　great　time；”　she　spat；　turning　on　her　heel。

Serena　burst　into　laughter。

“What　the　hell？”　Blair　whirled　around；　ready　to　launch　into　an　angry　tirade。　“You　run　out；　and　then—”

“Would　you　just　shut　up　for　one　second？”　Serena　cut　her　off；　still　giggling。　“I　meant　an　adventure　with　you；　Blair。　I　want　to　travel　with　you。　You’re　my　best　friend。”

Blair　started　laughing　too。　Was　Serena　serious？　“I　knew　that；”　she　lied。　“I’m　starting　at　the　firm　this　summer…。”　Blair　trailed　off。　There　really　wasn’t　anything　to　think　about。　“I’m　in！”

“This　summer？”　Nate　asked。　Way　back　in　sophomore　year　of　high　school；　they’d　had　a　plan　to　go　to　Europe；　the　three　of　them；　together。　Now；　six　years　later；　it　was　finally　ing　true。　Maybe　he　needed　a　summer　with　both　of　them　to　finally　make　a　decision。　“I　can　e；”　he　decided。

“Sorry；”　Serena　replied　softly；　chewing　her　bottom　lip。　“The　invitation　was　for　Blair。”

“No　boys！”　Blair　shrugged。　“You　ready；　Serena？”　Not　waiting　for　an　answer；　she　opened　the　door　to　one　of　the　yellow　cabs　idling　in　front　of　the　hotel。　“Good　luck；　Nate；”　she　said　as　she　slid　in。

“We　love　you；”　Serena　called　before　hopping　in　after　her。

“Wait！”　Nate　called。　“When　will　I　see　you　again？”

Serena　pulled　the　door　shut　and　rolled　down　the　window。　“Same　time；　next　year！”　she　yelled；　giggling　as　the　cab　pulled　away。

Nate　stared；　slack…jawed；　as　the　cab　merged　with　the　traffic　and　became　impossible　to　spot。　That　was　it。

They　chose　each　other。

Just　then；　the　dark　sky　lit　up　with　fireworks。　A　cab　sailing　up　the　street　honked　in　celebration。　In　the　night　air；　Nate　thought　he　could　hear　Serena　and　Blair’s　laughter；　though　of　course　he　knew　that　was　impossible；　they　were　too　far　away　by　now。

But　as　we　know；　in　this　city；　anything　is　possible。

hey　people！

No　matter　what　may　happen；　some　things　always　stay　constant。　New　Year’s　Day　wouldn’t　be　the　same　without　a　no…foam　cappuccino；　an　extra…large　bottle　of　water；　a　chocolate…chip　scone　with　extra　butter　（everyone　knows　resolutions　don’t　really　kick　in　until　the　second）；　and　a　whole　list　of　curious　and　curiouser　questions。

Where　will　S　and　B　end　up—both　geographically　and　in　their　love…hate　relationship？　Is　C　really　as　reformed　as　he　seems？　Will　N　ever　find　the　right　girl　for　him；　or　is　he　a　tragic　hero　who’s　looking　for　love　in　all　the　wrong　places？　Will　J　revert　to　her　boy…crazy　ways　now　that　she’s　single　and；　after　a　semester　of　playing　house；　more　than　ready　to　mingle？　Will　V　bee　an　international　filmmaking　sensation；　and　will　D　bee　the　next　poet　laureate？　Will　the　stars　ever　align　for　them　to　be　the　creative　power　couple　they　once　were？　Will　K　and　I　move　to　Massachusetts　and　get　married？　Who　am　I　and　will　I　ever　reveal　myself？　That’s　a　question　I　could　answer—but　I’m　not　going　to。　As　for　all　the　others；　the　answers　will　reveal　themselves　in　due　time。

one　final　word

Even　if　college　didn’t　leave　much　time　for　book　learning；　one　knowledge…by…experience　lesson　should　have　stuck：　We’re　more　alike　than　we　think。　We’ve　all　had　to　deal　with　broken　hearts；　crazy　roommates；　messed…up　parents；　disappointing　grades；　and　all　those　other　less…than…ideal　details　that　make　life　plicated；　infuriating；　and；　admit　it；　interesting。　So；　in　the　spirit　of　growing　up；　hug　that　girl　who　made　your　high　school　career　a　living　hell。　Forgive　that　boy　who　dumped　you　without　warning；　only　to　date　your　best　friend。　Not　only　will　you　keep　your　enemies　close；　you　may　even　make　a　new　friend。　Let’s　all　make　nice　for　now；　and　who　knows　what　tomorrow　will　bring？　One　thing’s　for　sure：　I’ll　be　there　when　it　happens。　Here’s　to　a　wild　and　wicked　future。

You　know　you　love　me；

gossip　girl