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第3部分（第1页）

st　time　Serena　saw　her。　She　automatically　looked　over　Isabel’s　shoulder；　sure　she’d　see　Kati　Farkas；　Isabel’s　BFF　and　constant　wingwoman。　Isabel　and　Kati　had　done　everything　together　since　the　fourth　grade。　Kati　had　even　turned　down　admission　to　Princeton　so　she　and　Isabel　wouldn’t　have　to　be　separated。　But　instead　of　Kati；　a　girl　with　a　ski…jump　nose　and　chin…length　straight　brown　hair　stood　next　to　Isabel。　She　wore　a　tight　black　sleeveless　satin　dress　and　looked　like　she　could　be　Kati’s　slightly　older　sister。　But　Kati　didn’t　have　sisters。

“This　is　my　girlfriend；　Casey；”　Isabel　announced　proudly。　She　readjusted　her　white　Marc　Jacobs　tote　strap　on　her　shoulder。

Girlfriend　girlfriend？　Serena　noticed　Isabel’s　hand　intertwined　with　the　girl’s。

“We　met　in　a　women’s　studies　class。”　Isabel　smiled　adoringly　at　Casey。

There’s　her　answer。

“This　is　Serena　van　der　Woodsen。　We　went　to　school　together；”　Isabel　explained；　her　hand　now　resting　lightly　on　Casey’s　back。

“Nice　to　meet　you；　Casey。”　Serena　smiled；　holding　out　her　hand　to　the　tall　girl；　who　took　it　gingerly。

“Nice　to　meet　you　too。　I　haven’t　seen　any　of　your　movies；”　Casey　announced　bluntly。

As　if　anyone　asked。

“Oh；　that’s　okay。　How’s　Kati？”　Serena　asked　Isabel；　easing　back　onto　her　stool。　She　couldn’t　help　but　wonder　if　Isabel　was　really　gay；　or　just　going　through　the　fashionable　bisexual　phase　of　college　she’d　heard　about。

Isabel　sighed　and　shook　her　head。　“She　has　this；　like；　football　player　boyfriend　and　is　pledging　a　sorority　that　wears　pink　sweat　suits　to　class。　It’s　awful。　Casey　and　I　pretty　much　do　our　own　thing。　But　what　about　you？　I　saw　the　movie。　You　were　pretty　good；”　Isabel　allowed。

“Thanks。”　Serena　blushed。　She　hoped　Isabel　really　meant　it　and　wasn’t　just　being　polite。　“Things　are　okay。　Just　working　a　lot。　We’re　filming　a　sequel　to　Breakfast　at　Fred’s　that’s　ing　out　in　the　summer；　so　that’s　fun…。”　Serena　trailed　off。　Even　though　she’d　been　on　the　cover　of　the　October　issue　of　Vanity　Fair；　part　of　her　felt　stuck。　She’d　e　home　from　her　big　premiere；　thinking　it　would　be　the　greatest　night　of　her　life；　to　her　same　pink　childhood　bedroom　in　her　parents’　sprawling　Upper　East　Side　penthouse。　If　possible；　she　almost　felt　less　grown…up　than　she　had　before　graduating；　especially　since　she　now　had　an　agent　and　a　publicist　who　told　her　exactly　what　to　wear；　what　to　say；　and　who　to　be　seen　with。　The　real　world　felt　a　lot　different　than　she’d　imagined。

“A　sequel　sounds　great！”　Isabel　cooed。　“Anyway；　I　was　just　showing　Casey　all　of　our　old　haunts。　Remember　hours　trying　things　on　at　Barneys；　and　then　so　much　time　just　eating　spaghetti　and　meatballs　upstairs　at　Fred’s？　That　all　feels　like　so　long　ago　now；”　she　mused；　nuzzling　her　head　against　Casey’s。　The　guys　standing　around　them　were　all　drooling　over　the　lesbian…chic　couple。

“It　does；”　Serena　agreed　wholeheartedly。　Just　a　matter　of　months　ago；　she　and　Blair　and　Kati　and　Isabel　would　meet　before　school　to　smoke　Merits　on　the　Met　steps　and　imagine　their　lives　in　college。　Now；　Blair　was　pre…law　at　Yale；　Isabel　was　a　lesbian；　Kati　was　running　around　with　pink　Greek　letters　on　her　ass；　and　Serena　was　trying　to　make　a　go　of　it　in　the　movies。

“So；　have　you　seen　anyone　yet？”　Isabel　asked。

“No。”　Serena　shook　her　head。　For　her；　only　two　people　really　mattered：　Blair　and　Nate。　She　and　Blair　had　kept　in　touch　since　Blair　headed　up　to　New　Haven；　and　once　Serena　had　sent　Blair　a　package　full　of　Wolford　stockings　and　black…and…white　cookies；　in　a　bow…tied　Barneys　bag—some　of　Blair’s　favorite　New　York　things。　Blair　had　reciprocated　with　a　stuffed　bulldog　wearing　a　Yale　T…shirt。　It　was　sitting　on　Serena’s　dresser；　next　to　a　silver…framed　picture　of　the　two　of　them　wearing　enormous　hats　at　a　Kentucky　Derby　party　sophomore　year。　They’d　send　e…mails　and　texts；　but　never　anything　long　or　involved。　It　was　fine；　though。　Blair　and　Serena　were　the　type　of　friends　who　could　go　for　weeks　and　even；　one　time；　months　without　speaking；　then　pick　up　right　where　they　left　off。

As　for　Nate…　Serena　hadn’t　talked　to　him　since　he　left；　to　sail　the　world　for　a　year。　He　had　left　her　crushed；　and　she　wondered　if　she’d　ever　see　him　again。　But　she　didn’t　want　to　think　about　that　right　now。

Or　ever。

“Are　you　going　to　Chuck’s　New　Year’s　party？”　Isabel　asked；　draining　the　rest　of　her　Grey　Goose　and　cranberry。　“I　mean；　I　know　he’s；　like；　such　a　misogynist；　but　I　figured；　you　can　only　protest　so　much；　you　know？　I　prepared　Casey。”

“Wait；　Chuck　is　back　from　military　school？”　Serena　asked；　suddenly　eager　to　hear　everything。　She　hadn’t　thought　about　Chuck—with　his　sketchy　history；　his　trademark　monogrammed　scarf；　or　his　questionable　sexuality—since　graduation。　But　the　last　she’d　heard；　after　getting　rejected　from　all　twelve　schools　he’d　applied　to；　he’d　gone　to　some　tiny　underground；　remote…country…boot…camp　men’s　college。　Of　course　her　parents　saw　Chuck’s　parents　socially；　but　they　never　mentioned　what　he　was　doing。　It　was　an　unspoken　rule　on　the　Upper　East　Side　that　parents　didn’t　discuss　their　unsuccessful　children。

“He　must　be。”　Isabel　shrugged。　“The　party’s　on。　I　saw　Laura　Salmon　at　City　Bakery　this　morning　and　she　told　me　she　was　hanging　out　with　Rain　Hoffstetter　at　some　lame　Constance　alum　tea　party　that　Mrs。　M　organized。　Thank　God　we　missed　that。　But；　anyway；　I　guess　she　talked　to　Chuck。　I　don’t　know。　It’s　at　his　place　at　the　Tribeca　Star。　But　I　guess　since　you’re　a　movie　star　and　all　now；　you　probably　have　to　host　some　MTV　countdown　special　or　something；　right？”