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第2部分（第2页）

Blair　narrowed　her　eyes　at　a　painting　that　hung　over　the　fireplace；　of　a　ship　in　what　looked　like　an　exceptionally　violent　storm。　What　a　boring；　random　piece　of　art　to　hang　in　a　house。　Suddenly　she　hated　her　stupid　nickname。　Scout？

Out　would　have　been　more　appropriate。

“Blair；　I’m　sorry；”　Pete　said　simply。　“I　thought　you　understood…。”

“What？　I　knew　I　wasn’t　ing；”　Blair　lied；　smiling　fakely。　Her　stomach　was　churning　wildly。　For　a　brief　second；　she　wanted　to　excuse　herself；　run　to　the　second…floor　bathroom；　and　puke　everything　she’d　eaten　for　the　past　five　days。

“Blair；　darling；　here’s　your　hot　chocolate。　I　made　sure　to　put　some　extra　marshmallows　in　there。”　Jane　pushed　the　steaming　ceramic　mug　into　Blair’s　hands。　“Won’t　you　sit　down？”　She　gestured　to　one　of　the　fortable　overstuffed　forest　green　chairs。

“Thanks。”　Blair　nodded。　She　squared　her　shoulders　and　turned　to　the　waiting　Carlson　clan。　No　way　was　she　going　to　let　the　Brady　Bunch　see　her　sweat。　“You　all　ready　to　play？”　She　forced　herself　to　smile；　a　plan　already　forming。

“Maybe　I　will　have　a　wild　girls’　weekend；”　she　whispered　in　Pete’s　ear。　“I　haven’t　been　to　New　York　all　year；　except　those　two　weekends　with　you；　and　those　don’t　count；　since　we　never　even　left　the　hotel。”　His　face　fell　as　he　no　doubt　pictured　all　the　raucous　fun　she’d　be　having　without　him。　Blair　raised　an　eyebrow　challengingly。　After　all；　she　was　a　woman。　A　Yale　woman。　She　had　places　to　go。

And　more　important　games　to　play。

make　new　friends；　but　keep　the　old…

“This　came　from　the　man　at　the　other　end　of　the　bar；”　the　skinny　bartender…slash…model　wearing　a　cheesy　Ed　Hardy　T…shirt　said　as　he　proffered　a　glass　of　Veuve　Clicquot。

“Thanks。”　Serena　van　der　Woodsen　glanced　down　the　long；　dark　oak　bar　of　Saucebox；　the　new　lounge　in　the　just…opened　T　Hotel　on　Thompson　Street。　Breckin　O’Dell；　a　handsome　but　boring　actor　she　vaguely　remembered　meeting　a　few　times；　held　up　his　own　glass　of　champagne　and　saluted　her。　Serena　nodded；　brought　the　flute　to　her　lips；　and　took　a　healthy　sip；　even　though　she　preferred　vodka。

“Oh　my　God；　you　should　totally　date　him。　His　agent　has　ridiculous　connections。”　Amanda　Atkins　yanked　on　the　sleeve　of　Serena’s　black　Row　scoop…neck　jersey　dress　in　excitement。　“Can　we　get　some　shots　down　here？”　she　called　to　the　bartender。　Serena　smiled　sheepishly。　Amanda　was　an　eighteen…year…old　recent　LA　transplant　best　known　for　her　role　in　a　dorky　sit　about　a　fashionista　girl　from　Paris　who　moves　to　a　farm　in　Tennessee　to　live　with　her　redneck　uncle　Hank。　Recently；　though；　she’d　been　cast　in　an　indie　film　about　snowboarders　who　dropped　acid；　and　was　trying　to　break　free　from　her　good…girl　reputation。

Another　shot　and　she’s　almost　there。

“Maybe；”　Serena　responded　unconvincingly　to　Amanda’s　ment　about　Breckin。　She　stared　at　the　clear　bubbles　fizzing　to　the　top　of　her　glass　as　if　they　held　the　secrets　to　the　universe。　If　she　looked　around　her；　she’d　see　tons　of　Breckin　O’Dell　look…alikes　with　gel　in　their　hair　and　fitted　pressed　shirts　from　Thomas　Pink。　They　buzzed　around　Serena；　Amanda；　and　her　other　two　actress　friends；　Alysia　and　Alison。　They　called　themselves　the　three　A’s；　even　though　Alysia’s　real　name　was　actually　Jennifer。

The　three　A’s　were　admittedly　a　little　too　into　material　things；　but　they　were　also　goofy　and　fun　and　never　turned　down　a　party。　Usually　Serena　had　a　blast　hanging　out　with　them；　but　tonight；　she　felt　a　little…　off。　It　was　two　days　after　Christmas　and　her　parents　had　just　left　for　their　villa　in　St。　Barts；　while　her　brother；　Erik；　was　already　back　in　Melbourne；　Australia；　where　he　was　spending　his　sophomore　year　abroad。　It　wasn’t　like　Serena　wanted　to　spend　New　Year’s　Eve　with　her　family；　but　she　also　didn’t　like　waking　up　in　their　huge　Fifth　Avenue　apartment　alone。　She　downed　her　champagne　in　one　gulp；　telling　herself　that　she　just　needed　to　have　fun。

After　all；　she　is　the　expert。

“Hey；　you’re　that　farm　chick！”　one　spiky…haired　brunet　guy　stuttered；　not　looking　Amanda　in　the　eye。　He　wore　a　pink　and　white　striped　button…down　and　his　teeth　were　Chiclet　white。

“Yes。”　Amanda　sighed。　“I　am。　But　I　have　to　stand　over　here　now。”　She　took　two　steps　away　as　Alysia　and　Alison　snorted　in　laughter。　Serena　offered　the　guy　a　sympathetic　smile。　Even　though　she　was　beautiful；　she　was　never　mean。

An　infuriating　bination。

“God；　you’d　think　Knowledge　would　know　to　not　to　let　guys　like　that　in。　Did　you　see　his　hair？　It　was；　like；　sprayed　on。”　Amanda　flipped　her　long　blond　extensions　over　her　shoulder　as　she　named　the　beefy　bouncer　whose　job　was　to　keep　Saucebox　as　exclusive　as　possible；　even　though；　to　Serena；　it　felt　exactly　the　same　as　every　other　bar　she’d　been　to　recently。

“Serena？”

Serena　whirled　around；　ready　to　have　another　one　of　those　so　what　are　you　working　on　now？　conversations　with　someone　in　the　industry　she’d　probably　met　once。　Instead；　she　saw　a　familiar；　smiling　face　that　immediately　took　her　back　in　time；　and　eighty　blocks　north。

“Oh　my　God；　Iz！”　Serena　squealed　excitedly。　She　slid　off　the　smooth　oak　bar　stool　and　threw　her　arms　around　Isabel　Coates；　a　fellow　Constance　Billard　alum　who’d　gone　to　Rollins　College　down　in　Florida。　Her　skin　was　deeply　tanned　and　her　thick　dark　shoulder…length　hair　had　been　straightened。　Her　chest　looked　suspiciously　larger　than　it　did　the　last　time　Serena　saw　her。　Sh