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第5部分（第1页）

Dan　blinked　and　his　breath　caught　in　his　throat。　So　many　times　he’d　imagined　her：　his　perpetually　black…garbed　muse。　But　now　she　was　here；　framed　by　the　entryway。　Her　hair　had　grown　into　a　sleek　black　pixie　cut　and　she　wore　a　red　coat　and　black　jeans。　Her　cheeks　were　red　from　the　cold；　contrasting　beautifully　against　her　alabaster　skin。

“Surprise！”　Vanessa　cried；　tossing　her　army　green　duffel　bag　on　the　floor。　It　was　so　familiar；　and　yet　so　strange；　to　see　Dan　sitting　on　the　couch；　frowning　down　at　a　notebook。　It　was　as　if　she’d　taken　a　time　machine　back　four　months　to　last　summer。

She　threw　her　arms　around　Dan　and　kissed　him　hungrily。　“Mmm；　you　feel　good；”　Vanessa　murmured。　She　ran　her　hands　all　over　his　thin　white　Hanes　T…shirt。　She　could　feel　his　heart　thumping　in　his　chest。

“How　are　you　here？”　Dan　croaked。　It　was　hard　to　believe　this　was　real；　and　not　some　post…traumatic　stress　hallucination　left　over　from　Evergreen。

“I　missed　you。”　Vanessa　shrugged。　She’d　left　Vermont　this　morning；　after　she　realized　that　a　week　with　her　hippie…parents　was　more　than　enough　time。　Besides；　she　wanted　to　surprise　Dan。　He’d　always　seemed　so　down　on　their　Skypes。

“I　missed　you　too。”　Dan　kissed　Vanessa　again。　He　didn’t　like　their　lips　being　apart。　“I　have　so　much　to　tell　you；”　he　breathed。　He’d　meant　to　tell　Vanessa　about　Columbia　over　a　glass　of　red　wine　or　at　least　after　he’d　taken　a　shower　and　brushed　his　teeth。　But　he　couldn’t　handle　the　thought　of　waiting　another　minute。

“I　have　so　much　to　tell　you　too！”　Vanessa　said　eagerly。　There　was　so　much　he　needed　to　get　caught　up　on　in　her　life。　She　couldn’t　wait　to　bring　him　to　Bushwick　and　go　to　one　of　the　all…night　parties　that　her　sophomore　friends　Brianna　and　Kara　held　on　the　first　Sunday　of　every　month。　She　couldn’t　wait　to　show　him　some　of　the　films　she’d　made。　She　couldn’t　wait　to　spend　all　day　at　the　International　Film　Center；　making　out　and　watching　movies。

Dan　stood　up。　“Follow　me。”　He　led　the　way　toward　his　bedroom。

“Is　it　a　present？”　Vanessa　asked　as　she　trailed　down　the　hallway　after　him。　She　hoped　not。　They’d　decided　not　to　give　presents　to　each　other　this　holiday　and　instead　put　the　money　toward　an　emergency　plane　ticket　fund　so　Dan　could　e　visit　when　the　distance　was　feeling　unbearable。

“Nope。”　Dan　grabbed　the　acceptance　letter　off　his　desk　and　thrust　it　toward　her；　buzzing　with　anticipation。　He’d　memorized　every　word。

Vanessa　scanned　the　document　while　Dan　watched。　He　noticed　a　sparkly　barrette　sweeping　a　lock　of　hair　behind　her　left　ear。　Vanessa　never　used　to　wear　jewelry。

She　also　never　used　to　have　hair。

Finally；　Vanessa　looked　up；　a　faint　smile　playing　on　her　full　red　lips。　“Does　this　mean　you’re　not　going　back　to　Evergreen？”

Dan　nodded　happily　as　he　closed　up　the　space　between　them　and　pressed　her　back　against　the　doorframe。　“I　hated　Evergreen。　All　I　could　do　was　think　about　you；　and　about　us。　I　couldn’t　write　without　you。　I　need　you；”　he　said。　How　did　long…distance　relationships　ever　work？　He　could　hardly　stand　to　be　in　a　different　room　than　Vanessa。

“I　know；”　Vanessa　murmured。　Dan’s　breath　was　hot　against　her　cheek。　Had　Dan　really　spent　every　waking　moment　at　Evergreen　just　thinking　about　her　and　wanting　to　e　home？　She　knew　he　hated　it　there；　but　hadn’t　he　even　tried　to　like　his　classes？　To　make　friends？

“So；　I　was　thinking　we　could　live　here　until　we　find　a　place。　We　could　get　a　studio　downtown。　It　wouldn’t　be　that　expensive；”　Dan　mused；　running　his　fingers　through　Vanessa’s　short　hair。　It　was　silky　and　unfamiliar；　but　Dan　instantly　loved　it；　just　like　he　loved　every　part　of　her。

Vanessa　nodded；　trying　to　imagine　living　with　Dan。　They’d　tried　a　few　times　last　year　for　short　periods　of　time；　but　it　had　never　really　worked。　One　of　them　would　always　get　moody　or　jealous。　But　maybe　now　that　they　were　in　college；　it　would　be　different？

“And　we　can　arrange　our　schedules　together。　There’s　this　one　class　at　Columbia　called　The　Poetry　of　Film　that　I　was　thinking　of　taking。　Maybe　you　could　take　it　as　a　visiting　student？　Or　maybe　you　could　transfer。”　His　hand　grazed　the　hem　of　her　black　long…sleeve　thermal　top。

“Transfer？”　Vanessa　pulled　back　slightly。　“But　I　like　NYU。”　She　loved　her　classes；　and　most　of　the　people　she’d　met。　The　film　students　tended　to　stick　together；　going　from　screenings　to　happy　hours　to　late…night　onion　ring　runs　at　Tick　Tock　Diner　in　a　herd。　In　high　school；　Vanessa　would　have　thought　that　type　of　behavior　was　ridiculously　lame。　But　having　a　big　group　of　friends　was　actually　fun。

What　was　she　getting　so　worked　up　about？　Dan　was　her　boyfriend；　and　he　was　moving　back　to　the　city。　Of　course　he　just　wanted　to　spend　more　time　with　her。　And　of　course　that　was　what　she　wanted　too。　“e　here。”　She　smiled　and　reached　toward　Dan；　pulling　him　in　for　a　kiss。　His　lips　tasted　reassuringly　familiar；　like　Crest　and　Folgers。

Just　then；　her　cell　vibrated　from　her　back　pocket。　She　pulled　out　the　phone　and　frowned。

“What？”　Dan　asked　impatiently。

Vanessa　scanned　the　display。　NEW　YEAR’S　PARTY　AT　MY　CASA。　210　AVE　B。　HOPE　TO　SEE　YOU　THERE—HOLLIS。　Hollis　was　her　TA　for　her　Intro　to　Film　class。　He　was　only　twenty…five　but　he’d　already　screened　a　few　of　his　films　at　the　Tribeca　Film　Festival。　One　of　them　had　even　been　picked　up　by　an　indie　film　pany。　He　was　intense；　but　approachable　and　funny；　and　would　be　the　first　to　tell　you　if　your　film　sucked。　In　fact；　he’d　given　her　first　assignment　a　C＋　because　he　thought　it　was　too　perfectly　executed。　This　has　technical　precision；　but　not　heart。　Do　you　want　to　make　credit　card　mercials　or　films？　he’d　asked。　It　should　have　been　obnoxious；　but　she　respected　his　honesty。

“My　friend　is　having　a　New　Year’s　Eve　party　downtown　tomorrow　night…。”　Vanessa　tried　to　picture　Dan　interacting　with　some　of　her　new　friends；　like　Matt　and　Chip；　the　gay　couple　who　made　extremely　explicit　XX…rated　films。　Dan　could　sometimes　be　a　little…　antisocial。

“My　dad　wanted　me　to　go　on　some　retreat　thing；”　Dan　told　her；　disappointed。　“I　just　told　him　I’d　e。”