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第33部分（第2页）

“Let’s　go　sledding；”　Blair　announced；　already　scraping　her　chair　across　the　cherrywood　floors。

“Yay！”　Serena　yelled；　clambering　to　her　feet。

Dan　cringed。　He　hated　snow　in　his　socks　or　in　the　wrists　of　his　jacket　and　the　feel　of　icy　snow　on　his　skin。　He　hated　trudging　through　the　cold　only　to　ride　a　piece　of　plastic　down　a　hill。　Why　walk　up　just　to　slide　down？　But　more　than　anything；　he　was　scared。　When　he　was　ten；　he’d　gone　sledding　with　Zeke；　his　former　best　friend　with　unfortunate　wide　hips；　and　they’d　crashed　into　a　three…hundred…pound　man；　who　toppled　on　top　of　them。　Dan　had　lain　there　on　his　back　with　the　wind　knocked　out　of　him；　thinking　he　was　destined　to　die　under　the　fat　man’s　girth。　He　hadn’t　gotten　on　a　sled　since。

“Let’s　go！”　Serena　needled；　grabbing　Dan’s　hand　and　trying　to　drag　him　to　his　feet。　Blair；　Chuck；　Nate；　and　Jenny　were　already　in　the　mudroom；　searching　through　old　mittens　and　hats　for　things　to　wear。

Dan　shook　his　head。　“I　can’t。”

“Why　not？”　Serena’s　eyes　narrowed。　What　was　Dan’s　problem？　He’d　been　moody　ever　since　they’d　left　Providence。　Serena　had　tried　as　hard　as　she　could　to　include　him　in　the　conversation　tonight；　but　he　wouldn’t　even　try。　Giles　had　talked　more　than　Dan　tonight；　and　not　only　did　Giles　not　know　who　anyone　was；　English　wasn’t　even　his　first　language。

“I　think　I　might　be　getting　sick；”　Dan　lied。　“Besides；　I　thought　we　could　curl　up　in　front　of　the　fire。　You　know；　just　do　something　quiet。　I　think　that　would　make　me　feel　better。”　Lying　on　a　rug　next　to　a　roaring　fire　with　Serena　was　exactly　what　he　needed　to　just　chill　out　from　the　last　twenty…four　hours。

“If　you’re　feeling　sick；　I　don’t　want　to　catch　it；”　she　told　him　coldly。　Then　she　half　ran　to　keep　up　with　the　rest　of　the　group。　“Don’t　leave　without　me；”　she　called　after　them。

Dan　sighed　heavily　as　he　trudged　toward　the　small　library　off　the　main　living　room。　The　fireplace　was　stacked　with　wood；　but　Dan　had　no　idea　how　to　make　a　fire。　The　shelves　were　neatly　organized　by　color—deep　greens；　blues；　and　burgundy；　and　Dan　quickly　realized　they’d　been　purchased　at　the　Strand　through　their　books…by…the…yard　program；　where　you　could　buy　books　based　on　your　house’s　color　scheme　rather　than　their　literary　merit。

Dan　gazed　unhopefully　at　the　musty　maroon　volumes　in　front　of　him。　He　stopped　at　one　thin　volume　with　gold　script　on　the　spine。　It　was　The　Sorrows　of　Young　Werther；　by　Goethe；　about　a　guy’s　unrequited　love　for　a　beautiful　woman。　It　had　been　Dan’s　favorite　book　in　high　school。

Wonder　why。

He　settled　into　a　stiff　red　leather　wingback　chair　under　a　cathedral…like　window　and　flipped　open　to　a　random　page。　It　was　where　the　hero；　Werther；　realizes　he　either　has　to　kill　his　love；　her　husband；　or　himself。　Dan　frowned。　This　probably　wasn’t　the　best　choice　for　tonight。

Instead；　he　pulled　his　cell　phone　out　of　the　pocket　of　his　old　tan　cords。　No　missed　calls。　Of　course。

He　idly　scrolled　through　his　phone　book。　He　didn’t　have　many　numbers　stored—just　some　other　creative　writing　majors　from　college；　his　dad；　Jenny；　and　Serena。　As　he　reached　the　end　of　the　list；　he　paused　at　the　lone　V。　Every　other　entry　had　a　first　and　last　name；　but　he’d　just　put　a　V　for　Vanessa　the　first　time　he’d　programmed　her　into　his　phone　and　never　bothered　to　change　it。　He’d　always　sort　of　loved　the　simplicity　of　it。　Why　would　he　ever　need　to　say　more　than　that？

Dan　gazed　at　her　number。　He　hadn’t　spoken　to　Vanessa　in　almost　two　years。　He’d　thought　that；　living　in　the　same；　geographically　small　city；　they　might　run　into　each　other。　But　then　again；　he　lived　way　uptown　and　rarely　left　the　neighborhood；　while　she　probably　spent　all　her　time　in　Brooklyn。　He’d　heard　she　was　still　dating　that　famous　indie　film　director。　She　probably　never　even　thought　about　Dan　anymore。　But　maybe　she　did。

WOULD　YOU　RATHER　EAT　MY　DAD’S　FONDUE　FOR　A　MONTH　OR　GO　SLEDDING　EVERY　DAY　FOR　A　YEAR？　he　wrote　quickly；　then；　without　thinking；　hit　send。　Jenny　tortured　him　with　the　would…you…rather　game；　ing　up　with　absurd　scenarios　like　would　he　rather　have　uncontrollable　back　hair　or　uncontrollable　nose　hair。　But　he　knew　Vanessa　liked　absurd　questions。　Besides；　it　was　just　a　little　innocent　blast　from　the　past。

And　since　when　are　blasts　from　the　past　ever　innocent？

love　don’t　live　here　anymore

“You　want　to　go　out？”　Vanessa　asked　Norma。　The　little　chow…poodle　mix　cocked　her　head　and　emitted　a　low…pitched　whine。　Vanessa　understood　what　she　was　trying　to　say：　that　she　was　bored　and　antsy　and　didn’t　know　what　to　do　with　herself。　Vanessa　felt　the　same　way。　It　was　nine　o’clock；　but　Hollis　was　still　in　a　meeting　with　Streetscape　execs　over　distribution　for　Rowing　to　Reykjavík。　She’d　called　him　a　few　times；　but　the　phone　had　gone　straight　to　voice　mail。

Vanessa　had　hoped　they　could　spend　some　quality　time　alone；　now　that　he　was　finally　home；　but　he　had　such　a　crammed　schedule　of　meetings　and　mandatory　studio　holiday　parties　and　conference　calls　that　they’d　barely　spent　any　time　together。　In　fact；　they　hadn’t　even　exchanged　Christmas　presents　yet—unless　you　counted　the　several　pairs　of　ugly　wool　socks　he’d　presented　to　her　his　first　night　back。　He　said　that　they　were　the　only　thing　that　kept　him　warm　in　Iceland。　Vanessa　was　planning　on　giving　him　a　framed　photo　of　the　dilapidated　picnic　table　on　his　old　roof。　She’d　begged　his　old　roommates　for　access；　and　had　spent　one　chilly　afternoon　shooting　it；　recalling　their　first　kiss。　But　she　hadn’t　even　had　the　chance　to　give　it　to　him。　It　felt　like　he’d　only　e　into　the　apartment　to　dump　his　stuff　and　then　leave　again。　A　collection　of　gray　wool　socks　were　balled　up　under　the　glass　coffee　table　like　nesting　chinchillas；　and　a　collection　of　coffee　mugs　were　in　a　Stonehenge…like　formation　around　the　sink。　Huge　stills　from　Rowing　to　Reykjavík　were　lined　up　along　the　hallway；　blocking　the　way　as　they　waited　to　be　hung。

The　elevator　door　finally　slid　open。　“Hey　babe！”　Hollis　yelled　happily。

“Hey！”　she　called　out。　She　tried　not　to　let　her　annoyance　show　when　she　noticed　the　two　skinny；　goateed　guys　trailing　behind　Hollis。

“These　are　two　Streetscape　interns。　Josh；　Randy；　this　is　Vanessa。”　The　two　guys　trailed　Hollis　into　the　kitchen　and　stood　there；　not　taking　off　their　shoes　or　coats。　Instead　of　handshakes；　they　each　offered　Vanessa　a　limp　wave　before　leaning　against　the　wall；　turning　to　Hollis　to　play　ambassador。

“We’re　going　to　this　party　in　Red　Hook；”　Hollis　announced；　traipsing　gray　slush　on　the　freshly　cleaned　pine　floors。　It　had　been　snowing；　sleeting；　and　slushy　for　three　days　all　across　the　northeast。　Brooklyn　was　blanketed　in　a　thin　layer　of　white；　barely　concealing　the　dingy　gray　slush　beneath　it。

“Okay。”　Vanessa　resisted　the　urge　to　trail　after　Hollis　with　the　WetJet。　She’d　much　rather　order　in　and　have　sex；　but　she　didn’t　want　to　be　a　bitch。　Besides；　there’d　be　plenty　of　time　for　that　later。　“I’ll　just　get　ready。”　Vanessa　smiled；　tryi