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“Look who I found！” Blair announced； feeling a slight thrill of pleasure at the look of shocked surprise on Serena’s face。
“Natie？” Serena said weakly； letting her arms fall slack against her body as she leaned against the doorframe for support。 How was Nate here？ How were he and Blair here； together？ Blair’s hair was damp and tousled around her small； pretty face。 Nate’s expression was dazed and happy； like he was in a dream he didn’t want to wake up from。
Suddenly； everything came horribly together。 Blair and Nate were here with each other because they’d been with each other。 Blair had spent the night at Nate’s。 No wonder she was in such a good mood。
Serena sighed； trying to will her bad feelings away。 This fall she’d tagged along to a yoga class with Alysia； where the instructor told them to think of their minds as an endless blue sky； and any negative thoughts as little rain clouds that would eventually go away。 She would not let her rain clouds ruin her reunion with her two best friends。 “Blair； I am so sorry about last night！”
“Oh； it doesn’t matter。” Blair shrugged； as if she hadn’t been cursing out Serena for the entire night prior to meeting Nate。
Nate licked his lips nervously as he glanced between Serena and Blair。 Serena had that sexy； just…rolled…out…of…bed look。 Blair wore jeans and an old navy blue Ralph Lauren sweater of his。 He loved the way his sweater hung off Blair’s frame； reminding him of how small she was pared to him。 They were both beautiful。 But Blair was his girl。
For now； at least。
“It’s great to see you； Serena；” Nate said awkwardly； offering his adorable； lopsided smile。 Serena felt her stomach twist in jealousy。 Let it go。 She imagined her angry storm cloud thoughts disappearing to reveal a blue sky。
“I don’t know about you guys； but I’m starving。 Let’s go out！” she announced brightly； sounding like an overcaffeinated camp counselor。
Or a jealous best friend？
The cab pulled up to Serendipity on Sixtieth and Third； which was equally famous for its retro…kitschy Tiffany glass lampshade decor as it was for its high…calorie desserts。 Once they were seated； Serena glanced down at the cracked hexagonal floor tiles so she wouldn’t have to watch Blair and Nate gazing adoringly at each other。 She didn’t get it。 Didn’t Blair have a boyfriend？ And wasn’t Nate supposed to be off sailing the world still？
“So； Nate； where the hell have you been？” she asked。 She poked the ice cubes in her water glass down with her straw as if she were trying to drown them。
“All over。” Nate shrugged unfortably。 He’d been everywhere； from sailing around Latin America to exploring the Pacific Northwest； but he didn’t know where to start。 Besides； no matter where he was； he’d been thinking about both of them。 But he couldn’t say that to Serena in front of Blair。 Serena’s navy blue eyes gleamed； and she looked like she wanted him to talk for hours。 But he didn’t know what else to say。 “We sailed without a navigation system。 It was really cool；” he added vaguely。
The waiter； a chipper man who had way too much energy for New Year’s Day morning； approached the table。 “Happy New Year！” he practically shouted； causing droplets of spit to rain on the table。 “Now； where are you folks from？”
“I’ll have the eggs Benedict and coffee and he’ll have scrambled eggs and bacon that’s just a little crispy；” Blair said； ignoring the waiter’s inane question。 How embarrassing to be taken as tourists。 Then again； this was a tourist trap。 Sure； they used to e here all the time when they were little and split a frozen hot chocolate while their nannies gossiped over coffee。 But that was years ago。 Didn’t Serena realize they weren’t kids anymore？
Serena smiled tightly。 “I’ll have coffee。 And toast；” she said； brushing away the menu。 She didn’t have much of an appetite。
“You’re not eating？ That’s no fun！” Blair wrinkled her nose。 “She’ll have chocolate chip pancakes。 With extra whipped cream；” she announced。
“Sure thing； captain！” The waiter dorkily saluted her。 Blair rolled her eyes。
“So are you back for good？” Serena asked； turning to Nate。 He looked gaunt and more careworn than she remembered。 She wanted to call the waiter back and order extra pancakes and sausages and eggs for Nate； then feed them to him until he regained his strength。
Nate shrugged。 “Maybe I’ll borrow the Charlotte and do some sailing；” he said。 The boat was docked in Newport； Rhode Island； for the winter。 He hadn’t really thought about what he was going to do with the rest of his life。 Chips was still in Florida； and Nate doubted he was going to set sail again anytime soon。 And now that he knew Blair didn’t hate him； he didn’t really want to go anywhere。 “I could train for the America’s Cup；” he added。 That would be pretty cool。 He could sail up and down the East Coast during the week； see Blair on the weekends； and maybe catch up with Serena for coffee on Monday mornings。 It would be perfect。
Blair’s eyes lit up as if she’d just had the best idea in the world。 It was a look Serena recognized all too well。
Uh…oh。
“e to Yale！” Blair cried。 “They have a sailing team。”
“Could I do that？” Nate wondered。 For the past four months； he’d barely read a book。 Hell； he’d barely even spoken to anyone except Chips。 Even here； it had felt too overwhelming to order breakfast； he was thankful Blair had stepped in。 There were too many choices； too many decisions in the real world。 He felt like he needed a remedial course in life before he started at an Ivy League university。
“Of course。” Blair patted him on the knee。 “You only just deferred。 You could start spring semester。 I can e…mail my advisor and ask him to help you pick classes。 He’s the best；” Blair said； busily creating a mental list of all the things she had to do。 First； she’d have to head to New Haven to find an adorable town house she and Nate could rent。 Then； they’d go shopping at ABC Carpet & Home to decorate。 She’d have to help him pick the right classes and she’d have to talk to Petra； a nice but way…too…sporty girl from her econ class； to see if she knew any of the sailing guys…。
“How’s the movie biz？” Nate asked Serena； interrupting Blair’s reverie。 Blair felt a wave of annoyance ripple through her。 Who cared？ After all； they were talking about Nate’s future。
“It’s fine。 It’s a lot of sitting around and waiting for something to happen or running from place to place； meeting people you’re never going to see again。 I kind of wish I could just lie in the grass somewhere and read books；” Serena mused。
“College isn’t really about lying around and reading books；” Blair scoffed； placing her hand territorially on Nate’s thigh。
“I know。” Serena sighed。 “I just miss the way it used to be； sometimes。”
“I don’t；” Blair said as the waiter set their plates of food in front of them。 “I feel like our real lives have started。 Don’t you agree？” She turned sharply toward Nate and snatched a slice of bacon from his plate。
Suddenly； Serena couldn’t stand it anymore。 If she had to watch them be couply with each other； she at least needed a drink。
She cocked her head and gestured to the waiter。 “A round of mimosas？ We’re celebrating！” she announced。 All she had to do was pretend she was in a movie； and she’d be able to make it through the rest of breakfast。
And would that movie be called The Flat Tire on the Perpetual Third Wheel？
who says you can’t go home？
“Daniel…san！” Can you get more rocks for the fire pit？” Rufus asked； poking his head out of a lopsided canvas…and…log structure that served as a sweat lodge。 Dan had spent the last few days in an upstate New York campsite with Rufus and his motley group of friends： Mika； Herbert； and Ron。 Ron preferred to be called Running Rainbow； and when he wasn’t serving as a barista at Starbucks； he taught tai chi for free in Central Park。 Mika and Herbert were tall； skinny； bald members of a folk…rock band that played open…mic nights around the city。 Rufus had met all three of them at a seminar at the Ninety…second Street Y called Bringing the Age of Aquarius into the Age of the Internet。
Rufus emerged from the sweat lodge wearing a blue…and…yellow striped towel around his waist and white Crocs。 He didn’t seem the least bit cold； despite the fact that the temperature hovered near freezing。 Dan was shivering in a Patagonia parka he’d inadvertently stolen from his Evergreen roommate。
“Okay；” Dan mumbled。 They’d only been in the woods for two nights； but it felt like a lifetime； especially since he didn’t even get cell service。 He’d wanted to call Vanessa at midnight on New Year’s Eve； but no matter how far away he walked from the campsite； he couldn’t get reception。
Dan sighed and grabbed a large moss…covered rock； groaning as he picked it up。
“Here。” He dropped the rock next to Rufus’s Crocs。 Inside； Herbert and Mika were banging on bongo drums。
“Thanks；” Herbert called。 “I think we’re ready to begin the ceremony。” He poked his head out of the structure like a puppy in an extra…large doghouse。 “And Dan； since you’re the youngest； you can be the dog soldier；”