按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
at four o’clock in the afternoon。 It was so bizarre； it almost felt normal。
Serena broke into a smile。 “I loved it。 Except I had to look up a few of the Ovid references。 If you weren’t such a good writer； I’d think you were trying to make people feel dumb。” She smiled； then ducked under the table； pulling out a dog…eared copy of Ovid from her large white purse。 “It’s from that myth； right？ About the two lovers who are turned into birds because one can’t live without the other？ I cried when I read it；” Serena confessed。 It was so nice to actually talk about everything she’d been reading。
Dan blinked。 Serena had actually looked up the Greek mythology allusion in the poem？ He didn’t think Serena van der Woodsen read literature。
Or The New Yorker？
“So； how’s Columbia？” Serena asked after a pause。 She hadn’t been sure what they’d talk about when they met； and right now； Dan wasn’t doing much talking at all。 Maybe it was an artist thing。 Maybe she was distracting him from an afternoon of poetry writing。 What was he thinking？ His eyes looked so large and brown and kept flicking toward her； then away。 He was mysterious。 He had substance。 And； especially recently； Serena hadn’t hung out with many guys who had substance。
“It’s great！” Dan said enthusiastically； glad they’d landed on a less awkward topic。 He could talk about college。 “I get to spend my time reading great books and talking to people who actually care about them； not just people who are trying to get good grades；” Dan said； hoping Serena didn’t think he was hopelessly dorky。 “In high school I felt like I was just wasting my life doing what other people wanted me to do。 I’m reading The Fountainhead。 Have you read it？” Dan asked hopefully。
Serena shook her head slowly。 She’d forgotten how intense Dan Humphrey was。 She leaned in close。 “Tell me about it。”
“Oh； well； it’s about this architect who decides to accept obscurity and ridicule instead of promising his ideals in his designs。 It’s about choosing good art above all else；” Dan said seriously。 “And that’s what I feel like college is all about。 Figuring out what’s important to you in life； the thing you’ll follow to the end of the earth。 Figuring out what you care about most。” Dan blushed and looked down into his mug。 If she didn’t think he was a giant dork before； she definitely would now。
Serena nodded。 That made sense。 “I could see that；” she offered。 “I’ve been taking a break from acting to figure out what I want； but I still don’t know。” She grabbed the pitcher and refilled their plastic cups。 “I’m not really passionate about anything like you are。”
“I think you’re passionate；” Dan said。 “I mean； I think you must have a passion。” He blushed and gulped his beer。 What was his problem？ The more he tried not to sound like a creepy stalker； the more stalkerish he sounded。 “Would you ever think about college？” he asked； hoping he didn’t sound like a pushy parent。
“I’m actually deferred from Yale right now。” Serena sighed。 Instantly； her blue eyes seemed clouded by sadness。 “It’s sort of a long story。”
“You should go；” Dan said seriously。 Instantly； he felt like an idiot。 Why was he telling his dream girl to move hours way？
“Really？” Serena stared into her cup of watery beer。 She had been thinking a lot about going back to school； recently…。 And besides； it wasn’t like Blair was in charge of Yale。 If Serena wanted to go to Yale； she should go to Yale。 “Are you trying to get rid of me？” she asked； raising a playful eyebrow at Dan； who instantly reddened。
“No！” Dan protested。 “But there’s more to college than beer pong and a T…shirt。 I think you might like it。” Why had he been so nervous about meeting Serena？ Sure； she was beautiful； but she was also goofy and fun and smart and sweet。
Serena smiled across the table。 She couldn’t remember the last time someone had listened to her—really listened。 “Well； if I do go to Yale； I’ll still e back and visit。 New Haven’s not far from the city； you know。”
“No； it’s not far at all。” Dan smiled back； sloshing his beer so a tiny dribble fell onto his blue Gap sweater。 But he didn’t care。 Serena was still beaming at him； and in her deep blue eyes was the promise of the future。 “I’d like that；” he said finally。
See what I mean about history ing back to haunt you？
if you don’t know who you’re sleeping with； who does？
“Shut up！” Blair screamed； hitting the wall by her headboard on her way from the minibar toward her bed。 She was on her fourth vodka soda refill and the couple in the room next door seemed to be on their fourth round of noisy； athletic sex。 Blair had had enough。 Even if they were on their honeymoon； didn’t they get tired？ And hadn’t the Tribeca Star heard of soundproofing？
And doesn’t she have anything better to do than sit in her room and listen to them？
The noises in the next room subsided slightly。 There。 That was better。 It was only ten o’clock； but Blair was exhausted。 For the past twenty…four hours； she’d been holed up in her room。 Nothing bad ever happened in the hotel room。
There’s a first time for everything。
Besides； what was the point of even trying anymore； Blair thought as she took a gulp of her drink； then hiccupped。 She knew drinking away her sorrows wasn’t exactly ideal； but she didn’t want to face her gigantic shitstorm of a life right now。 Her relationship was ruined。 She hated Serena。 Nate was just a dumb； horny boy； and the thing that sucked about that was that she’d known it for years。 And she had no idea where the fuck she’d even live when she got back to Yale。 Would she be homeless？
Maybe she should just move to another country and start all over again。
She drained the rest of her drink and switched out the light。 Maybe if she lay still and focused on breathing in and out； she could at least fall asleep for a few hours。 Then tomorrow would be a new day。 She’d make herself leave the hotel； buy a pretty orange leather Hermès notebook； sit in Amaranth； order a vodka gimlet； and write a to…do list。 She always used to make to…do lists for class； and they helped keep her on track。 Maybe she’d also buy herself a bag from Hermès； just as a congratulatory present for making it through what was probably the worst winter vacation anyone had ever had。
Just as she was falling asleep； she was aware of the sound of the door clicking open。 It was either Pete or a serial killer。 And really； what did she have to lose either way？
Blair quickly adjusted the straps of her Cosabella tank top and folded her hands by her head； as if she’d just moved in her sleep。 If it was Pete； she wanted him to see her sleeping sweetly。 He’d soften and profess his love； thinking that she couldn’t hear。 Then； he’d kiss her awake； like the prince waking Sleeping Beauty； and they’d live happily ever after。
And if it’s a serial killer？
Blair felt a warm hand on her hip； just above her La Perla boy…cut panties。 She murmured slightly； nestling into the warm body settling in next to her。 She smelled the scent of L’Occitane soap and a little bit of pot。 As soon as she inhaled； a tingly feeling shot through her。 It smelled like Nate。 Nate had somehow sensed her distress； and e for her。 Maybe this was all a dream； but at this point； she’d take dream Nate。 She squeezed her eyes shut； not wanting to wake up and break the spell。
“You’re my East； my West； my North； my South。 Blair； you’re my girl；” the voice said hoarsely。
Blair bolted upright and reached for the lamp。 Bright light filled the room。 There； wearing a pair of rumpled khakis and a misbuttoned dark blue Ralph Lauren shirt； was Nate。 Real Nate。 Not Dream Nate。
“What the fuck？” Blair’s heart was hammering in her chest。 She yanked the duvet cover around her body and covered herself。
Not like he hasn’t seen it all before。
“You’re beautiful；” Nate said slowly。 His large green eyes were hazy and his hair was sticking up on one side。
“You’re drunk and high and you need to get out of here；” Blair said shortly。
“I love you；” Nate said simply。 He propped his head up on his hand and continued to gaze at Blair。 “I needed to see you。”
“Oh；” Blair considered； still blinking in the bright light。 What was she supposed to say to that？ She felt like she was watching a foreign film whose subtitles had suddenly stopped running。 “How did you know I was here？” she finally asked。 Nate was obviously hammered； but he looked so sincere and innocent lying on his side； as if they were back in high school。 It made her want to punch him； then hug him； then push his hair back and tell him everything would be all right。 She appraised him again。 Maybe after he took a shower。
The door clicked open； shedding amber light from the hallway onto the off…white rug。
“Blair？”
Blair whirled around to see Pete standing in the doorframe； holding a bouquet of red roses。 His face drained of color as his blue eyes flicked between Blair and Nate。 He opened and closed his mouth； like a goldfish。
“Pete！” Blair squeaked。
He exhaled loudly； the sound of his breath filling the room and morphing into a strangled cry。 He hurled the flowers to the ground