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n the Upper East Side that parents didn’t discuss their unsuccessful children。
“He must be。” Isabel shrugged。 “The party’s on。 I saw Laura Salmon at City Bakery this morning and she told me she was hanging out with Rain Hoffstetter at some lame Constance alum tea party that Mrs。 M organized。 Thank God we missed that。 But； anyway； I guess she talked to Chuck。 I don’t know。 It’s at his place at the Tribeca Star。 But I guess since you’re a movie star and all now； you probably have to host some MTV countdown special or something； right？”
“Well…” Serena trailed off。 In truth； she already had an invite to a New Year’s party at Thaddeus Smith’s West Village loft。 Thaddeus had been her Breakfast at Fred’s costar and was a true friend。 But he wouldn’t mind if she stopped by to say hi and then went off to Chuck’s party。 Maybe seeing old friends was all she needed to pull herself out of her mood。
Alysia tapped Serena urgently on the shoulder。 “Let’s go someplace else。 There’s no one fun here；” she pronounced as Amanda and Alison nodded their bobbleheads in agreement。
“Please？” Alison whined。 She stuck out her Stila…glossed lower lip and whined like a shih tzu。
Serena nodded before turning to Isabel。 “I’ll see you at Chuck’s；” she promised。 She smiled faintly as she trailed the three A’s toward the door。 How could she not see her old high school crowd？ While she might not have been thinking of them all that much recently； it wasn’t like she’d forgotten them。
And they certainly haven’t forgotten her。
a trip can’t last forever； even for n
Nate Archibald’s elbow hit a beam； and he woke up with a start。 His tanned； athletic frame was wedged in the crow’s nest of the Belinda； the ship he called home。
Nate was traveling the world with his mentor and friend Chips。 Chips had been Nate’s father’s mentor way back when he was in the navy； and for the past four months they’d followed the wind and the stars and the moon； aided only by Chips’s antique silver pass。 It was amazing。 Nate had always been a sailor； and had even taken his father’s boat； the Charlotte； up and down the eastern seaboard with his girlfriend； Blair； last June。
Doesn’t he mean ex…girlfriend？
Nate rubbed the sleep out of his glittering green eyes and yawned。 They were somewhere in the Bahamas； but it felt light…years away from the Upper East Side。 Maybe it was the tropical air and the nautical living； but everything about his old life seemed far away。 Sometimes； he’d try to remember a specific event—the first time he’d bought pot from the pizza dude on Lex by asking for two slices with extra oregano； the time he’d stolen the Charlotte and spent a weekend with Anthony and Charlie； doing bong hits and eating Oreos； cruising toward Bermuda at half a mile an hour—but the scenes were always fuzzy。 It was like remembering an old movie； where you could recall random moments； but not the beginning or ending。
Nate leaned back against the rough…hewn beams。 There were some memories； though； that he replayed almost every night。 In the moments before the subtle rocking of the ocean lulled him to sleep； he pictured Blair； and Serena van der Woodsen； his other best friend and the girl he’d lost his virginity to。 Blair cheesily posing in front of the polar…bear exhibit at the zoo； Serena with her blond head tipped back； laughing hysterically at a joke only she found funny； Blair in front of Tiffany； her favorite place on earth； doing her best Audrey Hepburn impression。 Serena splashing around in the Venus fountain in his backyard； looking like the goddess she was。 He wondered if they ever thought about him。
If not； there are plenty of girls who do。
He knew they probably weren’t pining for him。 In fact； they probably hated him。 He loved them both； and of course he’d never been able to choose between them。 This past summer； he’d even cheated on Blair with Serena。 Finally； when he couldn’t decide whether to go to Yale with Blair or stay in the city with Serena； he’d chosen to travel the world with Chips。 He’d been so confused。 So conflicted。 So afraid to make a choice； in case he chose wrong。 But now； he felt different。
He even looked different。 Months of sailing had tanned his skin a dark bronze color； and his golden brown hair was now almost platinum…blond in places。 His face was angular and hardened and a blondish…brown beard covered his chin。 The scruff made his green eyes stand out that much more。 He hadn’t smoked any pot since they’d left； not by choice； but still； it felt good。 His head felt lighter； clearer somehow。
Nate climbed down the crow’s nest onto the polished wood deck。 It was just after sunrise and the sky was suffused with a pinkish tint。 “Hello？” he called out。 “Chips？”
“Nathaniel！” Chips called from the boat’s stern。 He was coiling a mass of rope； a frown etched on his weather…beaten face。 With his white linen trousers； navy windbreaker； and shock of white hair； Chips looked like a tall stocky sea captain on the menu of a lobster restaurant。 But beneath his stern veneer； he was actually a pretty cool guy； especially after he’d had his evening tumbler of scotch。
“Take a look。” Chips passed the binoculars over to Nate。 He could just make out land； fuzzy in the distance。 “By New Year’s Eve； we’ll be at the Breakers；” Chips declared； almost to himself。
“I’m sorry？” Nate asked。 Wasn’t the Breakers a resort in Palm Beach？ He was ready to stop somewhere； make a couple calls back home； sure。 He’d thrown his phone overboard when he’d made the decision to sail with Chips back in August； so he’d only been able to call home occasionally； when they stopped at various islands。 He hadn’t even been able to wish his parents a Merry Christmas。 Still； he’d been hoping their next stop would be somewhere a little more adventurous； like Costa Rica。 He’d always wanted to go there。
Join the club。
“So we’re stopping in Palm Beach？ And where to after that？” Nate asked。 Ever since they’d left； he’d trusted Chips to guide them。 But he was kind of wondering what Chips’s grand plan was。
Instead of answering his question； Chips pulled himself back up into a standing position。 He dusted off the thighs of his white linen pants。 “When I was your age； I was in the navy。 Didn’t have the luxury to think about how I wanted to live my life； just had to make sure I got the chance to live it another day。 You know what I’m saying； son？” he asked gruffly。 His burry Scottish accent reminded Nate of Mel Gibson as William Wallace in the movie Braveheart； rallying the clansmen before launching into an epic battle。
“Right。” Nate nodded； even though he wasn’t really sure what Chips was talking about。 “So after Palm Beach…”
“After Palm Beach； nothing。 It’s back to New York for you； sonny。 It’s time。 I’ve shown you the world。 Now you’ve got to live in it。”
Nate felt rooted to the deck of the ship。 He’d known he’d have to go back eventually； but this felt very sudden。
Just like how two girls might have felt when a certain boy decided to sail off into the sunset—alone？
Nate slid down on the yellow…wood…lacquered floorboards of the boat； trying to wrap his mind around everything。 He was going back to New York。 Back to his old life。 Back to Blair and Serena and his father nagging about what a disappointment he was。 This was Chips’s grand plan？
“Stand up；” Chips ordered。 He put down the binoculars and began winding a mass of rope around his arm。
Nate hastily got to his feet。 “You need help with that？” he asked； noticing Chips struggle as he tried to reduce one of the sails。
“No； I’m fine；” his captain responded curtly。 Nate nodded； even though he’d noticed that Chips had been dragging his bad leg more than ever。 “Listen； Nathaniel；” Chips said； more gently than before。 “These last few months have been some of the best of my life… but I’m getting old。 It’s Palm Beach season for me。 A man needs more than the sea and the sky to survive。” He tied the rope into a perfect knot； as if to punctuate his speech。 “But for you… you can’t spend the rest of your life sailing away from everything difficult。 It’s for your own good。”
Nate grimaced。 Even though Chips was a philosophical； scotch…drinking old geezer； he always seemed to be able to read Nate’s thoughts。 And right now； Nate was thinking about the choice that had faced him for too many years。
“You’re worried about those two girls of yours； I know it。 The ones who keep falling at your feet despite your boneheaded moves？ The ones you can’t decide between； as if you’re facing some life…or…death choice？”
Nate nodded miserably。 In two sentences； Chips had pretty much summarized the crisis he’d been struggling with since he was fifteen。
“Well； I’ll tell you this。 You’ll know when you know。 And you’ve got to figure it out on your own。 I’m not babysitting your balls anymore。” Chips nodded definitively upward at the sails； pleased with his handiwork。 “Now； if you’ll excuse me； I’m going to have my morning tea。 You’ve got a day to figure it all out。” He gave Nate a parting wink； and disappeared down to the galley； leaving him with just the sky and the endless sea for pany。