小说园

第13部分（第2页）

Blair　slipped　her　hand　into　her　best　friend？s。　？What？s　an　appropriate　afternoon　cocktail；　birthday

girl？？

Is　there　one　that？snot　appropriate？

The　scene　by　the　pool　was　like　something　out　of　a　screw…ball　college　edy。　A　gaggle　of

obviously　drunk　guys　in　board　shorts　cannonballed　into　the　water；　splashing　their　buddies　seated

nearby。　A　crowd　lingered　near　the　double…height　French　doors　that　led　to　the　library？and　the

well…stocked　bar。　And　there　were　so　few　girls　in　evidence？a　couple　stretched　out　on　chaises　near

the　diving　board　and　a　trio　of　giggling　girls　attempting　some　kind　of　drinking　game？that　wherever

they　congregated；　a　drooling　group　of　boys　was　not　far　off。　Someone　had　rigged　an　iPod　to　the　van

der　Woodsens？　stereo　system；　and　the　insistent　thrum　of　the　new　Arctic　Monkeys　album　filled　the

air。

？This　is　finally　starting　to　feel　like　summer　vacation。？　Blair　slipped　her　feet　out　of　her　white

leather　Prada　flip…flops　and　propped　them　on　the　edge　of　the　wrought…iron　garden　table。　She

swirled　the　ice　in　her　Bloody　Mary　distractedly。

？Something　like　that。？　Serena　leaned　back　in　the　unfortable　chair　and　scanned　the　crowd　that

had　gathered；　supposedly；　for　her　birthday　celebration。　The　guys　outnumbered　the　girls　by　a　ratio

of　about　ten　million　to　one；　and　though　she　recognized　some　of　them？Erik？s　old　tennis　teammates；

his　roommate　at　Brown？she　didn？t　see　many　familiar　faces　in　the　crowd。　She　might　be　the

birthday　girl；　but　she　wondered　if　anyone　even　knew　who　she　was。

It？s　her　party　and　she？ll　pout　if　she　wants　to。

？Shit。？　Blair　tilted　her　head　back　and　drained　her　glass。　？I　guess　I　was　thirsty。You　want　another？？

Serena　shook　her　head；　almost　spilling　her　untouched　Cosmopolitan。　？I？m　good。？

？I？ll　be　right　back。？

Serena　watched　from　behind　her　enameled　Selima　aviators　as　Blair　launched　out　of　her　seat　and

padded　toward　the　bar。　Erik　was　presiding　over　the　bottles　of　booze　lined　up　like　toy　soldiers　on

the　elaborate　carved　mahogany　bar。　Nate　was　lingering　on　the　fringes　of　the　crowd；　his　hands

shoved　deep　in　the　pockets　of　his　tattered　khaki　shorts。　Serena　watched　as　he　pretended　not　to　see

Blair　skipping　through　the　crowd　toward　him。

Interesting。

She？d　woken　up　this　morning　to　the　sound　of　Blair？s　giggles；　but　when　she？d　asked　what　was

funny；　Blair　had　sighed　and　said；　？Just　Natie。？Natie？　Then；　in　the　car；　she　kept　glancing　back　at

them　in　the　rearview　mirror；　but　every　time　Blair　was　just　staring　placidly　out　the　window；　and

Nate　was　resting　his　eyes。　Nothing　amiss。　So　why　did　she　feel　so　。。。weird？

She　raised　her　glass　and　swallowed　a　small　sip　of　the　tart　cocktail；　finally　recognizing　someone

in　the　crowd：　a　broad…chested；　curly…brown…haired　guy　was　seated　at　the　edge　of　the　pool；　legs

dangling　in　the　water。　His　brown　eyes　had　a　familiar　sparkle　as　he　took　in　the　scene　around　him；