小说园

第18部分（第4页）

envelope　with　a　name　scrawled　across　it　in　a　familiar　hand。

Nate。

？What？s　this？？　Blair　said　aloud。　She　picked　up　the　envelope。　Why　the　fuck　was　Serena　leaving

an　envelope　for　Nate？　Glancing　in　the　direction　of　the　bathroom　to　confirm　that　Nate　was　still

inside；　she　slid　her　fingernail　under　the　envelope？s　flap。　She　unfolded　the　paper　and　started　to　read

Serena？s　manic　scribble：

？

Nate：　I　just　turned　eighteen　a　couple　of　hours　ago。When　the　clock　struck；　I　looked　around　the

room　and　I　couldn？t　find　you。　I　know　you　were　with　Blair；　and　if　you？re　really　happy；　then　I？m

happy　for　you。　Because　how　can　you　not　want　someone　you　love　to　be　happy？　But　that？s　the　thing；

Nate。　。　。　。　I　think　I　love　you。　I　know　that　sounds　crazy；　and　there　were　so　many　other　times　I　should

have　told　you；　but　it　didn？t　hit　me　until　last　night　or　tonight　or　whatever；　and　if　I　didn？t　tell　you

now；　when　would　I　have？　It？s　just？it？s　always　been　you。　Did　you　ever　wonder　why　I　came　back

last　fall？　Last　night；　when？

？

Blair　stopped　reading　midsentence；　flipping　impatiently　through　the　packet；　three　pages　of　heavy

writing　paper　pletely　covered　with　Serena？s　too…big　looping　script。　Her　heart　pounded　in　her

chest。　There　was　no　question　what　to　do　next。　She　looked　left　and　right　just　to　confirm　that　she

was　indeed　alone；　then　slipped　out　of　the　car　and　walked　back　to　the　scenic　overlook。

Carefully；　she　tore　the　first　page　of　the　letter　in　half；　then　tore　that　half　into　quarters；　and　kept

shredding　it　until　all　that　remained　was　a　handful　of　confetti；　which　she　cupped　in　her　palm。　The

warm　breeze　lifted　the　scraps　of　paper　out　of　her　hand　and　sent　them　showering　onto　the　valley

below。　She　did　the　same　with　the　two　other　pages　and　the　envelope　as　well；　tearing　them　into　tiny

bits　so　that　Serena？s　handwriting　was　just　a　jumble　of　meaningless　shapes　that　the　wind　lifted　and

sent　drifting　into　the　valley　below。

Blair　returned　to　the　car　and　reached　into　her　bag　to　retrieve　her　cell　phone。　She　studied　the

phone　momentarily。　Should　she　call　Serena？　Tell　her　that　she　knew　all　about　the　letter；　that　she

knew　how　her　supposedly　best　fucking　friend　actually　felt　about　her　boyfriend？　Or　should　she　just

play　innocent；　ignore　that　two…faced　bitch　and　focus　on　the　perfect　summer　that　stretched　out

before　her？　She　suddenly　didn？t　feel　quite　so　bad　about　ditching　Serena　on　her　birth…day。

No　kidding。

？Ready　to　go？？　Nate　slid　into　the　driver？s　seat；　a　boyish　grin　stretching　across　his　perfect　face。

？Ready。？　Blair　pulled　on　her　seat　belt。

Buckle　up？you？re　in　for　a　wild　ride！

better　late　than　never？

Serena　was　once　again　lying　in　her　all…white　bed　starin