创客小说网

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第29部分（第2页）

“You’ll　never　guess　who　I　ran　into—Nate　Archibald！　Isn’t　that　crazy？　He　was　going　to　take　the　train　back　to　the　city；　but　I　figured　we　could　just　give　him　a　ride；”　Jenny　said　without　taking　a　breath。　Her　gaze　landed　on　Serena。　Oops。　In　her　excitement；　Jenny　had　almost　forgotten　about　Nate　and　Serena’s　plicated　history。　To　her；　Serena　was　simply　Dan’s　girlfriend。　Would　this　be　weird？

Of　course　it　will！

Dan　narrowed　his　eyes　at　the　dark　blond；　green…eyed　figure　outside　his　car。　Nate　Archibald　was　the　asshole　who’d　broken　Jenny’s　heart　three　years　ago；　and　had　broken　Serena’s　heart　just　the　year　before。　Dan　had　only　heard　the　vaguest　details　about　what　had　happened；　but　he　knew　Nate　was　bad　news。　What　the　fuck　was　he　doing　here？　“Actually；　I　think　we’re　pretty　full—”　Dan　began。　He　racked　his　brain；　trying　to　think　of　some　lie　to　prevent　Nate　from　driving　home　with　them。　A　weight　limit？

A　no…assholes　rule？

“Natie！”　Serena　squealed；　peering　out　the　window　at　Nate。　“What　are　you　doing　here？！”　Serena　couldn’t　believe　Nate　was　right　in　front　of　her。　She’d　hardly　thought　about　him　this　past　year。　She　knew　she　should　still　be　mad　at　Nate　after　what　happened　last　winter；　but　it　all　seemed　so　far　in　the　past。　Besides；　she　could　afford　to　be　generous。　If　Nate　hadn’t　made　her　so　miserable　last　year；　she’d　never　have　reached　out　to　Dan。　So　in　a　way；　she　owed　her　current　happiness　to　him。

“We　totally　have　room！”　Serena　announced；　getting　out　of　the　car。　Nate　looked　so　cute　and　helpless；　with　snowflakes　sitting　in　his　dirty　blond　hair。　She　threw　her　arms　around　Nate　in　an　affectionate　old…friends　hug。　“Hop　in；”　she　told　him；　getting　in　the　backseat　with　Jenny。

Dan　sputtered；　his　blue　fleece–gloved　hands　gripping　the　steering　wheel。　He　didn’t　love　the　idea　of　Jenny　talking　to　this　douche；　and　he　really　didn’t　like　the　familiar　way　Serena　had　hugged　him。　And　now　he　had　to　give　the　guy　a　ride？

“Hey；　I　really　appreciate　the　ride；　especially　with　this　snow。　I’ll　take　middle；”　Nate　offered；　climbing　over　Serena　and　wedging　his　lanky　frame　into　the　middle　of　the　seat　between　her　and　Jenny。

Serena　squeezed　his　shoulder。　“Let’s　go；”　she　said。

Dan　glared　mutinously　toward　the　backseat。　Why　didn’t　Serena　offer　to　sit　up　front　with　him？　What　was　he？　Their　fucking　chauffeur？

“Great。　Let’s　go；”　Dan　growled；　navigating　out　of　his　spot　and　slowly　driving　down　Thayer　Street　toward　I…95。

“Dan；　aren’t　you　going　to　ask　me　about　RISD？”　Jenny　needled　in　her　little…sister　voice。

“How　was　it？”　Serena　asked　curiously。

“So　good；”　Jenny　gushed。　“And　guess　what？　Nate’s　going　to　Brown！”

“You　are；　Natie？　Oh　my　God；　that’s　awesome！”　Serena　cried。　“Wait；　we　need　something　to　celebrate。　Dan；　can　you　stop　for　snacks？”

Dan　grunted。　The　last　thing　he　wanted　was　for　them　to　eat　a　fucking　cake　in　the　backseat　of　his　car　while　he　drove　them　around　like　a　fucking　soccer　team。　“I　think　we　should　just　try　to　get　home　as　quickly　as　possible。　The　snow’s　really　ing　down；”　he　pointed　out。

“Whatever　you　say。”　Nate　shrugged。　“I’m　still　not　used　to　being　back　on　the　East　Coast。　We　don’t　get　snow　at　Deep　Springs。”

“Did　you　know　that　Nate　knows　how　to　birth　cows？”　Serena　said　proudly　as　Dan　merged　into　the　bumper…to…bumper　traffic　of　I…95　South。　The　cars　were　jockeying　for　road　space；　and　the　steadily　falling　snowflakes　made　for　poor　visibility。　Dan　sucked　in　his　breath。　He　hated　driving。　Part　of　the　reason　he　loved　living　in　New　York　was　that　he　never　had　to　drive。

“I　need　to　concentrate；”　he　muttered；　turning　on　the　windshield　wipers。

Nate　tapped　Dan’s　shoulder。　“You　want　me　to　drive？　I’m　pretty　good　at　dealing　with　the　dust　storms　in　California。”

“No；”　Dan　said　shortly。　He　looked　in　the　rearview　mirror。　Jenny　was　leaning　toward　the　middle　section　of　the　seat；　practically　on　top　of　Nate。　She　was　a　smart　girl；　but　when　it　came　to　boys；　she　could　be　sort　of　a　ditz。　Dan　knew　his　sister；　and　right　now　Jenny　was　in　full…on　flirt　mode。

God　help　us。

“I　got　stuck　in　the　snow　once；”　she　offered。　“With　my　friend　Tinsley。　Our　car　broke　down　in　the　middle　of　the　highway；　and　we　had　to　spend　the　night　in　it。　We　thought　we　were　in；　like；　the　middle　of　nowhere；　but　when　we　woke　up　the　next　morning　we　realized　we　were　right　in　front　of　a　hotel。　The　owners　felt　sorry　for　us　and　gave　us　a　free　breakfast。”

Nate　chuckled。　“That’s　funny。　I　always　wondered　what　went　down　at　boarding　school。　Serena　would　never　give　up　any　stories　about　Hanover。”

“What　do　you　want　to　know？”　Serena　stuck　out　her　tongue　at　Nate。　“That　was　a　million　years　ago；　anyway。”

Dan　pulled　forward　into　an　empty　lane　and　accelerated　angrily。

Suddenly；　the　car　swerved　toward　the　shoulder。　Dan　whipped　the　wheel　in　the　opposite　direction；　the　back　of　the　car　swinging　like　the　tail　of　a　snake。　Behind　them　a　car　horn　blared。　Jenny　shrieked；　and　Serena　braced　herself　against　the　back　of　Dan’s　seat。

Dan　pressed　on　the　brake　and　pulled　over；　his　breath　short　and　heart　pounding。　Everyone　was　silent。　They　could’ve　been　killed。　He　peered　out　the　window。　Fat　flakes　were　falling；　and　the　stormy　clouds　meant　it　was　only　going　to　get　worse。　Fuck。　Stuck　in　a　fucking　blizzard；　hours　from　home。　“It’s　too　dangerous　to　try　to　get　all　the　way　back　to　the　city　in　this。　I　don’t　have　snow　tires；　and　this　car　isn’t　exactly　in　the　best　of　shape。”　Dan　said　flatly；　hating　the　truth　of　the　statement。

They　all　peered　out　at　the