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第33部分（第1页）

ever　met　and　parties　he’d　never　been　invited　to。

“Hey；”　Serena　said　distractedly；　putting　her　hand　on　his　arm　as　if　to　shush　him。　She　leaned　forward　over　the　table；　looking　from　Nate　to　Blair。　“What　I　really　want　to　know　is：　How　did　none　of　us　get　arrested？”

“I　went　to　rehab。”　Nate　shrugged。

“I　followed　you　there；”　Blair　said　in　disbelief。　Had　she　ever　really　been　that　crazy？

Does　she　want　the　long　answer　or　the　short　answer？　Oh　wait；　there　is　no　long　answer。

“And　I　rescued　you！”　Serena　piped　up。　The　three　of　them　collapsed　into　a　fit　of　giggles。

“Okay；　this　officially　enters　‘I　don’t　want　to　know’　territory。　Giles　and　I　will　excuse　ourselves；”　Harold　said　bemusedly；　pushing　his　chair　back　and　beginning　to　clear　the　table。

Dan　sighed；　bored。　Jenny　was　hanging　on　to　every　word；　giggling　like　a　maniac　even　though　she　hadn’t　really　been　a　part　of　any　of　this　either。

“Serena；　remember　the　first　time　we　met？”　Dan　whispered　in　Serena’s　ear。　He　hoped　that　would　be　enough　to　get　her　to　start　paying　attention　to　him。

“Yeah。”　Serena　smiled；　but　she　didn’t　elaborate。　“Oh　my　God；　remember　when　we　lived　in　the　Breakfast　at　Tiffany’s　apartment；　Blair？”

“Remember　the　Raves？”　Jenny　asked；　butting　into　the　conversation。　She　wasn’t　sure　if　it　was　because　she　was　older　or　because　they　were　all　out　of　high　school；　but　suddenly；　all　the　things　that　had　seemed　die…of…embarrassment　awful　when　she　was　fourteen—like　the　time　a　semipornographic　video　of　her　and　Nate　rolling　around　in　the　snow　together　was　leaked　on　the　Internet　or　the　time　she　appeared　in　just　a　bra　in　a　photo　spread　for　a　national　magazine—seemed　almost　funny。　Jenny　felt　vaguely　proud　of　herself　for　surviving　all　that　and　ending　up　here。

“Of　course！　And　our　awesome　photo　shoot　for　W　right　before　graduation？　I　still　get　pliments　on　that。”

Jenny　beamed。　Soon　she’d　be　telling　Serena　she　once　stole　her　jog　bra　from　her　locker。

Dan　stood　up　from　the　table；　needing　a　break。　He　picked　up　the　empty　casserole　dish　and　headed　toward　the　kitchen　after　Harold　and　Giles。　He　paused　when　he　saw　Harold’s　hand　on　the　back　of　Giles’s　neck；　and　made　his　way　back　to　the　table。　He　plunked　down　next　to　Serena　and　drained　the　rest　of　his　wine。　Maybe　he　could　at　least　get　some　good　poetic　inspiration　from　his　misery。

The　grown…up　beauty　queens；　Lipstick　traces　of　glory　faded

In　ghost　hallways；　empty　yearbooks。　Angry。　Jaded。

Or　not。

Serena’s　cheeks　ached　from　laughing　so　hard　and　she　knew　she　was　going　to　be　more　than　a　little　hungover　tomorrow；　but　she　didn’t　want　to　get　up　and　leave　the　party　yet。　Dinner　had　been　over　for　almost　an　hour；　but　everyone　was　still　sitting　around　the　table；　drinking　wine　and　happily　sping　stories。

Almost　everyone。

“Okay；　so　what　do　you　miss　the　most　about　high　school？”　Serena　waved　her　empty　wineglass　around　like　a　Madison　Avenue　divorcée　at　a　ladies…only　luncheon　and　glanced　around　the　table。　Dan　had　been　silent　the　entire　time。　Serena　knew　he　felt　out　of　place。　Even　though　he’d　e　to　a　lot　of　the　parties　they　were　remembering；　he’d　never　really　been　part　of　their　group　of　friends　back　in　high　school。　Still；　that　didn’t　mean　he　had　to　sulk。

Jenny　shrank　lower　in　her　seat；　waiting　for　someone　else　to　answer。　Of　course；　she　was　still　in　high　school；　but　she　didn’t　want　to　call　attention　to　that　fact。

“I　miss　stealing　homework　from　the　smart　kids；”　Chuck　offered　with　a　wry　smile　at　Dan。

“Thanks；”　Dan　said　stiffly。　He　had　supplied　Chuck　with　most　of　his　English　assignments　for　a　year。

“Just　kidding；”　Chuck　laughed。　“Didn’t　I　give　you　an　autographed　picture　one　time　in　exchange？　God；　I　was　a　douche。”　Chuck　shook　his　head。

Blair　shifted　back　in　her　chair。　All　this　talk　about　their　high　school　escapades　had　made　her　feel　restless　and　antsy。　There　were　now　half　a　dozen　empty　champagne　and　wine　bottles　on　the　table。　Outside；　an　almost…full　moon　reflected　on　the　still　falling　snow；　making　the　whole　world　look　magical。　She　didn’t　want　to　sit　across　from　Nate　anymore　or　watch　Jenny　gaze　at　him　with　puppylike　adoration　or　remember　any　of　the　reasons　why　Chuck　was　a　freak　in　high　school。　She　needed　to　get　outside　and　do　something。

Or　someone？