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第20部分（第2页）

“How　is　she？”　he　asked。　He　couldn’t　help　himself。　He’d　tried　to　forget　about　Blair；　and　sometimes；　he　could　almost　convince　himself　he　had。　But　seeing　the　photograph　of　her　grinning　so　easily　at　him　stirred　up　all　the　feelings　he’d　tried　so　hard　to　get　rid　of。

“I　don’t　know。”　Serena　and　Blair　hadn’t　talked　all　year；　and　Serena　didn’t　really　feel　like　talking　about　her　now　either。　Especially　not　with　Nate。　She　pulled　her　dusky　rose　duvet　cover　around　her　and　leaned　back　against　the　carved…oak　headboard。　“She　was　in　LA　visiting　her　family；”　she　offered；　remembering　the　strained　e…mail　she’d　received　from　Blair　after　Thanksgiving。　“She　and　her　boyfriend　were　there　together。”

“She’s　still　with　him？”　Nate　dropped　the　photo。　It　bounced　once　on　the　bed；　then　clattered　to　the　hardwood　floor。　He　wasn’t　sure　why　he　was　so　surprised。　Blair　was　at　Yale；　not　a　nunnery。　For　all　he　knew；　she’d　had　hundreds　of　boyfriends　since　last　year。

“I　think　so。　I　don’t　know；”　Serena　said　softly；　feeling　a　tingling　in　her　fingertips　that　always　preceded　tears。　She　turned　away　from　Nate　so　she　faced　the　window。　Outside；　the　treetops　were　barren。　Icicles　hung　from　the　building’s　eaves；　slowly　melting　in　the　morning　sun。　She　didn’t　want　to　turn　around　until　Nate　spoke。　To　say　that　he　was　in　love　with　her；　to　say　that　Blair　didn’t　mean　anything　to　him；　to　say　he　was　glad　Blair　had　a　boyfriend　because　all　he　wanted　was　Serena。

Serena　breathed　in　and　out　slowly；　trying　to　even　out　her　breath　so　each　inhale　and　exhale　lasted　exactly　three　seconds。　It　was　a　trick　she’d　learned　from　one　of　her　acting　teachers；　a　way　to　remain　in　control　if　you　felt　like　your　emotions　might　overtake　you　in　a　scene。

Too　late。

Angry　tears　pricked　her　navy　blue　eyes。　Was　he　still　in　love　with　Blair？　Would　she　always　be　his　backup？

“Serena？”　Nate　tentatively　touched　her　shoulder；　as　if　she　were　a　stranger。

“You　know；　I　have　a　lot　of　stuff　to　do　today；”　she　announced；　swinging　her　feet　onto　the　hardwood　floor。　She　yanked　a　rose…colored　sheet　off　the　bed　and　primly　wrapped　it　around　her　body　like　a　bathrobe。　No　way　was　Nate　allowed　to　see　her　naked　now。

“Serena；　wait；”　Nate　said　helplessly。　He　wanted　to　hold　her　and　kiss　her　and　make　it　better。　After　all；　he　loved　her；　too。

Serena　whirled　around。　“What？”

“I　just…”　Nate’s　glittering　green　eyes　clouded　and　he　looked　at　his　hands。

“Happy　New　Year；　Nate；”　she　said；　and　closed　the　bathroom　door　behind　her；　not　wanting　to　let　him　see　her　cry。

（Happy）　New　Year；　indeed。

d　earns　his　poetic　license

From：　colmdoyle@columbia。edu

To：　dhumphrey3@columbia。edu

Subject：　Re：　poetry　submission

Danny　Boy！

I　thought　you　were　going　to　submit　shite；　but　this　is　the　real　thing；　boyo。　Sent　it　to　Jaymi　Matteo　at　The　New　Yorker。　She　wants　it。　They’re　going　to　crash　it　into　their　next　issue；　printing　tonight！　What’s　it　called？

CD

From：　dhumphrey3@columbia。edu

To：　colmdoyle@columbia。edu

Subject：　Re：　re：　poetry　submission

Dear　Professor　Doyle；

Thank　you；　sir。　I’m　honored。　You　can　call　the　poem　Serena。

Sincerely；

Dan　Humphrey

true　confessions

“Are　you　all　right；　miss？”　a　black…vested　waiter　asked　as　he　rolled　the　room　service　cart　into　Blair’s　Tribeca　Star　suite　Wednesday　morning。　“Your　usual；”　he　added；　lifting　the　silver　cover　from　the　plate。　It　was　the　same　waiter　who’d　brought　her　dinner　last　night。　And　dinner　the　night　before。　Blair　glared　mutinously　at　him。　Didn’t　he　have　a　life？

Doesn’t　she？

“I’m　fine；”　Blair　growled；　causing　the　waiter　to　scurry　out　of　the　room；　leaving　her　alone　with　her　leek　and　goat　cheese　omelet　and　bacon。　Blair　took　the　tray　from　the　side　table　and　brought　it　back　to　the　bed；　balancing　it　on　her　knees。　Her　boyf