沸腾文学

第9部分（第2页）

To：　svw@vanderWoodsen。

Time：　Saturday；　January　1；　12：18　a。m。

Subject：　Re：　re：　Here！

Left　party　early　and　found　another　place　to　stay。　Will　call　you　tomorrow。　Happy　New　Year。

Xo；

Blair

the　honest　truth　and　other　rewards

All　of　the　lights　in　Nate’s　Eighty…second　Street　town　house　were　off。　Nate　didn’t　bother　to　turn　them　on　as　he　led　Blair　up　the　stairs　to　his　room。　They　hadn’t　talked　at　all　in　the　cab　uptown。　Talking—even　if　only　the　cabdriver　could　hear　them—felt　unnecessary。　Besides；　it　was　impossible　for　either　of　them　to　know　where　to　begin。　Instead；　they’d　both　stared　out　at　the　city　as　it　passed；　their　hands　intertwined。

Blair　followed　Nate　up　the　familiar　creaky　stairs　toward　the　three　rooms　that　made　up　his　private　third…floor　space。　Nate　paused　in　the　doorway。

“Blair；”　he　said　urgently。　He　planted　his　lips　on　hers。　She　tasted　familiar；　like　peppermint　gum　and　vanilla　lip　gloss。　He’d　never；　ever　leave　Blair　again。　He　was　so　thankful　she’d　given　him　another　chance。　He　wouldn’t　fuck　it　up　this　time。

We’ve　heard　that　one　before。

Blair　pulled　away；　her　hands　resting　lightly　on　Nate’s　strong　back。　The　moon　cast　a　wide　shaft　of　light　on　his　Italian　cotton　duvet　and　part　of　her　was　eager　to　lie　down　and　have　Nate　ravish　her。　But　part　of　her—the　grown…up　part—needed　to　know　that　what　had　happened　four　months　ago　wouldn’t　happen　again；　that　Nate　really　was　hers　forever。　She　sat　on　the　bed；　knitting　her　perfectly　manicured　fingers　together　in　her　lap。

“You　really　hurt　me　this　summer；”　she　said　quietly。

It　was　funny。　In　the　past；　when　Blair　was　pissed；　she’d　scream　or　throw　a　Manolo。　Her　hesitant　manner　was　almost　worse。　“I　know　I　did。　I　feel　so　guilty　about　that。”　Nate　hoped　his　words　conveyed　how　sorry　he　was。　He’d　never　meant　to　hurt　her。　She　needed　to　know　that。　“I　just　had　to　figure　out　some　stuff。　But　I　know　what　I　want；　now。　You；”　he　said　huskily。　He　couldn’t　believe　the　words　he　was　saying。　They　seemed　so　cheesy；　like　lines　from　one　of　those　black…and…white　movies　Blair　used　to　force　him　to　watch。

A　single　tear　fell　on　the　hem　of　Blair’s　dress。　Normally；　she　never　let　anyone　see　her　cry。　“You　left　me。　You　left　me；　Nate；”　she　whimpered；　finally　letting　go　of　all　the　anger　and　frustrations　and　dashed　hopes　she’d　carried　with　her　for　the　past　four　months。

Nate　felt　his　heart　breaking　in　two　as　proud　tears　rolled　down　Blair’s　beautiful　cheeks。　He　wanted　to　kiss　her　again　and　again　until　everything　was　better。　Instead；　he　sat　beside　her　and　placed　his　hand　tentatively　over　hers。

“I’ll　never　leave　you　again。　Blair。　I　love　you。”　Nate’s　stomach　knotted；　willing　her　to　echo　his　feelings。

“I　love　you　too；”　Blair　said　finally；　another　tear　trickling　down　her　cheek。　She　wasn’t　sure　why　she　was　still　crying。　She　was　just　so　relieved　and　happy　and　homesick　and　excited；　all　at　once。　Nate　gently　wiped　the　tear　away　with　his　index　finger。

Blair　leaned　in　and　kissed　him；　hard。　“I　love　you；”　she　said　again。

Together；　they　lay　down　so　they　were　facing　each　other。　The　strap　of　Blair’s　dress　was　falling　down　her　shoulder。　He　reached　out　and　eased　it　down；　so　Blair’s　skin　was　exposed。　They　didn’t　need　to　talk　anymore。　All　they　needed　was　each　other。

Just　then；　a　loud　buzz　emanated　from　Blair’s　Chloé　clutch　where　it　had　been　hastily　tossed　on　the　wood　floor。

“Let’s　ignore　that；”　Blair　said；　reaching　toward　the　waistband　of　Nate’s　khakis。　She　wasn’t　mad　at　him　anymore。　What　he’d　done　last　summer　didn’t　even　matter　anymore。　All　that　mattered　was　this—them；　together。

breakfast　of　champions

Please　answer　the　phone；　Serena　whispered　as　she　dialed　Blair’s　number　on　New　Year’s　morning。　It　was　10　a。m。　and　she’d　been　up　since　seven；　feeling　guilty　about　abandoning　Blair　last　night。　She　wasn’t　sure　how　to　interpret　Blair’s　e…mail。　It　wasn’t　bitchy；　exactly。

Not　exactly。

But　what　could　she　have　done？　It　wasn’t　like　she　could　leave　Thaddeus　alone　with　his　homophobic　ditz　of　a　date。　She’d　only　been　able　to　leave　after　Carilee　passed　out　on　Thaddeus’s　bed　after　one　too　many　amaretto　sours。　It　had　proved　impossible　to　get　a　cab；　so　she’d　gone　back　up　to　the　party　and　begged　Ira　to　let　her　use　his　town　car。　Finally；　she’d　gotten　to　Chuck’s　party。　It　was　crawling　with　L’école　and　Seaton　Arms　underclassmen　she’d　never　met　before；　all　eager　to　hang　out　with　her。　But　no　sign　of　Blair。

Knowing　Blair；　she’d　probably　gotten　a　suite　and　was　watching　an　Audrey　Hepburn　marathon　and　hating　her　life—and　maybe　even　Serena。　She　felt　guiltier　each　time　she　thought　about　it。

Hi；　you’ve　reached　Blair　Waldorf…。　Serena　threw　the　phone　on　her　bed　in　frustration。

Just　then；　the　inter　buzzer　to　the　apartment　rang。　Serena　sprang　up　and　buzzed　Blair　in。

She　raced　back　to　her　bedroom；　plucked　a　pair　of　black　Stella　McCartney　for　Adidas　yoga　pants　off　the　floor；　and　yanked　them　over　her　Cosabella　boy　shorts；　padding　to　the　door　on　her　size　nine　bare　feet。

“Hey　Booger　Braids！”　Serena　called　the　kindergarten…age　endearment　down　the　hall；　not　caring　what　her　neighbors　might　think　about　her　inappropriate　greeting。　“Sorry　I　missed　you　last　night。”

Blair　rounded　the　corner　of　the　elevator　bank　into　the　hallway。　But　she　wasn’t　alone。

“Look　who　I　found！”　Blair　announced；　feeling　a　slight　thrill　of　pleas