沸腾文学

第47部分（第2页）

“Let’s　find　boys　to　make　out　with！”　one　of　them　squealed；　racing　to　the　elevator。　Vanessa　walked　through　the　open　door；　shaking　her　head　with　bemusement。　There　was　so　much　material　in　the　world；　so　much　fodder　for　film。

Especially　when　it　es　to　subjects　wearing　far　too　little　material…

The　suite　was　crowded；　and　Vanessa　elbowed　her　way　through　packs　of　people　toward　the　open　terrace；　where　a　lone　figure　was　facing　uptown　toward　the　Empire　State　Building；　smoking　a　cigarette。　Dan。　Without　Serena。　Vanessa　shivered　in　the　night　air　and　pulled　her　leather　bomber　jacket　closer　around　her　body。

She　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder。　“Don’t　you　know　those　things　will　kill　you？”

Dan　whirled　around。　Vanessa　looked　beautiful。　Her　hair　was　pulled　back　to　expose　her　collarbones　and　she　was　wearing　a　sexy；　formfitting　dress　underneath　a　leather　jacket。　She　looked　nothing　like　his　Doc　Marten　muse。　And　yet…

She　looked　even　better。

“Where’s　Serena？”　Vanessa　asked；　hoping　she　sounded　more　curious　than　confrontational。

“Serena　and　I　broke　up…。　I’m　going　to　Iowa　by　myself；”　he　finished。　He　wasn’t　sure　what　he　wanted　Vanessa　to　say；　but　she　needed　to　know。

Vanessa　sucked　in　her　breath。　Dan　was　single。　Now；　when　it　was　no　use。　“I’m　going　to　Indonesia　for　two　years。”

“I’m　glad；”　Dan　said　earnestly。　Vanessa’s　face　immediately　fell。　“I　mean；　I’m　glad　you’re　doing　it。　But　I’ll　miss　you；”　he　said。　He　missed　her　already；　and　she　was　standing　just　inches　from　his　touch。

“I　will　too；”　Vanessa　said　shyly。　“Iowa’s　two　years；　right？”　She　rested　her　elbows　on　the　concrete　balcony　ledge　and　looked　down　at　the　street　below；　which　was　surprisingly　quiet　for　New　Year’s　Eve。　Besides　one　town　car　idling　outside　the　Star；　there　was　no　other　traffic。　The　boulevard　stretched　wide　and　free　in　the　inky　night。

“Yeah；”　Dan　said。

Vanessa　nodded。　The　more　she　thought　about　it；　two　years　didn’t　seem　very　long　at　all。　After　all；　she　and　Dan　had　spent　two　years　of　college　practically　ignoring　each　other。

When　you　put　it　that　way…

“Well…　if　you　need　a　roommate　in　two　years；　I’m　really　good　at　making　your　gross　coffee。”

“And　I’m　good　at　helping　you　eat　your　heart…attack…special　pizza；”　Dan　countered。　It　was　crazy　how　they’d　lived　in　the　same　orbit　for　so　long；　had　dated　and　broken　up　and　hooked　up　for　years；　how　they’d　shared　an　apartment　when　they　were　both　together　and　apart。　How　she　could　still　make　him　smile　more　than　anyone　else　in　the　world。

“Deal！”　Vanessa　said。

She’d　meant　to　just　shake　his　hand；　but　she　found　herself　leaning　in。　Her　lips　connected　to　his；　slowly　at　first；　then　more　insistently。

As　the　shouts　and　music　blared　from　inside　the　party；　the　icy　wind　slicing　through　her　dress；　Vanessa　was　suddenly　reminded　of　another　party　she’d　missed；　another　night　spent　out　in　the　cold　night　air—the　night　she　and　Dan　met。　She　couldn’t　have　scripted　it　better　herself。

Parting　is　such　sweet　sorrow…。

breaking　the　cycle…　finally

“So；　do　you　have　any　New　Year’s　resolutions？”　Serena　asked；　slipping　down　in　the　hot　tub　and　letting　her　long　blond　hair　fan　out　behind　her。　She’d　seen　Dan　at　one　point；　smoking　Camels　on　the　balcony　like　the　angsty　poet　he　was。　She’d　say　hi　to　him　later。　For　now；　she　just　wanted　to　have　fun。

“Fuck　no；”　Blair　murmured；　taking　a　drag　of　her　Merit　Ultra　Light　and　letting　the　ashes　fall　into　the　steaming　water　of　the　hot　tub。　Fuck　resolutions。　All　she　really　wanted　to　do　was　have　fun。　For　so　long；　her　resolutions　had　been　more　like　an　endless　list　of　to…dos：　date　Nate　Archibald；　get　into　Yale；　get　into　law　school。　For　once；　she　just　wanted　to　go　with　the　wind；　do　what　she　felt　like。

Sounds　like　someone　else　we　know…

Out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye；　Blair　spotted　Chuck　wearing　a　dark　red　smoking　jacket。　She　was　about　to　get　out　of　the　hot　tub　to　say　hi；　but　then　she　saw　Rain　Hoffstetter　sidle　up　to　him。　Blair　sighed　and　eased　back　into　the　water。

Just　then；　Serena’s　phone　buzzed；　skittering　across　the　marble　edge　of　the　hot　tub。　She　grabbed　it　with　her　wet　hand。

WAITING　OUTSIDE。　YOU　HERE？—NATE

Serena　grinned　as　she　pulled　her　hair　up　into　a　high　wet　ponytail　at　the　nape　of　her　neck。　She　searched　around　the　edge　of　the　hot　tub　for　her　dress。　It　seemed　like　fate。　After　all；　why　travel　the　world　alone　when　she　could　ask　Nate　to　e　with　her？

“Who　was　that？”　Blair　asked；　glancing　up　at　Serena。

“I　have　to　go；”　Serena　said；　sliding　one　slippery　foot　into　a　strappy　Christian　Louboutin　sandal。　“I’ll　be　right　back；”　she　fibbed；　climbing　out　of　the　hot　tub；　slipping　on　her　dress；　and　disappearing　into　the　crowd。

Blair　stared　at　her　friend’s　retreating　back。　Her　phone　buzzed。

WAITING　OUTSIDE。　YOU　HERE？—NATE

Blair　blinked　at　the　message。　What　the　fuck？　H