天锡小说网

第4部分（第1页）

said　mysteriously。

She　looked　down　and　fiddled　with　the　little　ruby　ring　on　the　middle

finger　of　her　right　hand。　The　film　was　rolling；　and　Blair　was　getting

warmed　up。

“I　think　Serena　is　pretty　messed　up　about　it。　But　I　promised　her　I

wouldn’t　say　anything；”　she　added。

Her　friends　nodded　as　if　they　understood　pletely。　It　sounded

serious　and　juicy；　and　best　of　all　it　sounded　like　Serena　had

confided　everything　to　Blair。　If　only　Blair　could　script　the　rest　of　the

movie；　she’d　wind　up　with　the　boy　for　sure。　And　Serena　could　play

the　girl　who　falls　off　the　cliff　and　cracks　her　skull　on　a　rock　and　is

eaten　alive　by　hungry　vultures；　never　to　be　seen　again。

“Careful；　Blair；”　Chuck　warned；　nodding　at　Serena　and　Nate；　who

were　still　talking　in　low　voices　over　by　the　wet　bar；　their　eyes　never

straying　from　each　other’s　faces。　“Looks　like　Serena’s　already　found

her　next　victim。”

Serena　was　holding　Nate’s　hand　loosely　in　hers；　swinging　it　back

and　forth。

“Remember　Buck　Naked？”　she　asked　him；　laughing　softly。

Nate　chuckled；　still　embarrassed；　even　after　all　these　years。　Buck

Naked　was　Nate’s　alter　ego；　invented　at　a　party　in　eighth　grade；

when　most　of　them　had　gotten　drunk　for　the　first　time。　After

drinking　six　beers；　Nate　had　taken　his　shirt　off；　and　Serena　and　Blair

had　drawn　a　goofy；　buck…toothed　face　on　his　torso　in　black　marker。

For　some　reason　the　face　brought　out　the　devil　in　Nate；　and　he

started　a　drinking　game。　Everyone　sat　in　a　circle　and　Nate　stood　in

the　middle；　holding　a　Latin　textbook　and　shouting　out　verbs　for

them　to　conjugate。　The　first　person　to　mess　up　had　to　drink　and　kiss

Buck　Naked。　Of　course　they　all　messed　up；　boys　and　girls　alike；　so

Buck　got　a　lot　of　action　that　night。　The　next　morning；　Nate　tried　to

pretend　it　hadn’t　happened；　but　the　proof　was　inked　on　his　skin。　It

took　weeks　for　Buck　to　wash　off　in　the　shower。

“And　what　about　the　Red　Sea？”　Serena　said。　She　studied　Nate’s

face。　Neither　of　them　was　smiling　now。

“The　Red　Sea；”　Nate　repeated；　drowning　in　the　deep　blue　lakes　of

her　eyes。　Of　course　he　remembered。　How　could　he　forget？

One　hot　August　weekend；　the　summer　after　tenth　grade；　Nate　had

been　in　the　city　with　his　dad；　while　the　rest　of　the　Archibald　family