天锡小说网

第5部分（第2页）

removing　her　linen　napkin　from　its　silver　ring　and　spreading　it　out

on　her　lap。　“Your　parents　splitting　up　must　have　totally　sucked。”

Blair　shrugged　and　grabbed　a　fresh　sourdough　roll　from　a　basket　on

the　table。　She　tore　the　roll　in　half　and　stuffed　one　half　into　her

mouth。　The　other　guests　were　still　making　their　way　toward　the

table　and　figuring　out　where　to　sit。　Blair　knew　it　was　rude　to　eat

before　everyone　was　seated；　but　if　her　mouth　was　full；　she　couldn’t

talk；　and　she　really　didn’t　feel　like　talking。

“I　wish　I’d　been　here；”　Serena　said；　watching　Blair　smear　the　other

half　of　her　roll　with　a　thick　slab　of　French　butter。　“But　I　had　a　crazy

year。　I　have　the　most　insane　stories　to　tell　you。”

Blair　nodded　and　chewed　her　roll　slowly；　like　a　cow　chewing　its　cud。

Serena　waited　for　Blair　to　ask　her　what　kind　of　stories；　but　Blair

didn’t　say　anything；　she　just　kept　on　chewing。　She　didn’t　want　to

hear　about　all　the　fabulous　things　Serena　had　done　while　she　was

away　and　Blair　had　been　stuck　at　home；　watching　her　parents　fight

over　antique　chairs　that　nobody　sat　on；　teacups　nobody　used；　and

ugly；　expensive　paintings。

Serena　had　wanted　to　tell　Blair　about　Charles；　the　only　Rastafarian

at　Hanover　Academy；　who’d　asked　her　to　elope　with　him　to　Jamaica。

About　Nicholas；　the　French　college　guy　who　never　wore　underwear

and　who’d　chased　her　train　in　a　tiny　Fiat　all　the　way　from　Paris　to

Milan。　About　smoking　hash　in　Amsterdam　and　sleeping　in　a　park

with　a　group　of　drunk　prostitutes　because　she　forgot　where　she　was

staying。　She　wanted　to　tell　Blair　how　much　it　sucked　to　find　out　that

Hanover　Academy　wouldn’t　take　her　back　senior　year　simply

because　she’d　blown　off　the　first　few　weeks　of　school。　She　wanted

to　tell　Blair　how　scared　she　was　to　go　back　to　Constance　tomorrow

because　she　hadn’t　exactly　been　studying　very　hard　in　the　last　year

and　she　felt　so　pletely　out　of　touch。

But　Blair　wasn’t　interested。　She　grabbed　another　roll　and　took　a　big

bite。

“Wine；　miss？”　Esther　said；　standing　at　Serena’s　left　with　the　bottle。

“Yes；　thank　you；”　Serena　said。　She　watched　the　C。te　du　Rhone　spill

into　her　glass　and　thought　of　the　Red　Sea　once　more。　Maybe　Blair

does　know；　she　thought。　Was　that　what　this　was　all　about？　Was　that

why　she　was　acting　so　weird？

Serena　glanced　at　Nate；　four　chairs　down　on　the　right；　but　he　was