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第9部分（第1页）

“You　came！”　A　slow　smile　spread　across　Hollis　Lyons’s　face；　reaching　his　slate　gray；　thickly　lashed　eyes。　He　was　tall　and　lean；　and　wore　jeans　and　a　purple…and…black…striped　vest　over　a　white　button…down。　A　black　newsboy　cap　sat　jauntily　on　his　head；　his　messy　black　hair　sticking　out　from　underneath。　On　anyone　else；　the　outfit　would’ve　looked　ridiculous；　but　on　Hollis；　it　somehow　worked。　Vanessa　randomly　thought　of　a　young　Christian　Bale　in　Newsies；　a　movie　Jenny　loved　for　no　apparent　reason。

Hollis　draped　his　arm　over　Vanessa’s　shoulder　and　led　her　into　the　kitchen。

“As　you　can　see；　we’re　extremely　well　stocked。”　He　gestured　to　the　makeshift　bar　like　a　game　show　host。　The　cracked　laminate　counter　was　littered　with　empty　bottles　and　cans。　“What　can　I　get　you？”

“Whatever　you’re　having。”

“PBR？”　Hollis　opened　the　refrigerator　and　held　out　a　can　toward　her。　“Seems　to　be　all　that’s　left。　I　thought　we’d　just　have　a　couple　of　people；　but　we’re　at　capacity。”　He　passed　the　beer　to　Vanessa。　“Just　so　you　know；　I　don’t　make　a　habit　of　drinking　with　my　students。”

“I’m　not　your　student　anymore！”　Vanessa　had　to　yell　above　the　music。　Le　Tigre　was　pounding　so　hard　through　the　stereo　that　the　hardwood　floor　seemed　to　be　shaking。

“I　know！”　Hollis　grinned　and　clinked　his　glass　against　hers。　“Let’s　go　upstairs！”

He　opened　the　door　of　the　apartment　and　Vanessa　followed。　He　swung　his　leg　onto　a　rickety　fire　escape　ladder　installed　four　feet　above　the　floor；　holding　his　beer　precariously　with　one　hand　the　whole　time。　Vanessa　clambered　after　him；　her　hands　gripping　the　freezing　fire　escape；　and　stepped　onto　a　narrow　landing。　They　faced　a　large　black　metal　door　with　a　note　tacked　on：　DO　NOT　OPEN；　ALARM　WILL　SOUND。

Hollis　pushed　open　the　door。　They　were　greeted　by　silence　instead　of　a　loud　siren。　“That’s　been　there　for　years；”　he　explained；　walking　out　onto　the　unfinished　tar…covered　roof。　Around　them；　other　people　were　on　their　own　rooftops；　setting　off　rogue　fireworks；　toasting　each　other；　and　laughing。

“I　love　it　up　here；”　Hollis　said。　“It’s　like　a　party　in　the　sky。　LA　was　nothing　like　this。　In　LA；　you　always　have　to　get　in　your　car　to　do　just　about　anything。　Here；　everyone’s　so　connected。”　He　shrugged　as　he　sipped　his　beer　and　surveyed　the　surrounding　rooftops。　“I　kind　of　wish　I　had　my　camera。”

“I　have　mine。”　Vanessa　pulled　her　camera　out　of　her　messenger　bag　and　offered　it　to　him。　She　crossed　her　arms　over　her　chest　and　clamped　her　teeth　together　so　they　wouldn’t　chatter。　She　didn’t　want　Hollis　to　know　how　cold　she　was；　because　she　didn’t　want　him　to　suggest　they　head　back　downstairs。

Is　that　so？

Hollis　took　the　camera　carefully　from　her　hands　and　pointed　it　in　her　direction。　“I’m　glad　we　came　up　here；”　he　said；　slowly　panning　the　camera　so　it　took　in　the　other　rooftops。　He　stopped　once　he　came　to　Vanessa。　“So；　tell　me　the　story　of　your　life。　Maybe　I　can　make　it　into　a　movie　that’ll　get　me　out　of　my　five…hundred…square…foot　apartment。”

“Do　you　use　all　your　students　for　story　ideas？”　Vanessa　took　a　sip　of　PBR　to　stop　herself　from　saying　anything　else　stupid。　Why　was　she　suddenly　so　nervous？　She’d　spent　plenty　of　time　alone　with　Hollis；　debating　the　merits　of　Cassavetes　after　class。　But　for　some　reason；　being　alone　with　him　right　now　felt　scary　and　thrilling　at　the　same　time。

“As　you　pointed　out：　You’re　not　my　student　anymore。　Now；　sit　on　the　picnic　table　over　there　and　tell　me　more　about　yourself。　That’s　an　order；”　he　added；　a　playful　smile　snaking　across　his　lips。

“What　do　you　want　to　know？”　Vanessa　perched　on　a　rickety　picnic　table　surrounded　by　rusted　lawn　chairs；　the　cold　seeping　through　her　jeans。　No　guy　had　ever　asked　to　film　her　before。　She　used　to　film　Dan　a　lot。　But　she　didn’t　want　to　think　about　Dan　right　now。

Wonder　why？

“Right　now；　you’re　doing　this　little　snarl　thing　with　your　upper　lip；　but　you’re　smiling　the　whole　time。　It’s　cute。　Has　anyone　ever　told　you　you　do　that？”　Hollis　asked。

“No。”　Vanessa　shook　her　head。　She　smiled　while　snarling？　And　Hollis　thought　it　was　cute？

We　all　have　our　special　talents。

Below　them；　people　from　the　bar　across　the　street　were　spilling　onto　the　sidewalk；　blowing　noisemakers。　“It’s　almost　New　Year’s！”　someone　yelled　into　the　night　air。

“Should　we　go　back　downstairs？”　Vanessa　asked　nervously。　Hollis　put　the　camera　down　on　the　bench　and　sat　down　next　to　her。

Just　then；　the　group　clustered　on　the　sidewalk　began　counting　down：　“Five；　four；　three；　two；　one…

“Happy　New　Year！”　The　phrase　rose　like　a　collective　chorus；　from　the　streets　below　and　the　roofs　around　them。

Hollis　brushed　his　hand　against　Vanessa’s　cheek；　then　cupped　her　chin　and　pulled　her　mouth　toward　his。　“In　case　you　thought　you　missed　your　opportunity　for　a　New　Year’s　kiss；”　he　murmured　as　his　lips　brushed　hers。

Vanessa　hesitated　for　a　fraction　of　a　second；　as　an　image　of　Dan’s　sallow　face　flashed　across　her　mind。　Dan；　her　Dan；　who　was　back　and　wanted　to　move　in　together；　go　to　school　together；　start　a　life　together。　But　it　was　this　thought　exactly　that　made　her　kiss　Hollis　right　back。　His　mouth　tasted　clean　and　cinnamony　and　not　at　all　like　Folgers。　She　knew　it　was　wrong　and　that　she’d　have　a　lot　of　thinking　to　do　in　the　morning。　But　up　here；　on　the　roof；　so　close　to　the　winter　stars；　it　felt　so　right。

In　film…speak；　this　is　called　a　central　conflict。

missed　connections

From：　svw@vanderWoodsen。

To：　bcw@yaleuniversity。edu

Time：　Friday；　December　31；　11：58　p。m。

Subject：　Re：　Here！

…　with　2　mins　to　go　before　New　Year’s！　A　million　sorries　and　a　thousand　ridiculous　reasons　why　I’m　late　but　I’ll　make　it　up　to　you；　I　promise！　Just　let　me　know　where　you　are　because　this　party　needs　fun　and　you　and　I　are　the　only　ones　who　can　supply　it。　Xoxoxoxoxoxox　Serena

From：　bcw@yaleuniversity。edu

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