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第34部分（第1页）

。　Besides；　there’d　be　plenty　of　time　for　that　later。　“I’ll　just　get　ready。”　Vanessa　smiled；　trying　to　figure　out　what　she　should　wear。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　she’d　been　to　a　party。

“Oh；　you　want　to　e？”　Hollis　asked　in　surprise。　“Okay；　that’s　cool。　Guys；　want　some　beers？　You　picked　some　up；　right；　babe？”　Hollis　asked　Vanessa；　already　midway　to　the　Sub…Zero　refrigerator。　He　hadn’t　even　taken　off　his　jacket。

Vanessa　shook　her　head　in　disbelief。　Um；　no　she　hadn’t；　and　since　when　was　her　job　to　go　on　beer　runs　for　the　guys　she　didn’t　know　were　ing　over？

“That’s　fine。　We　have　a　bottle　of　wine。”　Hollis　grabbed　the　bottle　of　white　Ruby　had　brought　over　the　other　night。

That’s　mine！　Vanessa　wanted　to　yell。　But　that　was　ridiculous。　It　was　Hollis’s　apartment。　“You　know；　I　think　I’m　actually　going　to　stay　in　for　the　night。　Have　fun；　guys。”　Vanessa　shrugged。

“You　sure？”　Hollis　asked。　“I　won’t　be　home　too　late。　So　good　to　be　back！”　Hollis　said；　kissing　the　top　of　Vanessa’s　head。

Vanessa　collapsed　back　on　the　leather　couch　and　pulled　her　phone　from　the　crevice　behind　the　cushions。　One　new　text。　She　smiled。　It　was　probably　Hollis；　texting　from　a　cab；　sweetly　saying　that　he’d　miss　her　and　that　he’d　be　back　soon。

Instead；　it　was　from　Dan。　Asking　if　she’d　rather　sled　or　eat　his　dad’s　fondue。　She　immediately　thought　of　Rufus；　his　crazy　outfits　and　his　crazier　culinary　creations；　and　then　of　Dan’s　traumatizing　story　about　being　mowed　over　by　a　large　man　on　a　sled　when　he　was　a　kid。　She　laughed　out　loud；　the　tension　of　the　last　half　hour　slowly　seeping　from　her　limbs。

She　looked　down　at　the　keypad　and　quickly　typed　in　I　HATE　SLEDDING。　BRING　ON　THE　FONDUE！

Immediately；　her　phone　lit　up　again：　WOULD　YOU　RATHER　BE　LOCKED　OUT　OF　A　PARTY　IN　TRIBECA　OR　LOCKED　ON　THE　ROOF　OF　YOUR　OLD　APT　IN　WILLIAMSBURG？

Vanessa　smiled。　Dan　was　alluding　to　the　first　time　they’d　met；　when　they’d　both　found　themselves　locked　out　of　a　party　back　in　high　school。　Vanessa　had　e　out　onto　the　fire　escape　to　get　some　air；　and　Dan　had　e　out　for　a　cigarette；　closing　the　fire　door　behind　him　and　locking　them　both　out。　Together；　they’d　climbed　down　the　side　of　the　massive　brick　building；　and　wound　up　at　a　nearby　bar；　talking　late　into　the　night　and　quickly　being　friends。　That　felt　so　long　ago　now。

Vanessa　pulled　her　legs　underneath　her　and　spread　a　blanket　over　her　legs。　It　was　nice　to　hear　from　Dan；　and　especially　nice　that　he　didn’t　seem　to　hate　her　anymore。　Outside；　she　could　hear　people　from　the　bar　across　the　street　talking　and　laughing。　She　smiled　to　herself；　then　texted　back：　DEPENDS　WHO　I’D　BE　LOCKED　OUT　WITH。

Now　who　says　texting　is　impersonal？

tangled　up　in　s…

Serena　scampered　up　the　snowy　hill；　pulling　a　handmade　toboggan　behind　her。　“Natie；　let’s　race！”　she　called；　her　breath　ing　out　in　small　white　puffs。　The　floodlights　outside　the　house　were　on；　casting　the　property　in　an　eerie　glow。　Chuck　and　Blair　were　already　halfway　down　the　hill。　Jenny　was　still　struggling　up　with　her　toboggan。　It　kept　slipping　from　her　mittened　hands　and　sliding　back　down。

“Okay。”　Nate　ran　after　Serena。　It　struck　him　that　they　were　twenty—actual　adults—and　yet　all　they　wanted　to　do　was　act　like　little　kids。　It　was　like　that　dumb　cliché：　The　more　you　change；　the　more　you　stay　the　same。　Maybe　growing　up　was　just　about　being　closer　to　the　person　you　always　were。

And　he　came　up　with　that　without　any　herbal　aid。　Impressive。

“Hey！”　Nate　easily　caught　up　with　Serena；　wrapping　his　arms　around　her　willowy；　athletic　frame。

Serena　whirled　around　to　face　him；　her　blond　hair　whipping　his　face。　She　playfully　pushed　Nate　so　he　took　a　lurching　step　backward　into　a　snowbank。

“No　mercy！”　Nate　yelled；　pulling　her　down　with　him　and　wrestling　her　into　the　snow。

Serena　squealed　in　protest　as　she　wriggled　free；　making　an　impromptu　snow　angel。　Clumps　of　snow　clung　to　her　long　eyelashes。

For　a　second；　Nate　was　transported　back　to　their　sophomore　year；　to　an　afternoon　when　they’d　been　goofing　off　in　the　piles　of　snow　in　his　courtyard。　It　was　the　first　time　he’d　seen　Serena　not　as　plain　old　Serena；　his　best　friend　since　kindergarten；　but　as　a　beautiful　girl。　A　girl　he　loved。

He　hastily　stood　up；　brushing　the　wet　snow　off　the　back　of　his　khakis。

“Here；”　he　offered；　holding　his　hand　out　to　help　Serena　up。

“Thanks。”　Serena　got　to　her　feet；　still　holding　Nate’s　hand。　She　held　his　gaze。　The　air　felt　thick　and　the　world　around　them　seemed　muted。

“Nate；　can　you　help　me？”　Jenny　called　from　the　bottom　of　the　hill。　They　both　looked　up　to　where　she　was　sitting　on　top　of　a　toboggan；　her　cheeks　rosy　from　the　cold。

“Sure；”　Nate　said；　reluctantly　turning　away　from　Serena。

“Watch　out；　he’s　brutal！”　Serena　called　after　them；　trying　not　to　feel　disappointed。　When　Dan　had　refused　to　e　sledding；　it　was　almost　a　relief。　Playing　in　the　snow　had　always　been　something　she　and　Nate　shared。

Nate　grabbed　the　sled　and　tossed　it　halfway　up　the　hill。　He　caught　it　and　ran　the　last　of　the　way；　Jenny　laughing　and　trudging　behind。　They　both　climbed　on　and　he　wrapped　his　arms　around　her　small　frame。　“Let’s　go！”　he　cried；　pushing　them　toward　the　edge　of　the　slope。

As　they　hurtled　down　the　hill　across　the　crisp　fresh　snow；　Jenny　felt　the　sting　of　the　wind　against　her　face。　This　was　nothing　like　traying　at　Waverly；　where　everyone　used　the　dining　hall　trays　to　slide　down　the　teeny…tiny　hill　behind　Dumbarton；　one　of　the　girls’　dorms。　Toboggans　were　so　much　more　authentic　and　quaint。　She　felt　like　one　of　the　sisters　in　Little　Women。　They　were　always　going　sledding　with　their　neighbor　Laurie；　who　was　too　cute　for　his　own　good。

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