第12部分(第2/7 頁)

　She　looked　at　her　teddy；　as　if　he　might　convey　some　answers；　and

pulled　the　covers　up　higher　around　her　torso；　shrugging　off　the　thought　of　Blair；　because　with　it

would　e　guilt；　masses　and　masses　of　guilt。

？I　wish　I　could　just　take　off。？　Nate　pulled　a　faded　green　T…shirt　over　his　head；　his　voice　muffled

inside　the　soft　cotton。　？Just　sail　away　and　never　e　back。？　His　head　popped　through　the　cloth；

and　he　pulled　the　material　over　his　tanned　chest。

He　ran　his　hands　through　his　hair　and　flopped　back　down　next　to　her。　Her　eyes　were　so　brilliantly；

deeply　blue　that　it　was　hard　for　him　to　imagine　ever　looking　anywhere　else。　He　looked　at　her

tanned；　lightly　freckled　face；　and　he　knew　that　he？d　never　forget　the　way　she　looked　right　now？her

cheeks　flushed　pink；　her　long　body　wrapped　up　in　white　sheets？as　long　as　he　lived。

If　Blair　finds　out；　that　might　not　be　for　long。

？What　are　you　going　to　do？？　Serena　asked；　pushing　her　hair　from　her　face。

？Stay　here；　I　guess；？　Nate　answered　dejectedly。　？It？s　not　like　I？ve　got　much　of　a　choice。？　Serena

stroked　his　hand；　wishing　she　could　kiss　him　and　make　this　all　better。　The　late…afternoon　sunlight

filtered　in　through　the　open　windows；　and　she　looked　out　at　the　wide　blue　sky　outside。　She　could

hear　the　faint　sounds　of　the　city　below；　the　buses　rumbling　by　with　the　posters　of　her　face　on　their

sides。　Suddenly　her　pulse　began　to　race。　？You　know　。　。　。　I？m　not　so　sure　about　going　to　Yale　either；？

she　said　quietly。

？What？？　Nate　demanded；　his　green　eyes　glittering。　？Why？？　？Well；　I　keep　trying　to　picture　it　。　。　。

but　I　just　can？t。？　She　had　been　about　to　say；whenever　Blair　talks　about　it　；　but　then　she　stopped

her