第11部分(第2/7 頁)

　whispering　secrets　and　giggling　the　day　away。　Things　were　so　much　easier　back

then？before　Nate　had　e　between　them。　Not　that　it　was　his　fault。

Why　is　it　never　the　boy？s　fault？

Serena　sighed　and　tried　to　concentrate　as　Eleanor？s　nervously　loud　voice　chattered　away　in　her

ear；　the　ice　cubes　in　her　Bloody　Mary　clinking　against　the　glass　as　she　waved　her　arms　about。

？Because；　you　know；　when　the　Reynoldses　had　their　party　last　year；　they　chose　that　hideous

bisque　color　scheme；　which　pletely　washed　out　Mitzi？s　plexion；？　Eleanor　was　saying；　her

brow　wrinkled　in　worry。　？I　was　envisioning　shell　pink　or　ivory；　because　those　are　Blair？s　absolute

favorites；　but　I　just　can？t　stop　thinking　about　Mitzi　looking　as　though　she　was　about　to　besick　all

over　her　very　own　soiree。？　Davita　leaned　in　conspiratorially。　？My　dear；　that　event　was　planned

bySamantha　Powers　and　her　troop　of　underlings。Amateurs　。　You　have　to　relax　and　realize　you？re

dealing　with　aprofessional　here！？　She　threw　her　overbleached　platinum　locks　over　one　shoulder

and　turned　toward　Serena；　her　tanned　face　nearly　as　leathery　as　the　distressed　calfskin　bag　on　the

sofa　beside　her。　？Eleanor　tells　me　that　you？re　Blair？s　best　friend；？　she　said　with　a　stewardess　smile；

scribbling　more　notes　on　the　pink　pad。

Or　worst　enemy。

Serena　nodded。　？We？ve　been　friends？？

？Forever！？　Eleanor　finished　enthusiastically。

？Mmmm；？　Davita　murmured　as　she　picked　up　a　thin　cucumber　sandwich？crusts　cut　off；　of

course？from　a　hammered　silver　tray。　She　sniffed　it　delicately；　then　returned　it　to　the　tray。

？Now；　Serena；？　Eleanor　began；　smoothing　her　sleek；　Fekkai…blond　shoulder…length　bob；　？I　hope

you　don？t　mind　m