第24部分(第5/7 頁)

taken　off　her　halter　top　and　was　dancing　by　herself　in　the

corner；　smoking　a　joint　and　strumming　a　guitar；　a　sun；　moon；　and　stars　tattoo　standing　out　on　her

shoulder　blade。

？This　party　is　weird；？　Vanessa　observed。

？Have　you　seen　Nate？？　Serena　asked。　She　vaguely　remembered　arriving　with　him；　but　she　hadn？t

seen　him　since。　She　squinted；　half　expecting　to　find　Nate　weeping　at　the　bar；　but　she　couldn？t　see

him　anywhere。

Blair　stepped　away　from　the　bar；　a　fresh　flute　of　bubbling　champagne　in　her　hand　and　a　fresh

cigarette　dangling　from　the　antique　ebony…and…mother…of…pearl　cigarette　holder　between　her

glossed　lips；　looking　like　a　character　out　of　an　old　movie。　Serena　pushed　herself　away　from　the

wall　and　went　over　to　her。

？I　love　your　pearls。？

Blair　decided　not　to　spit　in　Serena？s　face　or　scratch　her　dark　blue　eyes　out。　？They？re　from

Marcus。？

Serena　nodded；　about　to　say　something　about　what　an　amazing　guy　Marcus　was；　but　she　was

distracted。　？You　haven？t　seen　Nate；　have　you？？

Blair　took　a　long　sip　of　champagne　and　blew　smoke　into　the　air。　She？d　been　busy　accepting　gifts

from　her　mysterious　royal　beau。　She　didn？t　have　time　to　keep　track　of　Nate？s　erratic

whereabouts。　？Not　really。？

Serena　scanned　the　room　with　her　eyes。　？He？s　been　acting　strange；？　she　remarked；　chewing　on

her　thumbnail。　？Don？t　you　think　so？？

Again；　Blair　really　didn？t　have　an　opinion　on　the　subject。　The　moss　green　sweater　was　where

she？d　left　it；　folded　on　a　chair　nearby。　？I　guess；？　she　allowed。

That　tiny　big…chested　ninth　grader　Jenny　Humphrey　stepped　out　of　the　alcove　where　the　men？s

room　was；　her　curly　dark　hair　slightly　askew　and　her　mouth　re