第9部分(第2/7 頁)

rena—did　you

tell　her　about　the　party？　Is　she　going　to　help？”

Blair　stared　blankly　back　at　her。

Kati　wrinkled　her　pert　little　ski…jump　nose　and　nudged　Isabel　with

her　elbow。　“I　bet　Serena　is　too　busy；　you　know；　dealing　with

everything。　All　her　problems。　She　probably　doesn’t　have　time　to

help　us；　anyway；”　she　said；　smirking。

Blair　shrugged。　Across　the　cafeteria；　Serena　herself　was　just　joining

the　lunch　line。　She　noticed　Blair　right　away　and　smiled；　waving

cheerfully　as　if　to　say；　“I’ll　be　there　in　a　minute！”　Blair　blinked；

pretending　she’d　forgotten　to　put　in　her　contacts。

Serena　slid　her　tray　along　the　metal　counter；　choosing　a　lemon

yogurt　and　skipping　all　the　hot　lunch　selections　until　she　came　to

the　hot…water　dispenser；　where　she　filled　up　a　cup　with　hot　water

and　placed　a　Lipton　tea　bag；　a　slice　of　lemon；　and　a　packet　of　sugar

on　the　saucer。　Then　she　carried　her　tray　over　to　the　salad　bar；

where　she　filled　up　a　plate　with　a　pile　of　romaine　lettuce　and　poured

a　small　puddle　of　bleu　cheese　dressing　beside　it。　She　would　have

preferred　a　toasted　ham…and…cheese　sandwich　in　the　Gare　du　Nord

in　Paris；　eaten　in　a　hurry　before　leaping　onto　her　London　train；　but

this　was　almost　as　good。　It　was　the　same　lunch　she’d　eaten　at

Constance　every　day　since　sixth　grade。　Blair　always　got　the　same

thing　too。　They　called　it　the　“diet　plate。”

Blair　watched　as　Serena　got　her　salad；　dreading　the　moment　when

Serena　would　sit　down　next　to　her　in　all　her　glory　and　start　trying　to

be　friends　again。　Ugh。

“Hey　guys；”　Serena　said；　sitting　down　next　to　Blair；　smiling

radiantly。　“Just　like　old　times；　huh？”　She　l