第4部分(第2/7 頁)

Buck　Naked。　Of　course　they　all　messed　up；　boys　and　girls　alike；　so

Buck　got　a　lot　of　action　that　night。　The　next　morning；　Nate　tried　to

pretend　it　hadn’t　happened；　but　the　proof　was　inked　on　his　skin。　It

took　weeks　for　Buck　to　wash　off　in　the　shower。

“And　what　about　the　Red　Sea？”　Serena　said。　She　studied　Nate’s

face。　Neither　of　them　was　smiling　now。

“The　Red　Sea；”　Nate　repeated；　drowning　in　the　deep　blue　lakes　of

her　eyes。　Of　course　he　remembered。　How　could　he　forget？

One　hot　August　weekend；　the　summer　after　tenth　grade；　Nate　had

been　in　the　city　with　his　dad；　while　the　rest　of　the　Archibald　family

was　still　in　Maine。　Serena　was　up　in　her　country　house　in　Ridgefield；

Connecticut；　so　bored　she’d　painted　each　of　her　fingernails　and

toenails　a　different　color。　Blair　was　at　the　Waldorf　castle　in

Gleneagles；　Scotland；　at　her　aunt’s　wedding。　But　that　hadn’t

stopped　her　two　best　friends　from　having　fun　without　her。　When

Nate　called；　Serena　hopped　right　on　the　New　Haven　line　into　Grand

Central　Station。

Nate　met　Serena　on　the　platform。　She　stepped　off　the　train　wearing

a　light　blue　silk　slip　dress　and　pink　rubber　flip…flops。　Her　yellow　hair

hung　loose；　just　touching　her　bare　shoulders。　She　wasn’t　carrying　a

bag；　not　even　a　wallet　or　keys。　To　Nate；　she　looked　like　an　angel。

How　lucky　he　was。　Life　didn’t　get　any　better　than　the　moment　when

Serena　flip…flopped　down　the　platform；　threw　her　arms　around　his

neck；　and　kissed　him　on　the　lips。　That　wonderful；　surprising　kiss。

First　they　had　martinis　at　the　little　bar　upstairs　by　the　Vanderbilt

Avenue　entrance　to　Grand　Central。　Then　they　got　a　cab　straight　up