第17部分(第4/7 頁)

’t　too　heavy　to　start　the　season　off；”　Blair　huffed；　annoyed。　It

was　fine　for　her　to　laugh　at　the　cause　she’d　chosen　for　the　party；

but　Serena　had　no　right。

Serena　steered　the　conversation　back　on　course。　“So　is　the　party

like；　just　for　us；　or　is　it　for　parents；　too？”　she　asked。

Blair　hesitated。　“Just　。　。　。　us；”　she　said　finally。　She　downed　the　rest　of

her　drink　and　looked　at　her　watch。　“Um；　I　kind　of　have　to　take　off；”

she　said。　She　slid　her　bag　over　her　arm　and　picked　her　pack　of

cigarettes　up　off　the　table。

Serena　frowned。　She　had　taken　her　time　getting　dressed；　psyching

herself　up　for　a　wild　night　out　with　her　friends。　She’d　expected　a　big

group—Blair　and　the　other　girls；　Nate　and　his　gang；　Chuck　and　his

boys—all　the　people　they　always　used　to　hang　out　with。

“But　I　thought　we　would　stay　here　for　a　while。　Wait　for　everyone

else；”　Serena　said。　“Where　are　you　going；　anyway？”

“I　have　a　practice　SAT　tomorrow　morning；”　Blair　said；　feeling

extremely　superior；　even　though　she　was　lying　her　ass　off。　“I　need

to　prepare　for　it；　and　I　want　to　go　to　bed　early。”

“Oh；”　Serena　said。　She　crossed　her　arms　and　sat　back　on　her　stool。

“I　was　hoping　we’d　all　wind　up　partying　in　the　Basses’　suite

upstairs。　They　still　have　it；　don’t　they？”

Back　in　tenth　grade；　Serena　and　Blair　and　her　friends　had　spent

many　a　night　in　Chuck　Bass’s　suite；　drinking　and　dancing；　watching

movies　and　ordering　room　service；　taking　hot　tubs。　Together；　they’d

pass　out　on　the　king…sized　bed　and　stay　there　until　they　were　sober

enough　to　make　their　way　home。

Once；　during　a　very　drunken　night　at　the　end　of　tenth　grade；　Serena

and　B