第3部分(第4/7 頁)

　up　and　twirling　her

around　and　kissing　her　face　over　and　over。　“I　love　you！”　he　wanted

to　shout；　but　he　didn’t。　He　couldn’t。

Nate　was　the　only　son　of　a　navy　captain　and　a　French　society

hostess。　His　father　was　a　master　sailor　and　extremely　handsome；

but　a　little　lacking　in　the　hugs　department。　His　mother　was　the

plete　opposite；　always　fawning　over　Nate　and　prone　to

emotional　fits　during　which　she　would　lock　herself　in　her　bedroom

with　a　bottle　of　champagne　and　call　her　sister　on　her　yacht　in

Monaco。　Poor　Nate　was　always　on　the　verge　of　saying　how　he　really

felt；　but　he　didn’t　want　to　make　a　scene　or　say　something　he　might

regret　later。　Instead；　he　kept　quiet　and　let　other　people　steer　the

boat；　while　he　laid　back　and　enjoyed　the　steady　rocking　of　the

waves。

He　might　look　like　a　stud；　but　he　was　actually　pretty　weak。

“So；　what　have　you　been　up　to？”　Nate　asked　Serena；　trying　to

breathe　normally。　“We　missed　you。”

Notice　that　he　wasn’t　even　brave　enough　to　say；　“I　missed　you”？

“What　have　I　been　up　to？”　Serena　repeated。　She　giggled。　“If　you

only　knew；　Nate。　I’ve　been　so；　so　bad！”

Nate　clenched　his　fists　involuntarily。　Man　oh　man；　had　he　missed

her。

Ignored　as　usual；　Chuck　slunk　away　from　Serena　and　Nate　and

crossed　the　room　to　Blair；　who　was　once　again　standing　with　Kati

and　Isabel。

“A　thousand　bucks　says　she　got　kicked　out；”　Chuck　told　them。　“And

doesn’t　she　look　fucked？　I　think　she’s　been　thoroughly　fucked。

Maybe　she　had　some　sort　of　prostitution　ring　going　on　up　there。　The

Merry　Madam　of　Hanover　Academy；”　he　added；　laughing　at　his　own

stupid　joke。

“I　think　she　look