第20部分(第2/7 頁)

ad。　He　turned　on　his　MacBook；　jiggling　his　leg　as　it　powered　up。　The　clock　read　eleven　fifty…one。

Quickly；　he　typed　with　two　fingers；　pulling　the　best　lines　from　different　poems　to　create　an　impassioned；　pleading　poem　to　love。　Outside；　he　could　hear　neighbors　on　the　street。　For　as　long　as　he　could　remember；　everyone　on　his　block　had　gathered　outside　to　count　down　to　the　New　Year。　But　Dan　didn’t　have　time　for　that。　Instead；　he　logged　into　his　Columbia　account　and　quickly　posed　an　e…mail　to　his　professor。　At　eleven　fifty…eight；　he　pressed　send。

Well；　at　least　he　didn’t　wait　until　the　last　minute。

the　morning　after　is　never　as　magical　as　the　night　before

Serena　stretched　her　arms　over　her　head；　surprised　when　her　elbow　hit　something　hard。　She　opened　her　navy　blue　eyes　and　realized　her　elbow　hadn’t　connected　with　something；　but　someone：　Nate。

Scenes　from　last　night　came　floating　back　to　her。　She’d　only　had　one　drink；　but　everything　seemed　cloaked　in　a　golden；　glowy　haze。　As　soon　as　she　and　Nate　had　kissed；　it　was　as　if　the　whole　party　had　faded　away　and　the　only　thing　that　was　left　was　the　two　of　them。　It　was　only　the　countdown　to　midnight　that　had　broken　the　spell。　They’d　found　a　cab　and　gone　back　to　Serena’s　apartment。

“Morning！”　Serena　whispered；　even　though　she　wanted　to　scream　for　joy。　She’d　never　been　so　happy　on　a　New　Year’s　Day。　It　was　the　perfect　start　to　the　rest　of　their　lives。

Doesn’t　she　mean　year？

“Uh；”　Nate　grunted　sleepily　and　turned　over；　throwing　his　arm　across　Serena’s　golden；　naked　body。　“I’ve　got　farm　duty；”　Nate　murmured。　“The　cows　are　hungry。”

“Wake　up；　silly！”　Serena　gently　pushed　his　blond…streaked　brown　hair　from　his　eyes。　Nate　was　probably　still　high。　All　night；　he’d　said　cute　things　h