第20部分(第5/7 頁)

ht　at　the　camera。　Serena　and　Blair　were　both　laughing；　their　faces　turned　toward　him。

Nate　picked　up　the　frame　and　held　his　index　finger　over　Blair；　so　he　could　only　see　him　and　Serena；　his　arm　draped　over　her　shoulder。　They　both　looked　so　happy。　Then；　he　experimentally　moved　his　thumb　so　it　covered　Serena。　In　the　photo；　Blair’s　face　gazed　adoringly　at　Nate。　Nate　sighed　in　frustration。

“How　is　she？”　he　asked。　He　couldn’t　help　himself。　He’d　tried　to　forget　about　Blair；　and　sometimes；　he　could　almost　convince　himself　he　had。　But　seeing　the　photograph　of　her　grinning　so　easily　at　him　stirred　up　all　the　feelings　he’d　tried　so　hard　to　get　rid　of。

“I　don’t　know。”　Serena　and　Blair　hadn’t　talked　all　year；　and　Serena　didn’t　really　feel　like　talking　about　her　now　either。　Especially　not　with　Nate。　She　pulled　her　dusky　rose　duvet　cover　around　her　and　leaned　back　against　the　carved…oak　headboard。　“She　was　in　LA　visiting　her　family；”　she　offered；　remembering　the　strained　e…mail　she’d　received　from　Blair　after　Thanksgiving。　“She　and　her　boyfriend　were　there　together。”

“She’s　still　with　him？”　Nate　dropped　the　photo。　It　bounced　once　on　the　bed；　then　clattered　to　the　hardwood　floor。　He　wasn’t　sure　why　he　was　so　surprised。　Blair　was　at　Yale；　not　a　nunnery。　For　all　he　knew；　she’d　had　hundreds　of　boyfriends　since　last　year。

“I　think　so。　I　don’t　know；”　Serena　said　softly；　feeling　a　tingling　in　her　fingertips　that　always　preceded　tears。　She　turned　away　from　Nate　so　she　faced　the　window。　Outside；　the　treetops　were　barren。　Icicles　hung　from　the　building’s　eaves；　slowly　melting　in　the　morning　sun。　She　didn’t　want　to　turn　around　until　Nate　spoke。　To　say　that　he　was　in　love　with　her；　to　say　that　Blair　didn’t　mean　anything　to　him；　to　say　he　was　glad　Blair　had　a　bo