第41部分(第3/7 頁)

t　in　the　dining　room。　She　tried　to　conceal　a　yawn。　She　hadn’t　slept　at　all　last　night。

“I　thought　that　color　would　look　great　with　your　eyes。　And　I’m　sure　you’ll　have　so　many　events　to　go　to　next　year。”　Lily　van　der　Woodsen　looked　fondly　at　her　daughter　from　a　club　chair　in　the　corner　of　the　living　room。　Now　that　Serena　and　Erik　were　grown　up；　they　no　longer　opened　presents　at　dawn　beside　the　towering　tree　in　the　living　room。　Instead；　they　opened　a　few　small　expensive　trinkets；　after　breakfast。

Serena　took　a　swig　of　coffee。　In　truth；　she　probably　wouldn’t　have　any　events　to　go　to　next　year　in　Iowa。　Except　maybe　poetry　readings。

Last　night；　after　her　parents　had　gone　to　bed；　she；　Erik；　and　his　fiancée；　Fiona；　had　had　a　long　conversation　about　long…distance　love　while　drinking　homemade　cocktails　from　her　parents’　extensive　liquor　cabinet。　Fiona　was　a　six…foot…tall　blond　Australian　surfer　whom　Erik　met　on　a　beach　in　Melbourne　during　his　junior　year　abroad。　She　was　clearly　head　over　heels　for　Erik；　she　was　funny　as　hell；　and　Serena　was　glad　they　were　going　to　be　sisters　so　soon。　After　a　few　drinks；　Serena　had　worked　up　the　courage　to　ask　them　if　they　thought　long…distance　could　ever　really　work。　Ever　since　Dan　had　found　out　he　was　going　to　Iowa；　she’d　been　nervous　about　how　they’d　deal　with　the　separation。　Of　course；　that　was　when　she　still　thought　she　had　a　few　years　of　college　left。　But　now　that　she　was　graduating；　she　could　do　anything　she　wanted。　And　all　she　could　think　to　do　was　follow　Dan；　even　though　they’d　never　officially　talked　about　it。

What　Fiona　had　said　when　it　came　to　her　and　Erik’s　relationship　sealed　the　decision　for　Serena。　“I　told　him　I’d　follow　him　wherever　he　went；”　Fiona　had　said　proudly；　without　apology。　“And　if　he　was　with