第5部分(第3/7 頁)

　short　hair。　It　was　silky　and　unfamiliar；　but　Dan　instantly　loved　it；　just　like　he　loved　every　part　of　her。

Vanessa　nodded；　trying　to　imagine　living　with　Dan。　They’d　tried　a　few　times　last　year　for　short　periods　of　time；　but　it　had　never　really　worked。　One　of　them　would　always　get　moody　or　jealous。　But　maybe　now　that　they　were　in　college；　it　would　be　different？

“And　we　can　arrange　our　schedules　together。　There’s　this　one　class　at　Columbia　called　The　Poetry　of　Film　that　I　was　thinking　of　taking。　Maybe　you　could　take　it　as　a　visiting　student？　Or　maybe　you　could　transfer。”　His　hand　grazed　the　hem　of　her　black　long…sleeve　thermal　top。

“Transfer？”　Vanessa　pulled　back　slightly。　“But　I　like　NYU。”　She　loved　her　classes；　and　most　of　the　people　she’d　met。　The　film　students　tended　to　stick　together；　going　from　screenings　to　happy　hours　to　late…night　onion　ring　runs　at　Tick　Tock　Diner　in　a　herd。　In　high　school；　Vanessa　would　have　thought　that　type　of　behavior　was　ridiculously　lame。　But　having　a　big　group　of　friends　was　actually　fun。

What　was　she　getting　so　worked　up　about？　Dan　was　her　boyfriend；　and　he　was　moving　back　to　the　city。　Of　course　he　just　wanted　to　spend　more　time　with　her。　And　of　course　that　was　what　she　wanted　too。　“e　here。”　She　smiled　and　reached　toward　Dan；　pulling　him　in　for　a　kiss。　His　lips　tasted　reassuringly　familiar；　like　Crest　and　Folgers。

Just　then；　her　cell　vibrated　from　her　back　pocket。　She　pulled　out　the　phone　and　frowned。

“What？”　Dan　asked　impatiently。

Vanessa　scanned　the　display。　NEW　YEAR’S　PARTY　AT　MY　CASA。　210　AVE　B。　HOPE　TO　SEE　YOU　THERE—HOLLIS。　Hollis　was　her　TA　for　her　Intro　to　Film　class。　He　was　only　twenty…five　but　he’d　already　screened　a　few　of　his　films　at　the　Tribeca　Film　Festival。　One　of　them　had