第3部分(第5/7 頁)

　and　had　even　taken　his　father’s　boat；　the　Charlotte；　up　and　down　the　eastern　seaboard　with　his　girlfriend；　Blair；　last　June。

Doesn’t　he　mean　ex…girlfriend？

Nate　rubbed　the　sleep　out　of　his　glittering　green　eyes　and　yawned。　They　were　somewhere　in　the　Bahamas；　but　it　felt　light…years　away　from　the　Upper　East　Side。　Maybe　it　was　the　tropical　air　and　the　nautical　living；　but　everything　about　his　old　life　seemed　far　away。　Sometimes；　he’d　try　to　remember　a　specific　event—the　first　time　he’d　bought　pot　from　the　pizza　dude　on　Lex　by　asking　for　two　slices　with　extra　oregano；　the　time　he’d　stolen　the　Charlotte　and　spent　a　weekend　with　Anthony　and　Charlie；　doing　bong　hits　and　eating　Oreos；　cruising　toward　Bermuda　at　half　a　mile　an　hour—but　the　scenes　were　always　fuzzy。　It　was　like　remembering　an　old　movie；　where　you　could　recall　random　moments；　but　not　the　beginning　or　ending。

Nate　leaned　back　against　the　rough…hewn　beams。　There　were　some　memories；　though；　that　he　replayed　almost　every　night。　In　the　moments　before　the　subtle　rocking　of　the　ocean　lulled　him　to　sleep；　he　pictured　Blair；　and　Serena　van　der　Woodsen；　his　other　best　friend　and　the　girl　he’d　lost　his　virginity　to。　Blair　cheesily　posing　in　front　of　the　polar…bear　exhibit　at　the　zoo；　Serena　with　her　blond　head　tipped　back；　laughing　hysterically　at　a　joke　only　she　found　funny；　Blair　in　front　of　Tiffany；　her　favorite　place　on　earth；　doing　her　best　Audrey　Hepburn　impression。　Serena　splashing　around　in　the　Venus　fountain　in　his　backyard；　looking　like　the　goddess　she　was。　He　wondered　if　they　ever　thought　about　him。

If　not；　there　are　plenty　of　girls　who　do。

He　knew　they　probably　weren’t　pining　for　him。　In　fact；　they　probably　hated　him。　He　loved　them　both；　and　of　course　he’d　never　been　able　to　c