第2部分(第5/7 頁)

all　the　raucous　fun　she’d　be　having　without　him。　Blair　raised　an　eyebrow　challengingly。　After　all；　she　was　a　woman。　A　Yale　woman。　She　had　places　to　go。

And　more　important　games　to　play。

make　new　friends；　but　keep　the　old…

“This　came　from　the　man　at　the　other　end　of　the　bar；”　the　skinny　bartender…slash…model　wearing　a　cheesy　Ed　Hardy　T…shirt　said　as　he　proffered　a　glass　of　Veuve　Clicquot。

“Thanks。”　Serena　van　der　Woodsen　glanced　down　the　long；　dark　oak　bar　of　Saucebox；　the　new　lounge　in　the　just…opened　T　Hotel　on　Thompson　Street。　Breckin　O’Dell；　a　handsome　but　boring　actor　she　vaguely　remembered　meeting　a　few　times；　held　up　his　own　glass　of　champagne　and　saluted　her。　Serena　nodded；　brought　the　flute　to　her　lips；　and　took　a　healthy　sip；　even　though　she　preferred　vodka。

“Oh　my　God；　you　should　totally　date　him。　His　agent　has　ridiculous　connections。”　Amanda　Atkins　yanked　on　the　sleeve　of　Serena’s　black　Row　scoop…neck　jersey　dress　in　excitement。　“Can　we　get　some　shots　down　here？”　she　called　to　the　bartender。　Serena　smiled　sheepishly。　Amanda　was　an　eighteen…year…old　recent　LA　transplant　best　known　for　her　role　in　a　dorky　sit　about　a　fashionista　girl　from　Paris　who　moves　to　a　farm　in　Tennessee　to　live　with　her　redneck　uncle　Hank。　Recently；　though；　she’d　been　cast　in　an　indie　film　about　snowboarders　who　dropped　acid；　and　was　trying　to　break　free　from　her　good…girl　reputation。

Another　shot　and　she’s　almost　there。

“Maybe；”　Serena　responded　unconvincingly　to　Amanda’s　ment　about　Breckin。　She　stared　at　the　clear　bubbles　fizzing　to　the　top　of　her　glass　as　if　they　held　the　secrets　to　the　universe。　If　she　looked　around　her；　she’d　see　tons　of　Breckin　O’Dell　look…alikes　with　gel　in　their　hair　and　fitted　pressed　shirts　from　Thomas　Pink。　They