第一小说网

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第26部分（第2页）

“Good　to　see　you；”　Chuck　said　enthusiastically。　He　slid　onto　the　metal　bar　stool　next　to　her。　“Jameson　on　the　rocks；”　he　ordered。　“And　we’ll　also　have　a　grilled　cheese。　And　the　hummus　plate；”　he　added。

“I’m　not　hungry；”　Blair　said　shortly；　hoping　Chuck　would　get　the　hint　and　leave。　After　all；　she　hadn’t　e　down　to　the　bar　to　socialize—she’d　e　down　because　her　drunk　ex…boyfriend　was　in　her　bedroom　and　she　had　nowhere　else　to　go。

“Well；　in　case　you　change　your　mind。　You　want　to　talk？”　Chuck　asked。

Blair　considered。　She　and　Chuck　had　never　really　gotten　along；　but　they’d　known　each　other　forever；　and　someone　was　better　than　no　one。　“Have　you　seen　Nate　this　break？”

“I　have。　He’s　been　a　little…　bent　out　of　shape。　Have　you？”

Blair　nodded。　“He　thought　it　would　be　a　brilliant　idea　to　e　here。　To　find　me。　And　then　crawl　into　bed　with　me。　Which　was　fucking　perfect；　because　five　minutes　later；　my　boyfriend　came　into　the　hotel　room　and　got　the　wrong　idea。　So　let’s　just　say　I’ve　had　a　shitty　night；”　Blair　said　tightly。　She　grabbed　a　cocktail　napkin　and　began　shredding　it。　Tiny　pieces　of　paper　rained　down　on　the　oak　bar　like　snowflakes。

“That’s　rough；”　Chuck　exhaled。　He　stared　into　his　drink　contemplatively。

“I　just　don’t　know　why　he　always　does　that。　He　always　fucks　up　my　life。　He　always　has；”　Blair　said　in　a　small　voice。　The　tears　started　again。　Chuck　took　another　cocktail　napkin　from　behind　the　bar　and　offered　it　to　her。

“You’re　probably　the　only　person　he　can　trust；”　Chuck　said　gently　as　the　bartender　placed　the　grilled　cheese　and　hummus　plate　in　front　of　them。　Blair　eyed　it　hungrily。　She’d　never　been　one　of　those　girls　who　lost　an　appetite　in　a　crisis。　“Here。”　Chuck　grabbed　half　of　the　sandwich　and　held　it　toward　her。　For　a　second；　Blair　thought　he　was　going　to　try　to　feed　it　to　her；　but　he　didn’t。　She　took　the　sandwich　from　him　and　Chuck　pushed　away　her　half…finished　drink。

“What　you　need　is　a　bubble　bath；　some　candles；　and　some　chocolate；”　Chuck　said。　Blair　rolled　her　eyes。　Of　course。　This　was　what　the　whole　conversation　was　leading　up　to。　Chuck　just　wanted　to　take　advantage　of　her。

“And　I　suppose　I　need　pany　in　that　bubble　bath；”　Blair　replied　sarcastically；　draining　the　rest　of　her　drink　and　standing　up。　She　grabbed　the　bar　counter　for　support；　feeling　shaky。

“Look；　you　can　stay　upstairs　in　my　suite；　and　I’ll　sleep　in　my　apartment。”　Chuck　gently　put　his　arm　on　her　shoulder　to　steady　her。　“And　tomorrow；　we　can　go　to　brunch。”

Blair　wanted　to　shake　him　off；　but　she　was　too　tired。　Instead；　she　gratefully　leaned　into　him。

Upstairs；　Chuck　led　Blair　down　the　hallway　to　the　Bass　suite。　“Good　night；　Blair；”　he　said；　kissing　her　on　the　forehead。　“I’ll　pick　you　up　tomorrow　morning。”

She　may　be　down　and　out；　but　that　doesn’t　stop　the　boys　from　falling　for　her。

if　all　else　fails；　move　across　the　ocean

Serena　sat　at　a　banquette　of　the　Star　Bar　at　the　Tribeca　Star　hotel　on　Saturday　afternoon；　nervously　chewing　on　a　pink　star…shaped　cocktail　stirrer。　She　wore　a　clingy　blue　Alice＋Olivia　dress　and　Christian　Louboutin　over…the…knee　boots；　her　hair　pulled　into　a　high　bun。　She　was　utterly　oblivious　to　the　admiring　glances　shot　her　way；　lost　in　her　own　little　world。

The　Star　Lounge　had　never　carded；　so　she’d　been　ing　here　since　she　was　fifteen；　when　she　used　to　meet　Blair　for　a　drink　before　going　up　to　Chuck’s　suite。　The　lounge　looked　the　same　as　always：　black　leather　ottomans　and　couches　surrounded　the　perimeter；　and　the　walls　were　covered　with　shelves　of　flickering　candles。　It　was　only　Serena　who’d　changed。

Cue　the　Joni　Mitchell　sound　track…。

She’d　sat　on　her　bed　in　her　empty　apartment　last　night；　leafing　through　scripts　her　agent　had　sent　along。　She　could　be　a　young　woman　looking　for　love　in　the　city；　she　could　be　the　beautiful　former　golden　girl　who　gets　sucked　into　a　downward　spiral　of　coke　and　vodka；　she　could　be　the　love　interest；　a　beautiful　but　vacuous　blonde　who　was　only　the　end　goal；　or；　for　a　real　change　of　pace；　she　could　be　the　bitchy　villain　in　a　superhero　movie；　wearing　a　leather　catsuit　and　a　dark　wig。

Serena　didn’t　want　to　be　in　any　of　those　movies。　She　didn’t　want　to　be　in　any　movies；　period。　Sure；　the　press　junkets；　the　swag；　the　glitz　and　glamour　had　been　fun　at　first；　but　they’d　quickly　lost　their　appeal。　Instead；　she’d　thought　a　lot　about　what　Dan　Humphrey　had　said；　about　Columbia　giving　him　the　chance　to　think　and　learn　and　explore。　The　more　and　more　she　thought　about　it；　the　more　appealing　college　seemed。　Where　else　could　she　spend　her　time　reading　and　growing　up　and　figuring　out　what　she　wanted　to　do　with　the　rest　of　her　life？

Just　this　morning；　she’d　summoned　her　courage　and　made　a　call　to　the　Yale　admissions　office；　to　let　them　know　her　deferral　period　was　over。　Now　she　was　officially　in；　ready　to　matriculate　next　fall。　She’d　told　her　parents　and　brother　at　brunch。　There　was　only　one　other　person　who　needed　to　know。

I’m　sure　that　person　will　be　thrilled。

“Your　friend　ing？”　the　server　asked　dubiously；　picking　up　Serena’s　now…empty　vodka　soda。

“Who　knows？”　Serena　sighed。　She　knew　Blair　was　staying　at　the　Tribeca　Star；　and　was　counting　on　her　ing　in　or　out　at　some　point　in　the　evening。　But　she’d　already　been　waiting　for　an　hour；　and　so　far；　no　sign　of　her。　“I’ll　have　another　one。”

Serena　glanced　up　at　the　entrance　again。　If　she　didn’t　e　in　five