gossip girl 10 英文- 第9部分


exactly　am　I　driving　us？？　

？Let？s　go　to　the　Ritz。？　Blair　hopped　up　and　down　in　her　seat　like　a　little　kid　who　had　to　
pee。　？Let？s　get　a　suite　and　order　room　service　and　sleep　all　day　tomorrow。？　

？How　about　we　go　right　to　the　Three　Guys　coffee　shop　and　we　pig　out　on　pancakes？？　Serena　
suggested。　

Nate　weighed　the　options：　a　hotel　room　shared　with　Blair　and　Serena　or　a　greasy　early　morning　
breakfast。　

　Decisions；　decisions。　

But　Nate　had　his　own　plan。　He？d　been　going　over　it　in　his　head　for　a　couple　of　days　now；　ever　
since　Anthony　told　him　to　seize　the　day。　And　know　he　knew　what　he　wanted：　an　impromptu　
summer　cruise　on　his　dad？s　boat。　He　could　just　picture　it。　He？d　navigate　them　out　of　the　New　
York　harbor；　the　sun　rising　over　the　East　River。　They？d　head　north；　toward　the　Cape；　and　
eventually　toward　his　parents？　place　in　Mt。　Desert　Island；　Maine。　They？d　spend　the　rest　of　the　
summer　lounging　around　on　the　sun…drenched　deck　in　their　underwear。　They？d　dive　overboard　and　
splash　around　in　the　cool　water　like　kids。They？d　pull　into　small　towns　so　he　could　stock　up　on　
cigarettes　and　beer　and　Blair　could　buy　magazines　and　whatever　else　she　needed。　Then；　when　
they？d　worked　up　an　appetite　from　fishing　or　swimming　or　making　love；　he　and　Blair　would　raid　
the　fully　stocked　kitchen；　eating　artichoke　hearts　directly　out　of　the　jar　with　their　fingers。　

Forgetting　about　someone？　

That　was　the　summer　he　was　supposed　to　be　having；　and　at　last；　he　was　seizing　the　day。　The　only　
problem　was；　well　。　。　。　Serena。　Never　mind　that　he　and　Blair　weren？t　quite　a　couple　again。　They？d　
had　ups　and　downs　for　as　long　as　they？d　known　each　other；　but　they　always　came　back　to　the　
same　point：　they　were　supposed　to　be　together。　And　that　point　was　ing　again。　That　point　was　
on　theCharlotte　。Nate　closed　his　eyes；　trying　desperately　to　think　of　a　guy　they　could　bring　along　
on　their　grand　voyage　to　keep　Serena　occupied　while　he　worked　on　winning　back　Blair。　Jeremy？　
Anthony？　Nah；　she　was　out　of　their　league。　

He　flicked　his　cigarette　out　of　the　car　and　cleared　his　throat。　？I？ve　got　it；？　he　announced。　？Let？s　
get　theCharlotte。　Then　we？ll　just；　like；　sail　away。？　

？Awesome！？　Serena　took　both　hands　off　the　wheel　and　clapped　them　together。　？Natie；　you？re　a　
genius！？　

？I　don？t　know。？　Blair　sat　up。　？I　kind　of　just　feel　like　taking　a　shower　and　going　to　bed。？　

Blair　fidgeted　in　her　seat；　her　knee　brushing　against　Nate？s。　Was　she　doing　that　on　purpose？　It　
sent　a　palpable　surge　of　electricity　through　his　body。　He　felt　more　clear…headed　and　aware　than　he　


had　in　months。　It　was　like　everything　that　had　happened　to　him　lately？getting　in　trouble　and　
almost　not　graduating；　getting　shipped　off　to　slave　labor　in　the　Hamptons；　having　that　weird　
short…lived　romance　with　Tawny？had　been　leading　him　right　here；　to　this　moment。　Never　mind　
that　he　was　going　to　bail　on　work　in　a　matter　of　hours；　never　mind　that　he　had　stolen　his　father？s　
prized　possession；　never　mind　that　he　might　not　get　his　diploma？he　was　with　Blair；　and　when　they　
were　together　it　was　like　everything　else　in　the　world　was　just　。　。　。right。　

？There？s　a　shower　on　board；？　Serena　reminded　Blair；　picking　up　her　vibrating　and　blinking　
Nokia　from　her　lap。　？Don？t　be　a　baby；？　she　called　over　her　shoulder。　？Hello？？　she　answered　her　
cell　phone。　Who　the　hell　was　calling　at　four　in　the　morning？　

？Hey　Serena。　How　are　you？　It？s　Jason。　You　know；　your　downstairs　neighbor　at　the　town　house　
on　Seventy…first　Street？？　

Serena　smiled　quietly　at　the　road。　Blair　was　so　not　expecting　this　call。　

？Hey！？　She　responded　in　her　friendliest；　most　upbeat　voice。　Jason　was　cute　but　totally　forgettable。　
After　theBreakfast　at　Fred？s　wrap　party；　that？s　exactly　what　both　girls　had　done？forgotten　about　
him。　But　Serena　wasn？t　the　girl　Jason　had　had　the　hots　for；　anyway。　？I　guess　you　want　to　talk　to　
Blair。？　She　shifted　into　fourth　gear　around　a　tight　curve　in　the　road。　

？Kind　of；？　Jason　admitted。　

？Hold　on。？　Serena　tossed　her　phone　behind　her；　accidentally　hitting　Blair　in　the　nose。　

Blair　had　been　happily　ensconced　in　one　of　her　epic　movielike　reveries　starring　herself　and　Nate　
naked　on　a　beach　in　St。　Barts；　kissing　on　the　sand　while　the　waves　splashed　over　their　bodies；　
exactly　like　Deborah　Kerr　and　Burt　Lancaster　inFrom　Here　to　Eternity。　She　took　the　phone。　
Probably　it　was　her　mother；　wondering　why　there　was　a　10；000　charge　at　Tod？s　on　her　AmEx。　

？Hello？？　she　said　with　some　annoyance。　Nate？s　leg　was　so　warm　against　hers。　She　rested　her　
head　on　his　shoulder；　seeking　fort　while　she　prepared　to　have　an　extremely　annoying　
conversation。　？What　is　it　now；　Mom？？　

？No；　it？s　me；　Jason；？　a　boy？s　voice　responded　gruffly　on　the　other　end。　

Blair　lifted　her　head　from　Nate？s　shoulder　and　held　the　phone　away　from　her　face。Who？　

She　glanced　at　Nate？s　profile。　He　was　beginning　to　nod　off；　and　she　wanted　to　grab　him　and　slip　
her　hands　under　his　shirt；　just　to　feel　his　warm　skin　beneath　her　fingers。　

？Hello？　Blair？？　Jason？s　voice　squawked　out　of　Serena？s　phone。　Blair　snapped　the　phone　shut　
and　tossed　it　into　the　passenger　seat。　


？Blair！？　Serena　scolded。　The　two　girls　giggled；　sharing　a　glance　through　their　reflections　in　the　
rearview　mirror。　

Nate　shifted　in　his　seat。　？What？s　so　funny？？　he　mumbled；　making　them　laugh　even　harder。　

Then　Blair　turned；　catching　Nate　staring　right　at　her。　But　before　he　could　look　away；　embarrassed；　
she　let　one　eye…lid　fall　in　the　sexiest；　most　unexpected　wink　Nate　had　ever　seen。　？Can　I　have　a　
smoke？？　she　finally　asked；　gently　biting　her　glistening…pink　bottom　lip。　

？Sure。？　He　dug　into　his　pockets　for　the　pack。Anything　for　you。　

　Aw。　

Sunrise　must　have　happened　during　the　four　minutes　it　took　them　to　speed　through　the　Midtown　
Tunnel　and　into　the　city：　the　sky　was　dark　purple　when　Serena　steered　them　into　the　gaping　mouth　
of　the　tunnel；　and　by　the　time　the　little　roadster　emerged　on　the　streets　of　Manhattan；　the　sun　was　
up；　the　cars　were　honking；　and　it　was　already　starting　to　get　hot。　

Nate　tried　not　to　be　too　obvious　about　watching　Blair；　which　was　hard　because　she　was　so　close　
he　could　smell　her；　could　imagine　the　weight　of　her　body　against　his　if　she　happened　to　nod　off　to　
sleep；　could　conjure　the　soft　feeling　of　her　lips　and　tongue　against　his　on　the　off　chance　they　just　
started　making　out　right　there　in　the　backseat。　

Stop　it。　Focus。？Just　drive　downtown。？　Nate　locked　eyes　with　Serena　in　the　rearview　mirror。Did　
she　know　what　he　was　thinking？　Did　she　see　something？　

Not　that　she　was　uncool　enough　to　say　anything。　

？Aye；　aye；　captain。？　Serena　made　a　wide　right　onto　the　FDR　Drive　that　sent　Nate　and　Blair　
hurling　to　the　left　as　she　did。　

？Don？t　kill　us。？　Blair　tucked　her　wind…whipped　hair　behind　her　ears。　

？Don？t　worry。？　Nate　gave　her　right　knee　a　reassuring　squeeze。　

Blair　looked　up　at　him；　her　eyes　glazed　and　sleepy　but　the　same　brilliant　blue　they？d　always　been。　
She　smiled　and　rested　her　head　on　his　shoulder；　still　looking　up　at　him。　

Nate　grinned　back；　feeling　foolish　and　a　little　embarrassed；　like　he　was　fifteen　again。　He　lost　
himself　in　the　sensation　of　the　wind　in　his　hair；　the　thrum　of　the　road　beneath　him；　the　smell　of　the　
girl　he　loved　leaning　against　him。　It　took　ten　minutes　for　Serena　to　zip　through　the　early　morning　
traffic　on　the　highway；　and　five　minutes　of　navigating　the　twisting　downtown　streets　before　they　
reached　the　docks　at　Battery　Park；　where　Captain　Archibald　kept　theCharlotte　docked。　


？We？re　here；　kids；？　Serena　announced；　playing　mommy　as　she　guided　the　tiny　car　into　a　curbside　
parking　spot　and　turned　off　the　ignition。　？Ready　to　sail？？　

Nate　opened　the　door　and　clambered　out　of　the　back…seat。　He　breathed　in　the　mingling　scent　of　
traffic　and　salt　water　and　warm　asphalt；　it　was　a　mix　of　everything　he　loved？the　city；　especially　in　
the　early　morning；　and　the　sea…side；　where　he？d　spent　the　happiest　weeks　of　his　life。　Maybe　he？d　
been　cooped　up　in　the　tiny　backseat　for　too　long；　or　maybe　he　was　just　excited　at　the　thought　of　
the　illicit　cruise　he　was　about　to　undertake；　but　whatever　the　reason；　Nate　actually　started　to　run；　
dodging　pedestrians　and　leaping　over　a　low　gate　that　separated　the　docks　from　the　street。　The　
rubber　soles　of　his　flip…flops　thwacked　noisily　against　the　ashy　wood　slats　of　the　dock。　His　heart　
was　pounding　in　his　ears：　it　was　really；　finally　happening？the　summer　was　beginning　at　last。　Once　
he　and　Blair　stepped　on　board　that　boat；　every…thing　would　change。　

？Sir？　Sir？？　A　uniformed　dockhand　was　running　down　the　pier　toward　Nate；　waving　his　hands　in　
the　air　above　his　head　like　bees　were　attacking　him。　？This　is　private　property；　sir；　you？re　going　to　
have　to　leave。？　

？I？m　looking　for　my　boat；？　Nate　explained；　scanning　the　forest　of　masts　for　its　familiar　profile。　
He？d　helped　his　dad　build　the　thing？he？d　have　known　the　boat　anywhere。　？TheCharlotte。　It？s　
around　here　somewhere。　I　want　to　take　her　out。？　

？TheCharlotte？　？　The　dockhand？a　college…age　kid　who　seemed　cool　enough？stared　at　Nate；　
clearly　confused。　？The　Archibald　boat？？　

？Yeah。？　Nate　nodded；　glancing　behind　him：　Blair　and　Serena　were　perched　on　the　security　gate；　
swinging　their　legs　in　the　air　and　laughing　at　something。　？It？s　my　family？s　boat。　Can　you　give　me　
the　slip　number？？　

？Sorry；　man。？　The　dockhand　shook　his　head；　slowly。　？She？s　not　here。　Captain　Archibald　sailed　
up　to　Newport　at　the　beginning　of　June？he　told　me　he　was　planning　on　keeping　her　there　for　the　
season。？　

Shit。Nate　frowned　at　the　dockhand；　then　looked　back　at　Blair　once　more。　She　was　kicking　her　
little　tan　legs　up　and　down　when　a　sudden　gust　of　wind　off　the　water　caused　her　gauzy　dress　to　
flutter　up　around　her　waist。　Underneath　she　was　wearing　pale　pink　cotton　underwear。　He　could　
just　make　out　little　white　polka　dots　decorating　them。　

Forget　the　boat：　for　now　all　he　wanted　was　to　lie　down　next　to　her；　hold　her　hand；　and　never　let　
go。　

the　truth　es　out　。　。　。　and　so　does　d　


？Male。　Ball。　Male；　ball。　Male　balls。？　

Dan　groaned　and　flopped　over　in　the　soft；　once…white；　now　coffee…and…nicotine…stained　sheets　of　
his　be