gossip girl 12 终结- 第30部分

Au　revoir…

III

　



hey　people！

a　note　to　all　you　study　abroaders

We　know　who　you　are。　We　can　hear　and　smell　you　from　a　mile　away。　You’re　the　guys　and　girls　who　pronounce　everything　with　a　slightly　clipped　British　accent；　like　Madonna；　or　roll　your　r’s　even　when　you’re　speaking　English。　You’re　the　ones　talking　about　how　the　siesta　really　suits　you；　or　how　a　glass　of　wine　with　lunch　really　calms　the　nerves。　You’re　the　ones　who　won’t　shut　up　about　how　much　better　your　adopted　country　is—even　though　you’ve　spent　most　of　your　first　semester　getting　drunk　with　fellow　study　abroaders　and　you　can　only　say　one　sentence　in　the　language　of　your　host　country：　“Where’s　the　bathroom？”　or　“toilet；”　as　they　say　in　the　U。K。

Don’t　get　me　wrong—I　understand　the　appeal　of　your　international　environs。　Take　a　look　at　B。　Even　though　a　bevy　of　well…bred　British　boys　have　been　following　her　through　the　medieval　streets　of　Oxford；　she’s　been　spotted　drinking　pints　and　sharing　snogs　with　a　fellow　American…　a　very　familiar　one。　Is　it　just　me；　or　are　American　boys　that　much　sexier　when　they　go　abroad？

on　the　home　front

I　haven’t　forgotten　about　all　of　you　who　stayed　stateside。　My　first　subject：　S；　current　cause　célèbre　at　Yale。　Sadly　for　the　Yale　drama　club　and　all　the　other　school　societies　eager　to　claim　her　as　a　member；　she’s　practically　a　part…time　student；　hopping　on　the　Metro　North　every　Thursday　afternoon　after　Moral　Philosophy　class。　Her　destination？　The　Upper　West　Side；　where　she　spends　most　of　her　time　holed　up　with　D。　Those　two　only　venture　out　occasionally；　blissfully　disheveled；　for　pancakes　and　coffee　on　Sunday　mornings。　Boring　couple　alert！

Meanwhile；　V　has　been　keeping　a　low　profile　at　her　Williamsburg　loft；　occasionally　emerging　to　walk　her　adorable　dog。　Whatever　happened　to　that　filmmaker　boyfriend　of　hers？　It’s　an　awfully　big　apartment　for　just　one　person。　N　has　been　spotted　out　at　Deep　Springs；　his　eyes　glittering　for　one　girl　only…　a　newborn　albino　calf　named　Gertie。　Or　perhaps　I　should　refer　to　her　as　Baby　G？　Finally；　little　J　is　back　in　the　city　for　the　holidays；　last　seen　lunching　at　Balthazar　and　poring　over　college　catalogs　with　her　dark…haired；　violet…eyed　boarding　school　friend。　Is　our　little　J　all　grown　up？　All　I　can　say　is；　boarding　school　has　been　very　good　to　her。

your　e…mail

q：　Dear　Gossip　Girl；

So；　I’m　a　freshman　and　when　I　got　my　housing　assignment　last　August；　I　was　thrilled　to　find　out　I　was　rooming　with　S。　As　in；　the　famous　S。　But　she’s　never　around；　and　when　she　is；　all　she　does　is　read　philosophy　and　have　sappy　convos　on　her　cell　with　her　boyfriend。　Isn’t　she　supposed　to　be　the　dancing…on…tables　life…of…the…party？　What　happened？

—roomie

a：　Dear　Roomie；

It’s　called　acting　far　beyond　her　years；　because　she’s　all　boring　and　married。　Hopefully　she’ll　grow　out　of　it　soon　and　will　start　having　fun　with　the　rest　of　us。　Or　at　least　attempting　to　entertain　us　again。

—GG

sightings

J　piled　in　a　car　with　S　and　D。　Destination：　Providence；　Rhode　Island。　Can’t　believe　she’s　ready　to　tour　colleges！…　B　being　picked　up　at　Logan　Airport　in　Boston　by　her　gay　dad；　H；　his　new　husband；　and　her　adopted　stepbrother　and　sister。　What　a　beautiful；　accepting　family！…　N　at　Grand　Central；　drinking　a　large　coffee　and　glancing　wistfully　at　the　clock　in　the　center　of　the　station。　Headed　somewhere；　or　just　remembering　the　road　not　taken？…　V　walking　her　chow…poodle　mix　around　Williamsburg；　watching　all　the　hipster　couples　holding　hands。　Lonely　much？

college　confidential

For　most　of　us；　the　exhausting　process　of　choosing　a　college　is　in　our　distant　past。　But　for　those　of　you　using　the　holiday　break　to　plan　your　future；　here’s　a　helpful　hint：　College　tours　never　give　an　accurate　representation　of　what　your　experience　will　be　like。　You　may　never　even　set　foot　in　that　fabulous　science　library　or　use　the　multimillion…dollar　athletic　plex。　But　you　do　have　to　make　friends。　My　advice：　Go　on　a　tour　of　your　own　and　see　what—or　who—you　e　across。

You　know　you　love　me；

gossip　girl

an　almost　missed　connection

“This　is　the　John　Hay　Library；”　Naomi；　Nate’s　tour　guide　at　Brown；　explained；　stopping　in　front　of　a　large　Gothic　building　in　the　chilly　late…December　afternoon。　The　aged　brick　buildings　of　the　Brown　campus　looked　stately　in　the　crisp　winter　air　and　there　was　a　light　dusting　of　snow　on　the　campus　green。　“It　houses　our　collection　of　rare　books。　Most　students　prefer　to　study　at　the　John　D。　Rockefeller　library；　which　we　call　the　Rock；”　Naomi　continued　with　a　smile。　She　was　a　pixieish　junior　with　spiky　short　brown　hair　who　majored　in　feminist　dance；　and　had　proudly　explained　that　Brown　allowed　its　undergrads　to　design　their　own　major。　Back　in　high　school；　Nate　had　thought　designing　a　major　seemed　cool；　but　now　it　seemed　sort　of　dumb。　What　was　feminist　dance；　anyway？

I’m　sure　he　could　get　a　private　lesson。

“They　say　rubbing　the　nose　of　the　John　Hay　statue　brings　good　luck。”　Naomi　rolled　her　eyes　as　if　to　show　how　ridiculous　she　thought　the　tradition　was。　It　didn’t　stop　several　students　from　dipping　away　from　the　group　to　forcefully　rub　the　sculpture；　determined　to　increase　their　chances　of　admission。

Nate　sighed。　He’d　been　at　Deep　Springs　for　the　last　year；　but　the　college　was　only　a　two…year　program。　Afterward；　students　transferred　to　schools　like　Harvard；　Dartmouth；　Yale；　or　Brown；　which　Nate　had　always　heard　was　the　most　flexible　and　mellow　of　all　the　Ivies。　But　no　matter　how　laid…back　Brown　was；　after　living　on　a　farm　with　thirty　dudes；　going　to　an　actual　university　was　going　to　be　a　giant　jolt　to　the　system。

“Let’s　keep　going！　I　can’t　wait　to　show　you　the　science　library！”　Naomi　trilled；　walking　backward。　Nate　tried　not　to　groan。　The　more　he　heard；　the　less　he　felt　like　he　belonged　anywhere。

He　jammed　his　hands　in　the　pockets　of　his　khakis。　It　was　just　a　few　days　after　Christmas；　and　the　Brown　campus　was　practically　deserted。　Nate　looked　around　dazedly；　trying　to　place　himself　here；　but　he　couldn’t。

As　he　approached　the　campus　gates；　he　noticed　a　pretty　girl　in　a　bright　red　coat；　squinting　at　the　campus　map。　She　was　obviously　lost。　Something　about　her　made　Nate　want　to　go　over　and　help　her；　and　he　found　himself　stepping　away　from　the　group。

As　he　got　closer；　he　took　in　the　girl’s　long；　curly　brown　hair　and　milky　white　skin。　It　was　Jennifer　Humphrey；　the　sweet；　big…chested　freshman　he’d　hooked　up　with　senior　year！

Jenny　squinted　up　at　the　map　of　the　Brown　campus。　She’d　e　to　Providence　to　tour　RISD；　where　she’d　applied　back　in　November；　but　Brown　was　right　next　door；　and　she　figured　she　might　as　well　look　around。　If　she　could　ever　find　anything。　It　looked　a　lot　like　Waverly—the　snow…covered　green；　the　oversize　brick　buildings；　the　occasional　preppie…boho　student　who　crossed　her　path—except　bigger。　She　felt　a　tap　on　her　shoulder　and　turned　to　find　herself　looking　up　into　a　familiar　pair　of　glittering　green　eyes。

“Nate？”　she　squeaked；　her　voice　going　up　an　octave。　“I　mean；　Nate；”　she　repeated；　trying　to　sound　like　the　mature　and　collected　eighteen…year…old　she　was。　Or　would　be；　if　she　hadn’t　just　been　confronted　by　her　high　school　crush。

“Jennifer；　right？”　Nate　smiled　easily；　his　whole　face　lighting　up。

Jenny　nodded　mutely；　trying　to　ignore　the　sweat　beads　forming　along　her　hairline　and　her　heart　hammering　in　her　chest。　She　was　glad　her　belted　red　Searle　coat　was　buttoned　up　all　the　way；　so　Nate　couldn’t　see　the　red　hives　that　sprang　up　on　her　chest　when　she　was　embarrassed。

“Long　time　no　see。”　Nate　smiled。　“Do　you　go　here？”　His　green　eyes　searched　Jenny’s　dark　brown　ones。

Jenny　shook　her　head；　her　brunette　curls　bouncing　around　her　head　like　vines。　“I　just　went　on　a　tour　of　RISD。　I　applied　there；　and　Pratt；　but　I　can’t　decide　between　them。　I’m　a　senior　this　year；”　she　explained　nervously；　feeling　like　she’d　traveled　back　in　time　to　her　awkward　high　school　years。　She　might　as　well　be　wearing　her　seersucker　Constance　Billard　uniform；　worrying　about　whether　Mrs。　M　was　going　to　bust　her　for　talking　to　a　boy　on　campus。　“Do　you　go　here？”

“Nah。”　Nate　shuffled　from　side　to　side。　“Just　looking。　Where　are　you　headed　now？”

“My　brother’s　supposed　to　pick　me　up　on　Thayer　Street。　Think　you　can　help　me　find　it？”　Jenny　asked　coyly。

Who　can　resist　a　damsel　in　distress？

“I　think　it’s　that　way。”　Nate　pointed　to　a　set　of　tall　wrought…iron　gates　on　the　other　side　of　the　snowy　campus。　“I’ll　walk　over　there　with　you；”　he　offered；　and　led　the　way　down　a　path　that　ran　along　a　squat；　ivy…covered　building。

“Thanks！”　Jenny　practically　had　to　run　in　her　distressed　Frye　cowboy　boots　to　keep　up　with　Nate’s　long　strides。

Nate　slowed　down。　He’d　gotten　used　to　a　faster　clip；　keeping　up　with　Gertie　and　the　other　girls　on　the　farm。　“So；　do　you　go　to　Constance？”　he　asked。

“No；　I　go　to　Waverly。　It’s　a　boarding　school　upstate。　But　what　about　you？　Didn’t　you　go　to　Yale？”　She　remembered　hearing　about　Nate　getting　into　all　the　schools　he’d　applied　to；　despite　being　a　well…known　stoner　and　slacker。　She　hoped　she　didn’t　sound　like　a　stalker。

“I　go　to　Deep　Springs。　It’s　a　working　ranch　in　California。　We　spend　the　morning　reading　and　in　classes　and　then　the　afternoon　doing　manual　labor　on　the　ranch。”

“Oh。”　Jenny　wrinkled　her　nose。　Poor　Nate！　“Did　your　parents　make　you　go　there？”

Nate　shook　his　head；　his　green　eyes　suddenly　far…off。　Jenny　wondered　what　he　was　thinking　about。　He　seemed　so　much　older　than　the　guys　at　Waverly；　who　bragged　about　sneaking　booze　to　the　Crater；　Waverly’s　best　outdoor　party　spot；　or　how　many　times　they’d　fallen　asleep　in　Ms。　Hummerton’s　Texts　of　the　Twentieth　Century　class。　She　loved　Waverly；　but　she　was　more　than　ready　for　her　next　adventure。

And　it　might　just　be　more　imminent　than　she　thinks。

They　were　nearing　the　center　of　campus　and　Jenny　felt　her　heart　flutter　in　anticipation。　She　could　imagine　everyone　passing　them　thinking　they　were　a　couple　back　early　from　break；　deep　in　conversation　about　what　to　do　for　New　Year’s。

“So；　why　did　you　go　to　Deep　Springs？”　Jenny　pressed。

“I　just　needed　to　get　away　from　everything。　But　the