gossip girl 12 终结- 第46部分

Which　apocalyptic　scenario　does　not　belong　with　the　others？

“Hello？”　Ruby　snapped　her　fingers　in　front　of　Vanessa’s　face；　breaking　her　out　of　her　reverie。

“I　got　that　Filmmakers　for　Change　grant　to　go　to　Indonesia　for　two　years。　Everything　paid　for。”　Vanessa　grinned　shyly。　Saying　it　made　her　feel　better；　more　sure　of　herself。　The　grant　was　an　honor　most　young　filmmakers　only　dreamed　of。

“Oh　my　God！”　Ruby　squealed；　hugging　her。

“God！”　Moxie　yelled　happily　from　the　floor；　the　silver　bow　clutched　in　her　chubby　hands。　Ruby　rolled　her　eyes。　“Piotr；　Vanessa’s　going　to　Indonesia！”

“Well；　I　mean；　I　got　it；　but—”

“But　you　are　going；”　Piotr　said　in　his　slow；　careful　English　from　the　couch。

“There　goes　our　free　babysitting；”　Ruby　said　mournfully。　“Just　kidding；”　she　added　quickly。

Vanessa　smiled　wanly。　Could　she　really　do　this？　The　fellowship　was　for　two　years；　and　while　theoretically　she　could　visit　home；　she　couldn’t　imagine　a　trip　back　to　the　U。S。　would　be　cheap。　And　two　years　was　sort　of　a　long　time。　Moxie　would　be　talking　in　full　sentences　by　then。　What　if　she　didn’t　even　remember　Vanessa？

“Should　I　go？”　she　asked　in　a　small　voice　she　didn’t　quite　recognize　as　her　own。

Ruby　pursed　her　lips　together　as　she　sat　down　next　to　Piotr。　“Well；　I　met　Piotr　when　I　left　for　that　SugarDaddy　foreign　tour。　I　was　scared　too；　but　it　all　worked　out　so　totally　well。”

“Same　for　me；”　Piotr　said　in　his　still　heavily　accented　English。　“I　came　to　the　U。S。　because　I　fell　in　love。”

“Like　that’s　the　only　reason？　You　also　said　you　couldn’t　wait　to　try　New　York　City　pizza。”　Ruby　shot　Piotr　a　skeptical　look。　“Vanessa；　you’re　twenty…one。　You　need　to　get　out　and　see　the　world！”　Ruby　said　in　her　big…sister　voice。

Vanessa　nodded　slowly。　She’d　lived　in　New　York　for　the　past　seven　years　of　her　life。　A　change　would　be　good。　But　all　she　could　think　about　was　how　far　Indonesia　was　from　Iowa…。

Here　we　go　again。

on　the　street　where　b　lives

Blair　surveyed　the　brightly　colored　wooden　block　tower　she’d　built　in　the　center　of　Yale’s　nursery　and　nodded　in　satisfaction。　The　Waldorf…Rose　family　had　always　opened　presents　first　thing　in　the　morning；　and　right　now　Tyler　was　in　his　room；　setting　up　a　bunch　of　DJ　equipment　he’d　gotten；　Aaron　had　taken　the　train　to　Scarsdale　to　visit　his　mom　and　friends　from　high　school；　Cyrus　and　Eleanor　were　grossly　feeding　each　other　eggs　at　the　breakfast　table；　and　Blair　was　happy　to　be　hanging　out　with　Yale。

“Yale；　over　here！”　she　cajoled。　Her　sister　sat　in　the　corner；　setting　up　her　stuffed　animals　in　an　elaborate　pile。　She　had　determined　that　none　of　the　other　stuffed　toys　liked　the　giraffe；　so　she’d　relegated　it　to　the　far　corner　of　the　room。

It　starts　early。

Blair’s　cell　buzzed；　skittering　on　the　hardwood　floor。　She　glanced　down　at　the　display。　Chuck。　His　flight　had　probably　just　landed；　and　Blair　couldn’t　wait　to　see　him。

“Hello？”　she　asked。

“I　want　to　talk！”　Yale　demanded；　reaching　for　the　phone。

“No；”　Blair　snapped；　yanking　the　phone　from　Yale’s　little　hand。　“Hey；”　she　said　sweetly　as　she　settled　into　the　pink　glider　by　the　dormer　window　in　the　corner。

“Merry　Christmas；　gorgeous；”　Chuck　said。

“Are　you　back？”　Blair　asked　eagerly。　After　so　much　time　apart；　she　was　looking　forward　to　an　uninterrupted　month　together。

“I’m　at　the　Village　apartment；”　Chuck　said；　referring　to　the　Cornelia　Street　one…bedroom　his　parents　had　bought　him　for　his　twenty…first　birthday。　He’d　barely　lived　in　it　at　all；　since　he　was　at　Oxford　all　year　and　they’d　spent　most　of　last　summer　in　the　south　of　France。　“Can　you　e　over？　There’s　something　I　want　you　to　see；”　he　added　mysteriously。

“Yale；　go　find　Tyler；”　Blair　manded；　leaving　the　nursery　and　heading　next　door　to　the　guest　room　where　she’d　been　staying。　“See　you　soon；”　she　said　into　the　phone　before　hanging　up。

Once　Blair　emerged　showered；　shaved；　and　wearing　a　black　silk　Theory　high…necked　silk　dress　that　was　just　the　right　bination　of　nice　and　naughty；　she　took　the　elevator　to　the　lobby　and　had　the　doorman　catch　one　of　the　many　empty　cabs　that　was　sailing　down　Central　Park　West。

The　city　looked　beautiful；　like　the　front　of　a　holiday　card。　Snow　was　beginning　to　fall；　but　the　sun　was　shining　brightly　and　reflecting　the　light　off　all　of　the　Midtown　skyscrapers。　Blair　sighed　happily。　She　loved　New　York　in　the　winter。　Anyone　could　love　the　city　in　the　summer；　when　cafés　set　up　tables　outside　and　you　could　spend　hours　sitting　on　the　steps　of　the　Met　drinking　iced　coffees。　But　in　the　winter；　you　had　to　seek　out　the　things　that　made　New　York　magical：　steak　frites　at　Le　Refuge；　cuddling　into　a　warm　Searle　peacoat；　your　hand　intertwined　with　an　adorable　boy’s。

“Thanks；”　Blair　said　when　the　cab　turned　off　Sixth　Avenue　and　onto　Cornelia　Street。　Cornelia　was　Blair’s　middle　name。　It　felt　like　destiny。

She　stood　in　front　of　the　five…story　brick　building　and　pressed　buzzer　number　two；　stamping　her　feet　against　the　cold。　Chuck　buzzed　her　in　and　she　quickly　ran　up　the　steps；　surprised　to　see　him　standing　in　front　of　the　black　apartment　door。

“Hi！”　Blair　threw　her　arms　around　his　broad　shoulders。　He　wore　a　pair　of　khakis　and　a　dark　blue　button…down；　and　his　hair　was　a　little　longer　than　it　had　been　at　Thanksgiving。

“Merry　Christmas；”　Chuck　breathed。　He　kissed　her　and　Blair　eagerly　kissed　him　back。　“Your　present’s　inside。　It’s　a　surprise；”　he　breathed　into　her　ear。　It　was　then　that　she　realized　Chuck　was　tying　a　blindfold　over　her　eyes。

Now　that’s　what　I　call　a　Christmas　present。

Blair　readjusted　the　blindfold　so　it　wouldn’t　flatten　her　hair。　Chuck　placed　his　hands　on　her　shoulders　and　directed　her　inside。　Blair　heard　the　pop　of　a　champagne　cork。　Was　that　the　surprise？

“You　can　take　it　off。”

Blair　reached　up　and　swept　the　blindfold；　which　was　actually　one　of　Chuck’s　flamingo　pink　ties；　off　her　forehead。　She　blinked　in　surprise。　Before；　the　one…bedroom　apartment　had　been　decorated　in　blacks　and　grays；　with　leather　couches　and　ottomans　and　chrome　tables　and　silver　lighting　fixtures。　Now；　it　was　decorated　in　shades　of　pewter　and　lavender；　the　walls　painted　a　soft　dove　color。　An　antique　silver　mirror　hung　over　the　fireplace；　and　there　were　fresh…cut　flowers　on　the　long　walnut　dining　room　table。

“To　us；”　Chuck　said　simply；　handing　Blair　a　glass　of　champagne。　“Wele　home；　Blair…Bear。”　Besides　her　dad；　Chuck　was　the　only　person　who　ever　called　her　Blair…Bear。

“Why…　what…”　Blair　trailed　off。　The　apartment　was　beautiful；　but　what　did　it　mean？　Did　he　mean　he　wanted　her　to　move　in　with　him？　She’d　never　really　thought　about　where　she’d　live　when　she　moved　to　the　city　after　college；　but　she’d　always　assumed　it　would　be　on　the　Upper　East　Side。

“Since　we’ll　both　be　back　in　the　city　for　good　once　we　graduate；　our　apartment　should　feel　more　like　our　home。　If　there’s　anything　you　don’t　like；　the　decorator　will　work　with　you。　This　is　just　the　beginning。　I　can’t　wait　for　us　to　live　together。”　Chuck　cupped　her　chin　and　kissed　her。

Blair　pulled　away。　“It’s　very　nice；”　she　said　faintly；　glancing　around　the　living　room。　She　tried　to　imagine　sitting　at　the　head　of　the　table；　hosting　dinner　parties。　Setting　up　Fresh　Direct　deliveries　and　carefully　placing　perishables　in　the　Sub…Zero　refrigerator　in　the　sunny　south…facing　kitchen。　Taking　showers　together　in　the　morning　and　then　picking　out　clothes　in　the　side…by…side　closets　in　the　bedroom。

It　was　the　life　Blair　had　always　wanted…　but　did　she　really　want　it　so　soon？　It　was　one　thing　to　live　together　for　a　few　months　in　Oxford；　but　another　to　live　together　for　the　foreseeable　future。　Did　this　mean　they　were　engaged？　Suddenly；　her　mind　flashed　back　to　the　conversation　with　Chuck’s　mom。　Everything　was　moving　too　quickly。　“I　think　I　need　to　sit　down；”　Blair　choked；　settling　on　a　lavender…upholstered　wingback　chair。

Chuck　held　out　a　champagne　flute　and　perched　on　the　chair　arm。　“Here　you　go。　Merry　Christmas；”　he　said；　brushing　his　lips　against　her　cheek。

“Merry　Christmas！”　Blair　parroted；　clinking　her　champagne　flute　a　little　too　forcefully　against　Chuck’s。

Would　she　have　rather　he　kept　on　the　blindfold？

the　trouble　with　fairy　tales　is　that　they　always　end

On　the　day　after　Christmas；　Jenny　stood　outside　her　apartment　building；　stamping　her　tiny　feet　on　the　sidewalk　to　keep　warm。　She　wore　knee…high　boots　and　her　favorite　red　wool　coat。　Her　dark　brown　hair　was　loose　around　her　shoulders；　and　even　though　her　ears　were　freezing；　there　was　no　way　in　hell　she’d　risk　hat…head。

Nate　was　going　to　pick　her　up　any　second　to　see　The　Nutcracker；　and　she　didn’t　want　to　bring　him　upstairs　and　subject　him　to　her　dad。　Rufus　meant　well；　but　he　could　be　overprotective；　and　didn’t　entirely　approve　of　Nate。　Rufus　remembered　all　too　well　how　hysterical　Jenny　had　been　when　they’d　broken　up　her　freshman　year　of　high　school；　and　no　amount　of　explaining　would　convince　him　that　Nate　was　different　now。

A　town　car　glided　down　the　street　and　came　to　a　stop　in　front　of　her　building。　Nate　rolled　down　the　back　window；　and　Jenny’s　heart　thudded　against　her　chest。　Most　of　the　time　Nate　was　just　Nate；　the　boyfriend　whom　she　woke　up　to　every　morning　and　who　became　grumpy　if　he　didn’t　eat　breakfast。　But　at　times　like　these；　Jenny　was　reminded　of　the　dreamy；　gorgeous；　almost　unapproachable　boy　she’d　first　fallen　in　love　with　when　she　was　only　fifteen。

“Hi。”　Nate　smiled　his　adorable；　lopsided　grin　as　the　chauffeur　rushed　around　the　door　to　let　Jenny　in。　She　scooted　onto　the　leather　seat　beside　Nate。

“Meow！”　Jenny　nuzzled　her　nose　into　his　neck　and　breathed　in　his　delicious　boy　scent。

The　town　car　turned　down　Broadway；　where　the　sidewalks　were　crowded　with　people　ducking　in　and　out　of　the　stores　still　decorated　for　Christmas。

“I’m　excited！”　Jenny　said；　intertwining　her　fingers　with　his。　She　and　Nate　had　seen　The　Nutcracker　four　years　ago　when　she　was　a　freshman；　and　she’d　loved　it。　Back　then　she’d　been　too　amazed　by　the　fact　that　Nate　was　sitting　next　to　her　and　holding　her　hand　to　pay　any　attention　to　the　performance。　Then　they’d　made　out　in　Central　Park　and　then…　well；　she　was