in the raised hot tub in their skimpiest Calypso bikinis； trying to find the cutest guy in the room to make out with when the clock struck midnight。
Of course； they always wound up kissing each other。
“I heard Blair and her Yale boyfriend had this secret wedding in Mexico； but then they had to have it annulled；” Laura Salmon whispered to Rain Hoffstetter over by the makeshift bar in the kitchen annex。 She wore a glittery sheath dress； and a matching Swarovski…studded headband was perched on her dark roots。
“Really？ I heard Blair found out she was pregnant with Nate’s baby and now she’s trying to make it seem like the Yale guy is the father。 Luckily； she’s not really showing；” Rain Hoffstetter whispered back。 A diamond stud glittered in her left nostril； drawing attention to her pug nose。
Blair strode over to her former Constance classmates； aware their eyes were on her。
“Hey；” she said to the group。 She grabbed a bottle of Ketel One and liberally poured it into a tumbler； then added a splash of tonic。 The suite was pretty empty。 In the corner； a group of flannel…clad guys were playing Xbox； entranced by the flat screen against one wall。 The hot tub； constructed in an anteroom between the bedroom and the main suite； was filled with flat…chested girls Blair vaguely recognized as members of the freshman peer group she’d led last year at Constance。 Blair squinted to take a closer look。 Through the steam； she noticed two topless girls making out with each other。 Obviously slutty L’école girls； trying to get attention。 Blair wrinkled her nose。 Was this seriously how she was spending her New Year’s？ This party was lame even by high school standards。
“Where’s Chuck？” she asked Rain； trying not to stare at the infected boil that erupted from her nose piercing。 She’d heard Chuck was in military school or monkey training school or something。
You know； either one。
“I don’t know。” Rain shrugged。 “More importantly； did you see Isabel？”
Blair shook her head blankly。 Why the hell would she care about Isabel Coates？
“Look。” Laura Salmon pointed a pearly manicured finger toward the two girls in the hot tub。 “Isabel’s dating a girl named Casey。 Except she’s just doing that to show off；” Laura said in disapproval。 Blair squinted through the fog； recognizing Isabel’s profile。 Interesting。 She wished she could deconstruct the whole ridiculous scenario with Serena。 Where the fuck was she？
“Are you dating anyone？” Rain asked nosily as she chugged her vodka soda from a Riedel glass。
“I’m dating a p lit major。 He’s a junior and I was just with his family for the holidays。 He’s in Costa Rica right now… working on a… project；” Blair fibbed； getting more and more annoyed by the second。 In the movie of her life； tonight was supposed to play like the scene in My Fair Lady； when Eliza makes a grand entrance at the ball and everyone wonders who that stunning； gorgeous girl is。 Instead； she was busy trying to impress the wannabes she’d never even cared about in high school。
How the mighty have fallen。
“Serena’s dating a movie star；” Laura offered； taking a seat on one of the bar stools next to Blair。 “I read about it in the Post。”
Blair pretended she hadn’t heard。 She did not want to get into a conversation about Serena’s fabulous； star…studded life。 Was she dating a movie star？ Was she with him right now？ And why hadn’t any of the flannel…clad guys in the corner even noticed her？ Blair unhappily drained the rest of her drink。 She pulled out her iPhone and frowned at it。 WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU？ she texted； then quickly pressed send with a nude…polished fingernail。
“I’m going out to smoke；” she announced； turning on her knee…high Sigerson Morrison boot and stomping toward the terrace。
If you can’t make a grand entrance； make a grand exit。
fancy meeting you here
Nate shivered and stuffed his hands deep into the pockets of his blue toggle coat。 He and Chips had docked in Palm Beach in the morning； and Nate had hopped an afternoon flight back to New York； arriving at his Upper East Side town house in the early evening。 He’d taken a long shower； then spent hours seated on the floor of his room； unsure what to do。 Aboard the Belinda he always had tasks。 But back in the city； he had nothing to do and nowhere to go。 No one even knew he was here。 His parents were in St。 Barts for New Year’s； like always； and Regina； the Archibalds’ housekeeper； had the week off。 It would be cool to have the house to himself； if he didn’t feel so lonely。 Everything in his room； from the lacrosse sticks propped in the closet to the framed photos on his desk； reminded him of his old life。
Eventually； Nate had gotten dressed in a dark blue Ralph Lauren sweater and a pair of Diesel jeans and left the house。 He’d wandered aimlessly downtown for about an hour； until he remembered that Chuck always threw a New Year’s Eve party at the Tribeca Star。 As if his feet had a mind of their own； he found himself headed there。
Nate glanced left and right across East Houston and crossed the street toward the ultramodern Philippe Starck–designed hotel that loomed above lower Manhattan。 He paused at the corner； gazing up like a tourist。 His neatly ironed clothes felt scratchy after months of wearing frayed cargo shorts and T…shirts。 What the fuck was he doing？ Maybe it was a dumb idea。 Maybe Chuck wasn’t even having a party this year。 Or maybe he was； and by some crazy coincidence； Serena and Blair would be there。
But Blair didn’t even have a home in the city anymore。 She was probably out in LA for the holidays； meeting smooth…talking California surfer dudes who’d take her on moonlit walks on the beach。 Serena was probably off filming a movie somewhere； guys falling at her feet。 Neither of them would give a second thought to the kid who almost didn’t get his diploma and fucked up everything with both of them。
“Nathaniel？”
Nate whirled around and found himself facing a dark…haired guy in jeans and a blue sweater； his arms laden down with two large bags of ice。
“Chuck？” Nate asked incredulously。 It was definitely Chuck Bass； but he looked… different。 His features hadn’t changed： same sleek dark hair； same espresso…brown eyes。 But the mischievous twinkle seemed gone from Chuck’s eyes； and he wasn’t carrying the bad…tempered； snow white monkey he used to bring everywhere senior year。 Gone was his trademark navy blue cashmere monogrammed scarf； his jeans looked like they’d seen better days。 It was like those spot…the…difference puzzles Nate’s kindergarten tutor had given him as a kid。
“Good to see you； buddy！” Chuck placed one of the bags of ice on the ground and enthusiastically pumped Nate’s hand。 Chuck’s fingers felt callused； as if he’d spent the past couple of months doing manual labor。
“Should I send your packages up； sir？” The black overcoat…–clad doorman immediately bent down to pick up the bag。
“Nah； that’s cool；” Chuck waved him away。 “I’ll bring it up myself。”
Nate blinked。 Chuck Bass never did anything for himself。
“Glad you made it。 Let’s head inside；” Chuck suggested； gesturing toward the door。 Nate nodded dumbly as they whooshed through the revolving door and into the vaulted…ceilinged； marble…floored lobby。 Instead of turning left toward the elevator bank； Chuck perched on one of the low…slung black leather couches in the dimly lit lobby。 “Sorry。 It was fucking freezing out there。 I’m used to California。” Chuck smiled。 “But I’m not quite ready to head back upstairs。 Want to chill here for a sec？”
Nate gingerly sat on an ottoman。 “California？ What were you doing out there？”
“Deep Springs； my man。” Chuck nodded； his eyes glazed over as if in happy reminiscence。
“Deep what？” Nate parroted。 Was that some sort of Playboy resort？
Or a gay spa？
“Deep Springs；” Chuck repeated。 “The all…male college。 It’s a two…year program on a working alfalfa farm in California。 We all run the farm and the school in between humanities classes；” he explained patiently； settling back into the couch。 Nate glanced down and noticed he was no longer wearing the gold pinky ring he’d worn since sophomore year； after he’d starred in a European cologne campaign。
“Oh。” Nate was still confused。
“Look； I didn’t get into any schools and I didn’t know what to do。 My dad’s cousin is married to a board member there so they allowed me to do a late interview。 It was either that or go to military school； and I just couldn’t leave Sweetie。” Chuck named his snow monkey。 “I was fucking terrified when I got there。 They made me give away my Armani sheets to use as tablecloths in the boardinghouse。 I had to get rid of all my clothes and find new clothes in the bone pile； which is all the clothing left from guys who have moved on。 I mean； I was wearing other people’s shit。” Chuck shuddered； as if reliving the experience。 “But it turned out to be what I needed。 I was a mess in high school。 I mean； you saw me。 I was a dick； and I’m sorry about that；” Chuck said； opening his hands as if to ask for forgiveness。
“Thanks。” Nate shrugged。 He thought of a playdate at Chuck’s when they were four。 While Chuck’s nanny was watching a soap opera； Chuck had bit Nate’s arm； laughing the whole time。 He’d always been a dick。
Just part of his charm。
“I’m a changed man； Nathaniel；” Chuck continued； crossing one ankle over his knee。 He wore a pair of worn…out…looking cowboy boots。 “That’s why I needed to take a breather before I headed back upstairs。”
“I understand。” Nate nodded。 He did understand。 He needed a breather and he hadn’t even gone up there yet。 “So what else happened at Deep Springs？”
“So； I get there； I’m wearing some guy’s flannel shirt and jeans； we’re on this alfalfa farm in the middle of the desert； and I swear to God； I was ready to call my father； our lawyers； everyone； but there was no service。 I was in the middle of the fucking desert。 Our first night； Sweetie got bit by a rattlesnake。 Poor girl。”
“Did she die？” Nate asked。
“Yeah； but not because of snakes。 She sort of starved herself to death。 She just couldn’t adapt。” Chuck shrugged sadly。
“How did you do it？” Nate asked； awed