ear； the ice cubes in her Bloody Mary clinking against the glass as she waved her arms about。
？Because； you know； when the Reynoldses had their party last year； they chose that hideous
bisque color scheme； which pletely washed out Mitzi？s plexion；？ Eleanor was saying； her
brow wrinkled in worry。 ？I was envisioning shell pink or ivory； because those are Blair？s absolute
favorites； but I just can？t stop thinking about Mitzi looking as though she was about to besick all
over her very own soiree。？ Davita leaned in conspiratorially。 ？My dear； that event was planned
bySamantha Powers and her troop of underlings。Amateurs 。 You have to relax and realize you？re
dealing with aprofessional here！？ She threw her overbleached platinum locks over one shoulder
and turned toward Serena； her tanned face nearly as leathery as the distressed calfskin bag on the
sofa beside her。 ？Eleanor tells me that you？re Blair？s best friend；？ she said with a stewardess smile；
scribbling more notes on the pink pad。
Or worst enemy。
Serena nodded。 ？We？ve been friends？？
？Forever！？ Eleanor finished enthusiastically。
？Mmmm；？ Davita murmured as she picked up a thin cucumber sandwich？crusts cut off； of
course？from a hammered silver tray。 She sniffed it delicately； then returned it to the tray。
？Now； Serena；？ Eleanor began； smoothing her sleek； Fekkai…blond shoulder…length bob； ？I hope
you don？t mind me calling you over； but Blair has been positivelyunreachable ； and I thought that
since you two have known each other since you were toddlers； you？d be the perfect person to help
plan this event I have scheduled at the Met。 We have more than a few milestones to
celebrate？Blair and Aaron going off to college； for one。 And then there？s also？？
Just then Davita？s gold Motorola Slvr cell phone began to ring frantically； beeping and burping
in the most annoying way possible。 Davita jumped up； holding her bony； manicured index finger
out in the air； and walked quickly out of the living room； her pewter Jimmy Choo slingbacks
sparkling like firecrackers in the light that streamed through the south…facing windows。 Serena
returned to picking at the frayed threads on her cutoff skirt again。 She could barely concentrate
anyway。 As of today； Blair and Nate had spent exactly one month together； alone on a boat with no
one around for miles。 They were probably； right at this very minute； eating steamed lobsters with
clarified butter and gazing dreamily into each other？s eyes。 Serena blinked back hot tears as she
pictured it。
？So；？ Eleanor said brightly； inching closer to her on the couch and resting one tanned hand on
Serena？s forearm。 ？How has your summer been？ With Blair gone I？ve hardly seen you at all； and
it？s only a matter of days before you kids are off to New Haven！？
？It？s been okay。？ Serena forced a smile as she squirmed on the couch。 She？d spent the last four
weeks wandering around the city under the pretense of getting her fill of New York in before
leaving it behind。 In truth； she was just trying to distract herself。 Unfortunately； everywhere she
went？to the Central Park pond； to feed the mallards； to the mod boutiques on Little West Twelfth
Street； to shop； to the steps of the Met； to drink coffee； even her one venture into Brooklyn to see a
warehouse art show？reminded her of her friends。 They？d grown up together and experienced the
city together； and； supposedly； they were leaving it behind together。 But here she was； pletely
alone。 ？Just the usual。 Nothing special；？ Serena finished； noticing how lean and tanned Eleanor？s
legs were。 Maybe she should take a Pilates class too。
？Nothing special！？ Eleanor exclaimed in the way that only mothers can。 ？May I remind you that
your first feature film is going to be released very soon；and you？re starting Yale in a week and a
half！？ She squeezed Serena？s knee so hard it hurt。
Serena knew that she had a lot to be excited about； but she just couldn？t seem to match Eleanor？s
enthusiasm。 Maybe it was because the thought of heading to Yale in ten days with Nate and Blair
and watching them be blissfully in love for four torturous years loomed over everything。 ？Has
Blair 。 。 。 mentioned me at all when you？ve talked to her？？
Eleanor grabbed a white silk handkerchief from the antique coffee table and began to frantically
pat her brow with the soft cloth； then sprayed herself thoroughly with an Evian facial mister and
dabbed at her face again。 ？I？m sorry； dear； but is it hot in here？ I？m telling you； never turn
forty…seven。 The hot flashes are unbearable！？ She sighed dramatically； throwing the now…damp
hanky behind her。 ？Now； sweetheart； what were you saying？？
Serena shrugged her shoulders； not at all fazed by Eleanor？s outrageous behavior。 At least there
was one thing around here that wasn？t going to change。 She just wished she had Blair or Nate to
giggle with her about it。
Davita flounced back into the room； snapping her cell phone shut with a decisive click。 ？Okay；
ladies；？ she said； breaking into an enormous smile； her obvious veneers as wide and white as
Scrabble tiles。 ？Where were we？？ ？Well 。 。 。？ Eleanor motioned to Serena； her gold Cartier Love
bracelets clinking loudly against one another。 ？I was just telling Serena we have a lot to celebrate
right now。 In addition to everyone leaving for college； there？s？？
？We？re hoooooooome！？ A taunting； singsongy girl？s voice called out from the foyer； a voice
Serena would know anywhere。 Her heart fluttered。 The sound of bags being thrown onto the
marble floor was followed by the unmistakable patter of Blair？s light； quick steps。 Serena
swallowed hard； watching as Nate and Blair appeared in the doorway of the Waldorf Roses？
massive； antique…strewn living room； hands clasped； looking sun…kissed； glowing； and more
gorgeous than ever。
As if that were even possible。
Nate？s green eyes lit up when he spotted Serena sitting on the couch； and she smiled weakly； her
stomach folding like pancake batter。 Just the sight of him in his stained and wrinkled cutoff khakis
and ratty gray T…shirt made her feel lightheaded。 The last time she？d seen him； standing at the top
of the staircase at her family？s house in Ridgefield while she hovered at the bottom； the whole
world had gone quiet as she overheard him telling Blair he loved her。Loved 。 With those words
ringing in her ears； something in Serena had finally clicked。 She？d watched him lead Blair upstairs
and right then she knew as surely as she？d ever known anything thatshe loved Nate。 And now that
he was standing right in front of her with her on…again…off…again best friend； she knew it was really
true。 She loved Nate with her entire heart。 It was something she？d always known； deep down。
Why hadn？t she done anything about it until it was too late？
She shook her long blond locks； trying to remember to act like a normal friend and not a
love…struck freak。 She jumped to her feet and ran across the room； her fuchsia flowered Calypso
flip…flops thwacking all the way； and threw her arms around Blair； squeezing tightly。 All at once
Serena felt suffocated by the scent of Nate？s Right Guard deodorant clinging to her best friend？s
skin。 She pulled back； looking hopefully at Blair； who was still latched onto Nate？s hand。 ？I
missed you。？ But Blair wasn？t smiling back。 In fact； she looked less than pleased to see
Serena？she looked downright pissed。 Serena began to gnaw on her Sephora Supernova…polished
thumbnail。 Blair could be so scary sometimes。 Hadshe found the letter？ Oh God。Why hadn？t she
thought of that before？
As she wrapped her arms again around Blair？s rigid； sun…baked body； she couldn？t help looking
over Blair？s shoulder at Nate。 His golden…brown hair was wavier than usual from the salt water。 It
fell across his tanned forehead and he pushed it away； smiling widely as they made eye contact。
His lips looked chapped and swollen； like he？d been making out with Blair all night long？which
he probably had been。 The thought nearly made her choke。
？Looking good； Natie；？ Serena sighed wistfully； unable to keep the words from escaping her lips。
She pu