gossip girl 10 英文- 第18节


his　roommate　at　Brown？she　didn？t　see　many　familiar　faces　in　the　crowd。　She　might　be　the　
birthday　girl；　but　she　wondered　if　anyone　even　knew　who　she　was。　

It？s　her　party　and　she？ll　pout　if　she　wants　to。　

？Shit。？　Blair　tilted　her　head　back　and　drained　her　glass。　？I　guess　I　was　thirsty。You　want　another？？　

Serena　shook　her　head；　almost　spilling　her　untouched　Cosmopolitan。　？I？m　good。？　

？I？ll　be　right　back。？　

Serena　watched　from　behind　her　enameled　Selima　aviators　as　Blair　launched　out　of　her　seat　and　
padded　toward　the　bar。　Erik　was　presiding　over　the　bottles　of　booze　lined　up　like　toy　soldiers　on　
the　elaborate　carved　mahogany　bar。　Nate　was　lingering　on　the　fringes　of　the　crowd；　his　hands　
shoved　deep　in　the　pockets　of　his　tattered　khaki　shorts。　Serena　watched　as　he　pretended　not　to　see　
Blair　skipping　through　the　crowd　toward　him。　

Interesting。　

She？d　woken　up　this　morning　to　the　sound　of　Blair？s　giggles；　but　when　she？d　asked　what　was　
funny；　Blair　had　sighed　and　said；　？Just　Natie。？Natie？　Then；　in　the　car；　she　kept　glancing　back　at　
them　in　the　rearview　mirror；　but　every　time　Blair　was　just　staring　placidly　out　the　window；　and　
Nate　was　resting　his　eyes。　Nothing　amiss。　So　why　did　she　feel　so　。。。weird？　

She　raised　her　glass　and　swallowed　a　small　sip　of　the　tart　cocktail；　finally　recognizing　someone　
in　the　crowd：　a　broad…chested；　curly…brown…haired　guy　was　seated　at　the　edge　of　the　pool；　legs　
dangling　in　the　water。　His　brown　eyes　had　a　familiar　sparkle　as　he　took　in　the　scene　around　him；　
drumming　his　long；　tapered　fingers　on　the　neck　of　his　beer　bottle。　The　tiniest　suggestion　of　a　grin　
played　on　his　full　lips；　and　Serena　knew　that　behind　those　lips　were　two　rows　of　brilliant　white　
teeth。　She　could　picture　his　smile；　she　could　practically　hear　the　tremulous　sound　of　his　voice　as　
he　whispered　the　words　she？d　run　away　from。　That　was　the　last　time　she？d　seen　him；　exactly　one　
year　ago。　

Henry　was　the　bassist　in　Hanover？s　jazz　band。　He　was　tall　and　cute　with　dark　curls　that　fell　into　
his　eyes；　and　a　mischievous　smile。　Serena？s　dorm　room　had　been　right　under　his；　and　late　at　night　
she？d　throw　her　textbooks　at　the　ceiling；　waiting　for　him　to　drop　something　loud　and　heavy　on　the　
floor　in　response。　Sometimes？actually；　a　lot？they？d　hang　out　on　the　roof　and　drink　whiskey　and　
smoke　cigars。　They？d　been　good　friends；　and　then　the　year　had　ended　and　they？d　wound　up　in　
Ridgefield　together？his　family　lived　there　year　round；　and　she　summered　there。　The　night　before　
her　seventeenth　birthday　she　and　Henry　had　stayed　up　late；　drinking　and　talking；　and　had　wound　
up　on　their　backs　on　the　tennis　court；　waiting　for　shooting　stars；　and　eventually　kissing。　Then；　
Henry　said　it：　？I　love　you。？　Instead　of　saying　it　back；　Serena　fled　into　the　house；　booked　a　plane　to　
Paris　to　join　her　brother；　Erik；　in　his　travels；　and　never　spoke　to　Henry　again。　It　wasn？t　that　she　
didn？t　like　him。　Honestly；　she　did。　But　love　was　unmistakable；　and　at　that　time；　there　was　only　one　


boy　she　could　ever　truly　love。Then；　and　maybe　now；　too　。　。　。　

Serena　tipped　her　glass　back　and　gulped　its　contents；　her　hands　shaking。Leave　it　to　me　to　have　a　
nervous　breakdown　the　night　before　my　eighteenth　birthday；　she　thought。　

　？Hey。　Remember　me？？　

Henry？s　voice　gave　her　a　little　start。　？I　was　wondering　when　you　were　going　to　e　over　and　
say　hello。？　She　pulled　her　knees　up　to　her　chest　and　smiled　at　him。　

？I　could　say　the　same　thing。？　The　chair？s　legs　scraped　noisily　on　the　concrete　as　he　pulled　it　out　
and　took　a　seat。　？You　look　great。？　

？Thank　you。？　She　smiled　shyly；　taking　a　sip　of　her　drink。　She　fumbled　nervously　for　her　
cigarettes；　which　were　lying　on　the　table　near　the　trunk　of　the　big　umbrella。　

Henry　lit　her　shaking　Gauloise　and　then　helped　himself　to　one　from　her　stash。　Serena　exhaled　a　
long　plume　of　smoke；　which　danced　away　in　the　breeze。　

？What　happened　to　you；　anyway？？　Henry　smiled　thought…fully；　studying　Serena？s　face。　？I　
mean　。。。you　justleft。　？　

Serena　looked　away。　

？I　e…mailed　you　a　few　times；？　Henry　continued。　？I　never　heard　back　from　you。。。。　And　when　I　
tried　again；　your　school　account　had　been　closed。？　

？I　guess　I　needed　to　be　alone　for　a　little　while　to　sort　some　things　out。　And　then　I　went　back　to　
the　city。？　She　pulled　a　strand　of　hair　out　from　behind　her　ear　and　played　with　it　distractedly；　
smiling　sadly。　？It？s　a　long　story。？　One　even　she　didn？t　understand；　and　one　she？d　never　told　
anyone。　Is　that　a　fact？　

Serena　stared　over　Henry？s　shoulder　at　the　crowd　of　revelers：　some　of　them　half…naked　and　
soaking　up　the　sun；　others　dancing　at　speeds　not　altogether　appropriate　to　the　music。　And　then　
there　was　Blair；　sipping　yet　another　Bloody　Mary　and　smiling　up　shyly　at　Nate；　who　gripped　a　
beer；　grinning　stupidly。　Serena　glanced　back　at　Henry。　It　was　like　a　time　warp：　Blair　and　Nate　
pletely　oblivious　to　her；　and　Henry　staring　devotedly　at　her　from　the　other　side　of　the　table　
like　nothing　had　changed。　

？This　is　my　birthday　party；　you　know；？　she　said　at　last。　

？You　think　I　don？t　know　that？？　Henry　reached　over　and　grasped　her　hand　with　his　slightly　
callused　musician？s　fingers。　？That？s　why　I　came。　It？s　our　anniversary。？　Serena　swallowed。　


　Happy　birthday！　

　behind　the　scenes　

？We？re　inside　the　aviary　now。？　Vanessa　was　practically　shouting　to　be　heard　over　the　chirps　and　
cries　of　the　brightly　colored　birds　that　were　frantically　swirling　around　the　glass…enclosed　room。　
Vanessa　held　her　camera　steadily　and　spun　around　to　get　a　plete　360…degree　look　at　the　
massive；　plant…filled　room。　Birds　of　every　hue；　from　egg　yolk　yellow　to　Tiffany　blue　to　Bloody　
Mary　scarlet；　fluttered　around　on　clipped　wings；　drifting　from　bough　to　bough　in　a　pathetic　
attempt　at　the　flight　they？d　never　again　experience。　

？I？m　told　that　this　is　where　Bailey　Winter　does　most　of　his　preliminary　sketches；？　Vanessa　
continued。　？In　fact；　those　who　know　his　work　well　may　recognize　the　colors　from　his　most　recent　
couture　collection。？　She　trained　the　camera　on　a　little　bird　chirping　in　the　branches　of　a　potted　
banana　plant。　

The　shot　looked　so　alive？the　colorful　birds　spinning　and　flitting　all　around　the　high…ceilinged　
aviary；　the　sun　spilling　down　in　fat　beams　of　light。　The　position　was　flawless；　symmetrical　but　
still　dynamic。　She　started　mentally　planning　a　whole　series　of　documentaries　on　the　creative　
processes　of　different　artists。　Maybe　she？d　do　one　on　Dan　and　really　capture　the　writer？s　life。　And　
one　on　Ken　Mogul；　to　explore　what　it　was　like　to　be　a　world…famous　filmmaker。　

And　a　weirdo。　

The　glass…topped　rattan　table　was　scattered　with　sheets　of　scribbled…on　paper；　pencils；　and　
half…drained　martini　glasses。　Vanessa　made　her　way　over　to　the　workstation　and　focused　the　shot　
on　some　unfinished　sketches。　

？A　few　months　from　now　these　pencil　sketches　will　have　been　transformed　into　chiffon　and　silk。？　
Vanessa　was　trying　her　hardest　to　remember　the　names　of　fabrics　she？d　heard　Blair　mention　
during　their　short　stint　as　roommates。　？Just　think　of　it：　right　now　these　ideas　are　merely　doodles；　
but　soon　they　may　be　walking　down　the　red　carpet　at　the　Oscars。？　

Vanessa　adjusted　the　focus　to　capture　the　faint　line　drawings　more　clearly。　

？And　so　we　see　now　even　more　clearly　how　the　designer　Bailey　Winter？s　creative　process　works。　
It　begins　with　some…thing　as　simple　as　the　color　of　plumage。　After　some　pencil　sketches　and　a　few　
martinis　。　。　。？　She　trailed　off；　because　really；　she　had　no　idea　how　to　describe　dresses　or　fashion　or　
if　chiffon　was　really　the　name　of　a　fabric。　Maybe　it　was　a　dessert？　？The　only　thing　I　cannot　show　
you　is　that　which　exists　only　inside　the　designer？s　mind。　That？s　the　true　creative　process。？Or　the　
true　drunken　process。　She　turned　the　camera　on　the　army　of　not…quite…empty　wineglasses。　


　？Oh。　My。　God。？　
Vanessa　whirled　around；　instinctively　hiding　the　camera　behind　her　back　as　she　did。　
Oops。　
？Whatare　you　doing　in　here？？　Bailey　slammed　the　glass　door　behind　him　to　keep　any　of　his　


precious　birds　from　escaping　into　the　garden。？Vanessa；Vanessa；？he　clucked；sounding　exactly　like　
a　chicken。　？The　av