Coke； his head newly shaved to match Vanessa's。 Aaron barely knew Nate and had very definitely
not been invited； but these days wherever Vanessa went； he went。 If they both weren't so un…cute；
they'd almost have been the cutest couple ever。
All of a sudden Serena felt someone tugging on the hem of her pink Spa Weekend T…shirt。
〃Hey；〃 Jenny said； standing on tiptoe to kiss her cheek。 Elise was at her side； and they were both
wearing pink Senior Spa Weekend t…shirts and matching oversized pink Gucci sunglasses。 〃You
won't tell on us； will you？〃
Serena had to admire Jenny's audacity。 She seemed to specialize in being naughty。 She put her
fingers to her lips。 〃I won't tell；〃 she promised； although there were only forty girls in the entire
senior class； so it wasn't like no one would notice the two uninvited freshmen。
Jenny grinned and then dragged Elise below decks to score a bottle of champagne and Lord knows
what else。 No doubt the two girls were going to get a lot naughtier as the night progressed。
〃Honestly； I've given up；〃 Dan sighed as he watched his sister and her friend disappear in a flurry
of bubblegum pink。 He hadn't been invited either but had tagged along with Jenny to make sure
she didn't do anything too illegal。 He leaned against the railing a lit a Camel； waiting patiently for
Vanessa to notice him。
The familiar scent of Camel smoke wafted past her nostrils and Vanessa spun around to find Dan
grinning shyly at her； his scruffy hair and loose； rust…colored corduroys billowing in the breeze； it
was so unlikely that either of them would be sailing on a yacht to the Hamptons； or that she'd
actually be wearing a pink T…shirt that she burst out laughing。
〃What's so funny？〃 Dan demanded。 Vanessa looked so happy right now it made him a little sad to
know that it had nothing to do with him。
Aaron came back with her drink and a beer for himself。 When he saw Dan and Vanessa talking he
immediately handed the beer to Dan。 〃I'll get another one；〃 he told them acmodatingly。
Dan couldn't believe it… even their heads matched。
Vanessa just stood there with a goofy smile on her face； waiting for Aaron to e back。 Her
happiness was infuriating； even to her。 〃Sorry；〃 she apologized to Dan。 〃I don't know what's the
matter with me。〃
Dan took a sip of his beer and pointed at her mouth。 〃Is that lip gloss？〃 he demanded with stunned
amusement。
Vanessa giggled。 〃Nars Sticky Toffee Pudding； to be exact。 I borrowed it from Blair。〃
They stared at one another； each waiting for the other to throw out a critical witticism about what a
disgusting display of wealth and uselessness the party was。 But the truth was they were both there
for the same reason。 Despite the fact that they had spent years trying to set themselves apart； these
people were their peers； and despite all the dissing and dismissing； they actually enjoyed being
included in the fun。
The Sunkist…orange ball that was the sun slid behind a horizontal wisp of cloud。 The water was
shiny green and flat as glass。 Aaron returned with his beer and nonchalantly kissed Vanessa on the
cheek。 〃You look pretty；〃 he told her quietly。
Dan wondered if he had ever told Vanessa she looked pretty； but it was a little late for regrets。
〃Nice job getting ditched by the band；〃 jeered an annoyingly familiar voice。 Chuck Bass was
listing toward Dan from the bow of the boat； looking drunk and slightly seasick in a baby blue
linen sailor suit with the cuffs rolled up to the knees； his white monkey clinging to his shoulders；
obviously terrified of falling into the water。
Chuck was so obnoxious there was no point in getting pissed off。 Besides； Dan was overjoyed to
be a normal kid again instead of a huge rock star。 He offered his hand to his monkey…toting
classmate and smiled matter…of…factly。 〃Thanks； man。〃
〃The Raves are so over anyway； dude。〃 Aaron remarked。 〃I give them one more album and then
they're gone。〃
〃Right on。〃 Chuck shook Dan's hand； like they'd been friends forever。 〃So where are you headed
next year anyway； son？〃
Son？
The Raves were a New York band and Dan had heard that Chuck was going to military school
somewhere in northern New Jersey。 It would be good to get as far away from both of them as
physically possible。
〃Evergreen；〃 he announced； as if he'd always known it。 〃It's way out in Washington State。〃
〃Nice。〃 Chuck yawned； already bored with the conversation。 〃Has any seen Serena？ I heard she
was dating an eighty…five…year…old Yale trustee。 What a whore。〃
Vanessa snorted in disgust and left the boys to their own devices while she went off to find Blair
and Serena。 She needed a little girl time to go wit her pink T…shirt。
The rest of her classmates were clustered near the bow； half…listening to the music while they
clutched the rail and tried to keep from puking into the frothy waves of Long Island Sound。 The
sun was less intense now and the breeze had picked up。 a few girls covered their arms with
pashminas or royal…blue…and…gold charlotte sweatshirts borrowed from the crew； but most of the
passengers were too tipsy to feel the chill。 Behind them the Manhattan skyline bobbed and
shimmered like a miniature silver paradise inside a crystal Tiffany paperweight globe。
Serena and Blair were huddled together on a blue…and…gold…pinstriped cushion at the base of one
of the masts； sharing a bottle of Heineken。 〃I can't believe we're about to graduate。〃 Serena sighed
and let her head fall on Blair's shoulder。
〃Thank God；〃 Blair replied unsentimentally。 〃I just wish I knew where the fuck I was going next
year。〃
Serena sat up； wondering if she should take this opportunity to tell Blair that she'd decided to go to
Yale。 But seeing as how they were on a boat； she didn't want to get thrown overboard。
Vanessa came over and lay down with her head in Blair's lap。 〃Stop talking about people； bitches；〃
she told them； lazily closing her eyes。
〃You need more lip gloss；〃 Blair observed。 She pulled a Lanc？me Juicy Tube from her Earl Jeans
skirt pocket and carefully painted it all over Vanessa's lips。
〃Thanks； Mom；〃 Vanessa muttered； keeping her eyes closed。
Serena laughed and let her head fall back against the mast。 Funny how this close to graduation all
the jaggedly cut puzzle pieces that never looked like they'd fit suddenly fit together so well。
Maybe she and Blair would both wind up going to Yale and rooming with each other。 They'd be
bridesmaids at Vanessa and Aaron's wedding； they'd meet a set of brothers and marry them； live on
the same Fifth Avenue block； send their kids to the same school… friends forever。
But there was someone missing。 Someone who'd always been a major piece of the puzzle in his
own lovably fucked up； cheating way。
〃I wish Nate were here；〃 Serena mused。
Blair screwed the top back on the lip gloss and began absentmindedly massaging Vanessa's pale
forehead。 〃Sometimes I wonder if we're better off without him；〃 she confessed。 After all； wasn't
Nate the cause of almost every fight the two girls had ever had？
Serena squinted her eyes and scanned the deck once more。 She'd looked all over for him。
But she'd never thought to look up。
Way； way up； above their heads； at the very top of the mast； Nate crouched in the crow's nest；
watching them。 It was lonely and a little cold up there； but he'd brought along a six…pack and a few
joints for pany； and as soon as they docked in Sag Harbor and his parents and their friends had
disbanded to their Hamptons manses； he'd climb down like Spider…Man and surprise everyone。
From up there the girls in pink T…shirts looked almost interchangeable。 Even that bald chick might
have been hot with a little hair。 He lit a fresh joint； suddenly overe by how much he missed
them； because he loved them… he loved them all。
GIRLS GO GAGA FOR GIRL…ONLY SLEEPOVERS
In warm weather the Hamptons had their own peculiar smell of salt； new leather； sun block； and
money。 Huge modern houses hunkered near white sand beaches； flanked by pools and black
Mercedes SUV's。 Little girls in petit Bateaus bikinis