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？Okay。　Time　to　drive。？　It　was　almost　like　Blair　was　reading　his　mind。　She　hopped　down　from　the　
wall；　grabbing　the　camera　from　Nate？s　hand　to　scrutinize　the　pictures　he？d　just　taken。　


？I　just　gotta　make　a　pit　stop。？　He　nodded　in　the　direction　of　the　concrete　bungalow　that　housed　
the　roadside　restrooms。　

？Be　quick　about　it。？　Blair　kissed　his　cheek　before　skipping　back　to　the　passenger　seat。　

Inside　the　chemical…smelling　bathroom；　Nate　focused　on　what　would　happen　a　couple　of　hours　
from　that　moment；　when　they　at　last　reached　their　destination。　He　closed　his　eyes；　picturing　Blair　
skipping　ahead　of　him；　up　the　gangplank　and　onto　the　yacht；　shedding　those　tiny　white　shorts　as　
she　went。　

As　he　washed　his　hands；　Nate　felt　the　familiar　throb　of　his　phone　vibrating　in　the　pocket　of　his　
cargo　shorts。　It　was　probably　Blair；　telling　him　to　hurry　up。　He　smiled。　Some　things　never　
changed？like　Blair？s　impatience。　He　dialed　his　voicemail；　hoping　to　listen　to　the　sexy　message　
Blair　had　left　him　as　he　dried　his　hands。　The　phone　was　perched　precariously　between　his　ear　and　
his　shoulder　and　he　almost　dropped　it　into　the　sink　when　instead　of　hearing　Blair？s　sly；　giggly　
voice；　he　heard　the　angry　grumble　of　Coach　Michael？s。　

？Archibald；　I　don？t　know　what　the　hell　you　think　you？re　pulling；　but　you　better　be　on　your　
deathbed　right　now。　Thought　my　wife　would　cover　for　you？　Forget　it；　kid。　She　said　you　were　
smoking　pot　in　my　fucking　attic。　Under　my　goddamn　roof。You　think　I　was　bluffing；　Archibald？　
I？m　calling　your　dad　the　second　I　get　off　the　phone。　It？s　over；　kid。　You？re　never　going　to　see　that　
diploma。　Yale？　It？s　never　going　to　happen。　Big　mistake；　kid；　fucking　with　me。　Big…time　mistake。　
And　I？m　not　through　with　you　yet。？　

Nate　finished　drying　his　hands　on　his　shorts；　then　grabbed　the　phone；　stabbing　at　the　button　that　
would　erase　that　message　forever。　He　stuffed　it　back　in　his　pocket　and　studied　his　face　in　the　
cracked　rest…stop　mirror。　He　had　to　get　the　fuck　out　of　there。　

Spoken　like　a　man　on　the　run。　

the　purloined　letter　

？Hey。　It？s　Blair。　I　just　wanted　to　call　and　say；　you　know；　happy　birthday。　Sorry　we　took　off。　I？ll　
call　you　later　and　tell　you　everything。？　

Snapping　her　telephone　shut　and　tossing　it　into　her　bag；　Blair　leaned　back　into　the　warm　leather　
embrace　of　her　bucket　seat　and　tapped　her　foot　impatiently。　What　the　fuck　was　taking　so　long？　The　
sooner　they　got　back　on　the　road；　the　sooner　they　would　be　at　theCharlotte；　and　the　sooner　she　
would　be　stretched　out　on　the　wide　wooden　deck　sunning　herself　in　only　her　undies；　drinking　
spiked　lemonade　and　feeding　Nate　slivers　of　raw　bluepoint　oysters　with　her　fingers。That？s　how　


she　planned　to　spend　every　minute　of　the　rest　of　the　summer。　

Not　a　bad　plan！　

She　swiveled　the　rearview　mirror　to　examine　her　face：　her　eyes　looked　bright　and　clear；　her　skin　
sun…kissed　and　flawless；　her　hair　flecked　with　gold。　She　grinned　at　herself。　All　the　stresses　of　the　
summer　just　melted　away：　she？d　never　gone　to　London　with　Lord　Marcus；　she？d　never　played　
second　fiddle　to　Serena　on　her　movie　debut；　she？d　never　seen　Nate　holding　hands　with　some　tacky　
Long　Island　townie。　Everything　was　just　as　it　should　be：　her　and　Nate；　in　love；　forever。　

Blair　fiddled　idly　with　the　stereo；　but　Nate　had　the　car　keys　in　his　pocket；　so　it　wouldn？t　play。　
Impatiently；　she　turned　the　knob　on　the　glove　box。　It　dropped　open　to　reveal　a　crisp　white　
envelope　with　a　name　scrawled　across　it　in　a　familiar　hand。　

Nate。　

？What？s　this？？　Blair　said　aloud。　She　picked　up　the　envelope。　Why　the　fuck　was　Serena　leaving　
an　envelope　for　Nate？　Glancing　in　the　direction　of　the　bathroom　to　confirm　that　Nate　was　still　
inside；　she　slid　her　fingernail　under　the　envelope？s　flap。　She　unfolded　the　paper　and　started　to　read　
Serena？s　manic　scribble：　

？　

Nate：　I　just　turned　eighteen　a　couple　of　hours　ago。When　the　clock　struck；　I　looked　around　the　
room　and　I　couldn？t　find　you。　I　know　you　were　with　Blair；　and　if　you？re　really　happy；　then　I？m　
happy　for　you。　Because　how　can　you　not　want　someone　you　love　to　be　happy？　But　that？s　the　thing；　
Nate。　。　。　。　I　think　I　love　you。　I　know　that　sounds　crazy；　and　there　were　so　many　other　times　I　should　
have　told　you；　but　it　didn？t　hit　me　until　last　night　or　tonight　or　whatever；　and　if　I　didn？t　tell　you　
now；　when　would　I　have？　It？s　just？it？s　always　been　you。　Did　you　ever　wonder　why　I　came　back　
last　fall？　Last　night；　when？　

？　

Blair　stopped　reading　midsentence；　flipping　impatiently　through　the　packet；　three　pages　of　heavy　
writing　paper　pletely　covered　with　Serena？s　too…big　looping　script。　Her　heart　pounded　in　her　
chest。　There　was　no　question　what　to　do　next。　She　looked　left　and　right　just　to　confirm　that　she　
was　indeed　alone；　then　slipped　out　of　the　car　and　walked　back　to　the　scenic　overlook。　

Carefully；　she　tore　the　first　page　of　the　letter　in　half；　then　tore　that　half　into　quarters；　and　kept　
shredding　it　until　all　that　remained　was　a　handful　of　confetti；　which　she　cupped　in　her　palm。　The　
warm　breeze　lifted　the　scraps　of　paper　out　of　her　hand　and　sent　them　showering　onto　the　valley　
below。　She　did　the　same　with　the　two　other　pages　and　the　envelope　as　well；　tearing　them　into　tiny　
bits　so　that　Serena？s　handwriting　was　just　a　jumble　of　meaningless　shapes　that　the　wind　lifted　and　
sent　drifting　into　the　valley　below。　


Blair　returned　to　the　car　and　reached　into　her　bag　to　retrieve　her　cell　phone。　She　studied　the　
phone　momentarily。　Should　she　call　Serena？　Tell　her　that　she　knew　all　about　the　letter；　that　she　
knew　how　her　supposedly　best　fucking　friend　actually　felt　about　her　boyfriend？　Or　should　she　just　
play　innocent；　ignore　that　two…faced　bitch　and　focus　on　the　perfect　summer　that　stretched　out　
before　her？　She　suddenly　didn？t　feel　quite　so　bad　about　ditching　Serena　on　her　birth…day。　

　No　kidding。　

？Ready　to　go？？　Nate　slid　into　the　driver？s　seat；　a　boyish　grin　stretching　across　his　perfect　face。　

？Ready。？　Blair　pulled　on　her　seat　belt。　

Buckle　up？you？re　in　for　a　wild　ride！　

better　late　than　never？　

Serena　was　once　again　lying　in　her　all…white　bed　staring　at　the　ceiling；　trying　to　sleep　now　that　
she？d　finally　admitted　how　she　really　felt。　The　ceiling　was　pockmarked　where　she？d　peeled　off　
dozens　of　glow…in…the…dark　stars　just　before　she　left　for　Europe；　and　she？d　been　counting　the　
remaining　stars　for　the　last　three　hours；　ever　since　she？d　slipped　the　note　into　the　Aston　Martin。　
She　kept　losing　count　and　starting　again。　And　maybe　she？d　dozed　off；　or　maybe　not。　Henry　shifted　
onto　his　side；　throwing　his　arm　across　her　chest。　It　felt　heavy　and　suffocating。　She？d　already　been　
in　this　exact　place；　exactly　a　year　before：　in　love　with　Nate；　but　lying　next　to　Henry。　She？d　even　
admitted　it　and　gotten　it　off　her　chest；　so　why　couldn？t　she　sleep？

　Second　thoughts？　

She　slid　out　of　bed　for　the　second　time　that　morning　and　slipped　into　the　hallway。　Downstairs　a　
few　people　were　clanking　bottles　into　the　trash　and　whispering　about　their　headaches。　From　the　
grandfather　clock　downstairs　she　heard　that　it　wasn？t　morning　anymore　at　all：　it　was　exactly　noon。　
She　yanked　at　the　long　white　T…shirt　she　was　wearing。　It　said　BROWN　in　capital　letters　across　her　
chest　and　hung　below　her　knees。　

She　didn？t　even　know　where　she　was　walking　until　she　got　there；　but　she　soon　found　herself　in　
front　of　her　parents？　closed　bedroom　door。　She　knew　that　Blair　and　Nate　were　inside。　They？d　
probably　made　a　fort　out　of　the　many　oversize　pillows　on　the　bed；　which　Blair　had　dubbed　the　
Kissing　Cave　or　something　cheesy　。　。　。　or　totally　adorable　if　you　were　in　love。Which　Nate　
was。With　Blair。　

So　what　was　Serena　doing　declaring　her　love　for　him　now？　There　were　so　many　other；　better　


times　she　could　have　told　him　in　the　last　year。　Like　when　they　were　nearly　naked　in　a　Bergdorf？s　
dressing　room。　Or　when　they　were　kissing　in　the　bathtub　at　Isabel　Coates？s　Hamptons　house。　Or　
when　she？d　decided　not　to　go　back　to　boarding　school　and　came　back　to　the　city　instead。　But　she　
hadn？t。　She　hadn？t　told　him　any　of　those　times；　mostly　because　she？d　been　scared。　That　he　didn？t　
love　her　back；　which　he　didn？t。　He　loved　Blair。　

She　backed　away　from　the　heavy　wooden　door　that　led　to　her　parents？　master　bedroom　suite　and　
toward　the　stairs　where　Nate　had　told　Blair　he　loved　her　just　last　night。　So　why　had　she　suddenly　
declaredher　love　for　Nate；　now；　at　the　very　worst　possible　time？　

？Hey；　you？re　the　birthday　girl。？　A　guy　she？d　never　seen　before　looked　up　at　her　from　the　bottom　
of　the　staircase。　His　shaggy　brown　hair　was　piled　on　top　of　his　head　in　a　messy　bun。　？Selima；　
right？？　

？Serena；？　she　told　him。　

？Right；　so　like；　do　you　think　you　can　give　me　a　ride　to　the　train　station？？　He　reached　under　his　
sweat…stained　and　moth…eaten　polo　to　scratch　his　belly；　revealing　a　sliver　of　hairy　stomach。　

　Ew。　

Serena　took　a　step　down　the　stairs；　letting　her　hand　glide　over　the　dark　wooden　banister。　？I？m　
sure　people　will　start　getting　up　soon。　Someone　will　drive　you。？　

？Cool。？　He　stretched　his　arms　up　high；　yawning　loudly；　and　headed　back　into　the　living　room；　
where　people　were　still　sprawled　out　on　every　soft　surface。　She　heard　someone　mutter　？Duuuuude；？　
as　he　collapsed　onto　the　antique　but…toned…leather　couch。　

Serena　swept　through　the　marble　foyer　to　the　door　and　lingered　for　a　moment；　hand　on　the　
doorknob；　before　she　pulled　the　door　open　and　stepped　outside。　The　front　of　the　house　was　well　
shaded　and　cool；　and　she　wrapped　her　arms　around　her　body　protectively　as　she　scanned　the　
driveway。　

She　wasn？t　sure　if　she　was　having　second　thoughts；　or　not；　or　if　she　wanted　to　sneak　back　to　that　
car　and　take　back　the　envelope　she？d　left　inside。　But　the　decision　had　been　made　for　her。　The　
Aston　Martin　was　nowhere　in　sight。　Nate？　and　presumably　Blair？were　gone。　

And　they？d　taken　some　very　juicy　reading　material　along　with　them。　

sailing　off　into　the　sunset　


Blair　knelt　in　the　bucket　seat　of　the　car　as　Nate　slowed　the　Aston　Martin　to　a　stop　in　front　of　the　
whitewashed　Newport　Yacht　Club。　The　harbor　glimmered　in　the　midday　sun。　Blair　breathed　in　the　
warm；　salty　seaside　air。　She　kept　shaking　her　head；　letting　her　windblown　locks　swing　around　her　
shoulders；　which　she　hoped　looked　sexy。　In　truth；　she　was　just　trying　to　shake　the　thought　of　
Serena？s　letter　from　her　mind。　Seriously；　what　the　fuck？　

？I　can？t　believe　we？re　actually　here。？　Nate？s　voice　startled　her　back　to　attention。　Despite　having　
driven　for　hundreds　of　miles　just　to　get　there；　Nate　didn？t　seem　all　that　eager　to　get　out　of　the　car。　
He？d　undone　his　seat　belt　and　was　just　sitting　there；　staring　out　of　the　car？s　tiny　windshield　at　the　
forest　of　masts　in　the　harbor。　

？What？s　wrong？？　Blair　opened　the　door　and　hopped　up　and　down；　getting　the　blood　in　her　legs　
flowing　again。　

？What？　Oh；　nothing。？　Nate　looked　startled。　

Blair　settled　her　fists　on　her　hips。　Her　blousy　cotton　voile　shirt　fluttered　in　the　wind。　？Are　you　
sure　everything？s　okay？　You　look　kind　of　。　。　。　distracted。？　

？No；　no；　everything？s　fine。？　Nate　stood　and　slammed　his　door　shut　behind　him。　？We？ll　have　to　
do　something　about　the　car；　I　guess。？　He　frowned。　

Blair　adjusted　her　bag　and　perched　on　the　still…warm　hood　of　the　hunter…green　Aston。　Nate　
looked　more　than　distracted。　He　looked　like　he　was　going　to　throw　up。　Was　there　any　chance　he　
knew　about　the　letter？　Or　could　Serena　have　called　him　while　he　was　in　the　restroom？　Was　that　
why　he？d　taken　so　long？　Blair　fidgeted　impatiently。What　was　the　holdup？　？Nate；　is　there　anything　
you　want　to　tell　me？？　

？What？　No；？　Nate　answered；　stuffing　the　keys　in　his　pocket。　？We？re　really　doing　this；　right？？　

？We？re　really　doing　this！？　Leaving　her　bag　on　the　hood　of　the　car；　Blair　scurried　around　to　where　
Nate　stood　and　threw　herself　into　his　arms。　A　white　seagull　swooped　down　onto　the　parking　
lot。　？You　seem　worried。？　

？No；　I？m　not。　I？m　just　。　。　。　thinking　is　all。？　

　Don？t　hurt　yourself。　

Inhaling　Nate？s　delicious　scent？his　deodorant；　a　hint　of　the　lavender　soap　from　Serena？s　parents？　
master　bathroom；　the　ocean　smell　that　had　somehow　already　made　it　i