Although he wasn’t doing so well in the friends department.
Serena didn’t seem to notice Nate’s uncomfortable silence. She sighed, bowing her head to rest it on his shoulder. She no longer smelled like Chanel’s Cristalle like she always used to. She smelled like honey and sandalwood and lilies—her own essential-oil mixture. It was very Serena, utterly irresistible, but if anyone else tried to wear it, it would probably smell like dog poo.
“Shit. I missed you like crazy, Nate,” she said. “I wish you could’ve seen the stuff I pulled. I was so bad.”
“What do you mean? What did you do that was so bad?” Nate asked, with a mixture of dread and anticipation. For a brief second he imagined her hosting orgies in her dorm room at Hanover Academy and having affairs with older men in hotel rooms in Paris. He wished he could’ve visited her in Europe this summer. He’d always wanted to do it in a hotel.
“And I’ve been such a horrible friend, too,” Serena went on. “I’ve barely even talked to Blair since I left. And so much has happened. I can already tell she’s mad. She hasn’t even said hello.”
“She’s not mad,” Nate said. “Maybe she’s just feeling shy.”
Serena flashed him a look. “Right,” she said mockingly. “Blair’s feeling shy. Since when has Blair ever been shy?”
“Well, she’s not mad,” Nate insisted.
Serena shrugged. “Well, anyway, I’m so psyched to be back here with you guys. We’ll do all the things we used to do. Blair and I will cut class and meet you on the roof of the Met, and then we’ll run down to that old movie theater by the Plaza Hotel and see some weirdo film until cocktail hour starts. And you and Blair will stay together forever and I’ll be the maid of honor at your wedding. And we’ll be happy ever after, just like in the movies.”
Nate frowned.
“Don’t make that face, Nate,” Serena said, laughing. “That doesn’t sound so bad, does it?”
Nate shrugged. “No, I guess it sounds okay,” he said, although he clearly didn’t believe it.
“What sounds okay?” a surly voice demanded.
Startled, Nate and Serena tore their eyes away from each other. It was Chuck, and with him were Kati, Isabel, and, last but not least, Blair, looking very shy indeed.
Serena didn’t seem to notice Nate’s uncomfortable silence. She sighed, bowing her head to rest it on his shoulder. She no longer smelled like Chanel’s Cristalle like she always used to. She smelled like honey and sandalwood and lilies—her own essential-oil mixture. It was very Serena, utterly irresistible, but if anyone else tried to wear it, it would probably smell like dog poo.
“Shit. I missed you like crazy, Nate,” she said. “I wish you could’ve seen the stuff I pulled. I was so bad.”
“What do you mean? What did you do that was so bad?” Nate asked, with a mixture of dread and anticipation. For a brief second he imagined her hosting orgies in her dorm room at Hanover Academy and having affairs with older men in hotel rooms in Paris. He wished he could’ve visited her in Europe this summer. He’d always wanted to do it in a hotel.
“And I’ve been such a horrible friend, too,” Serena went on. “I’ve barely even talked to Blair since I left. And so much has happened. I can already tell she’s mad. She hasn’t even said hello.”
“She’s not mad,” Nate said. “Maybe she’s just feeling shy.”
Serena flashed him a look. “Right,” she said mockingly. “Blair’s feeling shy. Since when has Blair ever been shy?”
“Well, she’s not mad,” Nate insisted.
Serena shrugged. “Well, anyway, I’m so psyched to be back here with you guys. We’ll do all the things we used to do. Blair and I will cut class and meet you on the roof of the Met, and then we’ll run down to that old movie theater by the Plaza Hotel and see some weirdo film until cocktail hour starts. And you and Blair will stay together forever and I’ll be the maid of honor at your wedding. And we’ll be happy ever after, just like in the movies.”
Nate frowned.
“Don’t make that face, Nate,” Serena said, laughing. “That doesn’t sound so bad, does it?”
Nate shrugged. “No, I guess it sounds okay,” he said, although he clearly didn’t believe it.
“What sounds okay?” a surly voice demanded.
Startled, Nate and Serena tore their eyes away from each other. It was Chuck, and with him were Kati, Isabel, and, last but not least, Blair, looking very shy indeed.
