gossip girl 10 英文- 第20部分

？Girls！　There　are　girls　here！？　yelled　a　guy　Serena　didn？t　recognize。　He　lurched　down　the　stone　
steps　from　the　foyer　to　the　driveway；　clutching　one　of　her　mother？s　antique　crystal　champagne　
flutes。　He　raised　the　glass　in　salute　as　she　stepped　out　of　the　Aston　Martin；　sloshing　champagne　all　
over　the　stone　steps。　

？Dude；　that？s　my　sister。？　Erik　van　der　Woodsen　pushed　the　staggering　guy　out　of　his　way　and　
raced　toward　Serena。　He　wore　a　rumpled　blue　gingham　oxford；　top　three　buttons　undone；　and　
khakis　that　had　started　to　fray　at　the　cuffs。　His　pale　blond　hair　was　mussed　and　his　huge　blue　eyes　
were　bloodshot；　but　he　was　as　handsome　as　ever。　？Howdy；　sis。？　

？Got　the　party　started；　I　see。？　Serena　hugged　her　brother　excitedly。　？In　case　you　forgot；　my　


birthday？s　not　till　tomorrow。？　

？You　only　turn　eighteen　once。？　He　threw　his　arms　around　her　and　lifted　her　off　her　feet　
easily。　？Happy　almost　birthday。？　

？This　is　for　me？？　Serena　asked；　a　smile　spreading　across　her　face。　Okay；　so　it　wasn？texactly　her　
idea　of　a　birthday　party；　but　it　was　sweet　that　her　brother　had　remembered。　Even　if　it　was　probably　
just　a　convenient　excuse　for　a　blowout。　

　Probably？　

Behind　her；　Blair　and　Nate　shuffled　out　of　the　backseat。　Serena　had　volunteered　to　drive　since　
she　knew　how　to　get　here　the　best；　and　Blair　couldn？t　drive　stick；　but　did　they　really　have　to　ride　
in　the　backseat　togetheragain？　What　was　she；　the　chauffeur？　

Kind　of　looks　that　way。　

？What？s　up；　guys？？　Erik　greeted　them。　

？Hey。？　Nate　nodded　at　Erik。　？Good　call　on　the　party。　I　almost　forgot　that　tomorrow？s　your　
birthday；？　he　said；　turning　to　Serena。　

Blair　slipped　her　hand　into　her　best　friend？s。　？What？s　an　appropriate　afternoon　cocktail；　birthday　
girl？？　

Is　there　one　that？snot　appropriate？　

The　scene　by　the　pool　was　like　something　out　of　a　screw…ball　college　edy。　A　gaggle　of　
obviously　drunk　guys　in　board　shorts　cannonballed　into　the　water；　splashing　their　buddies　seated　
nearby。　A　crowd　lingered　near　the　double…height　French　doors　that　led　to　the　library？and　the　
well…stocked　bar。　And　there　were　so　few　girls　in　evidence？a　couple　stretched　out　on　chaises　near　
the　diving　board　and　a　trio　of　giggling　girls　attempting　some　kind　of　drinking　game？that　wherever　
they　congregated；　a　drooling　group　of　boys　was　not　far　off。　Someone　had　rigged　an　iPod　to　the　van　
der　Woodsens？　stereo　system；　and　the　insistent　thrum　of　the　new　Arctic　Monkeys　album　filled　the　
air。　

？This　is　finally　starting　to　feel　like　summer　vacation。？　Blair　slipped　her　feet　out　of　her　white　
leather　Prada　flip…flops　and　propped　them　on　the　edge　of　the　wrought…iron　garden　table。　She　
swirled　the　ice　in　her　Bloody　Mary　distractedly。　

？Something　like　that。？　Serena　leaned　back　in　the　unfortable　chair　and　scanned　the　crowd　that　
had　gathered；　supposedly；　for　her　birthday　celebration。　The　guys　outnumbered　the　girls　by　a　ratio　
of　about　ten　million　to　one；　and　though　she　recognized　some　of　them？Erik？s　old　tennis　teammates；　


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　acc