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about it。 ？I？m just glad it？s over；？ he mumbled。 Lord Marcus looked bigger than he remembered；
and even though he was a guy； Nate could appreciate how handsome he was。 Blair had really
scored。
？That？s how I feel；？ Blair agreed with a perky smile。 She reached up and casually stroked the
back of Lord Marcus？s tanned； muscular neck； showing off how fortable she was talking to
Nate while sitting on Marcus？s lap。
Nate suddenly perked up； remembering the reason he？d e to the party in the first
place。 ？Blair； can I talk to you for a minute？？ he asked； although to him it sounded like he？d
said； ？Woo shee ga ga？？
Blair had always been the needy one in their on…again…off…again relationship； so it was a new
experience to see Nate hovering over her； looking unfortable and a little desperate； with
something bulky stuffed under his arm。 Was he going to give her a present？ she wondered。 God
knew she？d given him enough presents in their time together； and he？d hardly given her anything
except flowers a few times； when he？d thought of it。
？Don？t go anywhere。 We？ll be right back；？ she murmured to Marcus。 She slipped off his knee；
flashing him a sultry
I？m…only…tolerating…this…party…for…a…half…hour…more…before…I…tear…your…clothes…off look。 Then she
followed Nate into a semiquiet corner of the crowded room； trying to appear impatient and
indifferent while her heart thundered so furiously in her chest； she wouldn？t have been surprised if
it were visible through her nearly transparent cream…colored camisole。
Nate pulled the thing out from under his arm？a navy blue paper Gap shopping bag； folded in half。
Blair was slightly appalled。 He？d bought her a gift at the Gap？
？Here；？ he murmured； yanking something out of the bag and handing it to her。 Blair recognized it
at once： the moss green cashmere V…neck sweater she？d given him over a year ago。
？But you love this sweater；？ she plained； feeling for the gold heart she？d sewn into the left
sleeve before she gave it to him so he would always be wearing her heart on his sleeve。 It wasn？t
there。 Blair felt inside the right sleeve； although she was absolutely positive she？d sewn it into the
left。 Nope。 Where the fuck was it？
？I just don？t think it？d be right to keep it；？ Nate replied solemnly。 He blinked hard； willing the
tears not to fall。 He wondered if Blair even remembered the gold heart； which was now sitting in a
sailboat…shaped blue…and…green sea glass ashtray beside his bed； a constant reminder of their failed
relationship。
Hey； maybe he should talk to Les Best about a new men？s cologne？Nate？s Tears！
？It？s just a sweater；？ Blair insisted； feeling pletely confused。 Why couldn？t Nate just be
normal and give her a boring Tiffany chain…link bracelet or something to congratulate her on
graduating？ Was this his way of saying sorry； or that he wanted her back？ Well； it was a little late
for that。 ？Please； keep it。？
？I can？t；？ Nate gasped； choking up。 He wished he could confide in Blair； tell her all about how
he？d screwed up graduating； how he？d screwed up in general。 But Nate had never truly confided
in Blair； and now probably wasn？t the best time to start。
？Fine。？ She folded the sweater neatly and placed it on a Yale…blue…upholstered armchair nearby。
She put her hands on her hips； determined not to allow herself to waver。 She had a new boyfriend
now。 A much； much better one。 ？Was that all？？
Nate nodded。 Then he took a step forward； closed his emerald green eyes； and placed a careful
kiss on Blair？s smooth； soft cheek。 He opened his eyes。 ？Congratulations；？ he murmured before
turning away。
Blair stood there for a moment with her arms folded across her chest； ignoring the stares of her
whispering classmates。It？s just a sweater ； she repeated silently to herself。
Yeah。 Right。
Remind me how much i love you
Dan kept his hunter green Riverside Prep school tie on for Blair？s party。 He wanted to look his
handsomest when he announced to Vanessa that he？d deferred admission to Evergreen and wanted
to spend next year and possibly the rest of his life with her。 As soon as they arrived at the party；
Jenny went right to the bar to score a glass of champagne； but Dan lingered by the door； his arms
full of red roses； transfixed by the sight of Vanessa looking resplendent in her sexy low…cut white
graduation dress and funky white wedge…heeled shoes。 There was a pink flush to her cheeks and a
sparkle to her dark brown eyes as she chatted with Serena van der Woodsen。 Serena was gorgeous
as usual； with her mane of pale blond hair cascading between her bare shoulder blades and her
endless legs； but the sight of her didn？t turn Dan on the way the sight of Vanessa did。
？Hey； hot stuff； get your ass over here！？ Vanessa shouted at him from across the room。 She？d
been drunk since one o？clock in the afternoon and the sight of Dan； his arms full of roses； was less
a turn…on than a revelation。 A drunken one。
This morning she？d almost driven off with the wrong boy。 It was Dan she loved。 How could she
not？with his scruffy looks； his painfully wrought poems； and the way he kept showing up
unexpectedly on her roof with his clothes off。
As Dan approached； she sort of oofed herself out of the Yale…blue…and…white striped wing…back
chair she was sitting in but then gave up and fell back into it again。 ？I？m trying to hug you；？ she
explained； laughing at herself。
She？s drunk； he realized。
Serena grabbed him and kissed him on the cheek； then pushed him into Vanessa？s lap。 ？You？re
always so cute；？ she cooed； ruffling Dan？s scraggly light brown hair as red roses fell out of his
arms and scattered around their feet。
Vanessa tickled him under the arms and he shrugged her needling fingers away； suddenly feeling
more like someone？s cute four…year…old brother than Vanessa？s stud…muffin boyfriend。
？So； the big news is Serena？s going to be a movie star； and I？m going to help make her cheesy
big…budget movie； because if we sell out； we？ll make selling out look cool；？ Vanessa told him with
drunken excitement。
Serena and Vanessa slapped each other five like old soccer teammates。 Then Serena refilled her
glass of Dom out of the magnum on the floor next to Vanessa？s chair and handed the overflowing
flute to Dan。 ？To Hollywood；？ she cried gleefully； waiting for Dan to chug it down。
Dan perched on Vanessa？s pale bare knee； trying not to spill his champagne。 He？d prepared a
Pablo Neruda love poem to recite； but maybe now wasn？t such a great time。
？Do you think I should tell them to turn the music up so we can dance？？ Serena burped loudly。
？Definitely。？ Vanessa bounced up and down on the chair cushion； causing Dan to tumble onto the
floor。 ？Dan will dance with us； won？t you； Dan？？
Dan clambered to his feet； eager for Serena to leave him alone with Vanessa。 ？Sure。？
Serena whirled away； a vision of yellow silk and golden hair。 The room was packed with people
and the air was thick with cigarette smoke and perfume。 Everyone had been celebrating since
morning； so it felt like fourA。M。 instead of tenP。M。 For old times？ sake； a group of girls from
Seaton Arms and Constance were playing Spin the Bottle with a group of boys from Riverside。
？Me first！？ Chuck Bass crowed； kneeling down to give the empty Stoli bottle an energetic spin。
Typical。
？Dad got pretty mad at me today；？ Dan confessed。 He perched on the arm of Vanessa？s chair；
suddenly so nervous； he couldn？t drink his champagne。 She wasn？t looking at him； but he hoped
she was listening。 ？I guess I should？ve told him before I made my speech。？
Vanessa was watching Serena as she flirted with Jarvis Cocker？the crazy cool British DJ wearing
a black top hat at his station across the room。 She had to admire how pletely shameless Serena
was。 She？d do anything as long as it wasn？t too illegal or humiliating； just because it amused her。
The thing Vanessa most admired； though； was that Serena wasn？t conceited？she was justSerena 。
And she didn？t seem to need anyone else to be Serena。 She was just fine being herself。
？See； I kind of changed my mind about going to Evergreen；？ Dan continued。 ？At least； not right
away。？
Vanessa could feel Dan staring at her and she realized he was trying to tell her something
important and that she？d missed half of it。 ？Wait。 What？？
Dan slid off the arm of the chair and knelt down on the burnished amber wood floor； grasping her
hands in his。？I do not love you except because I love you；？ he recited。
Vanessa was glad the room was so crowded； otherwise she might have been a little embarrassed。
？I can？t imagine not sharing the air you breathe； living all those miles away；？ Dan told her
earnestly； in his own words this time。 ？Like I said in my speech； I can go to college any time； but
I？m in love with you now。 And the only thing I want； my only requirement； is to be with you。？
Vanessa？s face turned hot and prickly。 Yes； she loved him； but did he have to be so darned
dramatic？ ？So you？re ？？ Her voice trailed off uncertainly。
？Staying here；？ Dan filled in； gazing up at her with adoring brown eyes。 ？W