you？re going to try to crash an all…boy party； it helps immensely if you？ve got a shaved head and
boring unisex outfit。 More than a few of our readers spotted you slinking home in your Puccis
after you were rejected at the gate。 Sorry； girls！
That？s enough for now。 I？m going to go get to know a new friend of mine？he？s a lifeguard and
only speaks Dutch？and you？ve got work to do； anyway： get out there and create some more dirt
for me to dish。 You know how much I love you for it。 And of course 。 。 。
You know you love me。
gossip girl
before sunrise
？Turn it up！？ Nate cupped the flame of Serena？s dainty silver lighter； trying to light a cigarette as
Serena navigated the convertible roadster along the deserted Long Island Expressway。
Best way to beat the summer traffic？ Set out in the middle of the night。
His cigarette lit； Nate tossed the lighter back onto the empty passenger seat in front of him。
Serena reached over and cranked up the volume as high as it would go； but even that loud； Bob
Dylan？s distinctive warble was barely audible over the whoosh of wind。
？I？m cold。 Can？t we put the top up？？ Blair wrapped her arms around herself and frowned。
？I don？t know how it works；？ Nate admitted。 ？But I can help keep you warm if you like。？ He
draped his left arm around her shoulder protectively。
Just like old times。
Blair leaned into the front of the car and grabbed the cardigan Serena had abandoned there。 ？And
I？mtired。 Whose bright idea was it to stop for dinner？？ She pulled the sweater on and leaned back
into the caramel leather uphol…stery。
It had been Blair？s suggestion； actually； that they get dinner。 She？d wanted to stop at a diner in
Merritt？she and her dad had always stopped there on their family trips to Southampton when she
was a kid？but they？d gotten lost； and it had taken an hour and a half just to find it。 Nate decided
not to remind her of this。
？Maybe you should take a little nap；？ he suggested。
？We？ll be there soon；？ Serena chimed in from the front seat。 ？I can almost smell the city。？
Nate sniffed at the cool； damp air。 He couldn？t smell anything but the gritty burn of his cigarette
and the honey…almond aroma of Blair？s hair。 He couldn？t see much； either； just the vague outlines
of the car and his friends； and the dark void of that along…the…highway wilderness； which was
barely illuminated by the thin sliver of summer moon。 After a couple of other pit stops？to fill up
the tank； to take dorky pictures of the three of them making faces in front of different scenic spots；
to stock up on cigarettes and Diet Coke and junk food？they？d managed to waste most of the night。
It seemed almost impossible that in a few hours Nate was supposed to climb back on that shitty
bicycle and show up at Coach Michaels？s house for another day of hard labor and sexual
harassment。
Guess he？ll be calling in sick。 Again。
？So what？s our plan； anyway？？ Serena glanced over her shoulder and into the backseat。 ？Where
exactly am I driving us？？
？Let？s go to the Ritz。？ Blair hopped up and down in her seat like a little kid who had to
pee。 ？Let？s get a suite and order room service and sleep all day tomorrow。？
？How about we go right to the Three Guys coffee shop and we pig out on pancakes？？ Serena
suggested。
Nate weighed the options： a hotel room shared with Blair and Serena or a greasy early morning
breakfast。
Decisions； decisions。
But Nate had his own plan。 He？d been going over it in his head for a couple of days now； ever
since Anthony told him to seize the day。 And know he knew what he wanted： an impromptu
summer cruise on his dad？s boat。 He could just picture it。 He？d navigate them out of the New
York harbor； the sun rising over the East River。 They？d head north； toward the Cape； and
eventually toward his parents？ place in Mt。 Desert Island； Maine。 They？d spend the rest of the
summer lounging around on the sun…drenched deck in their underwear。 They？d dive overboard and
splash around in the cool water like kids。They？d pull into small towns so he could stock up on
cigarettes and beer and Blair could buy magazines and whatever else she needed。 Then； when
they？d worked up an appetite from fishing or swimming or making love； he and Blair would raid
the fully stocked kitchen； eating artichoke hearts directly out of the jar with their fingers。
Forgetting about someone？
That was the summer he was supposed to be having； and at last； he was seizing the day。 The only
problem was； well 。 。 。 Serena。 Never mind that he and Blair weren？t quite a couple again。 They？d
had ups and downs for as long as they？d known each other； but they always came back to the
same point： they were supposed to be together。 And that point was ing again。 That point was
on theCharlotte 。Nate closed his eyes； trying desperately to think of a guy they could bring along
on their grand voyage to keep Serena occupied while he worked on winning back Blair。 Jeremy？
Anthony？ Nah； she was out of their league。
He flicked his cigarette out of the car and cleared his throat。 ？I？ve got it；？ he announced。 ？Let？s
get theCharlotte。 Then we？ll just； like； sail away。？
？Awesome！？ Serena took both hands off the wheel and clapped them together。 ？Natie； you？re a
genius！？
？I don？t know。？ Blair sat up。 ？I kind of just feel like taking a shower and going to bed。？
Blair fidgeted in her seat； her knee brushing against Nate？s。 Was she doing that on purpose？ It
sent a palpable surge of electricity through his body。 He felt more clear…headed and aware than he
had in months。 It was like everything that had happened to him lately？getting in trouble and
almost not graduating； getting shipped off to slave labor in the Hamptons； having that weird
short…lived romance with Tawny？had been leading him right here； to this moment。 Never mind
that he was going to bail on work in a matter of hours； never mind that he had stolen his father？s
prized possession； never mind that he might not get his diploma？he was with Blair； and when they
were together it was like everything else in the world was just 。 。 。right。
？There？s a shower on board；？ Serena reminded Blair； picking up her vibrating and blinking
Nokia from her lap。 ？Don？t be a baby；？ she called over her shoulder。 ？Hello？？ she answered her
cell phone。 Who the hell was calling at four in the morning？
？Hey Serena。 How are you？ It？s Jason。 You know； your downstairs neighbor at the town house
on Seventy…first Street？？
Serena smiled quietly at the road。 Blair was so not expecting this call。
？Hey！？ She responded in her friendliest； most upbeat voice。 Jason was cute but totally forgettable。
After theBreakfast at Fred？s wrap party； that？s exactly what both girls had done？forgotten about
him。 But Serena wasn？t the girl Jason had had the hots for； anyway。 ？I guess you want to talk to
Blair。？ She shifted into fourth gear around a tight curve in the road。
？Kind of；？ Jason admitted。
？Hold on。？ Serena tossed her phone behind her； accidentally hitting Blair in the nose。
Blair had been happily ensconced in one of her epic movielike reveries starring herself and Nate
naked on a beach in St。 Barts； kissing on the sand while the waves splashed over their bodies；
exactly like Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster inFrom Here to Eternity。 She took the phone。
Probably it was her mother； wondering why there was a 10；000 charge at Tod？s on her AmEx。
？Hello？？ she said with some annoyance。 Nate？s leg was so warm against hers。 She rested her
head on his shoulder； seeking fort while she prepared to have an extremely annoying
conversation。 ？What is it now； Mom？？
？No； it？s me； Jason；？ a boy？s voice responded gruffly on the other end。
Blair lifted her head from Nate？s shoulder and held the phone away from her face。Who？
She glanced at Nate？s profile。 He was beginning to nod off； and she wanted to grab him and slip
her hands under his shirt； just to feel his warm skin beneath her fingers。
？Hello？ Blair？？ Jason？s voice squawked out of Serena？s phone。 Blair snapped the phone shut
and tossed it into the passenger seat。
？Blair！？ Serena scolded。 The two girls giggled； sharing a glance through their reflections in the
rearview mirror。
Nate shifted in his seat。 ？What？s so funny？？ he mumbled； making them laugh even harder。
Then Blair turned； catching Nate staring right at her。 But before he could look away； embarrassed；
she let one eye…lid fall in the sexiest； most unexpected wink Nate had ever seen。 ？Can I have a
smoke？？ she finally asked； gently biting her glistening…pink bottom lip。
？Sure。？ He dug into his pockets for the pack。Anything for you。
Aw。
Sunrise must have happened during the four minutes it took them to speed through the Midtown
Tunnel and into the city： the sky was dark purple when Serena steered them into the gaping mouth
of the tunnel； and by the time the little roadster emerged on the streets of Manhattan； the sun was
up； the cars were honking； and it was already starting to get hot。
Nate tried not to be too obvious about watching Blair； which was hard because she was so close
he could smell her； could imagine the weight of her body against his if she happened to nod off to
sleep； could conjure the soft feeling of her lips and tongue against his on the off chance they just
started making out right there in the backseat。
Stop it。 Focus。？Just drive downtown。？ Nate locked eyes with Serena in the rearview mirror。Did
she know what he was thinking？ Did she see something？
Not that she was uncool enough to say anything。
？Aye； aye； captain。？ Serena made a wide right onto the FDR Drive that sent Nate and Blair
hurling to the left as she did。
？Don？t kill us。？ Blair tucked her wind…whipped hair behind her ears。
？Don？t worry。？ Nate gave her right knee a reassuring squeeze。
Blair looked up at him； her eyes glazed and sleepy but the same brilliant blue they？d always been。
She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder； still looking up at him。
Nate grinned back； feeling foolish and a little embarrassed； like he was fifteen again。 He lost
himself in the sensation of the wind in his hair； the thrum of the road beneath him； the smell of the
girl he loved leaning against him。 It took ten minutes for Serena to zip through the early morning
traffic on the highway； and five minutes of navigating the twisting downtown streets before they
reached the docks at Battery Park； where Captain Archibald kept theCharlotte docked。
？We？re here； kids；？ Serena announced； playing mommy as she guided the tiny car into a curbside
parking spot and turned off the ignition。 ？Ready to sail？？
Nate opened the door and clambered out of the back…seat。 He breathed in the mingling scent of
traffic and salt water and warm asphalt； it was a mix of everything he loved？the city； especially in
the early morning； and the sea…side； where he？d spent the happiest weeks of his life。 Maybe he？d
been cooped up in the tiny backseat for too long； or maybe he was just excited at the thought of
the illicit cruise he was about to undertake； but whatever the reason； Nate actually started to run；