sheets and each other？s bodies like they had been made for one another。 Serena couldn？t believe
how fortable she felt with Nate？how fortable she？d always been with him。 She never；
ever wanted to get out of bed。 Couldn？t they just stay wrapped in each other？s arms forever；
ordering Chinese takeout every few hours and feeding each other greasy spareribs？
Nothing says romance like pork…fried rice！
She buried her nose in his ear and he pulled her close； wrapping the sheet around their naked；
sweaty bodies。 Serena reached up； twining her arms around Nate？s neck。
The minute his lips had touched hers and their clothes had fallen away； Serena knew she？d been
right all along？she really loved him。 She felt like she was going to burst with it； and had been
holding the words in for so long that all she wanted to do now was repeat them over and over
again。
？Serena？？ Nate asked； rolling on his side and propping his head up on one hand。
？Yes； Natie？？ She rolled him back over and placed her head on his chest； snuggling under his
armpit。 She loved the sound of her name when he said it。
？I have something to tell you。？ He traced his fingertips along her bare shoulders。 It felt electric。
Serena sat up； pulling the sheet with her to cover her smooth skin； her blond hair falling over her
bare back。 ？What？？ She whispered； trying to stay calm。
？I didn？t get my diploma；？ he said quietly。 He grabbed her kilted teddy bear from the corner of
her all…white canopy bed and hugged it。 ？I？m not going to Yale next year？I？m going to have to
stay here in New York and repeat senior year。？ Serena opened her eyes wide with surprise。 Not
going to Yale？ Did Blair know？ She looked at her teddy； as if he might convey some answers； and
pulled the covers up higher around her torso； shrugging off the thought of Blair； because with it
would e guilt； masses and masses of guilt。
？I wish I could just take off。？ Nate pulled a faded green T…shirt over his head； his voice muffled
inside the soft cotton。 ？Just sail away and never e back。？ His head popped through the cloth；
and he pulled the material over his tanned chest。
He ran his hands through his hair and flopped back down next to her。 Her eyes were so brilliantly；
deeply blue that it was hard for him to imagine ever looking anywhere else。 He looked at her
tanned； lightly freckled face； and he knew that he？d never forget the way she looked right now？her
cheeks flushed pink； her long body wrapped up in white sheets？as long as he lived。
If Blair finds out； that might not be for long。
？What are you going to do？？ Serena asked； pushing her hair from her face。
？Stay here； I guess；？ Nate answered dejectedly。 ？It？s not like I？ve got much of a choice。？ Serena
stroked his hand； wishing she could kiss him and make this all better。 The late…afternoon sunlight
filtered in through the open windows； and she looked out at the wide blue sky outside。 She could
hear the faint sounds of the city below； the buses rumbling by with the posters of her face on their
sides。 Suddenly her pulse began to race。 ？You know 。 。 。 I？m not so sure about going to Yale either；？
she said quietly。
？What？？ Nate demanded； his green eyes glittering。 ？Why？？ ？Well； I keep trying to picture it 。 。 。
but I just can？t。？ She had been about to say；whenever Blair talks about it ； but then she stopped
herself。 ？And then at that press conference yesterday； the director announced that he？s filming the
sequel toBreakfast at Fred？s in New York in a month and 。 。 。 I don？t know。 I just 。 。 。 I think I need
to stay here。？ The minute the words left her lips； Serena knew they were true。 She wasn？t sure if
she？d ever really wanted to go to Yale； but she knew for certain she didn？t want to go to Yale
without Nate。 And from the way he was staring at her； it looked like the feeling was pletely
mutual。
？Really？？ Nate asked。 He？d been picturing himself as the only guy with a five o？clock shadow
taking Algebra I at St。 Jude？s。 But with Serena here； maybe he wouldn？t feel so out of place after
all。 It would be just like always？except without Blair。Wait； Blair。
Remember her？
But maybe he could still go visit Blair on weekends。 People did that； didn？t they？ Like having an
apartment in the city and a house in the country。 When he thought about it that way； it all seemed
so simple。 Why hadn？t he thought of it before？ He could spend weekdays with Serena and
weekends and holidays with Blair； and everyone would be happy。
Sounds like he？s thinking with the whole package。 ？Really。？ She smiled and he pulled her closer。
Then； with his breath tickling her ear； he whispered； ？I love you too。？ Aw。 So cute。 Unless you？re
a certain girl with newly implanted Warren Trii extensions。
v gets in touch with her wild side
？Yeeeeehaaaaaaaw！？
Vanessa shook the golden hair from her face and squared her shoulders before opening the bar？s
heavy black door。 Coyote Ugly was basically a frat…boy bar ruled by domina…trixlike； Amazonian
female bartenders in cowboy hats。 The bartenders were also fond of line dancing across the
surface of the heavy wooden bar； dousing the crowd with water？or beer。 It wasn？t exactly
Vanessa？s kind of place； but it was the perfect location for Ruby？s bachelorette party。 Ruby
thought the bar； which had been made legendary in the totally watered…down film bearing its name；
was hilarious？in a totally ironic way； of course。
Of course。
The bar was packed with people； elbow to elbow； mainly drunken frat guys in pastel polo shirts
and loafers。 Three stunning female bartenders worked the crowd furiously； throwing bottles in the
air and knocking back shots along with the guys。 The screech of country music filled the room。
Vanessa stomped across the sawdust…covered floor in her black Prada platforms？Blair
cast…offs？and looked around。 Ruby was leaning against the wall wearing a short red dress and
bat boots； doing shots with a group of obviously intoxicated girls。 Vanessa walked up and
elbowed her sister in the ribs。
？Watch it！？ Ruby yelled； an annoyed look on her face。 ？Bitch；？ she muttered。
Vanessa grabbed her sister？s arm and leaned in closer。 ？Ruby； it？sme 。？ Ruby？s face went blank
with shock。 She reached up； touching the strands of long blond hair framing Vanessa？s face；
staring at her eyes； carefully outlined with brown pencil and expertly shadowed？courtesy of Ms。
Blair Cornelia Waldorf； of course？and promptly began laughing like a lunatic。
？Oh my God；？ she laughed； downing another shot of amber liquid； ？I reallyam wasted。？ As soon
as she drained the glass； shivering slightly as the liquor hit her chest； she grabbed Vanessa？s arms
again； looking her up and down and taking in the short black Anna Sui skirt and tight； beaded
charcoal gray Chlo？ corset top Blair had practically shoved into Vanessa？s messenger
bag。 ？Seriously； Vanessa； you look ridiculous。 But also kind of 。 。 。 hot！？ ？Really？？ Vanessa
reached up to touch the wig。 She was still a little unfortable in this getup？not to mention
sweltering。 The room was the temperature of a sauna； and her cascading wig of human hair wasn？t
helping any。
？Do a shot！？ Ruby yelled； shoving a glass in her hand。 Vanessa tilted her head back； momentarily
afraid her wig might fall off in the process； and downed the shot； which tasted like gasoline。 She
shook her head from side to side like she was trying to chase her impending hangover away。
Fat chance。
？What the hell are you guys drinking？？ she croaked； wiping her mouth with the back of her hand。
？J&BwithaJ&Bback！？ A girl Vanessa recognized as one of the bartenders from the Five and
Dime； one of Ruby？s favorite Brooklyn hangouts； slurred； shoving another shot glass into
Vanessa？s hand。 ？Drink it！？ As if she had a choice。
The liquor burned Vanessa？s throat。 She shook her shoulders and tried to regain her
eyesight。 ？C？mon； sissy； I want to talk！？ Ruby yelled into her ear。
？You want to walk？？ Vanessa asked； pointing to a bartender wearing a tight Western shirt
unbuttoned to her belly button； ridiculously short jean shorts； and red stilettos； strutting on top of
the bar as though it were a catwalk。
？No！？ Ruby pulled her into a darkened corner near the ladies？ room。 At least it was slightly
quieter。 She clutched Vanessa？s arm like a drowning woman。
？Isaid； I need totalk 。？ Ruby had to shout over the frantic fiddle of the Charlie Daniels
Band？s ？The Devil Went Down to Georgia。？ ？I don？t think I can do this！？ ？Do what？？ Vanessa
asked； pouring another shot into her glass from the half…empty bottle of J&B Ruby clutched in her
hand。 ？Drink？？ She held up the bottle to her sister？s face。 ？？Cause you seem pretty good at it to
me。？ Ruby waved the bottle away impatiently。 ？I don？t think I can marry Piotr。 I don？t know if I
can go through with it。？ Ruby？s face crumpled like a used Kleenex。
？Wait？what？？ Vanessa bent down to place the bottle of J&B on the floor； then she stood back up
to put her arms around her sister。 ？Why？ What？s going on？？ ？Well；？ Ruby sniffed； ？he gave me
this gift today？he said it was in honor of our future life together or some bullshit。？ Vanessa
wrinkled her brow in confusion。 ？Soooo？？ ？V； he bought me this Suzy Homemaker antique tea set
for a fucking wedding present。 He doesn？t fucking know me at all。 I mean； if that？s what he？s
expecting 。 。 。？ She trailed off and poured herself another shot； knocking it back expertly and
wiping her mouth with the back of her hand。 ？Does he think I？m going to be this perfect；
stay…at…home Stepford Wife？ Because that？s not what I？m about at all； and he shouldknow that！？
Ruby filled her shot glass again； and this time Vanessa held her own glass out for a refill。
When in Rome 。 。 。
？I mean； how can I marry a guy who obviously doesn？t even know who the hell Iam ？？ Ruby
shook her head in sadness and disgust。 Behind them a couple stumbled out of the ladies？ room；
looking around guiltily。
？He knows who you are；？ Vanessa heard herself saying？much to her surprise。 ？And I think he
really loves you。？ ？Why do you say that？？ Ruby asked suspiciously。
？Listen。？ Vanessa took her by the arm and was grateful when the music changed to a less noisy
Bonnie Raitt ballad。 ？I had a long talk with Piotr the other night at your gig。？ ？You did？？ Ruby
asked。 ？I mean； so what？？ she added； as if reminding herself to be bitter and angry。
？Just stay with me here；？ Vanessa said impatiently。 ？He mentioned that； back when you guys first
met； you？d told him about how we used to have tea parties when we were little。 Remember？？
Ruby nodded and Vanessa kept going。 ？You told him that we？d drink apple juice out of those
pretty china cups mom had and pretend it was tea？ Well；that？s where he got the idea to buy you an
antique tea set。？ Up on the bar； the red…stilettoed bartender was lining up one polo…shirted guy
after another and forcing them to do shots； then dousing them with water as a chaser。 ？That？s the
sweetest thing I？ve ever heard；？ Ruby responded quietly； filling her shot glass again？along with
Vanessa？s。 ？I？m an ass…hole；？ she declared； one lone tear spilling