up at him expectantly。 What could be better than a car？ A plane？ A horse？ Her own New York
apartment？ Her own New Haven town house？
Way to think small。
Her father leaned in to whisper in her ear。 ？I talked to the dean of admissions at Yale。？ He paused；
his bronzed face crinkled into his trademark case…winning grin。
Blair threw her arms around his neck。 ？Oh； Daddy！？ She hugged him tightly。 She didn？t even
need to hear the rest。 ？Thank you； thank you； thank you； thank you！？
A handsome； tall； tuxedoed man approached； streaks of gray in his dark； fashionably long；
bed…back hair。 ？Giles！？ Harold Waldorf called out to him。 ？Finally； you get to meet my little
angel； Blair！？？Enchant？！？ Giles exclaimed； grabbing Blair？s hand and kissing it。 His teeth were
blindingly white and his chocolate…brown eyes warm。 ？She ismagnifique ！？ he exclaimed in a
heavy French accent。
Blair blushed and gave him a little curtsy。 She was finally starting to feel like the belle of the ball。
About time。
Didn？t shejust arrive？
？Blair； dear； we have to check on the babies。？ Her father gave her a quick hug。 ？We？ll be back
soon though。 I think you？ve got some good news to share with someone anyway。？ Giles kissed
Blair first on one cheek； and then the other。
？Au revoir； jolie mademoiselle；？he bid her graciously。
Blair grinned； not even caring that her father had just arrived and was now leaving again。 Nate
was back into Yale； handsome French men were kissing her hands； and this washer party。 All was
right with the world。 ？Say hi to Ping and Pong for me；？ she called after them； feeling particularly
generous。
After her father and Giles left； Blair scanned the room for Nate。 Instead； she found Serena
standing by the bar； her elegant silver Valentino silk cocktail dress shining in the light； thin silver
bands cinching her tiny waist。 Blair walked toward her； her cobalt blue Viktor & Rolf gown with
its intricately beaded bodice trailing silkily behind her like an inky pool of water。 She smiled
giddily to herself。 Serena might look stunning； but next year she？d be stuck in the dirty old city
while
Blair and Nate were miles away in their cozy New Haven love nest； feeding each other
cornichons and oysters and all sorts of other cute； couple…y foods。 Her father might not have given
her a town house yet； but her birthday was ing up in November。 。 。 。
Well； her mom did buy her an island。
？Hey。？ Blair kissed the air near Serena？s cheeks。
Mwah！ Mwah！
？Isn？t this wild？ Check out the naked guys in body paint over there！？ Serena set her empty
champagne flute down on the faux…marble bar behind her and grabbed a full one。 She hated how
nervous she felt around Blair。 How much did Blair know about her and Nate？ How much would
Serena be brave enough to tell her？ ？It？sbeyond 。 Your mom really outdid herself。？ Maybe it was
best just to act cheerfully； casual； like she wasn？t about to steal her best friend？s boyfriend right
out from under her nose。
Blair pushed closer to the bar； practically knocking over Rain Hoffstetter。 Rain？s chestnut brown
hair was usually sweaty from soccer and pulled back in a lopsided ponytail； but tonight she was
wearing it in loose waves around her face； and a black…and…silver Calvin Klein gown made her
athletic body look slightly less manly。
But only slightly。
Next to Rain stood Nicki Button； famous for her two nose jobs？which Blair didn？t think had
done her all that much good。 Rain and Nicki fought more than Serena and Blair did； mostly over
clothes； not boys； but since both were headed to Vassar； maybe they？d made their peace。
Until five minutes from now； when they both realize they？re wearing the same Prada slingbacks
in silver and white。 Totally last spring。
？Excuse me； ladies。？ Both girls practically jumped backwards as Blair reached past them and
grabbed a flute of champagne。 She turned back to Serena and clinked her glass against her
friend？s。 ？To us；？ she toasted heartily。 She could afford to be a little magnanimous。 She？d gotten
exactly what she wanted？as usual。
The two girls downed the contents of their glasses in one gulp。 Then Blair put a delicate hand on
her hip。 ？Have you seen Nate？？ she asked； raising one perfectly arched dark eyebrow。 ？I need to
talk to him。？ Serena grabbed another glass of champagne。 She wished there were some simple
solution to this； but there wasn？t。 Blair looked so happy tonight； she didn？t want to ruin the party
for her。 She and Nate would just have to wait to tell her that they were together when Blair was
happily settled in at Yale； and then maybe she wouldn？t even mind that much。 Finally she took the
flute of champagne away from her lips。 ？I haven？t seen him yet；？ she admitted。
Blair had noticed Serena stiffen at the sound of Nate？s name； and for a second she almost felt
sorry for her？what with that desperate love letter and all。 She was dying to tell Serena about
getting Nate into Yale； but it just seemed wrong to tell her before telling Nate himself。 After all；
Serena probably still harbored some desperate dream that she and Nate would live happily ever in
the city together while Blair was up in New Haven。 Like that wouldever happen。
？Well； I？m off to find him；？ Blair chirped gaily。
As soon as she sauntered away； Rain and Nicki quickly filled the spot next to Serena。 Rain held a
cocktail napkin in her hand； and Nicki held a pen as they awkwardly tripped over themselves to
get Serena？s attention。 So that was it？they wanted Serena？s autograph。 To Blair？s surprise； she
didn？t even feel jealous。 People were always drooling over Serena； and they always would be。
What did she care？ She had everything she？d ever wanted。
And by ？everything；？ she meant a living； breathing person； right？
Blair was about to check the neighboring European sculpture room when she spotted Nate out of
the corner of her eye。 He was leaning against a tall Romanesque column near the dance floor；
looking glum。 Jeremy Scott Tomp…kinson； Nate？s skinny； sideburned friend from school and
Anthony Avuldsen； looking incredibly blond and athletic； were periodically punching him in the
arm； clearly trying to pry him away from the column and get him to dance or drink or at least
smile。 Nate just waved his hand at them； so they shuffled off to the dance floor alone； dancing like
idiots three feet apart from each other。 Well； if the sight of his stoner friends jerking their arms and
legs spastically on the dance floor couldn？t cheer up Nate； Blair knew something that would。 She
pushed through the dancing crowd； practically trampling over Laura Salmon； dressed in a
salmon…colored silk Dior dress that sagged in the chest and was way too old for her。
Salmon in salmon。 How appropriate。
Blair bounded up to Nate； throwing her arms around him。 ？Guess what？？ she demanded； her blue
eyes sparkling。 ？I have really big news。？ Nate smiled at her wordlessly； but his eyes were a million
miles away。 She plowed ahead anyway； grabbing his black bow tie and forcing him to pay
attention。 ？So I told my dad about your little problem； and he talked to Yale； andI got you in ！？ She
threw her arms tightly around him again and whispered in his ear。 ？Now we can be together at
Yale？just like we planned！？ Her whole body shook with excitement； but Nate just stood there；
stock…still。 He？d hardly even hugged her back。 She pulled back and looked into his stunning green
eyes； searching them questioningly。
？Wow。？ Nate shook his head slowly。 ？I don？t know what to say。？ He blinked； trying to process
what she？d just said。 Go to Yale； for real？ Not just take the train to New Haven twice a day and
pretend he went there？ ？Blair 。 。 。 you？re amazing。？ Now that was more like it。 ？I know。？ Blair
was about to give Nate a kiss he？d never forget when she spotted her mother approaching from
across the room； wearing an ivory…colored floor…length Versace gown encrusted with millions of
tiny gold sequins； and Gucci stilettos that looked like they were made of twenty…four…carat gold
ropes。 Ever since Eleanor had lost all her baby weight； she？d been wearing tacky look…at…me
outfits； but Blair was too happy to be annoyed with her crazy mother tonight。
Davita Fjorde strode alongside Eleanor； wearing a black Miu Miu minidress and hot pink satin
Miu Miu peep…toe platforms； barking orders into her headset。 ？No； no； no！？ she hissed。 ？Just wash
him off and get him out there as a regular waiter。Nonflammable paint only！ I don？t need a human
torch streaking through my party！？ She smiled tightly at Eleanor and then murmured into her
headset； ？Okay； photo one； you？re up once we find Blair。？ Blair knew that her mom and Davita
were preparing to drag her off somewhere so she could pose for some god…awful pictures her
mother would no doubt blow up so large you？d be able to see every one of Blair？s pores。
Knowing they？d be separated momentarily； she leaned in to whisper in Nate？s ear。 ？Our train
leaves at 10 A。M。 tomorrow morning from Grand Central；？ she told him softly； loving the smell of
Acqua Di Parma on his skin？a fresh； lemony scent she knew he only used on special occasions。 ？I
know we could drive； but this will be so much more romantic！？ She drew back and smiled sweetly
up at him again。
Nate had never seen Blair look so beautiful？or so happy。 Her skin was golden brown； her face
rosy against her bright blue dress。 The diamond studs in her tiny earlobes shone in the light。
Across the room； Serena was standing at the bar； wearing a long； gauzy silver dress； her golden
hair falling in gleaming tendrils down her bare back。 Her face was in profile； and her features were
so unbelievably gorgeous his breath caught in his chest。 He forced himself to shift his attention
back to Blair？his beautiful girlfriend； still wrapped in his arms。 The sight of her glowing； hopeful
face tore at his heart。 Yale。 He was going to Yale。 He should have been ecstatic； but he didn？t
know what to say or even what to feel。 He pulled her close and breathed in the familiar
honey…almond scent of her hair。 His chest felt tight； and suddenly it was hard to breathe。 Blair
nestled into him like there was no place she？d rather be。 ？I love you；？ he whispered into her hair；
hoping the words would ground him。 But now； more than ever before； Nate felt like a small
wooden dinghy set adrift。
Better start rowing； boy。
a yabba…dabba…doo time； we？ll have a gay ol？ time！
Vanessa Abrams staggered out of the Humphreys？ living room； her pale arms weighed down
with piles of old coffee…stained newspapers。 Her army green Triple 5 Soul cargo pants were rolled
up to the knees； and her fitted black Old Navy wifebeater was soaked in sweat。？God。？ She exhaled
heavily as she dumped a pile of decades…old New Yorkers in a large blue recycling bin； exposing
the dusty parquet floor beneath。 ？It？s amazing these piles of crap haven？t toppled over in the night；
killing us in our sleep。？
Dan Humphrey grunted in assent as he walked down the hall to the kitchen and washed out his
coffee…grit…encrusted blue plastic Evergreen mug for the third time that day。 He wouldn？t m