crazier。 And if drinking didn？t work； he was going to go out and sit on the steps of the Met and
smoke all six of the emergency joints in his pocket。
Old habits die hard。
He raised his glass to take another slug and felt a big slap on his back； causing him to nearly
choke。 He turned to see his father standing right beside him。
？There you are。？ The Captain was wearing his custom…made English double…breasted tuxedo； a
black satin bow tie set at his throat； his gray hair neatly bed back from his aristocratic face。 He
set his empty champagne glass down on the bar next to Nate？s。
？Well； I hear someone？s bailed you out？as usual；？ the Captain proclaimed。 ？You？re one lucky
boy。 Do you know that？？
Nate ran his hands through his hair； nodding mechanically。 Leave it to his dad to reduce him to a
drunken asshole with no dick。
？Though I suppose I shouldn？t give Lady Luck all the credit for your good fortune。You？ve got
one industrious girl…friend；？ his father remarked。 ？You don？t deserve her。？ Nate blushed and
looked at his feet。 He knew his dad was right？hehadn？t done a goddamn thing to deserve getting
back into Yale？he？d simply been lucky。 Lucky that he had a girlfriend who didn？t give up until
she got her way。 Lucky thatshe had a father who was on the board of trustees。
Blair sidestepped one of the Adonises as she walked over； her azure dress floating around her like
waves。 Through the window behind her； Nate could see the cars flying down Fifth Avenue； some
of them slowing as they passed the gala happening inside。
？Blair； darling。？ The Captain slipped an arm around Blair？s tiny shoulders。 ？I was just telling my
ungrateful son here that he doesn？t deserve you。？ He cracked a smile。 Nate hated it when his
father tried to be charming？especially when it was at his expense。
？That？s true。？ Blair？s blue eyes sparkled with mischief。 ？But he knows that。？ She slipped her
arm through Nate？s and rested her head on his shoulder。 It occurred to Nate that she？d e to
rescue him from his father。 He reallydidn？t deserve her。
？This calls for a toast；？ Captain Archibald announced jovially； picking up two champagne flutes
filled with golden liquid from the bar and handing one each to Nate and Blair before raising his
own glass。 ？You？re Yalies now。？ The
Captain motioned in their direction with his full glass。 ？Here？s to the navy blue！？ Nate opened
his mouth to say something； anything； but nothing came out。 A Yalie？ He certainly didn？t feel like
one。 ？You know； Dad；？ he began； choosing his words carefully； ？I wanted to thank you for
introducing me to Chips？er； Captain Chips。？ He paused to swallow a gulp of champagne。 ？He
really taught me a lot about being a man 。 。 。 and uh 。 。 。 thinking with your 。 。 。 you know。？ Blair
nodded distractedly； and Nate followed her gaze？she was staring at Chuck Bass； of all people。
Nate was about to be jealous when he noticed that Chuck was standing with a nerdy blond
spectacled kid in a too…small tux； his orange…and…blue monkey…patterned socks exposed above his
scuffed loafers。 Chuck was holding his chattering； screeching monkey up to an enormous； ancient
mirror so the monkey could admire his tuxedo and hot pink bow tie identical to Chuck？s。 Wow。
And Nate thoughthe had problems。
Nate turned away and searched his father？s face for some kind of recognition or understanding；
but Captain Archibald seemed oblivious to what Nate was trying to say。
His father smiled and clinked glasses with Nate again。 ？I？m glad it helped； son。You certainly are
one lucky kid；？ he repeated； looking at Blair appreciatively。 Blair giggled and squeezed Nate？s
hand。 Nate just buried his nose in his champagne。
Glug； glug； glug。
？Nathaniel！？ He heard someone call from behind him and turned around to see his mother
approach from the neighboring Egyptian exhibit。 She wore bright red lipstick； a red poppy in her
dark hair； and a sweeping red gown that looked like it had e straight from the set
ofCarmen 。 ？Darling；？ she cooed in her French accent； kissing her son on either cheek。 ？Your
father？s told me the good news。 I？m so glad。 But I？m afraid we can？t stay to celebrate？we？re off
to the opera。？ Throughout Nate？s life； his mom had spent more time shopping and attending the
opera or a gala to benefit the opera than she had with her only son； leaving precious little to talk
about。 Once a year； at Christmas time； she met him for a drink at the bar in the Carlyle Hotel；
where she？d attempt to pry into his love life。 It was totally embarrassing。
？I？m so 。 。 。 glad you？re glad； Mom；？ he responded lamely。 ？Congratulations；mon cherie 。？ His
mother gave him another kiss； squeezing his hand before she dragged the Captain away to their
waiting town car。
Nate turned to Blair； ready to confess to her how confused and freaked out he felt； but she was
chatting with the bartender while he tried pathetically to get her number。 Maybe Blair had bigger
balls than he did； but she couldn？t figure this out for him。 No one could。
Except maybe that joint in his pocket。
this is your life； b。 。 。 。
Eleanor Waldorf Rose stood on the landing of the Met？s great staircase； a tiny silver microphone
in one hand。 The gold sequins of her gown glittered in the spotlight； casting a disco…ball effect
across the Met？s Great Hall。 Blair thought she looked like a seventies…era Statue of Liberty。
？Hello everyone；？ she chirped； beaming at the collection of partygoers who had been shuffled
from the Ancient Greek room into the Met？s impressive entryway。 ？I hope you？re having a good
time！？ ？We are！？ Cyrus cheered from his perch on the steps below。 He raised his nearly empty
glass； his eyes bulging idiotically。 Blair sank a little lower in the thronelike seat Davita had
provided for her next to a table adorned with special gold…flecked Magnolia cupcakes。 She could
tell things were about to get extremely embarrassing。
？I can？t believe all of you wonderful children are leaving for college tomorrow；？ Eleanor gushed
into the microphone。 ？It seems like just yesterday that we were dropping you off at preschool！
And now you？re all grown up。？
The crowd cheered wildly。 The anticipation of being at college in only a day or two was getting
to them。 Eleanor nodded at Davita； who was in the far corner of the room； murmuring instructions
into her headset。 ？But before you go forward into your new lives；？ Eleanor continued； ？I thought it
might be fun to take a look back and see just how far you？ve all e！？ she crowed。 She stepped
back and the lights dimmed。 A huge screen was lowered from above； as if it had e from the
heavens。
Nope； just from Bang & Olufsen。
Blair picked at an uneaten cupcake； steeling herself for ？Lean on Me？ or whatever cheesy…ass
song her mom had chosen to set the slide show to。
What you gon？ do with all that junk？ All that junk inside your trunk？
Suddenly the first notes to the Black Eyed Peas？ ？My Humps？ filled the air。 Had her mom
seriously picked this song for the slide show of Blair？slife ？ Wasn？t it a song aboutboobs ？
Orbutts ？ Orvaginas ？ What in hell was she smoking？
And where can we get some？
Photographs began flashing over the screen。 First came Blair？s kindergarten class picture； Blair
and Serena holding hands and kneeling in the front row wearing matching dorky white turtlenecks。
She remembered that they？d had to take the class picture five times； because every time the
photographer got to ？cheese；？ Blair and Serena had promptly stuck their tongues out； not caring
that all the other girls were getting fidgety and annoyed？that had made it all the more fun。
Next came a photo of the two girls at tennis camp； the one summer Serena？s parents had forced
her to go。 Both girls wore their hair in ponytails； their skin tan against their tennis whites。 Serena
was playing her racket like a guitar； her eyes closed as she strummed the strings in a rock…star pose；
while Blair was doubled over laughing right next to her； tears in her eyes。
Blair looked up at the enormous photograph； and much to her surprise； her own eyes began to fill
with tears。 She wiped them away hastily； trying not to ruin her makeup。 Looking up at their
smiling； happy faces； she couldn？t help really missing Serena？and how simple things used to be。
She couldn？t believe that as of tomorrow they？d be in two totally different places； living totally
different lives。 Blair looked over at Serena； who was sitting at a table next to Chuck and his
disgusting primate。 On the other side of the table were Kati and Isabel； Isabel perched on a chalky
white fake…statue model？s lap。
At least someone？s enjoying the party！
Serena turned and caught Blair？s eye。 She grabbed a plate from the table in front of her and
pretended to strum it like she？d played the tennis racket in the picture； putting it back down again
and giggling。 Then she blew Blair a kiss。
Blair laughed； then sniffled。 For the first time in their lives； she and Serena wouldn？t be able to
walk over to each other？s houses whenever they felt like it； or sit on the steps of the Met gossiping
for hours。 Soon she and Nate would be at Yale； living together like real grown…ups； and Serena
would be here in the city； busily being the next big thing。 Blair shook her head； bewildered by
how much things had changed in what really was so little time。
Serena watched Blair？s foxlike profile as the slide changed in time to Eleanor？s pletely
ridiculous music selection。 On…screen； Serena； Nate； and Blair were ten years old； eating
Fudgsicles in Central Park on Blair？s favorite navy blue Yale blanket。 Nate sat cross…legged while
the girls perched precariously on each of his knees。 Serena？s eyes filled with tears at the
realization that even back then； they were sharing him。
Sharing is caring； right？
As much as things had changed； some things had always been the same。 She looked around for
Nate and spied him standing near the Met？s front doors； his gaze locked on the screen。 She raised
her hand and waved； trying to get his attention； but he didn？t see her。 She grabbed the snowy
white tablecloth in her fist and squeezed the material between her fingers as Chuck？s white
monkey climbed onto her arm and began picking at her blond hair。
？Sorry；？ Chuck whispered； removing the monkey from her shoulder and placing it in his lap。 ？If
you don？t behave？？he wagged his index finger in the monkey？s face？？I？m sending you to the zoo。
And I think we both know they don？t have cupcakes and champagne there。？ Vanessa watched the
screen； surprised to see her own enormous face smiling down at her as an image of her
Williamsburg apartment appeared。 Her shaved head was tilted toward Blair？s shining brunette
mane； their tongues stuck out at the camera； near…white polish gleaming on Blair？s nails as she
held one hand up in the peace sign。 Vanessa smiled； still clinging to Dan？s hand as she waited for
the next slide。
？It？s so weird that you guys were roommates；？ Dan muttered。
？Totally；？ Vanessa whispered。 But even though they still had nothing in mon； Vanessa was
glad she and Blair were friends。 As