？Nate？ Is that you？？
Nate looked over at Serena in confusion； wrinkling his forehead。
？Uh； yeah；？ he said cautiously。 ？This is Nate。？
？Well； this is Chips；？ the voice growled menacingly。 ？Meet me at the New York Yacht Club in
half an hour。？ There was a click； then the sound of a dial tone。
？Fuck；？ Nate mumbled under his breath。 After a moment he jumped to his feet and slid them into
a beat…up pair of black and white Marc Jacobs Vans。
？I？m sorry；？ he said； putting his cell phone into his pocket。 ？But I？ve gotta go。？ ？Sounds like
you？ve got a hot date。？ She winked and waited for his sly eback； but he only gave her a
halfhearted smile。 Serena searched his eyes； trying to figure out what was going on。 Nate turned
and started digging through one of his desk drawers； pulling out some rolling papers； a stick of
deodorant； and some random unicorn stickers Blair had probably given him in； like； seventh grade
or something。 ？But before you go； I just wanted to tell you that they？re pushing up the release date
forBreakfast at Fred？s。 。 。 。 ？ ？Seriously？？ He turned to look at her again； producing his iPod from
the drawer and throwing it into his navy blue Jack Spade canvas backpack along with his keys。 ？I
guess you？ll be a real movie star soon。？ He grinned； closing his backpack。 ？Sure you？ll still have
time for us little people？？ ？I？ll always have time for you； Natie。？ Her voice was small but serious。
As she held his green…eyed gaze； Nate leaned over and kissed her softly on the forehead； his lips
lingering for a moment on her skin。 He stroked the top of her head briefly with one hand and then
walked quickly to the door。 Before the door swung shut； he looked back at her ？a kind of wordless
question swimming in his green eyes。 And then he was gone。
Serena sat there in a daze； one hand tracing the path of his lips on her face。 Her forehead felt
strange and electric？like her skin had just been branded by the soft pressure of Nate？s mouth。 She
could still feel the silky warmth of his lips； and all she wanted was to chase him out the door and
kiss him back。
But not on the forehead this time。
b stakes out her best frenemies
？Hot dogs！ Get your hot dogs here！？
Blair perched on a fire hydrant directly across from the Archibald？s town house on
Eighty…second Street。 A Sabrett hot dog cart was parked on the sidewalk a few feet from her； and
the salty aroma of hot dogs； sauerkraut； and hot； golden pretzels was making her feel slightly
insane； and very hungry。 Her stomach growled and she rolled her eyes in annoyance。 Even though
she was totally starving； she wasn？t going anywhere or eating anything？especially not a greasy；
disease…filled hot dog？until Serena came out and explained to her what the hell was going on and
why she was hanging out at Nate？s house。 Rumbling stomach or not； right now the only kind of
dog Blair was interested in was her lying； cheating boyfriend。
Woof！
She crossed her arms over her chest； her forest green canvas Kate Spade tote resting in her lap。
She pushed her tinted blue Prada aviators up on her forehead and watched as the heavy wooden
door to the town house swung open。 Nate came tumbling out； shoving his white iPod headphones
in his ears and practically running down the street。 Where was he off to in such a hurry？ Maybe
the ？paint fumes？ had gone to his head。 Moments later； Serena appeared； looking right； then left；
her black leather tote swinging from her shoulder； blond hair gleaming in the sunlight。 Aha！
Blair watched as Serena proceeded to practicallytiptoe down the street toward the park。 As she
reached the corner； she stopped suddenly； pulling her cell from her bag。 Who was she calling now？
Did she need to call Nate only seconds after parting to plan their next rendezvous？ Blair leaned
forward on the bench； trying to make out Serena？s expression as she held the phone to her head。
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep。
Blair jumped as her cell began to vibrate and ring from the confines of her tote。 She grabbed it
and looked at the caller…ID screen。Well； of course。
？Hello？？she answered shrilly； unable to keep the iciness from her voice。
？Hey。？ Serena？s voice was bright and casual。 ？What are you doing？？ ？Hey。 Nothing。
Contemplating killing my family。？And you？ Blair added silently。
Serena laughed。 ？What？d they do this time？？
？I？ll tell you later。？ Blair sighed。 She watched as Serena stopped walking and held onto a
streetlight； kicking one foot against the metal base。
Oh…kaaay 。 。 。
？So； where are you right now？？ Serena asked； her voice questioning。 Blair watched as she leaned
against the pole； crossing her legs at the ankles。
？You know； just out and about。？ Blair kept her voice neutral。
An ambulance rushed down the street； siren wailing； and the sound echoed through both
phones。 ？That？s so weird？it sounds like you？re right next to me。？ Serena sounded confused 。 。 。
and maybe the slightest bit nervous？
？It？s funny you should say that。？ Blair？s tone was icy as a January frost。 ？Because I？m looking
rightat you。？ She watched as Serena whirled around； checking the crowd frantically。 ？Oh！？ she
exclaimed； spotting her。 ？I？ll be right over。？ Now this should be a fun reunion！
Ten minutes later； they sat side by side on the cool stone steps of the Met； smoking cigarettes；
iced vanilla lattes sweating in their hands。 The sun beat down on their heads and shoulders like a
reprimand； and brightly colored banners hung from the entrance to the museum； advertising the
latest Picasso and Van Gogh touring collections。
？So；？ Blair？s voice was cool and measured； ？what were you doing over at Nate？s？？ She glanced
at Serena？s low…cut black cotton Tory Burch tank top。 ？Because it certainly doesn？t look like there
was anypainting going on。？ ？Painting？ What are you talking about？？ Serena knew it must be
weird for Blair to have caught her and Nate hanging out without her； but the iciness in Blair？s
voice felt totally wrong； especiallyhere。 The two of them had met on these steps countless times。
They？d drunk hundreds of coffees and smoked probably thousands of cigarettes here。 Usually they
would gossip wildly until the sky grew dark and it was time to head home； linking their arms and
walking down Fifth
Avenue。 But now it didn？t feel calming or familiar to have Blair sitting next to her？it felttense 。
Serena shifted on the hard stone； trying unsuccessfully to get fortable。
？Nate told me earlier he couldn？t hang out because they were painting his room and the fumes
were too much to bear。 But clearlyyou were able to handle them；？ Blair accused； looking straight
ahead。
？Listen； I think you？ve got things all wrong。 Please don？t freak out before I tell you what？s
really going on。？ Serena snuck a glance at Blair； whose eyes were hidden behind enormous blue
aviators。 Sheseemed mad； but Serena couldn？t really be sure； since cranky was kind of Blair？s
natural state。 She hadn？t wanted to ruin the surprise of the slide show； but she knew Blair would
never trust her again if she didn？t explain what she and Nate had been doing。
Um； maybe