gossip girl 11 英文- 第43部分

He　jerked　the　car　forward；　trying　to　remember　everything　his　dad　had　told　him　about　defensive　
driving；　and　watched　his　family　get　smaller　and　smaller　in　the　rearview　mirror；　all　four　of　them　
waving　wildly　and　wiping　their　eyes　as　he　sped　up　West　End　Avenue。　His　blood　felt　electric；　and　
he　could　hardly　wait　to　get　out　on　the　open　road；　to　feel　the　sun　on　his　face　as　it　streamed　through　
the　windshield。　Hopefully；　by　the　time　he　found　an　Internet　caf？；　he？d　already　have　a　Vanessa　
Abrams　original　in　his　inbox。　One　meant　for　his　eyes　only。　

And　sure　to　make　its　way　into　the　public　realm？nudge；　nudge。　

n　picks　up　another　girl　

Nate　glanced　at　his　beat…up　platinum　Rolex　as　he　hopped　out　of　the　cab　and　into　the　blinding　
morning　light。　He　shaded　his　eyes　from　the　sun　as　he　looked　up　at　the　street　signs；　trying　to　get　his　
bearings。　？Thanks；　man。？　He　turned　to　the　cabbie　and　handed　him　forty　bucks。　

？Sir；　you　overpay？？　The　driver　handed　back　one　of　the　twenties；　but　Nate　had　already　turned　
away。　


？It？s　all　yours；？　he　called　as　he　hurried　down　the　street。　He　checked　his　watch　again。　Nine　
fifty…five。　Only　five　more　minutes。　

He　started　to　run　now；　his　loafers　slapping　against　the　pavement　as　his　feet　made　contact　with　the　
hot　asphalt。　A　few　paces　and　he　was　panting。　The　sweat　trickled　down　the　back　of　his　gray　T…shirt。　
The　balls　of　his　feet　hurt　and　he　wished　he？d　worn　sneakers？and　maybe　eaten　some　breakfast。　

Of　course　he？d　be　thinking　of　food　at　a　time　like　this。　His　phone　rang　and　buzzed　in　his　pocket。　
He　pulled　it　out　and　looked　at　the　screen。　Blair。　Again。　He　silenced　the　phone　and　put　it　back　into　
his　shorts。　

Finally　he　rounded　a　corner　and　there　she　was；　the　sweet　girl　he？d　be　spending　the　next　year　
with。　

　Who？　

Nate　raced　down　the　Battery　Park　City　wharf？the　same　dock　he　and　Blair　had　sailed　into　ten　days　
ago；　although　it　felt　like　much　longer。　It　was　as　if　the　moment　he？d　set　foot　on　dry　land；　his　days　
had　turned　into　a　confusing　tangle　of　getting　stoned　and　hurting　the　people　he　loved。　

Story　of　his　life。　

Nate　leapt　onto　the　deck　and　strode　into　the　stern　of　theBelinda；　crashing　into　a　pile　of　life　
preservers。　He　looked　at　his　watch　again。　

？Nine　fifty…nine！？　he　called　out。　？I？m　early！？　

Chips　appeared　from　the　cabin　with　a　grin。　？Glad　you　made　it。？　He　was　wearing　his　？traveling　
clothes；？　a　pristine　pair　of　white　duck　cloth　sailor？s　pants　and　a　navy　blue　windbreaker。　His　white　
hair　was　bed　back　from　his　deeply　lined　face；　and　his　blue　eyes　sparkled　as　he　moved　around　
the　boat；　his　bad　leg　dragging　behind　him　but　an　excited　spring　in　his　step。　He　bent　at　the　waist；　
untied　a　mass　of　rope　at　his　feet；　and　began　to　raise　the　anchor　with　the　hand　crank。　That？s　what　
Nate　was　going　to　love　about　sailing　with　Chips。　No　puterized　anything。　Everything　was　done　
the　old…fashioned　way；　with　maps　and　muscle。　？Belindaand　I　thought　we　might　have　to　leave　
without　you。？　Nate　grinned；　extracting　himself　from　the　pile　of　life　preservers；　and　started　to　help　
Chips　with　the　rope。　？I　just　wanted　to　make　you　sweat　a　little。？　His　phone　rang　again　in　his　pocket　
and　he　pulled　it　out？even　though　he　knew　who　was　calling。　He　silenced　the　ringer。　

Chips　arched　an　eyebrow。　？Which　one　is　it？　Does　she　know　where　you？ve　gone？？　？She　doesn？t。　
Neither　of　them　knows；　actually。　They　both　think　I？m　meeting　them　at　Grand　Central　right　now。？　
Nate　thought　about　Blair　and　Serena　standing　in　the　train　station；　wondering　where　he　was；　and　
felt　bad？but　only　for　a　minute。　He　closed　his　eyes　as　he　pictured　Blair？s　excited；　happy　face　and　
Serena？s　wide；　gorgeous　smile。　It　really　was　better　this　way？for　everyone？whether　they　realized　it　


or　not。　Serena　and　Blair　would　be　friends　again？without　him　getting　in　the　way　all　the　time。　

？You　didn？t　even　tell　them？？　Chips　coiled　a　length　of　rope　around　one　arm；　his　brow　
furrowed。　？Did　nothing　of　my　using…your…balls　speech　make　its　way　through　that　thick　hair　of　
yours　and　into　your　head？？　Nate　looked　out　to　sea。　The　sky　above　him　was　flooded　with　bright　
morning　light　that　bounced　off　the　calm　surface　of　the　water。　？No　。　。　。？　he　began。　？I　got　it。　It？s　
just　。　。　。　better　this　way。　If　I？d　told　them；　they　would　have　tried　to　stop　me　from　leaving。？　His　
phone　started　beeping　wildly；　breaking　the　perfect　silence　of　the　calm　morning。　Nate　pulled　it　out　
of　his　pocket　and　silenced　it　again。　？And　I　might　have　let　them。？　He　glanced　at　the　phone　in　his　
hand　and　its　screen　flashing　18　MISSED　CALLS。　He　flipped　it　open　and　punched　at　the　keypad；　
knowing　exactly　what　he　needed　to　say　in　his　text。　He　pressed　SEND　and　then　SEND　again。　And　
then　he　brought　his　throwing　arm　back　and　tossed　the　phone　out　to　sea。　It　made　a　tiny　splash　as　it　
hit　the　calm　surface　of　the　water。　

Chips　nodded　approvingly　and　Nate　grabbed　a　rope　to　hoist　the　sail；　giving　it　a　fierce　pull。　The　
sail　rose　above　him；　fluttered　in　the　breeze；　and　then　grew　taut。　

？We？re　off！？　Chips　cried　as　the　boat　motored　out　into　the　harbor。　

Nate　watched　the　dock　grow　smaller　and　smaller。　Maybe　college　was　the　right　choice　for　most　
people；　but　it　wasn？t　for　him？at　least　not　now。　Yale　could　wait。　He　needed　time　to　figure　out　who　
he　was　and　what　he　really　wanted；　and　he　was　never　going　to　do　that　if　every　spare　minute　was　
taken　up　with　classes；　papers；　and　。　。　。　Blair。　Or　Serena。　

The　tall　buildings　of　Manhattan　began　to　recede　into　the　distance；　and　the　spires　of　the　Chrysler　
building　and　the　Empire　State　building　became　tiny　toy　versions　of　themselves。　The　island　Nate　
had　called　home　his　whole　life　suddenly　looked　。　。　。　small。　He　planted　his　feet　on　the　teak　planks　
of　the　deck　and　turned　his　head　into　the　wind　as　they　sailed　off　into　the　sparkling；　endless　blue。　

Like　we？re　never　going　to　hear　from　him　again？　Not　a　chance。　The　world　is　big；　but　notthat　big。　

the　long　goodbye　

Blair　crossed　her　arms　and　tapped　her　toe　impatiently　on　the　platform　as　the　train　began　to　fill　up　
with　hundreds　of　luggage…toting　passengers。　She　was　so　fucking　on　edge　that　she　felt　like　she　
might　throw　up。　The　bright　silver　train　cars　were　momentarily　engulfed　in　a　white　cloud　of　
exhaust；　and　Serena　coughed；　one　hand　covering　her　mouth。　

Blair　dialed　Nate？s　number　for　the　bazillionth　time　and　sighed　as　it　rang　and　rang　and　then　went　
to　voice　mail。　？Nate；　it？s　me；？　she　snapped　into　the　phone。　？I？m　here　on　the　platform　at　Grand　
Central　。　。　。　waiting。Where　are　you？？　She　glanced　around　and　exhaled　heavily；　blowing　her　dark　


hair　off　her　now…sweaty　forehead。　？You　better　get　your　ass　here　intwo　seconds　or　you？ll　miss　the　
train！？　She　closed　her　cell　with　a　snap。Where　could　he　be？　

Serena？s　voice　broke　through　her　thoughts。　？Blair；　I？I　don？t　think　Nate？s　ing。？　Blair　
whipped　around　to　face　her。　？What　do　you　mean；not　ing　？　Why　not？？　Serena　looked　down；　
playing　with　the　ends　of　her　hair。　

Her　voice　was　small　and　slightly　muffled。　？Just　because　you　got　him　into　Yale　again　doesn？t　
mean　he　wants　to　go。？　She　lifted　her　head；　her　eyes　shining。　？The　truth　is；　Blair　。　。　。　the　truth　is；　I　
love　Nate　too。　And　he　knows。　Because　I　told　him。？　Uh…o