小说园

第5部分（第2页）

look　like　cops。　One　of　them　was　wearing　black　Club　Monaco　jeans　and　the　other　was　wearing　a

stupid　red　pom…pom　hat。　They　flashed　their　badges　at　Nate。

？We？re　not　going　to　cuff　you；？　Club　Monaco　explained。　？You？re　a　minor；　right？？

Nate　nodded　sullenly；　avoiding　the　cop？s　gaze。　He　didn？t　turn　eighteen　until　April。

？When　we　get　to　the　precinct　you　can　call　your　parents。？

I？m　sure　they？ll　be　thrilled；Nate　thought　bitterly。

Across　the　meadow　the　two　guys　playing　football　and　the　old　lady　and　her　fluffy　white　dog　were

all　huddled　together；　watching　Nate　getting　busted　like　it　was　the　first　episode　of　some　hot　new

reality　show。

？You？ll　be　out　in　a　couple　hours；？　the　red　pom…pom　cop　said；　writing　something　in　a　notebook。

Nate　noticed　the　cop　was　wearing　gold　hoop　earrings　and　he　realized　she　was　a　woman；　despite

her　broad　shoulders　and　thick…fingered　hands。　？They？ll　fine　you　and　probably　give　you　mandatory

rehab。？

Mitchell　kept　his　hand　on　Nate？s　shoulder　as　if　to　offer　moral　support。　？You？re　lucky；？　he　added。

Nate　kept　his　head　down；　hoping　no　one　he　knew　would　see　him。　He　didn？t　feel　very　lucky。

introducing　the　newd

Tuesday　afternoon；　Vanessa　stood　outside　Riverside　Prep；　filming　the　frozen　remains　of　a　dead

pigeon　carcass　and　thinking　about　sex　while　she　waited　for　Dan　to　appear。　Dan　had　left　a　message

for　her　at　the　reception　desk　at　Constance　Billard　to　e　and　meet　him　after　school。Urgent。　Meet

me　here　at　four；　it　said。What　a　freak；　Vanessa　thought　lovingly。　What　could　possibly　be　so　urgent？

He　was　probably　just　having　an　attack　of　paranoia　because　his　poem　had　e　out　inThe　New

Yorker　today。　Either　that　or　he　was　feeling　extremely　stimulated　and　couldn？twait　to　do　it　again。

Before　even　taking　a　shower　that　morning　Vanessa　had　run　downstairs　and　bought　sixNew　Yorker

s　from　the　newsstand　on　the　corner。　That　way　there　would　always　be　a　spare　copy　to　wave　in

Dan？s　face　when　he　was　feeling　especially　inadequate。

When　she　really　thought　about　it；she　was　the　one　who　should　have　been　freaking　out。　The　poem

was　all　about　a　guy　feeling　insecure　around　women；　particularly　his　dominating　girlfriend。　People

who　knew　them　were　going　to　think　Vanessa　was　a　real　ball…breaker。　But　the　last　line　was　so　sweet

and　sexy；　she　couldn？t　really　plain。

Take　care　of　me。　Take　me。　Take　care。　Take　me。

Reading　it　made　her　want　to　rip　off　all　her　clothes　and　jump　him。Gently　；　of　course。

Just　then　Dan　burst　through　the　black　doors　of　Riverside　Prep　practically　in　midsentence。　He

waved　his　rumpled　copy　ofThe　New　Yorker　at　Vanessa　and　galloped　up　to　her　in　his　worn…out

white　Pumas　and　navy　blue　cords；　planting　a　sloppy；　wet　kiss　on　her　mouth。　？This　has　been　the

best　day　of　my　life！？　he　trumpeted。　？I　love　you！？