小说园

第27部分（第1页）

muters　for　Nate？s　face；　or　checking　the　time　on　the　giant　clock　directly　above　them。　She　was

starting　to　get　insanely　nervous。　Not　to　mention　pissed　off。　If　Nate　didn？t　get　there　soon；　he？d

miss　the　train。　Not　that　that　would　be　the　end　of　the　world？he　could　always　catch　the　next　one。　But

she　really　wanted　them　to　have　the　experience　of　starting　their　new　lifetogether　。　And　if　he　didn？t

get　therenow　；　it　wasn？t　going　to　happen。

？What？　No。　When　did　this　all　happen？？　Serena？s　normally　smooth　brow　wrinkled　in

confusion。　？He　didn？t　say　anything？？　？Last　night。　He　must　not　have　had　the　chance　to　tell　you

either。？　Blair　pulled　her　cell　from　her　bag　with　an　exasperated　sigh　and　dialed　Nate？s　number

again。　It　rang　and　rang　and　then　went　to　voice　mail。

Again。

hello；　goodbye

？God；　Dan。？　Jenny？s　voice　rang　out　in　the　early…morning　sunlight　as　she　dumped　a　big　box　into

the　trunk　of　Dan？s　robin？s　egg　blue　1977　Buick　Skylark。　Even　though　it　was　only　10　a。m。；　the

pavement　on　Ninety…ninth　Street　and　West　End　Avenue　was　already　blazing　hot；　and　the　garbage

bins　were　starting　to　smell　like　rotting　dog　poo。　Jenny　straightened　up；　wiping　her　hands　off　on　her

jeans。　？Do　you　think　you　packed　enough　crap？？

Dan　scowled；　taking　a　scuffed…up　Samsonite　suitcase　from　his　sister？s　tiny

hands。　？They？rebooks　；？　he　muttered；　gently　placing　the　luggage　in　the　trunk；　？not　crap。？

？Well；　whatever？s　in　there　is　heavy。？　Jenny　was　panting　in　the　oppressive　August　heat；　her　white

FCUK　wifebeater　streaked　with　grime。　Dan　threw　a　duffel　bag　into　the　back…seat？along　with　a

blanket　and　pillow；　his　notebook；　and　a　few　bags　of　stale　H&H　bagels。　He　couldn？t　wait　to　park

by　the　side　of　the　road　at　night　and　sleep　looking　out　at　the　stars。　It　was　going　to　be　soOn　the　Road。

He？d　even　brought　the　audio　book　to　play　on　the　car？s　outdated　tape　player。　He　was　going　to

spend　the　next　week　out　on　the　open　road；　looking　for　truth　and　the　meaning　of　life。

This　from　the　guy　who　couldn？t　figure　out　his　own　sexual　bent。

Vanessa　appeared　from　the　Humphreys？　ramshackle　apartment　building；　holding　a　plastic

container　of　Folgers　crystals。　She　looked　cool　and　fortable　with　her　shorn　scalp；　wearing　one

of　Dan？s　old　black　Raves　T…shirts　and　a　pair　of　his　black　boxers。

？Hot　enough　for　you？？　Dan　called　lightly；　even　though　the　sight　of　her　was　breaking　his　heart。

Vanessa　grabbed　a　bag　from　the　sidewalk　and　stuffed　it　in　the　trunk。　She　stopped　to　wipe　her　face

on　the　hem　of　her　T…shirt。　？I　hate　you；？　she　mumbled　grumpily。　？Don？t　forget　this；？　she　added；

handing　him　a　half…empty　Folgers　container。

？I　can？t　believe　I？m　actually　leaving；？　Dan　said　nervously；　to　no　one　in　particular；　mechanically

grabbing　the　coffee　from　Vanessa　as　his　mom　and　dad　stepped　out　of　the　apartment　building　and

onto　the　curb。　Jeanette　wore　a　bright　purple　satin　kimono　with　a　large　dragon　on　the　back