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…oh。
Blair opened her mouth in shock; but before she could utter one venomous word; both girls?
phones began to chirp maniacally。
Serena pulled her phone out?anything to avoid Blair?s angry eyes。 The screen read; ONE NEW
TEXT MESSAGE。 She opened it。
?It?s from Nate。?Blair whispered; holding up her phone。
?To both of us。?
Serena looked down at her screen and read:
B AND S?SAILING AROUND THE WORLD。 I LOVE YOU BOTH。 ALWAYS HAVE。
ALWAYS WILL。 TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER。 …N
The train hissed on the tracks。 Serena bit her bottom lip and looked up at Blair?s shocked face。
Nate had left?left them both。 He loved them; but he didn?t want to be with either of them。 Serena
hugged herself; feeling unsteady on her feet。 Blair looked like she was about to pass out。
And then; to Serena?s utter surprise; Blair began to giggle; small; hiccupping; hysterical giggles。
Serena threw her arms open and hugged her friend; laughing and crying at the same time。
?Oh; Serena;? Blair gasped; ?Don?t you see? It?sso classic。 He just sailed off into the sunset
without even saying goodbye。? As much as she wanted her own life to be like an old
black…and…white movie; Nate?s departure was far more cinematic than anything she could have
e up with。
The two girls clutched each other; their faces wet with tears as passersby on the platform turned
to stare and whisper。 The loudspeaker above their heads crackled with static; and then a booming
voice filled the underground space。
This is the 10 o?clock to New Haven stopping at Stamford; Noroton Heights; Darien; South
Norwalk; Norwalk; Bridgeport; Stratford; Milford; and New Haven。 Ten o?clock to New Haven。