小说园

第3部分（第1页）

？Don？t　get　off　at　125th　Street；？　Rufus　advised；　even　though　the　stop　was　closest　to　their

apartment。　He　handed　Jenny　three　twenty…dollar　bills。　？Go　all　the　way　to　Grand　Central　and　then

get　a　cab。　And　call　me　when　you？re　leaving　so　I　can　tell　your　brother　when　to　expect　you。？

Like　Dan　really　cared　if　sheever　came　home。　Lately　Dan　had　been　so　preoccupied；　he　barely

seemed　to　remember　that　they　used　to　kind　of　be　friends。

Jenny　kissed　her　father　on　the　cheek。　It　was　cute　how　he　babied　her；　but　she　was　almost

fifteen？she　could　take　care　of　herself。　？Have　a　nice　night；　Daddy；？　she　told　him　sweetly。　She

waved　good…bye　as　the　battered　navy　blue　Volvo　station　wagon　disappeared　down　the　road。　Then

she　unbuttoned　her　blouse　another　notch　and　stepped　inside　a　cute　red　clapboard　house　with　a　gold

plaque　on　its　hunter…green…painted　door　that　read　ADMISSIONS；　eager　to　meet　her　Croton　tour

guide。

？You！？　a　male　voice　crowed　enthusiastically　as　soon　as　she　opened　the　door。　？It？s　you！？

Jenny？s　pretty　red　mouth　dropped　open　in　shock。　Leering　at　her　from　across　the　quaintly

decorated　admissions　office　reception　area　was　a　more　masculine；　less　flamboyantly　dressed　clone

of　Chuck　Bass。　Same　European…aftershave…mercial…handsome　face；　same　slicked…back　dark

hair；　same　cocky　smile；　same　perverted　twinkle　in　the　eye。　He　walked　over　and　held　out　his　hand；

a　gold　monogrammed　pinky　ring　flashing　on　his　right　hand。　？I？m　your　tour　guide。　Name？s　Harold

Bass。　Call　me　Harry。　You　may　know　my　cousin　Charles　Bass？goes　by　Chuck。　He　told　me　all　about

you。　And　of　course　I？ve　seen　your　pictures　on　the　？Net。？

Oh；　God。

Jenny　mustered　a　smile。　Chuck　Bass　had　nearly　deflowered　her　in　a　stall　in　a　ladies？　room　in　the

old　Barneys　building　during　her　first　dressy　benefit　party　that　fall；　and　Jenny　was　still　a　little

scared　of　him。　But　the　Basses　were　a　powerful　Upper　East　Side　family　notorious　for　their

philanthropy　and　decadence　and　the　wild　ways　of　their　fucked…up　children。　If　Chuck？s　cousin

liked　it　at　Croton；　then　it　was　probably　just　the　sort　of　school　Jenny　was　looking　for。

？Don？t　be　put　off　by　how　straitlaced　everything　seems　here；　Jennifer；？　Harry　advised；　his　white

teeth　flashing。　He　shoved　his　hands　in　the　pockets　of　his　cool　light　blue　linen　Zegna　trousers；

which　he　was　wearing　with　straw　flip…flops？very　prep…school…boy…goes…to…the…beach。　？We

basically　party；　like；　eighty　percent　of　the　time；　sleep　fifteen　percent　of　the　time；　eat　five　percent　of

the　time；　and　study　whenever　we　have　time　left　over；　which　is；　like；　never。？

Jenny　grinned。　That　sounded　fine？just　fine。

Harry　Bass　pressed　his　lips　together　and　cocked　his　head　as　if　he　were　sizing　her　up。　？e　on。

There　are　some　people　I？d　like　you　to　meet。？

Her　heart　racing　with　eager　anticipation；　Jenny　followed　him　out　of　the　building　and　down　a　long

sloping　pebbled　walkway　that　curved　behind　a　row　of　pretty　brick　buildings　with　black　wooden