小说园

第21部分（第2页）

and　the　air　was　thick　with　cigarette　smoke　and　perfume。　Everyone　had　been　celebrating　since

morning；　so　it　felt　like　fourA。M。　instead　of　tenP。M。　For　old　times？　sake；　a　group　of　girls　from

Seaton　Arms　and　Constance　were　playing　Spin　the　Bottle　with　a　group　of　boys　from　Riverside。

？Me　first！？　Chuck　Bass　crowed；　kneeling　down　to　give　the　empty　Stoli　bottle　an　energetic　spin。

Typical。

？Dad　got　pretty　mad　at　me　today；？　Dan　confessed。　He　perched　on　the　arm　of　Vanessa？s　chair；

suddenly　so　nervous；　he　couldn？t　drink　his　champagne。　She　wasn？t　looking　at　him；　but　he　hoped

she　was　listening。　？I　guess　I　should？ve　told　him　before　I　made　my　speech。？

Vanessa　was　watching　Serena　as　she　flirted　with　Jarvis　Cocker？the　crazy　cool　British　DJ　wearing

a　black　top　hat　at　his　station　across　the　room。　She　had　to　admire　how　pletely　shameless　Serena

was。　She？d　do　anything　as　long　as　it　wasn？t　too　illegal　or　humiliating；　just　because　it　amused　her。

The　thing　Vanessa　most　admired；　though；　was　that　Serena　wasn？t　conceited？she　was　justSerena　。

And　she　didn？t　seem　to　need　anyone　else　to　be　Serena。　She　was　just　fine　being　herself。

？See；　I　kind　of　changed　my　mind　about　going　to　Evergreen；？　Dan　continued。　？At　least；　not　right

away。？

Vanessa　could　feel　Dan　staring　at　her　and　she　realized　he　was　trying　to　tell　her　something

important　and　that　she？d　missed　half　of　it。　？Wait。　What？？

Dan　slid　off　the　arm　of　the　chair　and　knelt　down　on　the　burnished　amber　wood　floor；　grasping　her

hands　in　his。？I　do　not　love　you　except　because　I　love　you；？　he　recited。

Vanessa　was　glad　the　room　was　so　crowded；　otherwise　she　might　have　been　a　little　embarrassed。

？I　can？t　imagine　not　sharing　the　air　you　breathe；　living　all　those　miles　away；？　Dan　told　her

earnestly；　in　his　own　words　this　time。　？Like　I　said　in　my　speech；　I　can　go　to　college　any　time；　but

I？m　in　love　with　you　now。　And　the　only　thing　I　want；　my　only　requirement；　is　to　be　with　you。？

Vanessa？s　face　turned　hot　and　prickly。　Yes；　she　loved　him；　but　did　he　have　to　be　so　darned

dramatic？　？So　you？re　？？　Her　voice　trailed　off　uncertainly。

？Staying　here；？　Dan　filled　in；　gazing　up　at　her　with　adoring　brown　eyes。　？With　you。？

All　of　a　sudden　that　new　OutKast　song　that　no　one　could　listen　to　without　jumping　to　their　feet

and　wiggling　their　ass　came　blasting　out　of　the　speakers　ten　decibels　louder　than　the　smooth　R&B

that　had　been　playing　before。　Serena　bounded　over；　grabbed　Vanessa？s　hand；　and　pulled　her　out　of

the　chair。　？e　on；　groovy　girl；？　she　coaxed。　？Show　me　what　you　got。？

Vanessa　had　always　loathed　dancing；　at　least　in　public；　but　she　needed　to　get　away　from　Dan

right　now；　and　all　his　intensity。　Serena　bumped　hips　with　her　and　Vanessa　laughed　and　bumped　her

back。　She　could　feel　Dan　watching　them　intently；　but　she　didn？t　turn　around。　The　music　was　good；

and　she　felt　vibrant　and　beautiful　in　her　slippery；　shimmering　white　Morgane　Le　Fay　dress。　Dan

must　have　been　crazy　to　think　not　going　to　college　next　year　was　a　good　idea。　Of　course　he　was