小说园

第26部分（第4页）

the　kitchen　counter。　She？d　opened　it　to　find　a　silver　ring　in　the　shape　of　two　hands　holding　hearts

that　were　welded　together。　Inside　the　ring　was　the　inscription　FOREVER　ANDALWAYS。　LOVE；

A。　Except　for　a　brief　dalliance　with　a　lip　ring；　Vanessa　rarely　wore　jewelry；　and　this　type　of

friendshiplove　ring　was　so　corny　it　made　her　laugh。　She？d　certainly　never　have　considered

wearing　it；　no　matter　who　had　given　it　to　her。　She？d　dropped　the　ring　back　inside　the　box　and

tucked　it　into　the　silverware　drawer。　It　was　possible　Aaron　had　given　her　the　ring　as　a　joke；　but

then　why　would　he　have　bothered　to　have　it　inscribed？　Even　when　they　were　going　out；　Dan

would　never　have　given　her　such　a　sappy　gift。　e　to　think　of　it；　he？d　never　asked　her　to　camp

out　under　the　stars　with　him；　either。　Vanessa　was　a　running…water…and…flushing…toilets　sort　of　girl。

She　hated　the　sun；　and　the　outdoors；　with　its　spiders；　ants；　bees；　and　mosquitoes；　creeped　her　out。

Of　course；　Aaron　meant　well。　It　was　the　thought　that　counted　and　all　that。　But　she　and　he　would

have　to　talk？something　they　hadn？t　really　done　much　of　since　they？d　hooked　up。　Despite　Aaron

pouring　on　the　love　notes；　giving　her　gifts；　and　sleeping　over　all　the　time；　their　relationship　had

been　purely　physical　thus　far。

Not　that　she　minded。　There　was　something　about　the　stress　of　finals　and　graduation　and　turning　a

new　page　in　life　that　was　secretly　freaking　Vanessa　out。　She　simply　wasn？t　herself。　Or　maybe

living　in　an　apartment　with　lavender　walls　with　a　girl　who　owned　one　hundred　seventeen　pairs　of

shoes；　including　thirty…four　pairs　of　Manolo　Blahniks；　had　turned　her　into　someone　else。　Formerly

a　loner；　Vanessa　could　no　longer　bear　to　be　alone；　and　she？d　found　that　the　best　way　to　keep　her

mind　off　the　future　was　to　drink　a　little　vodka　and　then　fool　around。

She？s　only　just　discovered　this？

？You　look　pale；？　Vanessa　told　Dan。　Then　she　took　a　step　toward　him；　wrapped　her　arms　around

his　neck；　and　kissed　him　on　the　cheek。　She　squeezed　her　eyes　shut　and　inhaled　his　cute；　musty

Dan　scent。　？Pale；　but　really　good。？

Vanessa　was　wearing　a　black　ribbed　tank　top　and　no　bra。　Her　head　was　freshly　shaved；　but　she？d

allowed　the　dark　hair　around　her　face　to　grow　half　an　inch　or　so；　softening　her　broad　white

forehead　and　big　brown　eyes。　And　she？d　given　up　on　her　lip　ring。

Which　was　a　good　thing。

She　was　also　wearing　a　flippy　black　miniskirt　that　she　never　would　have　considered　before　Blair

Waldorf　moved　in。　But　she？d　paired　the　miniskirt　with　black…and…white　argyle　kneesocks　and　her

ever…present　Doc　Martens；　making　it　very　clear　that；　despite　her　roommate？s　influence；　she　wasn？t

about　to　buy　a　pair　of　snakeskin　Manolo　Blahnik　stilettos　anytime　soon；　even　if　they　came　in

black。

The　smooth　slope　of　her　pale　upper　arms；　the　mocking　curve　of