d rigged an iPod to the van
der Woodsens？ stereo system； and the insistent thrum of the new Arctic Monkeys album filled the
air。
？This is finally starting to feel like summer vacation。？ Blair slipped her feet out of her white
leather Prada flip…flops and propped them on the edge of the wrought…iron garden table。 She
swirled the ice in her Bloody Mary distractedly。
？Something like that。？ Serena leaned back in the unfortable chair and scanned the crowd that
had gathered； supposedly； for her birthday celebration。 The guys outnumbered the girls by a ratio
of about ten million to one； and though she recognized some of them？Erik？s old tennis teammates；
his roommate at Brown？she didn？t see many familiar faces in the crowd。 She might be the
birthday girl； but she wondered if anyone even knew who she was。
It？s her party and she？ll pout if she wants to。
？Shit。？ Blair tilted her head back and drained her glass。 ？I guess I was thirsty。You want another？？
Serena shook her head； almost spilling her untouched Cosmopolitan。 ？I？m good。？
？I？ll be right back。？
Serena watched from behind her enameled Selima aviators as Blair launched out of her seat and
padded toward the bar。 Erik was presiding over the bottles of booze lined up like toy soldiers on
the elaborate carved mahogany bar。 Nate was lingering on the fringes of the crowd； his hands
shoved deep in the pockets of his tattered khaki shorts。 Serena watched as he pretended not to see
Blair skipping through the crowd toward him。
Interesting。
She？d woken up this morning to the sound of Blair？s giggles； but when she？d asked what was
funny； Blair had sighed and said； ？Just Natie。？Natie？ Th