第13部分(第2/7 页)

wdy；　sis。？

？Got　the　party　started；　I　see。？　Serena　hugged　her　brother　excitedly。　？In　case　you　forgot；　my

birthday？s　not　till　tomorrow。？

？You　only　turn　eighteen　once。？　He　threw　his　arms　around　her　and　lifted　her　off　her　feet

easily。　？Happy　almost　birthday。？

？This　is　for　me？？　Serena　asked；　a　smile　spreading　across　her　face。　Okay；　so　it　wasn？texactly　her

idea　of　a　birthday　party；　but　it　was　sweet　that　her　brother　had　remembered。　Even　if　it　was　probably

just　a　convenient　excuse　for　a　blowout。

Probably？

Behind　her；　Blair　and　Nate　shuffled　out　of　the　backseat。　Serena　had　volunteered　to　drive　since

she　knew　how　to　get　here　the　best；　and　Blair　couldn？t　drive　stick；　but　did　they　really　have　to　ride

in　the　backseat　togetheragain？　What　was　she；　the　chauffeur？

Kind　of　looks　that　way。

？What？s　up；　guys？？　Erik　greeted　them。

？Hey。？　Nate　nodded　at　Erik。　？Good　call　on　the　party。　I　almost　forgot　that　tomorrow？s　your

birthday；？　he　said；　turning　to　Serena。

Blair　slipped　her　hand　into　her　best　friend？s。　？What？s　an　appropriate　afternoon　cocktail；　birthday

girl？？

Is　there　one　that？snot　appropriate？

The　scene　by　the　pool　was　like　something　out　of　a　screw…ball　college　edy。　A　gaggle　of

obviously　drunk　guys　in　board　shorts　cannonballed　into　the　water；　splashing　their　buddies　seated

nearby。　A　crowd　lingered　near　the　double…height　French　doors　that　led　to　the　library？and　the

well…stocked　bar。　And　there　were　so　few　girls　in　evidence？a　couple　stretched　out　on　chaises　near

the　diving　board　and　a　trio　of　giggling　girls　attempting　some　kind　of　drinking　game？that　wherever

they　congregated；　a　drooling　group　of　boys　was　not　far　off。　Someone　ha