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第41部分（第1页）

“Let’s　go　somewhere　to　celebrate；”　Dan　decided。　Vanessa　deserved　it。

Vanessa　smiled　giddily。　For　a　second；　she　imagined　what　Hollis　would　say　if　he　heard　about　the　grant；　but　then　she　pushed　the　thought　out　of　her　mind。　She　didn’t　need　him　anymore。　“Can　we　go　to　that　hummus　place？　I’m　starving！”

“Sure。”　Dan　turned　on　his　heel；　heading　toward　the　hole…in…the…wall　on　the　corner　that　had　a　different　name　every　month。　He　loved　that　Vanessa　considered　hummus　celebratory。　“I’m　hungry　too。　They　just　had　those　teeny…tiny　chicken　skewers　and　pigs　in　a　blanket　at　the　Iowa　thing。”

Vanessa　wrinkled　her　nose。　“Besides　that；　how　was　it？”　She　asked　as　she　fell　into　step　with　Dan。　She’d　forgotten　he　wouldn’t　be　in　New　York　next　year；　either。

“It　was　amazing；”　he　told　her　eagerly。　“A　couple　of　the　professors　were　there；　and　it’s　really　intense。　These　are　all　guys　who’ve　won　Pushcarts　and　been　short…listed　for　the　National　Book　Award。”　He　shrugged　and　opened　the　door。　The　restaurant　was　empty　except　for　one　lone　employee　behind　the　counter。　“I　just　can’t　wait　to　really　work　with　them；　you　know？　Just　immerse　myself　in　writing；”　he　said　as　he　sat　at　one　of　the　rickety　tables　in　the　corner。

“I’ll　order。　I　know　what　you　always　get。”　Vanessa　headed　to　the　counter　and　returned　with　a　tray　laden　with　pita　bread　and　bowls　of　hummus；　and　falafel　balls。　Dan　took　a　bite　of　falafel；　then　passed　the　rest　to　Vanessa。　Vanessa　smiled。　They　always　used　to　share　food。

“Sorry；”　Dan　pulled　his　hand　back；　as　if　he　saw　Vanessa’s　hesitation　as　rejection。

“No；　I　want　it；”　she　said；　accepting　the　half…eaten　falafel。

“So；　are　you　really　ready　to　leave　New　York？”　Dan　asked。　It　was　weird　to　think　about　Vanessa　leaving。　Even　though　he　hadn’t　really　spent　any　time　with　her　in　the　past　year；　it　had　been　forting　to　see　her　camera　on　the　counter；　her　army　green　messenger　bag　by　the　door；　her　boxes　of　Sleepytime　tea　in　the　cabinets。

“I　won’t　know　until　I’m　gone；”　Vanessa　replied。　“How　’bout　you？”

Dan　shrugged　his　reply。　A　fortable　silence　fell　between　them　as　they　ate。　They　were　always　able　to　talk；　or　not　talk。　Sometimes　Serena　would　assume　that　he　was　angry　if　he　didn’t　say　something　all　the　time。

It　was　nice；　just　sitting　at　a　hole…in…the…wall　restaurant　on　Broadway；　splitting　a　late…night　snack。　It　reminded　him　of　a　time　when　everything　was　easy　and　safe。　He　randomly　thought　of　a　Proust　quote　he’d　read　in　one　of　his　lit　classes：　The　true　paradises　are　ones　we　have　lost。

Does　that　mean　there’s　trouble　in　his　current　paradise？

time　to　party…

From：　Tyler@DJTyRo。

To：　jenniferthumphrey@risd。edu

Subject：　party

Hey　Jenny；

It　was　cool　to　meet　you　at　my　mom’s　place　last　night。　Wanted　to　let　you　know　that　I’m　spinning　at　the　Plastic　Party　People　Party　on　Saturday。　It’s　at　Filter；　on　Fourteenth　and　Tenth；　starting　at　midnight。　Bring　friends；　you’re　on　the　list。

—Ty

From：　jenniferthumphrey@risd。edu

To：　Tyler@DJTyRo。

Subject：　Re：　party

Dear　Tyler；

It　was　great　meeting　you　too！　Your　party　sounds　like　a　ton　of　fun；　but　my　boyfriend　already　got　us　tickets　to　see　The　Nutcracker　that　night。　Break　a　leg　or　a　disc　or　whatever　the　DJ　term　for　good　luck　is！

—Jenny

the　best　presents　are　surprises

“Thanks；　Mom；”　Serena　said　as　she　pulled　a　pair　of　strappy　silver　and　blue　Jimmy　Choos　from　out　of　a　brightly　wrapped　box。　It　was　ten　o’clock　on　Christmas　morning；　and　the　family　had　already　had　a　formal　Christmas　breakfast　in　the　dining　room。　She　tried　to　conceal　a　yawn。　She　hadn’t　slept　at　all　last　night。

“I　thought　that　color　would　look　great　with　your　eyes。　And　I’m　sure　you’ll　have　so　many　events　to　go　to　next　year。”　Lily　van　der　Woodsen　looked　fondly　at　her　daughter　from　a　club　chair　in　the　corner　of　the　living　room。　Now　that　Serena　and　Erik　were　grown　up；　they　no　longer　opened　presents　at　dawn　beside　the　towering　tree　in　the　living　room。　Instead；　they　opened　a　few　small　expensive　trinkets；　after　breakfast。

Serena　took　a　swig　of　coffee。　In　truth；　she　probably　wouldn’t　have　any　events　to　go　to　next　year　in　Iowa。　Except　maybe　poetry　readings。

Last　night；　after　her　parents　had　gone　to　bed；　she；　Erik；　and　his　fiancée；　Fiona；　had　had　a　long　conversation　about　long…distance　love　while　drinking　homemade　cocktails　from　her　parents’　extensive　liquor　cabinet。　Fiona　was　a　six…foot…tall　blond　Australian　surfer　whom　Erik　met　on　a　beach　in　Melbourne　during　his　junior　year　abroad。　She　was　clearly　head　over　heels　for　Erik；　she　was　funny　as　hell；　and　Serena　was　glad　they　were　going　to　be　sisters　so　soon。　After　a　few　drinks；　Serena　had　worked　up　the　courage　to　ask　them　if　they　thought　long…distance　could　ever　really　work。　Ever　since　Dan　had　found　out　he　was　going　to　Iowa；　she’d　been　nervous　about　how　they’d　deal　with　the　separation。　Of　course；　that　was　when　she　still　thought　she　had　a　few　years　of　college　left。　But　now　that　she　was　graduating；　she　could　do　anything　she　wanted。　And　all　she　could　think　to　do　was　follow　Dan；　even　though　they’d　never　officially　talked　about　it。

What　Fiona　had　said　when　it　came　to　her　and　Erik’s　relationship　sealed　the　decision　for　Serena。　“I　told　him　I’d　follow　him　wherever　he　went；”　Fiona　had　said　proudly；　without　apology。　“And　if　he　was　with　another　girl　when　he　got　there；　I’d　cut　his　balls　off。”