mping　it　up。　His　mother　nodded；

beaming　with　pleasure。　Vanessa　giggled　and　dipped　her　finger　into　the　box　to　taste　some　of　the

cream。？Truly　divine；？　he　added；　for　their　benefit。

The　family　that？s　gay　together　stays　together！

what　goes　around　es　around。　。　。　。

Serena？s　chest　felt　hollow　as　she　watched　Nate　bury　his　face　in　Blair？s　perfumed　neck。　They

looked　so　ecstatic　and　in　love　that　she　had　to　turn　away。　What　was　going　on？　She？d　thought　they

were　barely　even　speaking　anymore。　Serena　grabbed　a　flute　of　champagne　and　downed　it；

reaching　for　another。　The　golden　bubbles　tickled　her　nose　and　she　sneezed　twice。　If　she　had　to

watch　them　practically　do　it　right　in　front　of　her；　she？d　better　drink　herself　silly。

Of　course　all　she　had　to　do　was　wait；　but　the　waiting　was　killing　her。　Blair　was　would　be　off　to

Yale　in　the　morning　and　Nate　would　be　staying　right　here　in　New　York。　Finally；　she？d　have　him　all

to　herself；　and　years　from　now；　when　Blair　came　home　from　Yale　with　her　perfect　collegiate

investment　banker　fianc？　and　Nate　and　Serena　were　in　love？true；

spend…the…rest…of…your…life…together　love？they？d　laugh　at　the　idea　that　Blair　and　Nate　had　ever

even　been　together。　It　would　be　some　warm　but　distant　memory；　like　Buck　Naked　or　the　alligator

costume。　Blair　would　be　her　maid　of　honor；　and　just　before　walking　down　the　aisle　she？d　whisper

in　Serena？s　ear　that　she　was　sorry　she？d　stood　in　their　way　all　those　years。Of　course　Serena　and

Nate　were　meant　to　be　together。

Right。　Because　it？s　just　like　Blair　to　do　that。

Kati　Farkas　and　Isabel　Coates　stumbled　by；　teetering　on　their　obscenely　high　Manolos　and

clutching　each　other？s　arms　to　keep