rs

and　right　then　she　knew　as　surely　as　she？d　ever　known　anything　thatshe　loved　Nate。　And　now　that

he　was　standing　right　in　front　of　her　with　her　on…again…off…again　best　friend；　she　knew　it　was　really

true。　She　loved　Nate　with　her　entire　heart。　It　was　something　she？d　always　known；　deep　down。

Why　hadn？t　she　done　anything　about　it　until　it　was　too　late？

She　shook　her　long　blond　locks；　trying　to　remember　to　act　like　a　normal　friend　and　not　a

love…struck　freak。　She　jumped　to　her　feet　and　ran　across　the　room；　her　fuchsia　flowered　Calypso

flip…flops　thwacking　all　the　way；　and　threw　her　arms　around　Blair；　squeezing　tightly。　All　at　once

Serena　felt　suffocated　by　the　scent　of　Nate？s　Right　Guard　deodorant　clinging　to　her　best　friend？s

skin。　She　pulled　back；　looking　hopefully　at　Blair；　who　was　still　latched　onto　Nate？s　hand。　？I

missed　you。？　But　Blair　wasn？t　smiling　back。　In　fact；　she　looked　less　than　pleased　to　see

Serena？she　looked　downright　pissed。　Serena　began　to　gnaw　on　her　Sephora　Supernova…polished

thumbnail。　Blair　could　be　so　scary　sometimes。　Hadshe　found　the　letter？　Oh　God。Why　hadn？t　she

thought　of　that　before？

As　she　wrapped　her　arms　again　around　Blair？s　rigid；　sun…baked　body；　she　couldn？t　help　looking

over　Blair？s　shoulder　at　Nate。　His　golden…brown　hair　was　wavier　than　usual　from　the　salt　water。　It

fell　across　his　tanned　forehead　and　he　pushed　it　away；　smiling　widely　as　they　made　eye　contact。

His　lips　looked　chapped　and　swollen；　like　he？d　been　making　out　with　Blair　all　night　long？which

he　probably　had　been。　The　thought　nearly　made　her　choke。

？Looking　good；　Natie；？　Serena　sighed　wistfully；　unable　to　keep　the　words　from　escaping　her　lips。