pping　her　coffee　mug　between　her　hands。

“I　was　just　thinking…”　Serena　began。　She　wanted　to　apologize　to　Blair；　to　say　she　didn’t　even　remember　why　they’d　gotten　so　mad　at　each　other　the　previous　winter；　that　she　just　wanted　to　go　back　to　being　friends　again。　But　she　couldn’t　find　the　words。

She　didn’t　need　to。　“I　know；”　Blair　said。　“Me　too。”

It　was　still　snowing　heavily　outside；　but　inside；　it　seemed　the　ice　had　finally　thawed。

dinner　for　eight

“I　thought　Giles　and　I　should　show　off　our　Proven？al　cooking　skills；”　Harold　announced　as　he　set　a　heavy　red　Le　Creuset　casserole　on　the　long；　rough…hewn　table　in　the　fortable　sunken　dining　room。　It　had　been　snowing　heavily　all　day　with　no　signs　of　stopping；　and　Harold　had　insisted　that　Dan；　Jenny；　Serena；　and　Nate　call　their　parents　and　stay　at　the　Newport　house　until　the　storm　let　up。

Blair　hadn’t　minded—in　fact；　it　had　actually　been　kind　of　fun。　They’d　all　watched　Gone　With　the　Wind；　played　Boggle　and　Monopoly；　and　drunk　way　too　much　of　Harold’s　special　mulled　wine。　Dan　kept　excusing　himself　and　Serena；　either　to　make　out　or　read　in　the　library。　Nate　and　Chuck　had　kept　them　entertained　with　crazy　stories　about　Deep　Springs；　while　Jenny　quietly　looked　on　and　giggled。　Now；　even　though　it　was　only　eight　o’clock；　everyone　was　exhausted　and　drunk。

“Lamb　daube　with　red　wine　and　olives；”　Harold　explained　from　the　head　of　the　table。　“I　bet　this　is　a　far　cry　from　dorm　food。”

“Blair　survives　on　jelly　babies。”　Chuck　named　the　weird　British　candy　that　had　been　the　only　thing　Blair　liked　about　England　before　she　and　Chuck　started　dating。

“Shut　up；”　she　said　good…naturedly。　She’d　spent　the　whole　first　month　surviving　on　whatever　she　could　find　at　the　newsagent’s　near　her　dorm　be