oodsen；　Nate　Archibald；　that　younger　girl　who’d　been　kicked　out　of　Constance　for　extreme　sluttiness；　and　her　shaggy…haired　older　brother；　who　she’d　heard　Serena　was　actually　seeing。　It　was　like　a　band　of　carolers　gone　wrong。

What。　The。　Fuck？　Was　this　some　sort　of　joke？　A　hallucination　from　too　many　glasses　of　red　wine　and　not　enough　exercise？

Or　a　late　visit　from　the　Ghosts　of　Christmas　Past？

“What　the　hell　are　you　doing　here？”　Blair　asked　rudely。　The　shaggy…haired　guy　awkwardly　shifted　his　weight　from　foot　to　foot；　as　if　he　had　to　pee。

“We’ll　leave。　Sorry　for　the　confusion；”　he　said　quickly；　turning　on　the　sole　of　his　ugly　loafer。

Serena　finally　managed　to　clear　her　throat。　Of　course　she’d　suggested　staying　at　Blair’s　house；　but　the　thought　that　Blair　might　actually　be　here　hadn’t　even　occurred　to　her。　“Yeah；　we’ll　find　a　hotel　in　town。”　Serena　glanced　nervously　at　Blair；　whose　veins　were　throbbing　at　her　temples。　This　was　not　how　she　wanted　to　see　her　former　best　friend　for　the　first　time　after　a　year　apart。　Blair　had　gone　to　Oxford　to　get　away　from　Serena；　and　now　here　she　was；　standing　on　her　doorstep　like　a　stalker。

“Hey　guys！”　Chuck　said；　sidling　up　next　to　Blair。　Serena　tried　to　stop　the　gasp　that　formed　in　her　throat。　What　was　Chuck　Bass　doing　here？　Chuck’s　hand　rested　protectively　on　Blair’s　petite　shoulder。　Was　he…　with　Blair？　“Dan　Humphrey；　long　time　no　see；”　he　said　enthusiastically；　reaching　out　a　hand。

“Hi　Chuck；”　Dan　muttered；　limply　shaking　Chuck’s　hand。　He　hadn’t　thought　it　was　possible　for　the　night　to　get　any　weirder；　but　apparently；　it　could。　What　the　fuck　was　his　Riverside　Prep　nemesis　doing　here；　in　a　pair　of　cashmere　pajamas？

“Who　do　we　have　here？”　Harold　boomed　as　he　strode　down　the　entryway