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Jeremy； Charlie； and Anthony would not shut up about Bermuda； so when they got onboard the
Charlotte； named after Nate's paternal grandmother； Nate did a search for ports in Bermuda on the
boat's puter and then programmed Horseshoe Bay into the navigational system。 He set the
motor for 。5 miles per hour。 That meant they were headed to Bermuda very slowly。 In fact； even
though they'd left the dock in lower Manhattan nearly twenty hours ago； they were only drifting
past Coney Island； in Brooklyn。
Friday night had oozed into Saturday night； and the sun hung low over Staten Island as the
sailboat motored slowly southward。 The air was cooler than on land and smelled like wet dog。
Nate and everyone else on the boat remained stoned； sprawled on deck wit their eyes half closed
and their mouths hanging lazily open； or drifting languidly below decks in bare feet to replenish
their stashes of beer and snacks。
It had dawned only recently that Blair wasn't onboard。 He recalled that she'd called him last night
from the Plaza； and that he'd sort of blown off meeting her。 Of course he would have called her；
but his cell phone was missing； and when he tried to use Jeremy's phone； he discovered that he'd
only ever speed…dialed Blair from his stored address book； and he didn't even know her number。
And when you've been stoned for almost twenty…four hours； doing something like calling
information to find your girlfriends number seems impossibly plicated。
Hello； lameness？
Nate and his father had built the Charlotte themselves； up on the Archibald pound on Mt。
Desert Island； Maine。 It was one…hundred…and…ten…foot ketch； huge enough to fortably ferry
one hundred…plus passengers from Battery Park City to the Hamptons； or seventten high…school
kids to Bermuda。 In preparation for the uping cruise to the Hamptons； the kitchen had been
fully stocked with artisanal cheeses； Carrs table water crackers； smoked oysters； Belgian beer；
Veuve Clicquot champagne； and vintage scotch。 The four bathrooms were equipped with hot
showers； navy blue Frette towels； and handmade shell…shaped mini soaps with CHARLOTTE
printed on them in gold。 The cabin was equipped with the latest puter mapping and
munication systems； and there were state…of…the…art sound systems both on deck and below
decks。
After a dinner of beer； Brie； and potato chips； Nate passed up another session of bong hits with his
buddies and climbed up into the crow's nest at the top of taller of the boat's two masts。 He sat
down and hugged his knees； contemplating the situation from up high。 Since they were only
drifting； he was pretty sure they weren't going to get farther than the New Jersey Shore before
Monday； which was fine with him。 He was also pretty sure he was just about to miss that Yale
party he was supposed to go to with his parents。 And he'd probably missed a whole slew of Blair's
pissed…off； upset； and maybe even worried calls。
Probably。
Nate had the nagging feeling that his little foray onboard the Charlotte had been kind of a mistake。
The crew would be frantic to find the boat missing； and his dad would be pissed as hell。 But as
long as they were back by the time the Hamptons cruise was supposed to start； there was no harm
done； right？ He lifted up his worn black T…shirt and checked to see if the hickey Blair had left on
his belly the day before was still there。 A shade lighter； but yes； still there。 Just thinking about
Blair eased his mind。 Even if she was pissed off at him eighty percent of the time； they would stay
together for always； and hopefully even go to Yale together。 How good it was； he thought； as only
a par…baked boy can； knowing you had someone's hand to hold when you were about to step into
the big bad unknown。
〃Peace； dude！〃 a girl's voice called up to him from the deck。 〃Alors； I found some Oreos for our
desert！〃
Nate peered down at Lexie。 From where he was sat she looked very small and bright…eyed； like a
little girl。 All over the deck； groups of guys and a few girls were smoking and drinking blond
Belgian beer out of crystal beer steins。 In the aft of the boat the lazy music of one of Nate's mom's
French jazz CDs wafted out of Bose waterproof speakers。
〃Want one？〃 Lexie added。 〃I can climb up。〃
For a moment； Nate didn't respond。 He shifted his gaze to the brightly lit Coney Island Ferris
wheel； turning slowly round and round across the twinkling； greenish…brown water。
He was pretty sure he didn't want Lexie to join him in the crow's nest。 First of all； there was hardly
room up there for one person； second of all； if she did； the obvious thing would be for him to kiss
her； because she was pretty and had that sexy tattoo； and because she so obviously had a crush on
him。
But these days he really didn't feel like kissing anyone but Blair。 After all； he and Blair were
supposed to going to college together and getting married。 They were going to spend their whole
lives together。
Wait。 Is he； like having some sort of epiphany？
Nate stood up and began to climb down out of the crow's nest。 He couldn't sit up there all night；
waiting for the boat to turn itself around。 Not when Blair was waiting for him； not when he had his
whole future ahead of him
He jumped down the ladder and Lexie handed him an Oreo。 〃The water makes me feel so free；〃
she declared swaying slightly as the Charlotte drifted over a patch of rough water。 Her tie…dyed
dress had somehow loosened or gotten torn； and the cap sleeves drooped down over the tops of her
arms； revealing her tanned shoulders and making the most of her tiny sun； moon； and stars tattoo。
Nate took an Oreo； pulled the two halves apart； and licked the white icing inside。 Yes； he had his
whole future ahead of him； but sometimes it's important to enjoy the simple things in life。
THE ISLE OF B
〃Will you be dining here tonight； or shall we have your food sent down to your rooms at the Plaza；
miss？〃 Aaron asked in his best hoity…toity English butler voice。
Blair glared at the annoying dreadlocked head that had poked its way into her so…called bedroom。
〃Actually； I'm going out；〃 she replied； yanking her never…worn Calvin Klein navy blue satin slip
dress out of her closet。 Nate was till MIA and she'd just had the humiliating experience of taking a
cab home from the Plaza in her school Uniform； even though it was Saturday and there was no
school。
Girls who must wear uniforms to school try their hardest not to be seen in uniform outside of
school hours； and especially not on weekends。
Earlier that afternoon she's actually had a par of Earl jeans delivered to her room at the Plaza
directly from Barneys Co…op； but when the jeans arrived they were totally different style than the
ones she was used to wearing… pencil straight and meant to ride so low that at least six inches of
her butt crack would show。 Blair could barely get them over her knees。 And； with only her school
uniform； her La Perla underwear； and a white terrycloth Plaza Hotel bathrobe to wear； and nothing
to do but watch TV for sixteen hours straight； she'd slowly been going insane。 The Yale party
Serena had mentioned would offer a wele escape； as well as provide an opportunity to take
revenge on Nate。
Roll camera。
She'd arrive at the party in a cloud of perfume and cigarette smoke； like some sort of genie；
wearing something so adorably irresistible that all the ining freshmen boys and even the
stodgy old Yale alumnae at the party would toss back their scotches and fall on their knees at her
immaculately manicured feet。 She'd have a torrid； newsworthy affair with the handsomest； most
influential one in the bunch； making sure Nate heard all about it； and then demand that the
aforementioned alumnus secure her acceptance at Yale。 Then she'd tell Nate to go fuck himself
and go to Brown or someplace even further away； because she honestly never wanted to see his
sorry face again。
〃Nate's mom called。 She was kind of snippy。 She said she'd appreciate it if you and Nate showed
up at the Yale Loves New York party tonight；〃 Aaron informed her。
Huh？
B