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She stood on tiptoe and cupped her hand around Stan 5's aristocratic ear。 〃I'm not actually in yet；〃
she whispered。 〃I got wait…listed。〃
〃Well； we'll just have to see what we can do about that；〃 Stan 5 chuckled sympathetically。 He
snatched two flutes of champagne off a passing tray and handed her one。 They clinked glasses and
a little thrill ran up Blair's spine。 She was about to get lucky； she could just tell。
In more ways than one！
Suddenly there was a rustle of tulle and Nate's mother enveloped her in a Chanel No。5… soaked
embrace。 〃Darling； where is Nate？〃 Mrs。 Archibald demanded in her dramatic； Anglo…French
accent。
Blair didn't want to have to explain to Stan 5 who Nate was； and she didn't want Nate's mom to
think she couldn't keep her own boyfriend。 But she also didn't want her to suspect that she was
hiding something。 After all； she was dying to find out where Nate was too… so she could kick the
shit out of him。
〃I've been staying at the Plaza； so I haven't had the chance to check my messages at home；〃 she
responded vaguely。 〃I think maybe his cell phone broke or something because he never answers。〃
〃I know。〃 Mrs。 Archibald pursed her fiery red lipsticked lips。 〃The gardener found his cell phone
on the roof。〃 She raised her eyebrows suspiciously。 〃You sure he's not staying at the Plaza with
you？〃
Blair glanced self…consciously at Stan 5 and then shook her head； refusing to have to admit to your
boyfriend's mom that actually no； you hadn't managed to lock him up in a hotel for days of wild；
passionate sex。 In fact； that plan had totally backfired。
〃Well then。〃 Mrs。 Archibald kissed her on both cheeks and smiled tightly as if to say； 〃I don't
believe a word you're saying； but I'm late for the opera； so c'est la vie。〃
〃If you do see him； darling； tell him his mother and father are quite cross with him； and have gone
to La Bohème。〃
Blair clasped her hands behind her back and nodded dutifully。 Where the fuck was Nate anyway？
She watched Nate's father help Mrs。 Archibald on with her beaded silk Oscar de la Renta capelet
and then escort her to the elevator。 She thought of going over to say hello； but Admiral Archibald
was famous for his bad temper； and if he was angry with Nate； it was probably best to stay out of
his way。
Besides； she had more important things to do。 Like flirt with Mr。 I…Can…Get…You…Into…Yale the
Fifth。
Blair noticed that he was wearing what looked like an antique Yale insignia ring。 〃It's my
Granddads；' Stan 5 explained。 〃He gave it to me when I got in。 Yale is like Granddad's whole life。
I'd introduce you but he disappeared into his study with this beautiful blond girl； and who knows
when they'll e out。 Not that he's a pervert or anything。 He's probably just boring her to death
with his Yale stories。〃
Blair's eyes swept the room。 The 〃beautiful blond girl〃 sounded suspiciously like Serena。 Old Mr。
Parris was an actual trustee of Yale； and far more influential than his grandson。 How typical of
Serena to monopolize the one person in the room who could probably get her into Yale once and
for all。
A man in a catering uniform took their empty champagne glasses and handed them each a fresh
one。
〃To Yale；〃 Stan 5 said； before clinking his glass against hers。
Blair fingered the pendant around her neck and downed her drink； wondering if she should
demand an introduction to his grandfather。 Stan 5 took a step toward her and lowered his
aristocratic chin。 〃Don't worry；〃 he murmured reassuringly； as if reading her mind。 〃Granddad and
I are very close。〃
Blair clutched the stem of her champagne flute and batted her eyelashes； willing her face not to
flush too retardedly red。 How lucky she was to have nabbed the younger； hotter Stanford Parris
while Serena was stuck with the old moldy one！
〃I kissed my Yale interviewer；〃 she confided before she could stop herself。 It wasn't exactly
something she was proud of。 But she wanted Stan 5 to know what he was up against。
Stan 5 smiled delightedly。 〃Granddad keeps a room for me down the hall。 I've got this whole
collection of vintage Yale catalogs in there。 Want to take a look？〃
Blair giggles giddily。 How wonderful to meet a boy who was as crazily enthusiastic about Yale as
she was。 Eagerly； she followed Stan 5 into his room。 She couldn't wait to kiss his catalogs。
Kiss？
Why not； when she had more in mon with Stanford Parris V than she did with any other boy
she'd ever met； including her lame…ass； no…show boyfriend； who was already into Yale anyway and
was totally unsympathetic and useless？
Well； then。 Guess she meant kiss after all。
N ABANDONS SHIP
〃Oops； I think I'm winning。〃 Lexie giggles and popped another Oreo half into her mouth。
〃Nice one； 〃Nate responded； not even trying to fend off her chocolaty lips。
It had been Lexie's idea to smoke another joint and play checkers with Oreos； so she'd made up the
rules： Every time she nabbed one of Nate's white…faced Oreo halves with her whole Oreos； she got
to eat the Oreo half and kiss Nate on the lips。
Nate really wasn't into the game； which meant that he was sort of letting Lexie win； but kissing
her on deck where everyone else was hanging seemed safer than sitting alone with her up in the
crow's nest where one thing could lead to another and。。。
Not that he would have actually let anything major happen。 Right？
As usual； Nate was suffering from the Curse of Blair。 Whenever he fooled around with another
girl； all he could think about was Blair and fooling around with Blair； making him feel sort of
guilty and horny at the same time； which made it simultaneously kind of hard to take and kind of
hard to stop。
He kept his eyes open as Lexie kissed him； making eye contact with Jeremy on the other side of
the deck； who was kissing some girl with long brown hair and fat arms whom Nate had never seen
before。 All of a sudden Nate felt like he was in seventh grade at one of those parties where
everyone just lay around kissing because they thought that was what they were supposed to do；
even though it was kind of nasty to suck on a girls tongue for like an hour； without having a drink
of water or anything。 Except that time with Blair in Serena's closet at a party back in eighth grade…
or was it sixth？ They'd kissed and talked for so long Serena had to drag them out so they wouldn't
miss the entire party。 If only Blair would suddenly draw up alongside the Charlotte in a little dingy
and shout at him to grow the fuck up in that sexy； bitchy tone she sued when she was only mildly
infuriated with him。 Where was Blair anyway？ He wondered in stoned； sleepless confusion。 Why
wasn't she with him？
Hello？ Anyone home？ Wake up！！！
Lexie had her eyes closed and was breathing heavily as she sucked on his lips。 Her tongue tasted
like chocolate and beer； which was kind of a bad bination。 Nate could hardly wait to push her
off his lap and head below decks to gulp a few glasses of cold water。 He could also hardly wait to
tell Blair that despite this bumpy little interlude everything would turn out alright once he got back
from Bermuda； or New Jersey； or wherever the fuck they were headed。
His gaze shifted to the starboard side of the boat。 The sun was going down； and they'd finally
made it into the ocean。 The dark water was quiet and a few fishing boats twinkled on the horizon。
Nate hadn't checked the boat's navigational system in a few hours。 The Charlotte had been cruising
on autopilot ever since they'd headed out； but since he was the only one who knew how to sail her
and was kind of responsible for the safety of everyone onboard； he thought maybe he'd better
check it out。
Yeah； maybe。
He pulled away from Lexie and whispered hoarsely into her ear。 〃I gotta go steer the boat。〃
She slid off his lap； popped another Oreo into her mouth； and gave his bicep a squeeze。 〃Vhat a
stud。 You know； I always vanted to go to Ber…mooda。〃
Nate headed aft to the captain's cabin； stepping over the prone bodies of his stoned； drunk； and
half…asleep shipmates。 Some kid from his world reli