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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 religion class was wearing one of the Charlotte's
orange life vests while he played the harmonica and sand old Neil Young tune：
'helpless； helpless； helpless； helpless。'
Nate was creepily reminded of the movie 'Titanic'… which Blair had made him watch not once but
four times… right before the boat sinks。
Charlie and Anthony had locked themselves into the cabin and were sitting cross…legged on the
floor； sharing a bong。 They'd taken off their shirts and were trying to see who could stick their
stomachs out the farthest… a ridiculous contest； since both their stomachs were so flat they were
verged on concave。
〃Hey；〃 Anthony greeted Nate 〃We were wondering… is there surfing in Bermuda？〃
〃Because we should have brought our boards；' Charlie added。
Nate shook his head； ignoring them。 The air in the cabin was so full of smoke he could barely read
the monitors。 From what he could tell； though； they were nearing Cape May； which meant that if
they traveled at a normal cruising speed instead of 。5 miles an hour； it would only take a little over
three hours to get back to New York harbor。 He'd dock the boat and head straight for the Plaza。
Only a whole day late。
Nate checked the ining messages screen where the Charlotte picked up text messages… mostly
munications from AdArch@nextel； his father's cell phone。
NATHANIEL； YOUR MOTHER AND I ARE AT THE OPERA。
NATHANIEL； TURN THE BOAT AROUND。
I'VE ALERTED THE COAST GUARD AND THEY'VE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO ARREST
YOU。
NATHANIEL； YOUR MOTHER IS VERY UPSET。
TURN THE BOAT AROUND； SON。
And so on。
〃Shit。〃 Nate could imagine his mother crying in her black evening attire in their box at the
Metropolitan Opera while his father stabbed furiously at his cell phone。 Then again； his mother
always cried at the opera； it was part of her whole dramatic…French…princess act。
The messages had all been sent within the last two hours； so it wasn't like his parents had been
freaking out for that long。 Normally his father's surly tone would have scared the crap out of him；
but he'd been looking for a reason to abort the mission and get back to Blair。 Now here it was。
He went back to the navigation screen and punched in the longitudinal and latitudinal points for
the harbor at Battery Park City； which were written on the blackboard on the wall of the cabin in
yellow chalk。 He hit enter and immediately the boat's motor shift into neutral。 Then the bow
dipped and swung around until the boat had done a plete hundred…and…eighty…degree turn back
in the direction of New York Harbor。 He typed the mand to increase speed to thirty…three miles
per hour and glanced at the clock 8：29PM。 He'd be back in bed with Blair by midnight。
〃Yo； what up dude？〃 Anthony demanded from his spot on the cabin floor。 〃Are you doing
homework or something？〃
Nate grinned and shook his head； enjoying the buzz from their second hand smoke。 Blair would be
so thrilled to see him again she'd have to forgive him。 And he wouldn't have any trouble making
her forget。
Presuming she was there waiting for him。 And presuming she was alone。。。
TWISTED LITTLE SISTER
〃Remove your shoes！ Remove your shoes！ Ree…moove your shoooo…ooes！〃 Damian screetched
into the mike。 It was the final chorus of 〃Japanese Restaurant；〃 the latest hit single written by Dan
Humphrey and the last song on the Raves' playlist。
〃If we slip out now；〃 Elise murmured； 〃we can probably get a cab before anyone else。〃
Who said anything about leaving？
Jenny lit another cigarette； ignoring her。 She wanted to hang out until the crowd thinned； and get a
better look at Damian。 See if his red…blond hair stood up on end all on its own or if it was crusty
with hair gel。 See if his teeth were really as perfectly white and straight as they looked from where
she sat。 Hear that Irish twang he was so famous for。 And those arm muscles！ The Raves' drummer
was still cute； but she had to admit Damian was totally hot。 He had this incredible energy about
him； like he'd been wound up。 If she stuck around； maybe Dan would even introduce them； and
she could casually slip in that she was friends with Serena； and find out if they were actually
together or not。
That is； if Dan was still alive。
Zoing！ Damian struck the last chord on his guitar and threw his instrument into the crowd； as he
was known to do。 Then he climbed up the fireman's pole hand…over…hand； flexing those fantastic
arm muscles； and disappeared。
〃Show…off；〃 the drummer scoffed。 He stood up stiffly； grabbed a bottle of beer from beneath his
drum set； and chugged it。 Then set the bottle down and craned his neck； like he was looking for
someone in the crowd。
Jenny's skin tingled。 Her？
Wait； wasn't she over him already？
〃We should get going；〃 Elise repeated。 She stood up and tugged on her shirt。 〃Everyone's going to
be fighting for cabs。〃
The bassist started unplugging things and breaking down the equipment。 The drummer
irreverently into one of the mikes。 The drummer burped irreverently into one of the mikes。
Gross。
Jenny giggles like this was the handsomest； most adorable thing she'd ever heard。
〃You can go if you want； but I'm not leaving；〃 she told her friend。 She was supposed to spend the
rest of the weekend at Elise's house； but opportunities like this didn't present themselves very
often。
Opportunities to meet famous rock stars； or opportunities to be as naughty as possible？
The crowd began to disperse。 Some headed to the bathroom' others spilled out the exit doors and
onto the street。 Elise hovered next to the table； unsure。 Jenny took another awkward puff on her
cigarette and jiggled her foot。 And then all of a sudden he was there； in front of them… the
drummer。
He wasn't Damian； but he was almost as good。
〃Hey。 I'm Lloyd。〃 His knuckles were wrapped in frayed surgical tape like a boxer's； his dark；
neatly cut hair and preppy pink…and…green Lacoste shirt were soaked with perspiration。 〃You're
Dan's sister； Jennifer； right？〃
Jenny nodded。 She loved it when people called her Jennifer。 Although she would have preferred if
he'd said； 〃You're Jennifer； that stunning model in the W spread this month； right？〃
〃How'd you know？〃 she asked； even though she knew the answer。 Despite the fact that she dressed
better than Dan did and was nearly nine inches shorter and mad a much nigger chest； they could
almost have been fraternal twins。
Except that she was three years younger than Dan。 Not that she was about to tell Mr。 Drummer
Boy that。
〃Your brother said his gorgeous sister was ing；〃 Lloyd replied with a pletely straight face。
He glanced at Elise who was still standing there； fidgeting with the sipper on her Banana Republic
purse like a total geek。 〃Marc； our bassist？ He's got this thing about big old hotels；〃 Lloyd
continued。 〃Anyway； he's booked some big suit up at the Plaza Hotel。 We're having a little
get…together there if you want to e。〃
Jenny let her cigarette fall to the floor。 She almost forgotten she was holding it。 〃Totally！〃 she
exclaimed with more enthusiasm then she'd intended。 〃I mean； my brother's going； right？〃 Not that
she really cared if Dan was going。 She just didn't want to sound like the type of girl who partied in
hotels with strange guys from rock bands all the time。
Right。
〃It's ten minutes until my curfew。 I have to get home；〃 Elise insisted。 She gave Jenny a look as if
to say； 〃This is your last chance。〃
〃Okay。 Well； I'll call you tomorrow；〃 Jenny responded。 She handed Elise the pack of cigarettes； but
Elise waved them away。
〃You might need them；〃 she said； before turning to go。
Jenny knew she ought to have felt a twinge of guilt for not leaving with her friend； but how could
she pass up a chance like this？ The worst thing that could happen was that their father would find
out； but he'd never been very good at punishments； and besides； Elise would never tell。 She
squeezed her knees togethe