better。 “That would be cool。”
“We’d better tell Vanessa；” Serena said； heading for the bar。
Dan followed her。 He’d forgotten all about Vanessa。 But she looked
like she was having a good time talking to the bartender。
“Hey Vanessa；” Serena said； touching Vanessa’s arm。 “Dan just got
a call from his sister at the party。 He has to go get her。”
Vanessa turned around slowly。 She was waiting for Clark’s eyes to
settle on Serena。 For his eyeballs to suddenly register “beautiful
girl” in bold black letters like the cherries in a slot machine。 But
Clark only glanced at Serena like she was just another customer。
“What can I get you？” he said； slapping a cocktail napkin down on
the bar in front of her。
“Oh； nothing； thanks；” Serena said。 She turned to Vanessa。 “I think
I’m going to go with Dan。”
“Hey Serena； we better take off；” Dan called urgently from behind
them。
Vanessa turned around to look at him； waiting so eagerly for
Serena。 His tongue was practically hanging out of his mouth。
“Okay； have a good rest of the night；” Serena said。 She leaned over
and gave Vanessa a kiss on her cheek。 “Tell Ruby I thought she was
awesome。” Then she slipped away to join Dan。
“See you； Vanessa；” Dan called； turning to go。
Vanessa turned back to Clark without a word。 She couldn’t wait to
kiss him again； and forget all about Serena and Dan； heading off
into the night together。
“Who were they？” Clark said； resting his elbows on the bar。 He
picked an olive out of a dish and held it just in front of Vanessa’s
lips。
Vanessa bit into the olive and shrugged。 “Just some people I don’t
really know。”
Dan hailed a cab and opened the door for Serena。 The October air
was crisp and smelled of burnt sugar； and Dan suddenly felt very
elegant and mature—a man in a tuxedo out on the town with a
beautiful girl。 He slid into the seat beside her and looked down at
his hands as the cab pulled away from the curb。 They weren’t
shaking anymore。
Unbelievable as it seemed； he had touched Serena with those very
hands while they were dancing。 And now he was alone with her in a
taxi。 If he wanted to； he could take her hand； stroke her cheek；
maybe even kiss her。 He studied her profile； her skin shining in the
yellow glow of the streetlights； but he couldn’t bring himself to do it。
“God I love to dance；” Serena said； letting her head fall back on the
seat。 She felt pletely relaxed。 “I could seriously dance every
single night。”
Dan nodded。 “Yeah； me too；” he said。 But only with you； he meant
to add。
It takes a girl like Serena to make a guy with two left feet say he
loves to dance。
They rode the rest of the way in silence； enjoying the tired feeling in
their legs and the cool air from the open window on their sweat…
dampened foreheads。 There was nothing awkward about the fact
that they weren’t talking。 It was nice。
When the cab pulled up in front of the old Barneys building on
Seventeenth Street； Dan was expecting to see Jenny waiting for
them outside； but the sidewalk was empty。
“I guess I’m going to have to go in there and get her；” Dan said。 He
turned to Serena。 “You can go ahead home。 Or you can wait。 。 。 。”
“I’ll e with you；” Serena said。 “I may as well see what I missed
out on。”
Dan paid for the cab； and they got out and headed for the door。
“I hope they let us in；” Serena whispered。 “I threw my invitation
out。”
Dan pulled the crumpled invitation Jenny had made for him out of
his pocket and flashed it at the bouncer at the door。 “She’s with
me；” he said； putting his arm around Serena。
“Go ahead；” the bouncer said； waving them on。
She’s with me？ Dan couldn’t believe his balls。 He’d had no idea they
were that big。
“I’d better look around for my sister；” he told Serena when they got
inside。
“Okay；” she said。 “I’ll meet you back here in ten minutes。”
The room was full of old familiar faces。 So familiar that no one there
was quite sure whether Serena van der Woodsen had just arrived or
if she’d been there all night。 She certainly looked like she’d been
having a good time。 Her hair was windblown； her dress was slipping
off her shoulders； there was a run in her tights； and her cheeks were
all pink； as if she’d been running。 She looked wild； like the kind of
girl who’d done everything everyone said she’d done； and probably
a whole lot more。
Blair noticed Serena right away； standing on the edge of the dance
floor in that funny old dress they’d bought together at Alice
Underground。
Blair pulled away from Nate。 “Look who’s here；” she said。
Nate turned around； gripping Blair’s hand when he saw Serena； as if
to demonstrate his devotion。
Blair squeezed his hand back。 “Why don’t you go tell her？” she
asked him。 “Tell her you can’t be friends with her anymore。” Her
stomach rumbled nervously。 After all the throwing up she’d done；
she really needed another tuna roll。
Nate stared at Serena with grim； slightly stoned determination。 If
Blair thought it was crucial that he tell Serena to get lost； then he’d
do it。 He couldn’t wait to get this all behind them so he could relax。
In fact； after he talked to Serena he was going to head upstairs and
find somewhere private to light up。
Waspoid rule #1： When things get intense； smoke a joint。
“All right；” Nate said； letting go of Blair’s hand。 “Here I go。”
“Hey；” Serena said。 She reached up and kissed Nate on the cheek。
He blushed。 He hadn’t expected her to touch him。 “You look mahvelous；
darling；” she said in a silly； hoity…toity accent。
“Thanks；” Nate said。 He tried to put his hands in his pockets； but his
tuxedo didn’t have any。 Stupid thing。 “So； what have you been up
to？” he asked。
“Well； I kind of blew off the party；” Serena explained。 “I’ve been out
dancing at this crazy place in Brooklyn。”
Nate raised his eyebrows in surprise。 But then again； nothing
Serena said should have surprised him anymore。
“So； you want to dance？” Serena asked。 She put her arms around
Nate’s neck before he answered； and began to swing her hips from
side to side。
Nate glanced at Blair； who was watching them carefully； and
collected himself。 “Look； Serena；” he said； taking a step back and
removing her arms。 “I really can’t 。 。 。 you know 。 。 。 be friends 。 。 。
not like the way we were before；” he began。
Serena gazed into his eyes searchingly； trying to read his true
thoughts。 “What did I do？” she said。 “Did I do something？”
“Blair is my girlfriend；” Nate continued。 “I have to 。 。 。 I have to be
loyal to her。 I can’t 。 。 。 I can’t really be 。 。 。” He swallowed。
Serena crossed her arms over her chest。 If only she could hate Nate
for being so cruel and so lame。 If only he weren’t so good…looking。
And if only she didn’t love him。
“Well； I guess we should stop talking then；” she said。 “Blair might
get mad。” She let her arms fall to her sides and turned abruptly
away。
As she crossed the room； Serena’s eyes met Blair’s。 She stopped in
her tracks and reached into her bag； searchi