father by now； which meant he？d be getting a serious reaming as soon as he walked in the door。
Knowing his dad； he？d probably been calling to rip him a new one every day for the last month；
and this was the first time the signal had e through。 Obviously he should have dealt with the
situation； like； weeks ago； but surrounded by all that ocean and Blair？s bikini…clad body； who
could think straight？
Nate pushed his parental worries aside and refocused on Blair。 He hadn？t told her about the
diploma？or lack thereof？yet； and he wasn？t looking forward to it。 He wondered if he could just
head to New Haven with her and Serena and sneak into the occasional class on Western films or
nude portraiture and tell everyone he had a lot of AP credits so he was taking an easy load this
semester。
A load； indeed。
Nate sighed。 The truth had waited this long？what was one more day？ He bit down on his chapped
bottom lip and tried to concentrate on how tan and smooth Blair？s shoulders were under his
fingers。 All he wanted was to crawl back down into theCharlotte ？s tiny bedroom； get under the
covers with her； and never e out； except maybe to smoke a joint。
It？s good to see that he has his priorities in order。
？Let？s go to your house；？ he suggested； releasing her。 ？Myrtle makes the best quesadillas； and
I？m freaking starving。？ She turned around and grinned at him。 ？Okay； then； let？s get the hell out
of here； sailor。？
Nate headed back to the boat to grab the rest of their bags； whistling as he jumped on board。
He？d avoided his moment of truth with the Captain？and Blair？for so long； maybe he could keep
on avoiding it a little while longer。
Blair slid her enormous tinted Prada aviators over her eyes and starting walking down the gray
wooden dock。 Things couldn？t have worked out better？Blair and Nate； the couple always most
likely to end up together； heading off to Yale in ten short days。 It was almost too good to be true。
Yes； quite。
things worth having are worth cheating for
？Oh my God； youhave to burn this one！？ Serena held out a picture of her first…grade self in a
fuzzy alligator costume and dug her feet into the butter…soft forest green Pratesi sheets covering
Nate？s bed。 His bed was always unmade； despite the fact that his family had a maid who
bulldozed through his room every day； washing everything in sight。 Serena and Nate lay side by
side on their stomachs； a worn leather photo album between them。
？I don？t even rememberwearing that；？ she mused； tossing the aging photo onto the already messy
floor。 Even though he？d only been home for one day； his room was a total disaster。 Piles of clothes
were strewn everywhere； and his huge wooden desk was pletely covered with notebooks；
magazines； and PlayStation games。 A broken Brine lacrosse stick leaned dejectedly in one corner。
？Ido。？ Nate laughed； retrieving the photo。 ？It was Halloween。 We？d just gone to the Bronx Zoo
on some field trip； and you became obsessed with alligators。？ He smiled lazily at her。 ？You ran
around telling everybody you were going to live with the alligators。？ Serena？s bare foot was right
next to Nate？s； and she moved it a fraction of an inch closer； feeling the heat from his body as he
turned the pages of the photo album。 She bit her lip。 She needed to focus on the job they？d e
there to do？to choose the pictures for the slide show at Blair？s graduation party。 Blair。 Nate？s
girlfriend。 The love of his life。 She looked down at the tan leather photo album again and took a
deep breath； letting it out slowly。 There was Blair？s tanned； happy face； her arms entwined around
Nate？s neck as she pulled his face closer to hers； grinning into the camera。 They？d probably kissed
moments after they took that picture。 Because they werein love 。 Her heart sank with the thought。
？This is so weird；？ Nate said； turning the page。
？What is？？ Serena asked； hoping Nate hadn？t suddenly developed the ability to read minds。 She
twirled a lock of blond hair around one finger； waiting for him to finish his thought。
？Oh； noway ！？ she exclaimed； pointing at the photo album as he turned to the next page。There
was Nate； blissfully passed out between a smiling Serena and Blair； the words BUCK NAKED
scrawled in red marker across his bare； hairless chest。 ？I didn？t even know we had this！ I？ll let you
keep the alligator one if you promisenever to burn this one。 。 。 。？ She looked up and gave him a
mischievous smile。
？Deal。？ Nate stuck his hand out； and she shook it； slowly drawing her hand away。
Looking down at eighth…grade Nate； so peaceful and sleepy； Serena couldn？t help remembering
how warm his skin always was； and how； on the night they？d lost their virginity to each other； she
hadn？t needed a blanket at all？sleeping with Nate was like sleeping with your own personal
furnace。
And just as dangerous 。 。 。
？What were you saying though before？what？s weird？？ Serena looked down at the ends of her
hair again； afraid of his answer。
？I don？t know。？ Nate flipped the page and pointed to a picture of Blair on the steps of the Met
with Serena； their arms wrapped around each other； tongues sticking out at the camera。 ？Things
seemed so much easier back then。 No college。 No worries。 No responsibilities。？ ？Like taking
theCharlotte for a month without asking？？ she said； grinning。 ？It must？ve been awesome。？ She
cleared her throat and rolled over onto her back； her hands on her belly。 Her stomach dipped and
rolled in anticipation and nervousness。 She wasn？t sure she really wanted to know the answer to
that question； but at the same time； she couldn？t seem to stop herself from asking。
？It was。？ Nate closed the photo album and looked at her。 ？Being out there with no parents；
nothing to worry about； just me and Blair 。 。 。 it was probably the best month of my life；？ he said；
although he was really thinking about how kissable Serena？s lips always looked？the way they
were always a little parted； with just a trace of a smile。
Serena？s heart plummeted in her chest。 She wanted so badly to have been the one out there with
him； totally alone； nothing around but the endless expanse of blue water and their half…naked
bodies。 She wondered for the millionth time if he had found her letter and read it。 Somehow； she
doubted he had。 If he？d found the letter； he would？ve said something； right？ But there was
probably no point in asking anyway。 He loved Blair。 There was no question。 She felt dizzy at the
thought。 How could she go up to Yale with them in a week and watch as Nate and Blair stared into
each other？s eyes for four long years？ She didn？t think she？d be able to stand it。
Nate？s phone rang； breaking the peaceful silence。 He grabbed it from the floor and as he reached
out； his T…shirt rode up a little； exposing the smooth； tanned skin of his back。 Serena swallowed
and tried to look away。 Nate pushed the speakerphone button and a gravelly； decidedly grumbly
voice was released into the air。
？Nate？ Is that you？？
Nate looked over at Serena in confusion； wrinkling his forehead。
？Uh； yeah；？ he said cautiously。 ？This is Nate。？