sounder smarter than her best friend。
〃Don't be ridiculous；〃 Isabel scoffed。 〃Boys are allowed on the boat； just not at my house for Spa
Weekend。〃
Duh。
〃Oh。〃 Kati responded； like she'd only just gotten it。
〃So vhere iizz hee？〃
The two girls stared at Lexie。 She went to L'école； not Constance Billard； which meant she was
pletely not invited to Senior Spa Weekend。 Plus； everyone knew that her mother and Nate's
mother had gone to a Catholic boarding school in France together and totally hated each other。 So
what was Lexie doing aboard the Charlotte wearing the Masonic tunic with the plunging neckline
that both of them coveted but could never find； even online； her long black hair in braids like some
sort of French hippie Heidi。
〃Nate is grounded；〃 Blair informed them； even though she hadn't spoken to Nate herself since
their encounter at the Plaza。 〃He's not here。〃 Mr。 Archibald was such a hardass…of course Nate was
grounded。 She swayed in her three…inch beige Prada boat sandals and sucked the cherry out of her
empty Coke glass； feeling extremely proud of herself for not scratching Lexie's eyes out； because
the fact was she could talk about Nate without missing him at all。
Yeah； right。
Serena handed Blair another spruced…up Coke。 〃I'm not so sure。〃 She was of the opinion that Nate
would never miss his parents' Hamptons cruise even if he was grounded； and that he was hiding
somewhere on the boat。
〃Nate's not that creative；〃 Blair countered； reading Serena's mind。 〃If he was here； we'd know。〃
〃Nate is purrfect；〃 Lexie drawled； toking on a joint。 None of the adults onboard seemed to notice
that she was getting high right on deck； perhaps because she was French and wearing Missoni。
Blair rolled her eyes and turned her back on the stupid French retch。 He might have been the only
boy she would ever love； but anyone who thought Nate Archibald was perfect was a plete
idiot。 She watched her stepbrother Aaron scurry below deck to fetch Vanessa another rum and Diet
Coke； his head newly shaved to match Vanessa's。 Aaron barely knew Nate and had very definitely
not been invited； but these days wherever Vanessa went； he went。 If they both weren't so un…cute；
they'd almost have been the cutest couple ever。
All of a sudden Serena felt someone tugging on the hem of her pink Spa Weekend T…shirt。
〃Hey；〃 Jenny said； standing on tiptoe to kiss her cheek。 Elise was at her side； and they were both
wearing pink Senior Spa Weekend t…shirts and matching oversized pink Gucci sunglasses。 〃You
won't tell on us； will you？〃
Serena had to admire Jenny's audacity。 She seemed to specialize in being naughty。 She put her
fingers to her lips。 〃I won't tell；〃 she promised； although there were only forty girls in the entire
senior class； so it wasn't like no one would notice the two uninvited freshmen。
Jenny grinned and then dragged Elise below decks to score a bottle of champagne and Lord knows
what else。 No doubt the two girls were going to get a lot naughtier as the night progressed。
〃Honestly； I've given up；〃 Dan sighed as he watched his sister and her friend disappear in a flurry
of bubblegum pink。 He hadn't been invited either but had tagged along with Jenny to make sure
she didn't do anything too illegal。 He leaned against the railing a lit a Camel； waiting patiently for
Vanessa to notice him。
The familiar scent of Camel smoke wafted past her nostrils and Vanessa spun around to find Dan
grinning shyly at her； his scruffy hair and loose； rust…colored corduroys billowing in the breeze； it
was so unlikely that either of them would be sailing on a yacht to the Hamptons； or that she'd
actually be wearing a pink T…shirt that she burst out laughing。
〃What's so funny？〃 Dan demanded。 Vanessa looked so happy right now it made him a little sad to
know that it had nothing to do with him。
Aaron came back with her drink and a beer for himself。 When he saw Dan and Vanessa talking he
immediately handed the beer to Dan。 〃I'll get another one；〃 he told them acmodatingly。
Dan couldn't believe it… even their heads matched。
Vanessa just stood there with a goofy smile on her face； waiting for Aaron to e back。 Her
happiness was infuriating； even to her。 〃Sorry；〃 she apologized to Dan。 〃I don't know what's the
matter with me。〃
Dan took a sip of his beer and pointed at her mouth。 〃Is that lip gloss？〃 he demanded with stunned
amusement。
Vanessa giggled。 〃Nars Sticky Toffee Pudding； to be exact。 I borrowed it from Blair。〃
They stared at one another； each waiting for the other to throw out a critical witticism about what a
disgusting display of wealth and uselessness the party was。 But the truth was they were both there
for the same reason。 Despite the fact that they had spent years trying to set themselves apart； these
people were their peers； and despite all the dissing and dismissing； they actually enjoyed being
included in the fun。
The Sunkist…orange ball that was the sun slid behind a horizontal wisp of cloud。 The water was
shiny green and flat as glass。 Aaron returned with his beer and nonchalantly kissed Vanessa on the
cheek。 〃You look pretty；〃 he told her quietly。
Dan wondered if he had ever told Vanessa she looked pretty； but it was a little late for regrets。
〃Nice job getting ditched by the band；〃 jeered an annoyingly familiar voice。 Chuck Bass was
listing toward Dan from the bow of the boat； looking drunk and slightly seasick in a baby blue
linen sailor suit with the cuffs rolled up to the knees； his white monkey clinging to his shoulders；
obviously terrified of falling into the water。
Chuck was so obnoxious there was no point in getting pissed off。 Besides； Dan was overjoyed to
be a normal kid again instead of a huge rock star。 He offered his hand to his monkey…toting
classmate and smiled matter…of…factly。 〃Thanks； man。〃
〃The Raves are so over anyway； dude。〃 Aaron remarked。 〃I give them one more album and then
they're gone。〃
〃Right on。〃 Chuck shook Dan's hand； like they'd been friends forever。 〃So where are you headed
next year anyway； son？〃
Son？
The Raves were a New York band and Dan had heard that Chuck was going to military school
somewhere in northern New Jersey。 It would be good to get as far away from both of them as
physically possible。
〃Evergreen；〃 he announced； as if he'd always known it。 〃It's way out in Washington State。〃
〃Nice。〃 Chuck yawned； already bored with the conversation。 〃Has any seen Serena？ I heard she
was dating an eighty…five…year…old Yale trustee。 What a whore。〃
Vanessa snorted in disgust and left the boys to their own devices while she went off to find Blair
and Serena。 She needed a little girl time to go wit her pink T…shirt。
The rest of her classmates were clustered near the bow； half…listening to the music while they
clutched the rail and tried to keep from puking into the frothy waves of Long Island Sound。 The
sun was less intense now and the breeze had picked up。 a few girls covered their arms with
pashminas or royal…blue…and…gold charlotte sweatshirts borrowed from the crew； but most of the