Serena didn’t seem to notice Nate’s uncomfortable silence. She sighed, bowing her head to rest it on his shoulder. She no longer smelled like Chanel’s Cristalle like she always used to. She smelled like honey and sandalwood and lilies—her own essential-oil mixture. It was very Serena, utterly irresistible, but if anyone else tried to wear it, it would probably smell like dog poo. “Shit. I missed you like crazy, Nate,” she said. “I wish you could’ve seen the stuff I pulled. I was so bad.” “What do you mean? What did you do that was so bad?” Nate asked, with a mixture of dread and anticipation. For a brief second he imagined her hosting orgies in her dorm room at Hanover Academy and having affairs with older men in hotel rooms in Paris. He wished he could’ve visited her in Europe this summer. He’d always wanted to do it in a hotel. “And I’ve been such a horrible friend, too,” Serena went on. “I’ve barely even talked to Blair since I left. And so much has happened. I can already tell she’s mad. She hasn’t even said hello.” “She’s not mad,” Nate said. “Maybe she’s just feeling shy.” Serena flashed him a look. “Right,” she said mockingly. “Blair’s feeling shy. Since when has Blair ever been shy?” “Well, she’s not mad,” Nate insisted. Serena shrugged. “Well, anyway, I’m so psyched to be back here with you guys. We’ll do all the things we used to do. Blair and I will cut class and meet you on the roof of the Met, and then we’ll run down to that old movie theater by the Plaza Hotel and see some weirdo film until cocktail hour starts. And you and Blair will stay together forever and I’ll be the maid of honor at your wedding. And we’ll be happy ever after, just like in the movies.” Nate frowned. “Don’t make that face, Nate,” Serena said, laughing. “That doesn’t sound so bad, does it?” Nate shrugged. “No, I guess it sounds okay,” he said, although he clearly didn’t believe it. “What sounds okay?” a surly voice demanded. Startled, Nate and Serena tore their eyes away from each other. It was Chuck, and with him were Kati, Isabel, and, last but not least, Blair, looking very shy indeed. Chuck clapped Nate on the back. “Sorry, Nate,” he said. “But you can’t bogey the van der Woodsen all night, you know.” Nate snorted and tipped back his glass. Only ice was left. Serena looked at Blair. Or at least, she tried to. Blair was making a big deal of pulling up her black stockings, working them inch by inch from her bony ankles up to her bony knees, and up around her tennis-muscled thighs. So Serena gave up and kissed first Kati, then Isabel, and then she made her way to Blair. There was only a limited amount of time Blair could spend pulling up her tights before it got ridiculous. When Serena was only inches away from her, she looked up and pretended to be surprised. “Hey Blair,” Serena said excitedly. She put her hands on the shorter girl’s shoulders and bent down to kiss both of her cheeks. “I’m so sorry I didn’t call you before I came back. I wanted to. But things have been so crazy. I have so much to tell you!” Chuck, Kati, and Isabel all nudged each other and stared at Blair. It was pretty obvious she had lied. She didn’t know anything about Serena coming back. Blair’s face heated up. Busted. Nate noticed the tension, but he thought it was for an entirely different reason. Had Chuck told Blair already? Was he busted? Nate couldn’t tell. Blair wasn’t even looking at him. It was a chilly moment. Not the kind of moment you’d expect to have with your oldest, closest friends. Serena’s eyes darted from one face to another. Clearly she had said something wrong, and she quickly guessed what it was. I’m such an asshole, she scolded herself. “I mean, I’m sorry I didn’t call you last night. I literally just got back from Ridgefield. My parents have been hiding me there until they figured out what to do with me. I have been so bored.” Nice save. She waited for Blair to smile gratefully for covering for her, but all Blair did was glance at Kati and Isabel to see if they’d noticed the slip. Blair was acting strange, and Serena fought down a rising panic. Maybe Nate was wrong, maybe Blair really was mad at her. Serena had missed out on so much. The divorce, for instance. Poor Blair. “It must really stink without your dad around,” Serena said. “But your mom looks so good, and Cyrus is kind of sweet, once you get used to him.” She giggled. But Blair still wasn’t smiling. “Maybe,” she said, staring out the window at the hot-dog stand. “I guess I’m still not used to him.” All six of them were silent for a long, tense moment. What they needed was one more good, stiff drink. Nate rattled the ice cubes in his glass. “Who wants another?” he offered. “I’ll make them.” Serena held out her glass. “Thanks, Nate,” she said. “I’m so fucking thirsty. They locked the damned booze cabinet up in Ridgefield. Can you believe it?” Blair shook her head. “No, thanks,” she said. “If I have another, I’ll be hungover at school tomorrow,” Kati said. Isabel laughed. “You’re always hungover at school,” she said. She handed Nate her glass. “Here, I’ll split mine with Kati.” “Let me give you a hand,” Chuck offered. But before he could get very far, Mrs. van der Woodsen joined them, touching her daughter’s arm. “Serena,” her mother said. “Eleanor would like us all to sit down. She made an extra place next to Blair for you, so you two girls can catch up.” Serena cast an anxious glance at Blair, but Blair had already turned away and was headed for the table, sitting down next to her elevenyear-old brother, Tyler, who had been at his place for over an hour, reading Rolling Stone magazine.