key in one gulp。 ？I missed you；？
she added； even though it was sort of untrue。 As soon as she？d returned to the city； she？d forgotten
all about Henry。
？I missed you too。？ Henry popped the bottle open and refilled her glass and then his； then passed
the bottle to his left。 ？Let？s have our own little prebirthday celebration。？
Serena looked up at the glittering stars overhead。 Everything around her was bringing her back to
a year ago； and then two years ago； when everything had been so different but also exactly the
same。 She turned her head； meeting Henry？s gaze。 She wanted to let him distract her all over again。
She needed him to distract her so she could try and forget about what was probably happening
right now on her parents？ bed。
？And what happens at midnight？？ she asked； sniffing the tequila tentatively。
？At midnight？？ Henry clinked his glass against hers and tossed the shot back down his
throat。 ？That？s when you get your present。？
If she can stay awake that long。
love is in the air
？You boys okay in there？？ Rufus Humphrey poked his crazy…haired head into the living room。 ？I
can？t get you any…thing else？ I？ve got some almond…and…lentil pesto in the blender。？
？No； Mr。 Humphrey； you？ve been too kind already！？ Greg smiled graciously and turned to
Dan。 ？Your dad？s a riot。？
Dan took a deep breath and used the remote control to crank the volume on the Humphreys？
battered old television； which was tuned to a documentary on the Beats。 Though he had no
memory of it； he？d apparently extended a drunken invitation to Greg to watch it together。
Who knows what else he offered up in his drunken state？
？Um。？ Dan thoughtless