ar； down the
hallway。
“Serena van der Woodsen！ What a lovely surprise！”
Nate dropped Blair’s hand and straightened up like a soldier called
to attention。 Blair sat down hard on the end of her bed； put her
drink on the floor； and grasped the bedspread in tight； white…
knuckled fists。
She looked up at Nate。
But Nate was already turning to go； striding back down the hall to
see if it could possibly be true。 Had Serena van der Woodsen really
e back？
The movie of Blair’s life had taken a sudden； tragic turn。 Blair
clutched her stomach； ravenous again。
She should have gone for the hot dog after all。
“Hello； hello； hello！” Blair’s mother crowed； kissing the smooth；
hollow cheeks of each van der Woodsen。
Kiss； kiss； kiss； kiss； kiss； kiss！
“I know you weren’t expecting Serena； dear；” Mrs。 van der Woodsen
whispered in a concerned； confidential tone。 “I hope it’s all right。”
“Of course。 Yes； it’s fine；” Mrs。 Waldorf said。 “Did you e home
for the weekend； Serena？”
Serena van der Woodsen shook her head and handed her vintage
Burberry coat to Esther； the maid。 She pushed a stray blond hair
behind her ear and smiled at her hostess。
When Serena smiled； she used her eyes—those dark； almost navy
blue eyes。 It was the kind of smile you might try to imitate； posing
in the bathroom mirror like an idiot。 The magnetic； delicious； “you
can’t stop looking at me； can you？” smile supermodels spend years
perfecting。 Well； Serena smiled that way without even trying。
“No； I’m here to—” Serena started to say。
Serena’s mother interrupted hastily。 “Serena has decided that
boarding school