on the essentials： clothes and booze。
Serena made her way to the liquor cabinet that her parents had never had the foresight to lock；
placing bottles of Grey Goose； Hendrick？s； Havana Club； and Patr？n into her Herm？s tote。 There
was something about raiding her parents？ stash while Nate and Blair puttered around her house
that reminded Serena of days long past。 Nothing had changed and yet everything had。 That
thought made her unexpectedly sad。
We all get a little moody around our birthdays。
Serena padded into her father？s library and slunk into his swiveling Aeron chair。 She grabbed the
telephone from his desk and dialed one of the few telephone numbers she？d ever memorized。
？Hello？？ Her brother Erik？s voice sounded very suspicious。 It was six o？clock in the morning；
after all。
？It？s me。？ Serena leaned back； placing her bare feet on her dad？s old mahogany desk。
？Shit； Serena。 Came up as the home number？was worried for a minute。？ Her brother laughed。
？They？re not here。？ She studied the book…lined walls； examining the framed family photos of
Erik playing tennis； of Serena astride a black horse； of her tanned parents sipping
Campari…and…sodas at an outdoor caf？ on the Amalfi coast。 ？Wimbledon；？ Serena and her brother
said in unison。
？They？re so damn predictable。？ Erik scoffed。 ？What are you doing home； anyway？？
？Just planning a little summer getaway。 Thought I？d give my brother a call。 And where are you
exactly？？
？Connecticut；？ Erik told her。 ？I thought Dad might be calling to say they were ing out。？
Serena glanced through the French doors into the living room； where Nate was chasing Blair
around a buttoned…leather ottoman； trying to stick cornichons in her ears。 ？We？re taking a road
trip；？ Serena told him。 ？You want to e？ We？ve got room in the car for one more。？
And maybe she didn？t feel like being the third wheel？
？Tempting。 But I？m kind of digging it up here。 How about a pit stop in Ridgefield instead？？
She did some quick mental planning？they could crash here today； then head out tomorrow
morning。 Then maybe she could convince Blair and Nate to spend a night in Ridgefield； and
hopefully someone would realize that the next day was her birthday。 ？I think we can arrange that。？
Serena said goodbye to her bother； replacing the phone on her dad？s desk。 She glanced toward
the closet； wondering idly if her parents had stashed a surprise birthday present for her somewhere
in the apartment。
Aren？t surprises always the most fun？
Blair yawned？the kind of deep yawn you feel all through your body？and ran Serena？s Mason
Pearson brush through her hair roughly。 She？d never been one of those
one…thousand…strokes…of…the…brush…before…bed types but still； it couldn？t hurt。 It was only eight
o？clock in the morning and the sun was streaming in through the window； but it seemed like years；
not hours； since she？d had a proper night？s sleep。
？I can？t believe I？m so tired。？ Serena collapsed onto the wide plain of her bed； arms and legs
stretched out around her。
？Yeah。？ Nate hesitated at the foot of the bed； glancing at Blair； who was standing by the mirror；
and then down at Serena； lying prone in front of him。
？I？m done。？ Serena unbuttoned her jeans and wiggled out of them without standing up。 ？I can？t
even get under the blankets。？
Blair glanced at Serena？s long； tapered legs and then at Nate looking at those same legs。 She felt
a familiar pang of jealousy inside her chest。 She？d loved and been jealous of Serena for as long as
she？d known her； which was pretty much forever。 But things were finally different。 The year had
been filled with so many ups and downs； but it was finally summer； they were going to Yale
together in the fall； and they had the rest of their lives as best friends ahead of them。 And she had
Nate； right here； right now； right in front of her。
Nowwho？s forgetting about someone？
Blair slipped her borrowed pale pink Lacoste polo over her head and then reached up her back to
unclasp her bra； which she let fall to the ground casually。 ？Nate； can I sleep in your shirt？？ she
asked shyly。
？Course。？ Nate nodded eagerly； trying to look away。 He pulled his cotton tee off and tossed it to
her。
She pulled it over her head； pausing inside the darkness of it to breathe in his overwhelming
scent： his armpits and his laundry detergent； a hint of pot smoke and toothpaste。
Good enough to eat。
By the time she popped her head through the head hole in the still…warm T…shirt； Nate had kicked
off his khakis and crashed out on the bed next to Serena in a pair of funny palm…tree…printed boxer
shorts that Blair was pretty sure had been a present from her。
She switched off the bedroom？s overhead light。 The morning summer sun was pouring through
the bedroom window； illuminating the bodies of her friends。 She walked over to the foot of the
bed； then carefully wedged herself between Serena； who was already sleeping； her breaths long
and muted； like a baby？s； and an almost…naked Nate。
？？Night；？ Nate whispered。
？？Night；？ she quietly repeated。 Her heart pounding in her ears； Blair suddenly felt wide awake。
She studied the delicately molded and crenellated panels of Serena？s ceiling as she listened to the
light snore of her best friend and tried to ignore the soft skin of her other best friend？the only guy
she had ever really loved？whose arm was grazing hers ever so slightly。 How was sheever going to
fall asleep？
Then she felt fingers trailing down her arm； so delicately it tickled。 Nate？s hand slid down over
her wrist； then slipped into her palm； giving it a gentle squeeze。
Letting out a sigh； it felt like she was breathing out something she didn？t even know was inside
of her。 The frustration； the jealousy； the worry over what would happen next。 She turned to look at
him； but his eyes were closed； and soon hers were too。 And that？s how they slept； for the rest of
the day and into the night。
==================================
ABC Amber LIT Converter v2。02
==================================
hey people！
You know who I？ve always felt kind of sorry for？ Those kids with summer birthdays。 They never
got to have ice cream parties at Serendipity because all their friends were away at camp or whiling
away the season in Amagansett。 They never got to bring pastel…buttercream…frosted Magnolia
cupcakes for the whole class to enjoy。 They never got to have the coveted tea party at the Plaza
with all their best girlfriends。 All because they just happened to be born during the three months of
the year when the last thing any…one wants to think about is anyone but themselves。 We don？t
mean to be so selfish； it？s just 。 。 。 in the air。 But that doesn？t mean we don？t feel bad about it。
Really。 So this one？s for you； birthday girls。 。 。 。
Top three ways to say； I？m so sorry I missed your birthday while I was making out with my
unbelievably hot summer fling：
1） Take her to Barneys and let her use your credit card for as many minutes as she is old。 When
your mom gets the bill； take the rap； because that？s what friends are for。
2） Apologize for being more interested in your summer romance than in her rite of passage； and
invite her to join you and your new beau on a double date with his slightly cross…eyed but
almost…as…cute younger brother。
3） It？s summer； remember； so full…body maintenance is more important than usual。 Splurge on a
full…on Bliss spa experience （not just some lame gift…from…great…aunt…Susie mani…pedi bo；
please） so your best pal can be as tanned； hairless； and pampered as you already are。
your e…mail
Q：？
Dear GG；
？
I？m worried that I might be turning gay。 Do you know if there are warning signs？
？
？Blue Boy
A：？
Dear BB；
？
Warning signs aplenty：
？
1） You refer to things as ？fabulous？ or ？genius？ and have used the wordswish in the last
twenty…four hours。
？
2） Your best friend is a heavy girl with an interest in the theater。
？
3） Your ringtone is a Gwen Stefani song。
？
4） When the weather turns warm； you？d rather watch the shirtless skater boys than the topless
sunbathers in Sheep Meadow。
？
5） You write to a wise authority because you want her to break the news you already know but just
can？t admit： you？re gay。 It？s okay！ Love life。 Love boys。 Love yourself。
？
？GG
Q：？
Dear GG；
？
Not actually a letter so much as an announcement： I？m planning a big blowout at my country
place in celebration of my little sister？s eighteenth。 So if you？re going to be in Connecticut or are
down for a road trip； make sure you look up your old friends who summer in that great state。 If
I？m one of them； you？re totally on the guest list。
？
？Pool Party in Connecticut
A：？
Dear PP in C；
？
Connecticut？s a bit outside my usual party radius； but I suppose getting there is half the fun？after
all； the road trip is a great American tradition。 The wind in your hair； the hot sun on the pavement；
the freedom of going whichever direction you choose？sentiments most memorably captured by
Jack Kerouac inOn the Road。 Although honestly； all I remember from that