Blair　stared　at　her　friend’s　retreating　back。　Her　phone　buzzed。

WAITING　OUTSIDE。　YOU　HERE？—NATE

Blair　blinked　at　the　message。　What　the　fuck？　Had　Serena　gotten　the　exact　same　message？　She　pulled　herself　out　of　the　hot　tub；　threw　on　her　dress；　even　though　it　was　silk　and　would　stain；　and　raced　out　of　the　party。

And　who　says　all　the　drama　happens　at　midnight？

Nate　glanced　up　at　the　towering　Tribeca　Star　Hotel；　his　hands　jammed　in　his　pockets；　unsure　whether　or　not　to　go　in。　Part　of　him　wanted　to　find　Anthony　or　Charlie　or　any　of　the　old　St。　Jude’s　guys；　fire　up　a　gigantic　bong；　and　flirt　with　as　many　hot　girls　as　he　could；　just　to　prove　that　he　still　had　it　in　him。　The　other　part　of　him　wanted　to　go　back　to　his　parents’　town　house　and　sit　in　the　living　room　and　eat　Jell…O　pudding　cups。　How　was　it　that　he’d　sailed　the　world；　learned　how　to　milk　cows；　debated　the　arguments　of　all　the　Greek　philosophers；　and　majored　in　American　studies　at　an　Ivy　League　university—but　was　still　as　confused　as　ever？

He’d　texted　Serena　and　Blair；　but　neither　of　them　had　responded。　Maybe　he’d　missed　his　chance　with　them。　He　glanced　up　at　the　sky。　There　were　no　stars；　at　least　none　that　could　be　seen　through　the　New　York　smog。　He　just　wished　he　had　something　to　follow；　some　kind　of　sign。

Just　then；　one　of　the　gold　revolving　doors　whooshed　open；　and　Serena　burst　out。　Her　long　blond　hair　was　wet　and　pulled　into　a　ponytail　that　stuck　to　the　back　of　her　leather　coat。　She　still　looked　gorgeous。

“Serena！”　Nate　exclaimed。　Was　that　his　sign？

She　smiled　broadly。　“I　got　your　text。”　She　threw　her　arms　around　him　and　pulled　back。　Her　teeth　were　chattering。

“Are　you　okay？”　Nate　asked。

“Just　cold；”　Serena　said；　and　Nate　pulled　her　closer