gossip girl 4 英文-第6章

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a　snack　or　something。　That　is；　if　you　were　pletely　na？ve。　

？Thanks；　man。？　Nate　handed　over　the　hundred　and　tucked　the　plastic　baggie　into　his　coat　pocket；　
breathing　out　a　deep；　relieved　breath。　Too　bad　he　didn？t　have　any　rolling　papers　with　him　or　he　
would　have　rolled　up　a　big　fatty　right　then　and　there。　？So；？　he　said；　figuring　it　was　only　polite　to　
make　some　casual　conversation　with　Mitchell　before　taking　off。　？You　still　moving　to　Amsterdam　


or　what？？　

Mitchell　stopped　walking　and　unzipped　his　Puma　jacket。　？Nah。　I？m　stuck　here　for　a　while。？　He　
pulled　up　his　gray　thermal　shirt　to　reveal　his　bare；　freckled　chest。　There　were　wires　taped　to　it。　

Nate　had　seenLaw　&　Order　enough　times　to　know　what　those　wires　meant。　The　bleak　scenery　
seemed　to　close　in　on　him；　and　he　stumbled　backwards。　Had　he　blacked　out　or　something？　Was　
this　all　a　bad　dream？　

Mitchell　let　his　shirt　drop　and　zipped　his　jacket　up　again。　He　took　a　step　toward　Nate；　as　if　he　
was　worried　Nate　would　try　to　make　a　break　for　it。　？Sorry；　kid。　They　got　me。　I？m　working　for　the　
man　now。？　He　jerked　his　head　at　the　benches　behind　them。　？Those　？dirtbags？　on　the　bench　are　all　
cops；　okay；　so　don？t　try　to　run。　You　and　I　are　going　to　wait　here　until　I　give　the　sign；　and　then　one　
of　them　is　going　to　walk　you　down　to　the　precinct　on　Amsterdam。Amsterdam　？pretty　ironic；　huh？？　

Nate　could　tell　Mitchell　was　trying　to　get　him　to　smile　so　the　dealer　wouldn？t　have　to　feel　so　bad　
for　busting　him。　？Okay；？　Nate　said　woodenly。　How　had　this　happened？　He？d　never　been　
double…crossed　before；　and　it　was　a　pretty　crappy　feeling。　He　dropped　the　baggie　of　pot　on　the　
ground　and　kicked　it　away　from　him。　？Shit；？　he　swore　under　his　breath。　

Mitchell　picked　up　the　baggie　and　put　his　hand　on　Nate？s　shoulder。　He　raised　his　free　hand　in　the　
air　and　waved　to　the　cops　on　the　benches。　Two　guys　stood　up　and　hurried　over。　They　didn？t　even　
look　like　cops。　One　of　them　was　wearing　black　Club　Monaco　jeans　and　the　other　was　wearing　a　
stupid　red　pom…pom　hat。　They　flashed　their　badges　at　Nate。　

？We？re　not　going　to　cuff　you；？　Club　Monaco　explained。　？You？re　a　minor；　right？？　

Nate　nodded　sullenly；　avoiding　the　cop？s　gaze。　He　didn？t　turn　eighteen　until　April。　

？When　we　get　to　the　precinct　you　can　call　your　parents。？　

I？m　sure　they？ll　be　thrilled；Nate　thought　bitterly。　

Across　the　meadow　the　two　guys　playing　football　and　the　old　lady　and　her　fluffy　white　dog　were　
all　huddled　together；　watching　Nate　getting　busted　like　it　was　the　first　episode　of　some　hot　new　
reality　show。　

？You？ll　be　out　in　a　couple　hours；？　the　red　pom…pom　cop　said；　writing　something　in　a　notebook。　
Nate　noticed　the　cop　was　wearing　gold　hoop　earrings　and　he　realized　she　was　a　woman；　despite　
her　broad　shoulders　and　thick…fingered　hands。　？They？ll　fine　you　and　probably　give　you　mandatory　
rehab。？　

Mitchell　kept　his　hand　on　Nate？s　shoulder　as　if　to　offer　moral　support。　？You？re　lucky；？　he　added。　


Nate　kept　his　head　down；　hoping　no　one　he　knew　would　see　him。　He　didn？t　feel　very　lucky。

　introducing　the　newd　

Tuesday　afternoon；　Vanessa　stood　outside　Riverside　Prep；　filming　the　frozen　remains　of　a　dead　
pigeon　carcass　and　thinking　about　sex　while　she　waited　for　Dan　to　appear。　Dan　had　left　a　message　
for　her　at　the　reception　desk　at　Constance　Billard　to　e　and　meet　him　after　school。Urgent。　Meet　
me　here　at　four；　it　said。What　a　freak；　Vanessa　thought　lovingly。　What　could　possibly　be　so　urgent？　
He　was　probably　just　having　an　attack　of　paranoia　because　his　poem　had　e　out　inThe　New　
Yorker　today。　Either　that　or　he　was　feeling　extremely　stimulated　and　couldn？twait　to　do　it　again。　
Before　even　taking　a　shower　that　morning　Vanessa　had　run　downstairs　and　bought　sixNew　Yorker　
s　from　the　newsstand　on　the　corner。　That　way　there　would　always　be　a　spare　copy　to　wave　in　
Dan？s　face　when　he　was　feeling　especially　inadequate。　

When　she　really　thought　about　it；she　was　the　one　who　should　have　been　freaking　out。　The　poem　
was　all　about　a　guy　feeling　insecure　around　women；　particularly　his　dominating　girlfriend。　People　
who　knew　them　were　going　to　think　Vanessa　was　a　real　ball…breaker。　But　the　last　line　was　so　sweet　
and　sexy；　she　couldn？t　really　plain。　

Take　care　of　me。　Take　me。　Take　care。　Take　me。　

Reading　it　made　her　want　to　rip　off　all　her　clothes　and　jump　him。Gently　；　of　course。　

Just　then　Dan　burst　through　the　black　doors　of　Riverside　Prep　practically　in　midsentence。　He　
waved　his　rumpled　copy　ofThe　New　Yorker　at　Vanessa　and　galloped　up　to　her　in　his　worn…out　
white　Pumas　and　navy　blue　cords；　planting　a　sloppy；　wet　kiss　on　her　mouth。　？This　has　been　the　
best　day　of　my　life！？　he　trumpeted。　？I　love　you！？　

？You　don？t　have　to　be　romantic　to　get　in　my　pants　again；？　Vanessa　giggled　and　kissed　him　
again。　？I？m　always　available。　And　by　the　way；　I　love　you；　too。？　

？Cool。？　Dan　smiled　goofily　back　at　her。　

Vanessa　couldn？t　believe　this　was　the　same　old　Dan　she？d　seen　only　yesterday。　He　was　still　pale；　
thin；　and　overcaffeinated；　but　his　brown　eyes　were　shining　and　there　were　traces　of　smiley…face　
dimples　in　his　usually　sallow　cheeks。　Wait　a　minute。　Since　when　could　she　actually　see　his　
eyes？　？Whoa；　you　got　a　haircut；？　she　observed；　standing　back　to　check　it　out。　

Dan　had　asked　the　barber　to　cut　his　hair　short　with　long　sideburns；　figuring　the　sideburns　would　
keep　him　from　looking　like　all　the　preppy　assholes　in　his　class。　He　swept　his　hand　over　his　head　
self…consciously。　It　felt　odd；　but　somehow　cleaner　than　before；　more　。　。　。homogenous　。　And　that　


was　exactly　what　he　wanted？to　be　judged　by　his　work；　not　his　hair。　

Whatever　you　say；　Sideburn　Man。　

Vanessa　put　her　hands　on　the　hips　of　her　black　parka　coat。　Something　about　Dan？s　haircut　was　so　
deliberate；　like　he　was　actually　going　for　a　certain　artsy；　bohemian　look　instead　of　just　stumbling　
upon　one　by　mistake。　？It？s　different；？　she　mused；　already　feeling　a　little　nostalgic　for　the　old　
scruffy…haired　Dan。　？I　guess　I？ll　get　used　to　it。？　

Behind　them　a　group　of　eighth…grade　boys　spilled　out　the　school　doors　singing　？Hello　Dolly？　at　
the　top　of　their　lungs。　They？d　just　been　released　from　music　class　and　were　still　too　young　and　
innocent　to　realize　how　gay　they　sounded。　

Hello；　Dolly！　Well　hel…loo；　Dolly！　

It？s　so　nice　to　have　you　back　where　you　belong！　

Dan　pulled　a　pack　of　unfiltered　Camels　out　of　his　black　messenger　bag；　tipped　one　out；　and　stuck　
it　between　his　lips。　His　fingers　trembled　wildly　as　he　lit　it。　Well；　at　leastthat　hadn？t　changed。　He　
offered　the　pack　to　Vanessa。　？Want　one？？　

Vanessa　stared　at　him　and　chuckled　in　disbelief。　？Since　when　do　I　smoke？？　

Dan　exhaled　into　the　air　above　her　head　and　rolled　his　eyes。　？Sorry。　I　don？t　know　why　I　just　did　
that。？　He　shoved　the　pack　back　into　his　bag　and　grabbed　Vanessa？s　frozen　fingers。　？e　on。　
Let？s　walk　somewhere。　I　have　something　major　to　tell　you。？　

As　they　were　taking　off；　Zeke　Freedman　walked　out　of　school　bouncing　a　neon　blue　basketball。　
Zeke　was　big　and　lumbering；　but　he　was　Riverside　Prep？s　star　basketball　player。　He？d　grown　out　
his　curly　black　hair　so　it　hung　down　to　his　shoulders；　and　he　was　sporting　a　new　slate　gray　
snowboarding　jacket。　Zeke　and　Dan　had　been　best　friends　since　second　grade；　but　they　hadn？t　
really　hung　out　in　the　last　few　months　because　Dan　had　been　preoccupied　with　other　things。　

Namely；　women　and　poetry。　

Dan　realized　he　didn？t　even　know　where　Zeke　had　applied　to　college。　The　distance　between　them　
was　mostly　his　fault；　and　he　felt　bad　about　it。　？Hey　Zeke；？　he　called　over。　

Zeke　stopped　walking；　his　heavy　body　looking　even　more　massive　than　usual　inside　his　new　
parka。　？Hey　Dan；？　he　replied　with　a　careful　smile；　bouncing　the　blue　ball　in　place　on　the　frozen　
sidewalk。　？Hey　Vanessa。？　

？What　do　you　think　of　Dan？s　new　haircut？？　Vanessa　asked　with　a　wry　smile。　？It？s　part　of　his　
new　Mr。　Published　Poet　image。？　


？Oh　yeah？？　Zeke　didn？t　seem　to　know　what　Vanessa　was　talking　about。　He　glanced　down　the　
street；　giving　the　basketball　a　good　hard　bounce　before　holding　up　his　hand。　？See　you　guys。？　

？See　ya；？　Dan　called；　watching　his　old　friend　dribble　the　ball　down　to　the　end　of　the　street。　

？So；　what？s　the　big　news？？　Vanessa　asked　as　they　started　to　walk　west　on　Seventy…eighth　Street。　

Cold　air　blasted　the　clouds　across　the　pale　gray　sky。　Down　the　block；　through　the　leafless　
branches　of　the　trees　in　Riverside　Park；　Dan　caught　a　silvery　glimpse　of　the　Hudson。　？Well；？　he　
began　suspensefully。　？This　morning　this　big…deal　literary　agent　named　Rusty　Klein　called　my　cell　
phone　and　left　me　this　crazy　message。　She　thinks　I？m　the　next　Keats　and　she　said　we　have　to　keep　
the　momentum　going　now　that　we　have　the　public？s　attention。？　

？Wow。　EvenI？ve　heard　of　her！？　Vanessa　responded；　impressed。　？What　does　that　mean；　though？？　

Dan　blew　a　puff　of　smoke　into　the　air。　？I　guess　it　means　she　wants　to　represent　me。？　

Vanessa　stopped　walking。　She　wasn？t　sure　where　they　were　going　anyway。　？But　you　only　wrote　
one　poem。　What？s　she　going　to　do？　I　don？t　mean　to　be　a　downer　Dan；　but　you　have　to　be　careful　
of　people　like　that；　you　know？　She　could　be　trying　to　take　advan