to him； to get to know him as a person； not a costar。 She？d heard a rumor that he was going to be
leaving town after the wrap party； which was tomorrow； so that didn？t leave them with much time
together？and she hoped that something might finally happen between them； off…camera。
Apparently that was theonly rumor she？d heard about him。
？What are you drinking？？ Thaddeus shouted when their waitress approached to take their order。
They were seated in what was supposedly the VIP section； but there was nothing to distinguish it
from the rest of the narrow terrace； except for the fact that they had the best； most unobstructed
view of the Hudson。 At least they？d chosen the right night to drink by the river。 Fireworks were
going off all over； in celebration of something or other。 Gay Pride； maybe？ Or maybe there was a
marathon today。 Serena could never keep things like that straight。
？Caipirinha；？ she practically shouted into his ear。
Thaddeus repeated this to the starstruck waitress； who hurried off to fetch the drinks that would
probably be on the house。 Thaddeus never had to pay for anything； but then again； Serena had
never really had to pay for anything either： The notorious fashion designer Les Best had given her
a ton of clothes when she modeled for his perfume ad； and guys were always buying her drinks or
picking up dinner no matter where she went。
Guess stardom was in her stars。
Thaddeus idly drummed on the surface of the table in time with the Scissor Sisters tune that was
blaring out of the cleverly hidden speakers。 He stared out over the Hudson and smiled。
？It？s a great night；？ he observed。
？It is；？ Serena agreed。 She was squeezed in between Thaddeus and the protective railing that
snaked around the terrace。 ？I？m so glad we get to be out and not have to worry about going over
our lines or what Ken？s going to yell at us tomorrow。？
？Fucking tell me about it。？ Thaddeus lit a cigarette； took a quick drag； and then passed it off to
Serena。
Serena inhaled the slightly damp butt？she？d already made out with Thaddeus on camera； so a bit
of his spit didn？t bother her？as the waitress set down their drinks。 Thaddeus slid her cocktail
across the table to her。 ？A toast；？ he suggested； lifting his pink cosmo into the air。
Pink cosmo？
？Definitely。？ Serena clinked her glass to his。 ？To an incredible movie。？
？To an incredible costar；？ Thaddeus corrected； cocking his eyebrow。 ？And an incredible debut。？
He draped his arm over the back of the bench and pulled Serena a little closer； resting his left
hand on her left shoulder。 ？The fireworks are going to really get going soon； huh？？ He nodded
toward the river； where a small one had already exploded。
The DJ started playing a mellower tune； something by the Raves。
？I know this song！？ Serena cried。 It sounded familiar but she couldn？t place it。
？It？s the Raves；？Thaddeus explained。？I？m pretty tight with their drummer。？ He reached over and
took the burning cigarette from Serena； inhaling furtively。
？Really？ I know the girl singing。 Her name？s Jenny。 We went to high school together。 Wait； I
think she might have dated your friend； the drummer； what？s his name 。。。？？
？No。？ Thaddeus laughed。 ？I don？t think she？s quite his type。？
Oh？ And what type is that？
Serena wasn？t sure what that was supposed to mean； but she hadn？t e there to discuss Jenny
Humphrey？s romantic life。 She sipped her sugary drink and batted her eyelashes at the crowd of
girls that had assembled just beyond the velvet rope bordering the VIP area。 The girls； all boasting
hideous blowouts and way too much eyeliner； were giggling and taking pictures of her and
Thaddeus with their cell phones。
They？re probably going to e…mail them to some gossip Web site；thought Serena with annoyance。
Oh； don？t be such a ninny。
A massive round of fireworks erupted with a violent bang； and Serena gave a frightened little
yelp； burying herself in Thaddeus Smith？s warm； muscular embrace。
？Don？t worry。？ He laughed。 ？It？s just noise。？
？I think our cover is blown；？ Serena told him； gesturing with her eyes toward the gaggle of girls。
？I？ll never quite get used to it。？ Thaddeus frowned。 ？I mean； no doubt some fuzzy little camera
phone picture of us will end up in the papers。？
？Yeah； it？s weird；？ Serena whispered； accidentally grazing Thaddeus？s ear with the tip of her
nose。
？Do me a favor？？Thaddeus asked。
Before Serena could open her mouth to answer； he leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips。
The timing was perfect： over the Hudson a massive explosion of fireworks resounded with a bang；
their lights twinkling and then fading in an instant。 It was totally cheesy but totally romantic： a
totally Hollywood moment。
Like；whoa。
n？s woman trouble
？Dude！ Nate！？ Anthony Avuldsen leaned out the window of his black BMW M3； honking the
horn。
Nate was locking his bike to a PRIVATEPROPERTY；NOTRESPASSINGsign on the edge of
Main Beach？s dirt parking lot。 He was supposed to meet Tawny but Anthony？s appearance was a
wele surprise。 After talking to Blair on the phone 。 。 。 he just couldn？t help but feel like he was
with the wrong girl。 Plus； he was about twenty minutes early。
There？s a first time for everything。
？Hey；？ Nate called； strolling over to the driver？s side of the car。 ？What？s going on？？
？Not much。？ Anthony grinned。 ？I was just on my way home from the beach； but why don？t you
get in and we？ll go for a ride？？ He reached into the car？s ashtray and plucked out a freshly rolled
joint； waving it in the air。 ？Just a quick drive； you know？？
That was all the invitation Nate needed。 He walked around the car and hopped into the passenger
side； settling into the soft； cream…colored leather seat。
Anthony turned down the stereo and pressed a button so that Nate？s window lowered quickly。 He
circled the car around the parking lot and out onto the street。 ？Go ahead and start it up；？ he urged。
Nate grabbed the joint； pulled his trusty Bic from his sock； and lit it。
？Good time the other night at Isabel？s。？ Anthony reached over to take the joint from Nate。 ？Sorry
you couldn？t make it。？
Nate exhaled a long plume of smoke out the window。 He studied his reflection in the windshield：
he hadn？t had time to shave that morning and was looking kind of stubbly。 His T…shirt was filthy
and his deodorant had given out hours ago： his jeans were grass…stained and dingy。 He was
sporting an incredible tan but still looked a bit unhealthy； probably because he hadn？t been
sleeping much； and his eyes were a little bloodshot。
Is lack of sleep really the culprit here？
He turned to take the joint back from Anthony and studied his friend more closely： Anthony was
wearing a pair of crazy printed Vilebrequin board shorts； some beat…up old flip…flops； and a pair of
sunglasses。 He had a tan to rival Nate？s but no bags under his crystal…clear eyes and he looked like
a million other guys in the Hamptons： like a guy on vacation； driving home from the beach；
having a quick smoke。 Nate exhaled unhappily。 The pot was great but it didn？t change the fact that
he was tired； he was bummed out； he was 。 。 。 jealous。 Why did Anthony get to chill at the beach
all day while he had to work like a dog？
Maybe because Anthony didn？t steal performance…enhancing drugs from his lax coach？
Nate drummed on the windowsill in time with the old Dylan disc on the stereo and drifted off for
a moment； imagining the ideal summer： he？d be at the beach； of course； surfing at Montauk or just
lazing around on the sand； tooling around in his dad？s Aston Martin convertible； smoking with
Anthony and his other friends from the lacrosse team； staying in bed with Blair until the early
afternoon。 Or maybe he？d take Blair sailing for a couple of weeks along the coast of Maine。 Teach
her how to fish。 Eat lobster。 Have lots of sex。 Sleep。 Have more sex。 Go for a swim。 Sex again。
？Dude； you there？？ Anthony asked。
？Sorry；？ Nate mumbled； ing back to reality。
？It？s cool。？ Anthony pulled up to a red light。 Three girls sauntered by in bikini tops and surf
shorts。 They were only about thirteen but they were still cute。 ？So what？s the deal with that Tawny
chick； man？ She？s hot。？
？Yeah；？ Nate replied； passing the joint back。 ？She？s cool。 I don？t know； though。 Maybe I？m off
girls right now or something。？
Anthony burst out laughing； choking a little on the joint。 ？Right； right。 I？ve heard that before。？
？Shit； man；？ Nate clarified。 ？She？s just no Blair； you know what I mean？？
？Well； there？s only one Blair；？ replied Anthony in his stoner drawl； stubbing out the roach in the
car？s built…in ashtray。 He ran his hand through his beach…blond shag of hair。 ？So； you two getting
back together？？
Nate shook his head miserably。 He was stuck with life as an indentured servant。 Blair was busy
being a fashion maven。 He？d been so stupid； always fucking everything up with her； always taking
her for granted or mistakenly hooking up with her best friend or whatever； that he？d been blind to
the reality that without Blair his life was nothing。
Looks like Blair isn？t the only drama queen。
back to the scene of the crime
Serena crept up the creaky metal steps to her trailer quietly？ or as quietly as was possible in her
clunky metallic silver Michael Kors wedges。 She wasn？t even supposed to be there； the actors had
all been released from their duties and the only people around were the crew responsible for
striking the set。 But Serena had decided to tag along with Blair that Wednesday？she wanted to
grab the tiny black dress that Bailey Winter had designed for her to wear； as Holly； in the climactic
party scene in the movie。 It was the perfect thing to wear to herreal party the next night。
Stepping into the trailer； Serena switched on the light and closed the flimsy door behind her。 The
vanity was still littered with makeup and hair supplies； and all of her costumes； lovingly labeled
and steamed to perfection by Blair？s stalker/intern； were hung； an inch apart； on a rolling rack。
Gotcha。 Serena grabbed the perfect little black dress。 It was cut to fit her proportions exactly； and
though the thin shoulder straps were covered with a subtle spray of jet…black bead…ing； it was
otherwise sleek and simple。 This was so much easier than shopping。
Right； shopping is a total drag。
Tearing open the plastic cover that kept the dust at bay； Serena slipped the dress off its hanger
and wadded it up into her bag。 Technically； she wasn？t supposed to just help herself to the
costumes。 Stealing it out of the trailer gave her a rush she？d only experienced one other time；
when she was ten and stole a Bonne Belle bubblegum Lip Smacker from Boyd？s。 A knock on the
trailer door made her freeze； petrified。
？Who is it？？ she asked shakily； quickly zipping up her orange Herm？s canvas tote。
？Thad？？ A thin； gorgeously tanned guy poked his head through the trailer door。 His spiky brown
hair was in artful disarray； and beneath his perfectly arched eyebrows his eyes were huge and
green； with long； beautiful lashes。 He wore a s