I Will Always Love You (4 page)

“So, I was thinking we could live here until we find a place. We could get a studio downtown. It wouldn’t be that expensive,”
Dan mused, running his fingers through Vanessa’s short hair. It was silky and unfamiliar, but Dan instantly loved it, just
like he loved every part of her.

Vanessa nodded, trying to imagine living with Dan. They’d tried a few times last year for short periods of time, but it had
never really worked. One of them would always get moody or jealous. But maybe now that they were in college, it would be different?

“And we can arrange our schedules together. There’s this one class at Columbia called The Poetry of Film that I was thinking
of taking. Maybe you could take it as a visiting student? Or maybe you could transfer.” His hand grazed the hem of her black
long-sleeve thermal top.

“Transfer?” Vanessa pulled back slightly. “But I like NYU.” She loved her classes, and most of the people she’d met. The film students tended to stick together, going from screenings
to happy hours to late-night onion ring runs at Tick Tock Diner in a herd. In high school, Vanessa would have thought that
type of behavior was ridiculously lame. But having a big group of friends was actually fun.

What was she getting so worked up about? Dan was her boyfriend, and he was moving back to the city. Of course he just wanted to spend more time with her. And of course that was what she
wanted too. “Come here.” She smiled and reached toward Dan, pulling him in for a kiss. His lips tasted reassuringly familiar,
like Crest and Folgers.

Just then, her cell vibrated from her back pocket. She pulled out the phone and frowned.

“What?” Dan asked impatiently.

Vanessa scanned the display. NEW YEAR’S PARTY AT MY CASA. 210 AVE B. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE—HOLLIS. Hollis was her TA for her Intro to Film class. He was only twenty-five but he’d already screened a few of his films at the
Tribeca Film Festival. One of them had even been picked up by an indie film company. He was intense, but approachable and
funny, and would be the first to tell you if your film sucked. In fact, he’d given her first assignment a C+ because he thought
it was too perfectly executed. This has technical precision, but not heart. Do you want to make credit card commercials or films? he’d asked. It should have been obnoxious, but she respected his honesty.

“My friend is having a New Year’s Eve party downtown tomorrow night….” Vanessa tried to picture Dan interacting with some
of her new friends, like Matt and Chip, the gay couple who made extremely explicit XX-rated films. Dan could sometimes be
a little… antisocial.

“My dad wanted me to go on some retreat thing,” Dan told her, disappointed. “I just told him I’d come.”

“I understand,” Vanessa said, pleased that she could go to Hollis’s party without worrying about Dan. “I don’t want you to
disappoint your dad. Besides, we have plenty of time now.”

Dan melted all over again. It was so cute that Vanessa was concerned about his dad. He took her hand and interlaced his fingers
with hers.

“You’re right,” he murmured, drawing her close. “I’ll be back in a few days.” It would mean a lot to his dad to spend some
father-son time together. Especially since he and Vanessa would be moving in together soon. He couldn’t wait.

Because nothing says forever like a cramped studio apartment.

welcome back

Blair heaved a sigh of relief as she hauled her Louis Vuitton duffel to the curb outside La Guardia on New Year’s Eve day.
Just a few hours ago, she’d said goodbye to Pete at Logan Airport before hopping a commuter plane to New York.

“Where to?” The cab driver gazed at her through the Plexiglas partition.

“Nine ninety-four Fifth Avenue.” Blair rattled off Serena’s address as if it were her own and leaned back against the cab’s
black pleather seats. The past few days at the Carlsons’ had been torture. After the “no ring, no bring” announcement, the
cozy atmosphere had felt decidedly claustrophobic. Now she was actually looking forward to spending New Year’s in the city
and seeing Serena again. She rummaged through her thyme green Lanvin weekender bag for her iPhone.

“I’m coming over!” Blair announced as soon as Serena picked up. The cab hit a traffic snarl right before the Queensboro Bridge.
Instantly, the cars around them started honking.

“You’re in New York?” Serena squealed. “Oh my God, I can’t wait to see you!” Her excited, crackly voice filled the cab.

“See you soon!” Blair clicked off. The familiar skyline came into her vision, and a smile curled across Blair’s lips. She
was back.

The cab navigated its way into Manhattan and weaved across the east side. On Fifth Avenue, it stopped in front of a familiar,
green-awninged building across from the Met. A familiar blond figure stood outside, two coffees in hand.

Blair rolled down the window of the cab and sucked in her breath. Of course, she’d seen photos of Serena in all the weekly
gossip magazines she pretended not to read, but Serena in person took her breath away. She wore a tattered pair of J Brand
boyfriend jeans and a fuzzy white cashmere sweater. Her thick blond hair was loose around her shoulders and her makeup-free
face was flawless.

Serena yanked the cab door open and tackled Blair in a bear hug. “I’ve missed you!” She hugged her tightly. Serena had gotten
a Cartier watch from her parents for Christmas and a Burberry ski parka from Erik, but this was all she really wanted: her
best friend home for the holidays.

“Me too,” Blair replied honestly. The cabbie removed her bags from the trunk and set them on the sidewalk. Instantly, Roland,
Serena’s ancient doorman, took the bags and brought them inside.

Once they were alone, Serena stared dumbly at her friend. She couldn’t believe Blair was right in front of her. She looked
older, somehow. Her hair was longer than it had been last summer, her small face more angular. But she was grinning widely
in a way that reminded Serena of how she’d looked as a little kid.

“I bought you coffee.” Serena proffered a white Dean & Deluca cup.

Blair took a sip and smiled as the skim latte with two Splendas slid down her throat. That was the great thing about old friends.
They knew you, right down to how you took your coffee.

“Can we sit on the steps for a little bit?” Blair asked almost shyly, gazing at the Corinthian columns of the Met across the
street. Back in high school, they spent hours on the steps, gossiping and pouring their hearts out to one another. The steps
were the center of their universe. Blair had even had her going-away party inside the famous museum. It felt right that they
begin their reunion there, instead of in Serena’s apartment.

“I was hoping you’d say that.” Serena grinned, already crossing the street.

They settled midway down the steps. It was surprisingly warm for December, and the museum entrance was crowded with people.
Blair spotted two girls huddled over coffee a few steps below them, and for a moment, thought it might be Kati and Isabel.
But when the blonde turned, Blair realized she was only about fourteen. She reminded herself that everyone had changed in the past few months.

Some more than others.

Serena rummaged through her oversize See by Chloé bag and pulled out a pack of Gauloises. She handed one to Blair.

“So tell me everything,” Serena began, lighting both their cigarettes. “Starting with how and why you’re here.”

“So…” Blair heaved a deep breath. After the horrendous few days she’d had, grinning stupidly as she played board games with
Pete’s family and pretending everything was okay, she couldn’t wait to finally unload the truth. “I was at my boyfriend, Pete’s, house in Vermont for Christmas.” Blair nervously twirled her ruby ring around her finger.
“We were staying there just for the holiday, before taking off for Costa Rica. I was so excited and everything was going so
well. But then—”

Blair paused as a cute trio of twentysomething guys approached. They stood at a distance of a few feet, shuffling nervously.
Guys always approached Blair and Serena whenever they were together, and of course it was flattering. But right now, Blair
wasn’t really in the mood.

“Are you Serena van der Woodsen?” a lanky blond guy asked in a British accent.

“I am.” Serena smiled, displaying her perfect white teeth.

“I knew it was her!” his red-haired friend exclaimed. “Mind if I take a picture?” he pleaded, already removing a tiny Nikon
digital camera from his khakis pocket.

“Only if my best friend is in it, too,” Serena said sweetly. She threw her arms around Blair’s shoulders and stuck out her
tongue. Of course she still looked beautiful.

“Thanks, Serena!” the guys chorused as they walked away, crowding around the guy with the camera so they could check out the
picture.

“How annoying,” Blair grumbled.

“It’s not so bad. It happens a lot, ever since Breakfast at Fred’s opened. It’s kind of cute.” Serena shrugged. “So, anyway. You were saying. About your boyfriend?”

“He’s great,” Blair said quickly, taking another sip of coffee. Suddenly, she didn’t want to tell Serena about what happened
in Vermont. After all, Serena was an internationally worshipped movie star. How could she possibly understand? “It’s amazing.
A real relationship. Nothing like high school,” Blair added. “We’re thinking of moving in together for spring semester.”

“You must really love Yale,” Serena said wistfully. She’d chosen not to go to Yale with Blair, and mostly, she was happy with
that decision. But it was a little hard to hear about Blair’s perfect college life knowing she could have been right there
with her.

“I do love it. It’s just so nice to be surrounded by interesting people who care about what’s going on in the world. It’s
just so collegiate, you know?” Blair said, still thinking about the British guys. Weren’t they a little old to be asking for autographs?

An awkward silence fell over them. “Chuck’s having his New Year’s Eve party tonight,” Serena said finally. She wanted to tell
Blair how lonely she’d been in New York without her, but it sounded like Blair was having the time of her life at Yale. She
probably thought Serena’s life was pathetic. “I have to stop by another party first, but maybe we can meet up there later?”
she asked hopefully. For all she knew, Blair had dozens of New Year’s Eve parties to attend with her Yale friends who lived
in the city.

“I guess I could stop by,” Blair allowed. It would be fun to see the old crowd. Especially with Serena at her side. Every
year at Chuck’s party, they’d drink far too much champagne and wind up in the hot tub at ungodly hours of the morning. “Just
like old times,” she added under her breath. Just then, a cute guy jogging past the steps did a double take when he spotted
Serena.

“I’m freezing,” Blair announced, standing up and stamping out her cigarette. “Let’s go.” She quickly crossed the street, and
Serena had to run to keep up with her.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I was at EAT on Madison getting my usual half-caf double cap when I was asked the question. You know the one. I should be used to it by now, but it catches me by surprise every time. And no, I’m not talking
about where I get my highlights or who makes my boots or why I look so familiar. I’m talking about the ever popular “What’s
your New Year’s resolution?”

Yes, it’s annoying. And yes, it’s kind of a personal question. But I for one think you should reveal your resolutions to the
world. After all, it’s the one time of the year you can publicly declare you’ll no longer try to pull off Forever 21 as vintage,
you’ll no longer run back to a loser ex, you’ll no longer head to the gym just for a wheatgrass smoothie. The point is, if
you want to change your life, you’ve got to let people know so they can hold you accountable. And the best place to announce
your intentions? The most fabulous New Year’s Eve party you can find!

It’s all the debauchery of a costume party minus the awkward outfits, the anything-can-happen fun of Fourth of July without
the sunburn, and the revelry of St. Patrick’s Day without the green beer. It’s the night to wear your pink Vena Cava zip-up
dress and flirt with your friend’s older brother. It’s time to grab someone and kiss them, hard, until everyone stops blowing
those annoying party horns. And, if a certain bad boy from the past is hosting a party in his parents’ exclusive downtown
hotel suite, it’s the perfect setting for whatever you want to happen—decadent or demure.

S and three A-named (if not A-listed) actresses at The Standard. And Waverly Inn. And Rose Bar. Do those girls ever get tired? D climbing into an ancient brown van double-parked on Broadway and Ninety-ninth, followed by his dad, V waving them both off from the curb. C heading to the Tribeca Star with four or five cowboys and several handles of vodka. And this in from Palm Beach: a glittering-green eyed boy who looks
mysteriously like the long-lost N, getting on a plane bound for JFK. Hellooooooo, sailor!

I admit it: I thought a certain Ivy League brunette might have forsaken her hometown for warmer climes. But after a change
in vacation plans left her temporarily stranded on the East Coast, B is back. She was last seen smoking Gauloises on the steps of the Met with a certain blond beauty who could only be S. And my sources say they were making New Year’s Eve plans. Just like old times! Now the big question is: Who will S and B be kissing at midnight?

q: Hey G,

An idea: You, me, and a bottle of Dom. We can watch the ball drop and create our own fireworks. Thoughts?

—mackdaddy

a: Dear Mack,

Unfortunately, I already have some more heavily populated parties to attend. But, hey, look on the bright side: More Dom for
you!

—GG

q: Dear Gossip Girl,

It’s the first time I’m going to see my ex since we both left for college. I have a new boyfriend now, but he’s not in town,
and I’m worried what will happen when it’s just me, my ex, and the countdown to New Year’s. What should I do?

—kissme

a: Dear K,

While I don’t condone cheating, as they say, should auld acquaintance be forgot. Which I interpret to mean that special pardons exist for that New Year’s Eve kiss. Good luck.

—GG