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第13部分（第4页）

That　was　the　thing　about　making　a　new　friend？you　were　never　quite　sure　if　you　totallyknew　them

or　not。

？Did　you　paint　that？？　Elise　asked；　pointing　to　the　oil　portrait　Jenny　had　painted　of　her　father；

which　was　hanging　over　the　mantel。　Rufus　was　wearing　a　white　V…neck　undershirt　with　cigarette

burns　in　it；　and　he　hadn？t　shaved　in　days。　His　wiry　gray　hair　stuck　out　in　all　directions；　and　his

hazel　eyes　were　wild　with　caffeine…induced　excitement　and　from　doing　too　much　acid　in　the

sixties。　It　was　a　pretty　accurate　portrait。

？Yup。？　Jenny　wound　more　noodles　around　her　chopsticks。　She　hadn？t　painted　anything　since　the

portraits　she？d　done　of　Nate　in　December。　She？d　painted　his　face　in　every　style　she？d　studied。

There　was　Picasso　Nate；　Monet　Nate；　Dali　Nate；　Warhol　Nate；　and　Pollock　Nate。　But　when　Nate

had　broken　her　heart；　she？d　burned　them　all　in　a　metal　trash　can　out　on　West　Ninety…ninth　Street。

It　had　been　a　moment　of　catharsis？their　love　turned　to　ashes。　Actually；　now　that　she　thought　about

it；　she　should　have　saved　the　ashes　and　made　something　with　them？a　self…portrait　or　a　calming

seascape？but　it　was　too　late　now。

Elise　reached　for　yet　another　dumpling。　？Will　you　paint　me？？　she　asked。

Jenny　glanced　out　the　smudged　living　room　window。　The　snow　was　so　thick；　it　looked　like

someone　was　exploding　giant　down　pillows　in　the　sky。　？Sure；？　she　said；　standing　up　to　get　her

paints。　It　wasn？t　like　she　had　anything　better　to　do。

？Cool！？　Elise　tossed　the　remains　of　the　dumpling　back　into　the　container　and　unbuttoned　her

too…tight　Seven　jeans。　Then　she　pulled　her　pink　Gap　turtleneck　over　her　head；　taking　her　pull…on

crop…top　bra　with　it。　When　Jenny　returned　with　a　clean　white　canvas　and　her　palette　of　oils；　Elise

was　sprawled　out　on　the　couch；　her　wiry　blonde　hair　dusting　her　freckled　shoulders；　pletely

naked。

？What　are　you　doing？？　Jenny　demanded；　mystified。

Elise　stretched　her　arms　over　her　head　and　settled　her　head　back　against　the　throw　pillows。　？I？ve

always　wanted　to　pose　nude；？　she　said。　？You　know；　like　that　scene　in　the　movieTitanic　。？

Jenny　sat　down　cross…legged　on　the　floor　opposite　her　and　wetted　her　brush。　？Whatever；？　she

remarked；　frowning　at　her　eager；　voluptuous　subject。

Maybe　her　new　friend　was　less　insecure　than　she？d　first　thought。　And　a　lot　crazier；　too。

some　like　it　hot

Blair　sat　at　a　corner　table　in　the　downstairs　bar　of　Red；　the　new　cozily　romantic　Perry　Street

boutique　hotel；　drinking　Absolut　and　tonic　and　trying　not　to　watch　the　coverage　of　Fashion　Week

on　the　Metro　Channel。　It　seemed　like　every　time　she　looked　up　they　were　showing　the　same　clip

of　Serena　prancing　around　the　runway　at　the　Les　Best　show　wearing　her　school　uniform