Chapter 23

Serena picked up a clear glass bottle of Clarins bath gel from the edge and examined it. Aqua was the first ingredient. Didn't that mean water? She wondered. Why didn't they just say so? She put the bottle down again. "That's okay. Blair's stepbrother is here. And Dan Humphrey. I didn't think the no-boys policy would work." Nate's eyes hadn't left her face. Tiny beads¹ of water studded her blond²-tipped eyelashes. God, she was pretty. He'd come here looking for Blair, but Serena was right there in front of him, wearing only a towel. "I've decided³ to go to Yale next year," Serena blurted⁴ out, brushing the damp tendrils of blond hair away from her face. "I haven't told Blair yet because I don't want her to be mad in case she doesn't get in. But that's where I've decided to go." Nate nodded. It was funny how Serena's face and even her voice were sort of delicate but her body wasn't delicate at all. It was long and sinewy⁵ and strong, like a marathon runner's. "I'm going there too," he told her giddily, his voice cracking. "I already sent them my deposit⁶." Serena grinned. "We're both going to Yale!" Nate leaned forward and clasped⁷ the top of her bare, damp arms in his hands. He pressed his nose into her long, fair hair. She smelled sweet and warm, like summer. "Mmm," he murmured, and kissed her soft, warm neck, tasting the signature patchouli-scented essential oil mixture she always wore. Hello? Wrong-girl alert⁸! Serena grinned as his lips, traveled up her neck to her lips. "What are you doing?" she murmured without pushing him away. It had been awhile since she'd been kissed, and it felt nice. Of course it was kind of wrong, but it wasn't like she and Nate hadn't kissed before,a dn somehow knowing that they ere going to be together next year made it sem okay. She closed her eyes and gave herself up to the kiss. Her towel fell away, and somehow Nate's damp gray t-shirt seem to fall away too. It was the end of the year, graduation was fast approaching- there was nothing wrong with a little celebratory hookup between two best friends. Yeah, but what about their other best friend?

1 beads   

n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链

参考例句：

• a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
• Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。

2 blond   

adj.金发的；n.白肤碧眼金发的人

参考例句：

• Her long blond hair spilled down over her shoulders.她那淡黄色的长发披垂在双肩。
• This blond man delivers newspaper every morning.这个白肤金发碧眼的男人每天早晨送报纸。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 blurted   

v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She blurted it out before I could stop her. 我还没来得及制止，她已脱口而出。
• He blurted out the truth, that he committed the crime. 他不慎说出了真相，说是他犯了那个罪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 sinewy   

adj.多腱的，强壮有力的

参考例句：

• When muscles are exercised often and properly,they keep the arms firm and sinewy.如果能经常正确地锻炼肌肉的话，双臂就会一直结实而强健。
• His hard hands and sinewy sunburned limbs told of labor and endurance.他粗糙的双手，被太阳哂得发黑的健壮四肢,均表明他十分辛勤，非常耐劳。

6 deposit   

n.定金，存款，矿藏；vt.使沉淀，寄存，储蓄

参考例句：

• There is too much deposit in a bottle of wine.酒瓶里有太多的沉淀物。
• The hotel requires a deposit for all advance bookings.旅馆规定凡预订房间都要先付订金。

7 clasped   

抱紧( clasp的过去式和过去分词 )； 紧紧拥抱； 握紧； 攥紧

参考例句：

• He leaned forward, his hands clasped tightly together. 他俯身向前，双手十字交错地紧握着。
• The child clasped the doll tightly. 小孩紧抱着洋娃娃。

8 alert   

adj.机警的，活泼的，机灵的；vt.使...警觉

参考例句：

• Drivers must be on the alert for traffic signals.驾驶员必须密切注意交通信号。
• The rabbIt'seems to be very alert all its life.兔子似乎一生都小心翼翼，十分警觉。