You Know You Love Me Read Free Page A

kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss! I know you werent expecting Serena, dear,
     Mrs. van der Woodsen whispered in a concerned, confidential tone. I hope its all right. Of
     course. Yes, its fine, Mrs. Waldorf said. Did you come home for the weekend, Serena?
    Serena van der Woodsen shook her head and handed her vintage
    Burberry coat to Esther, the maid. She pushed a stray blond hair behind her ear and smiled
     at her hostess. When Serena smiled, she used her eyesthose dark, almost navy blue eyes. It
     was the kind of smile you might try to imitate, posing in the bathroom mirror like an
     idiot. The magnetic, delicious, you cant stop looking at me, can you? smile supermodels
     spend years perfecting. Well, Serena smiled that way without even trying.
    No, Im here to Serena started to say. Serenas mother interrupted hastily. Serena has
     decided that boarding school is not for her, she announced, patting her hair casually, as
     if it were no big deal. She was the middle-aged version of utter coolness. The whole van
     der Woodsen family was like that. They were all tall, blond, thin, and super-poised, and
     they never did anythingplay tennis, hail a cab, eat spaghetti, go to the toiletwithout
     maintaining their cool. Serena especially. She was gifted with the kind of coolness that
     you cant acquire by buying the right handbag or the right pair of jeans. She was the girl
     every boy wants and every girl wants to be. Serena will be back at Constance tomorrow, Mr.
     van der Woodsen said, glancing at his daughter with steely blue eyes and an owl-like
     mixture of pride and disapproval that made him look scarier than he really was. Well,
     Serena. You look lovely, dear. Blair will be thrilled to see you, Blairs mother trilled.
     Youre one to talk, Serena said, hugging her. Look how skinny you are! And the house looks
     so fantastic. Wow. Youve got some awesome art! Mrs. Waldorf smiled, obviously pleased, and
     wrapped her arm around Serenas long, slender waist. Darling, Id like you to meet my
     special friend, Cyrus Rose, she said. Cyrus, this is Serena. Stunning, Cyrus Rose boomed.
     He kissed Serena on both cheeks, and hugged her a little too tightly. Shes a good hugger,
     too, Cyrus added, patting Serena on the hip. Serena giggled, but she didnt flinch. Shed
     spent a lot of time in Europe in the past two years, and she was used to being hugged by
     harmless, horny European gropers who found her completely irresistible. She was a full-on
     groper magnet. Serena and Blair are best, best, best friends, Eleanor Waldorf explained to
     Cyrus. But Serena went away to Hanover Academy in eleventh grade and spent this summer
     traveling. It was so hard for poor Blair with you gone this past year, Serena, Eleanor
     said, growing misty-eyed. Especially with the divorce. But youre back now. Blair will be
     so pleased.
    Where is she? Serena asked eagerly, her perfect, pale skin glowing pink with the prospect
     of seeing her old friend again. She stood on tip-toe and craned her head to look for
     Blair, but she soon found herself surrounded by parentsthe Archibalds, the Coateses, the
     Basses, and Mr. Farkaswho each took turns kissing her and welcoming her back.
    Serena hugged them happily. These people were home to her, and shed been gone a long time.
     She could hardly wait for life to return to the way it used to be. She and Blair would
     walk to school together, spend Double Photography in Sheep Meadow in Central Park, lying
     on their backs, taking pictures of pigeons and clouds, smoking and drinking Coke and
     feeling like hard-core artistes. They would have cocktails at the Star Lounge in the
     Tribeca Star Hotel again, which always turned into sleepover parties because they would
     get too drunk to get home, so theyd spend the night in the suite Chuck Basss family kept
     there. They would sit on Blairs four- poster bed and watch Audrey Hepburn movies, wearing
     vintage lingerie and drinking gin and lime