Usually the doorman helps me out, but I guess he's asleep.” Nate pulled a wad of bills out of his pocket and gave some to the taxi driver. He put his finger to his lips and crept up to the front door of the building. Then he knocked loudly on the glass door. “Hello?” he shouted. “Oh, Nate,” Serena laughed. “You are so mean!” Roland snapped his eyes open and nearly fell off his chair. Then he opened the door for them, and Serena and Nate ran inside and rode the elevator up to Serena's apartment. Serena led the way to her room and sat down heavily on the bed. “Did you get my message?” she yawned at Nate, pulling off her boots. “I thought you'd come out tonight.” “I couldn't,” Nate said. He picked up the little glass ballerina perched on top of Serena's mahogany jewelry chest. She had the tiniest toes, like little pinpoints. He'd forgotten about her. “Well, it wasn't worth it anyway,” Serena sighed. She lay down on the bed. “I am so tired,” she said. She patted the bed next to her and slid over to give Nate room. “Come lie down and tell me a bedtime story?” Nate put the ballerina down and swallowed. Breathing in the scent of Serena's room with Serena in it made his heart hurt. He lay down next to her, their bodies touching. Nate put his arm around Serena and she kissed his cheek, snuggling in close. “I was just over at Blair's,” Nate said. But Serena didn't answer. She was breathing steadily. Maybe she was already asleep. Nate lay still, with his eyes open wide, his mind racing. He wondered if he and Blair were officially broken up now. He wondered if he kissed Serena right now, full on the lips and told her he loved her, how she'd respond. He wondered if he'd just gone ahead and had sex with Blair if everything would have been all right. Nate cast his eyes around the room, taking in all the familiar well-loved objects that he'd grown up seeing and forgotten all about. The kilt-wearing teddy bear from Scotland that sat aristocratically on Serena's little dressing table. The big mahogany armoire with its drawers half open and all her clothes spilling out of it. The little brown burn mark he'd made in ninth grade on the white canopy hanging from her bed. On the floor by the door was Serena's red velvet bag. The contents had spilled out of it. A blue pack of Gauloise cigarettes. A twenty-dollar bill. An Amex card. And a navy blue scarf with the letters C.B. stitched on it in gold. Why had she needed to borrow money from him when she had twenty dollars with her? Nate wondered. And what the hell was she doing with Chuck Bass's scarf? Nate turned over on his side and Serena moaned softly as her head rolled back on the pillow. He studied her critically. She was so beautiful and sexy and trusting, and so full of surprises. It was hard to believe she was actually for real. Serena reached up and put her arms around Nate's neck, pulling him toward her. “Come on,” she murmured, her eyes still closed. “Sleep with me.” Nate's whole body tensed. He didn't know if Serena meant just go to sleep or sleep with her, but he was definitely aroused. Any boy in his right mind would be, which is exactly what turned Nate off.There was something so careless about the way Serena had said it. Nate suddenly had no trouble imagining her doing the things he'd heard she'd done. With Serena, anything was possible. A glitter of silver caught his eye. It was the tiny silver box Serena kept on her bedside table, full of her baby teeth. Every time he came over, Nate used to open up the velvet-lined box to see if all the teeth were still there. But not this time. From the look of things, Serena wasn't the same little girl who'd lost all those teeth. Nate pulled away from her and stood up. He snatched up Chuck's scarf and tossed it on the bed, not noticing that it was streaked with vomit. And then, without even looking at Serena again, he left, slamming the door behind him. Chicken. At the sound of the door closing Serena opened her eyes and breathed in the scent of her own barf. Gagging, she threw the covers back and ran to the bathroom. She clutched the rim of her white porcelain sink and heaved into it, her sides hurting with the effort. Nothing came out. Serena turned on the shower as hot as it would go and pulled her clammy Pucci dress over her head, dropping it on the floor. All she needed was a good hot shower and a little exfoliant. Tomorrow she'd be good as new. Disclaimer: All the real names of places, people, and events have been altered or abbreviated to protect the innocent. Namely, me.hey people! THE VIRGIN ISSUE Can you believe N? He was thisclose to getting a nice slice of B pie, if you know what I mean. I guess we're supposed to admire his self-control, his ability to keep the old hot dog in the bun. But I bet B really wouldn't have minded too much if N had just kept his mouth shut and got on with it instead of getting all moral on her and telling her all about his time with S. I mean, who's B going to lose it to now?I was wrong about boys. I always thought they'd do anything to bag a virgin. I mean, I thought N would like the idea that B has never done it. But he doesn't seem to care about that at all. All it does is make having sex with her this huge thing that he can't deal with without smoking a big fattie and downing half a bottle of JD. So disappointing.Not that he was too quick to jump S's bones either, and we all know she's no virgin.Maybe N just has high moral standards.Ooh, that makes me like him even more. Your E-mail Hey gossip girl,i saw S go upstairs with some dude at the Tribeca Star. she was wasted. i was kind of tempted to knock on the door and see if there was a party going on or s/t, but i chickened out. i just wanted your advice. do you think she'd do me? i mean, she looks pretty easy.–Coop Dear Coop, If you're the type of guy who has to ask, then probably not. S may be a ho, but she has excellent taste. –GG SIGHTINGS Just one: N at the burrito place on Lexington, chatting up the cute girl behind the counter. She gave him extra guacamole for free. Yeah, I bet she did.You know you love me, westsiders go bonkers for barneys “Dan,” Jenny whispered, poking at her brother's chest. “Wake up.” Dan flung his hand over his eyes and kicked at his sheets. “Go away. It's Saturday,” he mumbled. “Please get up,” Jenny whined. She sat down on the bed, poking him repeatedly until he removed his arm to glare at her. “What's your problem?” Dan said. “Leave me alone.” “No,” Jenny insisted. “We have to go shopping.” “Right,” Dan said. He rolled over, turning his head toward the wall. “Please, Dan. I have to get a dress for the party on Friday and you have to help me. Dad gave me his credit card. He said you could get a tux, too.” Jenny giggled. “Since we're turning out to be the type of spoile............