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。 “She’s a good hugger； too；”
Cyrus added； patting Serena on the hip。
Serena giggled； but she didn’t flinch。 She’d 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 pletely
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 you’re 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 parents—the Archibalds； the Coateses；
the Basses； and Mr。 Farkas—who each took turns kissing her and
weling her back。
Serena hugged them happily。 These people were home to her； and
she’d been gone a long time。 She could hardly wait for life to return
to the way it used to be。 She and Bl