青帝小说

第13部分（第1页）

kitchen；　Googling　Hollis。　She’d　found　out　he　ran　track　in　high　school；　that　his　mom　was　a　sociology　and　gender　studies　professor　at　UCLA；　his　dad　was　a　pioneer　in　philanthropic　microlending　to　developing　countries；　and　that　he’d　won　several　film　contests　as　an　undergrad。　He’d　also　showed　up　in　a　couple　Tribeca　Film　Festival　party　photos；　above　the　caption　“The　Sexy　Side　of　Celluloid。”

She　couldn’t　stop　thinking　about　him。　She　wondered　what　his　bedroom　looked　like　and　if　he　had　a　girlfriend　and　what　he　was　doing　now。　And；　of　course；　what　he　thought　of　the　kiss。

The　kiss。

It　shouldn’t　have　happened。　Vanessa　knew　that。　She’d　immediately　broken　it　off　and　run　all　the　way　down　the　four　flights　of　stairs　and　hailed　a　cab。　It　wasn’t　until　she　was　halfway　home　that　she’d　realized　she’d　left　her　video　camera　at　his　apartment。　She’d　sent　him　a　quick　e…mail　asking　him　to　drop　it　off　at　the　Cantor　Film　Center；　where　she’d　pick　it　up　next　semester；　but　hadn’t　heard　anything　back。　Which　was　a　good　thing。　Maybe　Hollis　regretted　the　kiss　just　as　much　as　she　did。　After　all；　Dan　would　be　back　in　a　few　days—back　for　good。　They　were　about　to　start　a　new　life　together。　Entertaining　a　crush　on　her　former　TA　was　not　a　promising　start。

The　loud　screech　of　the　buzzer　yanked　Vanessa　out　of　her　reverie。　She　slid　off　the　steel　stool　and　ran　over　to　the　ancient　inter　system。

“Hello？”　she　asked　curiously。　Maybe　it　was　one　of　Rufus’s　Beat　poet　friends。　They　sometimes　stopped　by　without　warning。

“Vanessa？”　a　gravelly　voice　asked。　Hollis。　Fuck。　Why　had　he　e　here？　Was　he　stalking　her？

Asks　the　girl　who’s　spent　the　entire　afternoon　on　a　Googlefest。

“Hey；”　Vanessa　said。　She　tried　to　sound　casual；　but　it　came　out　more　like　a　bark。

“I　have　your　camera。　Buzz　me　up？”　Hollis　yelled　into　the　inter。　Vanessa　looked　around　in　panic。　The　general　level　of　cleanliness　of　the　Humphrey　apartment　always　hovered　somewhere　between　dusty　and　disastrous；　and　it　was　closer　to　the　disastrous　end　of　the　spectrum　today。　With　Rufus　and　Dan　away；　Vanessa　had　gotten　lazy。　There　were　half…empty　mugs　of　tea　everywhere；　her　clothes　created　a　messy　trail　from　the　living　room　to　the　bedroom；　and　she　was　in　her　pj’s；　a　cut…up　black　sweatshirt　and　boy　shorts。

She　quickly　ran　into　the　bathroom　and　bed　her　fingers　through　her　short　black　hair。　Right　now；　the　back　was　misbehaving；　turning　up　in　a　little　ducktail　no　matter　how　many　times　she　smoothed　it　down。　She　frowned　as　she　noticed　a　deodorant　stain　on　the　outside　edge　of　her　sweatshirt。　She　hurriedly　threw　the　sweatshirt　on　the　floor　and　ran　into　her　bedroom。　She　rifled　through　the　dresser　drawer　and　picked　out　a　gray　long…sleeve　thermal　T…shirt　and　an　old　Marc　by　Marc　Jacobs　jean　skirt　she’d　co…opted　from　Blair　Waldorf　during　the　few　weeks　they’d　been　roommates　the　year　before。　She　just　finished　buttoning　the　skirt　when　she　heard　a　knock　on　the　door。

She　swung　open　the　door　and　stood　in　the　entrance。　Hollis　wore　a　messenger　cap　and　square　Prada　glasses。　His　gray　eyes　looked　slightly　tired；　like　he　hadn’t　gotten　a　good　night’s　sleep　in　a　few　days。

Vanessa　grinned　firmly；　but　kept　her　body　wedged　in　the　doorframe。　It　probably　wasn’t　a　good　idea　to　let　him　inside。

“Ever　heard　of　e…mail？”　she　challenged；　crossing　her　arms　over　her　chest。　In　her　haste　to　get　ready；　she　hadn’t　put　on　a　bra；　and　hoped　it　wasn’t　obvious。

Hollis　grinned。　Vanessa　tore　her　eyes　away　from　his　broad；　easy　smile。　“Hey　yourself；　Cinderella。”

“Sorry　about　that；”　Vanessa　apologized。　It　must　have　seemed　pretty　weird　when　she’d　run　away　at　the　stroke　of　midnight。

Hollis　gently　brushed　past　her　and　into　the　apartment；　surveying　the　surroundings。　A　large　abstract　charcoal　portrait　Jenny　had　done　of　Dan　and　Rufus　hung　above　the　lumpy；　mustard…yellow　couch。　“So；　this　is　your　place。”　The　way　Hollis　said　it；　she　couldn’t　tell　if　he　was　making　fun　of　her。

“Sort　of；”　Vanessa　said　defensively。　“I　mean；　I　live　with　my　friend’s　family。”

Doesn’t　she　mean　boyfriend’s　family？

“For　some　reason　I　always　thought　you　were　a　Williamsburg　girl。”　Hollis　shrugged　off　his　coat　and　hung　it　over　the　back　of　one　of　the　rickety　wooden　chairs　in　the　kitchen。　He　walked　over　to　the　floor…to…ceiling　bookshelf　in　the　corner　and　squinted　at　the　book　spines。

“Um；　I　used　to　live　in　Brooklyn；”　Vanessa　said　nervously。　What　was　her　problem？　Even　Jenny　at　her　most　awkward　would　have　had　more　poise。　“Anyway；　do　you　want　something　to　eat？”　she　asked　lamely。　She　needed　something　to　do　besides　stare　at　Hollis。

She　opened　the　fridge。　There　was　a　half…eaten　tub　of　hummus　that　had　turned　an　odd　green　color；　a　coagulation　of　some　sort　of　stew；　three　cans　of　a　strange　red　Bavarian　beer　Rufus　liked；　and　a　mysterious　protein　shake。　“Scratch　that！”　Vanessa　hastily　slammed　the　door　shut。　“Do　you　want　to　go　out　and　get　a　drink？　Or　a　snack？　The　diner　on　the　corner　has　really　good　cheese　fries；”　she　babbled。

“I　hope　you　don’t　mind；　but　I　watched　the　footage　on　your　camera；”　Hollis　said；　ignoring　her　nervous　chatter。　“It’s　really　fucking　good；　Abrams。”

Vanessa　blinked　in　confusion。　Hollis　sounded　like　her　TA　again。　Had　the　kiss　even　happened？

“Can　we　watch　it　together？　I’d　love　to　talk　to　you　about　it；”　he　prodded。

“Sure。　Sorry　it’s　a　mess。”　Vanessa　pushed　open　the　door　to　Dan’s　room　and　kicked　a　pile　of　dirty　laundry　away。　She　awkwardly　stuck　her　hands　in　the　pockets　of　her　skirt。　Dan’s　bags　from　Evergreen　were　stacked　against　the　wall；　and　the　bed　hadn’t　been　made。　She　knew　she　should　feel　weird　about　having　Hollis　in　the　apartment；　but　it　was　really　hard　to　think　about　Dan　when　she　could　sense　Hollis’s　eyes　on　her；　watching　her　every　move。

“I　like　it　here。　You　saw　my　apartment；　and　that　was　before　plete　party　carnage。　I’m　twenty…five　and　I　live　in　a　shithole。”　Hollis　busied　himself　with　attaching　the　camera　cables　to　the　puter；　then　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed　expectantly。　He　took　off　his　hat　and　ran　a　hand　through　his　thick　jet…black　hair。

“Okay；”　Vanessa　muttered；　pressing　play。　She　took　a　seat　on　the　floor；　as　far　away　from　Hollis　as　possible。　The　screen　sprang　to　life；　panning　out　from　a　MetroCard　stuck　to　the　floor　of　the　subway　car　to　a　homeless　man　on　the　plastic　orange　seats；　surrounded　by　all　of　his　belongings；　peacefully　reading　a　book。

Next；　the　camera　zoomed　wildly；　capturing　the　faces　of　people　as　they　were　rushing　to　the　subway。　Hollis　sat　up。　“This　is　my　favorite　part。”