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Prada　in　Milan　or　Burberry　in　London？　

Now　her　summer　was　more　defined。　She　would　shop；　get　engaged；　and　then　shop　some　more。　

？I　can？t　bear　to　think　this　is　our　last　night　together；？　Marcus　lamented；　kissing　her　behind　the　
ear。　？It　would　do　my　heart　good　to　know　you？re　going　to　e　over　in　a　couple　of　weeks。？　

Blair　would　have　closed　her　eyes　and　kissed　him　and　then　whispered　something　about　how　she　
really；　really　needed　to　lie　down　so　would　he　please　walk　her　to　her　suite　so　she　could　rip　his　
clothes　off　and　they　could　consummate　their　marriage　a　little　early；　but　then　Serena　and　Nate　
wandered　into　the　party　behind　a　group　of　L？？cole　girls　who　were　all　smoking　Gauloises　and　
wearing　crocheted　Marni　halter　tops　and　gold　Gucci　toe…ring　sandals　because　that　French　model；　
Pru；　had　just　worn　a　crocheted　Marni　halter　top　and　gold　Gucci　toe…ring　sandals　on　the　cover　of　
the　June　issue　of　FrenchVogue　。　Serena　had　changed　her　outfit？luckily。　Otherwise　Blair　would　
have　broken　her　perfect；　aristocratic　nose。　

？I　thought　you　told　me　they　broke　up；？　Tina　Ford；　who？d　just　graduated　from　Seaton　Arms；　
mented　to　Isabel　Coates。　She　bit　into　an　Absolut　Citron？soaked　ice　cube。　？Isn？t　that　why　they　
both　missed　graduation？？　

？I　heard　they　were　never　really　together；？　Kati　Farkas　trilled　in　reply；　even　though　Tina　wasn？t　
even　talking　to　her。　？Nate？s　gay。　He　came　out　last　week。　And　he？s　in　so　much　trouble。　His　parents　
are　disowning　him。　They？re　not　even　going　to　pay　for　Yale。？　

？So　why　is　Serena　still　pretending　to　go　out　with　him？？　Isabel　demanded；　lifting　up　her　ripped　
red　T…shirt　and　exposing　her　tummy　just　to　give　that　innocent…looking　Catholic　school　boy　Chuck　
had　brought　with　him　a　little　thrill。　

The　other　girls　rolled　their　eyes。　？Oh；　you　know　how　she　is。　She　always　has　to　be　sonice　to　
everybody；？　Rain　plained。　？Nate？s　dad　probably；　like；hired　her　to　flirt　with　Nate　so　he　
wouldn？t　be　gay　anymore！？　

Actually；　that　does　sound　like　something　Captain　Archibald　would　do。　

As　they？d　filed　out　of　Brick　Church；　and　in　the　seconds　before　their　families　caught　up　with　them；　
Serena　had　tried　to　explain　to　Blair　why　she？d　almost　missed　graduation；　while　Blair　had　
pretended　not　to　listen。　Obviously　Serena？s　secondBreakfast　at　Fred？s　audition　was　way　more　
important　than　listening　to　Blair？s　speech　or　getting　her　diploma。　At　least　Blair　had　the　satisfaction　
of　knowing　that　Serena　would　never　get　the　part。　She　was　way　too　tall；　too　blond；　and　too　
blue…eyed？totally　wrong　for　it。　


？I　got　the　part！？　Serena　screamed　at　the　top　of　her　lungs；　so　excited；　she　didn？t　care　who　was　
listening。　She　grabbed　Nate　and　squeezed　him　with　her　long；　perfectly　toned　arms。　？Ken　Mogul　
just　called。　I　got　the　part！？　

Blair　nearly　fell　off　Lord　Marcus？s　knee。　She？d　already　been　hating　Serena　all　over　again　for　
missing　her　graduation　speech　and　for　wearing　the　exact　same　Oscar　de　la　Renta　suit　she　had。　And　
of　course　she　still　secretly　hated　her　for　being　with　Nate。　It　hadn？t　seemed　possible　to　hate　her　any　
more？until　now。　But　Blair　had　already　started　talking　to　Serena　again？she？d　even　taken　Serena？s　
chemistry　exam　for　her；　for　Christ？s　sake；　so　now　she　was　stuck　with　the　awkward　choice　of　
suddenly　acting　like　a　bitch　for　no　reason　in　front　of　Lord　Marcus；　or　being　pletely　fake　and　
pretending　to　be　nice　so　Lord　Marcus　wouldn？t　think　she　was　a　bitch　and　change　his　mind　about　
wanting　to　marry　her。　

As　if　he　hadn？t　already　noticed　her　bitchy　side。　

Nate　stood　next　to　Serena　like　a　hired　piece　of　celebrity　arm　candy。　He　rubbed　his　eyes　and　
smiled　at　Blair　and　Marcus　blearily；　and　for　the　first　time　in　a　long　time；　Blair　wondered　what　
she？d　ever　seen　in　him。　No　matter　how　often　they　broke　up；　her　happily…ever…after　fantasies　had　
always　featured　Nate；　but　now　they　had　a　new　and　improved　co…star。　She　leaned　back　against　
Marcus？s　chest；　making　it　very　clear　that　she　was　supremely　fortable　on　his　lap　and　totally　
unruffled　by　Serena？s　news。　Her　perfectly　tailored　suit　was　a　little　warm　in　the　stuffy　room；　but　it　
looked　so　good　on　her；　she　didn？t　care。　

All　of　a　sudden；　another　good…looking　but　shorter　couple　stepped　around　Nate　and　Serena　and　
gazed　tensely　around　the　room；　as　if　they　were　worried　someone　might　yell　at　them　for　crashing　
the　party。　Blair　sat　up　and　unbuttoned　her　Oscar　de　la　Renta　suit　jacket；　flinging　it　onto　the　floor　in　
disgust。　The　male　part　of　the　new　couple　was　her　twelve…year…old　brother　Tyler；　attempting　to　look　
like　a　rock　star　by　wearing　a　vintage　Armani　tuxedo　jacket　over　a　ripped　black　AC/DC　T…shirt。　The　
dimple…cheeked；　waiflike　girl　on　his　arm　was　wearing　the　same　fucking　white　Oscar　de　la　Renta　
suit　Blair　was。　She　was　even　wearing　the　same　fucking　Manolo　Blahnik　shoes　as　Blair。　Her　
fucking　hair　was　the　same　color　as　Blair？s；　and　it　was　cut　in　a　short　layered　bob；　just　like　Blair？s。　
Blair　squinted。　She　had　never　seen　this　fucking　girl　in　her　life；　but　if　she　wasn？t　mistaken；　she　was　
also　wearing　Chanel？s　fucking　Stroppy　lip　gloss；　Blair？s　fucking　favorite。　

　Growl。　

Blair　hitched　up　the　straps　on　her　totally　see…though　cream…colored　Cosabella　camisole。　If　it　
hadn？t　been　for　Lord　Marcus；　she？d　have　grabbed　the　girl　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck　and　thrown　her　
out　on　the　street。　

？Hey；　sis；？　Tyler　greeted　her　in　a　fake　stoner　voice；　puffing　up　his　shoulders　in　an　attempt　to　look　
bigger。　？This　is　Jasmine。　Jazz；　this　is　my　sister；　Blair。？　


？Cool；？　Blair？s　apple…cheeked　clone　responded　casually。　Like　she　hadn？t　just　spent　all　day　trying　
to　dress　exactly　like　Blair。　

Blair　wrinkled　up　her　pert　little　nose。　？I　got　the　part！？　she　heard　Serena　scream　from　the　other　
side　of　the　room；　for　what　seemed　like　the　thousandth　fucking　time。　She　picked　up　her　cigarette　
holder；　waiting　for　Marcus　to　give　her　a　light。　？How　do　you　do？？　she　replied　in　her　best　
gracious…under…pressure　Audrey　Hepburn　imitation；　blowing　smoke　over　her　brother？s　and　his　
stupid　little　girlfriend？s　heads。　

Serena　may　well　have　gotten　the　part；　but　Blairlived　it；　every　day。　

Nothing　can　keep　us　together　

It　was　almost　surreal　how　graduation　changed　everything　and　everybody。　The　party　was　like　
being　at　a　reunion；　except　that　they？d　only　just　graduated　that　morning。　Some　of　the　girls　were　
still　wearing　their　white　graduation　dresses　with　rubber　flip…flops　and　their　hair　all　undone；　
looking　like　runaway　brides。　The　boys　had　rolled　the　cuffs　up　on　their　neatly　pressed　khakis；　and　
their　school　ties　hung　askew　on　their　bare；　sun…kissed　chests；　so　that　they　resembled　models　in　a　
Ralph　Lauren　menswear　campaign；　dressed　up　for　cocktails　but　sitting　on　a　dock　with　their　feet　
dangling　in　a　lake　as　if　they？d　rather　drink　beers　together　than　go　back　inside　to　the　stuffy　cocktail　
party。　

Serena　thought　of　herself　as　an　emotional　person。　The　fashion　designer　Les　Best　had　even　named　
a　perfume　Serena？s　Tears　when　he？d　caught　her　weeping　in　the　snow　at　a　photo　shoot　in　Central　
Park。　She？d　always　thought　she？d　be　a　basket　case　during　graduation。　After　all；　she？d　grown　up　
with　these　people；　shared　the　same　ups　and　downs；　suffered　the　same　disappointments　and　
triumphs。　But　here　she　was；　nothing　short　of　ecstatic。　Even　Nate？s　mopey；　distracted　disposition　
couldn？t　bring　her　down；　becauseshe？d　gotten　the　part！　

Yes；　we　heard　her　the　first　time。　

In　his　usual　pretentious；　oddball　manner；　Ken　Mogul　hadn？t　even　watched　her　second　audition。　
He？d　kept　his　back　turned；　trying　to　ascertain　whether　she　radiated　the　right　energy　for　the　part。　
When　she　finished　delivering　her　lines；　he　didn？t　turn　around；　just　held　up　his　hand　and　
said；　？Thank　you。？　

The　second　audition　had　taken　place　in　an　old　warehouse　in　the　Meatpacking　District；　on　the　
opposite　end　of　Manhattan　from　Brick　Church。　Serena　was　already　dressed　for　graduation；　and　
she？d　promised　to　pay　her　taxi　driver　handsomely　if　he　waited　for　her　outside。　Within　seconds；　she　
was　hurtling　east　on　Fourteenth　Street；　praying　that　Mrs。　M　wouldn？t　make　her　repeat　her　senior　
year　and　realizing　too　late　that　she？d　left　her　shoes　behind。　


After　graduation；　over　lunch　at　Tavern　on　the　Green；　her　mom　had　been　more　miffed　over　the　
missing　white　Jimmy　Choos　than　the　fact　that　Serena　had　nearly　skipped　the　ceremony。　？What　
kind　of　girl　goes　around　barefoot？？　Mrs。　van　der　Woodsen　wanted　to　know。　Then　Ken　Mogul　had　
called　Serena？s　cell。　

？I　don？t　like　tans　or　freckles；　so　please；　try　and　stay　out　of　the　sun。　We　start　shooting　at　Fred？s　
next　month；？　he　announced　gruffly。　Serena　just　sat　there　with　the　phone　pressed　against　her　ear；　
trying　to　figure　out　what　he　was　talking　about。　Then　she　realized：I　got　the　part。　I　got　the　part！　

Hello？　Can　we　change　the　subject　now　please？　

Her　parents　considered　acting　in　movies　somewhat　d？class？；　but　less　than　nine　months　after　
getting　kicked　out　of　boarding　school；　Serena　had　been　accepted　at　Yale；　Harvard；　Brown；　and　
Princeton　and　was　about　to　star　in　a　remake　ofBreakfast　at　Tiffany？s　：　They　could　hardly　
plain。　

I　got　the　part；　I　got　the　part！Serena　kept　screaming　to　herself。　Her　first　real　part　in　her　first　real　
movie。　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　she　realized　that　this　was　something　she　reallywanted　。　And　it　
hadn？t　just　happened。　She？dmade　it　happen。　Good　thing　she　was　now　at　a　party；　because　there　was　
an　excited　little　girl　on　a　trampoline　inside　her；　bouncing　and　bouncing　and　bouncing。　

Boing！　

？I　heard　she　and　Ken　Mogul　went　on　a　drug　binge　last　night　and　she　totally　talked　him　into　
giving　her　the　lead　in　his　movie。　He　was　all　set　to　skew　it　older　and　cast　Natalie　Portman；　but　
Serena　brainwashed　him；？　someone　whispered。　

？She　even　tried　to　get　him　to　cast　Nate　as　her　costar；　but　he？s　always　so　baked；　he　forgot　his　lines　
during　his　tryout；？　whispered　someone　else。　

？And　didn？t　you　hear？　Nate　totally　didn？t　graduate。　He　got　busted　for　stealing　painkillers　from　
the　nurse？s　office　at　his　school；　and　now　he　has　to　go　to　some　drug　rehab　prison　thing　in　thebad　
part　of　the　Hamptons；　like；all　summer　；？　Rain　Hoffstetter　informed　all　who　would　listen。　She？d　
hooked　up　with　Charlie　Dern　when　their　parents　had　parked　next　to　each　other　at　a　drive…in　movie　
theater　out　on　the　Cape　last　weekend。　They？d　been　talking　on　the　phone　every　night　since；　so　she　
was　very　up…to…date　on　her　Nate　information。　

Nate　was　grateful　for　his　role　as　Serena？s　mute　piece　of　arm　candy。　He　felt　like　he？d　been　
encased　in　six　inches　of　clear　plastic。　Everyone？s　voice　sounded　muffled　and　distant。　It　didn？t　
help　that　Blair　looked　radiant　on　Marcus？s　knee；　or　that　Serena　clearly　didn？t　need　a　boyfriend　
right　now；　or　that　he　was　incredibly　stoned。　

？Blair？！　Did　you　hear？　I　got　the　part！？　Serena　threw　herself　at　Blair　and　Lord　Marcus；　dragging　


Nate　along　with　her。　She　squeezed　Blair？s　shoulders　exuberantly。　？You？re　not　mad；　are　you？？　

Me；　mad？Blair　smiled　tensely；　still　intent　on　impressing　Marcus　with　her　sweet；　forgiving　nature。

　Ha！　

？You？re　such　an　excellent　actress；？　she　finally　told　her　ex…friend　politely。　？You　totally　deserve　
it。？　

Serena？s　ear…to…ear　smile　faded　slightly。　She　knew　Blair　too　well　not　to　be　able　to　gauge　that　she　
was　less　than　pleased　and　more　than　pissed。　Blair　was　plicated：　It　was　best　to　flee　when　she　
was　acting　volatile。　？Is　Vanessa　around？　I　can？t　wait　to　tell　her？I？m　totally　talking　to　Ken　Mogul　
about　hiring　her　to　film　the　movie！？　

Her　face　resolutely　blank；　Blair　pointed　to　where　Vanessa　was　sitting　in　the　corner　with　her　own　
personal　bottle　of　Stoli；　happily　signing　the　yearbooks　of　all　the　nonseniors　at　the　party　who　
thought　she　was　beyond　cool。　

？Vanessa　Marigold　Abrams！？　Serena　cried　and　dashed　across　the　room；　leaving　Nate　behind。　

Nate　stood　in　front　of　Blair　and　Lord　Marcus　all　cuddled　up　in　their　wing…back　chair；　his　hands　in　
his　pockets；　feeling　like　a　jerk。　

？How？s　it　feel？？　Lord　Marcus　asked；　reaching　up　to　shake　Nate？s　hand。　

Nate　didn？t　know　who　knew　about　his　graduation　predicament；　and　he　didn？t　much　want　to　talk　
about　it。　？I？m　just　glad　it？s　over；？　he　mumbled。　Lord　Marcus　looked　bigger　than　he　remembered；　
and　even　though　he　was　a　guy；　Nate