crossed Broadway； squinting into the annihilating afternoon sunlight。 The cabbie？s rude； grating
voice lingered in her ears。 Did he sayman ？ Vanessa smiled smugly to herself。Well ； she thought；
picking up the pace；that？s what you get for having such a sleek； aerodynamic hairstyle。
Doesn？t she mean androgynous？
She？d gone downtown around noon to film some of Ruby？s East Village hangouts in the daylight；
but now； faced with the sweltering heat of the day； she was ready for a break。 She rubbed her
stubbly head with one hand as she waited for the light to change。
The Strand bookstore was half a block away； its carts of moldy discount books parked out front。
Vanessa wondered if Dan was working？she？d been avoiding him the last few days after the whole
romantic…gay…poetry incident； but maybe she？d just stop by and say hi。 She watched the little red
hand warning her to stay put。
College was just around the corner； and soon Dan？along with just about everyone else？would be
gone。 Well； Ruby would be around； but it wasn？t exactly the same between them anymore？now
that she spent every waking second with Piotr。 Vanessa couldn？t help feeling kind of 。 。 。 obsolete。
Maybe it had been a mistake to stay in the city； but she？d wanted to study film at NYU for as long
as she could remember； and now she finally had her chance。 Plus； she loved New York。 The
trouble was； it was going to be a whole different city without Dan。
The light was taking forever to change； and she could feel the sweat running down the insides of
her legs and into the black patent…leather platform Mary Janes on her feet。 As she shaded her eyes
from the glare； she suddenly noticed Dan across the street； standing near the carts of used books；
with Greg。
They were talking； and then Dan opened his arms and Greg stepped into them； squeezing tightly。
Even from where she was standing Vanessa could see that Dan？s eyes were closed as he hugged
Greg； his body totally relaxed in a way she hadn？t seen him in ages。 She？d seen them talking at
his ing…out party； but Dan had looked so unfortable it had been hard to believe they were
actually together。 Now it was more than obvious that they were a happy couple； totally in love。
Vanessa turned around and began walking quickly back down Broadway； pulling a pair of
vintage white sunglasses from her battered army bag to cover her eyes？which were rapidly filling
with tears。 The poem had been one thing？after all； Dan？s poems were always a little strange？but to
actually see him embrace another guy was something else？it wasreal 。 Had he always been gay？
How had she never known？
She wiped the tears from under the dark lenses and ran her hands over her head the way she
always did when she was upset。 As her fingers touched her prickly scalp； she stopped dead in her
tracks。 The most disastrous thought of all bubbled up in her brain； and before she could stop it； it
spilled out。 Did Dan only go out with her in the first place because of her shaved head？ Was it
possible that he only liked her hair because it made her look 。 。 。manly？
Vanessa suddenly felt like she was going to be sick all over the corner of Eleventh and Broadway。
Almost before she knew what she was doing； she grabbed her cell and began punching keys in
total panic。 She needed to feel feminine and sexy immediately； and there was only one person who
could really help her。
？Helllllooo？？ Blair？s voice sounded like it was trapped in a wind tunnel or something。
？Hey Blair？it？s Vanessa。？ There was a pause in which Vanessa could hear the sound of giggling
in the background； and then a loud whooshing noise。 ？I need 。 。 。 help。？ Vanessa took a deep breath；
wondering why the next words were so hard for her to say。 ？I need 。 。 。 a makeover；？ she blurted
out； putting her index finger in her mouth and gnawing violently on her nail。
？Actually； you？ve got perfect timing。 I？m at Warren
Trii getting extensions right this very minute？ Blair responded enthusiastically。 Vanessa
realized that the wind was the sound of hair…dryers in the background。 ？e on over
immediamente。？ Twenty minutes later Vanessa sat in a stylist？s chair next to Blair； watching as a
thin Frenchman named Louis with a pointy nose and sleek chin…length black hair threaded strands
of golden brown hair into Blair？s already thick mane。
？Iz like a buuuuutiffffful mermaaaaid；？ Louis told Blair； who looked back at him in the
gold…framed salon mirror approvingly。 ？Et pour ton ami？？Louis pointed at Vanessa with a long；
skinny finger？？vee vill make mageek！ I vill return！？ Vanessa looked around。 The spa looked like a
European palace； its dark oak floors covered with Persian carpets and walls with filigreed gold
mirrors。 The chair she sat in was plush burgundy velvet。 She crossed her legs unfortably；
placing her hands on her calves to hide their prickliness。 Light streamed in through the giant
plate…glass windows at the front； and a row of copper sinks and shampoo chairs lined the far wall。
The salon was filled with tanned； manicured； designer…clad ladies…who…lunch types； readingVogue
or leaning back with their eyes closed as stylists pampered them with head massages。 Places like
this always made Vanessa feel like she had three heads？all of them begging for a makeover。 Blair；
of course； looked right at home as she sat there； a stack of magazines on her lap； her tanned legs
crossed high on her thigh； barking orders to the assistants flitting around her。
？So whathappened ？？ she turned to Vanessa as soon as Louis walked away。
？I just need to look more like a girl。？ Vanessa mumbled； slouching in her chair。
？Well； obviously。？ Blair wrinkled her perfect little nose and gestured at Vanessa？s slumped form
with her perfectly pink fingernails。 ？Finally you realize youare a girl。？ Vanessa looked in the
mirror at her sweaty bald head and dusty black boots。 Then she looked over at Blair？s pletely
feminine form： her pink toes peeped out of a pair of light aqua espadrilles and gold bracelets
tinkled on her slender； graceful arm。 Vanessa sighed heavily； slumping down even further in her
chair。 She was absolutely hopeless。
？Iknow I？m a girl；？ she finally answered。 ？But I need to be a girl that？s more like 。 。 。？ She
gestured at Blair？s body。 ？More likeyou 。？ ？Done and done。？ Blair smiled。 She was starting to feel
more like herself again。 After Nate？s little announcement； she had e to the one place she knew
would make her feel better？the salon。 And it had worked； of course。 The only thing that had kept
her from losing her mind was Louis？s soothing murmur as he threaded new long locks into her
roots and told her how lucky she was to have such healthy； strong hair。 There was just something
totally calming about sitting in a stylist？s chair。 It was like Audrey Hepburn said about
Tiffany？nothing very bad could ever happen to you there。
Now that she had calmed down； Blair wanted to talk to Nate and make sure he didn？t do
anything stupid； like think they were broken up and throw himself off the Brooklyn Bridge or take
some poison to end his suffering？although to be honest