been surprised if Vanessa kicked her out before she'd even unpacked her Louis Vuitton suitcases。
〃We could have a diner party。〃 Vanessa mused。 She walked over to the oval…shaped birch dining
table and readjusted the six funky birch swivel chairs surrounding it。 〃Except I don't have anyone
to invite。〃
Nobody did a party better than Blair Waldorf。 Even if it was just a chic little bohemian Brooklyn
dinner party。
Blair whipped out her cell phone out of her James jeans pocket and speed dialed Serena's number。
〃Unless you and that rock star are； like； in bed already； wanna e to dinner at my new place？〃
〃I'm already on my way over；〃 Serena told her。 〃Sorry to disappoint you； though… I'm on my own。〃
Then Blair called Stan 5。 〃What took you so long？〃 he wanted to know。
And she called her stepbrother Aaron。 〃What are you cooking？〃 he asked suspiciously。 〃Should I
bring over some tempeh？〃
Blair hadn't exactly worked out the food part。 〃We can order from Nobu。〃 She put her hand over
the mouth piece。 〃Do they even have Nobu in Brooklyn？〃
Vanessa waved a pizza menu in her face； and Blair saw that there was something called the
Cheeseless Paradise Pie under vegetarian selections。 〃Don't worry；〃 she told her stepbrother。 〃I got
you covered。〃
〃So what's Vanessa like exactly？〃 Aaron asked curiously。
Blair grinned devilishly。 〃That's for me to know and you to find out。〃
EVEN FRENCH GIRLS GET DISSED
〃Allo？〃 Lexie's distinct French… accented English rang out over Nate's inter。 〃Mayee I pleeze
e up？〃
Locked in his room all week with a bong； playing Grand Theft Auto San Andreas on his Xbox；
Nate hadn't received any visitors except Jeremy； Anthony； and Charlie； who stopped by every now
and then to replenish his stash and fill him in on what was going on at school。 His wing of the
house smelled like half…eaten burritos； spilled bong water； and pizza flavored Pepperridge Farm
goldfish… not that there was anyone around to smell it。 After grounding him； his parents had taken
the Charlotte up the Hudson to visit friends in Kingston and to ensure that Nate didn't steal the
boat again before their benefit cruise。 If only he hadn't messed things up with Blair； they'd have
had the whole house to themselves and could have had sex on top the grand piano in the living
room if they'd wanted。
Oh； well。
〃I'm sick；〃 he lied into the inter。 〃It's really contagious。 I've missed a whole week of school。〃
〃It's okay； I'm sick too！〃 Lexie responded brightly。 She coughed to demonstrate just how sick she
really was。 〃We can share our germs！〃
What fun！
Nate had just heisted a Hummer； but when Lexie buzzed he'd gotten distracted and the cops had
gone right up his ass。 He kicked the Xbox controls across the room and licked his bong…chapped
lips。 His mouth felt like it was coated with pot…flavored road tar； and he hadn't changed his shirt in
how many days。
〃I smell；〃 he confided into the speaker。 〃Seriously； It's bad。〃
〃We'll 'av a bath；〃 Lexie told him gaily。 〃Buzz me in。 I'll give you a mah…ssage； bay…bee；〃 she
added； sounding even more French than she'd sounded only a moment ago。
Nate could tell she wasn't going to give up； and it wasn't like Blair wasn't cheating on him right
then too。 Besides； Lexie was hot and obviously desperate for it； and he was seriously bored。
〃Okay；〃 he replied slowly； about to press the buzzer to let her in。
〃Oh； I love you！〃 Lexie cried into the inter。
Nate blinked slowly。 Did she say love？ He let his hand drop。 Girls… all they ever seemed to do was
fall in love with him and get him into trouble。 Blair； Serena； Jennifer； Georgie； and now this horny；
fake…accented； hippie French chick； Lexie。
Wait； is this like； another ephiphany？
The thing was； he was about to graduate and go off to Yale。 He wanted to hang out with the girls
he'd grown up with and always known and loved。 Not some new chick。
Especially not one who didn't even speak the same language。
〃Look； I'm grounded；〃 he said firmly。 〃Go home。〃
〃Mais non！〃 Lexie wailed； starting to cry。
Mais oui。
WILL S OWN UP OR CHICKEN OUT？
The door to Vanessa and Blair's apartment stood open。 Serena stepped inside； her freshly glossed
mouth agape at how changed it was since Vanessa's birthday party。 Only a few weeks ago there
had been black sheets hanging in the windows and plaster crumbling onto the barely furnished
floors。 Now it was freshly painted and filled with cool modern furniture。 Lemongrass…scented
candles burned on the coffee table； and cool black…and…white toile curtains billowed from the open
windows in the living room。
〃Whoa；〃 she gasped。
〃I know；〃 Vanessa called over from the open kitchen where she was busy filing little ceramic
bowls with Greek olives； baby carrots； and tamari…roasted almonds so their guests would have
something to munch on before the pizza arrived。 〃Can you believe it？〃 she trust her pale leg into
the air and waggled her foot so Serena could see that she'd borrowed Blair's wedge…soled black
patent leather Sigerson Morrison Mary Janes。 〃Like my shoes？〃
Blair padded barefoot out of the bedroom with an empty tumbler of ice in her hand； looking very
Williamsburg in a tight black T…shirt； a short black Seven jeans skirt； and mod silvery pink lipstick。
She kissed Serena's cheek。 〃Isn't it great？〃 she asked。 Looking genuinely thrilled。
While her cab idled in traffic on the Williamsburg bridge on the ride over； Serena had geared
herself up to tell Blair that she'd decided to go to Yale next year。 But now that they were
face…to…face； she could feel herself chickening out。
She dipped her hand into Blair's glass and stole a vodka tonic…soaked ice cube。 〃I hope you took
before and after pictures。〃
Don't worry。〃 Vanessa stomped out of the kitchen in Blair's shoes and handed Serena a vodka tonic
of her own。 〃I even got the painters' butt cracks。〃
Of course she did。
The three girls sat down on Ruby's old futon sofa； which had been refurbished with a new birch
frame and a new gray faux…suede cover。
〃So what happened with Damian？〃 Blair wanted to know。 〃I thought we were going to be reading
about you guys in the paper tomorrow。〃
Serena rolled the leg of her jeans up to her bony knees。 〃Well； he's good…looking and everything；
but。。。〃 she hesitated and rolled her pant leg back down again。 Then she took a sip of her drink and
quickly changed the subject。 〃Who else is ing over tonight anyway？〃
Blair bit her lip。 It hadn't really occurred to her that Serena might be the odd one out。 〃You're not
going to like this； but I kind of invited that Stanford Parris kid from the Yale party？ And Aaron…
you know； my stepbrother？ I think he and Vanessa are； like； made for each other。〃
Vanessa took a huge gulp of her rum and Coke。 〃We'll see；〃 she belched loudly。
Serena's huge dark blue eyes shone as she digested this information。 She'd actually been in love
with Aaron for a week or two that winter； but enough time had passed now that she could handle
hanging out with him on a just…friends basis。 And Blair was right… Vaness