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； Nate had never been much of a Romeo。
She began punching the keys on her cell。 She？d been calling his phone every five minutes but
had gotten voice mail every time。 She tried Serena？s； too； hoping for someone to miserate
with； but she wasn？t there either。 Where were they； anyway？
Shereally doesn？t want to know。 。 。 。
Blair surveyed Vanessa？s dusty black shorts and grit…streaked army green tank top。 She could
definitely benefit from some quality time in the stylist？s chair。 Blair was happy to help？she？d
always liked a challenge； and God knew she could use the distraction。
Vanessa was beginning to wonder who Blair thought it was so important to call every five
seconds when a cell phone started to blast Madonna？s ？Like a Virgin。？ Vanessa turned around and
spotted Isabel Coates and Kati Farkas seated next to each other under the dryers； their heads
sporting matching strips of aluminum foil。 Kati talked loudly on her cell； holding her palm against
her other ear to block out the roar of wind。 She was wearing some kind of frilly pink sundress that
hung from her body like a sack； and Isabel wore the exact same thing？but in a bilious shade of
green。 Isabel looked up and spotted Vanessa sitting in a stylist？s chair。 She elbowed Kati； who
burst into a fit of laughter。
？Getting a new look？？ Kati yelled out； holding the phone away from her head。
？Obviously；？ Vanessa mumbled； before turning back around and facing the dreaded mirror。 Blair
was leaving yet another message。
？。 。 。 so I？mstill here at the spa； and you need to call me when you get this。 Just don？t do anything
stupid； okay？？ She crankily snapped her cell shut and sighed。
？Where？s Nate？？ Vanessa asked as a perky blond assistant dressed entirely in white spandex
placed a glass of ice water with lemon slices on the countertop in front of her。 Vanessa grabbed the
glass； swallowing the cold water greedily。
？Fuck if I know。？ Blair sighed。 ？And it？s not like I don？t need help； getting ready for Yale and
everything。？ ？I know what you mean；？ Vanessa said sympathetically； placing the empty glass back
on the countertop。 ？It？s not like I？m spending a lot of time with Ruby now that she？s getting
married。 Or Dan；？ she added。 ？He？s so busy with his job and his new boyfriend that I might as
well not even exist。？ Blair turned to her in surprise； a smile moving across her lips。 ？I？m going to
ignore the Dan…being…gay info in favor of the much more interesting news here？your sister？s
gettingmarried ？？ she asked； her eyes lighting up。 ？When； when；when ？？ Shit。 Vanessa should
have known better than to mention the M…word in front of a girl like Blair。 ？Um； the bachelorette
party is tonight and the wedding？s on Saturday afternoon。？ ？Okay； this is more serious than I
thought。？ Blair sat up in her chair as if energized with the mission； her posture
stick…straight。 ？Youhave to look amazing for the wedding。？ Blair pointed at Vanessa？s bald
head。 ？Louis！ Louis！ Give her something really dramatic。 Blond to her waist！？ She turned to
Vanessa again。 ？Oh； and by the way； after the wedding you should e by the Met？my mom？s
throwing a goodbye party for me。 Plus you？ll already be all dolled up from the wedding。 Bring
whoever。？ She waved a hand as if renting out one of the largest and most opulent museums in the
world wasn？t a big deal at all。
Vanessa nodded。 ？Oh； okay。 Maybe I will。 Thanks。？ Louis quietly circled Vanessa？s chair；
touching her scalp with his long； cool fingers。 ？Zer iz not too muuch to vork vith；？ he observed；
foraging in the roots of Vanessa？s troubled head。
？That？s okay；？ Vanessa replied dejectedly。 ？I？m beyond hope；？ she added dramatically。
？Ah！？ he cried； snapping his fingers。 ？Ve have some fabooluuuuuuus hummus…har wigs？long and
blond。？ Long blond hummus hair？ Vanessa stared at her bald scalp in the mirror and tilted her
head to the side。
？Very Ashlee Simpson。？ Blair held up theUs Weekly on her lap and pointed at the
cover。 ？Brilliant！？ She clapped her hands together excitedly。
Normally； the mere thought of trying to look like someone on the cover ofUs Weekly would
force Vanessa to dry heave。 But these were desperate times。 Another eruption of giggles emitted
from Kati and Isabel？s end of the salon。 Vanessa peered thoughtfully at herself in the mirror。 She
was ready for a change。
？Bring it on；？ she nodded confidently to Louis； smiling into the mirror。
Oh dear。 Remember girls； it？s always better to stick to what you were born with？anything stuck
on might 。 。 。 fall off。
the devil wears dolce
Serena van der Woodsen sat in the Waldorf Rose living room； flanked on either side by Blair？s
mother； Eleanor Waldorf Rose； and Davita Fjorde？party planner to those residing on Manhattan？s
Golden Mile。 Serena had no idea why she？d been invited to Blair？s house； but when Eleanor
called she couldn？t very well say no to her so…called best friend？s mother； whose wedding she had
been a bridesmaid in less than a year ago。
？Now； I wa