blue silk Betsey Johnson party dress。 She tugged at the ridiculously short hem and wished for the
hundredth time that night that she？d chosen something more fortable？and in her usual shade
of pure black？instead of something so girly。 She？d changed into a pair of ridiculously
unfortable heels after the wedding； worried the bouncers would take one look at her bat
boots and kick her out of Blair？s fancy party。 Maybe she？d find a table and coax Dan into giving
her a foot massage。 If he ever got here。
She glanced around the wildly extravagant Roman…themed party； searching for his mop of unruly
brown hair。 After their intense eye…lock while he read his poem aloud at the wedding； Vanessa was
dying to talk to him。 But she？d lost him during Ruby？s crazy reception and could only hope that
Jenny would drag him up to the party sometime soon。 Vanessa had made sure both their names
were added to the list； it was only a matter of waiting。 In the meantime； she was going to enjoy
herself。
She tried to look sultry； throwing her shoulders back and arching her back the way Blair had
taught her。 But then she felt a little splash on her leg？of course； she？d spilled her drink。 She bent
down and tried to wipe the droplets off her bare calf with her cocktail napkin； her dress riding
dangerously high。 She straightened。 It hadn？t occurred to that she couldn？t do the same things in a
dress that she did in jeans。 She quickly scanned the room to make sure no one had seen her
privates。
But damn if some dude wasn？t headed straight toward her。 No； not some dude；Aaron。 Of course
he was here； he was Blair？s stepbrother？why hadn？t she thought of that？ But when did he get
so 。 。 。hot ？ His hair was knotted in dread…locks that tumbled messily over his forehead； and his
brown eyes sparkled against his tanned skin。 He wore a dark green； three…button suit； and a green
silk tie hung loosely around his neck。 She stood up straight and tried to look posed； but as she
did the pedestal she？d been leaning against shook。 She looked up to see the female nude statue
above her move suddenly； before it struck a new pose。
Vanessa hadn？t seen Aaron since they？d broken up at the beginning of the summer。 After they？d
been together for only a few weeks； Aaron had given her a silver friendship ring； which was
totally corny？and； for Vanessa； a total deal…breaker。 She？d immediately thrown it in a drawer。
Considering she hadn？t been able to stop sleeping with Dan at the time； it was probably for the
best。
？Hey； stranger！？ Aaron grabbed her hand； pulling her into a hug。 He finally released her； stepping
back to look her up and down with obvious approval。 ？You look gorgeous。 I was hoping to see you
tonight。？ His red lips curved into a big smile。
Vanessa raised her eyebrows。 ？It？s good to see you too。 Want to trade shoes？？ Aaron
laughed。 ？I？d look pretty hot in those；？ he agreed； pointing at her light blue Robert Clergerie
heels。
？So； how was your road trip？？ she asked； remembering that a couple of months ago she was
supposed to be on that trip。 She？d stayed behind to be with Dan； and now he was gay。
Good call on that one。
？It was great。？ Aaron kept his eyes on Vanessa？s d？col…letage as the busty statue above them
rearranged her position； leaning forward annoyingly as if she were part of their conversation。 ？But
Mookie and I missed you。？ Vanessa felt herself blush。 ？So； um； when are you leaving for
Harvard？？ ？Tomorrow。 I can？t believe I？m leaving town。 Sometimes I think it？d be great to be in
the city； go to Columbia or NYU？like you。？ He pushed a stray dreadlock behind his ear。
？I don？t know；？ Vanessa mused。 ？Lately it？s felt weird； knowing everyone is going to leave to try
out new places and I？ll still be here； all on my own。？ She took a sip of her vodka tonic？she
couldn？t believe she was pouring her heart out to Aaron； of all people； whom she hadn？t seen in
months。 Still； it felt nice to finally voice what had been weighing on her for so long。 Between
Ruby？s marriage and Dan？s ing out； nobody had thought to ask howshe was doing in a while。
？If I know one thing about you； Vanessa Abrams； it？s that you？ll be fine on your own。？ Aaron
grinned。 ？Though I can？t imagine you？ll be on your own for very long。 Kind of makes me wish I
was staying all over again。？ As soon as he said the wordstay ； the spell of Aaron？s warm brown
eyes was broken。Yes； he was gorgeous； and yes； he obviously still liked her； but all Vanessa could
hear was Dan？s poem。Fall down with me。 And stay。 She kept replaying the way he？d looked deep
into her eyes as he？d uttered those lines？as if he？d written them just for her。 But if that were true；
then where the hell was he？
Forget Greek gods。 The theme for this party should have been ？Love Stinks。？
hands off my lady； bob marley
Dan ducked around a Greek sculpture； vodka gimlet in one hand； feeling particularly small and
insignificant beneath the giant marble statues looming over him。 They were just the right height
that their； um； anatomy was practically being shoved in his face。 And it wasn？t exactly a turn…on。
Jenny sipped from her glass of champagne； her eyes wide with excitement。 ？Don？t you want to
dance？？ she demanded。 ？e on； there are enough cute guys here for both of us。？ ？You？ve got to
be kidding me。？ Dan gulped his drink； the ice clinking against his teeth and numbing his
tongue。 ？I wouldn？t even know how toask another guy to dance； much less dance with him。？ Why
couldn？t everyone just leave him alone？ After the intense moment at the wedding； locking eyes
with Vanessa while he read his poem； Dan wasn？t sure what to think。 It was like something was
still 。 。 。there between them。 But then； just as he was about to finally talk to her； five different
Williamsburg guys had e up to him to personally let him know how ？touched？ they were by
his words。 Before he knew it； he？d ended up with five phone numbers in his pocket 。 。 。 and five
more assurances that he was gay。
Jenny rolled her eyes。 ？That？s the easy part。 You just sort of mush your bodies together and
grind。？ She gave her hips a slight wiggle。 Dan glanced nervously at one of the almost…naked man
statues。 He was so not ready for grinding。
？Hey； look； it？s Vanessa。？ Jenny pointed toward the far corner of the immense hall。 Dan craned
his neck to get a good look； peering through the mass of beautifully dressed moving bodies。 He
finally spied her prickly head bobbing excitedly as she spoke to a handsome； dreadlocked Bob
Marley wannabe。 It was Blair？s stepbrother； Aaron； who had nearly succeeded in stealing Vanessa
away from him once before。 ？Who？s the guy she？s talking to？？ Jenny asked； her voice full of
admiration。 ？He？scute ！？ Dan slouched； pletely dejected。 Vanessa and Aaron were laughing
and flirting； and they？d probably get back together before the night was even over。 Looking so
beautiful and confident in her sky blue sheath dress； it was hard to believe Vanessa had ever been
his girlfriend。 Dan was a sexually confused； cream…puff…eating geek who was about to drive
cross…country in a car that was practically extinct。 What had she ever seen in him； anyway？
？What？s wrong？？ Jenny demanded； titling her head in concern when Dan didn？t respond。 He
could feel her examining him closely。 She definitely seemed more self…assured after her summer
away； and in a couple of days she was headed to boarding school。
Kids。 They grow up so fast。
？Nothing？s wrong；？ he snapped； gazing forlornly into his glass。 He wished Jenny would just
dance away into the night so he could sit by himself and be as morose as his poetry。
Life of the party； isn？t he？
？Oh my God！？ Jenny shouted excitedly。 ？You？rejealous ！？ She put her hand on his arm and
looked earnestly up in his face。 ？This is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about。 I？ve tried to be
supportive all along； and stop me if what I？m about to say is totally off base but？？ Dan looked up
into his sister？s big brown eyes。 He was reminded of the hundreds of times they？d sat in their
crumbling apartment eating Rufus？s disgusting leftovers and talking in half…sentences but
understanding exactly what the other was saying。
？Honestly；？ Jenny went on； ？you don？t seem very gay to me。？ ？Idon？t ？？ Dan grabbed her
freckled shoulder。
？Sorry。？ She shrugged。
Across the room Aaron and Vanessa were flirting mercilessly。 Dan was practically dying to go
over there and punch the guy out。 Jenny was right？hewas jealous。 He wasn？t gay； despite what his
mom and everyone else in the world seemed to think。 When he？d kissed Greg； he？d been drunk
and confused。 Actually he hadn？t even beenawake for part of it。
He frowned； not sure what to do now that he wasn？t gay anymore。
Jenny poked him in the gut。 ？So talk to her； you idiot！？ she squealed excitedly。 ？Get her away
from that boy so I can flirt with him。？ Dan gave his brilliant little sister a quick kiss on the cheek。
Across the room； Vanessa？s face was flushed and gorgeous in the museum？s soft light。 Despite the
vodka sloshing around in his head； everything was finally pletely clear。 He didn？t want to
justtalk to Vanessa； he wanted tobe with her。 He loved her because she wasVanessa？his Vanessa。
And he was going to get her back。
Dan crossed the room determinedly； his gaze fixed on her。 She looked so beautiful； teetering
unsteadily in her glittery blue heels。 He wanted to be there to catch her if she fell。 He marched past
table after table； knocking over drinks and stepping on people？s toes。
It felt like it took years for him to finally reach her。 ？So； how about a dance？？ Aaron was saying；
holding his hand out to her。
Dan reached out and grabbed her hand instead。 ？Excuse me； but if she？s going to dance； I？d
rather it was with me。？ Vanessa？s chocolate brown eyes grew huge。 ？Dan？you？re here。？ ？I？m
sorry； Aaron；？ Dan apologized with a slow smile； his eyes never leaving Vanessa？s face。 ？But I
need her for a minute。 Actually； longer than that。？ Aaron stared momentarily and then kissed
Vanessa wistfully on the cheek。 ？Take care。？ He nodded to both of them as he took off for the bar。
Dan？s arms circled Vanessa？s waist。You？re beautiful； I？m not gay； I love you； I want you back。
He was about to say all of it in a big； confused rush； but then Vanessa kissed him on the lips； a
long； lingering； very ungay kiss full of promises and apologies。
？I know；？ she murmured； holding him。 He brushed his chin over the top of her prickly head and
smiled happily。 The best part was； they were still roommates； if only for one more night。
Looks like someone？s not going to get much sleep tonight。
nothing like a little father…son bonding
Nate stood at the mostly undiscovered bar under the enormous main staircase； as far from the
other partygoers as he could get。 A toga…toting bartender poured amber liquid into his empty glass
for the hundredth time that night。 Things were crazy tonight； so he might as well make them even
crazier。 And if drinking didn？t work； he was going to go out and sit on the steps of the Met and
smoke all six of the emergency joints in his pocket。
Old habit