Serena down。 But it sounded more professional that way。 Like it
wasn’t anything she had against Serena personally； not at all。 It was
strictly a business decision。 “You’re a good actress though；” she
added。 “Don’t be discouraged。”
“Thanks；” Serena said。 Now she wasn’t going to hang out with Dan
and practice their lines like she’d imagined。 And what was she
going to tell Ms。 Glos？ She still didn’t have any extracurriculars； and
no halfway decent college was going to want her。
Vanessa walked away； looking for Marjorie so she could tell her the
good news。 She was going to have to change the entire film now
that Marjorie was her star。 It would have to be a edy。 But at
least she had saved herself from making Endless Love in the Park
After Dark； starring Serena van der Woodsen and Daniel Humphrey。
Blech。
Serena stood in the corner of the cafeteria； the remaining cookies
crumbling in her hand。 Gone With the Wind was a total cheese…fest；
and she was too polished for War and Peace。 What else could she
do？ She chewed on her thumbnail； deep in thought。
Maybe she could make a movie of her own。 Blair took film—she
could help。 When they were younger they’d always talked about
making movies。 Blair was always going to be the star； wearing cool
Givenchy outfits like Audrey Hepburn； except Blair preferred Fendi。
And Serena always wanted to direct。 She would wear floppy linen
pants and shout through a bullhorn and sit in a chair with the word
“director” on it。
This was their chance。
“Blair；” Serena nearly shouted when she saw Blair by the milk table。
She rushed over to her； overe by the brilliance of her idea。 “I
need your help；” Serena said； squeezing Blair’s arm。
Blair kept her body stiff until Serena let go。
“Sorry；” Serena said。 “Listen； I want to make a movie； and I thought
you could help me； you know； with the cameras and stuff； since you
take film。”
Blair glanced at Kati and Isabel； who were quietly sipping milk
behind her。 Then she smiled up at Serena； and shook her head。
“Sorry； I can’t；” she said。 “I’ve got activities every single day after
school。 I don’t have time。”
“Oh； e on； Blair；” Serena said； grabbing Blair’s hand。
“Remember； we always wanted to do this。 You wanted to be Audrey
Hepburn。”
Blair removed her hand and folded her arms across her chest；
glancing at Isabel and Kati again。
“Don’t worry； I’ll do all the work；” Serena added hastily。 “All you
have to do is show me how to use the camera and the lighting and
stuff。”
“I can’t；” Blair insisted。 “Sorry。”
Serena pursed her lips to keep them from trembling。 Her eyes
seemed to be growing larger and larger； and her face was turning
splotchy。
Blair had seen this transformation in Serena many times as they
grew up together。 Once； when they were both eight； they had
walked the three miles from Serena’s country house into the town
of Ridgefield to buy ice cream cones。 Serena stepped out of the ice
cream shop with her triple strawberry cone with chocolate sprinkles
and bent down to pet a dog tied up outside。 All three scoops fell
splat into the dirt。 Serena’s eyes had grown huge and her face
looked like she had the measles。 The tears had just started to roll；
and Blair was about to offer to share her cone with Serena； when
the shop owner came out with a fresh cone for her。
Seeing Serena on the verge of tears once more touched something
deep inside of Blair； like an involuntary impulse。
“Um。 But we’re going out on Friday；” she told Serena。 “Drinks
around eight at the Tribeca Star； if you want to e。”
Serena took a deep breath and nodded。 “Just like old times；” she
said； staving off her tears and attempting a smile。
“Right；” Blair said。
She made a note in her mental PalmPilot to tell Nate not to e
out on Friday now that Serena was ing。 Blair’s new plan was to
knock back a few drinks with Serena at the Tribeca Star； leave early；
go home； fill her room with candles； take a bath； and wait for Nate
to e。 And then they’d have sex all night long to romantic music。
She’d already burned a sexy CD to play while they did it。
Even the best…bred girls resort to cheesy things like burning CD
mixes when they’re losing their virginity。
The bell rang and the girls went their separate ways to class； Blair
to her AP Academic…Achievers afternoon； and Serena to her plain old
Kraft…American…Slices classes。
Serena couldn’t believe she had just been rejected not once but
twice in the last ten minutes。 And as she gathered her books from
her locker； she tried to e up with a new plan of action。 She
wasn’t going to give up。
Her picture wasn’t on the side of a bus for nothing。
Vanessa skipped the first five minutes of Calculus to call Daniel on
his cell phone。 She knew he had Study Hall fourth period on
Thursdays； and he was probably hanging out outside； reading
poetry and smoking cigarettes。 A girl was using Constance’s pay
phone in the hallway by the stairs； so Vanessa slipped outside to
the pay phone on the corner of Ninety…third Street and Madison。
The lower…school boys were playing dodgeball in the Riverside Prep
School courtyard； so when his cell phone rang； Dan was sitting on a
park bench in the traffic island in the middle of Broadway。 He’d just
cracked open L’Etranger； by Albert Camus； which he was reading in
French class that term。 Dan was psyched。 He’d already read the
English translation； but it felt especially cool to read the French
original； especially while sitting outside drinking bad coffee and
smoking a cigarette in the middle of noisy； smelly Broadway。 It was
very hard…core。 As people walked past in a hurry to get somewhere；
Dan felt aloof and removed from the chaos of everyday life； just like
the guy in the book。
Dan had dark circles under his eyes because he hadn’t been able to
sleep the night before。 All he could think about was Serena van der
Woodsen。 They were starring in a movie together。 They were even
going to kiss。 It was too good to be true。
Poor dude； he had that right。
His cell phone was still ringing。
“Yeah？” Dan said； answering it。
“Hey。 It’s Vanessa。”
“Hey。”
“Listen； I have to make it quick。 I just wanted you to know that I told
Marjorie she has the part；” Vanessa said quickly。
“You mean Serena；” Dan said； flicking his ash and taking another
puff of his cigarette。
“No； I mean Marjorie。”
Dan exhaled and clenched the phone tightly。 “Wait。 What are you
talking about？ Marjorie； with the red hair and the gum？”
“Yes； that’s right。 I haven’t got their names mixed up；” Vanessa said
patiently。
“But Marjorie stank； you can’t use her！” Dan insisted。
“Yeah； well； I kind of like that she stank。 She’s sort of rough around
the edges。 I think it will make it feel edgier； you know？ Like； not
what you’d expect；” said Vanessa。
“Yeah； definitely not；” Dan sneered。 “Look； I really think this is a
mistake。 Serena totally ruled。 I don’t know why you wouldn’t want
her。 She was awesome。”
“Yeah； well； I’m the director； so it’s my choice。 And I chose Marjorie。
Okay？” Vanessa really didn’t want to hear about how awesome
Serena had been。 “Besides； I keep hearing all these stories about
Serena。 I don’t think she’s all that reliable。”
Vanessa was pretty sure that everything she’d heard was
pletely bogus； but it couldn’t hurt to mention it to Dan。
“What do you mean？” Dan said。 “What kind of stories？”
“Like she manufactures her own drug called S； and she has some
pretty bad STDs；” Vanessa said。 “I really don’t want to deal with
that。”
“Where’d you hear that？” Dan said。
“I have my sources；” she said。
A bus roared up Madison on its way to the Cloisters。 On the side of it
was a massive photograph of a belly button。 Or was it a gunshot
wound？ Scrawled in blue girly writing on the side of the poster was
the name “Serena。”
Vanessa stared after the bus。 Was she losing her mind？ Or was
Serena really and truly everywhere？ Every last bit of her？
“I just don’t think she’s right for us；” Vanessa said； hoping Dan
would e around if she used the word “us。” It was their movie；
not hers。
“Fine；” Dan said coldly。
“So； are you ing out with me and Ruby in Brooklyn on Friday？”
Vanessa asked； eager to change the subject。
“Nah。 I don’t think so；” Dan said。 “See ya。” He clicked off and
tossed the phone angrily into his black courier bag。
That morning his sister Jenny had stumbled into his room； her eyes
all bloodshot and her hands covered in black ink； and dropped an
invitation to that stupid falcon party on the floor beside his bed。
He’d actually dared to think that since he was going to be Serena’s
costar； he might actually take her to the goddamned party。 Now；
that little dream was all shot to hell。
Dan couldn’t believe it。 His one chance to get to know Serena was
gone because Vanessa wanted to exercise her artistic license to
make the worst film ever made。 It was unbelievable。 More
unbelievable still was that Vanessa； queen of the alterna…rebel
scene； had actually stooped to spreading rumors about a girl she
barely knew。 Maybe Constance was finally rubbing off on her。
Oh； don’t be a spoilsport。 Gossip is sexy。 Gossip is good。 Not
everybody does it； but everybody should！
A bus stopped at a light right in front of him。 First Dan noticed
Serena’s name。 It was scrawled in blue； in messy girl’s handwriting
on a giant black…and…white poster of what looked like a rosebud。 It
was beautiful。
Jenny was a zombie on Thursday from missing a whole night’s
sleep； but she’d gotten the Kiss on the Lips invitations done； and
now she and Dan each had an invitation of their very own。
She was starving； too； having consumed only a banana and an
orange for dinner the night before。 She’d even skipped her morning
chocolate…chip scone。 So； at lunch； Jenny wrangled two grilled
cheese sandwiches and two coffee yogurts out of the Constance
lunch ladies and carried her feast out into the cafeteria； hunting for
a seat at a quiet table。 While she ate； she had to make up the
homework she’d skipped last night。
Jenny chose a table in front of the wall of mirrors on the far side of
the cafeteria。 None of the older girls liked to eat lunch by the
mirrors because it made them feel fat； so that table was always
empty。 Jenny put her tray down； and was about to start stuffing her
face when she noticed a sign…up sheet taped to the mirror。
Jenny lunged for her backpack to find a pen。 She scribbled her
name at the top of the list—she was the first one to sign up！—and
then sat down in front of her heaping tray of food； her heart
pounding。 Life was full of miracles。 It just got better and better。
More miraculous still； Serena van der Woodsen herself was ing
out of the lunch line and making a beeline for Jenny； carrying her
tray。 Was Serena actually going to sit with her？ In person？
Deep breath in； deep breath out。
“Hi；” Serena said； beaming at Jenny and setting her tray down。
God； she was beautiful。 Her hair was the pale gold color some