“Hi；” Serena said； beaming at Jenny and setting her tray down。
God； she was beautiful。 Her hair was the pale gold color some of the
other Constance girls tried to achieve by spending four hours in the
hair salon on the top floor of Bergdorf Goodman getting their
highlights done。 But Serena’s was natural； you could tell。
“Did I just see you sign up to help with my movie？” Serena asked。
Jenny nodded； speechless in the presence of such greatness。
“Well； you’re the only one so far；” Serena sighed； sitting down
across from Jenny； facing the wall of mirrors。 She didn’t have to
worry about feeling fat when she ate。 She didn’t have any fat。 She
raised her golden eyebrows at Jenny。 “So； what can you do？”
Jenny poked at her grilled cheese。 She couldn’t believe she’d gotten
two sandwiches。 Serena probably thought she was a disgusting pig。
“Well； I’m pretty artistic。 I did the school hymnals； you know； in
calligraphy？ And I’ve got some photographs in Rancor this year； and
a short story；” Jenny explained。
Rancor was Constance’s student…run arts magazine。 Vanessa
Abrams was the editor。
“Oh； and I just did the invitations for that big party next week that
everyone’s going to；” Jenny said； eager to impress。 “Blair Waldorf
asked me to do them。 Actually 。 。 。” Jenny reached into her bag and
pulled out an envelope with Serena’s name printed on it in ornate
calligraphy。 “The guest list Blair gave me still had your boarding
school address。 I was going to put it in your locker or something；”
Jenny said； blushing。 “But now that you’re here 。 。 。” She handed the
envelope to Serena。
Do I sound like a stalker？ Jenny wondered。
“Thanks；” Serena said； taking the envelope。 She opened it and read
the invitation inside； her eyes dark； her forehead creased in a frown。
Oh； God。 She thinks it’s ugly！ Jenny thought； panicking。
Serena put the invitation in her bag and picked up her fork again；
looking distracted。 She took a bite of lettuce and chewed on it。
Jenny was taking mental notes on how to act as mysterious； poised；
and cool as Serena was acting at that very moment。 If only she
could have heard the livid thoughts in Serena’s head； railing against
Blair。
She didn’t want me to e to the party。 She didn’t even tell me
there was a party。
“Wow；” Serena said finally； still munching her lettuce。 “Okay； you’re
hired。” She held out her hand and smiled sweetly at Jenny。 “I’m
Serena；” she said。
“I know；” Jenny said； blushing even redder。 “I’m Jenny。”
Disclaimer： All the real names of places； people； and events havebeen altered or abbreviated to protect the innocent。 Namely； me。
hey people！
S AND B： HOT IN THE HOT TUB！
This just in from an anonymous source： Apparently； back when they
were still tight； S and B shared a hot hot…tub moment together in
C’s suite in the Tribeca Star。 Was the kiss an expression of their
true feelings for each other？ Or were they just messing around like
two silly drunk girls？ Either way； it definitely adds a little tension to
the mix。 What fun！
And in case you haven’t seen the poster plastered on all the buses；
taxis； and subways all over town； the original photo of S can still be
seen at the Whitehot Gallery in Chelsea； amidst portraits of other
notorious scenesters； myself included。 That’s right！ The Remi
brothers were just too sexy to resist。 The fabulous are fabulous for a
reason； people。
Your E…mail
Dear Gossip Girl；I won’t tell you who I am； but I’m in the Remi
brothers show too。 I really love their work； and I love the picture
they took of me； but no way would I let them put it on the side of a
bus。 If you ask me； S is asking for whatever she gets。 And from
what I’m hearing； she’s getting it。—Anonomy
Dear Anonomy； It’s cool to be modest； but personally； if you
wanted to put any bit of me on the side of a bus； I’d be willing。 I’m a
fame whore。—GG
SightingsLittle J buying a huge book on filmmaking at Shakespeare and Co。
on Broadway。 N hanging out with C at a bar over on First Avenue。
Guess N wants to keep his eye on C so C doesn’t spill the beans；
huh？ And B buying lots of candles in a shop on Lex for her big night
with N。
That’s all for now。 Have fun this weekend—I definitely will。
You know you love me；
The Star Lounge in the Tribeca Star Hotel was big and swanky； filled
with fy armchairs and ottomans and circular banquettes； so
that the guests could feel like they were having their own private
party at each table。 One wall was lit with dozens of black candles；
flickering in the dimly lit room； and a DJ was playing mellow lounge
beats on a turntable。 It was only eight o’clock； but the bar was
already jammed with people； dressed in the hippest fashions and
sipping pastel…colored cocktails。
Blair didn’t care what time it was—she needed a drink。
She was sitting in an armchair right near the bar； but the stupid
cocktail waitress was ignoring her； probably because Blair hadn’t
bothered to dress up。 She had worn her faded Earl jeans and a
boring black sweater because she was only meeting Serena for a
quick drink before she went home to prepare for her night of wild
sex with Nate。 And she wasn’t going to dress up for that； either。
Blair had decided to meet Nate at the door naked。
Her face grew hot just thinking about it； and she looked around the
room self…consciously。 She felt like a loser sitting there all by herself
without even a drink。 Where was Serena； anyway？ She didn’t have
all goddamned night。
Blair lit a cigarette。 If Serena doesn’t e by the time I’m donewith this cigarette； I’m leaving； she told herself sulkily。
“Look at her；” Blair heard a woman say to her friend。 “Isn’t she
beautiful？”
Blair turned to look。 Of course it was Serena。
She was wearing blue suede knee…high boots and a real Pucci dress。
Long sleeved with a high neck and a crystal beaded belt； in blues；
oranges； and greens。 It was super fantastic。 Her hair was pulled up
in a high ponytail on top of her head and she was wearing pale blue
eye shadow and creamy pink lipstick。 She smiled and waved at Blair
from across the room； weaving her way through the crowd。 Blair
watched the heads turn as she passed； and her stomach churned。
She was already sick of Serena； and she hadn’t even spoken to her
yet。
“Hi；” Serena said； plunking herself down on a square ottoman
beside Blair’s chair。
Immediately； the cocktail waitress appeared。
“Hey Serena； long time no see。 How’s your brother？” the waitress
said。
“Hey Missy。 Erik’s good。 He’s too busy to call me ever。 I think he
must have like； eight different girlfriends up there；” Serena laughed。
“How are you doing？”
“I’m great；” Missy said。 “Hey listen； my sister works for a caterer；
you know； and she said she saw you a few days ago at a party she
was working at a gallery in Chelsea。 She said that’s you in that
picture on all the buses。 Is that true？”
“Yeah；” Serena said。 “Pretty crazy； huh？”
“You are so rad！” Missy squealed。 She glanced at Blair who was
glaring at her。 “Anyway； what can I get you girls？”
“Ketel One and tonic；” Blair told her； looking her straight in the eye；
daring her to card them。 “Extra limes。”
But Missy would rather lose her job than hassle Serena van der
Woodsen for being underage。
That’s the whole reason for going to hotel bars in the first place： no
one ever cards。
“And for you； sweetie？” Missy asked Serena。
“Oh； I better start with a Cosmo；” Serena said； and laughed。 “I need
something pink to go with my dress。”
Missy hurried away to fetch the drinks； eager to tell the bartender
that the girl in the Remi brothers’ photo that was all over town was
sitting in their bar and they were pals！
“Sorry I’m late；” Serena told Blair； looking around。 “I thought
everyone else would be here with you。”
Blair shrugged her shoulders and took a long drag on her dwindling
cigarette。 “I thought we could hang out by ourselves for a while；”
she said。 “No one really es out until later； anyway。”
“Okay；” Serena said。 She smoothed out her dress and dug around in
her little red purse for her own pack of cigarettes。 Gauloises； from
France。 She tapped one out and stuck it in her mouth。 “Want one？”
she offered Blair。
Blair shook her head no。
“They’re kind of strong； but the box is too cool； I don’t care。” Serena
laughed。 She was about to light up with a pack of bar matches；
when the bartender swooped in with a lighter。
“Thanks；” she said； raising her eyes to look at him。 The bartender
winked at her and swiftly stepped back behind the bar。 Missy
brought them their drinks。
“To old times；” Serena said； clinking her glass against Blair’s and
taking a long sip on her pink Cosmopolitan。 She sat back on her
stool and sighed with pleasure。 “Don’t you just love hotels？” she
said。 “They’re so full of secrets。”
Blair raised her eyebrows at Serena in silent response； sure that
Serena was about to tell her all the wild and crazy things that had
happened to her in hotels while she was in Europe or wherever； as if
Blair cared。
“I mean； don’t you always think about what everyone’s doing in
their rooms？ Like； they could be watching pornos and eating cheese
doodles； or they could be having kinky sex in the bathroom。 Or
maybe they’re just asleep。”
“Uh…huh；” said Blair disinterestedly； gulping her drink。 She would
have to get a little drunk if she were going to make it through the
night； especially the naked part。 “So what’s this about your picture
being all over buses and stuff？” Blair said。 “I haven’t seen it。”
Serena giggled and leaned toward Blair confidentially。 “Even if you
saw it； you probably wouldn’t recognize me。 It has my name on it；
but it’s not a picture of my face。”
Blair frowned。 “I don’t get it；” she said。
“It’s art；” Serena said mysteriously； and giggled again。 She took a
sip of her drink。
The two girls’ faces were only inches apart； and Blair could smell
the musky essential…oil mixture Serena had started wearing。
“I still don’t get it。 Is it something dirty？” Blair said； confused。
“Not really；” Serena answered with a sly smile。 “Lots of people have
had theirs done too。 You know—celebrities。”
“Like who？” Blair said。
“Like Madonna； and Eminem； and Christina Aguilera。”
“Oh；” Blair said； sounding unimpressed。
Serena’s eyes narrowed。 “What’s that supposed to mean？” she
demanded。
Blair lifted her chin and tucked her straight brown hair behind her
ears。 “I don’t know； it’s like you’re willing to do anything just to
shock people。 Don’t you have any pride？”
Serena shook her head； still staring at Blair。 “Like what？ What have I
done？” she said； frantically gnawing on her fingernails。
“Like getting kicked out of boarding school；” Blair said vaguely。
Serena snorted。 “What’s so bad about that？ Tons of people get
kicked out every year。 They have so many stupid rules； it’s almost
impossible not to get kicked out。”
Blair pressed her lips together； measuring her words carefu