Serena。”
She let the curtain fall closed； but Maureen pulled it open a few
inches。 “That looks nice；” she said； nodding approvingly at the
orange dress。 “It suits you。”
Jenny grimaced。 “Does it e in black？” she asked。
“But you’re too young for black；” Maureen said； frowning。
Jenny frowned back and handed the pile of reject dresses to
Maureen； closing the curtain firmly in her face。 “Thanks for your
help；” she called。 She yanked the orange dress over her head and
whipped off her bra； reaching for a black stretch…satin dress she had
picked out herself。 Braless； she pulled the dress on over her head
and felt it ooze all over her。 When she looked up； little Jenny
Humphrey had vanished from the dressing room。 In her place was a
dangerous； slutty sex goddess。
Throw in a pair of kitten heels； a thong； and some Chanel Vamp
lipstick； and she had it going on。 No girl is ever too young to wear
black。
Late Sunday morning the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
were crawling with people。 Tourists； mostly； and locals who had
e for a brief visit so they could brag about it to their friends and
sound cultured。
Inside； brunch was being served in the Egyptian wing for all the
museum’s board members and their families。 The Egyptian wing
was a superb setting for nighttime parties—glittering gold and
exotic； with the moonlight shining dramatically through its modern
glass walls。 But it was all wrong for brunch。 Smoked salmon and
eggs and mummified Egyptian Pharaohs really don’t mix。 Plus； the
morning sun was shining so brightly through the slanting glass
walls； it made even the slightest hangover feel ten times worse。
Who invented brunch anyway？ The only decent place to be on
Sunday mornings is in bed。
The room was filled with large round tables and freshly…scrubbed
Upper…East…Siders。 Eleanor Waldorf； Cyrus Rose； the van der
Woodsens； the Basses； the Archibalds； and their children were
there； all seated around one table。 Blair was sitting between Cyrus
Rose and her mother； looking grumpy。 Nate had been intermittently
baked； drunk； or passed out since Friday； and looked woozy and
rumpled； as if he’d just woken up。 Serena was wearing some of the
new clothes she’d bought shopping with her mother the day before；
and she had a new haircut； with soft layers framing her face。 She
looked even more beautiful than ever； but nervous and jumpy after
drinking six cups of coffee。 Only Chuck seemed at ease； happily
sipping his Bloody Mary。
Cyrus Rose sliced his salmon…and…leek omelet in half and plunked it
on a pumpernickel bagel。 “I’ve been craving eggs；” he said； biting
into it hungrily。 “You know when your body tells you you need
something？” he said； to no one in particular。 “Mine’s shouting；
‘Eggs； eggs； eggs！’ ”
And mine’s shouting； “Shut the fuck up；” Blair thought。
Blair pushed her plate toward him。 “Here； have mine。 I hate eggs；”
she said。
Cyrus pushed her plate back。 “No； you’re growing。 You need that
more than I do。”
“That’s right； Blair；” her mother agreed。 “Eat your eggs。 They’re
good for you。”
“I hear eggs make your hair shiny；” Misty Bass added。
Blair shook her head。 “I don’t eat chicken abortions；” she said
stubbornly。 “They make me gag。”
Chuck reached across the table。 “I’ll eat them； if you don’t want
them。”
“Oh； now； Chuck；” Mrs。 Bass clucked。 “Don’t be a piggy。”
“She said she didn’t want them；” Chuck said。 “Right； Blair？”
Blair handed her plate over； careful not to look at Serena or Nate；
sitting on either side of Chuck。
Serena was busy cutting her omelet into little squares； like Scrabble
pieces。 She began building tall towers of them。
Out of the corner of his eye； Nate was watching her。 He was also
watching Chuck’s hands。 Each time they slid underneath the
tablecloth and out of view； Nate imagined them all over Serena’s
legs。
“Anyone see the Styles section of the Times today？” Cyrus asked；
looking around the table。
Serena’s head shot up。 Her picture with the Remi brothers。 She’d
forgotten all about it。
She pursed her lips and slunk down in her chair； waiting for an
inquisition from her parents and everyone else at the table。 But it
never came。 It was part of their social code not to dwell on things
that embarrassed them。
“Pass me the cream； Nate darling？” Blair’s mother said； while
smiling at Serena。
And that was that。
Nate’s mother cleared her throat。 “How is the Kiss on the Lips party
going； Blair？ Are you girls all ready？” she asked； swigging her
Seven…and…Seven。
“Yes； we’re all set；” Blair answered politely。 “We finally got the
invitations cleared up。 And Kate Spade is sending over the gift bags
after school on Thursday。”
“I remember all the cotillions I used to organize；” Mrs。 van der
Woodsen said； with a dreamy expression。 “But the thing we always
used to worry about most was would the boys show up。” She smiled
at Nate and Chuck。 “We don’t have to worry about that with you
two； do we？” she said。
“I’m all over it；” Chuck said； scarfing Blair’s omelet。
“I’ll be there；” Nate said。 He glanced at Blair； who was staring at
him now。
Nate was wearing that same green cashmere sweater she had
given him in Sun Valley。 The one with the gold heart。
“Excuse me；” Blair said。 Then she stood up abruptly and left the
table。
Nate followed her。
“Blair！” he called； weaving his way around the other tables； ignoring
his friend Jeremy； who was waving to him from across the room。
“Wait up。”
Without turning around； Blair began walking even faster； her heels
clacking on the white marble floor。
They reached the hallway to the restrooms。 “e on； Blair。 I’m
sorry； okay？ Can we please talk？” Nate called。
Blair reached the door to the women’s room and turned around；
pushing it halfway open with her rear end。
“Just leave me alone； okay？” she said sharply； and went inside。
Nate stood outside the door for a moment with his hands in his
pockets； thinking。 That morning； when he’d put on the green
sweater Blair had given him； he’d found a little gold heart sewn into
the sleeve。 He’d never noticed it before； but it was obvious Blair
had put it there。 For the first time； he realized that she really meant
it when she’d said she loved him。
It was pretty intense。 And pretty flattering。 And it kind of made him
want her again。 It wasn’t just any girl who’d sew a gold heart into
your clothes。
He had that right。
Serena had to pee desperately； but she couldn’t face being in the
bathroom at the same time as Blair。 After Blair and Nate had been
gone for five minutes； though； Serena couldn’t hold it any longer。
She stood up and headed for the ladies’ room。
Familiar faces gazed up at Serena as she passed their tables。 A
waitress offered her a glass of champagne。 But Serena shook her
head and hurried down the marble hall to the bathrooms。 Quick；
heavy footsteps smacked on the floor behind her； and she turned
around。 It was Cyrus Rose。
“Tell Blair to hurry if she wants dessert； will you？” he told her。
Serena nodded and pushed open the door to the ladies’ room。 Blair
was washing her hands。 She looked up； staring at Serena’s
reflection in the mirror over the sink。
“Cyrus says to hurry if you want dessert；” Serena said abruptly；
walking into a stall； and banging the door shut。 She pulled down her
underwear and tried to pee； but she couldn’t； not with Blair in the
room。
Serena couldn’t believe herself。 How many times in the past had
she and Blair gone to the bathroom together； talking and laughing
while they peed？ Too many times to count。 And now Serena felt so
uptight in Blair’s presence she couldn’t go？ It was a total mindfuck。
There was a quiet； awkward pause。
Don’t you just hate awkward pauses？
“Okay；” Serena heard Blair say before she left the bathroom。
The door swung shut and Serena relaxed and started to pee。
Cyrus caught Nate in the men’s room。
“You and Blair have a fight？” Cyrus asked。 He unzipped his pants
and stood at the urinal。
Lucky Nate。
Nate shrugged as he washed his hands。 “Kind of；” he said。
“Let me guess； it was about sex； right？” Cyrus said。
Nate blushed and pulled a paper towel out of the dispenser。 “Well；
sort of 。 。 。” he said。 He really didn’t want to get into it。
Cyrus flushed the urinal and joined Nate at the sinks。 He washed his
hands and began fussing with his tie； which was bright pink with
yellow lions’ heads on it。 Very Versace。
Read： tacky。
“The only thing couples really fight about is sex and money；” Cyrus
observed。
Nate stood there with his hands in his pockets。
“That’s all right； kid。 I’m not going to give you a lecture or anything。
This is my future stepdaughter we’re talking about。 I’m sure as hell
not going to tell you how to get into her pants。”
Cyrus chuckled to himself and left the bathroom； leaving Nate to
stare after him。 He wondered if Blair knew Cyrus was planning on
marrying her mother。
Nate turned on the tap and splashed cold water on his face。 He
studied himself in the mirror。 He’d been up late last night with the
boys； playing stupid drinking games to Tomb Raider。 Every time
they saw Angelina Jolie’s nipples； they had to drink。 He’d tried to
drown his thoughts of Blair and Serena in as much booze as he
could swallow； and now he was paying for it。 His face was pale；
there were brownish…purple circles under his eyes； and his cheeks
were hollow。 He looked like shit。
As soon as this damned brunch was over； he was heading into the
park for a smoke in the sun and couple of tall…boys。 The perfect
cure…all。
But first he’d have to flirt with Blair a little bit。 Enough to make her
want him again。
Atta boy。
Instead of going back to her table when she left the ladies’ room；
Blair wound her way across the room； looking for Kati and Isabel’s
table。
“Blair！ Over here！” Kati called； patting the empty chair next to her。
Their parents and friends were working the room； socializing； so the
girls had the table to themselves。
“Here；” Isabel said； handing Blair a glass full of champagne and
orange juice。
“Thanks；” Blair said； taking a sip。
“Jeremy Scott Tomkinson just came over and tried to get us to e
to the park with him；” Kati said。 She giggled。 “He’s kind of cute； you
know； in a Waspoid kind of way。”
Hey； cool word！
Isabel turned to Blair； rolling her eyes。 “Isn’t this boring？ How’s your
table？”
“Don’t ask；” Blair said。 “Guess who I’m sitting with？”
The other two girls sniggered； they didn’t have to guess。
“Have you seen that billboard of her？” Isabel asked Blair。
Blair nodded and rolled her eyes。
“What’s it supposed to be； anyway？” Kati said。 “Her belly button？”
Blair still had no idea。 “Who cares？”
“She has no shame；” Isabel ventured。 “I actually feel kind of sorry
for her。”
“Me too；” Kati agreed。
“Well； don’t；” Blair said fiercely。
Grrr。
Nate pushed open the men’s room door at exactly the same time
that Serena pushed open the