Jenny looked up and decided to erase the last line and replace it with something else。 Ms。 Crumb
might get offended; since she obviously had some kind of ear…cleaning fetish。
But instead of writing something else to replace the ear…cleaning line; Jenny?s mind wandered
back to her e…mail。 She?d been checking it regularly; just like Blair had told her to; however; the
only messages she?d gotten had been jokey ones from Elise and her brother; telling her to stop
checking her e…mail and get back to her homework。 She glanced at Elise; who was scribbling away;
already on her second page。 Jenny wished she had Dan?s knack for the written word。 She was
better at detailed drawings and painting and calligraphy。
At the top of the page she drew an elaborate drawing of Elise?s ear and the side of her face;
hoping she?d score points for being artistic; even if her essay sucked。 Her mind wandered again;
to the blond boy she?d spotted in Bendel?s。 Was he artistic; too?
The bell rang to mark the end of last period and Ms。 Crumb stood up and brushed chalk dust
from her dark gray wool pinafore dress that looked like it had been made by nuns somewhere cold
and fashionless; like Greenland。
?Time?s up; ladies。 Pencils down。 You can hand in your papers as you leave。? She tucked her
maroon…stockinged feet into a pair of black felt L。L。 Bean clogs。 ?Happy Thursday afternoon!?
?So what?d you write about?? Jenny asked Elise after they had packed up their book bags and
were on their way out the school doors。
?None of your business;? Elise answered; blushing。
?Don?t think I?m never going to find out。 You?ll probably have to read it out loud on Monday;?
Jenny reminded her。 ?I wrote about your ears; but it kind of sucked。?
The two girls bowed their heads against the fierce February wind and headed over to Lexington
to take the bus down to Bloomingdale?s on East Fifty…ninth Street。 Elise had enlisted Jenny to
help her to find the perfect pair of jeans for less than eighty dollars; and; as usual; Jenny needed
some new bras; since she was always wearing out the elastic or breaking the underwires in the
ones she had。
Bloomingdale?s was a tacky war zone of tourists sporting the new tracksuits and sneakers they?d
just bought at Nike Town; along with gaggles of blue…haired bargain hunters; but it was the only
place to go for oversized bras and moderately priced jeans other than Macy?s; which was simply
gross。
Those with better taste and bigger credit limits went to Bergdorf?s; Bendel?s; or Barneys; but for
people like Jenny and Elise; Bloomingdale?s would just have to do。
?I can?t believe you can just put those on and they?re the perfect length;? Jenny said enviously as
she watched Elise try on her first pair of Paris Blues jeans in the dressing room。 Jenny was barely
five feet tall and had to shorten everything。 Elise was five foot seven; but she had other problems;
like her pletely flat chest and the podge that padded her hip bones and lower back like a
second butt。
Elise scrunched up her freckled face and stared down at the bulges riding above the waistband of
the low…rise jeans。 ?See why I can?t eat in public?? she grunted; sucking in her stomach and
tugging on the waistband。 The jeans were 9 percent Lycra; but that didn?t seem to make much
difference。 She exhaled and let her stomach out; giving up。 ?Okay; forget it。 Next pair。?
As Elise inched herself out of the reject ones; Jenny held up a beautiful pair of dark rinse flared
Seven jeans that were on sale and would be a major score if they fit。 She noticed Elise was
wearing light blue lacy underwear and quickly averted her eyes so Elise wouldn?t accuse her of
staring。
Elise took the jeans; slipped her feet into them and slid them up around her hips。 ?Oh my God。 I
can?t believe I forgot to tell you this;? she said; tugging on the button…fly waist。 ?Before creative
writing I heard Kati Farkas and Isabel Coates talking about Nate Archibald in the bathroom at
school。 They said he almost had to go tojail because he was caught dealing to some
twelve…year…olds in the park。 His dad had to go down to the police station and bail him out; but he
still has to go torehab 。 Weren?t you guys kind oftogether for a little while? Did you hear about
this? Isn?t it crazy??
Jenny hadn?t heard; and she wasn?t quite sure how she felt about it。 Nate had pretty much blown
her off pletely in the end; brushing her away like a pesky fly; so she guessed he?d gotten what
he deserved。 Besides; Nate seemed like the type of guy who would always rise to the top again;
unscathed。 Why should she waste any more time worrying or eventhinking about him? She
watched Elise struggle with the copper buttons on her jeans。 They were perfect everywhere else;
but the waist was so tight there was no way she?d ever be able to sit down in them。 ?Why don?t
you just try the next size up??
Elise squinted her hard blue eyes stubbornly。 She did that kind of a lot; causing Jenny to wonder
if she needed glasses。 ?Because; Miss Size Zero; I?m a size seven; not a size nine。 Pass me another
pair; and stop staring at my fat。?
?I?m not;? Jenny insisted; handing her a stretchy pair of Lei jeans that were a little too distressed;
with frayed cuffs and holes in the pockets; but with a wide; low waist that looked like it might
actually sit nicely on Elise?s hips。 ?And it?s not like anyone has to know what size you are。 I
won?t tell。? Jenny immediately thought of her own size issue。 She hadn?t planned on inviting
Elise into the dressing room with her when she tried on bras。 Sure; they were being close
friends; but was it really necessary for Elise to know that she wasn?t just a D cup; but adouble D?
Still; it seemed mean not to reciprocate when Elise had invited her to help try on jeans。
Elise wrinkled up her nose at the Leis。 ?Those are way too fake looking。?
?So what do you want to do?? Jenny asked; tossing the jeans on the bench in the back of the
narrow dressing room。
Elise buttoned up her uniform and slid her feet into her prissy black flats。 It amazed Jenny how
neat…and…sweet…little…school…girl Elise appeared until you got to know her。
?I?m keeping the Sevens。 I know they don?t fit now; but I?m planning to lose ten pounds before
the end of the year。 Andyou?re going to help me。?
Jenny nodded。 It wasn?t like she didn?t ever buy stuff that was too small。
Yes; it?s calledaspirational shopping。 Every girl with ambition does it。
The dressing rooms in the lingerie department were dirty; cramped; and badly lit。 With her back
to Elise; Jenny pulled her cornflower blue V…neck J。 Crew sweater over her head and threw it on
the stool in the corner。 Then she pulled her white Gap T…shirt off and dropped it on the floor;
crossing her arms over her breasts self…consciously。
?Which one do you want to try on first?? Elise asked; sorting through the plastic hangers that
Jenny had hastily snatched up with businesslike efficiency。 ?The lacy black one with the funky
clasp or the fy white cotton one with the extrawide straps??
?Just hand me the black one;? Jenny mu
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