she followed one of Breakaway？s linen…clad staff members to the room where the teen group
therapy session was already under way。 She was wearing her new vintage black； red； and purple
Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress paired with her favorite pair of pointy black suede knee…high
boots； and she was positively brimming with excitement at the idea of spilling her guts in front of
a rapt audience that would include Nate。
？Wele； Blair Waldorf；？ a dowdy woman wearing ugly brown lipstick greeted her when the
staff member opened the door。 She walked over and ushered Blair into the room。 ？I？m Jackie
Davis； the teen group facilitator。 Please e in and have a seat。？
Blair surveyed the group。 There was Natie； her Nate； looking scrumptious as ever in his olive
green cords which set off his wonderful green eyes。 To her dismay； the only empty chair was next
to this Jackie person who Blair could already tell was a total drip。
？You can all sit down again；？ Jackie instructed； taking her seat。 ？Now； what we like to do when a
new member joins the group is go around the circle saying who we are and naming the thing or
the circumstance that brought us here。 Be as specific and concise as possible。 Remember； naming
your weakness is the first step toward taking control of it。 Don？t worry； Blair；？ Jackie put a
reassuring hand on Blair？s arm； ？I won？t make you go first。 Billy； would you like to begin？？
A stocky； muscular boy in a white Dartmouth sweatshirt rubbed his hands together
nervously。 ？I？m Billy White。 I？m addicted to lifting weights and drinking muscle…building drinks；？
he announced。 ？I？m an exercise bulimic。？
Nate was next。 He couldn？t believe Blair had actually turned up at Breakaway； but he？d known
her long enough not to put anything past her。 ？I？m Nate and I used to smoke marijuana every day；
but I have to say； lately I haven？t really wanted to。？ It was sort of strange to admit this in front of
Blair； the girl from back in the days when he？d been permanently stoned。
Blair？s eyebrows shot up in pleased surprise。 Was Nate really reforming？ Was he doing it
forher ？
？I？m Hannah Koto；？ said the girl sitting next to Nate。 ？I？ve taken E every day since my dog died
last summer。？ She glanced at Jackie。 ？Sorry。Ecstasy ；？ she clarified。
？I？m Campbell and I？m a budding alcoholic；？ said a blond boy who looked no older than ten。 ？I
cleaned out my parents？ wine cellars in Darien and Cape Cod。？
？I？m Georgie and I？ll do anything；？ said a strikingly beautiful girl with long； silky brown hair；
enormous brown eyes； and dark red lips。 She was wearing orange satin Miu Miu short shorts and
beautiful tangerine leather Jimmy Choo sandals； Blair noted enviously。 ？Lately I like pills and I
used to be scared that one day I？d fall asleep and never wake up again。 But now that I know I have
a knight in shining armor 。 。 。？ She batted her thick brown eyelashes in Nate？s direction。 Blair？s
hackles rose。
？Thank you； Georgie；？ Jackie interrupted before Georgie could say anything that might
jeopardize her control over the group。 ？Next？？
？I？m Jodia and I？m an alcoholic； too；？ said the chubby girl sitting next to Blair。 ？I even drank
perfume once。？
？Me too；？ Blair cut in； eager to top Georgie？s performance。 She uncrossed and recrossed her legs；
giving the room a glimpse of her sexy black fishnets through the slit in her dress。 ？I？m Blair
and 。 。 。？ She hesitated。 Where to begin？ She took a deep； dramatic breath。
？My parents got divorced last year。 It turns out my father was gay and he was fooling around
with my mom？s personal assistant； who was only twenty…one。 They？re still together； and now they
live in a chateau in a vineyard in France。 My mother just married this gross fat freak real estate
developer and now they？re having a baby； even though she？s； like； a hundred years old。 It？s a girl；
they just found out。 I was supposed to apply early to Yale； but my interview sucked。 So this old
friend of my father？s said he？d give me an alumni interview。 He was really attractive and I？d
never been with an older guy before so I kind of hooked up with him；？ she glanced apologetically
at Nate。 He？d forgive her for philandering； just as she？d forgive him for straying from her。
Jackie listened with her mouth agape。 She was used to the kids in teen group giving a little more
detail than was necessary； but she？d never run across anyone who seemed to enjoy talking about
herself so much。
？I think part of the reason I cut all my hair off was I was trying to make myself ugly； even though
I didn？t realize it at the time。 I thought short hair might look cool on me。 But I think I was maybe；
you know； bringing all the ugliness inside to the surface？ And this past week I stayed home from
school。 I wasn？t really sick； I just couldn？t？？
？I？m sorry to interrupt； but if you could simply name your problem？；？ Jackie broke in when she
realized Blair wasn？t even close to being finished。
Blair frowned and twisted her little ruby ring around and around on her finger。 It sounded like
she had to have aspecific problem or they？d kick her out。 ？Sometimes when I？m upset？which；
considering what my life is like now； is all the time？I eat too much； or I eat something that I
shouldn？t； and then I make myself sick。？There ； that sounded convincing。
Jackie nodded。 ？Can you name your problem Blair？ There？s a name for that you know。？
Blair glared at her。 ？Stress…induced regurgitation？？ she answered tightly。 She knew Jackie wanted
her to saybulimia ； but it was such a gross word； she refused to say it； especially in front of Nate。
Bulimia was for losers。
The rest of the room tittered。 Jackie was eager to get the group back on track after Blair？s
soliloquy。 ？Well； I suppose that？s one way of putting it；？ she noted； marking something on her
clipboard。
She looked up and smoothed back her wiry brown hair。 ？Now it？s my turn。 I？m Jackie Davis and
my job is to help youbreak away ！？ She punched her fist into the air and let out a little whoop like
she was at a basketball game and her team had just scored。 She waited for the members of the
group to punch the air with their fists and whoop along with her； but they just stared at her
blankly。 ？All right。 Good。 Now I want you all to pair up。 We？re going to do a little exercise I like
to call ？Go to hell； demon！？ One of you is going to be the thing you just named； the thing you？re
trying to break away from。 I want the other person to stand in your face and tell that demon where
to go。 Tell it anything you want； but do it withfeeling 。 Make itreal 。 Okay； go ahead； pair up。
There？s only seven of us； so someone will have to pair with me。？
Hannah raised her hand。 ？Wait。 Are we talking totheir demon or our own demon？？
？Yourdemon；？ Jackie clarified。 ？This is going to help you exorcise it！？
Blair waited for Nate to walk over to her； but before he even had a chance the pale bitch in the
totally inappropriate orange satin short shorts minced up to him and took his hand。 ？Be my
partner？？ Blair heard her whine。 Everyone else had already paired up； so Blair was stuck with
Jackie。