during exams。 He could call the Evergreen admissions office and let them know he wasn？t
ing。
Instead； he tried to rework the opening segment of his graduation speech in the last few pages of
his blue book。
Ladies and gentlemen； thank you for attending this year？s mencement exercises for the
Riverside Preparatory School for Boys。 You must be very proud of your sons？so proud that you
are giving them exactly what they wanted for graduation； right？（Pause for laughter。）
Anyway； I？m honored to be the graduation speaker this year。 I？d like to start out by reading from
a Robert Frost poem。
Two roads diverged in a wood； and I？
I took the one less traveled by；
And that has made all the difference。
This is a popular quote for graduation speeches。 I know； because I Googled it。 （Pause for
laughter。）It？s ironic； though； because how many of us are actually taking the road less traveled？
（Pause for awkward silence。）Well； I am。 And here？s how I？m going to do it： I？m going to follow
my heart？
The little white egg…shaped egg timer on Ms。 Solomon？s desk went off。 ？Put down your pencils；
please；？ she announced。
Dan looked up with a dazed expression。 As usual； he？d gotten carried away。
？Didn？t finish the exam； huh？？ Chuck Bass snickered to his left。 Seniors were allowed to break
dress code for exams； and Chuck had chosen to wear a bright yellow cut…up Dolce & Gabbana
sleeveless shirt that was somehow more revealing than if he hadn？t worn a shirt at all。
Dan glared at him。 Was it possible to be killed in the line of duty while you were still only in
military school？ He certainly hoped so。
Ms。 Solomon walked over to collect their blue books。 ？Is there a problem； Mr。 Humphrey？？ she
demanded； sticking her bony chest out at him through her weirdly ugly black…and…orange striped
halter dress。
Dan frowned。 ？Would it be all right if I ripped out the last couple pages in my blue book？？ he
asked； without much hope that she？d let him。
The teacher shrugged her inappropriately bare shoulders。 ？Go ahead。？
Dan ripped the pages out before she could change her mind； surprised at her total lack of
bitchiness。 Maybe Ms。 Solomon had finally gotten herself a boyfriend and was too busy
daydreaming about the approaching hot and sexy summer of late mornings and steamy sex to
bother being nasty to Dan。
Oh； like hewasn？t daydreaming about late mornings and steamy sex？ In fact； who isn？t？！
Who can resist an artistic page six girl？
Biology was Jenny？s last exam and she？d stayed up all night studying for it。 Nuclei； protozoa；
osmosis？she knew it all。 She answered the questions automatically； filling in the blanks without
pause and making her classmates seriously jealous。 Osmosis was the process in which organisms
took on each other？s qualities just by hanging out together。 Well； if it worked for tiny little
organisms； why didn？t it work for them？ They？d been hanging out with Jenny all year； and yet
they still weren？t any smarter。
And their boobs aren？t much bigger； either。
I like your hair； Kim Swanson scribbled on the edge of Jessica Soames？s gray plastic desktop
with her number two pencil。Can you see fenny？s answer to #21？
Kim Swanson was the most perfectly groomed girl in the ninth grade。 She？d been getting her
naturally light brown hair highlighted blond since she was nine and preferred perfectly ironed
Agn？s B。 white button…down shirts with her gray pleated uniform。 It was rumored that even her
underwear was ironed； and she never left the house without full makeup； a gold…and…silver Cartier
chain bracelet on each wrist； and her not…so…tiny Cartier diamond studs in her ears。 She spent so
much time grooming herself that she hardly had time to study。
Hold on； Jessica Soames scribbled back。 Jessica had been the class slut starting in fourth grade；
when she？d gotten her period； and culminating in sixth grade； when she lost her virginity。 She？d
had the biggest chest in the class； too？until Jenny had blossomed in seventh grade； surpassing her
by three whole cup sizes。 Jessica stole a subtle glance at the desk to her right； trying to read the
answers on Jenny？s exam。 But Jenny was already finished and was now doodling in calligraphy
on an empty page in her blue book。
Loser； she？d written in elegant； loopy black bubble letters； and Jessica tried not to take it
personally。
The truth was； Jenny had written the word to describe herself。 First thing Monday morning；
she？d FedExed Waverly Prep her trio of brilliant new portraits； all matted and framed； but now it
was Thursday and she still hadn？t heard from the admissions office。 It was the first week in June。
September was only three short months away； and she had nowhere to go to school。 She was
quietly approaching desperation。
Before they？d sat down for their exam； Elise had reminded her that Waverly was winding up the
school year too and probably wouldn？t get to the package she？d sent them until after their seniors
graduated。 But Jenny was having none of that。 She？d obviously missed her chance to go to
boarding school。 Her only other option besides public school was to ace her exams and then beg
Mrs。 M to let her stay at Constance。 She could repeat ninth grade； cultivate her reputation as a
total geek； wear thick tortoiseshell glasses； and lengthen her uniforms to her ankles。 No more
appearances on Page Six。 No more racy fashion spreads。 No dating rock bands。 No online nudity。
Aw。 But isn？t that what makes Jenny so special？
The problem was； she was already a straight…A student。 How could she do better than she was
already doing？
It occurred to Jenny that maybe her grades and her new artwork weren？t enough。 Why not send
Waverly a copy of theW magazine spread she？d modeled for with Serena van der Woodsen and
the Page Six piece featuring a photograph of her kissing Damian； the lead guitarist from the Raves；
outside the Plaza Hotel？
And while she？s at it； why not send them a lock of her hair？ Or one of her massive Bali support
bras？
Kim Swanson snickered discreetly as she scrawled something on Jessica Soames？s desk。 Jenny
put down her pencil and rested her forehead on her arms； her curly dark hair cascading in little
ringlets all over her desk。 If she sent Waverly theW spread and the excerpt from Page Six； she？d
be the talk of the school before she even arrived。 That was one way of getting people？s attention；
but then everyone would be so full of preconceived notions about her； she？d never change their
minds。 Better to earn her reputation and demand people？s notice once she got there。
Ahead of her was a bizarre summer in Prague with her mother； attending some famous Czech art
camp？something she？d mitted to over Passover under the influence of too much
Manischewitz wine。 Her dad had reminded her last week； when she？d thought she？d at least have
boarding school to look forward to in the fall； but now she wasn？t so sure。
？Two； four； six； eight； only four more days till we graduate！？a group of seniors shrieked
excitedly in the hall outside the biology lab。 Then the bell rang and Jenny？s classmat