the auditorium； where the interschool play rehearsal had already
begun。 As always； she was half an hour late。
The sound of a Talking Heads song being played jauntily on the
piano drifted down the hallway。 Serena pushed open the auditorium
door to find her old friend； Ralph Bottoms III； singing Burning Down
the South； to the tune of Burning Down the House； with a
pletely straight face。 He was dressed as Rhett Butler； plete
with fake mustache and brass buttons。 Ralph had gained weight in
the last two years； and his face was ruddy； as if he’d been eating
too much rare steak。 He was holding hands with a stocky girl with
curly brown hair and a heart…shaped face—Scarlett O’Hara。 She was
singing too； belting out the words in a thick Brooklyn accent。
Serena leaned against the wall to watch； with a mixture of horror
and fascination。 The scene at the art gallery hadn’t fazed her； but
this—this was scary。
When the song ended； the rest of the Interschool Drama Club
clapped and cheered； and then the drama teacher； an aged English
woman； began to direct the next scene。
“Put your hands on your hips； Scarlett；” she instructed。 “Show me；
show me。 That’s it。 Imagine you’re the teen sensation of the Civil
War South。 You’re breaking all the rules！”
Serena turned to gaze out the window and saw three girls get out of
a cab together on the corner of Ninety…third and Madison。 She
squinted； recognizing Blair； Kati； and Isabel。 Serena hugged herself；
warding off the strange feeling that had been stalking her since
she’d e back to the city。 For the first time in her entire life； she
felt left out。
Without a word to anyone in the drama club—Hello？ Goodbye！—
Serena slipped out of the auditorium and into the hallway outside。
The wall was littered with flyers and notices and she stopped to
read them。 One of the flyers was for Vanessa Abrams’s film tryout。
Knowing Vanessa； the film was going to be very serious and
obscure； but it was better than shouting goofy songs and doing the
Hokey…Pokey with fat； red…faced Ralph Bottoms III。 Vanessa’s tryout
had started an hour ago； on a bench in Madison Square Park； but
maybe it was still going on。 Once again； Serena found herself
running for a cab； headed downtown。
“This is how I want you to do it；” Vanessa told Marjorie Jaffe； a
sophomore at Constance and the only girl who had shown up to try
out for the role of Natasha in Vanessa’s film。 Marjorie had curly red
hair and freckles； a little pug nose； and no neck。 She chewed gum
incessantly； and she was pletely； nightmarishly； wrong for the
part。
The sun was setting； and Madison Square Park was basked in a
pretty pink glow。 The air had the distinct smell of New York in
autumn； a mixture of smoking fireplaces； dried leaves； steaming hot
dogs； dog pee； and bus exhaust。
Daniel was lying on his back on the park bench the way Vanessa
had told him to； a wounded soldier； with his limbs sprawled out
pathetically。 Wounded in war and in love； he was tragically pale and
thin and rumpled…looking。 A little glass crack pipe lay on his chest。
Lucky Vanessa had found it on the street in Williamsburg that
weekend。 It was the perfect prop for her sexily damaged prince。
“I’m going to read Natasha’s lines。 Watch carefully；” she told
Marjorie。 “Okay Dan； let’s go。”
“Haven’t you been asleep？” Vanessa…as…Natasha said； peering at
Dan…as…Prince Andrei。
“No； I have been looking at you for a long time。 I knew by instinct
that you were here。 No one except you gives me such a sense of
gentle restfulness 。 。 。 such light！ I feel like weeping from very joy；”
Dan…as…Prince Andrei said quietly。
Vanessa knelt at his head； her face radiant with solemn delight。
“Natasha； I love you too dearly！ More than all the world！” Dan
gasped； trying to sit up and then sinking back on the bench as if in
pain。
He said he loved her！ Vanessa grabbed his hand； her face flushed
red at the thrill of it。 She was pletely caught up in the moment。
Then she remembered herself； let go of Dan’s hand； and stood up。
“Now your turn；” she told Marjorie。
“ ’Kay；” Marjorie said； chewing her gum with her mouth open。 She
pulled the scrunchy out of her wiry red hair and fluffed it up with
her hand。 Then she knelt down by Dan’s bench and held up the
script。 “Ready？” she asked him。
Dan nodded。
“Haven’t you been asleep？” Marjorie said； batting her eyes
flirtatiously and cracking her gum。
Dan closed his eyes and said his line。 He could get through this
without laughing if he kept his eyes closed。
Halfway through the scene； Marjorie put on a fake Russian accent。 It
was unbelievably bad。
Vanessa suffered in silence； wondering what she was going to do
without a Natasha。 For a moment she imagined buying a wig and
playing the part herself； getting someone else to shoot it for her。
But it was her project； she had to film it。
Just then； someone nudged her arm and whispered； “Do you mind if
I try when she’s done？”
Vanessa turned to find Serena van der Woodsen standing beside
her； a little breathless from running across the park。 Her cheeks
were flushed and her eyes were as dark as the twilit sky。 Serena
was her Natasha； if ever there was one。
Daniel bolted upright； forgetting his injuries and his line。 The crack
pipe rolled to the ground。
“Wait； we’re not done；” Marjorie said。 She prodded Dan in the arm。
“You’re supposed to kiss my hand。”
Dan stared at her blankly。
“Sure；” Vanessa told Serena。 “Marjorie； do you mind giving Serena
your script？”
Serena and Marjorie traded places。 Dan had his eyes open now。 He
didn’t dare blink。
They began to read。
“I have been looking at you for a long time；” Dan said； meaning
every word。
Serena knelt down beside him and took his hand。 Dan felt faint； and
he was grateful he was lying down。
Whoa。 Easy boy。
He had been in lots of plays； but he had never felt that thing called
“chemistry” before with anyone。 And to be feeling it with Serena
van der Woodsen was like dying an exquisite death。 It felt like he
and Serena were sharing the same breath。 He was inhale and she
was exhale。 He was quiet and still； while she exploded around him
like fireworks。
Serena was enjoying herself too。 The script was beautiful and
passionate； and this scruffy Dan guy was a really good actor。
I could get into this； she thought with a little thrill。 She had never
really thought about what she wanted to do with her life； but maybe
acting was her thing。
They kept reading beyond the given stopping point。 It was as
though they’d forgotten they were acting。 Vanessa frowned。 Serena
was great—they were great together—but Dan was swooning。 It was
totally nauseating。
Boys are so predictable； Vanessa thought and cleared her throat
noisily。 “Thanks； Serena。 Thanks； Dan。” She pretended to scribble
ments in her notebook。 “I’ll let you know tomorrow； okay？” she
told Serena。 In your dreams； she wrote。
“That was fun！” Serena said； smiling at Dan。
Dan gazed up at her dreamily from the bench； still hungover from
the moment。
“Mar