mber。
Nate gingerly perched on the edge of the bed； watching as Holly and her boyfriend wandered around Tiffany。 He must have watched this movie a hundred times。 What was one more？
“I’m getting ice cream；” Blair announced； stepping out of bed。 Nate gazed at her as she padded toward the door。 She was wearing her bra and underwear and every inch of her looked amazing。 And Serena was so long and lean and leggy and…
Down boy！
Blair came back with a two…gallon tub of Rocky Road that she’d unearthed from the back of the freezer and three spoons。 “Natie； you’ve got to have a talk with Regina about her ice cream selections。 What happened to the mint chocolate chip？” Blair settled back into bed； loving how she could say whatever she wanted—be whoever she wanted—in front of her two oldest friends。 She hoped no matter what happened； it could always be that way。
“Let’s make a promise！” Serena said spontaneously； as if reading Blair’s mind。 She took a gigantic scoop from the carton； licked her spoon； and held it up。 “No matter who we marry or how many kids we have； we’ll always have slumber parties。”
Blair clinked her spoon against Serena’s。 She took another large scoop of ice cream and bit into it； not caring about the calories or the fact that she was dripping all over herself or that they were acting like a bunch of seventh graders。
“I’m in； but only if I can hold the carton。” Nate grabbed the ice cream and scooped out a large spoonful。 He felt happier than he had in a long time。
Next up： creative use of whipped cream？
a kiss is never just a kiss
Vanessa lay on her bed in the Humphreys’ apartment； Marx by her side and Norma snoring contentedly on the floor。 Norma loved living at the Humphreys’； so at least Vanessa wouldn’t have to worry about finding a home for her while she was in Indonesia。 The dog actually begged for Rufus’s soufflés and other kitchen experiments gone wrong。
Unlike everyone else with a sense of smell。
The only sound in the apartment was the annoying…yet…forting hum of the fluorescent light in the hallway that Rufus always meant to replace but never got around to。 Vanessa typed Indonesia into Google’s search box and pressed enter。 Immediately； maps； travel reviews； and NYTimes。 articles sprung onto the screen。 Nothing helpful。 Nothing that told her whether or not she should go。 She heard the key scrape in the lock。 Rufus was spending time with his anarchist friends； and Jenny was probably with Nate； so it had to be Dan ing home。 Vanessa was surprised by how eager she felt to see him。 She slid off the bed and headed toward the living room to investigate。
“Hey；” Dan said as he unwrapped a Burberry scarf from his neck and flung it on the couch。 Serena had given him the scarf as a Thanksgiving present。
Usually； the fact that he and Serena had grown up in such different worlds didn’t matter to him。 But there were times—like when he received a Thanksgiving present that cost more than a month of working at the circulation desk in Butler Library； or when she invited him to stay at her parents’ sprawling Connecticut house—that it became apparent how fundamentally different their backgrounds were。
Dan had been thinking about this more than ever recently。 He hadn’t seen Serena since before Christmas； four days ago。 He’d called her tonight to invite her to a movie； but she was meeting Blair。 Dan had gone to Film Forum alone； and surprised himself by buying a ticket to the new Hollis Lyons film。
He’d thought about Vanessa the whole time； which made sense； since it was her ex’s movie。 But it was more than that。 He was thinking about Vanessa and her film grant； and how excited she was for her future。 Serena wasn’t like that。 Serena was smart； but she was never especially ambitious。
Vanessa sauntered into the kitchen。 “Hey；” she said casually。 She didn’t want Dan to think she’d specifically e out of her bedroom to see him。 She opened the refrigerator and made an elaborate show of pawing through its contents。
“I don’t think there’s anything there。 I haven’t eaten yet； either。 Want a pizza？” Dan asked。
“Sure。” Vanessa shrugged。
Dan moved over to the counter and ordered a large double cheese； onion； and pepper。 He turned to Vanessa after he hung up。 “Serena had plans with Blair； so I saw your ex’s movie tonight。 The one about the Maoris in Iceland？”
“And？” Vanessa asked curiously。 She still hadn’t seen it； though the movie posters were on subway cars and bus shelters everywhere。 She really didn’t know if she wanted Dan to love or hate the film。
“You could have done it better；” Dan added。 “I can’t wait to see what you make in Indonesia。”
Vanessa smiled； her heart melting a little bit。 That was exactly what she wanted to hear。
Dan grinned。 “Did you ever think this is who you’d bee？” he asked； settling onto the counter。
“What do you mean？”
“I mean—going to Indonesia。 Being a real filmmaker。 Like； back when you were eighteen； wouldn’t you be so excited if you knew this was who you’d be four years later？” Dan asked； stirring his Folgers coffee crystals into his favorite chipped white mug。
“Yes； I’d be excited。 But I always thought…” She trailed off。 She’d meant to say that back then； whenever she imagined her future life； she imagined herself and Dan together。 “I don’t know。” She shrugged； not finishing the sentence。 “What about you？”
Dan closed his eyes。 He’d thought he’d be more in control of his life； be more sure of what he was doing。 Of course； everything seemed perfect。 Outside of his two poems in The New Yorker； he’d been published in some of the most prestigious literary journals in the country。 He was dating a movie star。 He was heading to the best grad program for writing in the world。 But somehow； something seemed… inplete。 “Yeah； things worked out。” Dan shrugged。
“You and Serena seem good together；” Vanessa offered after a pause。 She’d never really talked about Dan’s relationship with Serena before。
“Yeah； she’s great；” Dan said distantly。 Serena was great。 But no matter what； they didn’t have as strong a connection as he described in the poems he wrote about their relationship。 It wasn’t the marriage of two minds； not really。 It was more like falling in love with an illusion of perfection。
Sounds like we’ve got the beginnings of another poem。
Just then； the buzzer rang。
“Saved by the bell。” Vanessa grinned as she stood up and pulled a twenty from the back pocket of her tight black jeans。 After paying the delivery boy； she set the steaming box of pizza on the coffee table in the living room。
She grabbed a slice of pizza and sat cross…legged on the scuffed hardwood floor。 This was what she was going to miss： the Humphreys’ fortably ramshackle apartment； Marx； Norma； and the overarching feeling of pride that somehow； despite all odds； she’d transformed from the scrappy； friendless daughter of hippie parents from Vermont into an inspiring young filmmaker who mattered。
Dan grabbed a slice and sat down next to her。 A glob of sauce landed on the front of his brown sweater。
Vanessa cracked a grin。 “I’d have thought you’d have better