〃You can't really tell if someone's fat until you see them naked。〃
Jenny considered this as she stared at the drummer。 She didn't even know his name； but she liked
him。 She just did。 And she wouldn't have minded seeing him naked。 After all； the total number of
boys she'd seen pletely naked in her lifetime added up to what… zero？
The club was filling up。 Jenny even recognized a few people from the line outside who'd finally
made it in。 All of a sudden the lights went out； except for a single bare bulb illuminating the
fireman's pole。 Jenny grabbed Elise's hand underneath the table and squeezed it hard； barely able
to contain her excitement。 Then Damian； the Raves' lead guitarist； slid down the pole； his reddish
blond hair sticking up like he'd slept on it funny。 He was wearing a plain white T…shirt with a big
black capital R on the front of it… the Raves' new promo T…shirt； which he'd designed himself。
If you call that a design。
The thing about the Raves was they could get away with wearing anything they wanted or doing
anything they pleased because they were true Thoroughbreds… good kids from good Upper East
Side families who'd gone to boarding school together and then formed a band instead of going to
college。 A few months back； Rolling Stone had even printed a piece describing how every member
of the Raves had gotten into Princeton and how one fateful May night before graduating from
boarding school； when they were performing in a Deerfeild coffeehouse； a kid in the audience had
just happened to be on the phone with his record executive dad； who'd sign them right then and
there。 The four boys decided not to go to college at all； because what better way to thank your
parents for giving you everything you ever wanted than to buy you own car and house before the
age of twenty？ In the end； being rock stars would be much more profitable then getting a college
degree in some pletely useless subject like philosophy。 Plus； the same record executive
happened to be married to the director of a French modeling agency； which meant the band could
hang out with beautiful French models all the time… a pretty decent perk。
Jenny looked on anxiously as Dan slid down the pole after Damian； landing painfully on his knees。
His face was green； his hair was clumpy with sweat； and his eyes were sort of rolling back into his
head。 He also dressed like Mr。 Way Into Hip…Hop； which totally clashed with the other Raves'
grown…up…prep…school…boy ensembles。
〃What's with the pants？〃 Elise asked； looking alarme； as if she couldn't quite believe that she'd
once allowed Dan to kiss her。 〃And what's with the hair？〃
Jenny shrugged her shoulders。 She had to admit Dan looked kind of weird； but she would much
rather make goo…goo eyes at the Raves' drummer than try to deconstruct why her brother was
suddenly trying to look like Eminem。 The drummer smiled at her again and she batted her eyes；
wishing her eyelashes were longer or that she'd worn more mascara。 She also wished she had the
nerve to go up to the bar and ask the bartender to buy the drummer a shot or something。 It seemed
like the kind of thing Serena would do。 If only Serena were there。 Or maybe it was best that she
wasn't。 After all； the drummer was smiling at her。 If Serena had been there； Jenny might have gone
unnoticed。
The crowd was noisy now and seemed to have doubled in size。 Elise lit a cigarette and passed it to
Jenny。 No one had even offered to bring them drinks； but smoking in a room full of legal adults
when you were only fourteen felt cool enough。
Damian twanged his guitar and the drummer banged out a drumroll。 The anorexic； dark…haired
bassist cracked his knuckles。 Dan cleared his throat right into the microphone； a disgusting；
phlegmy sound。
Gross。
〃I guess I should start singing；〃 he mumbled almost incoherently。 The crowd tittered。 Jenny
thought Dan sounded exactly like he did the morning he'd woken up to find they'd run out of
instant coffee and he'd bee so weak he'd puked。 Jenny had to run out to the deli； and it had
taken four cups to revive him。 She cocked her head to one side； inhaled； and blew a long stream of
smoke into the air。 Maybe he was just pretending to be out of it so everyone would be surprised
when he started going nuts like he had at Vanessa's birthday party。
Or maybe not。
EVEN V CAN'T WATCH THIS TRAIN WRECK
Beverly was waiting for Vanessa outside the club； wearing the same loose black pants and orange
rubber flip…flops as yesterday。 His black hair was parted down the middle and his pale blue eyes
were shaded by small； round mirrored sunglasses。 Very John Lennon meets Keanu Reeves。
〃Hi；〃 Vanessa greeted him； hoping she didn't seem too excited to see him again。 〃Nice glasses。〃
'Love the lip ring。 You smell fantastic'； she willed him to say in response。 'And with all certainty
I've decided to move in with you'。
〃Should we go in？〃 was all he asked instead。
The band had already started to play and the line outside the club had dwindled。 Vanessa went
straight to the front。 〃Abrams。 I'm on the guest list；〃 she told the bouncer。 All of a sudden it
occurred to her that Dan was about to see her with another guy for the very first time。 If only she
had the nerve to garn Beverly and make out with him right infront of the stage。
As if Dan would even notice。
The bouncer gave them the once…over and then unhooked the red velvet rope。 Vanessa could hear
people in line behind them moaning jealously as they went inside。 Beverly didn't say anything； as
if cool things like that happened to him every day。
Funktion was loud and crowded and smoky and hot； just the way clubs were supposed to be。 The
Raves were playing with their usual bravado； but the audience seemed to be singing louder than
Dan was。 Vanessa couldn't see him yet； but it almost sounded like Dan was choking on something。
'Crack me like and ehh！
Burn a hole in my finger 'til I find myself
Find myself losing you！
Losing you and missing stuff
Missing how you kicked my ass！'
Whoa； that song wouldn't be autobiographical； would it？
It was a new song； one that Dan had written only last week。 Somehow the hard…core Raves fans
had bootlegged a version from their practice sessions and had already memorized the lyrics。 Now
they were shouting them out； which was a good thing because Dan was barely audible。
Vanessa eased her way through the tightly packed crowd to the back of the club。 Dan's little sister
Jenny and her friend were seated at a table in the corner； smoking cigarettes and nodding their
chins to the music with such studied boredom it was almost obvious they'd been practicing in front
of a mirror。
Beverly pointed to a table near the fire exit where there was one free seat。 〃Go ahead；〃 he told
Vanessa。 He perched on the table and indicated that she should have the seat。 〃I'm not sure how
much more of this I can take。〃
Vanessa pressed her lips together and sat down。 What was that supposed to mean？ That he didn't
like her？ That he didn't want to live with her？ This wasn't what she'd imagi