hanging out with him on a just…friends basis。 And Blair was right… Vanessa and Aaron were perfect
for each other。 〃Cool；〃 she told her friend graciously； even though she thought that Stan 5 guy was
a conceited jerk。
The downstairs buzzer rang and Blair and Vanessa shot out of their seats and bolted to the window
overlooking the street。 Aaron Rose and Stanford Parris V were standing on the sidewalk； each
looking dubiously up at the second floor apartment。
〃Oh my God； they're here！〃 the oddly paired roommates squealed in unison。
All of a sudden Serena felt like a chaperone at a junior high sleepover party。 She rolled her eyes。
〃Do you girls want me to get the door so you can fix your hair or something？〃 she offered
jokingly。
〃Yes； please！〃 Blair cried。 She grabbed Vanessa's arm and dragged her toward the bathroom。
Serena chewed on a piece of ice and pressed play on Vanessa's CD player as she waited for the
boys to mount the stairs。 The Raves song 〃Ice Cream〃 came on and she quickly selected the next
disc one of Ruby's weird German disco albums。
Someone knocked on the door and she hurried over to answer it。 Now if they could just avoid the
topic of college for the rest of the evening。。。
Not likely。
WAY TO ALIENATE YOUR SISTER AND LOSE YOUR JOB
Dan would have perfectly happy eating sushi with Monique and taking in an old French film down
at the artsy movie theater on Twelfth Street。 But Monique had insisted that they could slip into
Damian's party unnoticed； steal a bottle of champagne and a few cigars； and then creep out onto
one of the fire escapes and have a party of their own。
Bedford Street was exactly the kind of uber…cool； exclusive； West Village neighborhood Dan
envisioned himself living in when he became an absurdly famous rock star； and it felt extremely
cool to swagger down the street with gorgeous Monique on his arm。 She was wearing an
ankle…length； pletely see…through； white silk sundress and white sandals； and he was wearing
his favorite pair of worn…in rust…colored corduroys and a soft black T…shirt。 He thought they looked
pretty good together。
Guess no one told him about the white thing either。
The door to Damian's town house was standing open and the scent of shrimp pad Thai wafted out
of it。 Before they wanted reached the top of the white marble steps； Dan distinctly heard the voice
of his sister； Jenny。 And she wasn't talking… she was singing。
Happy birthday to me； happy birthday to me！
Dan let go of Monique's hand and blinked in the bright whiteness。 His fingers trembled and his
palms began to sweat。 Damian's entire place was white； white； white。 Even all the other guests at
the party were wearing white。 Sure； it was cool。 He just wished someone had told him。
Jenny's voice continued to blare out over the stereo。
Happy birthday to me； happy birthday to me！
〃Hey；〃 Dan called unevenly。 He walked over to where Jenny sat on the white sectional sofa； her
butt in Lloyd's lap and her calves resting on Damian's knees。 〃What's going on？ Dad told me you
were spending the weekend up at Elise's country house。〃
Jenny giggles； obviously enthralled with her own craftiness。 〃Elise is in the country。〃 She giggled
and leaned back against Lloyd's chest。 〃But I'm here。 Dad's so totally gullible。〃
Dan didn't like the idea of Jenny lying to their dad。 Sure； he'd told his share of harmless untruths；
but little sisters were supposed to be pure and innocent and true； not lying schemers who sat on
older guys' laps； flirting their heads off while dressed in flimsy； see…through white undershirts and
a pair of guy's boxer shorts。 He would have written a poem about how she kind of reminded him
of Ophelia； except he was too friggen' pissed off。
〃With doz breasts； you must get away with murder！〃 Monique pointed at Jenny's barely clad
boobs。
Dan's hands were shaking uncontrollably now。 He reached for the pack of Camels in his back
pocket and trust one ion his mouth。 〃I don't even know what you're doing here；〃 he growled at his
sister with the unlit cigarette between his teeth。 〃This is my band；〃 he added； sounding pletely
immature。
Damian raised his nicely arched strawberry blond eyebrows。 〃Actually； Jenny is singing for us
now。〃
Dan waited for Damian to bust into a fit of giggles and tell him he was joking； but Damian kept a
straight face。
〃Dad's always saying I need a job to support my shopping habit；〃 Jenny gushed； her face shinny
with excitement and full of adorable dimples。
〃And we decided we need a softer sound；〃 Lloyd added； stroking Jenny's curly hair。 〃Of course；
we'll still use your songs。 Just with Jennifer's voice。
Excusez…moi？
Dan lit his cigarette with his neon green plastic Bic and tossed the lighter on the white sofa out of
sheer rebellion。 The way Damian was holding Jenny's bare feet while not wearing a shirt over his
well…developed； manly chest was totally infuriating。
Damian eyed Monique warily。 〃I thought you went back to St。 Barts； sweetie。〃
Monique grinned。 〃Vell； I have been trying to get Dan to o there with me； but he says he has to
finish school first。〃 She rolled her eyes。 〃Boring。〃
〃Serena van der Woodsen was here；〃 Jenny told her brother。 〃But she left。 Not that you care。〃
〃And she'd prettier than you； Monique；〃 Lloyd added bitchily。 He squeezed Jenny around the
waist。 〃But not nearly as cute as you； dumplin'。〃
Dan sucked furiously on his cigarette； trying desperately not to scream his fucking head off。 It
would have been nice to see Serena； but he kind of had other things on his mind。 〃Uh； Damian；
could I talk to you for a minute？〃 he demanded between gritted teeth。
〃Ciao； ciao； darling！〃 Monique called to someone across the room and drifted away from Dan to
smother a bald Moby look…alike in a white linen tracksuit with her wet； pine nut…scented kisses。
Dan waited for Damian to remove his hands from Jenny's feet； stand up； put a shirt on； and talk to
him in private； like a man。
Yeah。
But Damian stayed where he was。 〃Anything you need to say can be said in front of Lloyd and
your big sister。 We're all family right？〃
Big sister？
Dan's free hand closed in a sweaty fist。 〃Jenny's not my big sister；〃 he hissed。 〃I'm turning
eighteen in two weeks。 And she'll be fifteen in July。〃
〃Thanks a lot！〃 Jenny plained。
Damian and Lloyd's eyes bulged a little ebit； but they didn't say anything。 Then Lloyd cracked a
grin。 〃Well at least she's not married。〃
Damian elbowed him in the ribs。 〃I'll handle this。〃 He pulled a tiny bottle of Stoli out of his back
pocket and took a swig。 His red…blond hair was shorter than it had been only a week ago； and more
stylishly tousled。
Maybe that was because he had it cut by Sally Hershberger only yesterday？
〃Dan；〃 Damian continued。 〃You sang like shit last Saturday。 And you basically threw up on stage。
Then you hooked up with my wife。〃
Wife？
Dan's stomach dropped。 Monique had never said anything about being anyone's wife。 He had a
sudden urge to take a very long shower。
〃We're estranged；〃 Damian cl