sudden urge to take a very long shower。
〃We're estranged；〃 Damian clarified。
Oh； well； that's a relief。
〃I respect your words； yeah？〃 Damian told him solemnly。 〃But I'm just not feeling the love。〃
Dan shifted his gaze to the other party guests… visions of coolness and sophistications； wearing
white designer clothes； happily quaffing their boiled…egg martinis and munching on shrimp shu
mai and rice noodles； their hair as shiny and Sally Hershberger… groovy as Damian's。 Dan wore
corduroys from Old Navy and got a haircut at Supercuts once a year。 He liked instant coffee and
hot dogs bought on the street。 He liked ing home in the evenings and laughing at the local
news with his dad。 His bedroom had linty maroon wall…to…wall carpeting that he was actually sort
of fond of。 He only owned two pairs of shoes。 He was never meant to be a rockstar。
〃e on； Jenny。 Let's go home。〃 He held a grim hand out to his little sister。
Jenny glared at him。 Was he crazy？ The guys in the Raves didn't mind that she was only fourteen。
She was definitely staying。 〃You go home；〃 she challenged。
Dan flapped a sweaty hand at her。 〃We can get a cab。 I'll pay。〃
Jenny shrank away from him； her back pressed against Lloyd's chest。 〃Please don't be an idiot；
Dan；〃 she yawned dismissively。 〃And don't say anything to Dad。 I'll deal with him on my own。〃
〃Fine。〃 Dan shoved his hands in his pockets。 He had a feeling Jenny sort of wanted to get into
trouble with their dad； but he wasn't going to tell on her。 She was doing fine in the trouble
department all on her own。 〃If you think I'm going to give you any of my poems； though； you can
forget about it。〃
Damian raised his eyebrows； Lloyd rolled his eyes； and Jenny kicked at the white sofa with her
bare feet… as if they were all bored with Dan's little tirade。 Across the room Monique was eating
noodles right out of the serving dish with a pair of ivory…lacquered chopsticks。 A girl in a white
embroidered bolero jacket who looked a like Chloe Sevigny was braiding Monique's long；
honey…colored hair while she ate。
〃Tell you wife I said good…bye；〃 Dan grumbled at Damian。 He hesitated； giving Jenny one last
chance to leave with him； but she'd shifted around on Lloyd's lap so her back was to him。
〃Bye； Dan；〃 she said； sounding like she couldn't wait for him to be gone。
Dan shuffled down the white marble steps and out onto Bedford Street； unsure whether to laugh or
to cry。 It was kind of a relief knowing he'd never had to sing onstage again。 He could go to college；
be a normal kid； have a normal girlfriend； and a normal life。
Whatever that meant。
TRUTH OR DARE
Blair remained in the bathroom； preparing for her entrance； leaving Vanessa to hang back near the
kitchen like a shy thirteen…year…old while Serena answered the door。 Vanessa felt like a total
dweeb wearing Blair's super shiny lip gloss and that one pair of black stretch Levis she'd stopped
wearing over a year ago because she decided they were too tight。 In fact； she felt like a total
dweeb； period。 Aaron would probably be a plete snob who thought she was a fat； bald weirdo；
just like Blair had always thought before she'd lost her mind and decided to move in with her。
〃Hey。〃 Aaron stepped into the apartment and kissed Serena on the cheek。 〃You live here too？〃 he
was wearing an orange hemp wife beater T…shirt； his usual army…issued pants； and black
cruelty…free rubber flip…flops。 He pinned his dark dreadlocks back with two turquoise heart…shaped
barrettes stolen out of Blair's bathroom； obviously trying to gauge Vanessa's vegan…freak tolerance
by looking as vegan…freaky as possible。
Serena was relived to discover that she really was over him。 〃Oh； no。 I'm just here to open the
door。〃
Stan 5 towered blondly in the hall carrying two large pizza boxes in his arms； looking like a
prep…school poster boy in a khaki Hugo Boss suit； a pink Brooks Brothers shirt； and a
Kelly…green…and…pink…striped Turnbull & Aser tie。 〃The delivery guy was downstairs；〃 he said；
looking bewildered。 〃It sure is different here；〃 he added； making it very clear that he had never
been to Brooklyn in his entire life。
〃Hello again；〃 Serena said。 〃I guess you two have already met。〃 She took the pizzas and carried
them into the kitchen。 Stan 5 hovered near Aaron； his eyes searching the tiny apartment for the girl
who'd actually invited him there。
Heartened by the sight of Aaron's ridiculous hairstyle； Vanessa ventured forward a few steps。 〃Hi！〃
she greeted them； wishing she didn't sound so perky and dumb。 〃I'm Vanessa。〃
Aaron smiled； and she immediately liked his thin red lips and the way his dark； almost black eyes
shone in the candlelight。 He walked over and shook her hand。 He was skinny； and slightly taller
than she was。 Five…foot…nine； maybe … the same height as Dan… but Aaron seemed bigger； more
athletic。 He pointed at her feet。 〃Hey； those are Blair's shoes aren't they？ My dog tried to eat those
for breakfast once。〃
〃Not that she'd notice。 She has about eight hundred pairs；〃 Vanessa observed。
They chuckled； grinning a t each other。 A regular mutual admiration society。
Serena was about to go and drag Blair out of the bathroom when Blair re…appeared in a cloud of
Carolina Herrera perfume； her eyelashes freshly curled； her hair re…parted； and her face dusted
with sparkly； rose…tinted bronzing powder。 She was still wearing the same tight black T…shirt； but
she'd put on a different bra and her chest looked more like a C now than a B。
〃Who wants a drink？〃 she asked； smiling coyly at Stan 5。
〃I'd love one；〃 Stan 5 replied。 He walked over and kissed her on the cheek。 He was taller than she
remembered； and more formal。 But he smelled like Polo for Men； which was one of her favorites。
Blair batted her curly…lashed eyes at him。 I'm going to seduce you tonight； she told him silently。
Serena couldn't stand how weird everyone was being。 Besides； it was almost ten o'clock… way past
her dinnertime。 She flipped open the lip of one of the pizza boxes。 〃Mind if we eat now？ I'm
starving。〃
Vanessa and Aaron each took a vegan slice and a rum and coke and sat down at the table。 Blair
refreshed her drink and slipped a huge pepperoni slice onto her plate； thinking that she was going
to need her energy。 Stan 5 took two pepperoni slices… obviously he thought he was going to need
his energy too。 And Serena took one of each； because she'd always been a big eater。
〃Why don't we play a game or something？〃 she suggested once they were around the table。
Normally she wouldn't have cared； but right now she would do anything to stop them all from
smiling at each other so。。。 moronically。
Blair took a huge bite from her pizza and washed it down with vodka tonic。 〃Yes！〃 she agreed；
practically screaming。 〃Truth or Dare！〃
Serena poked at her pizza。 As long as she stuck with Dares； she'd be fine。
Aaron folded his slice of pizza in half and took two enormous bites。 Vanessa liked the way his
cute little ears moved up and down when he chewed。 〃I'll start；〃 he volunteered； wiping his mouth
on a paper napk