第13部分(第4/7 頁)

ed。And　she

was　going　to　miss　graduation；　which　was　going　to　make　Blair　hate　her　all　over　again。

Yup。

Too　many　boys；　too　many　choices；　too　little　time

Vanessa　kept　the　white　Morgane　Le　Fay　dress　Blair　had　bought　for　her　to　wear　at　graduation

stashed　in　her　closet　until　Sunday　night；　the　night　before　graduation。　The　lights　were　off　in　the

apartment　and　she　was　all　alone。　She　stripped　down　to　her　black…and…white　striped　Jockeys　and

slipped　the　dress　on　over　her　stubbly　head；　padding　over　to　the　full…length　mirror　on　the　back　of

her　bedroom　door　to　check　it　out。

The　dress　was　prettier　than　anything　she？d　ever　owned；　with　a　plunging　V　in　the　satin　bodice；　an

asymmetrical　hemline；　and　a　sort　of　flapper…style　low　waist　that　she？d　had　no　idea　would　look　as

flattering　on　her　as　it　did。　She　went　back　to　the　closet　to　retrieve　the　shoes。　She　and　Blair　had　the

same　size　feet；　and　Blair　had　left　her　a　pair　of　white　Michael　Kors　wedge…heeled　sandals　to　go

with　the　dress。　She？d　even　found　Vanessa　a　pair　of　cool　white　fishnet　gloves　from　some

consignment　shop　on　the　Upper　East　Side；　because　it　was　a　Constance　Billard　tradition　for　the

girls　to　wear　white　gloves　during　the　ceremony。

The　thing　was；　Vanessa　wasn？t　going　to　be　at　the　ceremony。　Aaron　was　arriving　at　ten　the　next

morning　to　pick　her　up；　his　red　vintage　Saab　900S　loaded　up　with　herbal　cigarettes；　soy　crisps；

dried　edamame；　and　peach…flavored　Snapple　iced　tea　for　their　cross…country　sexcapade。　Her

parents　were　in　Santa　Fe；　New　Mexico；　participating　in　some　sort　of　hippie　artist　happening；　and

her　older　sister；　Ruby；　was　still　in　Finland　or　Poland　or　Lapland；　developing　a　freaky　foreign　fan