第13部分(第5/7 頁)

base　for　her　band；　SugarDaddy。　It　wasn？t　like　anyone　in　her　family　cared　if　she　missed　graduation。

She？d　get　her　diploma　in　the　mail；　and　Blair　could　return　the　dress。　It　wasn？t　a　big　deal。

Right。　We　believe　you。

There　was　a　scratching　sound　at　the　front　door。　Vanessa　left　her　room　and　flicked　on　the　living

room　light　as　someone　shoved　a　piece　of　paper　underneath　the　door。　She　recognized　Dan？s　boyish

scrawl　before　she　even　knelt　down　to　pick　it　up。

Can？t　make　it　through　graduation　tomorrow　without　seeing　you　one　more　time。　I？m　upstairs。

？D

Not　again！

Vanessa　left　the　dress　on　and　clomped　upstairs　to　the　roof　in　her　Michael　Kors　wedgies。　It　was　a

mild　June　evening；　almost　nine；　but　not　quite　dark。　Traffic　snaked　on　and　off　of　the　Williamsburg

Bridge；　and　a　chorus　of　fire　alarms　sounded　down　on　Broadway。　A　hurricane　lantern　swung　from

the　steel　frame　supporting　the　water　tower。　Beneath　it；　Dan　was　sitting　in　the　lotus　position；　naked；

with　a　thick　paperback　book　open　in　his　lap。

？What　are　you　doing？？　Vanessa　demanded。

Dan　looked　up；　his　love…struck　face　illuminated　by　the　lamp。　He　was　all　shimmery　with　it？the

light　and　his　plete　adoration　of　her。　？Wow；？　he　murmured　softly。　？You　look　so　pretty。　It？s

almost　like　how？？　He　stopped　with　an　embarrassed　smile。

？What？？　Vanessa　folded　her　arms　across　her　chest。　If　she　and　Dan　hadn？t　already　been　best

friends　for　so　long；　she　might　have　been　more　upset　by　his　freaky　naked　stalking　appearances。　But

Dan　was　Dan？she　could　only　muster　mild　irritation。

？You　look　like　how　I　imagine　you？d　look　at　our　wedding；？　Dan　blurted　haltingly。

Whoa。

Vanessa　decided　that　the　only　appr