第13部分(第3/7 頁)

charging　us　for　the　flowers？”

As　soon　as　they　were　finished　with　their　Wednesday　after…school

activities；　the　Kiss　on　the　Lips　organizing　mittee　had　convened

over　French　fries　and　hot　chocolate　in　a　booth　at　the　3　Guys　Coffee

Shop—Blair；　Isabel；　Kati；　and　Tina　Ford；　from　the　Seaton　Arms

School—to　deal　with　the　last…minute　preparations　for　the　party。

The　crisis　at　hand　was　the　fact　that　the　party　was　only　nine　days

away；　and　no　one　had　received　an　invitation　yet。　The　invitations

had　been　ordered　weeks　ago；　but　due　to　a　mix…up　the　location　of

the　party　had　to　be　changed　from　The　Park—a　hot　new　restaurant　in

lower　Chelsea—to　the　old　Barneys　building　on　Seventeenth　Street

and　Seventh　Avenue；　rendering　the　invitations　useless。　The　girls

were　in　a　tight　spot。　They　had　to　get　a　new　set　of　invitations　out；

and　fast；　or　there　wasn’t　going　to　be　a　party　at　all。

“But　Takashimaya　is　the　only　place　to　get　flowers。　And　it　really

doesn’t　cost　much。　Oh；　e　on；　Blair；　think　how　cool　they’ll　be；”

Tina　whined。

“Yes；　it　does；”　Blair　insisted。　“And　there　are　plenty　of　other　places　to

get　flowers。”

“Well；　maybe　we　can　ask　the　peregrine　falcon　people　to　pitch　in；”

Isabel　suggested。　She　reached　for　a　French　fry；　dunked　it　in

ketchup；　and　popped　it　into　her　mouth。　“They’ve　barely　done

anything。”

Blair　rolled　her　eyes；　and　blew　into　her　hot　chocolate。　“That’s　the

whole　point。　We’re　raising　money　for　them。　It’s　a　cause。”

Kati　wound　a　lock　of　her　frizzy　blond　hair　around　her　finger。　“What

is　a　peregrine　falcon　anyway？”　she　said。　“Is　it　like　a　woodpecker？”

“No；　I　think　they’re　bigger；”　Tina　said。　“And　they　eat