第13部分(第6/7 頁)

ph　Bottoms　III；　singing　Burning　Down

the　South；　to　the　tune　of　Burning　Down　the　House；　with　a

pletely　straight　face。　He　was　dressed　as　Rhett　Butler；　plete

with　fake　mustache　and　brass　buttons。　Ralph　had　gained　weight　in

the　last　two　years；　and　his　face　was　ruddy；　as　if　he’d　been　eating

too　much　rare　steak。　He　was　holding　hands　with　a　stocky　girl　with

curly　brown　hair　and　a　heart…shaped　face—Scarlett　O’Hara。　She　was

singing　too；　belting　out　the　words　in　a　thick　Brooklyn　accent。

Serena　leaned　against　the　wall　to　watch；　with　a　mixture　of　horror

and　fascination。　The　scene　at　the　art　gallery　hadn’t　fazed　her；　but

this—this　was　scary。

When　the　song　ended；　the　rest　of　the　Interschool　Drama　Club

clapped　and　cheered；　and　then　the　drama　teacher；　an　aged　English

woman；　began　to　direct　the　next　scene。

“Put　your　hands　on　your　hips；　Scarlett；”　she　instructed。　“Show　me；

show　me。　That’s　it。　Imagine　you’re　the　teen　sensation　of　the　Civil

War　South。　You’re　breaking　all　the　rules！”

Serena　turned　to　gaze　out　the　window　and　saw　three　girls　get　out　of

a　cab　together　on　the　corner　of　Ninety…third　and　Madison。　She

squinted；　recognizing　Blair；　Kati；　and　Isabel。　Serena　hugged　herself；

warding　off　the　strange　feeling　that　had　been　stalking　her　since

she’d　e　back　to　the　city。　For　the　first　time　in　her　entire　life；　she

felt　left　out。

Without　a　word　to　anyone　in　the　drama　club—Hello？　Goodbye！—

Serena　slipped　out　of　the　auditorium　and　into　the　hallway　outside。

The　wall　was　littered　with　flyers　and　notices　and　she　stopped　to

read　them。　One　of　the　flyers　was　for　Vanessa　Abrams’s　film　tryout。

Knowing　Vanessa；　the　film