第6部分(第2/7 頁)

t　your　old　friends　when　you？re　driving　around　in　a

limo　drinking　champagne　with　naked　models　and　whatnot。？　She　reached　up　and　mussed　his　neat

little　haircut。　？Congratulations。？

Dan　grinned　widely　back　at　her。　？It？s　pretty　amazing；？　he　agreed　happily。　Then；　with　one　last

sweet　kiss；　he　turned　and　walked　up　Riverside　Drive　toward　home；　the　iridescent　silver　Puma

logos　flashing　on　his　heels　as　he　went。

Vanessa　smiled　fondly　at　the　spring　in　his　step。　？See　you　later；　alligator。？

shas　just　what　they？ve　been　looking　for

？I？m　looking　for　one　of　those　groovy　new　men？s　golfing　jackets　in　a　funky　Day…Glo　color　like

bright　green　or　yellow；？　Serena　told　the　salesgirl　in　the　Les　Best　boutique　on　Tuesday　after　school。

During　French　that　day　Serena　had　remembered　admiring　the　new　Les　Best　men？s　golfing　jacket

in　the　latest　issue　ofW　magazine　and　decided　it　was　the　perfect　gift　for　Aaron。　She　never　got　tired

of　giving　Aaron　gifts。　Everything　she　bought　just　looked　so　cute　on　him。　It　was　like　dressing　a　doll；

her　own　adorable　life…sized；　dreadlocked；　guitar…playing；　Harvard…bound　doll。

The　boutique　was　on　West　Fourteenth　Street　in　the　meat…packing　district；　where　the　streets

actually　smelled　like　carcasses　and　manure　from　all　the　old　meat　warehouses。　Leave　it　to　Les　Best；

creator　of　the　most　beautifully　tailored　leisure　wear　in　the　world；　to　think　that　the　rawness　of　the

neighborhood　was　so　cool；　he　just　had　to　open　up　shop　there。　The　space　was　huge　and　decorated

all　in　white　muslin　with　only　one　or　two　brightly　colored　tennis　dresses　or　polo　jackets　hanging

from　giant　steel　hooks　sticking　out　of　the　walls。　The　idea　was　that　unless　you　really　knew　enough