Jenny held her breath as she followed Elise downstairs and sprinted across the red…carpeted
reception hall toward the front doors。 Trina; the school receptionist; was barking into her headset
and sorting the mail at the same time。 She didn?t even notice the two freshman girls streak past
without stopping to sign out。
Blair sat alone on the East Ninety…fourth Street stoop favored by the Constance Billard senior
girls; furiously smoking a Merit Ultra Light and running through the college interview questions
she?d been prepared to answer since October。 There were only two days left until her interview
with Owen Wells; and she absolutely refused to fuck this one up。
Tell me about your interests。 What kinds of things are you involved in after school?
I?m president of the French club and the social services board at school。 I?m also a peer group
leader; counseling freshmen on social issues。 I?m nationally ranked in tennis?I play all summer;
but only twice a week during the winter。 I volunteer in soup kitchens whenever I can。 I also chair
the organizing mittees for about eight charity functions a year。 We were going to do a
Valentine?s Day ball this Sunday to benefit Little Hearts; a charity for children with heart
problems; but the ball got canceled because of Fashion Week。 We were worried no one would
e。 I sent a letter to everyone on the guest list and still raised almost 300;000。 Fundraising has
always been one of my particular strengths; and I definitely plan to volunteer my services at Yale。
Blair could just imagine Owen?s eyes widening in impressed surprise。 How could Yalenot accept
her? She was first class。
A first…class liar is more like it。 The whole soup kitchen thing is pletely bogus; and she?d sort
of skipped the part about the sevenother chairpeople who?d helped raise the money for Little
Hearts。
?Hey Blair!?
Serena was ambling down the sidewalk toward her; wearing black fishnets with a hole in one
knee; her luminous blond hair pulled up in a messy bun。 For some girls this would have been a
very white…trash moment; but for Serena it was an
I…can…get…away…with…this…because…I…look…good…in…anything moment。 A cab rushed down the street
and the driver whistled out the window and honked as he drove by。 Serena was so used to the
sound of men whistling and cars honking; she never even bothered to turn around。
She sat down next to Blair and pulled a crumpled turquoise…colored pack of American Spirits out
of her pocket。 She?d started smoking them when she and Aaron had gotten together; because they
were supposed to be all natural and additive…free。
As if there?s suc