uggesting that she go up to accept Serena？s
diploma for her。
？Blair Cornelia Waldorf；？ Mrs。 M announced sternly。 No Constance girl had ever missed
graduation before； and she was cross now； very cross。 She？d allowed Serena to e back to
Constance after she？d been thrown out of boarding school； and now Serena couldn？t even be
bothered to turn up for mencement？
Thank goodness Blair？sW came right after Serena？sV 。 In fact； some would argue Serena？s last
name began withW and therefore came after Blair？s。 Not that it mattered or that anyone really
cared at this point。
Blair went up to the podium to receive her diploma。 ？I？ll take Serena？s for her；？ she whispered；
hoping her voice wouldn？t carry over the microphone。
Mrs。 M smiled tersely and shook her hand。 ？That won？t be necessary；？ she replied； nodding at
something over Blair？s shoulder。
Blair spun around to find Serena sprinting up the aisle inher suit？exactly the same white satin
Oscar de la Renta suit with the swishy pleated knee…length skirt that she herself was wearing。 And
because Serena was practically a foot taller than Blair and they both weighed the same； it looked
even better on Serena； despite the fact that she was barefoot； her hair was all over the place； and
she？d forgotten her gloves。
？Sorry； Mrs。 M！？ Serena panted； flashing their headmistress the famously charming smile that
had won over everyone from avant…garde artists to the admissions offices at Yale； Brown； Harvard；
and everywhere else she？d applied。 ？Just think？this is the last time I？ll ever be late！？
Blair wanted to slap her for being so charming when she should have been in serious trouble。 In
fact；