sbyterian； just like all the other
children from the best Upper East Side families。 Vanessa had been raised by her hippie artist
parents in Vermont and been homeschooled until the age of ten。 She？d moved to Williamsburg to
live with her older sister； Ruby； at the age of fifteen and had spent her first two summers working
double shifts at the local Kinko？s copy shop to earn enough money to buy her first digital video
camera。 Blair had spent her summers playing tennis on her father？s estate in Newport； Rhode
Island； or helping Serena filch bottles of Stoli out of the liquor cabinet in Serena？s Ridgefield；
Connecticut； country house。 Blair modeled herself after Audrey Hepburn； and her favorite color
was bright pink。 Vanessa modeled herself after no one； except maybe the great Swedish
avant…garde filmmaker Ingmar Bergman； and wore only black。 They couldn？t have been more
different。
？No。？ Blair shrugged； allowing a small smile to play on her foxlike face。 ？Why would I be
mad？？
Vanessa padded into the kitchen and retrieved one of the waterlogged tofu pups Aaron had left in
the pot on the stove； eating half of it in one bite。 She？d developed a taste for them since hooking
up with Aaron。 ？Want one？？ she offered both Blair and Dan； waggling it at them like a chewed…on
finger。
Gee； thanks。
？I？m good；？ Dan mumbled； fumbling with his rumpled pants。
Blair flapped her hands at the tofu pup； the half…naked Dan and his icky hickey； the
dingy…despite…its…new…coat…of…paint apartment； and all of Williamsburg outside。 ？It？s just not me；？
she tried to explain。
Vanessa nodded slowly。 Ever since Blair had found Serena and Nate colluding in t