he pool house
bathtub at Isabel Coates？s Hamptons beach house； she？d been acting a little manic。 ？Are you sure
the Yale Club will even take you？ It？s not like you？re an alumna yet。？
Blair shoved an armload of jewel…toned Juicy Couture tracksuits into her already…heaving duffel
bag。 She used to be so sensitive about the subject of Yale； but that was before she got in。 ？My
dad？s a member。 They？ll take me or he？ll kick their asses。？
Vanessa was still watching her。 Blair could hear the ticking of the electric clock on the old
stove。 ？Oh。 I almost forgot。？ She picked up the Browns of London shopping bag she？d lugged all
the way home from school。
Not that she？d actually walked all the way。
？I got you a dress for graduation。 It was too perfect； and I figured you didn？t know where to buy
anything that isn？t black。 I even have the perfect shoes you can have to go with it。？
Vanessa tugged the white…tissue…wrapped bundle out of the bag and shook out the dress。 Even
though it was white； it was awesome。 Sort of Morticia…Addams…meets…Bride…of…Frankenstein。 Of
course； she didn？t have the heart to tell Blair that Aaron had proposed they leave town before
graduation even happened。
And we thought she？d forgotten all about that。
Vanessa stood on one foot and scratched the back of her calf with the black…painted toenails of
her other foot； still holding the dress。 She was already freaking out about graduating and what lay
ahead； and now this。 ？Shit。 This is sad。？ She threw her arms around Blair。 ？I？m going to miss
you。？
Blair hugged her back。 ？Look； we？re practically the same height；？ she murmured gently； giving
Vanessa？s doughy half…nake