ession； the kind where he locked himself in his room and wrote poems about dying in a car
accident or something。 ？Thanks for letting me know；？ she told Ruby quickly。 ？I？ll see you later；
okay？？
Dan was still staring up at her expectantly as she clicked off the phone and dropped it on the
bed。 ？You got into NYU；？ he said； trying but failing to hide the note of accusation in his voice。 Oh；
how skinny and stupid and inadequate he was！ Not that he wasn？t happy for her； but Vanessa was
already into college； and he was just this scrawny guy who liked to write poems and who might
never get into college at all。 ？Wow；？ he added hoarsely。 ？That？s great。？
Vanessa flopped back on the bed and pulled the sheet up around them。 The room felt colder now
that the sweat of passion had cooled on their bodies。 ？It？s really no big deal；？ she argued； trying to
play down the excitement she？d exuded when she？d heard the news。 ？You？re the one with a poem
about to e out inThe New Yorker 。？
Over Christmas break； Vanessa had submitted Dan？s poem ？Sluts？ toThe New Yorker without
his knowing； and it had been accepted for publication in the Valentine？s Day double issue； which
would be out later that week。 ？I guess；？ Dan agreed； shrugging his shoulders dubiously。 ？But I still
don？t know anything 。 。 。 I mean； about myfuture 。？
Vanessa encircled Dan？s waist with her arms and pressed her cheek into his pale； ribby chest。
She still couldn？t believe she was going to NYU in the fall。 It was a sure thing； her destiny。 Still
trembling with excitement； she tried to focus on consoling Dan。 ？How many other
seventeen…year…old kids have you heard of with poems published inThe New Yor