hall。

“Okay；　I　better　go；”　Serena　said。　“Love　you。”

“Bye。”

Serena　clicked　off。　On　the　end　of　her　bed　was　the　invitation　to　the

Kiss　on　the　Lips　party　that　Jenny　had　made　for　her。　She　snatched　it

up　and　tossed　it　in　her　wastepaper　basket。

Erik　was　right。　She　didn’t　have　to　go　to　some　stupid　benefit　just

because　everyone　else　was　going。　They　didn’t　even　want　her　there。

Fuck　’em。　She　was　free　to　do　what　she　pleased。

She　carried　the　phone　over　to　her　desk　and　shuffled　through　a　pile

of　papers　until　she　found　the　Constance　Billard　School　student

directory；　which　had　arrived　in　the　mail　on　Monday。　Serena　read

through　the　names。　She　wasn’t　the　only　one　skipping　the　party。　She

could　find　someone　else　to　hang　out　with。

“Yo；”　Vanessa　said；　picking　up　the　phone。　She　was　getting　ready　to

go　out　with　her　sister　and　her　friends；　and　she　was　wearing　a　black

bra；　black　jeans；　and　her　Doc　Martens。　She　didn’t　have　any　clean

black　shirts　left；　and　her　sister　was　trying　to　convince　her　to　wear　a

red　one。

“Hi。　Is　that　Vanessa　Abrams？”　a　girl’s　voice　said　on　the　other　end　of

the　phone。

“Yes。　Who’s　this？”　Vanessa　said；　standing　in　front　of　her　bedroom

mirror　and　holding　the　red　shirt　up　to　her　chest。　She　hadn’t　worn

any　color　but　black　in　two　years。　Why　should　she　start　now？

Please。　It’s　not　like　wearing　a　red　shirt　was　going　tur