she　said。

“Okay。　Sunday；”　Serena　said。　“You　probably　have　a　lot　of　equipment

and　stuff　at　your　house；　right？　Why　don’t　I　e　over　there；　so　you

don’t　have　to　lug　it　around。”

“Sounds　good；”　Vanessa　said。

“Okay；”　Serena　said。　She　paused。　She　didn’t　seem　very　eager　to

hang　up　the　phone。

“Hey；　isn’t　that　big　party　in　the　old　Barneys　building　tonight？”

Vanessa　said。　“Aren’t　you　going？”

“Nah；”　Serena　answered。　“I　wasn’t　invited。”

Vanessa　nodded；　processing　this　information。　Serena　van　der

Woodsen　wasn’t　invited？　Maybe　she　wasn’t　so　bad　after　all。

“Well；　do　you　want　to　e　out　with　us　tonight？”　Vanessa　offered

before　she　could　stop　herself。　“Me　and　my　big　sister　are　going　to　a

bar　here　in　Williamsburg。　Her　band　is　playing。”

“I’d　love　to；”　Serena　said。

Vanessa　gave　her　the　address　of　The　Five　and　Dime—the　bar　her

sister　was　playing　in—and　hung　up　the　phone。

Life　was　so　strange。　One　day　you　could　be　picking　your　nose　and

eating　donuts；　and　the　next　day　you　could　be　hanging　out　with

Serena　van　der　Woodsen。　She　picked　up　the　red　shirt；　pulled　it　on

over　her　head；　and　looked　in　the　mirror。　She　looked　like　a　tulip。　A

tulip　with　a　stubbly　black　head。

“Dan　will　like　it；”　her　sister　Ruby　told　her；　standing　in　the　doorway。

She　handed　Vanessa　a　tube　of　dark　red　lipstick。　Vamp。

“Well；　Dan’s　not　ing　out　tonight；”　Vanessa　said；