?Did you hear about Nate Archibald and that girl from Connecticut?? Kati asked。 She?d had her
hair cut short over the weekend and it made her Germanic nose look twice its size。 ?They got
busted for having sex in the broom closet at rehab and now he has to go to private therapy in the
city instead。?
?Wait; I thought it wasBlair and Nate in the broom closet;? Isabel sniffed。 She was wearing a
sample of Serena?s Tears that she?d gotten from her mom?s publicist friend who worked atVogue 。
It made her nose run。
?No; stupid。 Blair is seeing that old guy; remember? She?s not having his baby anymore; though。
She had a miscarriage。 That?s why she missed so much school。?
?I heard that Blair and Serena both sent in applications to the University of California school
system today;? said Laura Salmon。 ?They have rolling admission; so you find out which
UC school can take you; like; a few weeks after you apply。? She raised her thin strawberry blond
eyebrows。 ?Hey; maybe we should all do that!?
Not that any of them wouldreally have considered going to a UC school。
?So what was it like; being in that perfume ad?? Mary Goldberg asked Serena while the girls in
peer group A were waiting for their hot chocolates。 Cassie Inwirth and Vicky Reinerson pricked
their ears up on either side of her。 The three girls had gotten matching short haircuts over the
weekend; but since none of them had gone to see Gianni at Garren; their cuts were only pale
imitations of Blair?s old one; andnothing pared to her new one。
?Cold;? Serena answered。 She blew her nose on a paper napkin and then pulled her long; golden
blond hair up on top of her head; twisted it into a bun; and stuck a pencil through it to hold it up。
Of course now they all wished they hadn?t cut their hair。
?I?d really rather not talk about it;? she added mysteriously。
Blair leaned across the table。 ?She and Aaron broke up during the shoot;? she told the ninth
graders in a confidential whisper。 She sat up straight again。 ?End of subject。?
The waiter brought their hot chocolates; giant steaming mugs; loaded with Reddi…Wip。
?Can we talk about love now?? Jenny asked tremulously。 She glanced around the crowded room。
If she was lucky; Leo might even show up so she could show him off。
?No!? Serena and Blair cried in unison。 They?d specifically brought the group to Jackson Hole
so they wouldn?t have to talk about boys; food; parents; school;anything 。 All they wanted was to
sip their hot chocolates and enjoy each other?s pany。
Suddenly a hush fell over the restaurant as Chuck Bass waltzed in wearing a fox fur hat and a
baby blue pea coat; his monogrammed pinky ring flashing as he passed out pink flyers to everyone