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Jasmine followed behind Blair like an adoring puppy； out of the elevator and down the black
marble ninth…floor hallway toward Fred？s。 They were marching with such purpose they couldn？t
help but collide with the black…clad； tear…smeared bald figure who appeared out of nowhere；
running at full clip。 Vanessa knocked into Blair； who knocked into Jasmine； who was so close on
Blair？s heels she fell to the ground with a little yelp； her BCBG sandals skittering across the
marble floor without her。
？Damn it！？ Blair swore before recognizing her old roommate。
？Jesus。 Fuck。 I？m sorry；？ Vanessa managed。 Her cheeks； even her scalp； were blotchy and there
were tears dripping off her chin。
？Are you okay？ You？re all 。 。 。 red；？ Blair observed lamely。 Vanessa was clearly upset； but Blair
was supposed to be inside measuring Thaddeus Smith？s inseam！
And we all know where the inseam leads。。。。
？I？m okay； I？m okay；？ muttered Jasmine as she pulled her…self back up to her feet； even though
no one had been talking to her。
？Jasmine； Vanessa。？ Blair introduced the two。 Then she wrapped her arms around Vanessa and
air…kissed her on each cheek。 ？But really； what？s wrong？？
Vanessa just sniffled in response。 She was so upset she didn？t trust her voice。 What was she
supposed to do now？ Where was she supposed to go？
？Okay； Jasmine；？ Blair barked； relishing her role as boss。 ？Stay here and make sure Vanessa？s
okay。 I？ve got to get moving。 Bailey？s orders！？ She squeezed Vanessa？s shoulder in a show of
support and smiled weakly。 ？You know I love you！？ she cried； then dashed down the hall and
through the swinging doors of Fred？s。
？Excuse me；？ Blair said loudly to no one in particular as soon as she stepped inside。 ？My name is
Blair Waldorf。 I work with Bailey Winter。 I need to speak to someone in charge here。？
No one moved； and no one responded。 Then Blair felt a tap on her shoulder and heard a familiar
voice。
？I think I can help you；？ offered Serena。
？Hey。？ Blair turned to see the grinning face of her best friend。 Or were they not friends now？
They？d had so many ups and downs it was honestly sometimes hard for Blair to remember if she
liked Serena again or if they weren？t speaking to each other。
？You？re back！？ Serena squealed。 She grabbed Blair and hugged her tightly。
Looks like friends forever。
？I？m back；？ Blair echoed； enviously assessing Serena？s ebony chiffon Bailey Winter dress。
？Tell me everything；？ Serena insisted； pulling away from Blair and inspecting her closely。 ？Since
when are you working for Bailey Winter？ I thought you were in London！？
？I got a job；？ Blair explained matter…of…factly。 ？It just seemed like the responsible thing to do；
you know。 I thought it would be good to have some career experience under my belt。？
？That？s great！？ Serena practically screamed。
？I？ve been thinking about a career in fashion；？ she added casually。 The hundred…odd…person crew
ofBreakfast at Fred？s gaped at her； just waiting for Ken Mogul to verbally chop off her head。 Blair
went on in an oblivious loud voice； eating up the attention。 ？Everyone has a calling； and I think
fashion is mine。？
？What about London？ What about Lord Whatsisname？？ Serena demanded。 Were the rumors
about his English fianc？e actually true？ She didn？t usually listen to gossip； but there had to be a
reason for Blair to give up a royal romance in London to e home and take a summer job。
？It？s a long story。？ Blair sighed dramatically。 She was a working woman with a past。 Now if
Serena would just loan her that dress 。 。 。
？Tell it to me tonight；？ Serena whispered excitedly。 ？Ken？s putting me up in my own apartment。
You should totally e over。 Shit； screw that？move in with me！？
？Well 。 。 。？ Blair hesitated。 She？d moved around a lot lately： the Plaza Hotel； Williamsburg； the
Yale Club； London。 And wasn？t she supposed to be home； close to her baby sister？
？Did I mention that I？m now living on East Seventy…first Street？？ Serena knew full well that
Blair Waldorf of all people would recognize that address。
Move into the apartment fromBreakfast at Tiffany？s ！
？I just need to pack my bags；？ Blair responded stoically； as if she could hide the fact that she was
practically peeing in her pants with excitement。 ？I？ll be there tonight。？
She threw her arms around Serena in a fit of impetuous enthusiasm。 Everything always had a
way of turning out just right； especially when Serena was involved。 This time they really would
stay friends forever。
If you can call the next few days forever！
karma chameleon
Dan Humphrey slipped into the disgusting employees…only restroom in a dank corner of the
basement of the Strand clutching a tiny black tote bag emblazoned with the logo of the literary
magazineRed Herring 。 Double…checking that the door was locked tight； he pulled his threadbare
Bauhaus T…shirt over his head and unbuttoned his fine…wale Levi？s cords； dropping them to the
floor。 He paid no attention to the literary graffiti a generation of disaffected Strand employees had
scrawled all over the walls？legend had it that some bitter former clerk had jotted down the actual
New Hampshire home telephone number of the famously reclusive J。 D。 Salinger。 He had only ten
minutes to meet Bree in Union Square and he had to get out of his everyday clothes？which reeked
of smoke？and into something cleaner and more exercise…friendly。
So he wasn？t the most athletic guy in the world。 His relationship or connection or whatever with
Bree was based on more than Lycra clothing and naked yoga sessions。 Bree had opened Dan？s
eyes； helped him think about the world in a way he never had before。 Bending and posing in a hot
room with a sweaty naked guy leaning into him wasn？t Dan？s idea of a romantic evening； but
reading Bree？s favorite books was stimulating and thought…provoking。 He？d done so much in his
life already？had a poem published in theNew Yorker ； interned atRed Herring ； sung his original
songs with the Raves？but it was kind of thrilling to discover something deeper and more
meaningful than fleeting fame。
Finding enlightenment in less than a week？it must be some kind of world record。
He pulled a clean； bright green American Apparel T…shirt over his head； smoothed out his tousled
light brown hair； and laced up his ice…blue New Balances。 He popped a piece of icy mint gum into
his mouth and exhaled into the palm of his hand to double…check his breath： not a trace of tobacco。
He wadded up his work clothes and stashed them in his employee locker； then jogged up the stairs
and out of the store； toward nearby Union Square。
Bree was waiting for him near the statue of a placidly smiling Gandhi in the southwest corner of
the bustling park near skanky…but…getting…better Fourteenth Street。 ？I like to go there sometimes；？
she？d told him over the phone。 ？To read and reflect on Gandhi？s message of peace。？
Don？t we all？
Bree had braided her platinum blond hair and wound it tightly into a bun at the base of her neck。
She was sporting a clean white T…shirt emblazoned with the Adidas logo and iridescent blue
running shorts that were cropped short and showcased her well…muscled； lean； long legs。 When
she spied Dan； she stood and waved excitedly。
？Right on time！？ When he reached her； she threw her arms around him in a warm
embrace。 ？Namaste；？ she whispered。 ？You smell nice。？
？Thanks；？ Dan responded with relief as he inadvertently breathed in the bouquet of Bree？s
organic sage deodorant and the patchouli oil she wore dabbed behind each ear。
？Let？s get warmed up；？ Bree ordered。 She released Dan from her embrace； turned； and put her
right foot on the bench where she？d just been sitting； then leaned in； shifting all her weight to that
leg。
Dan imitated her； wincing in pain as he tried to awaken the muscles in his legs。 This was a lot
more demanding than his usual workout： a walk to the corner for smokes。
？Feels great； huh？？ Bree grinned enthusiastically while she stretched； as though a good stretch
was better than a hot bath。
？Yeah；？ Dan wheezed。 ？Excellent。？
？I thought we？d start here；？ Bree explained； putting her feet back on the ground。 She locked her
knees； then reached down； touching the ground with both palms。 ？You know； head across
Fourteenth Street to the Hudson and then downtown to Battery Park。？
Dan did some mental math。 That was at least two miles； which was two miles farther than he？d
ever jogged in his life。
What had he gotten himself into？
At first it seemed like he was going to be fine： the first block went by without incident。 Dan
followed the sexy wiggle of Bree？s ass as she jogged down the sidewalk； dodging pedestrians and
strollers。
This is fun！he told himself。It feels great。
When they reached the corner of Fifth Avenue； they paused for the light； and Bree turned to
him。 ？Are you okay？？ She furrowed her brow in worry。
Dan？s skin felt prickly。 The sweat poured off of his forehead and down his nose； dripping on the
sidewalk。 The early evening sun was beating down on them。 He was pretty sure he？d be dead by
sundown。