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k with them； you know？ Just immerse myself in writing；” he said as he sat at one of the rickety tables in the corner。
“I’ll order。 I know what you always get。” Vanessa headed to the counter and returned with a tray laden with pita bread and bowls of hummus； and falafel balls。 Dan took a bite of falafel； then passed the rest to Vanessa。 Vanessa smiled。 They always used to share food。
“Sorry；” Dan pulled his hand back； as if he saw Vanessa’s hesitation as rejection。
“No； I want it；” she said； accepting the half…eaten falafel。
“So； are you really ready to leave New York？” Dan asked。 It was weird to think about Vanessa leaving。 Even though he hadn’t really spent any time with her in the past year； it had been forting to see her camera on the counter； her army green messenger bag by the door； her boxes of Sleepytime tea in the cabinets。
“I won’t know until I’m gone；” Vanessa replied。 “How ’bout you？”
Dan shrugged his reply。 A fortable silence fell between them as they ate。 They were always able to talk； or not talk。 Sometimes Serena would assume that he was angry if he didn’t say something all the time。
It was nice； just sitting at a hole…in…the…wall restaurant on Broadway； splitting a late…night snack。 It reminded him of a time when everything was easy and safe。 He randomly thought of a Proust quote he’d read in one of his lit classes： The true paradises are ones we have lost。
Does that mean there’s trouble in his current paradise？
time to party…
From： Tyler@DJTyRo。
To： jenniferthumphrey@risd。edu
Subject： party
Hey Jenny；
It was cool to meet you at my mom’s place last night。 Wanted to let you know that I’m spinning at the Plastic Party People Party on Saturday。 It’s at Filter； on Fourteenth and Tenth； starting at midnight。 Bring friends； you’re on the list。
—Ty
From： jenniferthumphrey@risd。edu
To： Tyler@DJTyRo。
Subject： Re： party
Dear Tyler；
It was great meeting you too！ Your party sounds like a ton of fun； but my boyfriend already got us tickets to see The Nutcracker that night。 Break a leg or a disc or whatever the DJ term for good luck is！
—Jenny
the best presents are surprises
“Thanks； Mom；” Serena said as she pulled a pair of strappy silver and blue Jimmy Choos from out of a brightly wrapped box。 It was ten o’clock on Christmas morning； and the family had already had a formal Christmas breakfast in the dining room。 She tried to conceal a yawn。 She hadn’t slept at all last night。
“I thought that color would look great with your eyes。 And I’m sure you’ll have so many events to go to next year。” Lily van der Woodsen looked fondly at her daughter from a club chair in the corner of the living room。 Now that Serena and Erik were grown up； they no longer opened presents at dawn beside the towering tree in the living room。 Instead； they opened a few small expensive trinkets； after breakfast。
Serena took a swig of coffee。 In truth； she probably wouldn’t have any events to go to next year in Iowa。 Except maybe poetry readings。
Last night； after her parents had gone to bed； she； Erik； and his fiancée； Fiona； had had a long conversation about long…distance love while drinking homemade cocktails from her parents’ extensive liquor cabinet。 Fiona was a six…foot…tall blond Australian surfer whom Erik met on a beach in Melbourne during his junior year abroad。 She was clearly head over heels for Erik； she was funny as hell； and Serena was glad they were going to be sisters so soon。 After a few drinks； Serena had worked up the courage to ask them if they thought long…distance could ever really work。 Ever since Dan had found out he was going to Iowa； she’d been nervous about how they’d deal with the separation。 Of course； that was when she still thought she had a few years of college left。 But now that she was graduating； she could do anything she wanted。 And all she could think to do was follow Dan； even though they’d never officially talked about it。
What Fiona had said when it came to her and Erik’s relationship sealed the decision for Serena。 “I told him I’d follow him wherever he went；” Fiona had said proudly； without apology。 “And if he was with another girl when he got there； I’d cut his balls off。”
“Who could say no to that？” Erik had teased； kissing her。
That was all the reassurance Serena needed。 If Dan was going to Iowa； then so would she。 She’d even found a place for them。 The house was a fantastic two…bedroom bungalow designed by Frank Lloyd Wright； next to a river and surrounded by trees。 The grainy picture on the website made it almost look like a sailboat with all these wonderful built…in cabinets and furniture。 It was forty…five minutes away from Iowa City； but that wasn’t too bad。 Besides； they’d both have cars； and after living in the middle of the biggest city in the world for their whole lives； Serena couldn’t think of anything more romantic than settling down with her boyfriend so far away from the rest of humanity。 After all； all they needed was each other。
No Barneys； no Elizabeth Arden； no City Bakery cookies… Is she crazy？
According to the Web site； the house was available for rent； but Serena wanted to work out all the details before she told Dan。 She was fine waiting a day to tell him in person； even if it did feel like torture right now。
“This is from me；” Fiona said； smiling as she held a thin； silver…wrapped present toward Serena。 Serena slid her finger under the tape and eagerly ripped off the wrapping paper。 Inside was a photo album。 On the inside cover was inscribed：
To Serena—
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page。”—St。 Augustine。
Enjoy！
Love； Fiona
“Oh my God； so cool！” Serena grinned as she flipped through the pages。 Fiona had traveled the world for two years before she started college； a fact that always made Serena envious。 Serena had always wanted to do that； but the closest she’d e was a few weeks in the south of France when she was a senior in high school。 Inside were pages of photographs； hand…drawn maps； contact lists； and need…to…know information about different countries and cities around the world。 “Did you really make this？” Serena asked。
“I know you like adventure； but you’d be well off to avoid making my travel mistakes。” Fiona winked。
“Not like you’ll have too much time to travel。 Once you find a job； you’ll really need to buckle down for those first few years；” Mr。 van der Woodsen remarked as he peered over Serena’s shoulder。
Serena smiled tightly。 She’d tell her parents about the Iowa plan after she told Dan。
“This is great； Fiona；” she said； continuing to flip through the pages。 As she came across a photo of Carnivale in Spain； it dawned on her that a life spent with Dan in Iowa wouldn’t leave her much opportunity to travel。 They wouldn’t have any money； and he’d be too busy writing all the time。 Serena felt unexpected tears spring to her eyes。
She rubbed her eye with her index finger； as if she were just readjusting a contact lens。
Fiona winked at her。 “Now what do you say we set up a Bloody Mary bar in the kitchen？”
Serena nodded and trailed behind Fiona toward the kitchen； feeling deflated。 Fiona saw her as an adventurous； gutsy girl who needed practical travel tips for Belize and Thailand。 Instead； her grand adventure was booking a one…way ticket to a flat state few New Yorkers could point to on a map。
Well； maybe if she moves there； people will start to visit。
“Essa！” Moxie blurted happily from Ruby’s hip as Ruby opened the paint…caked door to her Prospect Heights walk…up on Christmas Day。 Moxie was dressed in a T…shirt with a pigeon wearing oversize headphones and black leggings； her thin brown hair tied in two sloppy braids。 She looked like a very short Williamsburg hipster。
“Merry Christmas； little sis！” Ruby hugged Vanessa warmly。 Ruby wore a pair of gray pajama pants and a black SugarDaddy tank top with no bra。 Behind her； Piotr had on red Santa…print flannel pants and a felt Santa hat。 As children； Ruby and Vanessa had never celebrated Christmas。 Their dad was Jewish and their mom thought the holiday was too mercial。 Ruby was obviously determined to let Moxie have her fun with Santa。
“Merry Christmas； guys！” Vanessa exclaimed； breezing into their cheerful one…bedroom apartment。 It looked so domestic； with a silver garland wrapped along the molding of the ceiling； a pile of presents in the corner； and a small tree in the center of the room。 The only relic from their artistic past was the large painting of a nude figure astride a bull mastiff dog wedged behind the couch。
“Watch this。” Ruby grinned as she picked up Moxie and put her next to the pile of presents。 Moxie curiously pulled on a silver bow and then tossed the present back under the tree。
“She doesn’t really get it yet。” Ruby shrugged。 Vanessa grinned absently； her mind a million miles away。 What would Christmas be like in Indonesia？ What if she didn’t make any friends and her movie sucked？ What if while she was gone； Dan and Serena got engaged？
Which apocalyptic scenario does not belong with the others？
“Hello？” Ruby snapped her fingers in front of Vanessa