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to e to Les Best？s show instead of Jedediah Angel？s； which was happening downtown at
exactly the same time。
？Look； there？s Flow from 45！？ Sonny squealed。 ？He？s such agod 。 And there？s Christina Ricci。
My mom just got a huge order from her。？
As Chuck gazed around the room； looking for more celebs and trying to be seen himself； he
spotted Blair about ten seats down in the third row。 He blew her a kiss and she smirked back。
？Why are we here again？？ Blair yawned to Aaron。 Even though she was pletely annoyed
with Serena these days； she？d decided to e to the show to see if any of Les Best？s autumn
collection suited her new image。 Now that she was packed into the hot； crowded tent with its
overly loud music and overwhelming perfume stench like a twelve…year…old with a general
admission ticket at a 45 concert； she honestly couldn？t give two fucks about the clothes or that
Serena was the star of the show。 It was all Serena needed to prove that she really was the center of
the universe。
Blair didn？t need to hang out with gorgeous models and camp fashion designers； anyway。 She
was going to Yale； the premier institution of higher learning in the entire world；and she was going
to be asked outvery soon by a classy older man。 She felt extremely acplished for someone so
young。 The noise and glitz of Fashion Week seemed less alluring now that her own life was
so 。 。 。stimulating 。 Plus they were seated in the third row； which was a major insult when she？d
always been seated in the first or second row at every other show she？d ever been to。
？I？m honestly not sure why I？m here；？ Aaron answered grumpily。 He unzipped the bright green
Les Best golfing jacket Serena had given him and then zipped it up again。 The jacket was made of
stiff cotton canvas that made a loud； swishy sound when he moved。 It was way too flashy for his
taste； but he？d kept it on because Serena had insisted that he couldn？t e to a fashion show and
sit in the third row without wearing an article of the designer？s clothing。 Aaron liked the buzzy
vibe of the fashion show。 It was like being at a rock concert。 But it was just so bogus that they
were all gathered there to look at 。 。 。clothes 。
Outside the snow had been falling steadily on the brightly lit city for over two hours。 Blair could
just imagine how insane it was going to be to find a cab home later that night； with everyone
totally underdressed； totally buzzed； and all thinking they deserved the next available ride。 She
kicked the back of Nicky Hilton？s chair with her black patent leather Les Best flats and yawned
for the fiftieth time。 While her mouth was still stretched open in full yawn； the lights suddenly
dimmed and the music stopped。 The show was about to begin。
The collection being shown was for next fall； and the theme was Little Red Riding Hood。 The
stage was decorated like a fairy tale forest； with dark brown velvet tree trunks and low branches
covered in glittering emerald green silk leaves。 Fluttery flute music began to play； and suddenly
Serena skipped onstage wearing her gray pleated Constance Billard
School uniform skirt； red suede over…the…knee boots； and a little red wool minicape tied at the
neck。 Under the cape she was wearing her own white baby tee with I LOVEAARONemblazoned
in black across the chest。 Her long blond hair was done in pigtails； and her face was free of
makeup； except for her lips； which were painted a bright； thrilling red。 Serena walked the runway
with easy confidence； flouncing her pleated uniform skirt； twirling around； and then pausing for
the cameras like she？d been doing it for years。
Who is she？A hundred gossip…starved voices murmured at once。And who is Aaron？
Blair rolled her eyes； even more bored and annoyed now that the show was under way。
？Who？s Aaron？？ Sonny whined to Chuck Bass。
？The fuck if I know；？ Chuck answered back。
？Is that supposed to be Aaron Sorkin？ You know； the television writer？？ a bewildered
fur…wearingVogue editor asked her neighbor。
？Whoever he is； he？s one lucky dude；？ said a photographer。
？I heard he dumped her。 I guess she？s trying to win him back；？ Isabel snickered to Kati。
？Well； don？t look now； but I think that？s him； and he looks pissed；？ Kati hissed back。 Both girls
turned to stare。
Serena blew Aaron a kiss from the runway； but Aaron was too busy feeling hot and embarrassed
about her T…shirt to even notice。 He？d thought Serena would be nervous walking the runway with
all those supermodels。 He？d thought she？d need his moral support； but it was pretty obvious she
was having the time of her life。 She probably got a thrill out of hearing everyone in the tent
whispering her name。 Not him。 Sure； he wanted to be famous？a famousrock star 。 Not famous for
being the boy on Serena？s I LOVEAARONT…shirt。
He reached in his coat pocket and pulled out his half…empty tin of herbal cigarettes。 Before he
could even open the tin； a security guard put his hand on his shoulder。
？No smoking in the tents； sir。？
Fuck this；Aaron mumbled under his breath。 But he couldn？t just get up and leave while Serena
was still onstage。 He glanced at Blair in the seat next to him。 She was biting her lip and clutching
her stomach like she had gas or something。
Blair wanted to cover her diamond…studded ears to block out the sound of everyone whispering
Serena？s name。Those eyes！ Those legs！ That fantastic hair！ It was pletely nauseating； and the
after…party was bound to be just more of the same。 As soon as Serena skipped down the runway
path marked TOGRANDMOTHER？SHOUSEand off the stage to change outfits； Blair stood up to
go。
？I think I？m going to take off before the snow gets too fucking deep；？ she announced to Aaron。
？Yeah？？ Aaron jumped to his feet。 ？I？ll help you find a cab。？ Serena didn？t need him around。
She？d probably be so surrounded by admirers during the after…party； he wouldn？t even get a
chance to see her。 She wouldn？t mind if he just quietly took off。
Outside in Bryant Park the snow was already ankle deep。 The lion statues on the steps of the
public library looked even larger and more menacing blanketed in white。
？Think I？ll just hop a train up to Scarsdale；？ Aaron said； referring to the Westchester suburb
where he？d lived with his mom before deciding to move in with his dad？s new family in the city
last fall。 He flicked open his Zippo and lit an herbal cigarette。 ？My buddies and I always get
together out on the golf course when there？s a big storm like this。 It？s a good time。？
？Sounds like a fucking blast；？ Blair replied disinterestedly。
Fat； frozen flakes of snow landed on her mascara…coated lashes and she squinted her eyes；
burying her hands in her black cashmere Les Best evening coat pockets as she searched for a
cab。Fuck； it was freezing。
？Want to e with me？？ Aaron offered； even though Blair had been a total bitch lately。 They
were still stepbrother and stepsister？they could at least try to be friends。
Blair grimaced。 ？No； thanks。 I？m going to call this man I met。 See if he wants to meet me
somewhere for a drink or something。？ She loved how the wordman sounded so much more
sophisticated thanguy 。
？Whatman ？？ Aaron asked suspiciously。 ？Not that old dude from Yale you were with last night？？
Blair stamped her feet to keep her toes from getting frostbitten inside her
totally…wrong…for…the…weather Les Best Mary Janes。 Why did Aaron always have to act so
infuriatingly superior？ ？First of all； I could be meeting someone else。 Second of all； what do you
care anyway？ And third of all； if it is him； sowhat ？？ She flung her hand in the air and waved it
impatiently。 It was only nine。 Where the hell were all the fucking cabs？
Aaron shrugged。 ？I don？t know。 I？m just guessing he？s like some big investment banker who
gives lots of cash to Yale； and you？re flirting with him or whatever because you want to get in so
badly。 Which is pretty lame if you ask me。？
？Actually； I didn？t ask；？ Blair snapped back。 ？But maybe Ishould listen to Mr。
Accepted…Early…At…Harvard…Even…Though…All…I…Do…Is…Sit…Around…In…My…Underwear…Drinking…B
eer…And…Pretending…I…Play…In…A…Really…Cool…Band…Which…Actually…Sucks； since you obviously
know everything。？ A taxi screeched to a stop at the corner of Forty…third Street to let someone out。
Blair made a dash for it。 ？Don？t fucking make judgments about something
you know nothing about！？ she shouted at Aaron； before jumping
into the cab and pulling the door shut。
Aaron shivered in his thin cotton jacket and hunched his shoulders into the bitter wind as he
walked east on Forty…second Street to Grand Central Station。 It would be good to just hang with
the guys for a change。 Women were a monumental pain in his vegan ass。
But we？re oh； so worth it？right？
way better than naked
Dan tried not to stare at the models as they came out onto the runway during the Better Than
Naked show wearing only pleated brown corduroy miniskirts with no tops on at all。 Their skirts
were so short he could even see the frilly white panties they were wearing underneath； which
happened to be little girls？ vintag