小说园

第4部分（第1页）

whether　she　could　go　there　or　not？

？Are　you　a　teacher　here　or　？？？　she　asked　politely。

Mr。　Tortia　squatted　down　and　held　his　palm　out　to　April；　who　handed　him　a　piece　of　Dentyne。　He

stood　up　again。　？As　a　matter　of　fact；　I？m　the　headmaster；？　he　replied　flatly。　He　pulled　on　his

mustache　and　offered　her　his　first　smile。　？Discretion　lesson　number　one：　Let？s　not　mention　this

little　incident　to　anyone。　Got　it？？

Jenny　nodded　mutely。

Mr。　Tortia　held　up　both　hands　and　waved　with　his　palms　facing　backwards；　like　the　Queen　of

England。　？Arrivederci；　little　prospective　girl！？　he　chimed；　dismissing　her。

Harry　reached　up　and　patted　Jenny　on　the　bottom。　？Drive　safely；？　he　told　her　affectionately；　even

though　she　was　obviously　not　old　enough　to　drive。

Arrivederci；　fuckups！

Her　whole　body　trembling　with　outrage；　Jenny　hurried　down　the　path　through　the　woods；

wishing　with　all　her　heart　there　was　a　subway　stop　right　there　by　the　duck　pond。　She　could　swipe

her　MetroCard　and　catch　the　3　train　down　to　Ninety…sixth　Street　and　Broadway；　and　be　home　in

time　forAmerican　Idol　。　The　green…headed　mallard　quacked　at　her　mockingly　as　she　hurried

by。　？Cr？me　de　la　cr？me！　Cr？me　de　la　cr？me！　Cr？me　de　la　cr？me！？　he　seemed　to　be　saying。

Jenny　whipped　out　her　cell　phone　and　dialed　information。　？Taxi。　In　Croton　Falls；　New　York；？　she

instructed。

？We　have　no　listings　for　Taxi；？　the　operator　responded　blandly。　？I？ll　check　Limousines。？

？Fine。？　Jenny　typed　the　number　for　the　Village　of　Croton？s　only　limousine　service　into　her　cell

phone。　With　the　money　her　father　had　given　her　bined　with　the　money　already　in　her　wallet；

she　could　probably　get　the　driver　to　take　her　all　the　way　home。

Who　said　she　wasn？t　the　cr？me　de　la　cr？me？

V　experiments　with　double　happiness

When　Aaron　came　home　from　band　practice　Vanessa　was　standing　in　front　of　the　bathroom　sink；

contemplating　her　hair？or　lack　thereof？in　the　round；　toothpaste…spattered　mirror；　still　wet　from　her

shower。　She？d　ridded　herself　of　Dan？s　musty　smell　and　was　horrified　to　discover　that　she　sort　of

enjoyed　the　fact　that　Aaron　had　absolutely　no　clue。

When　she？s　bad；　she？sbad　。

？Nice　towel；？　Aaron　observed；　planting　a　kiss　on　the　nape　of　her　neck。

？Thanks。？　Vanessa　batted　her　eyes　and　placed　her　hands　on　her　hips；　modeling　the

lavender…and…black　chintz　floral　bath　towel；　one　of　the　many　Blair　had　purchased　for　the

apartment　during　her　short　but　sweet　stay。

Aaron　wrapped　his　arms　around　Vanessa？s　waist。　？Did　you　get　my　present？？

He　looked　cute　in　an　orange　T…shirt　and　baggy　green　army　shorts；　and　he　smelled　like　hay　from

the　herbal　cigarettes　he　was　always　smoking。

？Blair　moved　out；？　Vanessa　told　him　evenly；　ignoring　his　question　about　the　cheesy