Vanessa were herself。 Had Vanessa gone off somewhere with Aaron? Or Dan? Had Serena and
Natereally eloped? It was such a crazy day and such a crazy time in their lives; she wasn?t sure
what to believe。
?And now; I?m delighted to introduce Blair Waldorf; our senior class speaker;? Mrs。 McLean
announced。 With a bob of her Raggedy Ann auburn head; she stepped away from the podium to
make way for Blair。 Blair stood up; smoothed out her swishy; pleated white satin Oscar de la
Renta skirt; and climbed daintily over the pointy white…shoe…clad feet of her classmates; growing
steadily more and more enraged as she overheard snatches of their whispers and mutterings。
?Serena is so totally not going to Yale next year。?
?Vanessa is in L。A。 Didn?t you hear? She?s making a movie with Brad Pitt。?
Blair mounted the steps to the podium?a vision of perfection with her Oscar…tailored satin suit;
her smooth and shiny dark bob; her long…lashed bright blue eyes; her glittering coral…colored
mouth; and her exquisite white shoes。 She cleared her throat; trying to tear everyone?s attention
away from the subject of the two missing girls。
?Thank you;? she began。 ?First; I?d like to congratulate my class。 We made it!? she cried with
exaggerated glee。 But none of her fucking classmates were even looking at her。
Who cares? Who cares? Who cares?She was graduating today; she had an amazing new
boyfriend who just happened to be an English lord; and in the fall she was off to Yale。 That was all
that mattered; she told herself as she continued her speech。 And that she looked seriously hot in
her sleek Oscar de la Renta suit while all the other girls looked like Little Bo Beep in their frilly
white dresses。
?Now here we are; college…bound; and we?re all still friends;? Blair declared determinedly。
Sure they are。
oh; the places you?ll go!?not
Daaah; dee…dee…dee; daaah; daaah ?
St。 Jude?s didn?t bother renting out a church or lining their boys up in size order。 They just held a
small; solemn ceremony in the school?s rooftop gym; wished the boys well; and then sent them on
their way。 The usually cavernous…looking gym seemed smaller now; filled as it was with folding
chairs; mothers in Chanel jackets and over…the…knee linen skirts; and dads in Brooks Brothers
summer…weight gray flannel suits。
Nate had been waiting for this day forever; and to mark the occasion; he and his buddies had
gotten good and high at Charlie?s house beforehand。 Then they?d put on their burgundy…colored
school ties and their navy blue wool school jackets with the dorky brass buttons that they?d never;
ever have to wear again; and walked over。
He glanced over his shoulder at his parents; seated stiffly across the aisle and six rows back。
Captain Archibald met his gaze and waved the graduation program angrily in front of him;