looking at the same time。 All those years of uniforms and too much homework forthis?
Vanessa flipped the case closed and held it tight to her chest。 She didn?t care?she?d made it! And
her whole future lay ahead of her。 After taking every film course NYU offered; she?d bee a
famous indie filmmaker; except she?d stick to true indies?unlike her former mentor; Ken Mogul;
who was totally selling out with that teen movie he was making at Barneys。 It was a good thing
Aaron had broken up with her today; because now she was free to meet all sorts of interesting
people from around the globe; and she could experiment with different relationships。 After all;
wasn?t that what college was all about?
Yeah; maybe。 But again; isn?t she kind of forgetting about someone??
Some would argue that her last name begins with w
?Serena Caroline van der Woodsen;? Mrs。 M called out。
?Shit;? Blair muttered under her breath。 Where the fuckwas Serena; anyway? She glanced back at
the other van der Woodsens。 They looked perky and excited。 Unbelievably; they still hadn?t quite
grasped the fact that Serena was missing。
?Serena? Are you present?? asked the headmistress; scanning the church with her glassy brown
eyes。 ?Has anyone seen Serena?? The pretty; never…quite…reaching…her…potential blonde was
forever late for morning assemblies; but one would have thought she could pull it together to be on
time for this particular event。
The other girls twittered。 No one offered the headmistress an answer。 Blair glanced back at
Serena?s family once more。 Now they looked confused; although the van der Woodsens never lost
their cool。 Erik jutted his chin at Blair; silently suggesting that she go up to accept Serena?s
diploma for her。
?Blair Cornelia Waldorf;? Mrs。 M announced sternly。 No Constance girl had ever missed
graduation before; and she was cross now; very cross。 She?d allowed Serena to e back to
Constance after she?d been thrown out of boarding school; and now Serena couldn?t even be
bothered to turn up for mencement?
Thank goodness Blair?sW came right after Serena?sV 。 In fact; some would argue Serena?s last
name began withW and therefore came after Blair?s。 Not that it mattered or that anyone really
cared at this point。
Blair went up to the podium to receive her diploma。 ?I?ll take Serena?s for her;? she whispered;
hoping her voice wouldn?t carry over the microphone。
Mrs。 M smiled tersely and shook her hand。 ?That won?t be necessary;? she replied; nodding at
something over Blair?s shoulder。
Blair spun around to find Serena sprinting up the aisle inher suit?exactly the same white satin
Oscar de la Renta suit with the swishy pleated knee…length skirt that she herself was wearing。 And