her　body　toward　Blair？s；　so　that　their　knees　were　touching。　？Are　you

serious？？　Blair　crushed　out　the　cigarette　beneath　the　heel　of　her　leopard…print　Repetto　ballet

flats。　？She　gave　me　this　whole　sob　story　about　how　poor　baby　Yale　needed　to　be　raised　in　a　place

that　had　abackyard。　？　？We　didn？t　have　backyards　and　we　turned　out　okay；？　Serena　replied；　her

normally　smooth　brow　wrinkled　in　thought。Had　they　turned　out　okay？　Another　group　of　kids　ran

up　the　massive　steps；　screaming　at　the　top　of　their　lungs。

？That？s　whatI　said。？　Blair　threw　up　her　hands　in　exasperation。　？I　mean；　we　had　the　wholecity　to

play　in。　Like　those　kids。They　don？t　look　unhappy。？　She　gestured　toward　the　group　of

five…year…olds；　who　were　giggling　as　they　raced　each　other　up　the　giant　stone　steps。　Blair

straightened　with　a　sudden　thought。　？But　actually；　maybe　I　won？t　have　to　kill　my　family　now。

Maybe　an　earthquake　will　just　swallow　them　up。　Except　my　baby　sister；　of　course。　She　can　stay。？

She　tried　to　laugh　but　couldn？t。　Nothing　was　funny　right　now。

If　picturing　her　family　dead　doesn？t　make　her　happy；　maybe　she　should　try　something　less

violent；　like　meditation。

？Wow；？　Serena　observed　glumly；　twirling　a　long　piece　of　golden　hair　around　one　finger；　suddenly

feeling　sad　and　serious。　She　looked　out　to　Fifth　Avenue　again；　just　as　a　bus　with　theBreakfast　at

Fred？s　ad　rolled　by。　She　quickly　turned　away；　not　sure　why　seeing　it　made　her　feel　jittery　and

unsettled。　？I　can？t　imagine　you　anywhere　else　but　right　here。　I　mean；　we？ve　lived；　like；　ten　blocks

away　from　each　other　our　wholelives。　？　Blairhad　always　been　here　in　the　city；　right　by　her　side。

Even　when　they　weren？t　getting　along？w