He’d　felt

pretty　sharp　when　he　first　put　it　on；　but　he　still　couldn’t　deal　with

the　Kiss　on　the　Lips　party。　So　when　Jenny　let　him　blow　the　party　off；

he’d　e　to　The　Five　and　Dime　to　apologize　to　Vanessa　for　being

such　a　dick　over　the　Marjorie　thing。

He’d　tried　to　convince　himself　it　didn’t　matter　that　he’d　probably

never　see　Serena　van　der　Woodsen　again　in　his　life。　After　all；　he　told

himself；　life　was　fragile　and　absurd。

Life　was　absurd　all　right。　Because　there　Serena　was。　In

Williamsburg；　of　all　places。　His　dream　girl。

Dan　felt　like　Cinderella。　He　shoved　his　hands　in　his　pockets　to　keep

them　from　shaking；　and　tried　to　plan　his　next　move。　He　would　walk

over　and　suavely　offer　to　buy　Serena　a　drink。　Too　bad　the　only

suave　thing　about　him　was　his　outfit。　Even　it　was　only　half　as　suave

as　it　could　have　been　if　he’d　kept　the　Armani　from　Barneys。

“Hey；”　Dan　said　when　he　reached　their　table；　his　voice　cracking。

“What’re　you　doing　here？”　Vanessa　said。　She　couldn’t　believe　her

luck。　Did　it　have　to　be　quite　this　bad？　Was　she　going　to　have　to　sit

there　for　the　rest　of　the　night　watching　Dan　drool　over　Serena？

Sorry；　honey。

“I　blew　off　that　Kiss　on　the　Lips　party。　It　really　wasn’t　my　thing；”　Dan

said。

“Me　too；”　Serena　said；　smiling　at　Dan　like　he’d　never　been　smiled　at

before。

Dan　clutched　the　back　of　Vanessa’s　chair　for　balance。　“Hey；”　he

said　shyly。

“You　remember　Serena；”　Vanessa　said。　“She’s　in　my　class　at

Constance。”

“Hey　Dan；”　Serena　said。　“Nice　tux。”

Dan　blushed　and　looked　down　at　himself。　“Thanks；”　he　said。　He

looked　up　again。　“And　that　dress　is　。　。　。　looks　。　。　。　prett