erena；　I’m　beautiful；　I　can　wear

whatever　I　want。”

And　she　can；　Blair　thought。　That　was　one　of　the　things　that　always

infuriated　her　about　Serena。　She　looked　good　in　anything。

But　never　mind　how　Serena　looked。　What　Jenny　and　every　other

person　in　the　room　wanted　to　know　was：　Why　is　she　back？

They　craned　their　necks　to　see。　Did　she　have　a　black　eye？　Was　she

pregnant？　Did　she　look　stoned？　Did　she　have　all　her　teeth？　Was

there　anything　different　about　her　at　all？

“Is　that　a　scar　on　her　cheek？”　Rain　whispered。

“She　was　knifed　one　night　dealing　drugs；”　Kati　whispered　back。　“I

heard　she　had　plastic　surgery　in　Europe　this　summer；　but　they

didn’t　do　a　very　good　job。”

Mrs。　McLean　was　reading　out　loud　now。　Serena　sat　back　in　her　chair；

crossed　her　legs；　and　closed　her　eyes；　basking　in　the　old　familiar

feeling　of　sitting　in　this　room　full　of　girls；　listening　to　Mrs。　M’s　voice。

She　didn’t　know　why　she’d　been　so　nervous　that　morning　before

school。　She’d　overslept　and　gotten　dressed　in　five　minutes；　ripping

a　hole　in　her　black　stocking　with　a　jagged　toenail。　She’d　chosen　her

brother　Erik’s　frayed　old　shirt　because　it　smelled　like　him。　Erik　had

gone　to　the　same　boarding　school　as　Serena；　but　now　he　was　away

at　college；　and　she　missed　him　terribly。

Just　as　she　was　leaving　the　apartment；　her　mother　caught　sight　of

her　and　would　have　made　her　change　her　clothes　if　Serena　hadn’t

been　so　late。

“This　weekend；”　her　mother　said；　“we’re　going　shopping；　and　I’m

taking　you　to　my　salon。　You　can’t　go　around　looking　like　that　here；

Serena。　I　don’t　care　how　they　let　you　dress　in　boarding　school。”

Then　she　k