rned　how　to　draw；”　he　said　proudly。

“I　didn’t　have　a　clue　when　I　was　her　age。”　Serena　wrinkled　her　nose。　“But　I　guess　it　just　depends　on　the　person。　Blair　always　knew　she　wanted　to　go　to　Yale…。”　She　trailed　off。

“Have　you　spoken　to　her？　Is　she　in　New　York　for　the　holidays？”　Dan　asked　before　emptying　the　last　of　his　double　espresso　from　his　mini　porcelain　cup。　It　made　him　feel　like　a　character　in　Alice　in　Wonderland。　The　espresso　was　his　second；　and　they’d　been　in　the　shop　for　less　than　an　hour；　hanging　out　while　Jenny　took　her　RISD　tour。　She　was　due　back　any　minute。

“I　don’t　know。”　Serena　shrugged；　thinking　of　her　and　Blair’s　huge　fight　last　winter。　A　blowup　between　them　wasn’t　anything　new—they’d　been　fighting　since　before　they　could　properly　form　sentences。　But　their　arguments　usually　blew　over　quickly。　This　one　hadn’t。　Blair　had　gone　to　study　abroad　at　Oxford　while　Serena　had　gone　to　Yale；　and　they　hadn’t　spoken　since　last　January。　“It　doesn’t　matter。　I　just　hope　she’s　had　as　good　a　year　as　I　have；”　Serena　added；　smiling　at　Dan。

She　and　Dan　had　gotten　together　the　previous　winter　break；　and　the　relationship　had　quickly　turned　serious。　By　April；　Serena　was　spending　most　of　her　weekends　at　Dan’s　Upper　West　Side　apartment。　They’d　sit　at　the　tiny　kitchen　table；　studying　together；　or　go　to　the　coffee　shop　on　his　corner　and　read。　Dan　was　a　junior　at　Columbia　and　Serena　wasn’t　quite　sure　what　she　was　at　Yale。　She’d　just　started　in　September；　but　she’d　carried　over　a　few　credits　from　courses　she’d　taken　at　the　New　School　earlier　that　year。

Being　at　Yale　was　more　plicated　than　she’d　thought　it　would　be。　It　was　strange　living　in　a　dorm　when　she　was　used　to　having　her　own　apartment。　She　felt　years　older　than　her　fellow　freshmen；　and　it　wasn’t