g the notion； and let the door close with a definitive click。
She rode the elevator downstairs and tromped noisily through the parquet floor lobby in her dusty pink Chanel pointy…toed boots。 She passed through the revolving door and took a deep breath。 The air felt cold but fresh。 She looked hopefully at the bright blue sky。 This was a new day。
Blair stepped into one of the yellow cabs idling at the entrance of the hotel。 “Sixtieth and Madison；” she manded； feeling better than she had in almost a week。
It is called retail therapy for a reason。
She entered Barneys； invigorated by the multicolored purses； the scent of Creed Fleurissimo in the air； the upbeat chatter of excited shoppers surrounding her。 In her hotel room； time had felt suspended。 Here； people were moving； buying； laughing in a way that was reassuring。
Blair followed a thirtysomething Gucci…clad woman toward the elevator bank。 She had honey blond hair； an Hermès scarf tied around her neck； and a huge five…carat diamond ring on her left hand。 She’d probably never been left by her boyfriend； Blair thought jealously。
Upstairs； she idly strolled through the expansive loftlike space； not looking for anything； but shopping purely on instinct。 She’d know what she needed when she saw it。 She picked out a black and white dress by Alexander Wang that was hanging by itself on a silver rack in the center of the sparsely filled floor。 It looked like something Edie Sedgwick might have worn to a fabulous Factory party。
“May I help you； miss？” A saleswoman came up to her eagerly； her Prada pumps clacking against the floor。 Her name tag read DANIELLE。
“Thanks。” Blair offered a small smile as she plucked the dress from the rack。 The tag sewn into the thick wool said eight； far too large for Blair’s size…two frame。 “I need this in a two。”
Danielle’s friendly smile turned into a frown。 “I’m sorry； it’s the only size we have left。 It does run small though。 Would you like to try it？”
Blair narrowed her eyes。 Was Danielle calling her fat？
“No；” Blair snapped angrily。 Suddenly her eye caught sight of the same dress； hanging next to a corner dressing area。 “There it is！” Blair announced gleefully； charging toward the dress。
Danielle followed on her heels。 “Someone else is trying that on。 I’ll be sure to find you if she doesn’t take it。”
“But she’s obviously done with it；” Blair protested； already pulling the size…two dress off the hanger。 “Now； where can I try this on？” She used the same voice she had last semester when protesting the B she’d received on a paper in Persuasion in Politics。 Professor Balmer had changed it to an A…； simply because of the passionate way she’d argued her point。
Danielle wrung her hands nervously。 “Miss； I’d be happy to call in the dress； but—”
“Blair？” came a voice from behind the heavy black dressing room curtain。 Out stepped Serena van der Woodsen； clad in a flesh…colored scoop back Catherine Malandrino knit dress that made her look naked。 What the fuck？ Blair narrowed her eyes； praying that in just a moment she’d wake up with a Veuve Clicquot hangover and the promise of room service just a phone call away。
No such luck。
“Oh my God！” Serena squealed when she saw Blair。 She’d been feeling lonely ever since she’d kicked Nate out on New Year’s Day。 She’d thought of calling Blair but had always stopped short。 She’d spent a lot of time at Doma； reading Anna Karenina and trying to make eye contact with the weirdos at her munal table。 In the book； Anna was forced into bad choice after bad choice； until she eventually threw herself under a train。 Serena wouldn’t do that； but there were only so many times she could pick herself up； dust herself off； and pretend everything was fine。
No matter how much she tried to pretend otherwise； the Nate thing had taken a lot out of her。 The love of her life was in love with someone else。
Sounds familiar。
“How are you？ It’s good to see you！” Serena enveloped her old friend in a huge hug。 Now that Blair was here； maybe things would be different。 After all； it wasn’t Blair’s fault Nate was still in love with her。
Blair stood stiffly； her arms at her sides。 It was good for Serena to see her？ Well； it was terrible for Blair to see Serena。 Serena was the reason she had just spent four days locked in a hotel room。 If Serena hadn’t been at the party； making out with Nate； Blair would still be with Pete。 Serena had fucked up Blair’s current relationship； her past relationship； and if she gave her the chance； she’d probably fuck up her future relationships too。
“Are you okay？” Serena stepped back and frowned。 Blair’s cheeks looked flushed。
“Well； I’ll just hold on to this； and when one of you ladies would like it； just find me。” Danielle grabbed the dress and quickly speed…walked away； as if at any moment one or both of them might tackle her。
“How was your New Year’s？” Blair asked icily。
“It was good；” Serena said lightly。 “I saw Nate…。” She trailed off uncertainly； noticing an ominous flicker in Blair’s blue eyes。 “Where’s your boyfriend？” Serena changed the subject。 Maybe giving Blair the chance to talk about her perfect relationship would warm her up a little bit。
Blair shook her head。 There was no way she was going to tell Serena what had happened between her and Pete。 She hugged her arms across her chest。 “You saw Nate？” she repeated sarcastically。
Serena’s blue eyes widened as she caught on to the meaning behind Blair’s tone。 Could Blair have heard what happened？ Or worse； seen her and Nate together at the party？
But it wasn’t like Serena had done anything wrong。 After all； she and Nate were both single。 Blair was the one with the boyfriend。
“You’re not with Nate anymore；” Serena reminded her。 Even though he wishes you were。 Serena suddenly remembered fighting with Blair over the battered polar bear they’d gotten on their first…grade field trip to the Central Park Zoo。 Serena had snatched it from Blair in an uncharacteristically aggressive move； and Blair had broken into tears。 “It didn’t mean anything。 It was just a dumb New Year’s Eve hookup；” Serena said softly； searching her friend’s face。
Blair narrowed her icy blue eyes。 What the fuck was Serena’s problem； practically screaming that she and Nate had hooked up？ Serena had probably followed her into Barneys； just to have the chance to gloat and humiliate her。 Blair knew it didn’t make sense； really； but she also knew that there was no room in her life anymore for Serena。 Maybe when they were younger； they could laugh and make up； but they were adults now。 And it was time for Serena to start taking responsibility for her actions。
“Maybe we can go get lunch？” Serena smiled encouragingly。 “At Fred’s？”
Blair glared at Serena。 Was she totally dense？ Did she actually have to spell it out for her？ “I don’t think so。” She shook her head。 “We’re not friends anymore。” She turned on her heel and angrily stomped off to the elevators。
Bitchfest at Barneys？
hey people！
everything old is new again
Maybe you dusted off your white Oscar de la Renta mencement dress and repurposed it for your angel costume this Halloween。 Maybe you stole a few of your mom’s vintage Pucci dresses from her closet over Thanksgiving and now wear them to cocktail parties。 Or maybe you just keep bringing up that story about how you used to be friends with Hollywood’s latest It Girl。
The point is； things that seemed same…old in high school take on a shiny newness in college。 That rule applies to the people in our lives； too。 Which is why I； for one； can’t say I’m surprised that S and N were spotted getting hot and heavy in a darkened corner of the Bass suite at the Tribeca Star on New Year’s Eve。 So why was N seen leaving S’s Perry Street abode at the ungodly hour of 9 a。m。 on New Year’s Day？
the walk of shame
N’s walk home reminds me： It’s time for a refresher course on graceful exits from overnight arrangements。 While it may not be on the official college syllabus； the walk of shame is a test everyone must plete at least once。 You’re practically guaranteed to run into someone you know。 So hold your he