you can buy at the drugstore for ninety…nine cents。 He was so not like the people she went to
school with； Vanessa couldn't help but feel kind of excited。
Could that have anything to do with the fact that he's a guy？
She walked around the counter and handed Beverly the water； already envisioning what it would
be like to stay up late and watch movies together。 She could bring him water and he would nod his
head at her in that thoughtful； sexy way of his。 And then they would dissect Stanley Kubrick's
work； film by film。。。。 Naked。
Vanessa took a seat on the futon sofa and Beverly sat down beside her。
〃So； I'm kind of between places right now；〃 he explained。 〃I was in a dorm and now I'm in this
group work…live arrangement with a bunch of artists in this warehouse space down by the
Brooklyn Navy Yard。 It can get pretty crazy there sometimes； though。〃 He chuckled。 〃I just need a
place to crash where I don't have to worry about my fingers getting hacked off while I'm sleeping…
you know； for someone's 〃body parts〃 sculpture or something？〃
Vanessa nodded happily。 She knew exactly how he felt。
Really？
Of course； she'd never expected to share an apartment with a guy… other than Dan… but she was
eighteen now； an adult； able to make her own decisions and mature enough to have a guy
roommate and no intention of jumping his bones。
Right。
〃The thing is；〃 Beverly continued； 〃it would be kind of weird living with someone I'd never even
breathed the same air with before； you know？〃
Vanessa's big brown eyes widened。 So he didn't want to live with her？ 〃I guess so；〃 she replied
glumly。
〃I wondered if we could hang out for a few weeks first。 Do stuff。 Get to know each other。 See if it
could work out；〃 he added。
Vanessa sat on her hands feeling embarrassingly like one of those so…called normal girls she hated
after some hottie had asked them to a prom or whatever they called those ridiculous dress…up
parties they were always going to because it gave them the opportunity to buy a new dress。
Beverly did want to live with her。 He just wanted to get to know her first。 How refreshing and
exciting to finally meet someone so intelligent； creative； cool… and hot！
〃Well； I am interviewing other people；〃 she responded； not wanted to appear too eager。 〃But that
sounds like a good idea。 I mean； you're right。 It's important to know who you're about to move in
with。〃
〃Exactly。〃 Beverly polished off the water； stood up and carried the glass to the sink。
Wow； he even cleans up after himself。
He flip…flopped back into the living room。 〃We could do something this weekend or……〃
Suddenly Vanessa had an idea。 What better way to show Dan that she'd moved on and had a life of
her own beyond him and his selfish self than to bring a guy to his first gig？ 〃Actually an old friend
of mine is singing with the Raves tomorrow night。 Want to go？〃
Thankfully Beverly was mature enough not to jump up and down and freak out about the fact that
she knew someone who sang with the Raves。 He pressed his palms together and nodded his head
in that sexy； monklike way of his。 〃Sure。 I'll call you tomorrow to make a plan。〃
Vanessa walked him to the door and then rushed to the window； following his nice ass with her
eyes as he flip…flopped his way down South Sixth Street and then disappeared into the maze of old
factory warehouses that made up Williamsburg's landscape。 Saturday mornings she and Beverly
would sit by that window； making use of its southern exposure to make their art。 He would work
silently at his canvas； smearing black ink all over it with his hands while she filmed him。 And both
of them would be。。。。 Naked。
Of course。
How exciting to live with an artist。 Of course； Dan was a poet； but that was different。 All he did
was scribble in notebooks all day； drinking bad coffee and getting shakier and more neurotic by
the hour。
Of course she would continue to interview other people… at least Instant Messenger… until
everything was worked out。 But she was already pretty sure she'd found what she was looking for；
the perfect mate。
Wait。 Doesn't she mean roommate？
B CAN'T STOP RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME
〃Excuse me。 What are you guys doing？〃 Blair demanded。 Eleanor Waldorf and Blair's stepbrother；
Aaron Rose； were standing on the bed in Blair's makeshift bedroom； thumb tacking some sort of
large map on the wall。 Blair stood in the doorway with her arms folded； awaiting an explanation。
〃Don't tell；〃 her mom whispered excitedly to Aaron。 Eleanor was wearing a bizarre Versace outfit
that had bad sample…sale purchase written all over it。 The outfit consisted of an orange…and…black
vertically striped halter top attached to green…and…black horizontally striped pedal…pushers by way
of a mess of gold chains and buttons。 The petal…pushers even sported gold fringe。
Why is it that the mom population is always drawn to designer's biggest mistakes？
Not only was Eleanor's outfit ugly； but in another fit of postpartum depression she'd dome
something dreadful to her hair。 That morning it had been shoulder…length and blonde。 Now it's
dyed dark red and cropped close to her head； like Sharon Osbourne's。 Needless to say； it was sort
of hard for Blair to look at her。
Aaron pushed the last tack into the corner of the map and hopped down from the bed； his wannabe
Rastafarian mini dreadlocks banging merrily against his hollow vegan cheeks。 〃I hate to break it to
you； Ma； but this is going to require a wee bit of clarification。〃 He shot Blair and apologetic look。
〃Sorry； sis； we wanted to surprise you。〃
Blair liked her stepbrother Aaron okay…much more than she liked his fat loser of a father； Cyrus
Rose… but totally infuriated her when he called Eleanor Ma or her sis。 After all his father and her
mother had only been married since thanksgiving； so Eleanor was definitely not his mom and she
was very definitely not his sister。 Despite the existence of her little brother Tyler； who was a boy；
and Yale； who was only a baby； Blair had always identified herself as an only child； except for
those rare occasions when she and Serena were getting along so well it felt like they were sisters。
Eleanor scooted off the bed； grabbed Blair's hand； and dragged her over to the sage…colored wall to
look at the map。 It was a detail of Australia and the Pacific Ocean； and there were four red circles
drawn around four pinpricks in the sea between Vanuatu and Fiji。 Underneath the circles； written
in black ink in Eleanor's loopy cursive； were the names Yale； Tyler； Aaron； and Blair。
Padonnez…moi？
Blair twisted her ruby ring around and around on her finger。 〃What the fuck； mom？〃 she
demanded impatiently。
Eleanor was still holding Blair's hand and she squeezed her daughter's fingers tightly with manic
delight。 〃I bought you an island； sweetie； and named it after you。 Each of my four little darlings
has their own Pacific Island！ And next year； when they print the new maps； your names will
appear right there nest to Fiji！ Isn't that fantastic？〃
Blair stared at the map。 Fiji had always sounded sort of exotic to her； but the island of Blair
probably consisted of a scrappy shrub on top a piece of reef riddled with spiny sea urchins and
kelp。
Tyler's already planning our Big South Pacific Christmas trip next year；〃 Eleanor rattled on。 〃He's
researching which of the Islands have the best surf。〃
〃And your mom's buying each of us a board；〃 Aaron informed her。 〃Except for Yale。〃
Blair's noticed that Aaron's toenails were painted black。
〃It's a band thing；〃 he explained； noticing her noticing。 〃We were bonding over the fact that； at the
moment； none of us has a girlfriend。〃
Big surprise Blair thought。 If he wasn't careful； Aaron was going to bee one of those pale；
skinny； asexual； vegetarian old men like Morrissey； fading into the ether without anyone
remembering that he'd ever been there。 Aaron and Serena had hooked up and even been in love for
a fleeting moment that winter； but Aaron wasn't exciting enough to hold Serena's attention for
more than five minutes。
Than