the West Side for school or to attend the odd
party. They were in Dans class at Riverside Prep, but they were certainly not in his
class. He was nothing to them. They didnt even notice him. Dude, Chuck said to his
friends. He lit a cigarette. Chuck smoked his cigarettes like they were joints, holding
them between his index finger and thumb and sucking hard on the inhale.
Too pathetic for words. Guess who I saw last night? Chuck said, blowing out a stream of
gray smoke. Liv Tyler? Jeffrey said. Yeah, and she was all over you, right? Roger laughed.
No, not her. Serena van der Woodsen, Chuck said. Dans ears perked up. He was about to head
inside for class, but he lit another cigarette and stayed put so he could listen. Blair
Waldorfs mom had this little party, and Serena was there with her parents, Chuck
continued. And she was all over me. Shes, like, the sluttiest girl Ive ever met. Chuck
took another toke on his smoke. Really? Jeffrey said. Yes, really. First of all, I just
found out that shes been fucking Nate Archibald since tenth grade. And shes definitely
gotten an education at boarding school, if you know what I mean. They had to get rid of
her, shes so slutty. No way, Roger said. Come on, dude, you dont get kicked out for being
a slut. You do if you keep a record of every boy you slept with and get them hooked on the
same drugs youre doing. Her parents had to go up there and get her. She was, like, taking
over the school! Chuck was getting really worked up. His face was turning red and he was
spitting as he talked. I heard shes got diseases, too, he added. Like, STDs. Someone saw
her going into a clinic in the East Village. She was wearing a wig. Chucks friends shook
their heads, grunting in amazement. Dan had never heard such crap. Serena was no slut; she
was perfect, wasnt she? Wasnt she? Thats yet to be determined. So, you guys hear about
that bird party? Roger asked. You going? What bird party? Jeffrey said. That thing for the
Central Park peregrine falcons? Chuck said. Yeah, Blair was telling me about it. Its in
the old Barneys store. He took another drag on his cigarette. Dude, everybodys going.
Everybody didnt include Dan, of course. But it very definitely included Serena van der
Woodsen. Theyre sending out the invitations this week, Roger said. It has a funny name, I
cant remember what it is, something girly. Kiss on the Lips, Chuck said, stubbing out his
cigarette with his obnoxious Churchs of England shoes. Its the Kiss on the Lips party.
Oh, yeah, Jeffrey said. And I bet theres going to be a lot more than kissing going on. He
sniggered. Especially if Serenas there. The boys laughed, congratulating each other on
their incredible wit. Dan had had enough. He tossed his cigarette on the sidewalk only
inches from Chucks shoes and headed for the school doors. As he passed the three boys he
turned his head and puckered his lips, making a smooching sound three times as if he were
giving each boy a big fat kiss on the lips. Then he turned and went inside, banging the
door shut behind him.
Kiss that, assholes.
What Im going for is tension, Vanessa Abrams explained to Constances small Advanced Film
Studies class. She was standing at the front of the room, presenting her idea for the film
she was making. Im going to shoot the two of them talking on a park bench at night. Except
you cant really hear what theyre saying. Vanessa paused dramatically, waiting for one of
her classmates to say something. Mr. Beckham, their teacher, was always telling them to
keep their scenes alive with dialogue and action, and Vanessa was deliberately doing just
the opposite.
So theres no dialogue? Mr. Beckham said from where he was standing in the back of the
classroom. He was painfully aware that no one else in the class was listening to a word
Vanessa was saying. Youre going to hear the silence of the buildings and
party. They were in Dans class at Riverside Prep, but they were certainly not in his
class. He was nothing to them. They didnt even notice him. Dude, Chuck said to his
friends. He lit a cigarette. Chuck smoked his cigarettes like they were joints, holding
them between his index finger and thumb and sucking hard on the inhale.
Too pathetic for words. Guess who I saw last night? Chuck said, blowing out a stream of
gray smoke. Liv Tyler? Jeffrey said. Yeah, and she was all over you, right? Roger laughed.
No, not her. Serena van der Woodsen, Chuck said. Dans ears perked up. He was about to head
inside for class, but he lit another cigarette and stayed put so he could listen. Blair
Waldorfs mom had this little party, and Serena was there with her parents, Chuck
continued. And she was all over me. Shes, like, the sluttiest girl Ive ever met. Chuck
took another toke on his smoke. Really? Jeffrey said. Yes, really. First of all, I just
found out that shes been fucking Nate Archibald since tenth grade. And shes definitely
gotten an education at boarding school, if you know what I mean. They had to get rid of
her, shes so slutty. No way, Roger said. Come on, dude, you dont get kicked out for being
a slut. You do if you keep a record of every boy you slept with and get them hooked on the
same drugs youre doing. Her parents had to go up there and get her. She was, like, taking
over the school! Chuck was getting really worked up. His face was turning red and he was
spitting as he talked. I heard shes got diseases, too, he added. Like, STDs. Someone saw
her going into a clinic in the East Village. She was wearing a wig. Chucks friends shook
their heads, grunting in amazement. Dan had never heard such crap. Serena was no slut; she
was perfect, wasnt she? Wasnt she? Thats yet to be determined. So, you guys hear about
that bird party? Roger asked. You going? What bird party? Jeffrey said. That thing for the
Central Park peregrine falcons? Chuck said. Yeah, Blair was telling me about it. Its in
the old Barneys store. He took another drag on his cigarette. Dude, everybodys going.
Everybody didnt include Dan, of course. But it very definitely included Serena van der
Woodsen. Theyre sending out the invitations this week, Roger said. It has a funny name, I
cant remember what it is, something girly. Kiss on the Lips, Chuck said, stubbing out his
cigarette with his obnoxious Churchs of England shoes. Its the Kiss on the Lips party.
Oh, yeah, Jeffrey said. And I bet theres going to be a lot more than kissing going on. He
sniggered. Especially if Serenas there. The boys laughed, congratulating each other on
their incredible wit. Dan had had enough. He tossed his cigarette on the sidewalk only
inches from Chucks shoes and headed for the school doors. As he passed the three boys he
turned his head and puckered his lips, making a smooching sound three times as if he were
giving each boy a big fat kiss on the lips. Then he turned and went inside, banging the
door shut behind him.
Kiss that, assholes.
What Im going for is tension, Vanessa Abrams explained to Constances small Advanced Film
Studies class. She was standing at the front of the room, presenting her idea for the film
she was making. Im going to shoot the two of them talking on a park bench at night. Except
you cant really hear what theyre saying. Vanessa paused dramatically, waiting for one of
her classmates to say something. Mr. Beckham, their teacher, was always telling them to
keep their scenes alive with dialogue and action, and Vanessa was deliberately doing just
the opposite.
So theres no dialogue? Mr. Beckham said from where he was standing in the back of the
classroom. He was painfully aware that no one else in the class was listening to a word
Vanessa was saying. Youre going to hear the silence of the buildings and
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