three…quarter…length sleeves。 It was the same top she？d worn once before and gotten a lot of
pliments on； probably because it was so low it revealed her soft； pale cleavage and a hint of
her black lace bra。 Vanessa had arrived late because her sister had insisted she take a cab； and of
course the cab had gotten stuck in the snow near Union Square。 While the driver yelled at the
towing pany on his cell phone with Lite FM blaring from the speakers； Vanessa had jumped
ship。 When she？d finally made it to the club； her ears had been frozen solid and she？d looked like
a walking snowball。 The fashion show had already started and she？d been sure they？d turn her
away at the huge garage door that served as an entrance； but when she？d given her name to the girl
at the door； a security guard with a flashlight had been appointed to personally escort Vanessa to
her seat in thecenter of thefront row 。 The chair had a card taped to it with
CHRISTINARICCIcrossed out in black marker and VANESSAABRAMSwritten in instead。
Vanessa had never felt so special in all her life。
The room was dark except for burning white foot…high candles lining the runway on either side。
Models dressed in navy blue above…the…knee sailor dresses with white piping and gold buttons at
the lapels held foghorns to their lips as the sound of a terrible storm at sea boomed out of the
sound system。 The white wall behind the runway was lit with a single spotlight； and on that wall
was projected the New York film essay Vanessa had sent to NYU。 The film was black and white
and it took on a sort of nineteen…forties classiness paired with the models？ sailor dresses。 And even
though everyone there seemed to be taking this whole bogus fashion…at…sea thing way too
seriously； Vanessa had to admit it was pretty cool to see her film up there in lights。
The wafer…thin woman next to her flipped open her PalmPilot and typed in；Brilliant backdrop ；
with a long red fingernail。 She was wearing an ID tag on her camel…colored cashmere sweater with
the wordVogue printed on it； and her brown hair was cut in a short bob with thick；
bronze…highlighted bangs。 She continued to type。Note： Ask Jed where the film came from。
Vanessa considered nudging her gently and saying； ？I made it；？ but she decided it would be more
fun to stay quiet and see what happened。 Maybe someone would detest the film and make a big
stink about it and Vanessa would bee known as the infamous filmmaker whose bitterly honest
portrayal of New York had been a real downer at Fashion Week。 She wondered how Dan was
doing at the Better Than Naked show。 She imagined him asking that hot new Brazilian
super…model？Anike； or whatever her name was？for a light without even knowing who she was。
That was the thing Vanessa most loved about Dan； his divine innocence。
The film came to the part where she？d filmed two old men wearing matching red…and…black plaid
wool jackets and black wool caps playing chess in Washington Square Park。 One guy？s head
bobbed against his chest； his burning cigar perched precariously on his sagging lower lip as he
began to fall asleep。 The other guy snapped his fingers to make sure his partner was asleep before
moving the chess pieces around and nudging his sleeping friend awake again。
Inside Highway 1 the sounds of the storm faded and boisterous big…band music began to play。 A
giant cardboard boat was hauled onto the stage by muscular male models pulling thick white ropes
and wearing only simple navy blue briefs。 The boat came to a stop and the gangplank was lowered。
Out came the models； two at a time？there must have been a hundred of them； and how had they all
fit into that boat？？all dressed in navy blue satin bra…and…panty sets； with white fish…net
over…the…knee stockings； white elbow…length gloves and white suede over…the…knee boots。 After
marching down the gangplank with military…style efficiency they began a plicated dance that
looked like a cross between air traffic control and water ballet。 Suddenly the neat rows of
gesticulating models parted to reveal a dapper dude with curly； shoulder…length red hair； wearing a
white three…piece suit； carrying a jewel…encrusted gold cane； andtap…dancing 。
No joke。
Red curls bouncing； he tap…danced right up to the end of the runway； stopped on a dime； and
began to applaud the audience。 Behind him the models stood on one leg； with the other knee
raised high； like flamingos； applauding； too。 Then the music stopped and the audience went wild。
The redhead had to be Jedediah Angel； Vanessa decided； and he was standing directly in front of
her。 He took a deep bow； looking a bit like the Wizard of Oz in his tight white suit。 Suddenly he
pointed at her and began to whoop and clap； motioning for her to stand up。 Vanessa shook her
head； alarmed； but Jedediah Angel kept on beckoning to her。 ？Stand up； baby！ Standup ！？
The crowd was going crazy now。 They didn？t even know who the hell Vanessa was； but if
Jedediah Angel wanted her to bow； she must besomebody 。 Giving in； Vanessa stood up； her face
burning with embarrassment and her shoulders shaking in an uncharacteristically nervous fit of the
giggles as she bowed her head to acknowledge their applause。
She could already hear Ken Mogul whispering in her ear； ？Get used to it baby； you？ve rocked
their world！？ And even though itwas kind of cool to have so many people acting like they
worshipped her； she couldn？t wait to trade stories with Dan about what a farce the whole thing
was。
Unless of course he？d already eloped to the south of France with a hot nineteen…year…old
Brazilian supermodel。
==================================
ABC Amber LIT Converter v2。02
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Disclaimer： All the real names of places； people； and events have been altered or abbreviated to
protect the innocent。 Namely； me。
hey people！
Let it snow！
There are fourteen inches on the ground so far and here I am； snowed in at the hottest； most
exclusive Fashion Week after…party ever； with my all…time favorite fashion designer； hundreds of
gorgeous models and hunk…o…licious actors； the most discerning fashion magazine editors in the
business； and five of fashion？s most avant…garde photographers。 I honestly don？t care if the whole
city shuts down because of the snow。 I never want to leave！
Sightings
Bwaiting for her date in the corner of that romantic little bar in the new boutique hotel on Perry
Street。S signing autographs at theLes Best after…party atCr？me on Forty…third。C at the same party；
surrounded by younger male models； also signing autographs？who is he pretending to be？N
escorting our favorite Connecticut heiress home to her Greenwich mansion in her limo。J and her
new best friend dashing through the snow to collect booty from Blockbuster and Hunan Wok on
Broadway near J？s house？sounds like a party。D being swarmed by models at theBetter Than
Naked after…party at theHarrison Street Club 。 Were they just bumming cigarettes or did they all
actually read his poem？V at theJedediah Angel after…party atHighway 1 ； pretending to flirt with
everyone in that delightfully banal way of hers。
I just hope everyone is as ecstatic as I am about being stuck where they are until the weather
clears。 Remember； nothing warms you up faster than another person？s body heat。
Oops； someone？s taking my photograph for the Style section this weekend； and my lips are in
serious need of some shine。 Gotta fly！
You know you love me。
gossip girl
just like that scene intitanic
？So how e Dan didn？t invite you？？ Elise asked as she rolled a steamed dumpling around in a
puddle of soy sauce。
To weather the snowstorm； Elise and Jenny had gathered a feast of Chinese food and Oreos and
videos they？d never heard of； since everything else at Blockbuster had been rented out。 Now they
were watching the New York Fashion Week coverage on the Metro Channel in the living room of
Jenny？s sprawling； ramshackle Upper West Side apartment。 Bizarrely enough； the camera had just
panned over the audience at the Better Than Naked show； zooming in on Dan for a moment as he
scribbled away furiously in his stupid black notebook。
？Because I？m his little sister；？ Jenny answered； stunned that she？d actually just seen her
brother？s sallow； sideburned face live on TV。 She？d known Dan was going to the show； but she
hadn？t even bothered to ask if she could acpany him。 He was so obsessed with being Mr。
I？m…The…Next…Keats that he barely even noticed her existence anymore。
The camera shifted to the Les Best tent in Bryant Park； where Serena van der Woodsen strutted
down the runway wearing a cropped white baby tee with I LOVEAARONprinted on it； her gray
Constance Billard School uniform skirt； a red wool cape； and Les Best ankle boots。 It looked like
she was supposed to be a sexy version of Little Red Riding Hood or something。
Not that anyone wouldever pay money for a school uniform。
？Hey； isn？t that our peer group leader？ Serena van der Woodsen？？ Elise pointed out。
Jenny stuffed an entire Oreo into her mouth and nodded； her cheeks bulging。 It was Serena all
right。 Looking as perfect as ever。
？Quick； change the channel！ There？s no way I can eat anything while I？m looking at those legs；？
Elise squealed； tossing a beaded velvet throw pillow at the television。
Jenny giggled and turned off the TV altogether。 She picked up her I LOVENY mug of Coke；
glancing warily at the feast spread out on the old steamer trunk that served as a coffee table。 The
apartment was so filthy； she worried that at any moment a disgusting lobster…sized cockroach
would drop out of the crumbling plaster in the ceiling； right into her cold sesame noodles。 She
noticed Elise hadn？t actually ingested any food yet。 ？You don？t have a problem eating in front of
me； do you？？ Jenny picked up a pair of chopsticks and twirled them around in the cardboard
container of noodles。 ？I promise I won？t even look at you。？
Elise picked up her dumpling with her fingers and bit it in half。 ？That？s just in the lunchroom at
school；？ she said with her mouth full。 ？I ca