沸腾文学

第6部分（第1页）

Vanessa　had　been　about　to　offer　her　services　as　a　reader；　but　it　didn？t　sound　like　Dan　wanted　any

help。　？Okay；？　she　said　coolly。　？Call　me　if　you　need　anything　or　whatever。？

Dan　flipped　his　collar　up　again　and　lit　another　cigarette；　experimenting　with　his　new　look。　？Oh；

wait。　I　wanted　to　ask　you　something。　Rusty　Klein　invited　me　to　this　thing　called　Better　Than

Naked。　？The　Better　Than　Naked　show。？　That？s　what　she　said。　Do　you　know　if　that？s　a　band　or

something？？

Better　Than　Naked　was　the　antifashion　fashion　label　that　Vanessa？s　older　sister；　Ruby；　blew　all

her　gig　money　on。　Most　of　their　clothes　looked　like　old　thrift…store　rags　that　had　been　run　over　by

a　fleet　of　street…cleaning　machines；　which　was　pletely　intentional。　Very　downtown　？fuck　the

trends？　fashion。

？It？s　Fashion　Week　starting　on　Friday；？　Vanessa　explained。　？It　sounds　like　she？s　inviting　you　to

the　Better　Than　Naked　runway　show；　which　I　only　know　about　because　Ruby　is　totally　crazy　about

their　clothes　and　always　watches　the　shows　on　the　Metro　Channel。　I　don？t　know　why　Rusty　Klein

thinksyou　would　want　to　go；　though。　What　do　you　care　about　clothes？　And　it？ll　be　full　of　posers

and　wanna…bes？you　know；　that　whole　vapid　fashion　scene。？

Dan　looked　thoughtful　as　he　puffed　on　his　cigarette。　？I　think　I？m　gonna　check　it　out。？　He

wouldn？t　have　cared　if　Rusty　Klein　had　asked　to　meet　him　at　a　pro　wrestling　match。　This　was

about　building　his　writing　career。

Filming　Dan　at　the　Better　Than　Naked　show　would　have　been　perfect　material　for　her　film；　but

Vanessa　didn？t　want　to　butt　in　if　Dan　was　meeting　someone　as　important　as　Rusty　Klein　at　the

show。　？Okay；　Mr。　Hot　Shit　Poet。　Don？t　forget　your　old　friends　when　you？re　driving　around　in　a

limo　drinking　champagne　with　naked　models　and　whatnot。？　She　reached　up　and　mussed　his　neat

little　haircut。　？Congratulations。？

Dan　grinned　widely　back　at　her。　？It？s　pretty　amazing；？　he　agreed　happily。　Then；　with　one　last

sweet　kiss；　he　turned　and　walked　up　Riverside　Drive　toward　home；　the　iridescent　silver　Puma

logos　flashing　on　his　heels　as　he　went。

Vanessa　smiled　fondly　at　the　spring　in　his　step。　？See　you　later；　alligator。？

shas　just　what　they？ve　been　looking　for

？I？m　looking　for　one　of　those　groovy　new　men？s　golfing　jackets　in　a　funky　Day…Glo　color　like

bright　green　or　yellow；？　Serena　told　the　salesgirl　in　the　Les　Best　boutique　on　Tuesday　after　school。

During　French　that　day　Serena　had　remembered　admiring　the　new　Les　Best　men？s　golfing　jacket

in　the　latest　issue　ofW　magazine　and　decided　it　was　the　perfect　gift　for　Aaron。　She　never　got　tired

of　giving　Aaron　gifts。　Everything　she　bought　just　looked　so　cute　on　him。　It　was　like　dressing　a　doll；

her　own　adorable　life…sized；　dreadlocked；　guitar…playing；　Harvard…bound　doll。