there　。

Elise　bent　down　and　picked　up　her　beige　Kenneth　Cole　backpack。　？Um；　there　are　only　eight

minutes　left　before　the　bell　rings。　Is　it　all　right　if　I　go　out　and　buy　a　yogurt　now？？　she　asked。

Serena　nudged　the　plate　of　onion　rings　towards　Elise。　？Have　some　more　of　these；？　she　offered

generously。

Elise　shook　her　head；　her　freckled　face　flushed　pink。　？No；　thanks。　I　don？t　eat　in　public。？

Serena　frowned。　？Really？　That？s　weird。？　She　winced　as　Blair　elbowed　her　in　the　arm；hard　。　？Ow！

God；　what　was　that　for？？

？Maybe　if　you？d　actually　gone　to　peer　group　leader　training；　you？d　get　it；？　Blair　growled　under

her　breath。

？Can　I　go　now？？　Elise　asked　again。

It　occurred　to　Blair　that　the　peer　group　freshmen　would　really　love　her　if　she　let　them　all　go　early。

She　could　use　the　extra　eight　minutes　to　get　to　the　hair　salon　on　time　anyway。　？You　canall　go；？　she

said；　smiling　sweetly；　？unless　you　really　want　to　stay　and　listen　to　Serena　talk　aboutlove　for　the

rest　of　the　period。？

Serena　stretched　her　arms　over　her　head　and　grinned　up　at　the　ceiling。　？I　could　talk　about　love　all

day。？

Jenny　stood　up。　Ever　since　Nate　had　ditched　her；　love　was　the　last　thing　she　wanted　to　talk　about。

Funny？she？d　thought　Blair　was　going　to　be　the　peer　group　leader　she　couldn？t　deal　with；　but　it

was　turning　out　to　be　Serena。

Elise　stood　up；　too；　tugging　on　her　oversized　pink　turtle…neck　sweater　as　if　it　was　too　tight。　？No

offense；　but　if　I　don？t　eat　a　yogurt　before　lunch　is　over；　I？m　going　to　pass　out　in　geometry。？

？I？ll　e　buy　one　with　you；？　Jenny　told　her；　using　that　as　an　excuse　to　leave　the　table。

？I　may　as　well　walk　out　with　you　guys；？　Blair　yawned