morning and thought back to her weekend rehearsals with Blair。
?Close your eyes;? ordered Kristina; her thin…as…a…wisp German makeup artist。 Kristina wore
insanely heavy black eyeliner and Serena was slightly terrified of her。
She felt the soft caress of a brush across her closed eyes。
?Okay; open;? Kristina said。 ?All done。?
Serena opened her eyes and sighed。 At least she didn?t have any lines in this big scene; just lyrics:
that morning they were shooting a direct reference to the scene in the original film when Audrey
Hepburn sings ?Moon River? on the fire escape。 Ken Mogul had decided to recreate the scene in
its entirety; so Serena?s trailer was stationed outside of the dilapidated East Village tenement that
was her character?s home in the movie。 Serena downed the last drop of her Starbucks latte and
thought about what Blair had told her the day before。 She could almost hear Blair?s voice inside
her head。
Now there?s a scary thought。
?You don?t have to act。 You?re alreadyher。 That dress isyourdress。 That voice is yourvoice。 Own
it。?
?I think they?re waiting for you;? Kristina reminded her。
Glancing at herself one last time in the bulb…lined vanity; Serena swallowed。 She was as ready as
she was going to get; but it was going to take a miracle to pull this off。
A miracle named Blair Waldorf。
She stepped out of her gleaming chrome Airstream trailer and onto the sidewalk。 St。 Marks Place
felt even more claus…trophobic than usual: it was crowded with an army of crew members and a
forest of incredibly hot lights。 Ken Mogul was slumped in his usual canvas director?s chair;
smoking a cigarette; since they were shooting in the open air and not the pristine environs of
Barneys; and fiddling with his new BlackBerry。
Blair waited between the two trailers with her loyal shadowassistant Jasmine。 The younger girl
had a long Kelly green garment bag stamped with the ornate logo of the designer Bailey Winter
tossed over her shoulder; ready to protect Serena?s gown from the elements when the scene was
over。
It must be nice to have a sherpa。
?Serena on set!? called the second assistant director; and Ken?s army of crew began to dash
around like ants。
As soon as he noticed his leading lady; Ken Mogul leapt out of his seat; almost colliding with a
four…eyed intern。 Behind the director; Serena could see the chiseled profile of Thaddeus Smith;
leaning against his own trailer?a vintage Airstream identical to hers; only painted baby
blue?chattering into a tiny black cell phone。
?Holly; love;? cooed Ken; tucking his BlackBerry into the back pocket of his weirdly
inappropriate tuxedo pants。 ?You look ravishing。 The costume is absolutely flawless。?
Serena was wearing Bailey Winter?s night…blue velvet smock dress and the prettiest silver
bow…tie flats。 Of course her legs were long and perfect; not that she ever exercised。
Exercise? How gauche。