“And I heard about your new job,” she added, wishing it didn’t sound so much like small talk.
“Yeah. It’s been great so far.” Atlas had started working at one of his dad’s portfolio companies, and deferred his Columbia acceptance till next fall. He shrugged. “I’m actually thinking of applying some other places for college, too, since I have time.”
“You want to leave New York? Again?” No matter how long she knew Atlas, Leda thought, she would never truly understand him.
“There are other places in the world aside from New York,” Atlas said.
“Right, and because you backpacked around the world and spent a week in each of them, now you’re an expert,” Leda replied, a little provoked.
To her surprise, Atlas laughed. “You’re right, I’m no expert. It’s like they say, the more you see, the less you know.”
Leda had never heard that expression. She was sick of trying to guess what Atlas meant, what he wanted. “You’re confusing,” she said frankly.
“So are you.”
Leda watched Atlas take a sip from her amber bubble. The music seemed suddenly faster, in time with the frantic beat of her heart.
She couldn’t take it anymore. Impulsively, just like she’d done in the Andes, she leaned in and kissed him.
He kissed her back. Leda moved closer, twining an arm up in his hair, all her nerves suddenly afire. Pure oxytocin was snapping through her veins. Finally.
But after a moment they pulled apart. Leda looked up to gauge his reaction—only to see Avery instead. Her friend was standing barely a meter away. She looked pale, her brows drawn upward in disgust and horror.
Leda blinked and took a step forward, but before she could say anything, Avery had turned and slipped into the crowd.
ERIS
FOR THE FIRST time in weeks, Eris’s life was as it should be.
It was an incredible party. Avery had outdone herself on every detail, from the picstream projected in the side room to the customized straws that said HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ERIS! in tiny glowing letters. Bubble Lounge was more crowded than Eris had ever seen it. Everyone who was anyone was here: talking, drinking, celebrating her.
The only no-show that bothered her a little was Cord. She didn’t expect them to hook up tonight or anything, but she’d thought he might still come, as a friend. Parties were always more fun when Cord was there. She briefly considered flickering him, but after the way they’d ended things she wasn’t sure she wanted to.
Another part of her—a small, stupid part of her—wondered if she should have invited Mariel. Not that she wanted to hook up with her again either. But Mariel had been nice to her when no one else was, and Eris couldn’t help thinking, a little uncomfortably, that she’d wronged her.
Stop it, Eris told herself, determinedly pushing those memories aside. This was her party and nothing could ruin it.
“Eris?”
She turned around, a little surprised to see Leda approaching her alone, without Avery. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Leda, exactly. They just never had much to talk about. Eris always felt that Leda said one thing and meant another, as if she were secretly amusing herself at everyone else’s expense. Even her compliments seemed double-edged.
But standing there now, Leda looked earnest, almost hopeful. “Happy birthday! What an amazing party,” she exclaimed.
“Thanks. It was all Avery, though,” Eris said, venturing a confused smile.
“I was wondering …” Leda took a breath, hesitant. “I mean, I wanted to ask you, has Avery said anything about—”
“Eris!” Ming was cutting a line through the crowds toward her, a strange smile playing around her mouth, which was paintsticked a shocking deep red. “Avery’s looking for you in the side room.”
Eris started to turn, but Leda was standing there. “Do you want to—” she started to ask, but Leda shook her head, something unreadable in her eyes.
“It’s okay,” Leda said. “Go be the birthday girl.”
Eris nodded, excitement thrumming through her as she fell into step alongside Ming. She could feel the glances of everyone in the room following their movement, the murmurs as they commented on the party, admired her dress. She stole another glance at Ming, who was walking stiffly alongside her. She’d always found the other girl irritating, the way she simpered around after her and Avery, copying everything they did. But her conversation with Leda had put her in a strangely generous mood. “That dress looks great on you,” she said, nodding at Ming’s gold-sequined shift.
“Mmm.” Ming acknowledged the compliment noncommittally.
“Are you having fun?” Eris tried again, a little irritated.
“Of course. Are you?” When Eris nodded, Ming smiled again. “Well, it’ll be a night full of surprises,” she said mysteriously.
“I knew Avery had something else planned!” Eris exclaimed as they turned the corner. She gasped at what she saw. Floating in the center of the room was a stage, decorated with pink glitter and holding a multilayer cake as tall as Eris. Avery, Risha, and Jess were already on the middle of the platform. As it sailed slowly past Eris and Ming, Avery leaned over the side, and the two girls climbed up to stand next to her.
“I can’t believe this!” Eris laughed, delighted at her best friend’s secrecy.
Avery just smiled and pulled her into a hug. “You deserve it,” she said, and pushed Eris toward the center as the stage floated higher, lifting over everyone’s heads to float back into the main room.
The music playing through the speakers came to a sudden halt. The room fell to a hush, everyone looking expectantly at Eris. She thought her face would break from smiling so wide.
“Thank you all for coming,” she said into the microphone, and they all broke out in a raucous cheer. She waited for the commotion to die down, basking in it. “And thanks to Avery, for planning everything.”
Avery stepped forward, her own voice amplified throughout the room. “Happy birthday, Eris!” she exclaimed.
“After-party later!” Ming jumped in, pushing forward. She looked pointedly at Eris. “Not at your place, I’m guessing, right?”
Avery recovered first. “Eris isn’t hosting an after-party, but maybe I can—”
“Yeah, that makes sense. I assumed Eris couldn’t host, given her dad’s thinking of selling the apartment. My mom is the broker assigned to appraise it,” Ming persisted. She turned to Eris, her eyes all innocence. “I guess you aren’t renovating, like you told everyone?”
Eris knew with a sudden sinking feeling what was going on. This was about Cord, and the snide comment she’d made before yoga last week, and all the other infinite micro-aggressions she’d inflicted on Ming. She’d brought this on herself, in a way.
“Um, well, we thought about it, but then—”
“I wanted to throw you an after-party at the Nuage,” Ming went on, relentless, “but I went to their special events desk, and they said you weren’t staying there.” A few murmurs rose up in the crowd. Eris felt her face redden. “Where are you living, Eris?”
“Well, we’re moving, and—”
“Happy birthday to you,” Avery interrupted, throwing her hands into the air to illuminate the candles, which lit up with custom pink flames. The song continued, but in a halfhearted way. Eris could see that everyone was murmuring to one another, looking things up on their contacts. Ming had started something, and now the insatiable gossip machine wanted answers.