She snorted inelegantly at the image. “That sounds dangerous. I would definitely fall.”
“I did, hundreds of times. But eventually I started dancing like this.” Watt spun her again, then dipped her low over one arm.
He pulled Avery back up and the band began to slow, the lead female singer crooning one of Avery’s favorite old love ballads. She started to lead Watt deeper onto the dance floor just as he took a reflexive step back.
“Please? I love this song. Especially when it’s sung live,” she said, trying not to laugh at his dismay. It was so rare to hear live bands anymore, so few chances to listen to things like this.
Watt obediently stepped closer, seeming to hesitate before sliding a hand around her waist. He caught her other hand in his, swaying gently. “You really like old things, don’t you?” he asked, his eyes on hers.
“What do you mean?” Avery looked at him.
“The way you talked about the song just now. Or what you said in Redwood Park, or how you talk about Florence. You’re so … nostalgic. Why do you like ancient stuff so much?”
Avery was surprised at the insight. “You think it’s useless, don’t you?”
“Not at all. I’m just used to only thinking about the future.”
“And what does the future look like, to you?” She was curious.
“Faster! More convenient and connected. And safer, hopefully.”
Avery blinked. “Sorry,” Watt said ruefully, looking almost embarrassed. “I do a lot of tech stuff, in my spare time. I’m trying to get into MIT’s microsystems engineering program.”
Avery didn’t even know what microsystems engineering was. “Does that mean you can fix my tablet whenever it freezes?”
Watt seemed like he might laugh, and Avery found that she didn’t mind, that she wanted to join in. “Yeah. I could definitely do that,” he told her. A light danced in his eyes.
Avery let them drift closer to the band. People were forming a space around them, giving Avery a nearly imperceptible bubble, like always. “You’re right,” she said, thinking aloud. “I do love the romance that everything had, back when there were more obstacles in the world. Like, listen to this song.” She sighed. “It’s about being in love even when you never get to see the person, because you’re a thousand miles apart. No one would write anything like this now, because our lives are so automated and easy. Which I guess is thanks to people like you,” she added, teasing.
“Hey!” Watt said in mock protest. “Don’t you like always getting everything you want?”
Avery looked down, suddenly sad. “I don’t get everything,” she murmured.
The song ended and the crowds began shifting, giving her a direct view of Leda and Atlas.
They were sitting together in a pair of chairs near the dance floor, their heads bent close. Avery watched, powerless to look away, as Leda whispered something in Atlas’s ear. He looked incredible in his new tux, Avery thought, remembering the first time he’d gone for a fitting, when he insisted she come help. Leda looked beautiful tonight too, in a new strapless cobalt gown. They looked happy together, Avery admitted grudgingly. They looked right.
Watt’s eyes were on her. Avery couldn’t bear it; she knew her emotions must be written there on her face, plain as day. She hooked her arm around his neck and pulled him closer, tilting her head to rest it on his shoulder. She felt him catch his breath, felt his heartbeat pulsing through the tux she’d made him buy.
She could never, ever be with Atlas the way Leda was: together, holding hands, in public. It was a helpless, hopeless dream. She knew she had to give up on it—on him. But it still hurt.
“I don’t think I’ve told you enough how beautiful you look tonight,” Watt murmured. His breath was warm on her ear. She shivered, and tilted her head back to meet his gaze.
“You don’t look so bad yourself, you know.”
“I clean up okay, with proper help,” Watt said softly. “I’m really glad I got to come with you tonight, Avery.”
The sincerity in his tone gave her pause. “Me too,” she said, meaning it. She was glad she’d invited Watt. He was way better than the string of fake dates she’d previously brought to stuff like this.
In fact, this wasn’t really feeling like a fake date at all.
She let go of Watt’s hand and reached up to lace her fingers behind his neck. He was so close she could count each eyelash framing his deep brown eyes. Her eyes traveled to his lips, and she wondered, suddenly, what it would be like to kiss him.
She hadn’t thought it was possible, but maybe, eventually, she could fall for someone who wasn’t Atlas.
Avery closed her eyes and swayed to the music, next to Watt, letting that be enough for now.
LEDA
LEDA WALKED THROUGH the party with Atlas, flashing smiles at everyone she saw, in a gloriously expansive mood. Tonight was going even better than she’d hoped.
Technically this was only her and Atlas’s first date. But it felt like more: a proclamation, almost. Everyone here, from their friends to the photographer, was treating them like an official couple. Already their parents were seated at the same table, smiling and shooting obvious glances at them. Leda had never felt so beautiful as when she stepped into the room on Atlas’s arm, smiling ear to ear. All eyes had seemed to turn to her. Avery must feel this way every single day, she’d thought wonderingly.
It was perfect—everything she’d ever wanted since she’d moved up here four years ago.
Best of all, there was no sign of the mysterious glo-makeup girl—if she’d ever even existed, which Leda was starting to doubt. Nadia still hadn’t found a shred of evidence that Atlas was with anyone but Leda, that night or any other. Maybe the makeup had smeared on his shirt some other way. Maybe he really hadn’t kissed anyone else.
Besides, based on the way the night was going, Leda was starting to hope that she and Atlas would finally go home together.
It was all she’d been able to think of, in the hover on the way here. She’d registered Atlas making conversation, had somehow managed to answer his questions, but her mind kept tracing over his body on the cushions next to her. Every time he shifted his weight, Leda felt the movement reverberate through her. It was torture, having him so achingly close.
Now, on the dance floor, she was finding every excuse she could to touch him. She pulled him close, her hand tracing small circles on his back through his tux jacket. She couldn’t wait to take it off him later.
“What’s going on with you and Avery?”
“What?” Surely Leda had misheard. She’d been distracted by the direction of her thoughts.
“I asked what’s going on with you and Avery,” Atlas repeated. He’d moved to sit in a chair at the edge of the dance floor, and Leda wordlessly sank down next to him.
“It’s fine,” she said automatically, annoyed that even when Avery wasn’t around, everything inevitably came back to her. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up a sensitive subject. I just noticed that you two haven’t spent much time together lately, and I wanted to make sure …” He sighed. “Normally I’d ask Avery about it, but we’re not exactly on great terms right now.”
That made Leda sit up a little straighter. Had Avery and Atlas fought about her? Maybe Avery had said something to Atlas, told him that Leda wasn’t good enough for him, and Atlas had stood up for her. Leda didn’t want to believe it of her best friend … but was Avery even her best friend anymore?
“Thank you for asking. I don’t really want to talk about it, though.”
“I’m sorry. Forget I said anything.” Atlas sounded genuinely regretful. “Want to dance?”
Leda nodded gratefully, and he swept her back onto the dance floor. “Is it weird, being back?” she asked after a while.
“Kind of,” Atlas admitted. “The Tower is just so different from everywhere else, you know?”
“Well, it certainly is different from the Amazon,” Leda said without thinking.