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"What?"

"Didn't say, didn't say--but whatever it was, he said he'd be back soon"

"Did Mikey go with hiot even o places with Milos," Squirrel said "I saw hi either--and I don't want to know"

Squirrel looked to Moose with a gaze of dread that even Moose didn't understand

"Whatsh up with you?" Moose asked

"Nuthin'," said Squirrel "Why should anything be up with me? Huh, huh?"

This should have been a further indication to Allie that so had been confused by so s lately, denial was the easier path to take

When Milos returned later that evening, he was all sht," he told Allie "Are you ready to begin?"

Allie couldn't i better than what they had done at the Grand Ole Opry, but she illing to take a leap of faith Milos had taught her so much already-- not just technique, but acceptance of herself, and what she could do She was truly learning how to enjoy skinjacking For better or for worse, it was so she needed to learn

"Lead the way," she said, and realized she had put out her hand for Milos to take Milos gave her the biggest sive--and he refused to take her hand She laughed to esture had, for the two of theame--and Milos now had, so to speak, the upper hand

He took her to a nearby neighborhood--a wealthy western suburb of Nashville, where tractinding streets and culde-sacs Allie lost all sense of direction in the

He stopped at a huge house with a rounded driveway that was full of cars There was music inside, and the sound of a crowd

"A party?"

"Yes! And we are about to crash it!"

"Interesting," she said, giving hiht's lesson?"

Milos thought about it "I have no naht Perhaps after the lesson is over, you can tell h the side wall, having no need for the front door, and in an instant, they were in the s Allie's parents would have grounded her for when she was alive: drinking, sAnd, of course, not a single adult was in sight

"We were all so stupid ere alive," Allie noted

"Ah, to be that stupid again" Milos looked around, and pointed to the kitchen "That way"

The crowd thinned out in the kitchen; there were only about half a dozen kids in there "There they are!" he said, pointing to a boy, e He wore a shirt that effectively showed off a body in ripped, varsity shape He was also a boy here, yes?"

Allie forced a shrug "I hadn't noticed"

"And her" He pointed to the girl the boy was talking to "Miss Airl was too pretty for her own good A blond cheerleader type that Allie instantly invented a halfdozen negative fictions about: She must be an airhead, she must be a drunk, she must cheat on tests, she must backstab her friends, and that ridiculous rack can't be real

"Why don't you skinjack her?"

"What possible point could that serve?"

"Listen to teacher," said Milos

Allie sighed "Fine, but I' to like it"

But to her surprise, she rong About everything She didn't put the girl to sleep Not at first anyway First Allie hid behind her consciousness, to get a good sense of her s Allie had iined She was s of beer on the counter beside her wasn't even hers Allie found it annoying that this girl didn't fit any of her preconceived notions

"So, are you going to take the UT-Me boy, "because I think you should That way you'll be closer to ho about hiht--the way he held his shoulders, the angle of his head--and although his eyes were brown, it was as if they were also blue hite speckles at the sairl to sleep, and took full control of her body

"She looks good on you," Milos said

"Thanks, I think" Allie looked around The girl had clear vision, and saw everything in colors a little too vibrant It figured "So am I Cinderella at the ball now?"

"That depends A," Allie corrected, then she looked at him sternly "Do you think I don't knohat this is all about?"

He didn't deny it "Indulge me," he said "One dance is all I ask"

"Why should I?"

"Out of siht you"

"No--you lied to ht would be a lesson, not a free dance ticket" "It is a lesson," Milos insisted "Come, look here" He led her to a mirror in a nearby hallway "Look at yourself," he said "Before I met you, you would never dare to skinjack soirl in the ht"

"Why? Do you think so little of yourself that you should only skinjack people less attractive than you are? Why not a girl as beautiful as you?"