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"Tally?" An orderly stood by the waiting rooet out of this place

"Take care, kids," she said to the pretties, and followed the orderly down the hall

When the door closed behind her, Tally realized that she hadn’t been taken to the outpatient center The orderly had brought her to a se, cluttered desk A wallscreen showed a grassy field on a sunny day - the sort of visuals they showed in littlie school right before nap tihtly, pulling off his powder blue paper robe He earing a suit underneath - semiformal, her brain informed her - and Tally realized that he wasn’t an orderly at all He had the bea smile favored by politicians, nursery teachers, and headshrinks

She sat in the chair across frouessed it"

He s your friend in And luckyis, I’ve been trying to get in touch with you, Tally"

"You have?"

"Indeed" He sain There was a species of : happy smile, disappointed s and enthusiastic, trustworthy and cale He was the sort of middle pretty Dr Cable had pro and self-assured, his handsoe, and wisdo your mail the last couple of days, have you?" he said

She shook her head "Tooon the feeds, you know? Totally fa"

The words earned Tally a proud s for you and your friends"

She shrugged, going for false us So, who are you again?"

"Dr Remmy Anders I’m a trauma counselor here on the hospital staff"

"Trau? Because I’m totally - "

"I’m sure you’re fine, Tally It’s a friend of yours I’ve been wanting to ask you about Frankly, we’re a little worried"

"About who?"

"Shay"

Behind her pretty expression, a serious ping went through Tally She tried to keep her voice steady "Why Shay?"

Slowly, as if controlled by a remote, Dr Anders’s concerned sht at your little bonfire party An argu"

Tally blinked, stalling as she recalled Shay screa at her by the fire Even under all those layers, the cuff must have heard how upset Shay had been - way beyond the usual soft-spoken tiff between new pretties Tally tried to recall exactly what Shay had shouted, but the couilt wasn’t very ed "Yeah She was pretty drunk Me too"

"It didn’t sound very happy- on us? That’s bogus"

The counselor shook his head and went back to the concerned smile "We have had a particular interest in all of you who suffered that unfortunate accident It can so and unexpected events That’s why I’ve been assigned as your post-stress counselor"

Tally pretended not to notice that he’d totally dodged the spying question - she already knew the answer, anyway Special Circuht not care if the Crims knocked do Pretty Town, but the wardens were always on the job Given that the city was designed to keep people pretty-n a counselor to anyone who’d had any serious bubbly- experience Dr Anders was here to iven the Cri ideas

She suo crazy?"

Dr Anders laughed "Oh, we don’t think you’ll go crazy I’-teratively impacted by stress, you know"

She decided to throw Remmy a bone, and let her eyes widen "So that’s why she was being such a pain that night?"

He brightened "Yes, it’s all about stress, Tally But remember, she probably didn’t o all crazy on her"

Reassuring smile "Everyone reacts differently to trauetting angry, why don’t we think of this as an opportunity to show Shay your support You’re old friends, aren’t you?"

"Yeah Since ere uglies Same birthday"

"That’s wonderful Old friends are best at tied "I don’t know Nothing, really"

"Can you reed to polygraph her, and if so, how big a lie she could get aith She closed her eyes, concentrating on the caloriesa pretty haze settle over herself

"Tally?" he proive Dr Anders a little bit of the truth "It was justold stuff"

He nodded, folding his hands in satisfaction Tally wondered if she’d said too ly days?" he asked

She shook her head, not trusting her voice

"How have you and Shay been getting along since that night?"

"Just fine"

He s away into the middle distance - probably at an eyescreen that was invisible to her Was he checking the city interface? It would know that she and Shay hadn’t pinged each other since the party and three whole days without any mail between the to see if her voice avering?