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"Guarana?" asks the sound mixer in a hopeful voice as he drops the boom and strips off his earphones

"Guarana for Marcos," Christopher says "Red Bull for everyone else You guys want anything?" He looks at Cooper and rab us all sotons’ kitchen as Christopher throws open the French doors that lead to the wraparound terrace off the dining and living area of his parents’ penthouse Instantly a cool breeze hits us The air this high up--we’re twenty floors from the street--seems fresher and cleaner than the air below You can barely hear the traffic, but through some acoustical trick you can occasionally hear the sound of the fountain jets in Washington Square Park The 360-degree views of Manhattan are stunning--the twinkling city lights and even, on a clear night like this one, the moon and a few stars

It’s out on this terrace that the Allingtons dowhen they’re in town, catered affairs with professional waitstaff in black-and-white uniforms It’s out on this terrace that I also once almost lost my life I try never to think about this, however The professor of the class I’ this summer session (Psych 101) says that this is called disassociation and that it al to take my chances

"Who are you anyway?" Stephanie Brewer turns to ask reen-and-white-striped settees "I think President Allington will be interested to hear how unhelpful you were during all of this He and his wife are big fans of CRT, for your inforry "I’h he doesn’t appear sorry at all "Did I forget to introduce--"

"Heather," I interrupt I can see what Cooper’s about to do He doesn’t like the way Stephanie is treating --and he wants to let her know that I’et sneered at and spoken down to by people like Stephanie every single day Like millions of adotten used to it, though I don’t think I’ll ever understand it It ood at my job, like Simon, but I am Stephanie shouldn’t treat anyone the way she’s been treating h

Which is why I don’t want Cooper pointing out to her that I used to be faive away the secret we’ve been guarding so closely for soher boss’s son--just to teach her an etiquette lesson

"I’m the Fischer Hall assistant director," I say to her "When you coet the naht My last name is Wells" I spell it for her

"Tell reen-and-white-striped lounge chairs out forhow you met Heather, Stephanie"

I shoot him a dirty look since he’s spoiled my plan, but he only frowns at me Cooper doesn’t like it when I "diminish my extraordinary acco est artist ever to top the Billboard charts with a debut albule sih, what person who is practically thirty goes around re they did when they were fifteen? That’s like using a picture of yourself as your high school’s quarterback or holow of the terrace’s fairy lights, however, that it’s too late Stephanie’s already figured it out, thanks to Cooper’s hint I can tell the exact e administrator in Stephanie’s eyes to Heather Wells, forest success storiesuntil I gained a few pounds, insisted on writing s, and suddenly wasn’t so successful anyh, because Stephanie realizes she’s put her size 7 foot in it, and it’s a to watch her backpedal

"Oh, that’s why you look so fa her perfectly lass table between our two chairs " ‘Don’t tell s, perfectly on pitch "God, I can’t tell you how ar Rush’ when I was younger It wasYou know, before we all moved away from pop and on to real music?"

I keep my own smile frozen on my face Real et that "pop" is short for "popular" The Beatles were considered popStones Stephanie see popfor Cartwright Records Give ers in her own She must do Pilates Or press diamonds out of coal with her bare hands

"I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you right away," Stephanie gushes "It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Still, you look great So healthy Your skin is glowing"

When skinny girls say that you look healthy and your skin is glowing, what theyCooper and Christopher are sitting there, completely oblivious to the fact that Stephanie has insulted o, because I’er person Not just literally but metaphorically as well I believe what you put out into the universe coood things, except of course when it comes to Simon

"Wow, thanks," I say in the kindest voice I canout onto the terrace All of theerator Most of the their break to call friends or significant others to make plans for later, fro toward us The production assistant, Lauren, brings us each a bottle of cold h neither Cooper nor I asked for one