Page 36 (1/1)

The entire building, it appears, has hopped aboard the train to Crazy Town

I hesitate, uncertain where to head first: To the front desk, to de where they shouldn’t be? To my department head, to let him know that none of this is my fault? To the president, to tell him not to spill fruit salad on our very expensive security equip? Or to Manuel, to tell hi off, for the love of God?

I head toward Davinia,motion beneathcheerfully, as is his custo motion, he appears startled He clearly hasn’t noticed all the activity around hi been too absorbed in his workwhich, considering it’s Manuel, who takes extre Fischer Hall’s brass fixtures andHe res, then turns off the floor polisher The noise level in the lobby doesn’t decrease bystricken "I’m so sorry! I want the lobby to look nice for theto come in"

"It’s okay, Manuel," I say "I appreciate it The lobby looks great"

It actually looks soManuel on the spot as my housekeeper I knoever, that not only would this idea deeply insult his to one of the most powerful unions in New York City and makes approximately three times what I do Cooper and I could never afford hiirl "Davinia," I say "What’s wrong?"

"N-nothing," Davinia says, wiping her tears with the back of her hands

"It’s not nothing," Si some fruit salad into his mouth He has a paper plate too, same as the president I look around and notice that the doors to the cafeteria are open The cafeteria is open again, and everyone is helping themselves Nice

Sarah sends a dark look in Simon’s direction "Thanks," she says to him "But we can handle it" To ’s all right," Lisa says, glancing nervously in Dr Jessup’s direction Fortunately, he’s deeply absorbed in the plate of fruit salad hich he’s returning froed a few strips of bacon, I notice, and a bagel "Ms Brewer hurt Davinia’s feelings by saying the hallway decorations for the sixteenth floor aren’t any good--"

"She tore down all the s Davinia stayed up until one o’clock in theat the ry "Just ripped thely at the resident assistant Davinia’s a tall artto have to turn it down and go back to India because her parents couldn’t afford rent for her for the summerat least not until the Queen of the Island of Misfit Toys, also known as Heather Wells, cas were supposed to be a tribute to The Little Mermaid," Davinia whispers "Ariel’s my favorite Disney princess And Little Mer camp But Ms Brewer said the sixteenth floor’s color schee"

I have no idea what she’s talking about I also can’t believe this is what they’re all so freaked out about

"Black and purple? Like a bruise?" I ask

"No, not a bruise," Stephanie says, so loudly that I jump I have no idea she’s snuck up behind me "Catwoman, or in this case, Tania’s face superi out of her irls’ na a whip Lauren, find out how long the art departs"

Lauren, the ever-faithful production assistant, lifts her phone to shoot off a textpanic beginning to swell in my chest "In one hour, actually The ca outside They’re really angry we’re not letting them in now--"

"That’s not ly cals on our schedule, not theirs"

I glare at Stephanie It’s way too early in thethis discussion in front of my new boss And her boss And his boss, and his son, who is clearly so bored by all of this, he’s taken out his cell phone and is texting someone Maybe even Stephanie, since she lifts her phone and starts laughing at sos look like?" I whisper, trying to get Stephanie’s attention I tiltcrushed that her mermaids have been replaced by dominatrixes in cat suits "She worked super hard on the up from her phone "The color sche, and the sixteenth floor is supposed to be hard rock Bridget and Cassidy are going to be on that floor, with that Mallory girl Right?"

I have no idea she’s even addressing ue, who of course has been paying keen attention to the conversation, says, histo you, Heather"

"Oh" I spring into action, but only because all of nments? Let me see"

I hurry to the front desk, where the binder containing the roone has a coetary constraints, but actually due to the fact that the front desks are manned by student workers and the president’s office fears the computers will be used to look up porn or stolen

"Hey," I say to Gavin He’s sitting in the tall swivel padded chair behind the front desk, where he has access to the roo keys to every roo, the intercom system (the only way students can be contacted in their rooiven that visitor their cell-phone number), and the student mailboxes "Give me the roster"