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“How kind of you.”

“But I’ll just say that in all the years I’ve known you, I’ve never heard you bring up a girl by name,” he says. “Whoever this girl was, she must have really left a mark on you.”

If I told him the extent of it, he’d think I was insane.

“It’s not a big deal,” I say.

He gives me a look that tells me that this isn’t over.

Behind him, I spot a girl in the crowd. She has her back to me. She’s wearing the same corset all the other girls are wearing, but something about her stands out. Maybe it’s the gentle curve of her neck. Maybe it’s the way her hair arranges itself in soft waves.

As I look at her, a familiar scent wafts through the air.

Cupcakes.

5

EMMA

There’s a prickling sensation at the back of my neck.

It’s a feeling that I know all too well. I’m immediately on edge.

We’ve just entered the giant open foyer of the club. Crystal chandeliers sparkle down on us, casting a warm glow on my skin.

“Hey, are you okay?” Gigi takes my hand in hers. I didn’t realize that my hands were shaking.

“It’s nothing,” I say, taking a deep breath.

“I know that we just met and everything, but I’m here for you if you want to talk about it,” she says, squeezing my hand.

For a second, I consider telling her my story. I consider telling her about the reason I sleep with a knife under my pillow. Something tells me that I could confess my darkest secrets to her, and she wouldn’t judge me for a second.

But like always, I don’t say a word.

“It’s just nerves,” I say instead.

“I get that. I’m terrified, too.”

“I wouldn’t know it by looking at you,” I say.

Gigi is one of the most confident girls I know. It’s hard to imagine her being scared of anything.

“It’s not just about the job,” she says. “I’m anxious about being recognized.”

“I thought you said you weren’t from here.”

“I’m not, but myfather has a lot of friends and acquaintances. I can never be too careful.”

Gigi must come from a wealthy background if her father’s friends come to places like this.

“I guess we’re lucky we get to wear masks,” I say.

“So lucky,” she agrees, touching her bejeweled black mask. “I wouldn’t have even considered the job otherwise.”

Mrs. Hendricks explained earlier that the girls who work at Elysium can wear masks to conceal their identity. There was a whole collection for us to choose from. I picked out a pale yellow one with gold dusted around the edges.

“Isn’t the club gorgeous?” Gigi asks.