“Does that make you the complicating factor?”
“More like the comic relief.”
They stepped back into the elevator pod, once again facing the back. Rylin held her breath as they pulled to a stop about halfway down. She and Cord exchanged a complicit glance, both of them still smiling.
“Rylin?”
She turned around to see Hiral standing there, holding a bright-red shopping bag. His eyes darted from her to Cord and back again.
Rylin realized with a start how it must look to him, that she was out with Cord, in secret. She felt a twisting pain in her chest. “Hiral! We, um, we’re running an experiment for psych class,” she stammered. “We’re violating social norms and then recording people’s reactions. We stand backward on the elevator pod! It’s absurd, really, what people do—”
“I don’t know if we’ve met before,” Cord interrupted, holding out his hand. “I’m Cord Anderton.”
“Nice to meet you, Cord. I’m Rylin’s boyfriend, Hiral,” Hiral countered. Rylin noticed with dismay that he wasn’t looking in her direction. “That’s really interesting, what you’re doing for school.”
The air seemed to condense around them, filled with palpitations of awkwardness. Shit. The only two boys she’d ever been with—the only ones she’d ever really cared about—and here they both were, standing together in a tiny pod suspended in midair. Rylin was hyperaware of every gesture, even of the sound of her own breathing, which seemed loud and rattling in the bubble of space.
“Why don’t you join us, Hiral?” Rylin heard Cord offer. She glanced over at him in alarm, wishing he hadn’t said that, but apparently he wanted to watch the world crash and burn.
Hiral didn’t answer at first. He didn’t need to. Rylin could read the emotions darting over his face: his confusion and wounded pride, but also his reluctant desire to understand what the hell was going on.
She realized that Cord had the right idea. If Hiral stayed, he would see that Rylin hadn’t been doing anything wrong—that this was just for class, and didn’t mean anything.
“That would be fantastic! Social pressure becomes increasingly effective the more people you have,” Rylin said, babbling. “We could use the help, if you’re not busy.”
“I don’t mind helping,” Hiral ventured warily. “What do we do?”
Cord began to explain the experiment. Rylin nodded in vigorous agreement, though her eyes had zeroed in on Hiral’s shopping bag. It was from Element 12, an upscale jewelry store. She felt even more miserable. Hiral had gone out shopping, most likely for a present for her, and here she was, hiding the fact that she was spending time with her ex.
Dimly she realized that the pod was pulling to a stop. The three of them all whirled around to face the back. Sure enough, a couple a few years older than them stepped on, and unquestioningly kept on facing the back of the pod. Rylin let her eyes dart toward Hiral. He seemed incredulous.
When they disembarked at the bottom, Hiral shook his head. “I never realized how quickly people change their behavior. And for no good reason.”
She wondered if he was talking about her.
“We have to do that at least thirty more times if we want valid results. You don’t have to stay, though,” Rylin hastened to add.
“That’s okay.” Hiral now he met her gaze. “I’m happy to stay.”
Rylin nodded, not trusting herself to break the tentative truce that seemed to have woven itself around the three of them.
CALLIOPE
CALLIOPE GAVE A private, self-satisfied smile. She was about to go on a date with Brice Anderton.
At least . . . she thought it was a date. She wasn’t totally sure, which to Calliope’s mind was reason enough for going. It was rare indeed that a boy’s intentions confused her.
She hadn’t expected to hear from Brice again, after she ran into him at the ComBattle. But to her surprise, and unexpected delight, he had flickered her earlier to ask if she was free tonight.
“Sure,” Calliope had replied saying the words aloud to send as a flicker. Her mom and Nadav were meeting with a wedding vendor, leaving her home with Tamar and Livya. And Calliope felt confident that she could shake the two of them.
Then came Brice’s reply. Thanks. I’m backing a new business venture. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it, as a potential target customer.
Business venture? Calliope should have been irritated, yet all she felt was intrigued.
She slipped out of Livya’s bedroom—they were sharing now, since Nadav’s mom was still in town—and paused to glance both ways. All clear. She crept down the hallway on quick, silent feet, holding her breath.
“Where are you sneaking off to?” Livya cried out, emerging from the darkened living room. Her pale face was illuminated with an ugly, twisted glee. Oh my god, Calliope thought wildly, had Livya been waiting for her, just hoping to catch Calliope in some misdeed?
“To school.” Calliope inwardly cringed. She should have thought of a better lie.
“School,” Livya repeated, with marked skepticism.
“I have a review session for my calculus class. Basic stuff. I’m really struggling with the material.” For a moment Calliope thought she’d laid it on too thick; but to her relief, Livya gave a self-righteous smirk. She clearly relished the idea of Calliope taking remedial calculus.