Sundresses, strappy tops, sequined leggings and hosiery were strewn all over the bed and the carpet by the time Anukie Perera was satisfied with her look. She was decked out with silver finery in the form of a puff-sleeved top and a metallic skirt. Peep-toe wedges encased her feet—the final touch to her ensemble.

Across the room, Evanna leaned against the window wall overlooking the impressive cityscape, lost in a daydream with earphones stuck in her ears.

After lunch break, she was wondering with increasing trepidation what she should wear for the party when right after the last bell sounded, Anukie insisted she come to her place. It turned out to be an apartment on the nineteenth floor of a condominium tower not far from the city center.

She was now clad in one of Anukie's dresses—a ruffled, pink affair that was supposedly good on her. At least it's not bright pink. Be grateful, Ev! Ookie's helping you fit in!

It took a few seconds for Evanna to notice the other girl waving. She came to with a start and pulled out her earphones.

"We gotta be going soon," Anukie mumbled, dabbing gloss onto her lips. "You ready?"

Evanna fought down the excitement that rippled through her—followed by apprehension. "Yeah, we can go whenever you're ready."

"Okay, just give me a minute."

"By the way, who exactly were those guys who showed up at our table during lunch break? Are they in some sports team?"

"Armel Meriton is in the rugby team. The whole team would be coming to the party."

"Right, so what about Shane?" Evanna recalled Alcina pecking him on the mouth in greeting, making it amply clear that he was Alcina's consort—which made perfect sense to her.

"He's a Youtube star. He has his original pop songs, though he also does covers. He has a ton of fan girls in Komoreby."

"Oh..." For a moment, Evanna was distracted by the light glinting off a spiraling, green-studded skyscraper in the distance. "So, we're going to Oleanda's place, right? Or was it Sara's?"

"Ollie's. I think we mentioned it, like," Anukie said, shooting her an annoyed look, "a gazillion times during lunch break alone."

Evanna stifled a laugh. "Sorry, I must've zoned out."

The other girl rolled her eyes, clicked shut her mascara tube and grabbed her bag off the messy bed. "C'mon, let's go."

"So, why have you guys picked her place?"

"Ollie's parents aren't around today, and her big sis, who's in charge, doesn't care about what she does—she's probably out with friends too."

As Anukie clip-clopped across the living room and out through the door, Evanna followed behind, carrying her backpack and clothes while tottering on Anukie's wedge heels. Why do these things have to be so clunky?

They were soon inside the elevator, whizzing down to the lower ground floors, where the car park was located.

"Ookie?" Evanna murmured.

The other girl threw her a sideways glance. "What?"

"I've been thinking," she said falteringly, her voice loud in the claustrophobic confines of the elevator. "It must've been overwhelming for you when you moved here, and you had no friends. And those days, you were, well, different. I mean, I can imagine how lost I would've been if you weren't here."

As they steadily descended, Anukie stared at the numbers counting down on the digital display. "It was hard at first, but, well, you get used to things. And you learn to do what you have to do to thrive in life—or you just end up being some loser."

Despite her nonchalant shrug, there was a subtle hardness on her face.

A wave of melancholy washed over Evanna. "I'm sorry if I wasn't there for you as much as I should've been. Later on, I felt like you didn't want to talk to me much..."

"It's not your fault. I guess I just grew up and got wrapped up in my life here."

"Yeah..." Evanna dredged up a smile. "You're really fitting in."

Anukie just nodded, her eyes fixed on the display.

There was a faint rustle as Evanna hugged herself in the chilly stillness. The cold nipped at her exposed arms. You're going to a party, Ev—in this fancy get-up! With Ookie and the most popular people at Komoreby High. How cool is that? Isn't it like a Cinderella moment?

They set out together in Evanna's car and picked up a box of fries Anukie had ordered earlier. Then they headed towards the upscale neighborhood where Oleanda Levi lived.

"Come on in!" Oleanda ushered Anukie and Evanna into the house, her tall form wrapped in a pale yellow romper. "You said you'd be coming earlier. It's almost five-thirty now!"

"I had to figure out what to wear!" Anukie twirled around. "This is good?"

"Love the top!"

Evanna held the box of fries with one hand while the other gave her short dress a surreptitious tug.

Oleanda's eyes fell on her. "You look...different."

What does that mean? She tried to suppress the part of her that felt like an imposter in Anukie's dress. She fought the urge to just turn around and leave. And what if a gust of wind lifted the skirt or something—I should've worn tights!

Before she could respond, Oleanda turned, prompting them to follow her, and flounced her way to the far end of the ultramodern living room, which opened into a swimming pool area. Pop music thumped in the background, mingled with voices.

"Did the cake arrive?" Anukie asked, wedge heels clunking faster to keep up with the other girl.

"Yeah, they delivered it just now," Oleanda said. "It's over there."

As Evanna tagged along, her roving eyes halted on the cornucopia of a table set up near the pool, laden with plates of food and bowls of fruit punch. A cake took center stage, white frosting spelling out "Congratulations Alcina", while rivulets of chocolate ganache and golden caramel dripped over its sides. Decorative candles jutted out from the clutter, waiting to be lit. She involuntarily conjured up a magical image of the place at sundown—illuminated by the soft, aureate light of a dozen candles against the backdrop of the sparkling blue pool.

A shrill "hi" bonked her back to reality. It emanated from Sara, who was busy arranging cutlery, clad in a red bodycon dress that flattered her shapely figure. Wow, that dress. I'd be obsessing all evening if my butt's sticking out or if it'd rip at the seams. Not that I have a huge butt, but that dress would make even normal butts look big.

"Hey, Shane!" Oleanda said, a phone to her ear. "No, don't bring her here right now. Just wait for another half an hour. Everyone's not here yet. And we're still setting up. Yeah."

While Anukie hastened to help Sara, Evanna placed the box of fries on the floor next to the table. A carton of bottles and cans stood a few feet away from her, which turned out to be booze on closer inspection. If my mom finds out about this! She had only told her mom she was visiting someone with Anukie.

Evanna shivered in the frigid air and turned to the other girls. "Anything I can do to help?"

"No, all good here." Sara shot her a distracted glance. "Hang on, we need a knife for the cake. Can you bring one from the kitchen over there?"

"Sure."

"And we need to light the candles too. There should be a barbecue lighter or something."

"I'll try to find it," Evanna said over the laughter that emanated from the poolside.

"Or ask Marilda for her lighter—I saw her head that way."

She had no idea who Marilda was, but she drifted off to the kitchen in search of her. She was just about to enter when voices wafted into her ears, making her pause next to the open door. The next second, she sucked in a breath and plunged through.

Inside, four people stood drinking canned beer—three boys and one girl. Heat rose in Evanna's cheeks when they all stopped talking and looked at her.

"Sorry, I just came to get a knife," she squeaked and jerked her head, eyes skating over the glistening white countertops.

"It's over there." The girl pointed at a knife stand in one corner.

"Thanks." Evanna made for it and pulled out a knife. "Are you Marilda?"

"No, Marilda's outside, smoking."

"Okay."

As Evanna made a beeline for the kitchen door, she tripped over her own feet in her hurry. One of the boys barked out a laugh, and the fire in her cheeks burned hotter. She darted outside and swung the door behind her. It banged shut, making her wince. Then she turned to take in her surroundings.

She was on a back porch, beyond which was a lawn. It extended up to a rock wall that was partially obscured by flowering shrubs. Freed from the icy clutch of the interior, she let out an exhale. That was when she noticed the short girl leaning against the wall, leisurely smoking a cigarette.

She turned to Evanna with a curious spark in her sooty black eyes. "You've come to stab me, new girl?"

Evanna glanced down at the knife in her hand and laughed. "No!"

"Looks like you're about to."

"I'm here to borrow your lighter, if that's okay. They need it to light the candles." She grinned. "I'm Evanna, by the way. You can just call me Ev or Evie."

"Nice to meet you, Evie." Marilda grinned back. "Your face is all red."

"Yeah, I'm not used to these shoes—which aren't actually mine, by the way. And I almost fell over just now, which is so embarrassing! This is one reason I'm wary of parties, 'cause the probability of making a faux pas is super high, and you end up obsessing about it forever afterwards." Evanna inhaled a lungful of air infused with tobacco smoke. "Sorry."

The other girl just blinked. "You're weird—"

"I know."

"In a nice way. Wanna know a secret?"

"Okay."

Marilda's voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper. "I don't like Oleanda."

"And yet, here you are in her house."

"I know, but I'm the one missing out if I didn't come to the party. I'm here mostly for the food—and some booze."

"I'm starting to wonder why I'm here at all, to be honest."

They laughed.

"I'm thinking something nasty is afoot, by the way," Marilda said as she handed over her lighter.

"What do you mean?" Evanna asked.

"When you hang around them long enough, you know when something's up. If I were you, I'd be leaving."

Wait, why me in particular? Do I look wimpish or something? Or is it 'cause I'm new? Like, what could happen—people drinking themselves to oblivion, neighbors complaining, cops raiding the place? Maybe this would turn into a full-on orgy. She shuddered. "I, um, I won't be hanging around till super late."

Marilda shrugged. "Up to you."

"Are you going to leave early?"

"Yeah, my folks aren't going to be happy if I come home late on a school night anyways."

In the beat of silence, muffled laughter emanated through the door. If Ookie wants to stay way longer, maybe Sara can give her a ride. It'd be fine.

"Hey, I like your highlights, by the way," Evanna said, noticing the blue highlights in the other girl's wavy, black hair.

"Thanks." Marilda smiled.

"So, um, I'll see you later then. Thanks for the lighter."

"Laters."

Evanna made her way back—this time, retaining her composure. Sunset stained the living room with a reddish orange glow. She was through the sliding door that led to the pool when a raised voice flitted into her ears.

Oleanda stood next to the pool with a tall, thin girl who looked visibly agitated. It was obvious they were trying to have a private conversation, but the words still carried over to the table.

"—you have to delete it," the girl was saying, a note of desperation creeping into her voice.

The words failed to have an effect on Oleanda's statuesque calm. "I don't have to do anything, Genelle."

Evanna turned to Sara and Anukie, who pretended not to hear. Peals of laughter from the lounge chairs drowned out the next few words that spewed out of Oleanda's mouth. Evanna slowly placed the knife and lighter on the table.

"In any case, it's too late," Oleanda said with a shrug.

The tall girl's eyes bulged. "What!"

Oleanda just spun around and strode up to her friends, while Genelle stared after her dumbstruck, fingers twisting the hem of her neon green top. Sara suppressed a fit of laughter. Anukie went about lighting the candles with a straight face.

In response to Evanna's questioning look, Sara took out her phone, jabbed a few times and handed it to her.

Evanna stared at a very unflattering photo of a girl, who bore a striking resemblance to Genelle. Wait, that's her? Evanna noticed that the photo had been pulled up from a chat group. She hit the back button, and her eyes flitted over comments interspersed with laughing emojis—just when Sara retrieved her phone.

Ev, you should say something. Say something! Evanna bit her lip and shifted her weight. Genelle took a few steps at the girls as if she was about to yell at them. Then her face crumpled, tears welling in her eyes. The laughter in the background grew louder—harsh and dissonant as it burrowed into Evanna's ears.

"Why?" Genelle hissed, her lower lip quivering.

Oleanda just shrugged again.

"You're messed up." The tall girl whirled around and stormed off, one hand swiping at her eyes.

Evanna threw a glance at Anukie, who went back to lighting the candles, their meager light flickering in the wind as the sun waned.

Soon after, Alcina Gomez graced the occasion, greeted by squeals of "surprise". Everyone assembled around the table as Shane led her right up to it.

"Oh, you guys..." Alcina surveyed the scene before her and let out a soft laugh. "I'm so touched! Thank you."

Rooted to the spot, Evanna watched people practically fawning over her. Sara scuttled away to grab the knife, which now had a ribbon tied around it. Queen's court with all the nobles and ladies-in-waiting. Only a jester is missing to make everyone laugh.

"This looks gorgeous." Alcina's manicured hand curled around the knife handle. "Ooh, caramel."

"Yeah, just the way you like it," Oleanda chirped with a dainty smile.

After Alcina had nibbled at her piece and passed her verdict on its taste, which turned out to be favorable, everyone else was served. The party resumed, music blaring out even louder than before.

Evanna dipped some fries into a bowl of hummus and slunk away from the crowd. Some people had started dancing. A disco ball swirled myriad splotches of light over their swaying bodies. As she watched them in fascination, she noticed a boy looking her way. Is he going to ask me to dance? I dunno how to dance!

She averted her eyes, perched herself on a stool and made some small talk with a girl nearby.

It wasn't long before Alcina and her posse of girls, including Anukie, were dancing as well. Evanna cast furtive glances their way and caught sight of Marilda, who appeared to be having the time of her life, bobbing and waving her arms to the upbeat rhythm. The whole experience felt unreal to Evanna, as if she was transported to an alien world.

An unbidden image of Genelle's tearful face surfaced in her mind, and she quickly shook it off. Who knows what happened there.

Evanna was about to go help herself to some more fries when she caught Anukie stealing glances at one of the guys.

When Anukie returned to the table, Evanna intercepted her. "So, who is he?"

To her bewilderment, Anukie just leaned back, sipping fruit punch. "Who?"

"Your crush!"

"I don't know who you're talking about."

"Ookie, I saw you looking at him!" Evanna whispered.

"You're imagining stuff," Anukie said, an edge to her voice.

Evanna blinked. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing."

There was a pause. "I'm sorry if I—"

"Can you stop apologizing for everything? There's nothing to apologize about." Anukie downed the rest of her drink. "I'm going to go dance."

A frown creased Evanna's brow as she watched her rejoin the mass of dancers. What was that all about? Is she having a mood swing? Or something to do with the guy?

It was a while later that Alcina made her way to the table again, the other girls trailing after her. Evanna had discreetly positioned herself behind a vase at that point, preoccupied with her phone. Now, she hurriedly trotted up to the girls, hoping to bring up departure plans with Anukie.

"Why don't we go sit by the pool?" Alcina's electric blue eyes fell on Evanna, and a smile flitted over her lips. "You join us too."

"Oh, um, sure," Evanna nodded.

Oleanda got everyone to move stools and chairs to the poolside, now shrouded in gloom under the night sky. They took their seats, Alcina leaning down onto a lounge chair. Her long legs stretched out, sticking out from her minidress. Shane appeared with a cocktail and offered it to her, which she accepted with a coy smile. There was something about her that set her apart from the other girls. She was not just graceful and confident—Evanna thought there was a spark of shrewd intelligence about her.

"So Ev, tell us about yourself." Alcina's lips curved into a smile again. "I heard you're from Nuara."

As many eyeballs swiveled in Evanna's direction, she blinked and fidgeted in her seat. "Mm, yeah, I grew up there. I've been living there my whole life."

"You like Komoreby?" Sara asked.

"Yeah, it's great."

Evanna glanced at Anukie, who was busy talking to a girl she didn't know. Why's she seated so far back?

"You went to middle school with Anu, yes?" Alcina took a sip from her glass.

Anu? Oh, Anukie. Evanna flashed a tentative smile. "Yeah, we used to hang out together all the time. Play video games, go shopping..."

More people approached them with drinks in hand, including some boys who looked very fit. The rugby team. This is my cue to shut up and—

"You didn't strike me as someone from Nuara when I first saw you," Oleanda said.

Sara turned to her. "Really? I think she looks like she's from Nuara."

Not sure how to respond, Evanna started fiddling with a lock of hair.

"Is it true that there's no nightlife there?" a buff boy with a buzz cut asked, joining in the conversation.

The last remnants of her smile vanished as she struggled to come up with an answer. "Um, I'm sure there is."

"Nightlife here isn't enough for you, Bostlowe?" Alcina asked him with an eyebrow arched, evoking laughter from everyone around.

To Evanna's relief, the conversation shifted away from her at that point. The discomfiting unfamiliarity of her environment descended on her like an anvil. The last of her energy drained, making her crave the warm comfort of her bed.

She was about to slip away from the gathering when Sara materialized next to her, carrying a plate of bite-sized sausages skewered with cocktail sticks.

"Oh, no thanks, I don't—" Evanna began.

"I know you don't eat meat. These are soy," Sara said, smiling. "One of those new brands—I forgot the name."

She threw an impressed glance at the plate. "They look very meat-like."

"Yeah...try one." Sara handed one to her and moved on.

Evanna tapped her foot as she tried to grab Anukie's attention, but she was still deep in conversation. Maybe I should text her. She was about to tap out a message when she caught Shane's eye.

He popped a sausage into his mouth, and in that instant, she discerned a curious, expectant glint in his eyes. What's up with him?  She directed her attention back to the phone and distractedly took a bite from her sausage. She chewed for a moment and swallowed. A deep unease bloomed within.

Evanna frowned and turned to the person sitting next to her—the boy named Armel. "Sorry, do you know what brand this is?"

He glanced at the half-eaten sausage in her hand. "Brand? No idea. Why?"

"It's just too much like meat, so—"

He gave her a confused look. "It's pork."

For a long moment, Evanna stared at him. Her head started to spin. It's some mix-up. Breathe! Just breathe! Her stomach lurched, and she fought off a wave of nausea. The sausage dropped to the floor while she clutched the arms of her chair.

"Are you okay?" Alcina's voice inquired, and all noise petered out.

In the dead silence, Evanna slowly swiveled up her head as if it were on rusty hinges. She watched in dismay as all eyes focused on her. Time slowed. Her inner turmoil escalated with each agonizing second.

Abruptly, a cold, clammy wetness plopped onto her neck and slithered down her back.

She gasped and turned. Her eyes widened in horror. Bloody animal intestines glistened in a wet mass as it collected on the chair behind her. Its reek stung her nose, and her stomach twisted in a violent convulsion. With a shaky breath, she snapped her head back to meet the silently staring eyes. Panic gripped her.

She retched.

No, no, no, no. She barely managed to get to her feet when her stomach emptied, spattering the floor and streaking down the front of her dress. She stared at the mess unmoving while waves of shock and disgust crashed down in an unrelenting tsunami.

A giggle erupted—obscenely loud in the stillness. It was soon followed by more laughter. She jerked up her head, wide eyes darting from one to another—from Sara's barely concealed smirk to Oleanda's open laughter. Shane sniggered while the others displayed either glee or confused eagerness as they joined in the merriment.

Then all their faces merged into a dizzying blur as tears obscured her vision. Her shaking hand swiped her eyes clear as they bored into Anukie, who watched with an impassive mask on her face, mirroring that of Alcina.

Evanna shook off her temporary paralysis. She took to her heels, heart thudding in her chest.

She had barely taken a few steps before she bumped on someone's leg—whether it was placed there deliberately or not, she never found out. The ungainly wedge heels she had on made it impossible for her to regain her balance. A split second later, accompanied by fresh peals of laughter and a loud splash, she fell bodily into the pool.