time with that thing,” I say.
“I like books,” he says sincerely.
Tinder is too childish for his own good. He has a happy glow in his eyes, like he believes the whole world is a decent place. Now he’s smiling at me, and I notice a narrow gap between his two front teeth. Poor kid. He’s my age, but I see him as a kid. His pole-thin neck and large flappy ears make him look like someone who needs your help. Thinking about how he’ll fare in the Carnival, I don’t have much hope. He might earn sympathy, but sympathy isn’t love.
Elektra stands up suddenly and leaves the living room. Tinder and I exchange confused glances before we stand and follow her. Elektra walks at a jogging pace, and I have to run a little to catch up with her. We walk through the familiar hallway of golden leaves all the way to the very end, where we reconvene in a lavender bedroom.
“Where are we?” Tinder asks, spinning around in a tight circle.
“There are two bedrooms at the end of each hall,” she says. “The lavender one is for girls, and its closet is filled with girl clothes. The navy-blue one is for boys.”
“So?” I ask.
“ This is my room,” she says.
“Yes, but why are we here?” I ask.
“It’s getting late,” she says, crossing her arms. “Take off your clothes.”
10
“ What? ” Tinder asks. He clutches his copy of Spotlight like a life jacket.
“You saw how clean they were,” Elektra says. “We all have to shower.”
Shower?
Her bathroom waits beyond an open door in the corner. I step warily across the carpet until my feet touch the ivory marble floor. It’s heated, and I recoil from the unfamiliar sensation. A polished claw-foot bathtub lounges elegantly against the side. Mirrors stretch from floor to ceiling. An all-glass shower takes up the third wall completely, and it’s—incredible. I’ve never taken a real shower before, but I’ve heard the stories: endless hot water all over your body. As hard or as soft as you want. All with the touch of a finger.
“I said take off your clothes,” Elektra repeats.
“I can shower alone,” I say.
She strides next to me and puts her mouth by my ear. “Of course you can, baby, but I need to see what I’m working with,” she whispers. Hot air tickles my neck. “I want us to help each other, remember?”
I shake her off as Tinder enters the bathroom.
“What’s going on?” he asks.
“Nothing,” I say. “Elektra just wants me to get naked.”
“We’re about to seduce some important people,” Elektra says, reclining onto the rim of the bathtub. “To stand a chance, you’ll want my honest, unedited opinion of how attractive you are. And you’ll do the same for me because”—she smiles—“you need me.”
Now Elektra bites her lip and gazes up at me in a way that makes her eyes look big and sulky. I shake my head. I’ve known her for less than a day, and already I see she has a tendency to make things sexual when she wants something. But I can’t ignore her, because she’s right: I do need her help. I need to do what she says.
“Fine,” I say. “Quickly.”
I take off my shirt. Muscles across my chest flex slightly. Elektra drops the pouting act and eyes me without emotion. She nods me onward as I unbutton my pants.
Let’s just get this over with.
“You’re very strong,” she says. Her fingers linger casually over her bottom lip. I drop my dark-green cargo pants and throw them against the mirrors, left only in my faded gray boxer shorts. I rest my hands awkwardly on my hips and brace myself for Elektra to go on.
“ Very strong,” Tinder says in disbelief.
“Tinder!” I shout. “I don’t need your opinion! Get out of here!”
Elektra giggles as he backs out of sight, embarrassed. I kick myself for being so harsh on him. He’s just so fragile. Elektra recovers and tilts her head to the side, flipping her dark hair into a drastic side part. Her eyes wander up and down my body, and as she looks down, I
“I like books,” he says sincerely.
Tinder is too childish for his own good. He has a happy glow in his eyes, like he believes the whole world is a decent place. Now he’s smiling at me, and I notice a narrow gap between his two front teeth. Poor kid. He’s my age, but I see him as a kid. His pole-thin neck and large flappy ears make him look like someone who needs your help. Thinking about how he’ll fare in the Carnival, I don’t have much hope. He might earn sympathy, but sympathy isn’t love.
Elektra stands up suddenly and leaves the living room. Tinder and I exchange confused glances before we stand and follow her. Elektra walks at a jogging pace, and I have to run a little to catch up with her. We walk through the familiar hallway of golden leaves all the way to the very end, where we reconvene in a lavender bedroom.
“Where are we?” Tinder asks, spinning around in a tight circle.
“There are two bedrooms at the end of each hall,” she says. “The lavender one is for girls, and its closet is filled with girl clothes. The navy-blue one is for boys.”
“So?” I ask.
“ This is my room,” she says.
“Yes, but why are we here?” I ask.
“It’s getting late,” she says, crossing her arms. “Take off your clothes.”
10
“ What? ” Tinder asks. He clutches his copy of Spotlight like a life jacket.
“You saw how clean they were,” Elektra says. “We all have to shower.”
Shower?
Her bathroom waits beyond an open door in the corner. I step warily across the carpet until my feet touch the ivory marble floor. It’s heated, and I recoil from the unfamiliar sensation. A polished claw-foot bathtub lounges elegantly against the side. Mirrors stretch from floor to ceiling. An all-glass shower takes up the third wall completely, and it’s—incredible. I’ve never taken a real shower before, but I’ve heard the stories: endless hot water all over your body. As hard or as soft as you want. All with the touch of a finger.
“I said take off your clothes,” Elektra repeats.
“I can shower alone,” I say.
She strides next to me and puts her mouth by my ear. “Of course you can, baby, but I need to see what I’m working with,” she whispers. Hot air tickles my neck. “I want us to help each other, remember?”
I shake her off as Tinder enters the bathroom.
“What’s going on?” he asks.
“Nothing,” I say. “Elektra just wants me to get naked.”
“We’re about to seduce some important people,” Elektra says, reclining onto the rim of the bathtub. “To stand a chance, you’ll want my honest, unedited opinion of how attractive you are. And you’ll do the same for me because”—she smiles—“you need me.”
Now Elektra bites her lip and gazes up at me in a way that makes her eyes look big and sulky. I shake my head. I’ve known her for less than a day, and already I see she has a tendency to make things sexual when she wants something. But I can’t ignore her, because she’s right: I do need her help. I need to do what she says.
“Fine,” I say. “Quickly.”
I take off my shirt. Muscles across my chest flex slightly. Elektra drops the pouting act and eyes me without emotion. She nods me onward as I unbutton my pants.
Let’s just get this over with.
“You’re very strong,” she says. Her fingers linger casually over her bottom lip. I drop my dark-green cargo pants and throw them against the mirrors, left only in my faded gray boxer shorts. I rest my hands awkwardly on my hips and brace myself for Elektra to go on.
“ Very strong,” Tinder says in disbelief.
“Tinder!” I shout. “I don’t need your opinion! Get out of here!”
Elektra giggles as he backs out of sight, embarrassed. I kick myself for being so harsh on him. He’s just so fragile. Elektra recovers and tilts her head to the side, flipping her dark hair into a drastic side part. Her eyes wander up and down my body, and as she looks down, I
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