finding out all kinds of information. Because her dad’s the head of Media relations, she ends up around a lot of Governing Council people. Their wives and girlfriends are really talkative, and Paulette is ultrasmooth when it comes to coaxing things out of people.”
“I bet.” I didn’t want to think of how ultrasmooth she was, not when she was hanging around Sal.
XIV
O n the way to Soma, my head was full of thoughts about Pops, Gran, and the writ. Amid all that angst, the best thing that could’ve happened, did. Sal called.
“I just this second got home,” he said. “What are you doing? How is everyone? Where are you?”
“I’m heading to Soma with Wei. Damn, Sal, it’s been an awful day. I really want to see you.”
“Give me half an hour to clean up. I’ll be there.”
“Okay.” My heart started racing. Sal was only half an hour away. I could already feel his hand curled around mine, our fingers entwined. Despite most of my life being in shambles, it was amazing that just the thought of being with Sal made me all fluttery.
“Sal?” Wei asked.
“Uh-huh. He’s meeting us there.”
Chris dropped us off in front of Soma and with a “See you girls later” he sped off.
“A hot date, I bet,” Wei said.
Derek and his brother, Riley, were already playing. They were amazing musicians, and they focused mainly on some ancient songs from the twentieth century. The lights were dim, but Wei and I managed to find Mag and Brie at a table up front, and Paulette was there, too. Great. Nope, I stopped myself from going further down that line of thinking. No way was I going to let that top-tier snob ruin my mood. I slipped into the chair by Mag.
It would’ve been impossible not to notice Paulette’s quick glance and smirk, probably because I was in my all-weather jeans and a T-shirt. She, of course, was ultrachic. I ignored it, turning all my attention toward Brie and Mag. “Hey, I was wondering if you guys are Creatives, like Wei? I’m trying to figure out what to get for my tattoo.” The GC didn’t let anyone alter the XVI tattoo on our wrists, but at least Creatives were allowed to decorate around it.
“I am, want to see my tattoo?” Brie pulled up her sleeve and exposed a dragon wrapped around her arm from elbow to hand. The XVI was inside the dragon’s mouth, flames engulfing it.
“Wow!” She was ultra-feminine-looking but that obviously didn’t mean she wasn’t fierce, too. Wei had told me that Brie was even more accomplished at Cliste Galad than she was.
Brie giggled. Probably at my astonishment. “People are usually surprised to see it—on me, that is.” Her expression turned somber. “You know, dragons symbolize evil and chaos. To me, they stand for creating chaos to stir up evil and open people’s eyes to a better way.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” Paulette said. “Most people’s eyes need opening.”
“Yeah.” I shouldn’t have been shocked at Paulette’s comment. After all, she was in the Sisterhood. But still, it seemed odd to hear that kind of NonCon talk coming from such a snobbitch top-tier. I couldn’t shake my impression of her status as being a huge gap between us.
My thoughts were interrupted by a break in the music, followed by an eruption of rowdy applause from two tables of what appeared to be friends of Derek’s brother, Riley. Riley was in the Early Music program at college; these guys looked like they were, too, the way they were dressed from the same era as the music. Riley joined them, and Derek loped over to our table, scooting between Wei and me.
“You’re here.” He grabbed Wei’s hand. “I thought you were staying home.”
“We changed our minds. You guys are ultra tonight.” Wei poked me with her free hand, nodding her head toward the entrance. “He’s here.”
Faster than a veljet, I was out of my chair, across the coffeehouse, and into Sal’s arms. So what if everyone in the place was staring at us?
We would’ve been joined
“I bet.” I didn’t want to think of how ultrasmooth she was, not when she was hanging around Sal.
XIV
O n the way to Soma, my head was full of thoughts about Pops, Gran, and the writ. Amid all that angst, the best thing that could’ve happened, did. Sal called.
“I just this second got home,” he said. “What are you doing? How is everyone? Where are you?”
“I’m heading to Soma with Wei. Damn, Sal, it’s been an awful day. I really want to see you.”
“Give me half an hour to clean up. I’ll be there.”
“Okay.” My heart started racing. Sal was only half an hour away. I could already feel his hand curled around mine, our fingers entwined. Despite most of my life being in shambles, it was amazing that just the thought of being with Sal made me all fluttery.
“Sal?” Wei asked.
“Uh-huh. He’s meeting us there.”
Chris dropped us off in front of Soma and with a “See you girls later” he sped off.
“A hot date, I bet,” Wei said.
Derek and his brother, Riley, were already playing. They were amazing musicians, and they focused mainly on some ancient songs from the twentieth century. The lights were dim, but Wei and I managed to find Mag and Brie at a table up front, and Paulette was there, too. Great. Nope, I stopped myself from going further down that line of thinking. No way was I going to let that top-tier snob ruin my mood. I slipped into the chair by Mag.
It would’ve been impossible not to notice Paulette’s quick glance and smirk, probably because I was in my all-weather jeans and a T-shirt. She, of course, was ultrachic. I ignored it, turning all my attention toward Brie and Mag. “Hey, I was wondering if you guys are Creatives, like Wei? I’m trying to figure out what to get for my tattoo.” The GC didn’t let anyone alter the XVI tattoo on our wrists, but at least Creatives were allowed to decorate around it.
“I am, want to see my tattoo?” Brie pulled up her sleeve and exposed a dragon wrapped around her arm from elbow to hand. The XVI was inside the dragon’s mouth, flames engulfing it.
“Wow!” She was ultra-feminine-looking but that obviously didn’t mean she wasn’t fierce, too. Wei had told me that Brie was even more accomplished at Cliste Galad than she was.
Brie giggled. Probably at my astonishment. “People are usually surprised to see it—on me, that is.” Her expression turned somber. “You know, dragons symbolize evil and chaos. To me, they stand for creating chaos to stir up evil and open people’s eyes to a better way.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” Paulette said. “Most people’s eyes need opening.”
“Yeah.” I shouldn’t have been shocked at Paulette’s comment. After all, she was in the Sisterhood. But still, it seemed odd to hear that kind of NonCon talk coming from such a snobbitch top-tier. I couldn’t shake my impression of her status as being a huge gap between us.
My thoughts were interrupted by a break in the music, followed by an eruption of rowdy applause from two tables of what appeared to be friends of Derek’s brother, Riley. Riley was in the Early Music program at college; these guys looked like they were, too, the way they were dressed from the same era as the music. Riley joined them, and Derek loped over to our table, scooting between Wei and me.
“You’re here.” He grabbed Wei’s hand. “I thought you were staying home.”
“We changed our minds. You guys are ultra tonight.” Wei poked me with her free hand, nodding her head toward the entrance. “He’s here.”
Faster than a veljet, I was out of my chair, across the coffeehouse, and into Sal’s arms. So what if everyone in the place was staring at us?
We would’ve been joined
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