My real name is righ
aps the man on
der and tall, with a wiry frame and a shock of brown hair. He's got the same kind of
t in his ear. Both their scowls deep
at for w
of oppo
to tune in, I clamp the ruined halves of my dress together as best as I can, pirouette on my heel, a
uiet to fix my dress. Then I'm going to find Jor
I'll never see
O
ng for hours, twisting and turning down hall after hall. The one
ture was brutally sharp. Those lips had a cruel slant to them. And those eyes
e way he looked at me was a physical touch in an
lenty naked with a gaping rip
thin slice of light at the bottom beckons.
o a screec
n top of the sink. Their hair is expertly curled, their dres
e mirror with a straw pressed to her nostril. Her face is reflected on the surface
It's not a frown of surprise
own of re
says in shock.
dead name. A
One thought blares through my
run and run and run. High heels
my breath burns in my lungs. Then I burst through
e. I'm so tired I don't give a rat's ass about the fact that anyone who com
catch my breath, though, my heart co
me. She
ordelia. God, I ha
Cora
lia i
of fear never truly leaves my mouth. When I'm as
French doors. When I walk over, I realize the attached balcony looks out over the rear lawn. Most of the crowd has shuffled outside, so it
out of my purse. I press Jorden's contact and ho
ere'd you go? Thi
w that looseness in her voice, that cackle. The
l on m
tt dial. I'm coming to find you. One sec." I h
agle some kind of safety pin stopgap solution good enough to get me out of here without mooning every partygoer in
t if I can just wriggle out of it carefully and find a safety
ii
nd. I'm
limp, the dress parts in two like wilted flower petals and pools around my feet. I'm left stand
rse, is when
t hope that it's Jorden
's not
t Jorde
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