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fake interest or it will look suspicious.”
    I should keep my voice low. But I’m too frustrated—sexually and otherwise—to do so.
    “Your fake interest in her is more convincing than your genuine interest in me!”
    Zen keels over in forced laughter for the benefit of any eavesdroppers.
    “HAHAHAHAHAHA. You better watch those jokes, Mel. Don’t think the tabloids won’t run with the ‘best friends with benefits’ story! HAHAHAHAHA.” Then, as he’s bent over in these exaggerated hysterics, he whispers, “You’re talking too much tonight. What’s gotten into you?”
    I give him a cutting look. “What’s gotten into me? Nothing.” I look down at my belly. “Nothing has gotten into me at all.”
    “You think it’s been easy for me to see you with him?”
    I know he doesn’t like seeing me with Jondoe any more than I like seeing him get hit on by one humpy girl after another. And yet I have trouble feeling much sympathy for him for one really, rilly good reason.
    “You need stop talking immediately,” Zen says in a serious voice. “Because it’s not just about you. Think about your sister.”
    “My sister. Who could deliver at any moment in Goodside.” I pause dramatically. “Where she has chosen to stay put . ”
    “There’s still time for her to change her mind.”
    Isn’t that exactly what I tried to tell Jondoe earlier this evening?
    “I’m telling you, Melody,” he says, his eyes nervously scanning the room to make sure no one is listening, “you have built yourself a powerful platform, and when you finally get to speak, millions—no, billions—of girls will listen and rise up and demand . . .”
    And before Zen can go full manifesto, Lib is all up in our facespace again.
    “WHY ARE YOU HERE BUT TO TORTURE ME?”
    Again, someone else says what I cannot.
    “I can’t find Jondoe anywhere,” Lib whispers before going back to a full shout. “THIS IS TOTALLY UNPROFESSIONAL.”
    “This may not even be a bad thing after all,” Zen offers. “The MiNet will go wild with speculation. . . .”
    Lib finishes the thought for him. “WONDERING WHY JONDOE IS A NO-SHOW!” Then he grudgingly gives Zen a look of approval.
    “Aren’t either of you at all curious as to where he might be?” I ask.
    I’m getting legitimately worried now. Jondoe’s synapses weren’t firing at maximum capacity tonight.
    “Don’t worry, gorgeous.” Lib pats my head. “He can’t stay off-grid forever. And when we find him, there will be a whole new surge in optics!” He tips back his head and cackles. “You know, it’s such genius publicity it’s almost like I planned it! And you know what? I’ll take credit for it anyway!”
    I’d be offended if his superficial fame-gaming wasn’t so predictable. In a way, I’ve got to admire his transparency. At least Lib is exactly who he appears to be. Right now I can’t say that about anyone else in my inner circle.
    “You think you can do this by yourself?” Lib asks.
    I nod. I can do this in my sleep.
    Without a second’s hesitation, Lib runs out of the room to let the tech crew know that this will be a solo performance after all. The DJ downstairs is now playing The Hotties’ dance version of the Babiez R U theme song, pop music being an obvious revenue stream with our names and all. If I weren’t so wanked out right now, I might find it amusing to see Ram leading hundreds of partiers playing air guitar and singing out loud:
We’re the most important girls on the planet! The most powerful girls on the planet! The prettiest most popular most princessy most everything girls on the planet!
     
    And for the past eight and a half months, it’s all been true.
    But not for much longer.
    I’m taking a fortifying swig of soda when the door opens again. I’m dreading the reappearance of Ventura and her peaking ovaries when in walks a couple that’s like, old. They’ve got to be in their thirties at least. So not my target demo. But as soon as they