“Everything feels so soft,” Anna is saying in a dreamlike voice.

“When I’m on E,” Creeper says, “I always think everyone should be naked. Just like Adam and Eve.”

A burst of laughter escapes me. Did he just use a biblical reference to get laid? That was the absolute worst line in history.

But Anna gives a breathy laugh and says, “Just completely natural and happy.” I roll my eyes. I’ve been high on ecstasy and I know how sensitive your skin feels, but she sounds like Snow White or something. I wish she’d stop humoring little Dopey.

I’m getting impatient.

“You know, Anna,” Creepy-Dopey says. His voice has taken on a false silky quality. “It wouldn’t take much for you to be more, I don’t know, popular or whatever. . . . I mean, you’re pretty, but you could be, like, hot. You know?”

Damn. Burn. Is he serious?

She sounds inexplicably sweet, not offended, when she responds. “I’m sorry, Scott, but even if I had the money, I just don’t care about those things. I want people to like me for who I am. Isn’t that what you want, too?”

I’m halfway up the stairs before I realize it.

Things are not adding up. This plonker’s words, plus what Rocker Girl said, and Anna’s friendship with Jay—what Neph chooses the “Unpopular” role? Especially when they’re as gorgeous as she is?

“Have you kissed many guys?” Creepy-Dopey is asking.

I’m at the top of the stairs now, heart slam-dancing against my ribs. I don’t feel right.

“I’ve never kissed anyone,” Anna says. I nearly snort with laughter at the lie, as sincere as she may sound. There’s no possible way she’s never been kissed.

“Not even Jay?” he asks.

“No way. He’s like my brother.”

I’ve found their door and I’m standing in front of it.

“How long will this last?” Anna whispers. “This feeling?”

“About four hours. Then it takes a couple of hours to come down.” She makes a sad sound at his answer, and he says, “Anna?”

“Huh?”

“I want to be your first kiss.”

I grit my teeth and grip the door handle.

“Okay,” she whispers.

First kiss or fiftieth, doesn’t matter—this guy’s not getting any satisfaction under my watch. I wrench the handle down and kick the door open. They bolt upright on the bed.

“What the—” Creepy begins, shielding his face from the hall light, but I’m only looking at Anna, feeling a strange sense of relief. She squints at me.

“Ah, there you are, luv. Let’s go, then.” I motion her toward me with the flick of two fingers.

She stares, mouth open.

“Can you walk, or will I have to carry you?” I ask.

The guy finally sprouts a tiny pair of balls. “What are you doing, man?”

“I need a chat with Anna.” I’m watching her. She sort of smiles, dazed, then slides off the bed to stand.

“I’ll be back,” she says to him.

Like hell she will.

“I wouldn’t count on it, actually.” I enter the room and take her by the hand. We leave the bloke sputtering and red-faced with anger. He shouts at me, and I give him one hard-ass glance to shut him up before I slam the door behind us.

I hold her hand and lead her down the hall, down the stairs, through the party, onto the back deck, and down the steps leading to the dock and the water.

I am confused.

I don’t enjoy being confused.

I pull her faster down the dock, where we can be alone. But when we get to the edge of the dock, I’m at a loss. I sit, and she carefully sits next to me. I can feel her eyes browsing me, and I let her. I stare out at the moon’s reflection on the water.

I’ve never met a Neph who doesn’t act like one. She doesn’t hide her colors. She is kind to people, even when they’re deceptive to her, and there seems to be nothing in it for her. She appears to have a true friendship with a human, Jay. She says and does things that no Neph would dare say or do. And then there’s the part about her having no money, which can’t be true. Either she doesn’t know what she is or she’s got the most twisted and ingenious working profile I’ve ever seen. To have two completely opposing possibilities is mind-bending.

A breeze blows across the water and Anna shivers.

“Who are you?” I ask, just as I did when we first met.

She pauses. “I don’t know how you want me to answer that.” It’s almost like she feels bad about this. Then very suddenly, she gasps violently and her hands curl around the edge of the dock.

“What is it?” I ask.

“I think . . . It feels like it’s starting to wear off. But he said four hours!” She stands on shaking legs and begins to pace, hugging herself around the middle and hunching over.

It takes me a moment to realize she’s talking about the drug. She’s coming down from the high, but she seems almost panicked about it. I stand and block her exit down the dock so she can’t run. I need her to focus on me. Perhaps she’ll be more open while she’s still high.

I grasp her chin and lift her eyes to mine. We’ll start with Neph basics. We never get ill.

“Have you ever been sick?” I ask.

She holds herself tighter. “Sick . . . ?”

“The flu. Tonsillitis. Anything?”