After Elizabeth shut and dead-bolted the door, Julie took her hand and pulled her along in a run for the waiting cab. She slid in, gave the driver the name of the club, then swiveled in her seat.
“Okay, plan of action. First thing is to be chilly.”
“Should I have brought a sweater?”
Julie laughed, then blinked when she realized Elizabeth was serious. “No, I mean we have to be cool, act like we go to clubs all the time. Like this is no big deal for us. Just another Saturday night.”
“You mean we stay calm and blend in.”
“That’s what I said. Once we’re in, we grab a table and order Cosmos.”
“What are they?”
“You know, like theSex and the Citygirls?”
“I don’t know who they are.”
“Never mind. It’s fashionable. We’re twenty-one, Liz; we’re in a hot club. We order fashionable drinks.”
“Oh.” Elizabeth slid closer, lowered her voice. “Won’t your parents know if you’ve been drinking?”
“They split last winter.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
Julie shrugged, looked away out the window for a moment. “It happens. Anyway, I don’t see my dad until Wednesday, and my mom’s away for the weekend on some retreat with her boring friends. Emma’s out on a date, plus she doesn’t care, anyway. I can do what I want.”
Elizabeth nodded. They were both the same. No one at home to care. “We’ll have Cosmos.”
“Now you’re talking. And we scope. That’s why we’ll dance with each other at first—it gives us time to check out the guys—and let them check us out.”
“Is that why girls dance together? I wondered.”
“Plus, it’s fun—and a lot of boys won’t dance. You got your cell phone?”
“Yes.”
“If we get separated, we call. If a guy asks for yournumber, don’t give him your home number. The cell’s okay, unless your mother monitors your calls.”
“No. No one calls me.”
“The way you look, that’s going to change tonight. If you don’t want him to have your number, give him a fake one. Next. You’re in college, anyway, so you’re cool there. We’ll say we’re roommates. I’m a liberal arts major. What are you majoring in again?”
“I’m supposed to go to medical school, but—”
“Better stick with that. Truth when possible. You don’t get as mixed up.”
“I’ll be in medical school, then, starting an internship.” Even the thought of it depressed her. “But I don’t want to talk about school unless I have to.”
“Boys only want to talk about themselves, anyway. Oh, God, we’re like almost there.” Julie opened her purse, checked her face in a little mirror, freshened her lip gloss, so Elizabeth did the same. “Can you get the cab? I got a hundred out of my mother’s cash stash, but otherwise I’m tapped out.”
“Of course.”
“I can pay you back. My dad’s an easy touch.”
“I don’t mind paying.” Elizabeth took out the cab fare, calculated the tip.
“Oh, man, I’ve got goose bumps. I can’t believe I’m going to Warehouse 12! It’s totally the bomb!”
