May 4

[notfaking_it]

When their roles are posted, Lily smiles knowingly at Nina across the small crowd of mostly disappointed dancers, then crosses over to her and tells her they're going to have a party to celebrate. She tells Nina to invite whoever she wants, says she'll host it, it'll happen this weekend, then she disappears to make plans. She leaves Nina without time to protest on purpose.

On the night of the party, she has drinks and food set out in her kitchen. She's invited most of the people she knows and even a few she doesn't -- dancers, mostly, because she doesn't want to leave them out -- and there's already music playing even before anyone has arrived. The intention is to be casual, relaxed, but there are pills in Lily's pocket, for anyone who knows her well enough to ask, for anyone she thinks might need to relax a little.

Nina's doing better now, but Lily has no problem helping her come out of her shell if it comes to that. And she has no problem helping anyone else either.

Comments

[notfaking_it]

It's already a little later in the evening when Lily sees Patrick, slipping between two other dancers on her way back to the kitchen for another drink. Her cheeks are flushed, the apartment is warm despite the open windows, and she's a little drunk, though she's only given out one pill tonight, only to Nina. Somewhere, she hopes she's making good use of it, talking to someone, mingling at least a little.

"Hi," she says to Patrick, lifting her glass and gesturing toward the kitchen. "Do you need a refill? I'm heading that way."

[hiptobesquare]

"Lily, hi. I'm good," I say, showing her my recently refilled glass. As usual, she looks sexy, in that sly, knowing sort of way she has. The apartment is packed with young women with lithe, athletic bodies, but she manages to stand out among them.

"I like the apartment. It's very... you."

[notfaking_it]

"Thank you," she answers, because after only a few weeks here, she'd taken care of her apartment, started to make it look like her own with the extra money that had appeared in her bank account every month. It's been slow going, but she's been here long enough now that she loves how it looks. "Do you want a tour?"

[hiptobesquare]

It's a generic starter apartment with a few cheap knick-knacks strewn around to cover up its blandness. The same apartment she was likely assigned on a laminated card, her first day here.

I don't give a single shit about the apartment.

"I'd love one," I say, smiling like I just can't wait to get the full view.

[notfaking_it]

She knows he's moved out of the building, probably into something far nicer, but she likes this place. She likes being close to people and she can't afford much more than this with what she makes at the company.

"I know it's not much," she says, leading him down the hall. "I guess you know that, too. You've found a better place?"

[hiptobesquare]

"Overlooking the Park," I say, unable to stop a hint of pride in my voice. It's one of the better apartments in the city, and what's the point of paying the premium if people don't know it?

"You should come by. The views are... well, they're as good as you're going to get, in Darrow."

[notfaking_it]

Lily laughs a little, knowing it's not quite the same sort of view as one might get in New York, but it can't be that bad either. "I'll come by sometime," she agrees, although she probably won't, not unless he invites her on a specific day. She has a tendency to forget about vague promises, instead getting caught up in other things. "So, hallway, bathroom, bedroom," she says, then shrugs. "Pretty much like all the others."

[hiptobesquare]

"It's impressive, what you've managed to do with the space," I say, reaching for something to compliment. I can't fathom living in a space so small. Just standing in the hallway, I'm convinced the walls are shrinking in upon the two of us.

I smile through the panic, bile rising up bitter on the back of my tongue.

[notfaking_it]

"Thank you," she answers, turning around in the hall again, facing living room entrance. "Now that you've had the thrilling tour, do you want to head back to the party? There are probably about twenty dancers out there who'd love to meet a good looking rich guy," she teases with a grin.