“Okay.” She sighed. “Quinn, check the guest list for the party tonight and tell me who besides Adam will give my numbers the biggest jump.”

“No problem, babe,” the AI replied, her voice coming from a speaker in the wall. Quinn: never leave home without her. The hotel had built-in Quinn AI that synced with guests’ home AI, and it struck me how different Dee’s Quinn sounded than mine. Even though they were the same technology, they had completely different personalities. “Adam is your soul mate, but Trent, the lead singer from Siren Seven, is a solid choice. He’s a total sweetie, too. Not to mention hot. The Networks won’t be able to handle you together. In a good way.”

“Thanks, Quinn.” Deena said, flipping her hair over her shoulder and pressing her lips into a smile. “Because you’re my best friend, Ella, I’ll back off. Have your little fantasy.”

I hugged her. “Thank you.”

Behind us, the door swung open. Kylie and Lil appeared, wearing grass skirts identical to mine. We knew our place as Deena-the-tiki-goddess’s hula maidens for the night.

“Let’s get this party started,” Lil said, holding out a tiny pill bottle.

“Thank God,” Deena said. “I think I’m getting used to my meds. I actually felt sad the other day.”

The three of them swallowed the pills, and, at first, I refused. My parents designed my genes to be immune to depression. I was the only girl I knew who wasn’t prescribed mood-enhancing drugs. But, remembering my goal to talk to Adam, I thought they might help keep me from chickening out, so I took some, too.

Setting our Life Streams to live, we linked arms and headed outside. The hotel grounds were ablaze with fiery torches. Four shirtless guys appeared to carry Deena into the party on a grass throne.

While Deena got situated, we walked through a virtual jungle, strutting like runway models across a suspension bridge over the lagoon that surrounded the already-packed dance floor. Beneath a thatched tent, dozens of bodies writhed to music so loud the bass thumped in my chest. Or maybe it was the pills I was feeling. I wasn’t sure.

“I’m glad she only hired male help for the party—no sexy waitresses to compete with.” Lil laughed as we entered the oasis, eyeing a shirtless waiter carrying an appetizer tray.

“Leave it to Deena,” I said, already bored with the conversation.

“Her mom did a great job designing this,” Kylie said. “I can almost feel the trade winds.”