I can hear Beth’s fourth-floor party from the ground level of her walk-up, and when I finally get to her door, it’s wide open. I walk in without glancing around, unwilling to make eye contact or trite small talk just yet. I used to be the host, constantly. I was fluent in the art of working a room, subtly making myself the center of attention. But a year of hiding myself has scared people off and made me forget regular social niceties. I think it comes down to not knowing what to ask, what to say. A “how are you” wouldn’t suffice. I hadn’t spoken aloud in so long, my throat is scratchy from my conversation with Anneliese.

By a bowl of Cheetos I see Tom Cannon, Beth’s coworker at the law firm, who I slept with on some regrettable night a few years ago. He stuffs his mouth, licking the dust off his fingertips, before diving right back in with sticky fingers. “Sue.” Beth’s found me. “You actually came.” She looks me over, up and down, taking in my ratty jeans and shapeless sweater. “Now you can finally meet Ellery.”

I follow her through the tiny kitchen into the main area of the apartment. Limbs dangle all over the couch and chairs, noticeable spills on fabrics and rugs, crumbs wedged into corners. The light isn’t dimmed, so everyone’s sweat, everyone’s shiny Glossier highlighter, is exposed. They all look wet.

Beth guides me to a slight South Asian woman sitting on the arm of a chair, laughing uproariously at a story two bearded men are telling her. Beth leans in and kisses her ear, grabbing her attention immediately. A giggle escapes Ellery’s throat as she turns and kisses Beth on the lips.

I’ve seen this behavior from Beth before. A handful of times by now. She has a way of reeling them in, then expelling them as quickly, growing tired of someone’s quirks overnight. Once she knows you too well, she’s over it, on to the next mystery, the next conquest. I’ve come to accept that about her, though, in a quiet, helpless way. I wonder how long Ellery will last.

“Ellery, guess who showed up?” she asks, cradling her new girlfriend’s head. “You remember my friend Suzy I told you about, right?” Ellery smiles emptily and holds out her hand for a shake. I take it tentatively. “Sue never comes out anymore, do you? Special treat just for us.”

Ellery smiles again, leaning into Beth’s clutches. “You’re the one who works for Clandestine Beauty, right?” she asks, and I nod. Clearly Beth has said next to nothing about me if that’s my identifier.