Claire touched my arm.
'Hey, Matt. Wanna dance?'
I turned a little, looking over her shoulder. And there she was, Tanya Duncan. As beautiful as she was in the photo, dark skin gleaming in the dim light. Our eyes met across the crowd, and she flinched. She jerked her head away, trying to pretend that she hadn't seen me. She was in a group of people, talking. Trying to act as though nothing had happened.
'I'm not in the mood.'
Claire hesitated, looking at me with strange intensity. Then she shrugged with a gleeful smile and turned to Professor Asshole.
'How about you, Sam?'
He obliged. He took her hand, and they started towards the dance floor. I watched them go, angry. It was petty and irrational, but I couldn't help feeling betrayed. You're the one who said no to her, fool. And besides, you have more important things to worry about. Forget about Claire.
'Dude, what's wrong with you?'
Ted was still standing near me, shaking his head in bewilderment.
'When a girl dresses up and asks you to dance, you don't say no! I mean, it's Getting Laid 101.'
I scowled at him.
'Ted... I'm not having the best of days. Thanks for being a friend, man, but I think I just want to chill for a while in silence, alone with my beer. Okay?'
He shrugged.
'Say no more, bro. These parties drive me into a somber mood, too. I'll go mingle! Find me when you're feeling better.'
I walked to the refreshments table, looking at Tanya. She was standing with her back to me, surrounded by people. If I didn't know that she was a wraith, I would have never suspected it. She was all wrong. Too confident, too relaxed in this whirlpool of humans. Laughing, smiling with them. Always in the center of everyone's attention, with her head held high and her beauty drawing stares. She made it hard for anyone not to notice her. I always felt uncomfortable with attention. In fact, I went out of my way to avoid it. Avoid notice at all cost, that was my rule. She did the opposite, as comfortable in the eye of the social storm as a fish in the water.
I threw my frozen beer in the trash can. How was she able to do it? To pretend so perfectly? To act like... like she belonged here. With them.
My phone buzzed. It was Mickey, sending me a message.
'How goes the party?'
I typed out the response.
'Got eyes on Tanya. Any sign of Zero?'
'Nope.'
I didn't know if these were good news or bad.
'Going to wait for a right moment to approach her. Sit tight.'
I needed to talk to her with no one around to eavesdrop on our conversation. Unfortunately, it was turning out to be harder than I thought. Tanya was constantly surrounded by people. I watched her from a dark corner, sipping beer. She had her back to me. Did she have the same ability as I did? Was she able to feel my gaze? If she did, she didn't show it.
My eyes were wandering aimlessly through the crowd. I couldn't help seeking Claire out. She was dancing with Sam, his body too close to hers, his hands touching her shoulders, her hips, the small of her back. She was drinking, maybe too fast. She was talking to Ted, laughing. Drinking again. Mingling with some friends, listening to music. Empty cup crumpled in her hand, skin glistening with sweat, wild fires in her eyes.
Tanya was always in the corner of my eye. People were flowing in and out of her circle, never leaving her alone. One guy, in particular, was always by her side, one arm around her waist. They seemed to enjoy each other's company a lot, in a quiet, content sort of way. Who was he?
At one point, Claire appeared near me. She was pretty drunk and happy.
'Hey, Matt. What's up with you today? Not in a festive mood?'
I was holding a half-empty cup of cold beer to my face, which was pulsing with pain.
'To be honest, my head is killing me.'
She gave me a compassionate look.
'Sorry to hear that. Hangover?'
'Something like that.'
She smiled.
'Sorry about Sam. He's very protective of his academic endeavors.'
She seemed to know him pretty well.
'That's okay. He's entitled to his opinion.'
Pompous bastard that he is.
Claire raised a finger and poked me in the chest.
'Who's the girl, by the way?'
I frowned.
'What girl?'
'The girl you've been staring at this whole evening.'
Fuck. Tanya might have not noticed my attention, but Claire did. I've forgotten how wickedly perceptive she could be.
'Is she, like, your ex?'
'You're seeing things. Today, I'm only paying attention to my headache, and my beer.'
And also you, and that jackass Sam. And the wraith I came here to find. But you don't need to know any of that.
'If you say so. I'll leave you alone with your beer then!'
She laughed and waved to somebody, forgetting about my existence in a second.
Some time later, Mickey sent me another message.
'I'm freezing my ass off here.'
I sighed.
'Still waiting for a right moment.'
'... Btw how are those glamorous college girls doing, buddy?'
'Grow up, man.'
'LOL.'
I smiled and lifted my eyes. Tanya was gone from her spot. I searched the room, suddenly filled with nervous energy. There she was, standing near the snacks table with a plate in her hands. Her male friend was nowhere to be seen. She was finally alone.
I made my way to the table, fighting through the crowd of drunken students, and stopped near her. To appear inconspicuous, I took a plate, too, and dumped a bunch of chips on it. Then I glanced at her, trying to remain calm.
Up close, Tanya Duncan was magnetic. I could imagine being intoxicated by her, if the place in my head where these things happen hadn't been already occupied completely by Claire. She was tall, slender and athletic, with exotic, perfectly symmetrical features and a gorgeous mane of dark curly hair. Her clothes were stylish and fitting. She even smelled amazing, bitter chocolate and cherry.
She was a wraith, like me. She understood what it was like. Every scar, every crack that I had, she had it too. Like being a stranger to your closest friends. Like waking up every day afraid, clutching the fading memories of your nightmares. Like losing your parent to the PA.
Which meant that, like me, she would be revolted to unexpectedly meet another wraith. She would see me as I saw Zero that snowy night, which seemed so far away now. As a threat to her secret.
At least she had some warning.
I opened my mouth and closed it again, noticing something. There was a wedding ring on her finger. A simple band of gold, unadorned with anything, but elegantly beautiful. The implication struck something deep inside me.
That man who had been by her side, one arm around her waist, was her husband. And he was clearly, unmistakably human. In my mind, I saw them together again, content with each other, happy. How could this be? The pain in my face flared, making me wince.
The time was flowing away.
'Does he know?'
In my mind, I imagined a hundred ways this conversation would start, each one designed specifically to make her feel safe talking to me. This wasn't one of them. It was so horribly wrong, so unforgivably invasive. But I couldn't resist it. There was a strange need inside me, the need to understand.
She looked at me, puzzled.
'Excuse me?'
Her control was impressive. Nothing in her face moved when she recognized me, but I could see it in her her weary green eyes. The deep, sickening fear that I knew to well.
'Your husband. Does he know what you are?'
She didn't flinch away, didn't even blink. But her face suddenly became very, very pale.
She forced an apologetic smile. It was almost perfect.
'I'm sorry, I don't understand.'
I was doing it all wrong. This is not how it was supposed to go.
'Crap. I'm sorry. Let's start over.'
I made my best effort to look non-threatening.
'Hi. I'm Matthew.'
'Hi, Matthew.'
I noticed that she didn't tell me her name. Of course. She wouldn't want me knowing anything about her. But her husband could appear every second now, and I desperately needed to move this thing along.
'Your husband, does he know that you're a wraith?'
Tanya frowned.
'Is this some kind of a sick joke?'
She made a move to turn away, as though insulted.
'Wait, Tanya. I need to talk to you.'
She froze. I saw her hand trembling.
'How do you know my name?'
Now there was open terror on her face. It pained me to see her like this. I felt terrible.
'It's a long story. If we could just talk...'
Her voice cracked.
'How do you know my name? Who are you?'
'... You know who I am. I'm like you.'
She started to back away.
'No, no. I don't know you. Go away.'
She turned, as though to run away, and I grabbed her by the arm, trying to keep my voice quiet.
'Wait. Please, it's important.'
She spun, tearing her hand away with an unexpected force.
'Fuck off!!!'
I flinched away. People were staring now, looking at me, at her. Fuck, fuck, fuck. What have I done?
Tanya's husband materialized behind her, worry on his face.
'Tanya? Everything okay?'
She looked at him, then back at me. There was fear and anger in her face, but then she switched it all off. One moment, and she looked perfectly calm, if a little annoyed. A master pretender, just like me.
'Everything is fine. This guy just mistook me for someone else. I want to go now, if you don't mind.'
The husband looked at me with a frown.
'Not cool, man.'
He shook his head, took her by the arm a led her away.
Fucking shit!
People were still looking at me. I gave them an unfriendly stare and stuffed my mouth with chips, pretending that nothing happened.
Tanya was almost by the door. What now? We couldn't lose track of her.
I pulled out my phone.
'Mickey, you there?'
'Sup?'
'Tanya will be walking out of the door in ten seconds.'
She buttoned up her coat. Her husband opened the door, and they left.
'... I see her. Who's the dude? Why fuck the aren't you w/her?'
'Long story. We need to follow them.'
'... Roger. Starting the car, HURRY.'
I dropped my plate on the table and started to walk to the exit.
I was almost there when Tedd called my name.
'Hey, Matt!'
Fuck. Goddamn. Why was everything against me today?
I closed my eyes for a second, then turned to him.
'Hey, Ted.'
There was a worried expression on his face.
'You seen Claire?'
I blinked.
'Not recently. Why?'
He swore.
'She... uh... she got pretty drunk. Like, not in a good way. And she was, I think, upset by something. And now I can't find her.'
The phone buzzed in my pocket. Mickey, sending me some urgent message.
'What do you mean you can't find her?'
'I was keeping an eye on her, you know. Parties like this can get... well, I was keeping an eye on her. And, uh, I got distracted I guess, and now I can't see her. I think we should, like, find her.'
In my head, I screamed, "Parties like this could get what?!" But he didn't have to say it aloud. Despite Professor Sam's theory about how wonderful the world was, it was still a bad place for an attractive girl to be drunk and alone at the party.
I looked at him, heavy thoughts in my head. Everything was probably going to be okay. Somebody would get her home. Nothing bad would happen, not in our city, not with Claire. I was ninety-nine percent sure.
But the remaining one percent made me feel like I was suffocating.
The phone was vibrating non-stop in my pocket. Tanya Duncan was getting farther and farther away, and with her, our only hope to find Zero.
Mickey will have to solve this one alone.
I shoved my hand into my pocket, turning the phone off, and nodded to Ted.
'Then let's find her.'