Frost

“He’s in Franklin,” Celeste said. “It’s a nice room. All new furniture. Really swank. I think the mattress is new, too. Good and bouncy. Not like the terrible ones we have here.”

Whoa. I glanced at David. He was frozen, his fork halfway between his plate and mouth.

“So, what type of ‘project’ are you guys doing?” Abby asked Celeste and Whip in a suggestive tone.

“It’s for rel-phil,” Celeste said. “We’re each other’s gods.”

“You’re what?” Abby said.

“We each have to dress the other one as our idea of a god. Then take a photograph, write a paper about physical representations of gods, blah, blah. Whip’s going to be naked.”

Whip’s eyebrows shot up. “Come again?”

“My god does not wear clothes.” Celeste reached over and tugged the lapel of his blazer. “Especially not whale pants.”

I was thoroughly amused by their interaction; but the look of horror on David’s face told me he wasn’t.

Whip wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. But there’s no way I’m letting photos get out that might ruin my political career.”

“Are you serious?” Celeste said. “That would be your objection? Oh, you are so getting naked. I already have this idea for body paint I want to put on you.”

A loud clattering came as David reached to put his plate on the coffee table and somehow knocked off a tray of cheese and crackers.

“Damn,” he said. “Sorry.” He began collecting the things that had scattered on the carpet.

I stood up. “More lasagna, anyone? While I’m in the kitchen?”

“Sure. Great food, Leena,” Cameron said, handing me his plate.

“Leena’s my god,” Viv said to the room. “She can cook, build furniture, fix her car, and tie a knot in a cherry stem with her tongue.”

“You’re so modest, Leena,” Celeste said. “You make it seem like you’re just another pretty, blond prep-school student.”

“That’s nice,” Abby said, turning to Celeste with a laser glare.

“What?” Celeste said. “I just meant that you’d never know she was so talented because she doesn’t talk about herself.”

“As opposed to you,” Abby said.

“That’s okay. I know what Celeste meant,” I interjected.

“Who wants a cupcake?”

“Damn right,” Celeste said to Abby, ignoring me. “I know I’m talented and ambitious and if I work hard, I’ll be successful. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with saying that. Guys get away with bragging all the time.”

“You don’t know,” Abby said. “Anything could happen.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” David asked.

“Coffee?” I said.

“What I said.” Abby crossed her arms. “Anything could happen that would mean Celeste isn’t some raving success.”

“Look,” David said, “if you’re implying what I think you’re implying, that’s—”

“I think she’s just referring to life’s unpredictability,” I said, my arms now loaded up with dirty plates to bring to the kitchen. “Abby, can you help me here? Please? I’m about to drop something.”

In the lovely calm of Ms. Martin’s apartment, I took my time rinsing dishes and getting more food for Cameron. While Abby figured out the glass coffee-brewing contraption. I decided not to tell her to lay off Celeste, knowing that she was probably still feeling sensitive. The ironic thing was now that I thought about it, Abby and Celeste did have some similarities. Abby completely thought that she had the talent to be a successful professional actress, that stardom was hers for the taking. She’d only jumped on Celeste like that because she thought Celeste had dissed me.

When we got back into the common room, the mood had completely changed. Viv was doing a dance like a football player in the end zone, saying, “Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah,” waving her phone in the air.

“What’s up, Vee?” Abby said. “Some great-uncle die and leave you his fortune?”

“Better,” Viv said. “I got a message from my mother. You know how we have that random Monday off in a few weeks?”

“Curriculum Development Day,” I said, handing Cameron his refilled plate.

“Yeah. Do you guys want to spend the long weekend in New York, sans parents? They’re going to be in Paris and totally offered us the house.”

“Really?” I said. Viv’s family has an incredible town house that overlooks a huge park in Brooklyn. “If they won’t be there, who’ll write our chaperone letters?”

She waved a hand dismissively. “Dad’ll write the letters. He doesn’t care about rules like that.”

“Exdese!” Abby bounced up and down on the armchair as well as the ancient cushions would allow. “Truly exdese!”

“Don’t get too excited,” Whip said to Celeste. “Viv’s house is in an outer borough. Not the city.”

“Oh,” Celeste said. “I don’t think . . .”

A series of darting looks passed among us as we all realized the awkwardness of the moment. Viv and I held eyes for a second.

“Of course you’re invited,” Viv said to Celeste. “There’s plenty of room. And David, you should come, too. Cameron will be there so you won’t be totally outnumbered.”

“Thanks,” David said. “I have to see whether I signed up for a Ride Club trip.”