‘Wait . . . ’ Lulu leaned down to undo Cosabella’s leash, which had twisted around her legs. ‘Why are we bringing pizza to these people?’

 

‘Because.’ I kept my gaze on the numbers above our heads as the elevator rose higher and higher. ‘I want you to meet them.’

 

‘Are they poor or something?’

 

‘No,’ I said with a laugh. The elevator stopped and the door opened. ‘I thought it would be nice to bring them dinner.’

 

‘Oh.’ Lulu followed me down the long hallway as I balanced the pizza box in one hand and tried to control Cosabella with the other. ‘I thought it was, like, a charity thing.’

 

‘No,’ I said. I didn’t want to mention the truth – that I felt bad for Lulu, because she didn’t have any parents around . . . or no one who cared about her anyway. Except for Katerina. But Katerina was an employee.

 

I felt equally badly for my parents, who I’d been sort of ignoring. Maybe pizza and a visit wouldn’t make up for three days of neglect. But it was a start. That, and the new non-Stark-brand cellphones I’d brought along for each of my parents, as well as Frida.

 

Besides, I thought Mom should hear some of Lulu’s theories. From a women’s studies point of view, I thought she’d find them interesting. Or at least worth further investigation.

 

‘I just thought eating in would be nicer than going out for a change,’ I said.

 

‘Oh,’ Lulu said. She rooted around in her purse, found her compact, then checked her reflection. ‘I get it. So, how’d it go with the high-school boy?’

 

I smiled, remembering how Christopher had yet to say a word to me about the stickers.

 

But he’d been looking. Oh, how he’d been looking.

 

‘I think I made a connection,’ I said. ‘He’s confused, but . . . ’ I shrugged. ‘We’ll have to see how it goes.’

 

‘They’re all confused,’ Lulu said with a gusty sigh. ‘So why was there a cable guy in our apartment this afternoon?’

 

‘We’re getting Wi-Fi installed,’ I said, stopping in front of 14L. ‘Not using modem connections any more should solve our spyware problems. For now anyway. Why? Did he ask you out?’

 

‘Of course,’ Lulu said. ‘But I’m supposed to go out with a Libra next and he’s a Capricorn, so it will never work.’

 

‘Are you ready?’ I asked her, my finger hovering over the bell.

 

‘I’m ready,’ Lulu said, putting away her compact. ‘But are you sure you wouldn’t rather go to Nobu? Pizza always does a number on your insides. And we could go to Cave after.’

 

‘My insides,’ I said, ‘are already messed up. The truth is, they’re never going to match my outsides.’ I rang the bell. ‘But you know what? I’m starting to think nobody’s insides do.’

 

‘I’ll get it,’ I heard Frida shriek inside the apartment. A second later, the door to my old home opened, and Frida, in sweats, with face cream all over her T-zone, stared at us.

 

‘Oh my God,’ she said, her jaw slack as her gaze darted from me to Lulu and then back again. ‘Oh my God, it’s . . . it’s . . . it’s . . . ’

 

‘Hi, Frida,’ I said. ‘It’s me. Can you tell Mom I’m here? I brought pizza . . . and my friend Lulu.’

 

‘I – I – I –’ Frida was so excited, she let the door bang shut in our faces. I could hear her tearing through the apartment, screaming, ‘Mo-o-om! Guess who’s here?’

 

Lulu looked at me curiously. Then she said, ‘Nikki? How do you even know these people?’

 

‘Lulu,’ I said. ‘I wouldn’t even know where to begin.’