Cy took a long, slow sip of her drink and looked around. Men and women filled the room, talking and drinking. She nodded to herself. This was going to be interesting.

“Well?” Emily whispered, nudging Cy.

“Well, what?” Cy responded.

“Nothing’s happening. I thought you said something funny would happen.”

“It will. Keep your pants on,” Cy replied. “Get a drink or a snack or something. This might take a while. But I know it’s going to happen. Just be patient, okay? Trust me, this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. You are going to see a side of Valo that you never knew existed.”

“I’m not sure I want to know now,” Emily muttered. So far, the most interesting thing that had happened, with regard to Valo, was seeing her dressed up and talking about video games with a group of men. As Emily did not know very much about video games, most of the conversation that she had overheard sounded like another language.


Cy’s eyes widened, and she smirked slightly. Gently elbowing Emily, she nodded in the direction of a reasonably attractive man, who had just entered the room. “Here we go,” she whispered to Emily. “Just watch.”

The man began to circulate around the room, chatting with various people. It did not take Valo long to notice him, although she quickly acted as though she did not see him. She turned her back to him and laughed loudly at a remark one of her companions made.

“Act one,” Cy said, “in which she pretends she doesn’t care about him.”

“Huh?” Emily responded.

“Keep watching.”


The man looked in the direction of Valo, smiled slightly, and began to walk in her direction. He paused to speak to a few people, but kept glancing in her direction. Valo either did not notice him approaching, or continued to feign disinterest.

“Act two,” Cy quietly announced, “in which he pretends he doesn’t care about her, but he goes right for her.”


Valo continued to talk to her group of friends, laughing loudly. The man stepped up behind her and said, as a way of greeting, “Even with red hair, I’d recognize that voice and gorgeous figure anywhere. How’s it been, Jessie girl?”

Valo turned slowly, a pleased smile upon her face. “And there’s only one person who’d know he could get away with calling me that without getting his butt kicked. How’s life been treating you, Guapo guy?”


“Act three,” Cy quietly intoned, “in which it all plays out the way she planned it. She’ll eat him alive.”

Emily’s eyes widened in horror. “We have to stop them!” she gasped.

“Stop them? You have to be kidding,” Cy responded, grinning. “The fun’s about to happen.”