“I’m seventeen. How do people like that live with themselves?” I ask, still feeling the baron’s clammy hand on my arm. Cai chuckles. 

“If you’re a high-born, you don’t need to worry about conscience. Money covers it up,” He says, looking out my bedroom window. 

“Do you worry about it?” I ask, sitting down in front of my vanity table and starting to pull the stars out of my hair. Cai chuckles. 

“I should hope I do,” He says, turning away from the window. He points out at it. “Terrible view, by the way.” I nod. “I’ve… been meaning to ask.”  

“Yeah?” I ask, tilting my head. 

“You were really thin when I first met you, and I’m really sorry if this offends you, since I’m bad at talking to women, but you seem more…” He looks away, his face flushed. “My question is if you were starving before becoming a Gold. You’ve gained some weight.” I flush as well. 

“Sort of. We only had rations at home, but I had to leave for work before the family ate breakfast, and the lunch at work cost way too much, and I had to have dinner really late,” I explain. 

Cai stares at the ground, nodding. I take the stars out of my hair, setting each of them down on the table, and letting my curls fall out. Cai turns and looks at me. 

“What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?” I question. He smiles. 

“Nothing. You’re just really pretty.” He says with a boyish grin on his face. I flush and look down, grabbing my brush, and combing my hair out so it’s frizzy, and altogether, unattractive. He lied to you. Remember? He calls all the girls he knows pretty. Everyone in the fan club.  “Are you going to stay here the rest of the night?” He asks, moving towards the door. I nod, trying to hide my face with my tangled hair. “Okay. I’m going to go back to the party. Unless you need something else.” 

“No, I’m fine.” I say, putting my head down on the table, sighing. My face feels paper, and I sit back up again. A letter sits on my desk. I didn’t see it there before, because it was covered by the brush. I pick it up, and open it, reading the sender’s name. “Flint.” I say, my hands shaking, after I read his messy handwriting. 

Hey, sweetheart. 

I told Ember about the situation, and she says I should send you love letters. She never disappoints in making me laugh. 

Casey is doing well, your parents are fine. The neighborhood is getting over their anger and has stopped vandalizing your house. So that’s good. 

Mom still acts weird whenever the mayor shows up at our house to talk. I keep trying to ask her what’s going on, but she avoids my questions. I’m guessing they knew each other in the past, and their relationship went in the wrong direction. 

Anyways, I hope you’re doing great. Love you. 

Flint. 

Love you. That’s what he said. All because I was stupid enough to trust he was my friend. I read the last line of the letter. 

P.S. Ember and I are coming to visit you in a few days. We’ll try and find a way to see you. 

I drop the letter, gasping. He’s going to come here and it’ll be even more awkward. Ember wants it to happen between us. I crumple the letter up, and throw it in the trash can, putting my face in my hands. A knock comes at the door after about fifteen minutes of my panic attack. 

“Who is it?” I ask, my chest heaving. 

“It’s Cai. I brought you some of the cake.” I sigh in relief, and stand up to let him in. He holds a slice of cake on a paper plate out to me. I take it with a grin as he shuts my bedroom door. “Are you okay?” He asks. I wipe my eyes. 

“Yeah. Just got a letter from home,” I mumble under my breath, poking the cake with my fork. 

“And it wasn’t good news?” He asks, tilting his head. I shrug. 

“No, I’m just… anxiety.” I answer. Cai nods, leaning against my engraved closet door.

“It’s edible, you know.” He says, pointing to the chocolate cake with golden frosting. 

“I’m not sure this is the edible kind of gold,” I say, raising an eyebrow. Cai laughs. “But it does look really yummy. Thank you.” I take a bite of the cake. “I’ll take three more pieces, please,” I say, my mouth filled with spongy cake. Cai smiles and brushes his hair out of his face with a smile. “Thanks for rescuing me back there,” I add, setting the cake down next to my bed. 

“It’s no problem,” He says. “But usually a damsel in distress would reward her knight in shining armor with a kiss.” I roll my eyes, and eat another bite of cake. He’s so annoying. 

“Speaking of payment, what’s the price you usually ask for when you’re tutoring people?” I ask, swallowing my cake. Cai stays in the doorway, watching me. 

“You don’t have to pay me for tutoring you,” He tells me. 

“You spent hours teaching me, and you don’t want to get paid?” I ask. Cai shrugs. 

“It was fun. That was reward enough,” He says with a smile, walking over to my door, and playing with the doorknob. “This door doesn’t lock,” He says, furrowing his brow. “Everyone else has a working lock.” 

“They don’t exactly like Metals here. Remember?” I say, sitting down on my mattress. “Imagine what would happen if they found out you have Metal blood.” Cai whistles, and leans against one of the posts on my bed. 

“That would be interesting to see,” He says. “Of course, it would suck, but still, interesting.” I laugh, then sigh, my smile disappearing. 

“Why aren’t you hanging out at the party? I’m super annoying, and rude, and- I’m sure I’m not better company.” Cai laughs. 

“You have no idea how much better company you are,” He says. I smile and finish my slice of cake, setting the frosting-coated plate on my desk. 

“I seriously doubt that. Back home I’m known to frequently ruin family gatherings.” I say, lying back on my bed. 

My dress restricts me from breathing normally, and falling limp like I want to. I sit back up again, and try to loosen the corset from the back. I can’t reach. I let my arms fall back at my sides, and groan. 

“Do you want me to leave now?” Cai asks, watching me. I shrug. 

“Do you want to leave?” 

“Well, it would look suspicious if we both disappeared, so I should probably get back to the party,” He says, gesturing to the door. 

“Okay,” I say, and stand up. “Before you go, could you untie my dress? I can’t reach.” I blush, realizing what I’m asking for. 

“Okay,” Cai says quietly, and I turn until my back is to him. I feel the corset loosen, and I inhale fully for the first time today. “I’m going to go now,” He says, walking towards the door as I turn around, my face still beet red. “Bye, Olive,” He says. 

“Bye,” I say, and close the door as he leaves. Ugh! What is happening to me? I’m warm and fuzzy and smiling a lot! I walk to the closet, and change into pajamas. I scrape the last of the frosting from the plate with my fork, and eat it, then head to my personal bathroom to brush my teeth. 

As I brush my teeth with the cool mint toothpaste, I catch a glimpse of my face in the mirror. It’s red and warm. Stupid, stupid boys. I say, spitting out the white foam, and washing my face and hands with a soft towel. 

A glance at the clock says that it’s only ten-thirty. The ball ends at midnight, and then I can finally get some sleep once the loud music is gone. Blissful peace and quiet. 

Downstairs, people cheer. I sigh, putting on my bathrobe, and walking out of the room. I go to the top floor of the palace, dodging servants, and find a tiny little balcony that overlooks the ballroom. I can see from up here the giant chandeliers.

They’re bigger than I thought. Each of the candles that lights it up is thicker than my arm. I sit down, folding my legs under me, and lean against the railing, looking down into the ballroom. 

I spot the baron, and my stomach turns, threatening to send my cake back up. That would be interesting. Vomit would just fall down into the crowd from above and nobody would know where it was from. 

I find Cai in the crowd, within paper-airplane throwing distance. I find a piece of old wrapping paper on the dusty floor up here, and fold it to make a perfect airplane, the way Ember taught me, and the way I taught Casey. I inspect the airplane, and throw it through the bars of the railing. 

Something sharp hits my nose, and I open my eyes. A paper airplane lies next to my face. I rub my nose, and chase after Cai, who is running out of the room. I stand up and chase after him, the paper airplane in my hands. I run down the hallway, and throw the paper airplane at his back. He doubles over in laughter, and stops running, squinting at me. 

“How did you even get up there in the ceiling last night?” Cai asks, as I catch up to him, and pick up the paper airplane from the floor. 

“Follow me,” I say, grabbing his hand, and leading him to the spiral staircase in one of the towers. I find the tiny little door, and push it open, leading Cai onto the dusty balcony. “Tada!” Cai laughs and sits down on the dusty floor. 

“It’s a nice view,” He says, looking at the people taking down the decorations from last night. I nod, and sit down next to him. “Those chandeliers-” He says, then laughs. 

“Absolutely ridiculous,” I say, laughing along with him. “Do they have to be that big?” 

“It’s a big room,” He offers. 

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean they need chandeliers the size of buses,” I reply, giggling. “I could live inside one of those.” 

“Olive the chandelier gnome,” He says, smiling wistfully to himself, looking over at me. 

“Gnome?” I ask, snorting. “I’m not that short.” Cai laughs. Hadley’s shorter than me. She’s shorter than everyone. 

“Maybe not,” He says. “But you’re still a chandelier gnome.” 

“Am I a pretty chandelier gnome, at least?” I ask, wiggling my eyebrows, and bursting out laughing. Cai smiles. 

“A very pretty chandelier gnome,” He says, grinning. Olive, you set yourself up for that. I turn to look back at the chandelier, my cheeks heating up. I pick up my paper airplane, and throw it at Cai. He catches it, and throws it down into the ballroom. 

It hits one of the servants moving the tables, and they look up at us. We duck down, so they don’t see us, and burst out laughing. Cai holds my hand as we stand up. 

“We have press interviews,” He tells me, and we leave the balcony, going down the stairs. Cai drops me off at my bedroom, bowing respectfully, and departing with a smile.